When it comes to finding new shows to binge, the options are seemingly endless. So that’s really my only excuse for initially passing over a new action comedy series hitting the 2026 TV schedule. Because after seeing the Rotten Tomatoes score for Ride or Die, I think I’m going to be firing up my Amazon Prime Video subscription to check out the series that critics are calling “rip-roaring fun.”

Ride or Die stars Octavia Spencer and Hannah Waddingham as friends on the run from Bill Nighy, who plays the director of a crime syndicate. These decorated actors — who all have BAFTAs to their name, as well as other accolades — are undoubtedly part of the reason the series has been declared Certified Fresh by Rotten Tomatoes, holding a 96% on the Tomatometer. Sabrina Carr of Metro says it’s more than just the performances, though. She says it’s an action-packed comedy that actually made her laugh. Her review reads:

After watching the Ride or Die trailer, it does seem like Debbie (Octavia Spencer) and Judith (Hannah Waddingham) might just be the action team I never knew I needed. Debbie is the wife of a politician who thinks her best friend Judith is a forensic accountant. Judith has been keeping a big secret, though, which her friend gets pulled into after a failed assassination attempt.

Aramide Tinubu of Variety enjoys how the friends’ lives are explored beyond generic talking points like career, family or ageism, really getting to the heart of Debbie and Judith’s friendship. Ride or Die loses its luster when new characters and sidequests pull attention away from their dynamic, but Tinubu says this series is worth seeing for Hannah Waddingham’s stunts alone. The critic says:

Critics aren’t the only ones excited about Ride or Die, either. Rotten Tomatoes’ audience gives it an 82% rating (as of this writing), with some of their reactions reading:

• Fantastic watch! Had everything: spies, action, bonding between friends, humor, great acting, European locations. More like this, please! Top marks across the board! 5/5 – TM S
• It's very entertaining. Hannah Waddingham is very fun to watch. – Larry S
• Entertaining with good pacing and a nice mix of action, comedy and suspense. Love the chemistry between the 2 leads! – Ying L
• I loved this series. [Witty], funny and just enough action. – Louise B
• Hands down one of the best new shows I have seen in years! Octavia Spencer is magic as always. Hannah Waddingham is incredible! Their chemistry is outstanding. I need so many more seasons of this! – Melissa R

The talent involved in Ride or Die — in addition to Hannah Waddingham apparently doing so many of her own stunts — should have been a clear indication that this would be a worthy Amazon Prime binge. If you’d also like to check out the new series, all eight episodes are available to stream now on Prime Video.

Spoilers for Ride or Die are ahead! You can stream the series with an Amazon Prime subscription.

While Debbie (Octavia Spencer) finds out that Judith (Hannah Waddingham) is an assassin early in Ride or Die, the fact that she kept that secret for so long looms large over the entire show. So, as I watched the project on the 2026 TV schedule, I couldn’t stop stressing about said secret. That's why I asked Hannah Waddingham about it and how long her character kept it.

Throughout Ride or Die, Waddingham’s character fights off bad guys, but she also has to deal with inner demons and secrets. This specifically applies to the state of her friendship with Debbie, as Judith didn't tell her she was an assassin for decades. Considering how long she kept her true profession under wraps, I asked the Ted Lasso actress if her character ever thought about confessing to her pal. In response, she said:

As I was watching the show, I couldn’t help but think about how natural that secret became. Judith’s life with Debbie was an escape from her professional life, and telling her about it would endanger both of them. So, she just kept on keeping this massive part of her life to herself.

To that point, Waddingham explained that she made sure her performance acknowledged the fact that keeping this information from her best friend was second nature:

In the Ride or Die trailer alone, Debbie and Judith’s bond is on full display. So, you can imagine both how hard it might have been to live with that secret and how terrible it was for both of them when it was revealed.

As the show goes on, Debbie reckons with Judith’s real job, and it impacts their friendship in a big way. However, while she was utterly blindsided by her pal’s reveal, I also couldn’t help but wonder if she was ever suspicious about all this. So, I asked Spencer about it, and she said:

Waddingham went on to say that both characters coped with their lives by hiding things, and they’ve each gotten so used to it that it was something they could do without thinking about it too much. So, there was no suspicion. However, once the cat was out of the bag, all of this became unavoidable conflict.

That became the driving force behind Season 1 too, as these women reckoned with Judith’s secret and worked through their history together (while also fighting off bad guys). Overall, this all helped make Ride or Die a complex story about female friendship, and Waddingham and Spencer played the nuances of it all very well.

Now, to see how all this plays out in detail, you can stream Ride or Die on Prime Video.

Minor spoilers for Ride or Die are ahead! You can stream the series with an Amazon Prime subscription.

We know Hannah Waddingham is a comedy queen; her Emmy-winning performance in Ted Lasso proves that. We also know she’s a great dramatic actress. However, in Ride or Die, her new show on the 2026 TV schedule, she proves she’s an action star too. In fact, there’s one scene in this new series she went so hard for that her own stunt double had to “raise her game.”

In Ride or Die, Waddingham plays an assassin named Judith, and in Episode 5, she finds herself captured in a bathroom with a bag on her head. As she struggles to free herself, she bites a guy and fights with three others. It’s a sequence that feels like something straight out of the Mission: Impossible movies, and it turns out the Ted Lasso actress took a page out of Tom Cruise’s book as she worked on her own stunts. Explaining how that impacted her stunt double, Waddingham said:

While Hannah Waddingham has had supporting roles in action movies like Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning and The Fall Guy, she takes center stage in Ride or Die and is very involved in its biggest set pieces. She looks like a natural on screen too. It seems like that really was the case on set, as well, considering her own stunt double had to step up her game. To that point, the actress told me:

That’s quite the feather in Waddingham’s cap, and the sequence all around is very epic. I also love that she took it so seriously and went so big that her stunt double had to get on her level. That’s a testament to how committed the actress was to the action in this show.

Overall, Waddingham is epic throughout the show, not just in this scene. Her co-lead Octavia Spencer noted that too. Earlier in our interview, I asked about moments that made Ride or Die’s stars feel the most badass. As they were talking about Judith’s skiing sequence that opens the show, The Help actress had this to say about her co-star:

As you can see in the trailer for Ride or Die alone, both Waddingham and Spencer kick butt in this show about two women who wind up on quite the action-packed adventure together.

Now, to watch the action sequences mentioned in this story, and to see exactly why Hannah Waddingham is “the whole potato” when it comes to these sequences, you can stream Ride or Die on Prime Video now.

Buckle up and make sure your Prime Video subscription is in good standing, because this new 2026 TV show looks like a fun one! Amazon's streaming service dropped the trailer for their new series starring Octavia Spencer and Ted Lasso star Hannah Waddingham, and it looks like it's going to be a wild ride. In fact, based on the vibe of the trailer (above), I think this is exactly the kind of series I'm going to need this summer.

You know that best friend you call your ride or die? What if they put that phrasing to the test? Ride or Die comes from Matt Miller (as showrunner) and director Peyton Reed (who helmed the Ant-Man movies for the MCU), and stars Spencer and Waddingham as Debbie and Judith respectively, two besties who end up on the run when someone from Judith's assassin-past resurfaces. Considering Spencer's character had no idea her best friend of twenty years was once an international assassin, they clearly have some things to sort out while also trying not to die.

I'm not going to lie, this trailer looks loads of fun. I love that the premise involves a decades-long friendship between two women who know each other inside and out -- or think they do -- and then find themselves caught up in mayhem together. And seeing these two icons playing the leads in a fun action caper already had me sold on watching. I really didn't consider how badly I needed a show starring these two iconic actors facing off against big bad guys until I watched Prime Video's preview for the series.

All eight episodes of Ride or Die hit Prime Video on July 15. The cast also includes Ed Skrein, Calam Lynch, Savannah Steyn, Jamie Parker, Jacky Ido, Sylvia Hoeks and the great Bill Nighy.

Every year, I try to honor Black History by writing about something important that has occurred in the entertainment industry. And, I can’t think of any greater honor than winning the Academy Award.

Yes, there have been achievements in many different categories, including directing, writing, producing, scoring, etc, but today, my focus is going to be on Black actors.

Split amongst the Best Lead Actor, Best Lead Actress, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Supporting Actor categories, there have been a total of 23 Oscars doled out to Black performers. So, here are all 23 of them, chronologically ordered.

Hattie McDaniel - Gone With The Wind (1939)

The very first Black winner for an acting Academy Award, Hattie McDaniel won it for Best Supporting Actress with her portrayal of Mammy in Gone With the Wind.

And, even though it's a racial stereotype role, McDaniel's character was often the most sensible and attention-grabbing character on the screen. It's a landmark victory for Black people in cinema.

Sidney Poitier - Lilies Of The Field (1963)

One of Sidney Poitier’s best movies, Lilies of the Field, which is about a handyman who helps a group of nuns build a chapel, was actually Poitier’s second nomination for Best Lead Actor.

His first was for 1958’s The Defiant Ones, which was a movie that he mostly shared with Tony Curtis. Lilies of the Field, however, was a leading role purely for Poitier, and he ended up becoming the first Black Actor to ever win the award. Great stuff!

Louis Gossett Jr. - An Officer And A Gentleman (1982)

In this romantic drama that also stars Richard Gere, Louis Gossett Jr. plays a hard-nosed drill instructor who really challenges his cadets.

Before there was R. Lee Ermey in one of my favorite Kubrick films, Full Metal Jacket, there was Louis Gossett Jr. berating his troops. He was the first Black man to win a Best Supporting Acting trophy, and it was justly awarded. He’s really good in this.

Denzel Washington - Glory (1989)

Denzel Washington’s first Academy Award was a supporting one for his role as a private in the Civil War drama, Glory.

As both a leader to the men in his regiment, but also a soldier who must follow orders, Washington’s character shows the duality of a Black man in uniform. Him deciding to hold up the flag for the charge is one of the most iconic scenes in late ‘80s cinema.

Whoopi Goldberg - Ghost (1990)

An EGOT recipient (though, not the only one on this list), Whoopi Goldberg received a Best Supporting Actress Award for her role as the medium, Oda Mae Brown, in the hit Ghost.

The romance between Swayze and Moore’s character is what defines this film, but it wouldn’t be nearly as enjoyable without Goldberg’s humor, and seriousness when the moment calls for it.

Cuba Gooding Jr. - Jerry Maguire (1996)

For this sports comedy-drama, Cuba Gooding Jr. received a Best Supporting Actor award for his role as a cocky but steadfast wide receiver who wants to be shown the money.

Gooding Jr.’s performance is full of energy, and it makes this romantic comedy feel even sweeter when his and Tom Cruise’s characters share more than just a player and client relationship and actually become good friends.

Halle Berry - Monster's Ball (2001)

The only Black woman who has ever won Best Lead Actress, Halle Berry, took home the trophy for her role as a conflicted woman who takes on a relationship with the man who helped execute her husband.

Berry’s character is highly vulnerable, and the events of the movie are stressful beyond belief. Still, her character, as flawed as she is (everybody’s flawed in this film) weathered the storm, and earned Berry a Best Actress statue for her troubles.

Denzel Washington - Training Day (2001)

Washington’s second trophy came as the Best Lead Actor, for playing a cop in Training Day who definitely didn’t follow the rules.

Washington’s character was both charming and terrifying, often in the same scene. Say it with me, people: King Kong ain't got nothing on him!

Morgan Freeman - Million Dollar Baby (2004)

Morgan Freeman actually had a supporting role in two of Clint Eastwood’s best movies, those being Unforgiven, and Million Dollar Baby. And, both films won Best Picture.

However, it was in the latter film where Freeman picked up the Best Supporting Actor statue, for playing a grizzled former boxer and gym assistant. It’s a mostly quiet role, but a memorable one.

Jamie Foxx - Ray (2004)

In one of the best music movies of all time, Jamie Foxx scored a much deserved Best Lead Actor award for his role as the famous blind musician, Ray Charles.

Foxx even had his eyes glued shut for the sake of authenticity. Anything for the craft, right?

Jennifer Hudson - Dreamgirls (2006)

Another EGOT recipient on this list, Jennifer Hudson, scored a Best Supporting Actress trophy in her VERY FIRST ACTING GIG!

It’s little wonder why though. Hudson’s portrayal of Effie White in Dreamgirls is powerful. Going from lead singer to starting all over again, Hudson did a “Supreme” job (Do you see what I did there?) in her very first role.

Forest Whitaker - The Last King of Scotland (2006)

Forest Whitaker’s best performance is by far his role as Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland.

In a role that netted him a Best Lead Actor award, Whitaker is utterly terrifying, but also somewhat funny, in the way that only Whitaker can be.

Mo'Nique - Precious (2009)

After watching Mo’Nique as the abusive mother in Precious, it’s hard to watch her again in one of the best Black TV shows, The Parkers. It just seems like such a smoke screen.

Anyway, Mo’Nique was awarded a Best Supporting Actress trophy for this performance, and I haven’t looked at her the same way since.

Octavia Spencer - The Help (2011)

Though The Help hasn’t aged well, Octavia Spencer’s role as a maid who was fired for using a guest bathroom is still one of her best performances.

Spencer won Best Supporting Actress for a role where she got to take a dump in somebody’s pie. It’s a feel good film.

Lupita Nyong'o - 12 Years a Slave (2013)

In her career-defining role in 12 Years a Slave, Lupita Nyong'o plays a violently abused slave.

It is one of the most brutal (and likely most realistic) portrayals of slavery ever put to screen, and Nyong'o won a Best Supporting Actress Award for her performance.

Viola Davis - Fences (2016)

In this adaptation of a play in August Wilson’s Pittsburgh Cycle, Viola Davis plays a wronged but loyal wife.

The third EGOT recipient on this list, Davis should have several Oscars, but this is her sole win, and it’s in the Best Supporting Actress category.

Mahershala Ali - Moonlight (2016)

Though only in Moonlight for one act, Mahershala Ali’s performance as a caring drug dealer was so powerful that he won the Best Supporting Actor trophy.

It would be his first of two Academy Awards so far.

Regina King - If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)

In If Beale Street Could Talk, Regina King plays the mother of a young woman whose boyfriend has been convicted of rape, and she tries to convince the victim that it wasn’t him.

King won a Best Supporting Actress Award for her quiet, but searing performance.

Mahershala Ali - Green Book (2018)

In Ali’s second Best Supporting Actor win, the skilled performer played real-life pianist Don Shirley in this Best Picture winner.

Ali’s character in this film is completely different from that in Moonlight, but that sense of vulnerability still persists, which was worthy of the award.

Daniel Kaluuya - Judas And The Black Messiah (2020)

Playing the “Black Messiah,” Daniel Kaluuya portrayed the inspirational Fred Hampton in this riveting biopic.

He won Best Supporting Actor, beating out the “Judas” (Bill O’Neal) in this picture, played excellently by LaKeith Stanfield, who was also nominated.

Ariana DeBose - West Side Story (2021)

In this second adaptation of the famed musical West Side Story, Ariana DeBose won Best Supporting Actress playing Anita, who was portrayed by Rita Moreno in the first theatrical adaptation.

DeBose is absolutely magnetic in the role, firmly earning her win.

Will Smith - King Richard (2021)

Though the unfortunate slap is likely what many people remember most about this ceremony and Will Smith's award, his Best Lead Actor-winning turn really does deserve a second look.

Playing the tenacious father to Venus and Serena Williams, Smith definitely deserved the award for his work in the lauded film.

Da'Vine Joy Randolph - The Holdovers (2023)

And finally, the most recent winner, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, won Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of a quietly grieving mother in The Holdovers.

This film speaks to me as a teacher, yes, but also as a parent. I can thankfully only imagine the pain that her character Is going through.

That’s all of them! We’ll see if Zoe Saldaña, Colman Domingo, or Cynthia Erivo pick up a trophy at the 2025 Academy Awards.

I love a silly horror film, especially when it embraces the absurd. That’s why some of my favorite films are also some of the best horror comedy movies. I adore a captivating blend of grotesque and hilarity. However, occasionally, it’s hard to differentiate when a horror film is funny by choice or due to the consequence of poorly executed decisions. Ma is a film that I never watched because I initially thought it was a horror comedy and then learned otherwise. Though some may consider it hilarious, it’s not by the film’s choice.

The initial reviews implied Ma is a straightforward psychological thriller that makes some decisions that don’t work. It became infamous for not trying to be funny but succeeding anyway. The Ma memes kept me interested but I waited until 2024 to finally watch it. Watching Ma was a wilder movie experience than I expected. Let me explain.

Warning Ma spoilers are ahead. Proceed with caution.

The Victim Is The Antagonist

No one prepared me for Ma’s (Octavia Spencer) tragic backstory. I knew the other teens did something to trigger her mental breakdown, and that was the driving force of her revenge. You can make this assumption simply from watching the trailer. However, I expected something similar to Carrie, a terrible prank gone wrong but nothing technically criminal. I expected an embarrassing cruel moment but not to the extremes of Ma.

What happened to Sue Ann is sexual assault. She willingly engages in oral sex but is tricked and coerced into it. Sue Ann thought she was engaging in sexual activity with her crush, but the students tricked her into this activity with someone else. That’s a textbook example of sexual assault.

Ma doesn’t fully approach the topic deeply because it’s never given the seriousness it deserves. In fact, none of the children turned adults seem that remorseful. Erica (Juliette Lewis) apologizes but it doesn’t seem that heartfelt or genuine. Learning Ma’s backstory made me sympathize with her. I also wished the film didn’t make her this fully cartoonish villain. It removed some of Sue Ann’s sympathetic aspects. Additionally, Ma’s sexual assault almost makes her a villain with an understandable motive.

Unfortunately, however, Sue Ann squanders that sympathy by becoming too diabolical. With such a talented actress like Octavia Spencer, Ma could have really made its story more emotionally impactful and gripping. It could have been another great Octavia Spencer performance.

Instead, it didn’t feel like Ma addressed the tragedy of this incident enough. It seemed more like a plot device instead of trying to say something profound about trauma.

But It's Still Crazy She Has A Beef With Children

No one can deny that a crime happened to Sue Ann. However, it doesn’t justify her behavior. After all, she starts a rivalry with children, especially Maggie (Diana Silvers) whose mother had the least involvement in everything that happened to Sue Ann.

Sue Ann graduates from victim to perpetrator. This type of progression occasionally happens to some victims but the film kind of diminishes her sympathy by making her attack innocent children. Additionally, Ma tries to have us root against Sue Ann, and even cheer when Maggie stabs her. I didn’t cheer. I wanted Sue Ann to live and get the proper help she clearly needed.

Also, the fact that she still goes after the parents makes her attack on the children even more questionable. If she only goes after the children, you could see this act as staying true to the ideology of the “sins of the fathers are visited upon the children,” but because she punishes the teens and parents, it feels less impactful.

She seems to want to hurt everyone. It would have felt more biblical if Sue Ann attacked only the younger generation and made the parents suffer that way. Her actions are wrong either way but thematically it makes more sense to hurt the children only. Her beefing with the teens is Ma’s most uncomfortable element.

Ma Was Always Uncomfortable To Watch

Children can sometimes be naive or too trusting. They can also just be dumb. The children in Ma feel very dumb because Sue Ann automatically raises red flags. However, they ignore them for most of the movie because they like her buying them alcohol and letting them party in her basement. One of Ma’s most memorable moments is her making Chaz (Gianni Paolo) strip down by pointing a gun at him.

She claims the gun isn’t loaded, and the children then laugh the incident off. She also inappropriately touches Andy (Corey Fogelmanis) and Darrell (Dante Brown) a few times. Ma often gives predator vibes but the children ignore it. Spencer does a good job with the character because she gives off an uncomfortable aura from the beginning. Ma never makes you root for Sue Ann, even when you sympathize with her pain. She’s just too intolerable to support.

I Didn't Expect A Munchausen By Proxy Plot

People aware of Gypsy Rose Blanchard's storyor have seen the act The Act know of one of the most infamous cases of Munchausen by Proxy, which is a disorder where the person will fabricate or even inflict an illness on another person in their care. Ma screenwriter Scott Landes might have felt inspired by Gypsy Rose’s story because the plot about Sue Ann poisoning her daughter, Genie (Tanyell Waivers), to make her sick feels very similar to Gypsy’s story, including the part where Genie attempts to stop Ma by helping kill her.

Even just watching The Act trailer, it seems clear that Ma takes some inspiration from this well-known story. Sue Ann is already a pretty diabolical villain so she becomes even worse by intentionally harming her daughter. It feels like an extra plot that isn’t needed but helps cement Ma as such a memorable evil-doer.

I Found Ma's Casual Children Torture Mouth-Dropping

Ma takes its time with killing off characters, but then it goes full force. Every murder scene gets more gruesome. There are only about two of them but those are very unforgettable death scenes. Then, the torture of the children scenes are even more uncomfortable and memorable. Sue Ann burns Chaz’s chest with an iron, paints Darrell white, and sews the lips of Haley (McKaley Miller).

Then she ends up kissing Andy before stabbing him. It’s very extreme and hard to watch, especially considering all these actors play teens and look like them. Ma really embraces the “do whatever and see what happens” philosophy. In many ways, it’s a respectable decision to go full-throttle crazy with the plot and actions, but it also makes Ma an awkward and agonizing viewing.

The Memes From The Film Are Crazier With Context

The Ma listening meme and the telling Chaz to strip meme are two of the most famous memes from the film. It’s now hilarious to know the full content of these scenes, especially the secretly listening one. Sue Ann was very proud of herself for tricking children by providing them with alcohol. Now with the full context, the meme is even funnier.

Ma is more bonkers than expected. It’s one of the best movies to watch on Hulu right now. It is just absurd for absurdity's sake but with earnest enough performances to stay out of parody territory. Ma is a film you must at least experience once.

Stream Ma on Hulu.

Hollywood is a tough place to get your big break. Many actors struggle for years before they finally hit it big. These stars put in the effort and stuck with it until they finally became huge stars after they turned 40. Stars like Steve Carell, Kathy Bates, Alan Rickman, and many more actors like them are household names now, but it took them years to get there.

Steve Carell

Like so many other people Steve Carell started his career at Second City in Chicago. He then kicked around television for a while, with roles on the Dana Carvey Show and eventually at The Daily Show. It's when he left that show to head the cast in The Office that his career exploded and he became one of the most beloved stars on earth.

Samuel L. Jackson

Samuel L. Jackson has one of the most impressive resumes in Hollywood, but it took him a long time to get there. His first credit came in 1972 when he was 24, but it would take another two decades or so, after a series of smaller roles in the late '80s, that he would land the role of Jules Winfield in Pulp Fiction and have his career completely explode.

Alan Rickman

The late, great Alan Rickman started acting in theater in the mid-70s, finding regular roles throughout the early '80s. Then, in 1988, at age 42, he made his feature film debut in a little movie called Die Hard. To this day, Hans Gruber is a legendary villain. He would go on to star in dozens of movies, most notably the Harry Potter films, before passing away in 2016 at age 69.

Betty White

Though Betty White had a little success in her 30s with her eponymous TV show for NBC in the '50s and minor hit Life with Elizabeth in the same decade, it really wasn't until after her 40th birthday in 1962 that she really rose to big stardom. After her 50th birthday, she was cast in the Mary Tyler Moore Show, and after her 60th birthday, she teamed up with Bea Arthur, Rue McClanahan, and Estelle Getty in the role she's probably best known for today in Golden Girls.

Morgan Freeman

Morgan Freeman was born in 1937, but it would take almost 50 years for the legend to truly break out in film. After working here and there as a dancer and as a stage actor in the 1960s and '70s, he scored his breakout role in 1987's Street Smart, starring alongside Christopher Reeve. His performance earned him the first of his Oscar nominations and by 1989's Glory, Freeman was a bonafide star.

Bea Arthur

Like her Golden Girls co-star Betty White, major success came later for the great Bea Arthur. Though she was a steadily-working actor starting in the 1940s, it wasn't until she played the character Maude Findlay, first in All In The Family, then her own spinoff called Maude, that Arthur reached the heights of fame. She was nearly 50 at that point, but her star never faded after that.

Brian Dennehy

Brian Dennehy didn't set out to be an actor. After serving in the Marines and graduating from Columbia University in 1965 with a degree in history, he caught the theater bug and started working in regional theater. In 1983, after a few smaller roles, he scored his first big role as the sheriff in First Blood at age 45.

Kathryn Joosten

Kathryn Joosten is best known for playing the beloved Mrs. Landingham in The West Wing and like her character, her real-life story is truly inspiring. She spent the first half of her life first as a nurse, then as a stay-at-home mom, raising two kids. At the age of 42, after divorcing her husband, Joosten began working in local theater in her hometown of Chicago. At age 53, she moved to Orlando and became a performer at Disney World. Soon after she moved to Hollywood and started landing parts in TV. Amazing.

Kathy Bates

Though she made her film debut in 1970, it would be more than two decades later, after working in theater and in bit TV parts, before Kathy Bates would become a star. It was, of course, he now-legendary performance as Annie Wilkes in Misery that would vault her to stardom. Truly one of the best female villains in Hollywood history.

Bryan Cranston

Most people certainly think first of Breaking Bad when they hear the name Bryan Cranston and with good reason. Cranston was 52 when he first starred as Walter White. Of course, that wasn't his breakout role, which came eight years earlier when he starred as the dad in Malcolm In The Middle ]. While he has been acting in movies and TV for years, it was that role, after his 40th birthday, that really put him on the map.

Viola Davis

EGOT winner Viola Davis found success on the stage first, winning two Tonys before turning 40. In 2008, at age 43, she was nominated for an Oscar for her role in Doubt, but it was 2011's The Help, for which she was nominated for another Oscar, that vaulted her to superstardom.

Rodney Dangerfield

Rodney Dangerfield has one of the best stories of perseverance in Hollywood history. Though technically his career started in the 1930s, his stand-up was so bland that he eventually gave up and became a salesman. In the 1960s, he re-invented himself and his act and it was a hit, with some of the best one-liners of all time. Suddenly the guy that got no respect was getting respect by talking about how he got no respect! It wasn't until 1980, at almost age 60, that Dangerfield landed his first starring role in a movie, in Caddyshack.

John Mahoney

John Mahoney started his career as the "old guy" at the Steppenwolf Theater in Chicago. After years as an English teacher, the future Frasier star gave up his career and started acting in his late 30s. By the late 80s, well into his 40s, he was landing roles in movies like Say Anything... and Moonstruck.

Jane Lynch

It's easy to say that Glee was the project that really made Jane Lynch famous, but she got her big break before that when she found her way into the Christopher Quest universe, where she was responsible for some of the wittiest one-liners in Best In Show.

Ricky Gervais

Ricky Gervais took a roundabout way to comedic fame. He started in music, moved to radio, and eventually found his way onto the popular British show The 11 O'Clock Show. It was in 2001, however, at age 40 when he co-created and starred in The Office. The rest is well-known history.

Michael Emerson

Michael Emerson took the very long trail to fame, and his story is inspirational. He struggled for years as an actor, first in New York, then later in Florida where he taught acting as well. He stsarted landing work in the theater in the late '90s, but got his big break in a guest spot on The Practice in 2001. Of course, he's best known for playing Ben on Lost.

Peter Dinklage

Though he found steady work in the early '00s, Peter Dinklage really shot to superstardom when he was cast as Tyrion Lannister in Game Of Thrones when he was 42. Today, that character is still, and will likely always be, one of the most beloved in TV history. Tyrion also happens to the character who appeared in the most episodes of Game of Thrones.

Larry David

Larry David's career had a lot of ups and downs in the early years. His first major gig was as a writer on SNL, though he didn't find much success there. At age 42, in 1989, he co-wrote a TV pilot for what became Seinfeld and his career took off. On screen, after playing a few minor roles onSeinfeld, he found even more fame with HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Melissa McCarthy

While she did have some big supporting roles in her 30s in Gilmore Girls and Samantha Who?, Melissa McCarthy's career exploded when she started as Molly in Mike & Molly, in 2011, at age 41, she co-starred in Bridesmaids, where she completely stole the show, earning an Oscar nomination in the process.

Margo Martindale

Margo Martindale has become one of the best character actors in Hollywood, but it took her a long time to get there. She worked in community theater for years before she regularly started landing TV roles in her late 30s. After her 40th birthday, her career took off with dozens of memorable supporting roles in both film and TV.

Leslie Jones

Saturday Night Live is generally thought of as a young person's game. Most cast members join very early in their careers and by the time they are 30, they are moving on to other things. Leslie Jones is an exception to that. She didn't join the cast until she was nearly 50, but she made an immediate impact. Since leaving the show, she's continued to star in things like 2016's Ghostbusters and Coming 2 America in 2021.

Ty Burrell

Modern Family took the world by storm when it debuted in 2007 and one of the leads of the show, Ty Burrell, became a huge star. This came after years in Hollywood in supporting roles and, eventually, a starring role in the short-lived show Out of Practice. It was Modern Family that made him a household name.

Octavia Spencer

Octavia Spencer started landing bit parts and supporting roles in the mid-90s, but it was 2011's The Help that put the Academy Award-winner on the map, after her 40th birthday. Not only did she win for her role in The Help, but she's been nominated for others as well, including for her work in Hidden Figures and The Shape of Water.

Patrick Stewart

While Patrick Stewart steadily found work in the theater and in smaller supporting roles in TV and film, it wasn't until he was cast as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation in 1987 that he became a household name. He was 47 at the time and he's only gotten more famous as he's gotten older.

Billy Bob Thornton

Billy Bob Thornton basically made his own fortune in Hollywood after years of smaller supporting roles, he wrote, directed, and starred in Sling Blade. The movie was a low-budget masterpiece and he's been starring in big roles and winning awards ever since.

Hannah Waddingham

Many actors get their start in the theater, just like Hannah Waddingham. With a fantastic singing voice and wonderful acting chops, it makes sense that this is where Waddingham would first find success. It would take a couple of decades for her to equal that on screen with roles in shows like Game of Thrones, and, of course, her greatest claim to fame, Ted Lasso.

Richard Farnsworth

Without a doubt, the late Richard Farnsworth had one of the most incredible careers in Hollywood history. He had uncredited roles in some of the most famous Hollywood epics including Gone With The Wind, The Ten Commandments, and Spartacus. He didn't earn his first credited role until he was 46 in a movie called Texas Across the River in 1966. Then in the 1970s, he became a well-known character actor in projects like Roots, The Natural, and Misery.

F. Murray Abraham

After scoring a handful of supporting roles in movies in the 1970s, F. Murray Abraham became a household name after his Oscar-winning performance as Antonio Salieri in 1984's Amadeus. It was truly a career-making role and one that is still loved today by fans.

Liam Neeson

Liam Neeson was 41 when he starred in one of the greatest movies ever made, even if it's a movie you can only watch once. As Oscar Schindler in Schindler's List, Neeson immediately became world famous. It's safe to say that role will always keep him famous, too.

Lucille Ball

It's really hard to believe that Lucille Ball was over 40 when she became famous on I Love Lucy, but it's true. The comedian worked in show business for decades before she and her husband Desi Arnaz created the now-legendary TV show and her fame never faded for the rest of her life.

Tommy Lee Jones

Like a lot of actors from Texas, Tommy Lee Jones does things his way. The Harvard grad worked for decades, even winning a Golden Globe and an Emmy before he truly found fame and became a leading man in the 90s with movies like The Fugitive and Under Siege.

Ken Jeong

it's not often that someone switches careers from medicine to drama, but that's exacting what Ken Jeong did. Though he always had a love of acting, he originally pursued a more traditional career as a doctor, while acting and doing standup on the side. By the mid-2000s he was earning enough to leave medicine behind, and in 2011, at age 40, he broke out in a huge way in the Hangover.

Hollywood sadly lost another beloved legend this week, as Star Wars and Field of Dreams vet James Earl Jones died at 93. With a career that kicked off on the theater stage in the 1950s before his film debut in Stanley Kubrick’s excellent satire Dr. Strangelove, Jones was a prolific and dedicated talent who worked with some of the best in the business, and many of his former co-stars and longtime fans paid tribute following his death.

As one of the relative few EGOT-earning celebrities out there, James Earl Jones has been an inspirational force to plenty of actors young and old within the entertainment industry, and judging by the outpouring of love and appreciation, it’s clear his impact was widespread and likely won’t be fading away anytime soon. (Darth Vader, he was not.) Let's look at some of the loving messages shared on social media.

Mark Hamill

Arguably the most famous of all of his roles, James Earl Jones voiced all-time great movie villain Darth Vader across several Star Wars films and more (sometimes aided by tech wizardry). And while he wasn't the actual physical performer under Vader's helmet, the actor still made quite an impact on his younger co-star Mark Hamill, who shared the following message:

To be sure, Mark Hamill definitely wasn't the only Star Wars vet who shared the love.

Billy Dee Williams

Having starred as Lando Calrissian across three Star Wars films, Billy Dee Williams is a beloved sci-fi icon who was lucky enough to call James Earl Jones a friend. Here's how he paid his respects via Instagram:

That booming voice was known for more than just Darth Vader, of course, with millions of Disney fanatics out there having long adored him for voicing The Lion King's Mufasa.

George Lucas

The spearheader behind all things Star Wars, at least in the early years before Disney took over, George Lucas helped turn Jones into a globally renowned superstar, even if the actor wasn't initially credited for his voicework as Darth Vader. (That came later.) Here's the filmmaker's statement, as shared on the Star Wars Instagram:

True to his words, many of James Earl Jones' most effective roles, even the villainous and scary ones — The Sandlot's Mr. Mertle among them — were made all the more effective because of the humanity that remained intact behind the performances.

Kevin Costner

Outside of the world of Star Wars, one of James Earl Jones' best movies was a feel-good baseball flick that everyone loves. No, I'm not talking about The Sandlot again, but rather 1989's Field of Dreams, co-starring Kevin Costner, who shared his own tribute to the late legend.

Sure, it's possible that another actor could have stepped into the role of Terence Mann and made it work opposite Costner's Ray Kinsella, but it wouldn't have been the grand slam performance that James Earl Jones delivered to the heartwarming drama.

Debbie Allen

The always wonderful Debbie Allen, who'd previously cast James Earl Jones in her Broadway revival of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, took to Instagram to share her own tribute to the late, great actor.

The EGOT status was already a sign of his GOAT nature, but having Debbie Allen say it only solidifies the notion.

Octavia Spencer, Steve Toussaint, Josh Gad And More

There are probably too many celebs paying tribute to James Earl Jones to provide a comprehensive rundown of all the kind words being shared in his name, here's a smattering of R.I.P. posts from his adoring fans and occasional co-stars.

• Jurnee Smollett: Today we lost a giant. James Earl Jones was more than a legendary actor - he was a voice that carried strength, dignity, and grace. From his iconic roles to his profound impact on the arts, he paved the way for so many of us. His legacy will continue to inspire generations. Rest in power, King 🖤 #JamesEarlJones
• Octavia Spencer: I’m incredibly saddened to learn of #JamesEarlJones’ passing today. Legendary doesn’t even begin to describe his iconic roles and impact on cinema forever. His voice and talent will be remembered always. Sending love to his family, friends and countless fans in all the galaxies, far, far away. 🤍🕊️
• Michael Beach: I got to work with Mr. James Earl Jones 3 times. The first time I was only out of college for a few years and it was on his show Gabriel’s Fire. The last time was as his son and #robertduvall nephew in a film called #afamilything … I felt nervous and lucky everyday on set with two super actors!…I knew him as a quiet and kind man. But he was a giant to me in many ways and each time I was in his presence I just felt like I was learning and clearly making great career choices!…Thank you Mr. Jones! Respect and appreciation to you and condolences to your family. #ripjamesearljones #aclassic #alegend #moviedad
• Jason Alexander: James Earl Jones was as powerful and profound as he was gentle and grace-filled. His voice could command or move men to tears. His work, all those amazing characters, will remain in my heart and memory all my days. I knew him very briefly and he was everything you’d hoped he would be. May he rest well. #RIPJamesEarlJones

Gabriel's Fire isn't a movie that often comes up when discussing Jones' biggest hits, but it obviously holds a special place in The Perfect Couple star Michael Beach's heart. And some of the actor's other fan-faves like Coming to America and Claudine get namechecked by Josh Gad and House of the Dragon's Steve Toussaint in the posts below:

• Josh Gad: Shattered. There are icons and then there is this man. How do you remember someone who gave us some of the greatest stage and screen performances of all time? For so many of us, you defined our childhoods from Star Wars to Lion King, from Field of Dreams to The Sandlot, from Coming to America to Dr. Strangelove. Thank you James for giving your life to art and filling our lifetimes with some of the best performances of any resume ever. It was an honor to know you and and an even bigger honor to get perform in a theater with your namesake. 💔 #ripjamesearljones
• Omar Epps: Thank you for gifting us with dignity, grace, and resilience. A peaceful warrior who inspired many by exemplifying truths. Though your smile was disarming, the strength of your presence was felt by any who had a chance to share space with you. Being one of those fortune few, I salute you for having persevered, and flourished through it all. Blessings to your family, and may you dance with the angels now!🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾#RIPJamesEarlJones
• Steve Toussaint: So, just heard the news of this master's passing. What a legend. What a colossus! What a voice! Obviously there was that "Star Wars" thing he did, but, there was also "Great White Hope", there was "Claudine", there was "Field Of Dreams"; I could go on... I won't. Was lucky enough to meet him very briefly backstage after he performed in "Cat On A Hot Tin Roof" as Big Daddy. A kind and charming man, he made my year! #ripjamesearljones

While there will no doubt be another actor who attempts the Darth Vader voice for upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows, there will never be another Hollywood icon quite like James Earl Jones, from his persona to his acting ability to his unmistakable voice. It's been a great ride.

We here at CinemaBlend send our thoughts and condolences to the family and friends of James Earl Jones during their time of mourning.

The X-Files is an iconic show to come out of the early '90s, and the combination of mythology stories and Monster of the Week episodes created enough of a hit to last nine original seasons, two revival seasons, and two feature films. David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson aren't the only big names to come out of the show, however, as a number of the guest stars went on to become stars of their own shows. Read on for the standouts!

Ryan Reynolds

Ryan Reynolds is known for big screen ventures like the Deadpool films nowadays, but The X-Files fans saw a very young version of the actor in the Season 3 episode “Syzygy” in 1996… briefly, anyway! His character was killed off before the end of the cold open, but Reynolds would go on to star in ABC’s hit Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place sitcom from 1998-2001.

Bryan Cranston

Bryan Cranston proved a master of comedy with Malcolm in the Middle and of drama with Breaking Bad, but he flexed his acting muscles on The X-Files earlier on. While playing the ill-fated Patrick Crump in the Season 6 episode “Drive” wasn’t his first TV credit, the 1998 gig introduced him to executive producer Vince Gilligan, who would go on to cast Cranston as Walter White.

Jack Black

Long before School of Rock and The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Jack Black played Bart “Zero” Liquori in Episode 3 of The X-Files’ third season in 1995. He would later star in TV projects like Tenacious D between 1997-2000, The Brink in 2015, and the Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight animated series from 2022-2023.

Terry O'Quinn

Terry O’Quinn portrayed three different franchise characters. He played Lt. Brian Tillman in the “Aubrey” episode of Season 2 in 1995, SAC Michaud in The X-Files: Fight the Future feature film, and Shadow Man in the “Trust No 1” episode of Season 9 in 2002. Best known now as John Locke on Lost from 2004-2010, he also recurred on shows including Hawaii Five-0, FBI: Most Wanted, and Resident Alien.

Luke Wilson

Luke Wilson holds a special place in the hearts of many X-Files fans for starring as the vampire sheriff Lucius Hartwell in arguably the show’s best episode: “Bad Blood” in 1998. Following that Season 5 episode, he landed multi-episode gigs on shows including That ‘70s Show and Roadies before starring in the DC Comics-based series Stargirl from 2020-2022.

Lucy Liu

Future Kill Bill actress Lucy Liu played Kim Hsin in The X-Files’ third season episode called “Hell Money” back in 1996. She debuted in her first series regular role on the sitcom Pearl later that year, but her big TV break would be Ling Woo on Ally McBeal before playing Dr. Joan Watson in CBS’ Elementary from 2012-2019.

Tony Shalhoub

Before he was an Emmy- and Tony Award-winner, Tony Shalhoub appeared in the Season 2 episode of The X-Files called “Soft Light” as the very stressed Dr. Chester Ray Banton. While he was already starring on NBC’s sitcom Wings at the time, his most acclaimed (and award-winning) work came later with Monk starting in 2002 and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel starting in 2017.

Jane Lynch

The ninth season of The X-Files wasn't the most popular, but the “Lord of the Flies” episode in 2001 featured Jane Lynch as Mrs. Anne T. Lokensgard years before she introduced the world to Sue Sylvester on Fox’s Glee. For that role, she'd be nominated for three Emmys and win one over the course of six seasons from 2009-2015.

Felicity Huffman

Considering Felicity Huffman's later fame for Sports Night, American Crime, and Desperate Housewives, it can be easy to overlook her very early episode of The X-Files as Dr. Nancy Da Silva in 1993. The Season 1 episode was an homage to the iconic horror film The Thing and remains one of the show’s best more than thirty years later.

Shia LaBeouf

When one thinks of Shia LaBeouf as a child star, his lead role as Louis Stevens in Disney Channel’s Even Stevens from 2000-2003 probably comes to mind first. One year earlier, however, the future household name played a sick youngster by the name of Richie in a Season 7 episode of The X-Files called “The Goldberg Variation.”

CCH Pounder

While CCH Pounder only appeared as Agent Lucy Kazdin in one episode of The X-Files, Season 2's “Duane Barry” was pivotal. Starting later in 1994, Pounder appeared in the first four seasons of ER before arriving on The Shield in 2002. Her longest-running role has been playing NCIS: New Orleans' Dr. Loretta Wade for all seven seasons from 2014-2021.

BD Wong

While BD Wong appeared in Jurassic Park in the early ‘90s, small-screen stardom would take longer. He played Detective Glen Chao in The X-Files’ “Hell Money” episode of Season 3 in 1996, before he’d go on to a role in Oz from 1997-2003 and Law & Order: SVU starting in 2001. He’d eventually become one of the Law & Order stars to appear in most episodes.

Donal Logue

Donal Logue guest-starred in The X-Files' very first Monster of the Week episode, called “Squeeze,” in 1993. He went on to recur in later seasons of ER before starring in all five seasons of Grounded for Life and all five seasons of Gotham, which wrapped after 100 episodes in 2019.

Peter Boyle

Peter Boyle’s career goes back to the 1960s, but X-Files Season 3 fans will remember him for playing the title character in “Clyde Bruckman’s Final Repose” in 1995, for which he won an Emmy. He would then score another seven Emmy nominations for playing Frank Barone across nine seasons of Everybody Loves Raymond from 1996-2005.

Laurie Holden

Laurie Holden wasn’t a one-off guest star on The X-Files but would appear in ten episodes as Marita Covarrubias between 1996-2002. She’d become more of a household name as part of the original cast of The Walking Dead regulars, and she ranks among the Walking Dead cast members to appear in most episodes.

Aaron Paul

The future Breaking Bad star can be found in a Season 9 episode of The X-Files, called “Lord of the Flies” in 2001, where he played a character with the distinguished name of “Sky Commander Winky.” He would go on to recur on Big Love before landing his career-making role as Jesse Pinkman opposite Bryan Cranston. Post-Breaking Bad credits include The Path, BoJack Horseman, and Westworld.

Michael Emerson

Years before his Emmy-winning portrayal of Ben on Lost, Michael Emerson guest-starred in the final Monster of the Week episode of The X-Files’ original run. Called “Sunshine Days,” the Season 9 episode in 2002 preceded his guest stint on Without a Trace, his role in Saw, and of course five seasons of Lost. Other long-running roles since The X-Files include Person of Interest and Evil.

Jesse L. Martin

Jesse L. Martin arrived on The X-Files to play baseball-loving alien Josh Exley in “The Unnatural,” the Season 6 episode written and directed by David Duchovny in 1999. Later that year, Martin joined the cast of Law & Order, where he remained for nine seasons and nearly 200 episodes. The Flash was his next series regular gig until 2023, followed by The Irrational early in the 2024 TV lineup.

Bradley Whitford

While Bradley Whitford is likely best remembered for his work as Josh Lyman in The West Wing starting in 1999, he had a very different part to play in The X-Files’ second season in 1994. He portrayed the unfortunate Daniel Trepkos in “Firewalker.” Whitford has three Emmy wins to his name since the early ‘90s thanks to his work on The West Wing, Transparent, and The Handmaid’s Tale.

Paul McCrane

Paul McCrane played the titular character in the Season 4 episode called “Leonard Betts” in 1997. He’s also responsible for one of the most iconic lines in The X-Files history: “I’m sorry, but you’ve got something I need.” McCrane joined the cast of ER later that year to play Dr. Robert Romano across seven seasons, ending his time in one of the medical drama’s most memorable deaths.

Kurtwood Smith

Although he would later be quite well known for a different Fox series, Kurtwood Smith portrayed Agent Bill Patterson in the Season 3 episode called “Grotesque,” which aired on the network in 1996. Two years later, he was back on Fox for That ‘70s Show to play Red Forman for eight seasons and 200 episodes. Smith more recently reprised the role for Netflix’s That ‘90s Show.

Octavia Spencer

Octavia Spencer’s episode of The X-Files in 1999 may be better remembered as the one that delivered the first actual kiss between Mulder and Scully, but you can find the actress in the Season 7 episode titled “Millennium.” In addition to winning her Academy Award for The Help, Spencer landed many guest and recurring TV gigs before her lead role in Apple TV+’s Truth Be Told from 2019-2023.

Seth Green

Seth Green was a guest in the very first episode of The X-Files following the pilot, as Emil in “Deep Throat” in 1993. While it wasn’t his first TV role, it preceded his work as Oz on Buffy the Vampire Slayer from 1997-2000. He really hit his stride as a voice actor with Robot Chicken and Family Guy in particular, with hundreds of episodes of each show to his name.

Garrett Dillahunt

The X-Files is one of Garret Dillahunt’s earliest credits, as he played Edward Skur in the flashback-heavy Season 5 episode “Travelers” in 1998. He may be better remembered for his work in Deadwood which started several years later in 2004, followed by TV projects including all four seasons of Raising Hope, three seasons of The Mindy Project, and three seasons of Fear the Walking Dead.

Dean Norris

Dean Norris is a master of playing characters in law enforcement, including Marshal Tapia in The X-Files’ Season 2 episode “F. Emasculata” in 1995. His biggest TV break would come years later as Hank Schrader in Breaking Bad, and he appeared in all three seasons of CBS’ Under the Dome and all four seasons of TNT’s Claws before recurring in Law & Order: Organized Crime’s fourth season as well.

Lucy Lawless

Lucy Lawless’ most iconic work to date was likely as Xena in Xena: Warrior Princess for syndication from 1995-2001, but she came to network TV primetime in 2001 for two episodes of The X-Files Season 9 as alien super-soldier Shannon McMahon. She’d go on to recur across the last three seasons of Battlestar Galactica and become one of the faces of Starz’s Spartacus franchise of shows starting in 2010.

Brad Dourif

Brad Dourif is one of The X-Files’ most memorable early guest stars as serial killer Luther Lee Boggs in Season’s “Beyond the Sea” in 1991, but he really made a mark on TV starting in 2004 with playing Doc Cochran in Deadwood. More recently, he has been voicing the demonic doll himself in the Chucky series that premiered in 2021.

Bruce Campbell

After the Evil Dead films, Bruce Campbell was a perfect casting for a show like The X-Files in its sixth season. He played Wayne Weinsider in the twisted “Terms of Endearment” episode of 1999. Campbell would later spend seven seasons on USA as part of the Burn Notice cast, and – of course – reprise his role as Ash for all three seasons of the Ash vs Evil Dead TV show.

Willie Garson

The late Willie Garson played two different characters on The X-Files: Quinton “Roach” Freely in Season 3’s “The Walk” in 1995 and Henry Weems in Season 7’s “The Goldberg Variation” in 1999. His most well-known work is likely playing Stanford Blatch on Sex and the City across all six seasons starting in 1998. He would also star in all six seasons of USA’s White Collar following its 2009 premiere.

Giovanni Ribisi

Giovanni Ribisi certainly wasn’t unknown in television when he guest-starred as Darin Peter Oswald in Season 3 of The X-Files in 1995, but it was before he made his Friends debut as Frank Buffay Jr. More significantly, he starred in Fox’s Dads opposite Seth Green from 2013-2014 and then all three seasons of Prime Video’s Sneaky Pete from 2015-2019.

Mark Sheppard

Mark Sheppard only had a couple of credits in the entertainment industry to his name when he appeared as Cecil L’Ively in the Season 1 episode “Fire” in 1993. He then landed ongoing roles in shows like Soldier of Fortune, Inc., 24, and Battlestar Galactica, but he’s best known for portraying the fan-favorite demon Crowley on Supernatural for eight of the show’s fifteen seasons.

Danny Trejo

Danny Trejo came to The X-Files in Season 8 to play Cesar Ocampo in “Redrum” in the show’s early post-Mulder era. In addition to some film credits following TXF, he arrived on The Young and the Restless in 2008 and – most notably – Sons of Anarchy to play Romeo Parada starting in 2011. He’s also a prolific voice actor for shows including King of the Hill, The Adventures of Puss in Boots, and Big City Greens.

From the moment it debuted with a two-hour pilot episode in September of 1994 until it left the air in 2009, ER was a ratings monster. It regularly topped the ratings for the year during its 331-episode run and launched careers left and right. George Clooney for goodness sake! Not only did it have big stars in its regular cast like Clooney, Anthony Edwards, Maura Tierney, and Eriq LaSalle, but it also had a huge amount of guest stars and up-and-coming actors roll through the show. Here is our list of some of the biggest. 

Nick Offerman

Nick Offerman is most well known for playing the great Ron Swanson on Parks and Recreation where he regularly delivered some of the funniest lines on the show. He didn't have anything funny to say in his one role on ER where he played a bandmate of a bass player in distress in the emergency room.  

Taraji P. Henson

The accolades for Taraji P. Henson's acting have come fast and fierce in recent years, but she's been showcasing her talent on screen since the late '90s. One of her earliest roles was in a Season 4 episode of ER, and then in Season 5, she returned in a different role. She kept landing guest roles for years on shows like CSI and Boston Legal before landing her starring turn in Empire and the rest is history. 

Bradley Whitford

A few years before the role of Josh Lyman on The West Wing would make him a star, Bradley Whitford appeared in two episodes of ER in 1995. He'd been working regularly for almost a decade at that point and would find small roles here and there for another few years before The West Wing. He's been an in-demand actor ever since. 

Kristin Davis

Before she was a regular on Melrose Place, and before she was one of Jerry's many girlfriends on Seinfeld, Kristin Davis played a woman who was very into George Clooney's character very briefly in one episode of the first season of ER. While she only showed up once on the show, it clearly opened some big doors - and big martini glasses - in the future. 

Zac Efron

Before becoming a star in High School Musical, Zac Efron was almost type-cast as a troubled teen. On ER he played a teenager who turned up in the emergency room after being shot. He was also a troublemaker in an early role on NCIS. These days he's one of the biggest stars to grace the screen, but he used to just be in trouble on screen! 

Ewan McGregor

Ewan McGregor is something different to different generations. For some, he'll always be Renton in Trainspotting. Of course, for many, he'll always be a young Obi-Wan Kenobi. For even others, he's known as the guy who drove his motorcycle around the world in Long Way Round. You can't help but wonder if that name was inspired by his guest spot on ER in a Season 3 episode called "The Long Way Around" in 1997. 

Julie Bowen

While Julie Bowen is best known these days for playing Claire Dunphy in Modern Family, her career stretches way further back. Her first TV role came in the early '90s and her breakout role came in the 1993 Adam Sandler smash hit Happy Gilmore. In the late '90s, she had a nine-episode run on ER as the reoccurring character named Roxanne Please, who was John Carter's (Noah Wyle) girlfriend. 

Ving Rhames

1994 was a big year for Ving Rhames. Not only did he star in Pulp Fiction, but he also landed a reoccurring role as Walt Robbins, father-in-law to Dr. Peter Benton (Eriq La Salle). In total, he appeared in eight episodes over three seasons, but by then he'd also starred in Mission: Impossible and the rest is history. 

Lucy Liu

Lucy Liu is no stranger to hit television shows. She was a star of Ally McBeal in the '90s and '00s, and in Elementary in the teens. Early on, she also appeared in cameos and supporting roles on big shows like NYPD Blue and The X-Files. She also made it onto three episodes of ER, in 1995. 

Chris Pine

Believe it or not, there was a time when Chris Pine wasn't one of the "Chrises" and wasn't one of the biggest movie stars in the world. He was, in his early days, just like so many other actors, just looking to snag any role they could. Luckily for Pine, it was on a show like ER. In fact, the show he appeared in during Season 9 of the show was his first credited acting performance. 

Don Cheadle

When Don Cheadle appeared as a doctor in a 4-episode arc in 2002 on ER, he was already well-established as an actor. In fact, it came not long after he was established enough to take his name off the credits of Ocean's Eleven, despite delivering some of the best one-liners in the movie. 

J.K. Simmons

Any fan of Law & Order knows just how ingrained J.K. Simmons was in prime-time television around the turn of the century. He was a regular on that show, and he turned up in a bunch of others as well, including an episode of ER in 2004. you can always count on a great J.K. Simmons performance, no matter what he is in. 

Christina Hendricks

While she had been cast in a number of shows before Mad Men, Christina Hendricks had never really broken through as a star. That changed with the AMC show, but before that, she was just a regular hard-working actress in Hollywood. One of her earliest gigs was on ER in 2002. 

Adam Scott

Adam Scott is not the only Parks And Recreation star to appear in ER early in his career, but he did have a pretty intense role as an injured man clinging to life in the emergency room way back in 1995. It's hard to imagine it took 15 more years to get the big-time attention he deserves when he landed his role on Park & Rec. 

Glen Howerton

In 2005 Always Sunny In Philadelphia took the world by storm and went on to become one of the longest-running sitcoms of all time. Glen Howerton played a huge part in that, as one of the stars and co-creators. A couple of years earlier, he was playing a very different role as a doctor in six Episodes of ER during its 10th Season. 

Keiko Agena

Gilmore Girls regular and co-star of Prodigal Son, Keiko Agena is one of the few actors who played two different characters on ER. She first appeared on the show very early in her career, in 1998, then later appeared in the final season in 2009. 

Jessica Chastain

With three Oscar nominations and one win, Jessica Chastain has proven she's among the best Hollywood has to offer. She proved her acting years ago though, in shows like ER. In only her second credited role, she appeared on ER in 2004 in an episode called "Forgive and Forget."

Aaron Paul

For most people, Aaron Paul is best known for his legendary role in Breaking Bad but years before that show would become a hit, he played a pretty similar character on ER in an episode called "A Saint in the City," way back in 2003. 

Octavia Spencer

In 1998 when Octavia Spencer appeared on ER, it was the latest in a string of supporting roles she landed early in her career. That string would continue for a little while longer before she emerged as one of the most beloved stars of the teens and '20s after her star-making role in The Help.

Mena Suvari

As it was for a lot of cast members, American Pie was huge for Mena Suvari. She had been working for a few years in Hollywood before that, picking up roles here and there in shows like Boy Meets World and movies like The Slums of Beverly Hills. Another early role came in a 1998 episode of ER where she played a high school cheerleader who didn't want to listen to her doctors. 

Kirsten Dunst

As a child actor, Kirsten Dunst's career started when she was just six years old. It would be a few years before she landed a brief reoccurring role as a troubled teen in six episodes of ER in the show's third season. 

Dakota Fanning

Quite a few child actors who went on to greater fame came through the doors of the emergency room at Cook County General Hospital, including a young Dakota Fanning. Fanning played a young girl named Delia who came in after a car accident and viewers find out she's a cancer survivor. 

James Cromwell

One of the ultimate "that guys" in Hollywood, James Cromwell has been acting for decades. His career really started in earnest in the mid-'70s and he's been playing supporting and starring roles ever since. On ER, he played a drug-seeking priest in four episodes in Season 7. 

Josh Peck

Josh Peck was a breakout Nickelodeon star as half of Drake & Josh. That wasn't his first role though. After a few small roles and a reoccurring spot in The Amanda Show (which led to Drake & Josh), he landed a small role in an episode of ER in 2002 as a kid with heart problems. 

Eva Mendes

Before Eva Mendes semi-retired to raise her family with Ryan Gosling, she was one of the biggest stars on the planet. You can trace her career all the way back to her very first role which came in 1998 on an episode of ER. It's wild to look back and watch her doing her first on-screen performances with George Clooney and not think about what lay ahead for both of them. 

Shia LaBeouf

Without a doubt, Shia LaBeouf has had one of the wildest careers of the 21st Century. There have been times when he was on top of the world, and others when he... definitely wasn't. One high point early in his career was of a kid in the emergency room of Cook County General in 2000, during Season 6. 

Milana Vayntrub

Milana Vayntrub eventually became one of the most recognizable actors in commercials as the AT&T pitchwoman. Long before that though, she was like a lot of child actors who got their start on ER. She appeared in three episodes, her first three credited roles, as a Russian girl, way back in Season 1. 

John Mahoney

Before scoring the role of a lifetime as Martin Crane on Fraiser, John Mahoney had been a steadily working actor going back to the '70s. After Frasier, he could pretty much write his own ticket. One role he chose to take was that of a self-professed "drag queen" whose long-time boyfriend was in rough shape in the hospital on ER in 2006, making a strong statement about gay marriage before many were brave enough to join him. 

Janel Moloney

One of the many great actresses who found early work in their career on ER was Janel Moloney. Moloney scored only a handful of roles between that and The West Wing, but boy was the West Wing lucky to have her - as was ER in its first season when she appeared in one episode. 

Amy Ryan

One of the most underrated characters in The Wire has to be Beadie Russell, played by Amy Ryan. About a decade before she joined The Wire in Season 2, she starred in a single episode of ER in the show's first season. She's been in many TV shows and movies since, including a beloved recurring role on The Office and in the underrated Netflix original Worth.

Rosemary Clooney

George Clooney isn't the only famous person in his family. His aunt is, of course, the inimitably Rosemary Clooney, who was one of the most beloved singers of her generation. She only had about a dozen acting credits on her impressive resume, but one was ER during the show's first season. What a great experience for her and her nephew. Her son, actor Miguel Ferrer, also appeared in an uncredited role in the series premiere of the show. 

Dan Hedaya

If you grew up in the '90s, Dan Hedaya was seemingly everywhere, but he's probably best remember by that generation as Cher Horowitz's angry but loving father in Clueless. On ER, he plays a lawyer with... questionable ethics, but a heart of gold. He appeared in four episodes over the length of the whole show. remembered

What happens when you put an Emmy winner and an Oscar winner in an action-comedy series together? I don’t know, but we’re about to find out, because Hannah Waddingham has landed her first lead TV role following Ted Lasso’s Season 3 (and possibly series) finale. She’s set to co-star alongside Octavia Spencer in a new untitled spy action-comedy from Skydance TV for Amazon Prime. While details about the show are sparse, I can confirm that it sounds like buckets of fun, and I will 100% be tuning in. 

Waddingham and Spencer are set to star and executive produce an 8-episode original series from Tessa Coates for Prime Video. According to a press release from the streamer, the series from Skydance Television had multiple bidders. Amazon won, and it gave the action-comedy a straight-to-series order. Based on the synopsis alone, I totally get why the company was so eager to pick it up. Take a peek at the brief explanation of the series that these two powerhouses are set to lead:

Hannah Waddingham playing a spy and Octavia Spencer portraying her bestie who finds out about her double life? Sign me up! This show sounds action-packed and so fun, it also seems like it will be a fantastic story about female friendship, which we love to see. 

The Ted Lasso cast member’s enthusiasm about the role is also infectious, and has me hoping this show makes its way onto the 2024 TV schedule (however, it’ll likely come out in a year or two). Waddingham said:

Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon MGM Studios, also said they were “blown away by this one-of-a-kind comedy,” meaning it seems like everyone involved with this show is stoked about it.

Along with the general explanation of the series and its cast getting me all kinds of excited, Hannah Waddingham is uniquely qualified for this action-comedy, which makes it even better. On the 2024 movie schedule, she’ll be featured as part of The Fall Guy cast as well as the Mission: Impossible 8 ensemble. Mix those two highly anticipated action films with her Emmy-winning comedic skills that were on display in Ted Lasso, and you have the perfect person to co-lead an action-comedy with the one and only Octavia Spencer. 

Overall, I can’t wait to learn more about this action-comedy, and based on the enthusiastic comments from Waddingham and co. about the show, it sounds like they have a real winner on their hands. Eventually, the series will be available to stream with a Prime Video subscription, and it has the potential to be one of Amazon’s best series. But, while we wait to see if that's true, you can check out one of Apple TV+’s best shows and witness Hannah Waddingham as the legendary Rebecca Welton, by streaming Ted Lasso with an Apple TV+ subscription. 

It's been 118 days since members of the SAG-AFTRA union took to the picket line to fight for proper compensation and protections in the ever-evolving entertainment business. Now, the strike has finally ended, and some of Hollywood's biggest stars, including Kumail Nanjiani and Candace Cameron Bure, are reacting to the great news. 

Variety reported that SAG-AFTRA negotiators had reached agreeable terms with the AMPTP, and the strike would end at 12:01 a.m. on Thursday. A unanimous vote was reached among the negotiating committee for the actors to secure the agreement, and the next step will be getting approval from the SAG-AFTRA national board. Nanjiani quickly took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his joy at the end of the strike. In his post, which you can read below, the Eternals actor alluded to the newly released Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire trailer that just dropped. Writing about the flick, which is scheduled for the 2024 movie calendar, he posted:

Zac Efron learned of the strike's end while walking the red carpet and doing press for A24’s wrestling flick The Iron Claw. Deadline posted a video of the High School Musical star reacting to the news in real-time to their X account. Moments after learning the studios had reached a tentative deal to end the actor's strike, he said:

Fuller House and former Hallmark star Candace Cameron Bure posted an emotional video to her Instagram stories. In the video, through tears, the actress had this to say:

Mystery Science Theater 3000 star and nerd royalty Felicia Day also thanked the negotiating committee who made the deal possible. She wrote on X:

Octavia Spencer wrote that she is “Ready to work” before sharing her gratitude to committee members. The Ma star shared her pride in the Union’s historic accomplishment, posting on Instagram:

SAG-AFTRA negotiating committee member and Abbott Elementary star Lisa Ann Walter (also known for playing Chessy in The Parent Trap remake) responded to California congressman Adam Schiff on X. Walter didn’t mince words when she pointed to how important the committee's work was in reaching a deal:

Perhaps the best response came from SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher. The Nanny veteran took to Instagram, writing, “We did it!!!!":  The post, which you can read below, was uploaded on November 8, and besides thanking her fellow SAG-AFTRA members, it also highlights some of the wonderful “ground” the new deal breaks.

Full details about the new SAG-AFTRA contract are still forthcoming. Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for updates regarding how this news will impact individual projects – particularly those in the midst of filming before the strikes forced a work stoppage.

Check out our upcoming 2023 Movies guide and our 2024 movie release calendar to learn about all the features heading to the big screen and streaming in the coming months. You can also keep an eye on everything still coming to the small screen with our 2023 Fall TV Schedule.

Last week it was announced that Britney Spears and husband Sam Asghari were getting a divorce after a little over a year of marriage. Several reports around the reason for their split have been swirling, and many rumors about Asghari’s intentions have come out since the break up. Many fans are protective over Britney Spears, as the singer only just recently was rid of her decades long conservatorship. One of these fans that has advocated for the “Toxic” singer’s autonomy is Hidden Figures actress Octavia Spencer, who’s comments on the situation have gone viral. 

When Spears and Asghari announced their engagement in 2021, many fans were suspicious of the model, due to many people in the pop star’s life trying to control her and her assets over the years. Documentaries like Britney v. Spears, which is available with a Hulu subscription, made fans even more protective over the star, especially as it showed how close Asghari was to the controversial situation. Spencer seemed to have her own suspicions, as she commented some pretty sound advice on Spears’ Instagram post announcing the engagement. She said:

Many found this hilarious, because she was seemingly saying what everyone was thinking, and the Oscar winner’s investment in the Circus artist’s relationship was surprising. Spears seemingly followed the advice, as Asghari did sign an iron-clad prenuptial agreement before marrying the singer last year. In theory, this should protect the singer from having to pay out big money to Asghari. However, recent reports suggest that he is trying to get the prenup renegotiated in the wake of their split. These reports also have alleged that the model has threatened to reveal some “embarrassing” information about Spears if the contract isn’t adjusted. Once again, Spencer was having none of it, commenting yet again:

Ma for the win. If the rumors are true, and Asghari is threatening to share information, this is considered to be a crime, and blackmail (or extortion) is not permissible under the law. These early reports are currently just speculation, but all signs point to a messy uncoupling between these two, considering violence and cheating are rumored to be involved. Britney Spears has already been through a ton, so the last thing she needs is someone else in her life using her for her estate. Luckily, Spears has Spencer giving fantastic advice as she navigates her divorce. You can see an Instagram post showing The Help star’s comments below:

All of this is coming out as the release of Spears’ tell-all memoir titled The Woman in Me approaches. Asghari has been publicly supportive of the book prior to their break up, however it is unclear if details will be changed in the wake of the singer’s evolved relationship status. It seems like Spears can’t escape the never-ending drama in her life. Thankfully, she still has a passionate group of fans supporting her through it all, including other celebs like Octavia Spencer. Hopefully one day the “Piece of Me” singer finds the peace she deserves.

This is an ongoing story that we will continue to follow, and how much of the court proceedings will be made public. In the meantime, fans can preorder The Woman in Me now on Amazon. The memoir is set to give insight into Britney Spears’ side of her infamous conservatorship and rise to fame, so it will be a must have for anyone who is a fan of the pop princess. 

Few people have had quite the year that Jamie Foxx has seen. The actor was rushed to a hospital earlier this year following some sort of medical emergency and while there’s still a lot we don’t know about what happened to him, Foxx has been more visible in recent weeks and so what is clear is that he is on the road to recovery. And he's got plenty of fans and celebs behind him.

Foxx posted a message to Instagram as yet another update on his own status, saying that he’s “finally starting to feel like myself,” which certainly sounds wonderful. He also expresses his thanks for all the well wishes that he received from so many friends and fans, saying that they truly did help, and he hopes to thank everybody who supported him in person down the road.

Foxx’s update received a lot of positive responses from those friends. Among them, is Jeremy Renner, who has seen his own share of physical trials in the last few months following Renner's snowplow accident that broke several bones and has led to a significant recovery of his own. Renner and Foxx are also supposed to appear in a live-action Spawn movie down the road. Renner said… 

Following the initial report of Foxx’s hospitalization fans and friends had little idea what was happening. Foxx said later in a video that he didn’t want people to see him in the state he was in following the incident, so he remained out of the public eye during his initial recovery. 

What the underlying condition was is still not officially known. In an interview, Mike Tyson stated Foxx had a stroke, which would be consistent with what little we know but has not been confirmed. What’s clear is that people are happy Foxx is recovering so well. Sherri Shepard posted a comment saying simply…

In the same way that we still have many questions about what happened to Foxx, we have many questions about when he can return to something like a regular work schedule. Foxx had to step aside as the host of Beat Shazam for the new season, and we don’t know the fate of various upcoming Jamie Foxx movies. Some may be put on hold until he has ready, others may look at recasting, and still, others may die on the vine without him.

Of the many people Foxx thanked in his recent post was God. He clearly feels that some higher power helped him through and one friend who supports that is fellow Oscar winner Octavia Spencer, who said…

Now that Foxx is willing and able to say more, we’re likely to be able to follow his recovery closely through Instagram, much in the same way we have with Jeremy Renner. It’s wonderful to see them both doing so well. 

Getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is like a rite of passage if you’re in the entertainment industry. Essentially, it solidifies that you've hit it big time and are among the best of the best to ever grace either the big or small screens. Octavia Spencer is one of the latest stars to receive the honor, and some of her friends, including Allison Janney, were there to celebrate the occasion. And during the event, Spencer shared a sweet moment with Janney.

On December 8, Octavia Spencer received the 2,742nd star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and on hand to speak at the ceremony was the humorous and fashion savvy Allison Janney. The two stars have worked on a few films together over the years, and they now seem to be as close as ever. That was evident from a photoshoot the actresses did for PEOPLE’s The Beautiful Issue earlier this year. Though at Spencer's ceremony, the two shared a truly sentimental moment, when they embraced while Janney was at the podium. Check it out for yourself:

That's a Kodak moment if I've ever seen one. The occasional co-stars have appeared together in Chicken Party, Pretty Ugly People, and the Oscar-winning film The Help, which featured Viola Davis and other A-listers. One can't help but get a warm and fuzzy feeling knowing that the stars have remained so close over the years. It's truly fitting that the Mom alum would speak at the star ceremony, and it exempiflies just how much she respects her good buddy. 

Amid Allison Janney’s many projects and Octavia Spencer’s performances, the two have yet to star in another movie together. One would hope that the two might team up once more for either a film or TV production. Given their closeness, I can't see the two not reuniting for something else down the line. And maybe it can include another certain actor that Spencer has become friends with.

The West Wing icon wasn’t the only one who spoke at the ceremony. Will Ferrell also said some nice words about his co-star from the well-reviewed Spirited. According to The L.A. Times, he also shut down a heckler at the event while he was speaking, making sure that no one would ruined his colleague's day. The trio of actors later took a sweet photo together, and you can check it out:

Seriously, can you even imagine having friends like these, because I surely can't. It's clear that Octavia Spencer received all the love during her big day and, heckler aside, things seem to have gone very well. Here's to continued success for the Oscar-winning performer. Also, let's hope that Spencer, Allison Janney and Will Ferrell do  get together for some kind of projecct in the future.

Right now, if you want to see a flick with two of those three stars, be sure to watch the holiday movie Spirited using an Apple TV+ subscription.

The man following Paul Rudd’s tenure as People’s Sexiest Man Alive is none other than America’s Ass himself, Chris Evans. As a firm believer that Chris Evans is the best of the famous Chris-s, and as a long-time fan of the actor, I was thrilled to find out he was awarded the title of Sexiest Man Alive, and so were many celebrities. However, there were others who had hilariously jealous posts as well. No matter what, it's all in good fun, and it's entertaining to see such a range of celebrities (from Taika Waititi to Topher Grace) reacting to the news.

Evans and Dwayne Johnson announced the news last night from the set of their movie Red One. Then Evans took to Instagram to post the cover, noting that he has big shoes to fill following in the footsteps of Paul Rudd, but nonetheless he’ll do his best. You can check out the post here: 

Following the post, the celebs weighed in with angry, thirsty and complimentary comments. We’ll begin with the most aggressive of the responses. Evans’ fellow  Lightyear cast member and MCU actor Taika Waititi responded in a classic way, commenting: 

I’d assume Waititi’s allegiances are with Chris Hemsworth, hence the aggression. It’s honestly on brand for the Thor: Love and Thunder director to troll like this, and it’s hilarious.  

Justin Long commented on the post too, and seemed to be all for a second term for Paul Rudd as the sexiest man alive, writing: 

Listen, I’m with Justin to an extent, I love Paul Rudd too. However, that’s not how the rules of the Sexiest Man Alive work. Sadly Long’s Walk Hard co-star could not stay with the title.

Meanwhile, on Twitter, Topher Grace, who starred alongside Evans in the 2014 rom-com Playing it Cool, was hilariously disappointed he was not awarded the title, writing: 

Sticking with the theme of celebrities who are bummed they didn’t get the title, Final Destination and Casper star Devon Sawa tweeted: 

In a much nicer statement, but still in the same vein as Sawa and Grace, Frozen star Josh Gad commented: 

It wasn’t all snark and sass on social media though. Many other celebs posted their support, and thirst for the Captain America actor taking the sexiest man moniker. Evans’ Gifted co-star Octavia Spencer commented: 

Sticking with the theme of compliments, fellow hot person and MCU star Simu Liu complimented the Sexiest Man Alive with many  🥵 emojis. I’d assume this encapsulates how many, myself included, reacted to seeing the news this morning.

Back in the world of Twitter, Evans’ co-star in Avengers: Endgame Yvette Nicole Brown, posted: 

I doubt our “handsome Ransom,” as the official Knives Out account commented, will let the title go to his head. In the announcement video, he seemed quite bashful about his new title, and it was very endearing.

I’m honestly a bit shocked it took People so long to give Evans the title in the first place. I mean if you’ve seen the Marvel movies in order, you know he’s been rockin’ a hot bod as Captain America since 2011, and was dubbed America’s Ass in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame. Not to mention, he’s an activist, a dog dad to Dodger, plus he's a fashion icon who can rock a sweater, cable-knit or otherwise. So, I’d say all the flattering comments are well deserved.

If you are looking to catch 2022’s Sexiest Man Alive in a new movie, he’s had multiple entries on the 2022 film schedule, with The Gray Man and Lightyear. You can also always go back and watch America’s Ass, and now the World's Sexiest Man Alive in various Marvel movies with a Disney+ subscription. 

Whenever Glenn Close’s name appears, the project she is attached to is bound to be a big deal. It seems the eight-time Oscar nominee has found a great follow-up to 2021’s acclaimed Apple TV flick Swan Song. She has a Stranger Things star along for the ride instead of Mahershala Ali this time. But the real cherry on top is the huge sum of money Netflix shelled out to become the upcoming film’s distributor.

Deadline reported a source close to the streamer claimed it paid out $65 million to have Lee Daniels' untitled horror thriller be part of its original films lineup. Netflix was the victor in acquiring the rights as MGM and Miramax allegedly had their sights on the genre film as well. But the reported bidding war was worth it as the horror flick boasts an impressive cast of A-listers and rising stars. Along with Swan Song’s Glenn Close, the film will star Strange Things’ Caleb McLaughlin, Andra Day, Octavia Spencer, Rob Morgan and King Richard’s Aunjanue Ellis.

As with most of his projects, Daniels will direct and produce the thriller based on a script he rewrote. In addition to the United States vs. Billie Holiday filmmaker, Tucker Tooley and Pam Williams will produce the untitled film. Turn Left Productions’ Todd Crites and Jackson Nguyen will serve as producers with Greg Renker and Gregoire Gensollen attached as executive producers.

The exorcism thriller is inspired by coverage from the Indianapolis Star about Latoya Ammons, a single mother, and her three children living in a haunted house in Gary, IN. Multiple accounts from the local police, the area hospital, and the Department of Child Services backed up the mother’s claims. Of course, the film will have a fictional take on the story.

For the film adaptation, Andra Day will play the mother with Glenn Close playing her character’s mother. It will be Day and Lee Daniels’ second collaboration since her Oscar-nominated turn as jazz legend Billie Holiday in 2020’s The United States vs. Billie Holiday. Caleb McLaughlin is set to play one of Day’s children while Rob Morgan and Octavia Spencer portray the mother’s boyfriend and the clergy member who helps Day’s character deal with her haunted home, respectively. It is currently unknown what role Aunjanue Ellis will play in the film. So, all the elements are in place to make this potential horror classic.

The recount has been in the works since 2014 when the story first broke. Tucker Tooley has held onto the rights as Orphan: First Kill scribe Dave Coggeshall and Elijah Bynum wrote separate drafts before Daniels boarded the project. Now with Daniels at the helm, the film is heading from developmental hell into production.

The yet-titled film is expected to begin production around the middle of 2022. It is currently unknown when the exorcism thriller will premiere on Netflix. If you want to keep with any updates regarding the Netflix thriller, stay tuned to CinemaBlend for any new developments.

There are a number of spooky things that many of us would likely rather not have to deal with during our lives. While I imagine that things like demonic possession, werewolf attacks, and being enthralled by a vampire all rank pretty high on that list, living in a house with a ghost is probably also among one of the top items. On the other hand, actress Octavia Spencer does believe she has a ghost in her home, but recently told Ellen DeGeneres that she actually loves him.

Now, before you start down the wrong path and think that Oscar winner Octavia Spencer is embroiled in her very own ghost sex situation, she wasn’t saying that she’s in love with the presence in her home. When Spencer appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show recently, she simply revealed that her house-bound spirit just seems to be a gentle sort who likes to help her out in certain situations. As she explained:

I mean, if you’re going to live in a house that’s inhabited by a specter of some sort, it does seem like it would be best for that ghostly soul to at least be helpful to you in some way, right? Even though Spencer clearly believes that her ghost is the person who owned the home previously, it could really be anyone, so it’s good that they’ve found a purpose in the afterlife by running off unsavory individuals and acting as kind of a “protector” for the star.

Wouldn’t it be nice to have something that magically kept a variety of stupid or just plain bad people away from what is supposed to be your sanctuary? Whether you’re a homeowner, or the proud occupant of an apartment, you’ve probably had at least one instance where you ended up regretting having someone over. With a protector ghost on your side, though, there would be no need to kick that person out or have a difficult conversation about how they’re not invited back. The ghostie could just give them the whim whams and convince them that your home is not the place to be. Easy peasy!

But, before you think that living with a ghost has been 100% grand for Octavia Spencer, with it cleaning her kitchen and running bubble baths for her or something, it turns out that it does get a little creepy here and there. When DeGeneres asked if anything weird ever happens in her house because of the haunting, Spencer continued:

Yeah, see, that’s the part that worries me. It’s all fun and games when your ghost keeps burglars away from the house, but what if you inadvertently piss it off? Might it retaliate in a way that is far less subtle and easy to deal with than messing with the lights and doors? Honestly, I hope me and Octavia Spencer never find out. 

Since releasing a few weeks ago Melissa McCarthy’s Thunder Force has made headlines for the comedic chops of its all star cast, wild sex scenes and a particularly disgusting ending. After saving the residents of Chicago, McCarthy's character shares a plate of what appears to be raw chicken in an intimate celebration with Jason Bateman's The Crab. It’s particularly nasty due to just how realistic the raw chicken looks, and apparently the crew had one hell of a time finding the perfect supplement for actual raw chicken.

In a recent interview Melissa McCarthy revealed the painstaking process of simulating actual raw chicken for the camera. In her own words:

She dished the details in an interview with co-star Octavia Spencer on BuzzFeed. Fortunately, McCarthy didn’t end up eating actual raw chicken, as the crew found a surprisingly sweet substitute:

I mean, on one hand I’m happy they pulled off such a convincing substitute. On the other hand, I can’t imagine it was easy to scarf those things down. The raw chicken bit is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of gonzo comedy found in Thunder Force. At one point there’s a particularly intimate dance number between her character and Jason Bateman's The Crab (who is sporting straight up crab claws as arms), all to the sultry saxophone of Glenn Frey.

While the superhero comedy may not have been as warmly received by critics as it was by fans, there was still plenty to like. A number of viewers were quick to praise it’s diverse representation and Jason Bateman’s half-crab character.

If you haven’t seen it yet, Thunder Force is now streaming on Netflix. While it’s certainly not an MCU flick, the Netflix comedy offers a fun and fresh spin on the superhero genre, even if things get a little zany at times.

Melissa McCarthy’s latest superhero comedy, Thunder Force, has made headlines recently for some of the bizarre scenes featuring Jason Bateman as Jerry, aka The Crab. After a particularly wacky sequence featuring some Crab-like sex, the duo once again shocked fans with a scene toward the end of the film, eating what appeared to be raw chicken. Delicious!

Recently, Thunder Force director Ben Falcone revealed exactly what she was eating alongside Ozark star Jason Bateman. Fortunately, they weren’t actually consuming raw chicken (much to The Crab’s chagrin). Instead, they had a much sweeter substitute on set. According to the director:

First reported by The Wrap, Ben Falcone, who is married to McCarthy, said the pears were so realistic looking that even the staff was grossed out. Melissa McCarthy herself had trouble actually getting through it, apparently because it was hard to envision the pears as anything but raw chicken.

To be honest, I can understand where she’s coming from. Not only is raw chicken just disgusting to think about eating, it’s also incredibly unsafe. Even if they were just pears at the end of the day, it can’t be easy to convince yourself to eat them, let alone act like you are enjoying it!

The raw chicken bit is the cherry on top of Thunder Force’s out-there brand of comedy. At one point in the film McCarthy’s character has an impromptu dance sequence with Bateman’s The Crab. Naturally, they dance to the sax-laden tune “You Belong To The City” by Eagles frontman Glenn Frey. But to be fair, it kind of rules.

That’s just a taste of the shenanigans that happen while Thunder Force’s Melissa McCarthy and Octavia Spencer take on the villainous King, played by Bobby Cannavale. Despite the all-star comedic talent involved, the cast recently revealed that the funniest person on set was MCU veteran, Pom Klementieff.

While fans and critics may have been lukewarm on the Netflix comedy, Thunder Force is a fresh spin on the increasingly popular superhero genre. Even with the gonzo comedy and disgusting raw chicken consumption, McCarthy’s latest venture was able to satiate my superhero appetite until the long-awaited Black Widow releases later this year. Fans can check out Thunder Force on Netflix, where it’s streaming right now.

Thunder Force on Netflix, the superhero comedy starring Melissa McCarthy and Octavia Spencer as two estranged childhood friends who are transformed into superheroes, isn’t getting a lot of love from the film critics since its April 2021 debut. But while reviewers, including CinemaBlend’s own Eric Eisenberg bring up a lot of good points in his Thunder Force review of Ben Falcone’s latest effort, you may be wondering what everyday Netflix subscribers think about the star-studded affair and if maybe they enjoyed the movie.

Well, as it stands, Thunder Force currently has Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score of 25% which is only one point better than its critical response. But it’s not all bad news as a number of the movie’s fans have found several elements of Thunder Force that they actually like, so much so they took to Twitter to let the world know. Here are some of their thoughts.

Whether Or Not They Loved The Movie, Some Fans Loved Thunder Force’s Representation Of Female Superheroes

Just because you don’t like a movie doesn’t mean that you can’t find something within its narrative or presentation that's worthwhile and that seems to be the case for a number of Thunder Force fans, who despite not enjoying the movie all that much, took note of the triumphs it made in the representation department. Throughout the movie, Lydia Berman (Melissa McCarthy), Emily Stanton (Octavia Spencer), and Tracy Stanton (Taylor Mosby) are all treated with respect (well, when Lydia isn’t eating raw chicken) and prove that you don’t have to be prototypical superhero to save the city from a supercharged villain like William “The King” Stevens (Bobby Cannavale) and his band of miscreants.

One Twitter user seemed underwhelmed by the acting and story, but noted that there was a lot of LGBTQ representation, which honestly isn’t something that happens enough in the superhero genre:

Another person who watched Thunder Force shortly after its release and took to Twitter to share their thoughts called the movie “so-so” but enjoyed seeing smart Black women and girls having meaningful roles in the genre:

And then there was someone who, despite describing the movie as “meh,” does seem to appreciate the sight of Melissa McCarthy and Octavia Spencer as the superhero leads of this story.

All of these Thunder Force fans bring up a great point about the way the film handled diversity, which is honestly great to see as it helps break up the movie filled with an obscene amount of absurd and asinine concepts and humor.

Fans Can’t Get Enough Of Jason Bateman

On a lighter note, a lot of people who watched Thunder Force on Netflix the first weekend of its release all seemed to agree on something: they couldn’t get enough of Jason Bateman and his performance as Jerry “The Crab” a half-miscreant whose arms were turned into crab claws following an unfortunate underwater experience prior to the events of the movie. And like a lot of the fan reactions you’re about to see, I too couldn’t get enough of Bateman whether he was scuttling from side-to-side or using his claws for non-criminal activities.

This Twitter user commented on Thunder Force saying that the movie was indeed fun but it was the inclusion of Jason Bateman that made the movie for the them:

Some actors get grief for never changing up their characters, but one Thunder Force fan doesn’t care and actually seems to admire the Arrested Development star for it:

There are some, on the other hand (or claw), who are oddly attracted to Jason Bateman’s crustacean mutation, so there’s that:

And then some people who just want to show stuff like this (I’m not blaming them):

Honestly, it’s hard to not like Jason Bateman whenever he’s on screen in Thunder Force, and if a sequel (or prequel) were to ever be made, I’d love to see the rest of his story.

Okay, We Have To Talk About The Raw Chicken In Thunder Force

Spend enough time on the internet and you’ll find plenty, I mean plenty, of people who are obsessed with all that raw chicken in Thunder Force. Introduced earlier on with Lydia is told it’s the only thing her now-superhuman body can handle, the raw chicken gimmick comes up time and time again. Hell, it even ended up being featured at the end of the movie when Jerry “The Crab” feeds his newfound lover pieces of raw meat with his tiny little baby crab claws. Here are a few of the best reactions to all that disgusting chicken footage.

First, there’s the one Twitter user who went to bed shortly after watching Thunder Force only to wake up the next morning still consumed with questions about the chicken, namely, were they eating actual raw meat:

Another person came up with one remarkable way of promoting Thunder Force with an oft-overlooked segment of the population:

And then there was the Twitter user who came up with what is possibly the best way to describe the plot and character motivations in Thunder Force:

The raw chicken bit, while absolutely disgusting (I mean, dealing with raw poultry is the absolute worst), makes for some of the biggest laughs in Thunder Force, even though they do get a little fowl near the end there.

As you can see, the Thunder Force fan reaction is sort of all over the place. On one hand, you have people who love the way the Netflix movie treated female and LGBTQ characters. Then you have others who loved Jason Bateman’s performance. And then you have those folks who just can’t stop thinking about all that raw chicken, but I think we all are more than a little curious about that business.

If you weren’t the biggest fan of Thunder Force and didn’t think it was one of the best Netflix movies, fear not as there are plenty of 2021 new movie releases to keep you occupied while you get that raw chicken taste out of your mouth.

When you’re able to call something your ‘dream job,’ it’s a beautiful day in whatever profession you’ve chosen. That particular wisdom applies even more when you happen to be an actor like Octavia Spencer, and the dream job happens to involve a friend like Melissa McCarthy, which is exactly what happened on Netflix’s Thunder Force set. When it comes to this super-powered comedy’s formula for success, Spencer chalks the dream-like quality of the gig to her chemistry with not only her co-star, but also their shared writer/director, Ben Falcone.

CinemaBlend’s own Jeff McCobb was able to speak with Octavia Spencer for the Thunder Force press day, and during that conversation, this particular dream was discussed. Even after winning an Academy Award and working with actors and directors like Guillermo del Toro, Chris Evans and Viola Davis, this opportunity represented an experience that couldn’t be beat. Spencer explained why in the following words:

Enjoying a friendship where she's known Ben Falcone and Melissa McCarthy before they were even married, Octavia Spencer’s Thunder Force role of Emily Stanton actually marks the first time that she’s made a film with her good friends. So getting to flex her superpowers on screen was only a side perk compared to the fact that Spencer actually got to clown around with McCarthy on the job. Taking into account the fact that Thunder Force also saw Identity Thief co-star Jason Bateman and Superintelligence love interest Bobby Cannavale enlisting to have fun with Melissa McCarthy, the fun she must bring to a set has to be something truly special.

Though fun in a film like Thunder Force is only as good as the participants that are playing the game. And while Melissa McCarthy is known to be a good time, Octavia Spencer surely has her own brand of unique shenanigans that only help ease things along. With both McCarthy and Spencer embodying versatile acting skill sets that see them easily making audiences laugh, cry or engage in any other emotion they’re seeking to inspire, it only makes sense that their pairing would eventually happen.

With any luck, Netflix’s Thunder Force will make sure that Octavia Spencer and Melissa McCarthy don’t have to wait too much longer before they work together again. Come to think of it, this may be the experience that adds Spencer into the Ben Falcone Repertory Company, keeping her name in mind for plenty of cameos and co-starring gigs in the future. If you’re ready to see what a dream job looks like to Octavia Spencer, you can currently catch Netflix’s Thunder Force as it’s now available to the streaming public.

It seems like with each passing year, there’s more actors who have an opportunity to play their part in a superhero movie. Whether it’s in the ever-expanding MCU, or a one off hit, there’s plenty of super stories (and talented actors to star in them) to go around. Melissa McCarthy’s new Thunder Force is a perfect example, giving some major actors a chance to work in the growing genre. The upcoming Netflix comedy has a stacked cast of superhero first-timers, but the funniest person on set may surprise you.

During an interview with some of Thunder Force’s stars, CinemaBlend’s Jeff McCobb asked who the funniest person on set was. Surprisingly, the cast rallied around Pom Klementieff, who comedy veteran Bobby Cannavale was delighted to work with on set. In his own words:

According to Cannavale, who plays Thunder Force villain The King, Pom Klementieff’s comedy was not only surprising but also impressive. He went on to compliment the Old Boy star’s deadpan. Comedian (and upcoming Thor: Love and Thunder star) Melissa McCarthy also commended the actresses comedic chops:

That’s pretty high praise from someone with the comedic talents of Melissa McCarthy. The Thunder Force star complemented Klementieff’s performance as Laser, one of The King’s super-powered villains. Co-star Octavia Spencer went on to also mention Klementieff’s surprisingly impressive deadpan capabilities:

While breaking character and on-set laughs are just part of working with someone as hilarious as Melissa McCarthy, Spencer noted that it was Klementieff’s portrayal of Laser that really surprised her on set. The villainous role is a major departure from Klementieff’s work as Mantis in the MCU, according to the actress:

Despite the destructive nature of Laser, it sounds like there was still plenty of room for levity. Thunder Force follows former-best-friends-turned-superhero-duo Lydia Berman (Melissa McCarthy) and Emily Stanton (Octavia Spencer) as they fight The King (Bobby Cannavale) and Laser (Pom Klementieff) to protect the city of Chicago. Based on the trailer, it looks like a hilarious take on the mega-block buster superhero flicks of the last decade.

Fortunately, fans don’t have to wait to check out Pom Klementieff’s comedic capabilities, as Thunder Force is now streaming on Netflix. The light-hearted superhero flick is a welcome sight, seeing as how a number of major superhero releases have been delayed over the past year. Hopefully Thunder Force can scratch the itch for some fans and squeeze in a few laughs to boot.

Melissa McCarthy and her husband Ben Falcone have teamed up yet again for another movie. Thunder Force stars Melissa McCarthy and Octavia Spencer as two estranged best friends who reunite after one devises a serum that gives ordinary people superpowers. The film also stars Jason Bateman, Cobby Cannavale, Pom Klementieff, and Falcone (who also directed and wrote it).

Thunder Force has just released on Netflix, so get ready to enjoy a movie night on your couch after reading what critics are saying about the film.

CinemaBlend's very own Eric Eisenberg saw Thunder Force for the home team and was a bit disappointed, rating the film 2 out of 5 stars. He thinks that Melissa McCarthy and Octavia Spencer at least look like they’re having fun together, but that’s one of the only high points. Eisenberg criticized the boring and predictable plot that doesn’t even make sense at times, and argues that the movie isn’t funny at all. As he put it,

Katie Rife from AV Club also criticized the lack of actual comedy in what’s supposed to be a comedy, calling it “apathetic and airless, no matter how hard McCarthy tries.” She noted that there could be a funnier movie underneath the bad CGI and phony emotional conflict, but the dialogue doesn’t even try to reach it. Rife said:

Sheri Linden of The Hollywood Reporter criticized Falcone’s screenplay, commenting on the flimsy plot and characters like we’ve seen in other critics' reviews. She also criticized the supposed “menace” and villains of the film, noting that they seem more like background noise. Linden said:

Kate Erbland of IndieWire argues that Melissa McCarthy’s character actually had some texture to her, but that the rest of the film lacked any sense of creativity or pizzazz. She criticized Falcone (I’m sensing a pattern here) for not being willing to embrace his film’s goofiness, as his subplot is so boring that the audience will forget about it. Erbland continued, saying:

Maureen Lee Lenker of Entertainment Weekly had a bit more positive review of the comedy. She considers Jason Bateman as The Crab (yes, his arms are crab claws) the funniest bit of the movie, and thinks it’s an entertaining movie with plenty of funny moments. She said:

Well, critics seem to mostly be disappointed with Thunder Force, but what will viewers think? We’ll find out soon, as the spy comedy is available on Netflix now.

If you want even more of Melissa McCarthy, you might be seeing her in Thor: Love and Thunder when it releases, or you can check out her other upcoming projects.

Recently, it was seemingly indirectly confirmed that Melissa McCarthy will join the Marvel Cinematic Universe with a role in Thor: Love and Thunder opposite her Ghostbusters co-star Chris Hemsworth. However, Taika Waititi’s highly anticipated fourth installment of the Asgardian Avenger’s solo franchise will not be her first superhero movie. In fact, the upcoming film Thunder Force will see the actress and her co-star, Octavia Spencer, making their debuts as costumed crimefighters together.

It actually seems like it was only a matter of time before the Bridesmaids star would land a superhero flick, having already played cops, criminals, a spy, a Ghostbuster, and even a White House press secretary on Saturday Night Live. Not to mention, it is even more surprising to learn how long it took Octavia Spencer to board that train after two YA novel movie franchises, a handful of horror flicks, and winning an Oscar in 2012. Yet, this upcoming action comedy, which will be available to stream exclusively on Netflix, seems like the perfect comic book-esque vehicle for both.

On that note, who else is appearing in this flick, who is the artist behind its creation, and what exactly is the plot? We will answer each of those questions and more in this fast, convenient guide of the most essential things to know about Thunder Force, starting with the most important fact, which anyone looking forward to this movie should know.

Thunder Force Premieres On Netflix In April 2021

Netflix has been dipping its feet into the enduring superhero genre trend for a while now. It started with the short-lived, but much loved, shared universe of gritty Marvel TV shows, a hit series adaptation of Image’s The Umbrella Academy, and recent films like We Can Be Heroes - Robert Rodriguez’s official sequel to his 3-D family film, The Adventure of Sharkboy and Lavagirl, from 2005.

Thunder Force will be the latest addition to the Netflix’s slate of comic book adjacent content when it exclusively premieres on the streaming platform on Friday, April 9, 2021. Speaking of Netflix’s own superhero content, the movie actually has a few things in common with its original summer release Project Power, but with a humorous twist.

Thunder Force Follows Two Middle-Aged Women Who Become Superheroes

As revealed its its first official trailer, which came out on Wednesday, March 3, 2021, Thunder Force stars Melissa McCarthy as an average, middle-aged woman named Lydia. She pays a visit to her childhood friend, Emily (Octavia Spencer), who reveals she has been developing a serum that can give ordinary people extraordinary abilities.

After accidentally injecting herself with the treatment, Lydia gains superhuman strength, inspiring Emily to give herself the power of invisibility and team-up to form the titular duo. Together, they become a force for good against the (literally) powerful criminals that have been terrorizing the world, running into a few comical mishaps along the way.

Melissa McCarthy And Octavia Spencer Were Friends Before Co-Starring In Thunder Force

Their Thunder Force characters rekindle their friendship after years apart by becoming superheroes. However, in reality, Melissa McCarthy and Octavia Spencer have been close for more than two decades.

In a March interview for People, the actresses (both 50) dish on how they first met in line for The Price is Right when Bob Barker was still hosting and how much fun they had collaborating on a fun, action-packed project such as the Netflix film. However, the friendly leading ladies technically had their first co-starring experience in 2020 with the HBO Max sci-fi comedy Superintelligence, with Spencer voicing herself and McCarthy sharing a romance with Bobby Cannavale, who would soon play her enemy.

Thunder Force’s Cast Includes Oscar Darlings, Comedians, And Marvel Movie Actors

In addition to Academy Award nominee Melissa McCarthy (for Bridesmaids) and Academy Award winner Octavia Spencer (for The Help) as the leads, the cast of Thunder Force incorporates a number of versatile and familiar talents. Since the film is a comedy, we can be thankful to see Netflix regular Jason Bateman as a man with crab-like attributes and, also being a superhero flick, it is cool to see Ant-Man’s Bobby Cannavale and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2’s Pom Klementieff abandon their more heroic MCU reputations to play villains this time.

Fellow Oscar winner Melissa Leo is no stranger to comedy or Netflix (having killed both birds with a Bojack Horseman guest spot), but is making her superhero movie debut with Thunder Force. Also appearing in supporting roles are Chicago Fire star Melissa Ponzio, Sarah Baker (best known as Zach Galifianakis’ wife in The Campaign), and 23-year-old Tyrel Jackson Williams, who earned his superhero actor certification on the Disney XD show Lab Rats.

Thunder Force Is Written And Directed By Ben Falcone

Clearly, working on Thunder Force has been a wonderfully friendly affair between Melissa McCarthy and Octavia Spencer. However, it is also a family affair for McCarthy and her husband - writer and director Ben Falcone.

While this is certainly the first superhero movie the couple has worked on together, the Netflix original marks the fifth time the 47-year-old actor and comedian has directed his wife in a feature film. Their first collaboration as such was in Falcone’s 2014 directorial debut Tammy, followed by The Boss two years later, the collegiate comedy Life of the Party in 2018, and the aforementioned Superintelligence, most recently. Audiences may recognize Falcone best from Bridesmaids as the man McCarthy mistakes for an Air Marshall.

I have always found it amusing when married couples get to jump in on a Hollywood trend like the superhero genre together. For instance, Vision (and former JARVIS) actor Paul Bettany’s wife, Jennifer Connelly, is the voice of “Karen,” the AI in Peter Parker’s Spider-Man suit, and Ryan Reynolds’ romance with Blake Lively began on the set of the Green Lantern - which many might agree is the most positive thing to come out of that film. Here's hoping that audiences have as much fun watching Thunder Force as we can imagine Melissa McCarthy and Ben Falcone had making it together once it debuts on Netflix.

Considering how long medical dramas like ER tend to last, how often cast members rotate, and how frequently it require new actors to play the patient(s) of the week, the cast list is unsurprisingly, but still impressively, large. The aforementioned NBC series lasted 15 seasons (from 1994-2009) and made A-listers out of George Clooney, Don Cheadle, and Julianna Margulies to name just a few, but did you know Chadwick Boseman was a guest star before he became a household name?

The late, Marvel movie alum is far from the only beloved celebrity to make an early appearance on ER. In fact, we found an overwhelming amount of notable names to choose from, but settled on a still sizable 20 to include below, starting with one of the busiest and most respected actresses of her generation.

Jessica Chastain (Dahlia Taslitz)

In her acting debut, two-time Oscar nominee Jessica Chastain played a 19-year-old who appears to have done a faulty job taking care of her brain damaged father on ER’s tenth season. Coincidentally, the It: Chapter Two star will soon appear in The Good Nurse - the true crime story of an MD (Eddie Redmayne) whose “faulty” performance causes hundreds of patient deaths.

Chadwick Boseman (Derek Taylor)

In the final season of ER, a then-31-year-old Chadwick Boseman appeared as a boxer alongside screen legend (and future The Mandalorian star) Carl Weathers as his father. After playing the lead of Black Panther just a decade later, the actor would become a screen legend himself and will be remembered as such long after his untimely death in August 2020, following a private cancer battle, at the age of 43.

J.K. Simmons (Gus Loomer)

Speaking of legendary Marvel movie performances, Palms Springs star J.K. Simmons reprised J. Jonah Jameson for the MCU in Spider-Man: Far From Home in 2019. Back in 2004, on ER, the future Oscar winner played a man more concerned with the state of his Hummer than his own health after suffering a crash that he survived, but two others did not.

Danny Pudi (Mahir Kardatay)

Community’s Abed Nadir actor Danny Pudi had a more low-key Marvel movie appearance as a S.H.I.E.L.D. communications technician in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. His second acting gig was a prominent guest role on Season 12 of ER as a man who gets in a violent brawl with his sister’s boyfriend while she is treated at County General for stab wounds in the neck.

Chris Pine (Levine)

Danny Pudi would later appear in 2016’s Star Trek Beyond opposite Chris Pine, playing Capt. James T. Kirk a third time before starring in two Wonder Woman movies as Steve Trevor. This impressive career all started with an appearance on Season 9 of ER lasting mere seconds as a patient still drunk from a Valentine’s Day party… from five days earlier.

Anton Yelchin (Robbie Edelstein)

Chris Pine’s Star Trek co-star Anton Yelchin also made his debut on ER as a 10-year-old survivor of a car crash that killed his parents. Sadly, the talented actor passed away in 2016, at the age of 27, when his own Jeep rolled backward, struck him, and pinned him against the his home’s security fence.

Dakota Fanning (Delia Chadsey)

Another one of Anton Yelchin’s earlier roles was in the Steven Spielberg-produced sci-fi miniseries Taken opposite an 8-year-old Dakota Fanning. The now 26-year-old Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood actress also made her debut on ER as a 6-year-old recovering leukemia patient whose need for further chemo treatment is discovered after suffering a car accident.

Kathy Griffin (Dolores Minky)

Speaking of Quentin Tarantino movies, he actually directed a Season 1 episode of ER starring Kathy Griffin, who had previously worked with the director on Pulp Fiction. The comedian and former Bravo reality show star plays the troop leader for eight young Ranger Scouts who are all sent to County General with diarrhea.

Shia LaBeouf (Darnel Smith)

After ER, Kathy Griffin would a land a starring role on the sitcom Suddenly Susan, on which a young Shia LaBeouf once guest starred on. The former Disney Channel and Transformers star, who later made a name for himself with bizarre performance art (among other things), also appeared on the medical drama's sixth season as a patient with muscular dystrophy.

Josh Gad (Sgt. Bruce Larabee)

Also famous for his work with Disney, following his Tony-nominated performance in The Book of Mormon, is Josh Gad - the voice of Olaf in the Frozen movies. His first gig as part of the Screen Actors Guild was a 2005 episode ER as a combat medic stationed in Iraq with Michael Gallant (Sharif Atkins).

Katee Sackhoff (Jason’s Girlfriend)

Josh Gad also lent his his voice to the animated Star Wars: Rebels series, which also stars Katee Sackhoff as Bo-Katan Kryze - whom she recently brought to live action on The Mandalorian. Before Battlestar Galactica sparked her career as sci-fi royalty, she starred on a Halloween episode of ER from 2002 which, coincidentally, is the year she appeared in the infamous Halloween: Resurrection. Bonus fact: this was the first of four episodes starring MCU's future War Machine actor Don Cheadle.

Ewan McGregor (Duncan Stewart)

Speaking of Star Wars actors, playing a young Obi-Wan Kenobi in the prequel trilogy skyrocketed Ewan McGregor to the A-list. The Golden Globe-winning Scotsman actor had already received acclaim for his lead role in Trainspotting a year before playing a desperate man holding Dr. Carol Hathaway (Julianna Margulies) and others hostage at a convenience store on ER's third season.

Nick Offerman (Rog)

Ewan McGregor won his Golden Globe for FX's Fargo, which, in its previous season, had starred Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation's Ron Swanson and Megan Mullally's husband) in a recurring role. The actor made his TV debut as aspiring rock star whose bass player band mate is rushed into County General on ER's mockumentary style Season 4 premiere that was filmed and broadcasted live.

Adam Scott (David Kerstetter)

Nick Offerman's Parks and Recreation co-star Adam Scott (who has made more dramatic turns recently in Black Mass or the HBO series Big Little Lies) can also boast ER as one of his earliest acting gigs. In the medical drama's first season, the then 22-year-old played a man bleeding out of his chest after being hit by a car.

Lin Shaye (Margaret)

Adam Scott also a few horror movies under his belt, as recently as Krampus or as early as Hellraiser: Bloodline, but Lin Shaye of Insidious and A Nightmare on Elm Street fame, a living legend of the genre. The 77-year-old actress, and sister of New Line Cinema founder Bob Shaye, also had the honor appearing on the final episode of ER.

Octavia Spencer (Maria Jones)

Another star I regard as an underrated Scream Queen (for Drag Me to Hell, the title role of Ma, and the grandmother in Robert Zemeckis' The Witches remake) is Octavia Spencer. Yet, years before she became the Academy Award-winning star of The Help, the actress appeared on Season 5 of ER as a pregnant woman thinking of having her third abortion.

Keegan-Michael Key (Witkowski)

While his best friend and writing parter Jordan Peele has since graduated into scarier and dramatic projects more frequently, Keegan-Michael Key is still trucking with plenty of comedic parts on his resume as of late. However, ironically, the now 49-year-old former MADtv star made his TV debut on ER in the eighth season of the popular and often humorless medical drama

Kal Penn (Narajan)

After hitting it big as one-half of the titular duo from the smash hit stoner comedy Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle, Kal Penn would soon graduate into more serious projects, such as a position in the Obama Administration and playing a doctor on House from 2007-2012. His first time playing a medical professional, however, was in a brief appearance on ER in a 2001 episode from the series' eighth season.

Jared Padalecki (Paul Harris)

Early 2021 sees Jared Padalecki graduate to a new genre, specifically the western, as the title character of The CW's Walker after chasing ghosts and goblins on Supernatural as Sam Winchester for 15 seasons. Yet, while the 38-year-old Scream King was still a series regular on Gilmore Girls, he played a high school student who gets in a car crash with his father, played by Jim Belushi, after arguing over his future as a hockey player on a Season 7 episode of ER.

Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Firefighter Larkin)

Starring as Jared Padalecki's father on Supernatural was Jeffrey Dean Morgan, whose best known role in the realm of medical TV dramas is on Grey's Anatomy as Denny Duquette, Izzie Stevens' (Katherine Heigl) patient and love interest. However, it was only a few years earlier when the prolific comic book adaptation actor appeared on the seventh season of ER as a firefighter undergoing a leg amputation.

What do you think? Does seeing these celebrities before their prime make you want to rewatch ER from the beginning to point out even more of the stars your may have missed? Let us know in the comments and be sure to check back for additional information and updates on the long-running medical drama, as well as even more inside looks into famous guest stars that may have slipped your mind, here on CinemaBlend.

Sometimes when it rains, it pours. One day you’re minding your own business when everything just falls apart and goes from bad to worse. For Octavia Spencer, that meant having her bird poop-covered car break down in the middle of Beverly Hills, clogging up traffic. Thankfully, Keanu Reeves came around the corner to save the day and help her move her car.

No one wants their car to break down on the street, much less a dirty car in the heart of a wealthy neighborhood. But that’s exactly what happened to Octavia Spencer back when she was in the early days of her acting career. While on The Graham Norton Show, she explained that she was headed to pick up a script when her car broke down:

Yikes, this sounds like a nightmare scenario that you can’t wake up from. From the clothing (or lack thereof) to the dirty broken down car in the middle of a rich neighborhood, I can only imagine how Octavia Spencer felt at the time, and it likely wasn’t good. Thankfully, someone actually decided to help out. Lo and behold, it was Keanu Reeves himself, as she continued:

Leave it to Keanu Reeves to save the day and be a good Samaritan when someone is in need. Of course, at that time, Keanu Reeves was a huge movie star, riding high on the success of The Matrix. Octavia Spencer, on the other hand, was just getting started, primarily taking small roles on TV shows like ER and The X-Files.

Since then, Octavia Spencer has built herself a powerhouse career, winning an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress,and playing a variety of roles in inspiring movies like Hidden Figures and horror flicks like Ma.

For his part, Keanu Reeves is back at it with The Matrix 4. He’s been busy filming the sequel in Berlin with director Lana Wachowski and co-star Carrie-Anne Moss. In addition, he's recently been seen with a totally new haircut, which could mean a few things for The Matrix 4.

Since these two serendipitously ran into each other so many years ago, it would be pretty cool if they ended up doing a movie together. It’s probably too late for this casting, but Octavia Spencer as a new Oracle would be pretty awesome.

You know who’s a real gem of an actress? Octavia Spencer. It might be unfair to say this, but if acting was basketball, then Octavia Spencer would probably be the industry’s MVP when it comes to assists. That’s because when you typically think of Octavia Spencer movies, you probably think about how she’s often the most shining performance in a supporting role. That’s not to say that she doesn’t take on lead roles, as she had an important one just recently in HBO Max's The Witches. That said, most of her most memorable performances are usually of her giving a helping hand.

But support is so, so important, and it can make or break a story. That's likely why Ms. Spencer won a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award for The Help, and was also nominated two other times for Hidden Figures and The Shape of Water. But if there is any one truth about Octavia Spencer, it’s that she’s an impeccable actress and we’re lucky to have her. Now on with the list.

10. Zootopia (Mrs. Otterton)

Voice acting is no easy feat, especially when you’re playing the diminutive Mrs. Otterton in Disney’s hit movie, Zootopia. Emotions run high in this film, and Octavia Spencer’s performance as a woman looking for her missing husband is a shining moment in a movie just brimming with shining moments. It's such a little role, but Octavia Spencer manages to get us all emotionally invested in the search for her husband, and we’re rooting for Lt. Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde to find him.

But what really makes this performance special is just how well Octavia Spencer’s voice disappears into the character. Sure, if you know it’s her, then you’ll hear her. But if you don’t know it’s her, then you’ll just get fully invested in this character’s plight and sadness and will most likely say, “That was Octavia Spencer?” once you read the closing credits. She’s just too good. Even as an otter.

9. Snowpiercer (Tanya)

With such massive and memorable performances by Tilda Swinton, Ed Harris, and Chris Evans, it’s often easy to forget that Octavia Spencer is even in Bong Joon-ho’s Snowpiercer. But once you watch it again, you’ll remember her since she plays such an important but subtle role as Tanya, a mother who is determined to get her son back from authoritarian forces. She has a voice and she uses it to motivate people, much to great effect.

And while I won’t spoil the movie for you in case you haven’t seen it yet (and if you haven’t, it’s currently on Netflix) what ultimately happens to her will make you pound the armrest of your seat once you get invested in her character. Which is why Snowpiercer is a good movie on your first watch, but a great movie on your second or third viewings. And Octavia Spencer is just one of the reasons why. She's acting her butt off without you really even noticing it. Because that’s just how great she is.

8. Onward (The Manticore)

I love Onward. In fact, it’s actually my new favorite Pixar movie, despite its lackluster performance at the box office. But as much as I love the overall story of two sons trying to bring back their father, what I love just as much is the characters. And Octavia Spencer comes in the blow us all away again as the once fierce, but now family-friendly, Manticore.

Octavia Spencer is hilarious since she has to withhold the seething, relentless rage that her species is known for, but also keep it all under wraps so that she can run a fantasy-themed restaurant. Of course she can’t hold it all together for too long, nor would we ever want her to.

7. Divergent (Johanna)

I’m going to be honest with you. I don’t like the Divergent series. It came out in that really awful period following The Hunger Games where it seemed like every somewhat popular YA series (think The Maze Runner, The 5th Wave, The Mortal Instruments… or don’t think of them) was getting greenlit for a movie. So, um, yeah. I kind of hate Divergent. But of the two movies I’ve seen in the series, she was the best part in both of them.

Octavia Spencer plays a former speaker of one of the factions who then started her own Allegiant group. I always found the series to be too loud and obnoxious, but in comes Octavia Spencer, speaking softly but with authority as a leader. She shines a bright light on a series that didn’t deserve her talent but somehow got it anyway. In other words, Octavia Spencer made a series that I would consider intolerable actually watchable, which is no small feat.

6. Fruitvale Station (Wanda)

Do you want to cry your eyes out? No? Then don’t watch Fruitvale Station, because you will cry your eyes out. Michael B. Jordan delivers a knock-out performance as real-life victim, Oscar Grant III, but it’s Octavia Spencer who does most of the heavy lifting as his mother in the film, Wanda Johnson.

Octavia Spencer’s performance will tear you apart when she cries about how she should have told her son to drive into the city rather than take the BART train where he lost his life at the station after being shot by a BART police officer. Octavia Spencer won a Best Supporting Actress award at the National Board of Review and deserved it. And if you ask me, she should have won the Oscar, too.

5. Self Made: Inspired By The Life Of Madam C.J. Walker (Madam C.J. Walker)

True story: While talking to a colleague of mine last year at the school I work at, she asked me, the resident movie nerd, if there was a film based on the life of Madam C.J. Walker. I told her I didn’t think there was, but if they ever made one, they should cast Octavia Spencer. And lo and behold, Netflix made a fictionalized miniseries about Madam C.J. Walker starring Octavia Spencer. Am I good, or what?

Actually, it’s pretty obvious that Octavia Spencer should take on the role, and she’s great in it. We see her ultra-humble beginnings as a washerwoman, to the discrimination she faces, and ultimately as she creates a hair empire. The series itself is the only thing sort of holding it back more, as it could be a tad more interesting. But there’s no denying how great Octavia Spencer is in it. She knocks it out of the park, as always.

4. The Shape of Water (Zelda Delilah Fuller)

If you read my list of the best Best Picture winners of the 2010’s, then you’ll know that I’m not a fan of The Shape of Water. I mean, it’s fine, but it’s a bit too artsy fartsy for my tastes. But once again, in for the save comes Octavia Spencer who plays the protagonist’s good friend and interpreter.

Again nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, I kind of get bored watching The Shape of Water. But every time Octavia Spencer’s on the screen to prevent Sally Hawkins’ character from doing something she’ll regret, she somehow pulls me through a story that I know I’m supposed to like, but don’t.

3. The Help (Minerva “Minny” Jackson)

Winning her only Oscar (Criminal!) for her role as a maid who is fired for using a guest bathroom but then tells her story to a young journalist, The Help is an extremely enjoyable film that unfortunately hasn’t aged well since its 2011 release.

But Octavia Spencer’s performance is still aces. She’s sympathetic, but also probably the only actress who could make taking a dump in somebody’s pie feel like righteous justice. The Help itself will probably not be remembered all too fondly in the next few years, but that certainly shouldn’t take away from Spencer’s Oscar-winning performance.

2. Ma (Sue Ann “Ma” Ellington)

Okay, honestly, I want to call Octavia Spencer’s performance in Ma her best. It’s definitely my favorite. In the recent horror movie, Ms. Spencer plays a deranged woman who invites teenagers to her house, and then terrorizes them because of a long lost crush she had and… I’m going to just leave it there.

But Ma is crazy! This is one messed up movie, and Octavia Spencer's character in this film is like nothing else she’s ever played. There is no wholesomeness here. There is no nice best friend. Instead, we get a woman who stabs and drugs people. I never thought Octavia Spencer would actually be scary, but she is. She's terrifying! And I love her for it.

1. Hidden Figures (Dorothy Vaughan)

But you know what? Years from now, I’m pretty sure Octavia Spencer’s most remembered performance will be as real-life smarty pants, Dorothy Vaughan, in Hidden Figures. She plays a mathematician and supervisor, and daggum, I never for a second didn't believe a single word that came out of her mouth. She is Dorothy Vaughan, which is even more special since I never even heard of Dorothy Vaughan until I saw this movie.

Which is kind of the point of the film, right? Giving voices to the oft-ignored? But the fact that Octavia Spencer gives so much life and power to this character in the racist 1960s, well, it just makes this performance all the more special. Years from now, kids will be inspired by Octavia Spencer’s acting and will want to learn more about this exceptional woman, and it’s all because of this exceptional performance.

Octavia Spencer may not specialize in powerhouse leading roles like Viola Davis, but her performances are just as vital when elevating a movie from being just good to being fantastic. That’s the power of an Octavia Spencer performance!

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HBO Max has families ready to get spooked (mildly traumatized even?) for Halloween this season with the release of Robert Zemeckis’ adaptation of The Witches starring Anne Hathaway, which is based on the dark fantasy novel by Roald Dahl of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Matilda. Or perhaps you’re familiar with the secret society of witches led by the evil Grand High Witch via the 1990 version starring Anjelica Huston. First time seeing bald-headed witches with peculiar toe nails? No matter your entry point, you’re certainly here and we’re ready to dive into The Witches ending right now.

As you can imagine, this article is cursed with The Witches spoilers. So, turn back now if you have yet to see the HBO Max title. Otherwise, let’s get into what happened at the end of the film first:

What Happens At The End Of The Witches

The Witches revolves around the evil plot of the Grand High Witch and her other witchy compatriots to turn children into mice through a dire magic formula she has concocted. In the case of this version taking place in the ‘60s, this chiefly affects underprivileged kids of color such as Charlie Hansen. Once Charlie catches wind of the plot and clues his grandma (Octavia Spencer) in, who has seen the Grand High Witch as her enemy since an incident in her childhood.

At the end of the film, Grandma Agatha confronts Grand High Witch after breaking into her room with the mice-turned children in order to grab the potion bottles and therefore stop her evil plan. But, Grand High Witch makes her way into her hotel room at around the same time Agatha is there. Agatha thinks she has poisoned the witch with a bowl of pea soup, but she has failed to outsmart her. Thankfully, the mice kids think on their feet and use mouse traps to sting her feet and then hurl the poison into her mouth.

Anne Hathaway’s wacky villain becomes a gross rat and they successfully trap her, take her witches address book and money. The high witch’s own cat presumably eats her. The mouse children remain in their animal forms and start a secret society of their own to take down the evil witches of the world.

How The Witches Differs From The 1990 Version

The 2020 version of The Witches differs from the 1990 movie most in terms of the ending. In the previous version the children do not remain mice through to the credits of the film. After the Grand High Witch is turned into a rat though in a more public sequence in the dining hall of the hotel, the main character (Jasen Fisher’s Luke in this version), does remain a mouse. The boy and Bruno are content with their new forms as mice and Luke gets an adorable small home to sleep in. 

However, the character of Miss Susan Irvine is the X factor here that changes some of the plot line between these two adaptations. Miss Irvine is a witch too, but an assistant to the Grand High Witch, who is mistreated and quits the society. At the end of the 1990 movie, Miss Irvine pays Luke a visit to turn him back into a boy and return his own mice to him. It’s a happy ending.

The Witches protagonists therefore has opposite fates between the movies that are 30 years apart. In the new version, Charlie retains his mouse form throughout his life into “old age” who is the voice of Chris Rock, narrating the entire film. As the film shows, Grandma Agatha houses the boy mice and they live full lives with one another and travel together with the witch address book as their guide through adventure. It’s illustrated as a happy ending too, but it’s a much darker way to end the story.

Why 2020’s The Witches Has The Darker Ending

OK, so why do the two Witches movies have two different endings? Well, it all goes back to the source material. In the original children’s book by Roald Dahl, the young boy at the center of the story does remain a mouse for a specific reason. Mice only live about nine years according to the story, and he does not want to outlive his 86-year-old grandmother after already losing his parents in a tragic car accident. In the original story, the boy is seven years old and he would likely have to go into the foster care system after his grandmother passes. Also, it's established pretty much right away that he likes being a mouse.

The intended ending to The Witches is quite heartbreaking but it’s something that was important to the author, Roald Dahl. During the making of 1990's The Witches Dahl was alive and in conversation with the filmmakers. When he discovered producer Jim Henson (of The Muppets) felt the ending was too dark and had plans to change it, the author was apparently “furious” by the decision and wrote a heated letter to Henson. 

In response, the producer compromised by shooting both endings and delaying the decision until the film was being edited. The final scene “moved him to tears,” per Slant Magazine, but left him heartbroken when they still chose the happy ending. Dahl even asked his name be removed from the credits and became outspoken about his distaste of the adaptation.

How Long Does Charlie Hansen Remain A Mouse?

Remaking The Witches with more blatant ignorance of the source material would undoubtedly be disrespectful to Roald Dahl and so here we are. The 2020 version does include the book’s ending with Charlie stating that he’s perfectly happy as a mouse because he’d like to grow old with his grandmother. However, it doesn’t specifically give a number for how long they have together. Octavia Spencer’s Agatha is nowhere as old as the grandmother in the book and Spencer is actually 48 in real life, who isn’t necessarily playing a much older character than herself. When The Witches does its time jump, it's apparent that Agatha is now an old lady and so is Charlie, who has mouse-y facial hair and looks much older.

So while the HBO Max offering of The Witches does steer closer to the ending Roald Dahl intended, it doesn’t adapt it to a T either. The movie leaves it up to the imagination of the viewer, which looks to have Charlie and Agatha living much longer together and therefore still very much a happy ending that ends on the spirited “We Are Family” song as the credits roll in. Of course, we’ll never know what Dahl’s thoughts are on Robert Zemeckis’ version and there’s nothing necessarily wrong with touching on a powerful message about death and still making it light enough for family viewing.

What do you think? Which ending is the best? Vote in our poll below.

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Going back to the 1970s, books by Roald Dahl have been adapted into many films that can be called modern classics with zero hesitation. Mel Stuart's Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory is perhaps the best regarded, but Danny DeVito’s Matilda, Nicolas Roeg’s The Witches, and Henry Selick’s James And The Giant Peach were childhood staples for many who grew up in the 1990s, and in the 21st century we’ve seen more wonderful work including Wes Anderson’s Fantastic Mr. Fox, and Steven Spielberg’s The BFG. Simply put, the potential for a Dahl adaptation done well can be extreme.

That being said, the terrain traveled by Robert Zemeckis’ new take on The Witches isn’t the standard, specifically because its source material has, as mentioned, already been turned into what is an excellent film. Like Tim Burton’s Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, the movie has not only the pressure to live up to the quality of the book, but also, in a sense, has to justify its existence as a remake.

That being said, there’s good news and there’s bad news. As an adaptation of Roald Dahl’s 1983 book of the same name, the new version of The Witches is fun and well made, with Anne Hathaway having a particularly delightful time as a bombastic villain; but it’s also a lesser version compared to the 1990 movie, primarily because of the use of CGI and not enough practical effects magic.

Written by the impressive trio of Robert Zemeckis, Kenya Barris, and Guillermo del Toro, the film begins introducing its young, unnamed central protagonist (Jahzir Bruno) shortly after the death of his parents in a car accident. Filled with despair, he moves to Alabama to live with his grandma (Octavia Spencer), and while it takes some time, he eventually finds a way to be happy again. That is, until one fateful day when he wanders off in a supermarket and nearly falls under the spell of a nefarious, mysterious-looking woman with a snake slithering around her arm. When he tells his grandma about it later, she knows exactly what is going on: he was nearly killed by a witch.

As it turns out, witches are very real, and they both despise kids, and enjoy turning them into animals so that they can be killed more easily. Not wanting to take any risks, the boy’s grandma takes him to a local fancy local hotel where she believes they will be safe, and he feels particularly secure when he learns that the location is being used for a meeting of a group known as the International Society For The Prevention Of Cruelty To Children. Of course, what he doesn’t know is that the I.S.F.T.P.O.C.T.C. is nothing more than a cover for the coven of witches led by the Grand High Witch (Anne Hathaway), and they are developing a plan to rid the world of children once and for all.

The Witches is still the familiar freaky story you remember, complete with darkness-embracing twists.

The particular allure of Roald Dahl’s children’s books is that they tend to delve into darker corners of the world than most stories in the genre, and Robert Zemeckis is in no way shy about implementing that side of The Witches. This is most definitely a movie appropriate for the Halloween season. The stakes are high as the titular villains represent a serious threat to the safety of the characters, and serious consequences are faced and dealt with, sometimes in grim fashion. It’s certainly not terrifying, as there is a comical undertone present throughout, but there might be some nightmares ahead for more sensitive younger viewers.

Those with everlasting memories of Anjelica Huston’s Grand High Witch revealing her true face are guaranteed to be disappointed.

Simultaneously, in a side-by-side comparison of this version of The Witches and Nicolas Roeg’s version, this is child’s play – and it really comes down to the application of effects. The scene in the 1990 film where Angelica Huston’s Grand High Witch and her coven remove their human costumes to reveal their true forms is a nightmarish horror show, particularly because the lead villain is shown to be a monstrous figure with dripping, elongated features provided by prosthetics designer Stephen Norrington. And the remake can’t touch it. Advances in digital effects over the last 30 years allow it so that Anne Hathaway’s version looks like she has a gaping maw of fangs that stretches ear-to-ear, and she is also made to be bald with a horrible wig rash, but it’s just not even close to the same thing.

This particularly hurts the film because it’s those same advances in digital effects that are typically touted when it comes to filmmakers providing reasons for pursuing a remake; the go-to line is that modern techniques can be used to bring the source material to life like never before. To Robert Zemeckis’ credit, this is very much true in the case of The Witches when it comes to the story’s animal characters (trying my best not to be too spoiler-y here), but it’s disappointing that the steps that are taken forward to improve that area don’t work the same way when it comes to portraying the horror of the movie’s monsters – and that extends not only to the early reveal of what they really look like, but also to the big transformation sequence in the third act.

Anne Hathaway steals the show in The Witches.

The silver lining is that while Anne Hathaway might not scar an entire generation with her turn in The Witches, it’s still a performance deserving accolade. Having spent most of her career playing innocents and princesses, she seems to relish the opportunity to play an ostentatiously evil character – with everything from flashy fashion to a ridiculous accent – and the fun she is having resonates. Her turn is sinister and scary in the moment, and exceptionally entertaining in the big picture.

At the heart of it, The Witches is a faithful adaptation of the book on which it’s based, and those who appreciate the material will also appreciate Robert Zemeckis’ approach to it. If it were the first ever take on the Roald Dahl book it might get higher marks – but there is contextual circumstances to consider, and that’s where the film gets dinged. It’s a fine movie, and one that also sits in the shadow of another.

Octavia Spencer has more than proven herself to be a high-caliber actor, having even picked up an Academy Award for her work. However, she’s more recently taken the reins as a producer. Her newest project, Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C. J. Walker, pays tribute to one of history’s most influential entrepreneurs, and Spencer thought a production focusing on Walker’s legacy was long overdue:

Octavia Spencer was passionate while discussing the limited series with ET and was more than grateful to her collaborators for helping to make the project a reality.

The story of Madam C.J. Walker, or Sarah Breedlove, takes place in the early 1900s, during which she builds a cosmetics and haircare empire. Although the events of the show take place over 100 years in the past, Spencer thinks the story is still more than relevant today:

It's honestly difficult to disagree with Octavia Spencer’s point, as there are still plenty of women seeking to make names for themselves as business owners and facing some of the same hurdles as Walker.

With other films centered on real businesswomen (like Joy and Coco Before Chanel) having been released in the last few years, it’s only right that Madam C.J. Walker – who’s known as America’s first female self-made millionaire -- get her time in the limelight.

If Octavia Spencer and her team decide to move forward with more Self Made limited series, they could shine a light on a host of other African-American pioneers who aren’t typically explored. Think about it. We’ve seen numerous projects centered on athletes like Jackie Robinson or Civil Rights Leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. Yet people like George Washington Carver and Shirely Chisholm are rarely depicted on screen.

Let’s just hope that some of these unsung heroes get their time in the sun, whether it be through Self Made or other projects. Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C. J. Walker is now streaming on Netflix.

The reveal of a new Pixar movie is always a celebratory affair, made more exciting by the announcement of its cast of voice actors. Such is the case for the studio’s upcoming film Onward, which teams up Spider-Man: Far From Home’s Tom Holland with his MCU co-star Chris Pratt.

Described as a suburban fantasy, Onward is set in a modern-day world much like our own, but inhabited by creatures of mythology instead of humans, including dog-like unicorns, and magic is merely a lost memory. Brothers Ian (Tom Holland) and Barley Lightfoot (Chris Pratt) are young elves who come across a scepter that resurrects only the lower half of their late father, putting them on a journey to complete his manifestation before he is gone again forever.

The casting of Tom Holland and Chris Pratt as siblings is sure to stir anticipation among fans of Marvel and Pixar alike, but what else is there to know about their characters and that of their voice actor co-stars? Follow this guide on the cast of Onward to find out.

Chris Pratt (Barley Lightfoot)

Before he was one of Hollywood’s go-to blockbuster leading men, he made quite an impression in early 2014 with his debut voice acting performance in a feature-length animated film as Emmet Brickowski, the unlikely hero of The LEGO Movie. The equally adventurous Onward will mark Chris Pratt’s voice acting debut in a Pixar movie.

Chris Pratt plays Barley Lightfoot, an overzealous, heavy metal-loving elf who is still plenty young, but does not seem to realize that he is not getting any younger. In Onward, he and his younger brother Ian (Tom Holland) take his unicorn-mural bearing van on what he refers to as a “quest” to save complete their father’s (literally) half-baked resurrection.

Tom Holland (Ian Lightfoot)

At 24, Tom Holland is one of the most accomplished on-screen performers to rarely play their own age, his most iconic role to date being high school student Peter Parker in the MCU’s Spider-Man movies. He is once again honoring that tradition by lending his youthful voice to the role of teenage elf Ian Lightfoot in Onward.

Ian, the hero of Onward, is a meek, 16-year-old underachiever who is still a little apprehensive at the chance to join his older brother Barley on a dangerous quest that will allow him to reunite with the father he never knew. The Pixar movie role, also Tom Holland’s first collaboration with the animation company, also keeps up with another trend in the British actor’s career: young reluctant heroes forced to step up to the plate under desperate measures.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Laurel Lightfoot)

Julia Louis-Dreyfus is an icon of comedy, having received multiple Emmy wins and receiving the Mark Twain Prize for Comedy in 2018 for her work on Saturday Night Live, Seinfeld, and HBO’s Veep, just to name a few. The revisionist fantasy epic Onward is the actress’ second collaboration with Pixar after voicing Princess Atta in 1998’s A Bug’s Life.

The Veep star plays Laurel Lightfoot, a widowed elf who reveals to her teenage boys Ian and Barley that their late father left them a magic scepter, which contains the secret to bringing him back to life, setting them off an adventure, much to the motherly Laurel’s chagrin. Onward sees Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Laurel embarking on a journey of her own to locate her sons and bring them back to safety.

Octavia Spencer (Manticore)

Following her voice acting role in the Robert Downey Jr.-led Dolittle as a duck named Dab-Dab, Octavia Spencer lends her voice to Pixar’s Onward. This time, the actress, who won an Academy Award in 2012 for The Help, plays a creature unlike any animal Earth can say it has ever seen.

In Onward, Barley Lightfoot decides to make a stop at a restaurant to enlist the help of a creature known as the Manticore (described in mythology as an unconquerable, winged beast with the body of a lion and the sting of a scorpion) whom he promises his brother, Ian, will start them on the right path of their journey. However, this Manticore, known as “Corey” and voiced by Octavia Spencer, turns out to be a clumsy waitress who accidentally leaves out a few key details of our elven heroes’ quest, putting them in worse danger than they anticipated.

Mel Rodriguez (Officer Colt Bronco)

While he may not boast the attention of a household name, Mel Rodriguez does claim a filmography lengthier than some of his famous peers. The 46-year-old actor has led a steady career since 1999, landing small roles in notable works of film and TV, such as playing a cop in David Fincher’s Panic Room, playing a cop in Dan Harmon’s cult hit sitcom Community, and playing a cop in the 2006 Oscar-winning comedy-drama Little Miss Sunshine.

Mel Rodriguez cements himself as the Reginald VelJohnson of his generation, and makes his Pixar movie debut, playing a cop in Onward. His character, a centaur named Officer Colt Bronco, is seen in a trailer threatening to cut Barley and Ian’s journey short and escort them home, which instead inspires a newfound sense of rebelliousness in Ian.

Lena Waithe (Officer Spector)

You may not recognize her name immediately, but you are surely familiar with at least one of Lena Waithe’s many projects. The multi-talented rising star has acquired an impressive resume recently as an Emmy-winning writer and star of the Netflix original comedy Master of None, a starring role as VR gamer Aech in Steven Spielberg’s Ready Player One, and writing the intense 2019 drama Queen & Slim.

According to Onward’s IMDb page, Lena Waithe is credited as a character named Officer Spector, so we can infer her character is one of the cops alongside Officer Colt Bronco on Ian and Barley’s trail. Yet, there is not much else known, not even a hint to what sort of mythological creature she will be in any of the trailers, but landing a role in a Pixar film is undoubtedly a major turning point for the artist’s already remarkable career.

Ali Wong (Officer Gore)

Accomplished comedian Ali Wong has made audiences laugh with her Netflix original stand-up specials (one of which she was pregnant during the filming of), her Netflix original romantic comedy Always Be My Maybe alongside Randall Park, and as a writer for ABC’s hit sitcom Fresh Off the Boat. She has also lent her voice to several animated features, including The Angry Birds Movie and Ralph Breaks the Internet, but makes her Pixar debut with Onward.

Like her co-star Lena Waithe, the Onward IMDb page has Ali Wong credited as a police officer in the modern fantasy tale, but no other hint to her character exists at this time. Perhaps we should be thankful for the mysterious quality of her character because, assuming she will serve as some fun comic relief, I would rather her jokes remain unspoiled until the film is released.

John Ratzenberger (Unknown)

We're not surprised to see John Ratzenberger among the voice actors for this Pixar film. Often referred to as Pixar’s “good luck charm,” the former Cheers star is the only actor to appear in every feature-length production by the animation titans since first starring as Hamm in 1995’s Toy Story and Onward marks his 22nd consecutive voice acting role with them. He's even reprised the voice of Hamm for a few of the Forky Asks a Question shorts on Disney+.

There is no word on what his character in Onward will be, without even a hint of his signature voice to be heard in the trailer. This leads me to wonder if John Ratzenberger makes a brief, yet pivotal, appearance as a helpful side character, a la Yeti in Monsters Inc., or is his mysteriously blank credit a hint that he is the voice of Ian and Barley’s late father?

There is still much mystery surrounding Pixar’s latest forthcoming release, but I like it that way and hope it will make the anticipation of seeing MCU veterans Chris Pratt and Tom Holland reunite for a new kind of odyssey that much more worth it. Until its March 6, 2020, release, be sure to check back for more updates regarding Onward here on CinemaBlend.

Robert Downey, Jr. surrounds himself with a supporting cast of animals, with whom his physician character possesses the ability to speak to, in Dolittle. The animal characters are brought to life by, of course, CGI trickery and an A-list ensemble voice talents.

In his first role outside of the MCU sandbox in years, Robert Downey, Jr. clearly owns much of the spotlight as the title role of the adventure fantasy based on Hugh Lofting’s novels. However, we believe the animal cast of Dolittle, now playing in theaters, deserve just as much attention. In that spirit, who are these animals and who is voicing them?

Barry (Ralph Fiennes)

In comparison to previous sinister roles, such as Lord Voldemort or Amon Goeth in Schindler’s List, Barry may be one of the more lighthearted villains Academy Award-nominee Ralph Fiennes has played. Despite making friends with most of the animals he meets, Dr. John Dolittle finds an adversary in the gold-fanged tiger who eyes the physician for his next meal when he finds himself locked in a dungeon with him.

Betsy (Selena Gomez)

Easily the tallest of Robert Downey Jr.’s onscreen animal friends, Betsy is a giraffe voiced by former Disney Channel star and current pop star, Selena Gomez. The actress and singer, who made a recent surprise turn in Jim Jarmusch’s horror-comedy The Dead Don’t Die last year, has also lent her voice to Sony Animation’s Hotel Transylvania trilogy as Count Dracula’s daughter, Mavis.

Chee-Chee (Rami Malek)

You have heard of the Cowardly Lion - now, meet the Cowardly Gorilla. Oscar-winner Rami Malek, who will also appear as James Bond’s next villain in No Time to Die, goes from portraying a larger than life rock star in Bohemian Rhapsody to a larger than life jungle beast in Dolittle. However, despite his size, Chee-Chee is far meeker and more anxious than one would expect a gorilla to be, but that does not stop Robert Downey, Jr.’s Dr. John Dolittle from selecting him as his right-hand man.

Dab-Dab (Octavia Spencer)

Octavia Spencer, the titular antagonist of last year’s thriller Ma, plays an absent-minded duck named Dab-Dab in Dolittle. This is the third time the Oscar-winning actress has voiced an animal, after playing a snake in Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters and an otter in Zootopia, and her second voice role in 2020, along with playing the Manticore in Pixar’s upcoming fantasy Onward.

Dragon (Frances de la Tour)

Of all the creatures in Dolittle’s ensemble, none is more “fantastic” than the fire-breathing dragon that the film’s trailer sees Robert Downey Jr. and his pals awkwardly crossing paths with. Dragon is voiced by Tony-winning English actress Frances de la Tour, who is no stranger to fantasy, having played half-giant Madame Maxime in Harry Potter and Deathly Hallows: Part 1 and a full giant in Into the Woods.

James the Dragonfly (Jason Mantzoukas)

In addition to a dragon, Robert Downey Jr. also interacts with a (much smaller) dragonfly named James in Dolittle. Providing the voice of James is Jason Mantzoukas, a comic actor of Greek descent known best as co-host of the How Did This Get Made? podcast, the impeccably crass fan-favorite Rafi on the long-running FX comedy The League, and his surprisingly earnest turn as the ominous Tick Tock Man in John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum.

Jip (Tom Holland)

How fitting for Tom Holland, whose Peter Parker follows Tony Stark like a dog in Spider-Man: Homecoming, stars in Dolittle, alongside MCU co-star Robert Downey Jr., as a dog. Playing Dr. John Dolittle’s house pet, Jip, also allows Holland the unusual opportunity to use his natural British accent, unlike his other big voice acting role this year in Pixar’s Onward, alongside fellow Dolittle animal star Octavia Spencer.

Kevin (Craig Robinson)

Like his co-star Octavia Spencer, Craig Robinson also provided the voice of a talking snake in Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters, but in Dolittle, he and Spencer do not have animals in common. The former Office actor who recently starred in the Golden Globe-nominated Netflix biopic Dolemite Is My Name is the voice of a rambunctious squirrel named Kevin.

Plimpton (Kumail Nanjiani)

After playing a dog named Rusty in the animated HBO series Animals., Kumail Nanjiani is once again lending his voice to a talking animal character, this time an ostrich named Plimpton in Dolittle. Plimpton is the second CGI character in a live action movie voiced by the Pakistani-born comedian after playing pint-sized alien Pawny in Men in Black: International. The Academy Award-nominated co-star and writer of 2017’s The Big Sick just starred in the sixth and final season of HBO’s hit comedy Silicon Valley and is set to make his MCU debut later this year in Eternals.

Poly (Emma Thompson)

Polynesia (“Poly” for short) is a parrot with a far more sophisticated vocabulary than the typical squawk of your average tropical bird. In Dolittle, she is often seen going toe-to-talon with Robert Downey, Jr.’s character as to who should be considered the alpha of the group. Voiced by Academy Award-winner Emma Thompson, whose performance in the comedy Late Night recently earned her a Golden Globe nomination, Poly’s British accent gives her a heartwarming classiness that rivals most humans.

Tutu (Marion Contillard)

It is not very often that foxes are depicted as French, but French-born Marion Contillard’s performance as the voice of Tutu must be a unique turning point for the animal in cinema. Dolittle is the first English-language voice acting role for the actress, best known as a Christopher Nolan regular and for her Oscar-winning performance in La Vie En Rose, which depicts the life of French singer Edith Piaf.

Yoshi (John Cena)

After playing a kind bull in Ferdinand, John Cena once again plays a walking contradiction to nature in Dolittle as Yoshi, a polar bear who cannot stand to be cold. The wrestling star began his onscreen career as the title role of the WWE-produced action flick The Marine in 2006 and has gone on to play a variety of roles, such as an overprotective dad in Blockers and a hostile government agent in the Transformers spin-off Bumblebee. He is set to star in James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad and also recently followed in his WWE colleague Dwayne Johnson’s footsteps by joining the cast of Fast and Furious 9.

It seems that Robert Downey Jr. has an impressive zoo of talent to back him up in Dolittle. Be sure to check back for more updates on the family adventure and its large cast here on CinemaBlend.

Breaking Bad’s Aaron Paul and Oscar-winner Octavia Spencer get intense in the trailer for Apple TV+’s Truth Be Told. In a departure from living out Jesse Pinkman’s stress-filled existence in El Camino, Paul is playing a new character, although he has his own high pressure to deal with. This new crime drama has an immersive trailer, and in it, fans get a peek at the case Spencer and Paul’s characters will be involved in.

If you were thinking there are too many streaming services, Apple TV+ is giving you another reason to subscribe to theirs. Take a break from re-watching Breaking Bad and check out the thrilling trailer for Truth Be Told, then reconvene for more insight below!

Truth Be Told centers on Octavia Spencer’s Poppy Parnell. She is a true crime podcaster, who decides to reopen the case that helped start her career. That case is Aaron Paul’s Warren Cave. He is a convicted serial killer. Almost twenty years after his conviction, Poppy decides to take another look at it. In the trailer, Cave indicates he was wrongfully convicted as a teenager.

Truth Be Told, the trailer is pretty incredible! Clearly, there is a lot to this case, including Castle Rock’s Lizzy Caplan playing twins! Yes, that is Caplan pulling double duty as Josie and Lanie Burhman. They are the daughters of the man that Aaron Paul’s Warren Cave supposedly murdered. It looks like they are keeping their share of secrets, and they could be murderous ones.

Apple is investing a lot of money in its content. The gripping trailer for Truth Be Told promises a crime drama premise with a very suspenseful edge. Is Warren Cave guilty, innocent, or complicit in a way that makes him far from clean in all of this? Octavia Spencer’s Poppy is going to find out.

Based on Truth Be Told’s trailer, it is a real mystery. It would be neat if there were a companion podcast to hear Poppy’s original take on the case. How did Warren Cave become a suspect to begin with? There is no murder weapon, and what is his motive?

Maybe he was friends or acquaintances with one of the twins? How is his sketchy father involved in all of this? Mekhi Phifer’s Detective Markus Knox may help Poppy learn the answers to all of this. Is Poppy going to learn there were more culprits beyond Warren Cave? There is a reason to think it is possible.

Cue The Blacklist’s Brett Cullen, who is playing another mysterious character for the Apple TV+ series. In Truth Be Told, he is taking on the role of Warren Cave’s father, Owen. This is a guy who does not seem all that interested in helping his son out. He goes so far as to warn Warren about how awful he can make his life behind bars.

Does he think his son is guilty? Or is he trying to cover something else up? Did he have an affair with the twins’ mom and then murder their dad to clear the path for himself? He could have then framed his son. We can't rule anything out at this point. Truth Be Told is going to be must-see TV!

This Is Us fans are also in for a treat! Ron Cephas Jones, who plays William "Shakespeare" Hill on the tear-jerking drama is starring as Poppy’s father. Meanwhile, This Is Us guest star Elizabeth Perkins is also starring in Truth Be Told as Warren Cave’s mother.

As for the question at the core of Truth Be Told, time will tell what the truth holds. You can watch Aaron Paul and Octavia Spencer in Truth Be Told, when it arrives December 6 on Apple TV+. The intense new crime drama is one of this fall’s premieres.

Tate Taylor’s Ma is a clear-cut high-concept film. Octavia Spencer stars as Sue Ann, a lonely woman with a traumatic past who sees an opportunity for popularity when she is approached by a group of kids in search of alcohol – but things turn terrifyingly sour when the group starts to find her a bit overbearing and obsessive. On its feet it’s a classic setup for a horror movie… but that just makes it all the more surprising how much it actually changed through its development.

As I recently learned during an interview with the film’s director, while some of the ideas for the story were in place from the start, it’s a project that really didn’t come together as we see it in its final form until both he and Octavia Spencer got involved. Originally it was more of a serial killer story, featuring a white woman luring teenagers to a horrific fate, butt in the hands of the long-time collaborators it ultimately became much more.

I sat down with Tate Taylor earlier this month during the Los Angeles press day for Ma, and it was when I asked about how much the movie changed from the first draft of the script to the final cut in the editing room that I learned just how much it evolved thanks to the creatives developing it. It started with a bit of “crazy” serendipity, with the director simply taking a meeting with producer/studio head Jason Blum, who presented him with a screenplay that he admitted still needed quite a bit of workshopping. Said Taylor,

But just because the early draft of the script was written specifically for a white woman didn’t stop Tate Taylor from seeing it as a potential vehicle for his best friend, former roommate, and longtime collaborator – with whom he has worked now on four of his five features as a director.

Coming out of the meeting, Taylor’s first instinct was to call Octavia Spencer and gauge her interest in making the movie with him – and while she was initially hesitant about taking on a horror project because one of the more significant and outdated tropes of the genre, she quickly got more interested when he started to describe what kind of role he had in mind for her:

That simple hook was apparently enough to draw Octavia Spencer to Ma, but Tate Taylor further stressed that what he had in mind for the project was a lot more than just having her as a psychotic serial killer who murders teens for essentially sport. And in that sense, the script needed a lot of work. It was a crumb of an idea that he enjoyed for nostalgic reasons, fondly remembering his time as a kid hanging out in front of liquor stores trying to get adults to buy booze for him and his friends, but where his interest really took hold was in exploring Sue Ann as a real character and giving her not only real motivation, but an in-depth backstory.

According to Taylor, none of that was present in the Ma script he originally got from Jason Blum, which was apparently had a lot more focus on body horror than it did on character and drama. Said the director,

To explain the exact beats that were ultimately injected into Ma and its backstory for Sue Ann would be giving away too much prior to the film’s release, the film really did become something much different than what was initially envisioned before Tate Taylor and Octavia Spencer became involved. And while the project evolved to become the first horror feature developed by them as a director/actor duo, the work really did become more familiar to them as the themes and proper story developments emerged. Taylor explained,

Like any film, Ma took months of work to become what it was ultimately meant to be, but now audiences will be able to experience it all for themselves. The movie, which co-stars Diana Silvers, Juliette Lewis, Luke Evans, Missi Pyle, Allison Janney, McKaley Miller, and Corey Fogelmanis, arrives in theaters this weekend – and be sure to stay tuned here on CinemaBlend for more about the film from my interview with Tate Taylor!

Horror is having a pop culture moment where it is being accepted like never before as the wonderful art form that it is. Sure, the reality is that incredible quality has always existed in the genre, and all that’s really changed is mass perception, but it’s still amazing to see audiences understand its legitimacy and the power of the storytelling. Not only is it allowing the spotlight to shine on projects that otherwise might be ignored, but people are opening their eyes to the depths present in the themes and the potential emotional weight of the work.

Of course, not every horror movie has to be welcomed as a form of “high art,” and just as valid as ever are the examples of the genre that are wildly free to be as pulpy, raw, and fun as they can be. It’s in this particular realm that Tate Taylor’s Ma exists, and it’s in the way the film revels within its categorization that it succeeds. While still making you care about its characters – including, surprisingly, its titular antagonist – it’s a flick that works because of its wonderful self-awareness and crowd-pleasing weirdness, ultimately making it simply a very entertaining big screen ride.

Based on an original screenplay by Scotty Landes, Ma begins centered on Maggie (Diana Silvers) – a teenager who moves with her mother (Juliette Lewis) from San Diego to the small, suburban town where her mother grew up. Rather than being a new kid outcast, she winds up making friends (McKaley Miller, Corey Fogelmanis, Gianni Paolo, and Dante Brown) fast, and also has a lot of time to spend with them because of her mom’s busy work schedule at a local casino. Because kids will be kids, this includes a good bit of partying and underage drinking – but those kinds of adventures, of course, come with the challenge of finding an adult who will buy them alcohol.

This primarily involves hanging around outside the liquor store and just hoping to encounter a friendly grown-up – a process that includes a lot of rejection and patience – but that’s when they meet Sue Ann (Octavia Spencer). At first it seems like they’ve hit the teenage jackpot, as she is not only willing to buy them booze, but also offers up the basement of her house as a spot open to parties and all kinds of crazy shenanigans. It’s a lot of fun, and Maggie has the chance to grow closer with her new friends, but things start to take a sinister turn as Sue Ann becomes more clingy, controlling, and obsessive. The reality is that the woman casually known as “Ma” has a special connection to these kids, and things get dangerous as they start to understand her true intentions.

Ma is a movie that completely lacks any kind of pretension or self-seriousness, and instead puts them both aside in favor of gonzo weirdness and an engaging tone. Rather than focusing on tension or terror, it’s a film for fans that get that special joy that comes from seeing things go totally sideways in horrific fashion, and while it’s not exactly a “horror comedy,” it is built to purposefully make you laugh just as much as it makes you yelp (courteous of a handful of knowing jump scares). While there certainly is a degree of escalation in the plot, things get ridiculous super fast as it quickly lays out all its cards following Sue Ann’s introduction, but it’s all table setting for wonderful “what the fuck” moments and some surprisingly novel and vicious ideas.

At the same time, though, what’s weirdly engaging about the film is the way in which it also makes you care about the characters – and shockingly enough that’s especially true when it comes to Sue Ann. The smartest move that Ma makes is the way in which it layers in its eponymous villain’s backstory, which makes her a far more sympathetic figure than you’d ever expect walking into the movie with an impression based on the trailers. While details are kept mysterious to the group of teens, moviegoers get to legitimately understand where Sue Ann is coming from, and it adds levels to the storytelling in unexpected ways – backed by the charm and charisma of Octavia Spencer, who is clearly having a ball. At the end of the day there definitely is no way to fully legitimize the actions that she takes, but there is also much more to it than her simply being lonely and crazy.

Without proper preparation (which hopefully you now have thanks to this review), it takes a second to adjust to what Ma is trying to do, but once you understand it becomes a movie that’s very easy to fall into. It’s an entertaining, yell-at-the-screen/see-it-with-a-crowd cinematic experience that doesn’t pretend to be anything it isn’t, and audiences are going to have a lot of fun.

After Toy Story 4 arrives next year, Pixar is pressing pause on sequels and delivering another original movie to the masses. It was announced at D23 last year that the studio is making a fantasy movie taking place in a modern suburban setting. Today, not only has it been announced that this project is called Onward, the main cast has also been unveiled, starting with Tom Holland.

While he's unquestionably best known for playing Peter Parker, a.k.a. Spider-Man, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Tom Holland's other credits include In the Heart of the Sea, Edge of Winter and The Lost City of Z. Along with Onward, his upcoming, non-Marvel-related projects include Chaos Walking and The Voyage of Doctor Dolittle, the latter of which will also be a family friendly offering. So in addition to playing Spider-Man, he's taking on other roles to establish himself with younger moviegoers.

Next we have another MCU star, Chris Pratt. He's been playing Peter Quill, a.k.a. Star-Lord, since Guardians of the Galaxy. While some people might have already been familiar with Pratt from Parks & Recreation, within the major Hollywood productions space, he's also built a name for himself with The LEGO Movie (and its upcoming sequel), the Jurassic World movies and Passengers.

Third on the Onward casting list is Julia Louis-Dreyfus. While many know her best as Elaine on Seinfeld, in recent years she's drawn acclaim for playing Selina Meyer on Veep, and she also starred in The New Adventures of Old Christine. This also won't be Dreyfus' first time participating in a Pixar movie, as she previously voiced Princess Atta in A Bug's Life.

Finally, Octavia Spencer rounds out the Onward cast. Her notable credits over the last couple years have included Hidden Figures, The Shape of Water, the latter two Divergent movies and Red Band Society. Like Tom Holland, she'll also be starring in The Voyage of Doctor Dolittle, so Onward marks their second collaboration together.

As you can see, none of these actors' characters were identified, so we'll have to keep waiting to learn who they're respectively portraying in Onward. It also goes without saying that there will be more cast members eventually announced, but for now, this is a solid start.

Shortly after this Onward casting announcement came out, Tom Holland posted an Instagram video about his involvement with the movie and his costars, which you can watch below.

Looking at Onward's overall premise, the movie will follow two teenage elf brothers who embark on an extraordinary quest to discover if there is still a little magic left in the world. At last year's D23 panel, it was revealed that in this fictional world, after magic became too hard to conjure, it was replaced by technology. Hence why this world looks a lot like ours, only instead of it being populated by humans, it's filled with elves, trolls, sprites and other mystical creatures. There are also unicorns, although they're considered to be pests. Some Onward concept art shown at D23 depicted a town with a water tower and a dragon flying over it.

As far as these elf brothers are concerned, assuming the story is the same as it was envisioned last year, their search for some leftover magic is happening because they want to spend one last "magical" day with their father, who sounds to have passed away. Onward is being produced by Kori Rae and directed by Monsters University's Dan Scanlon, the latter of whom noted that this story is incredibly personal to him, saying in the press release:

Pixar's movies have had a lot of unusual premises, and while 2012's Brave did delve into magic, this is arguably the first of the studio's movies that's set within a fully fleshed out fantasy setting. Throw in how much this story means to Dan Scanlon (he recalled last year about how discovering an audio tape of his late father's voice played into him conceiving Onward), and this movie sounds like it could be one of Pixar's most unique offerings yet, which is saying a lot for a studio that's given us talking toys, cars, fish and emotions, among many other things.

Having Tom Holland, Chris Pratt, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Octavia Spencer as the lead actors certainly gets this production off to a strong start. Each actors, whether they've only been famous for a couple years or several decades, are talented in their own special ways, and lending their vocal talents to a Pixar movie will almost certainly boost their profiles up even higher.

Those who follow Pixar's film slate closely also know that the studio has tried its best to balance releasing sequels and original stories in the recent past. Coco was the last of the latter kinds of movies, but this past June marked the release of Incredibles 2, following 14 years after its predecessor. Then next summer, Toy Story 4 will reunite us with Woody, Buzz and the gang nearly a decade after Toy Story 3. The characters will embark on a road trip that will include new faces like Forky, Ducky and Bunny, as well as the return of Bo Peep, who hasn't been seen since Toy Story 2. So by the time Onward comes out, it will have been three years since Pixar gave audiences an original story.

While there are undoubtedly plenty of fans who enjoy Pixar keeping their respective franchises going past one movie, it is nice when the studio delivers a new mythology to its ever-growing slate. It remains to be seen how Onward will ultimately perform, but at least on the actors side of things, Onward has gathered together some top-notch talent.

Onward will be released in theaters on March 6, 2020, so stay tuned to CinemaBlend for continuing coverage on its development, including who else will be brought on to the cast and when the first pictures/footage drop. In the meantime, to find out about movies that are arriving a little sooner, head to our 2019 release schedule.

It goes without saying nowadays that Marvel movies are among the most anticipated blockbusters each year, but Black Panther looks like it will be something particularly special. We only have a few weeks to go until Chadwick Boseman's T'Challa snags the spotlight for himself, and the movie is already making quite the impression, from receiving positive early reactions to outpacing all superhero movies (including Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice) in advanced ticket sales. There are also a number of folks who are buying out whole Black Panther screenings to ensure that kids, particularly of color, can watch the Wakandan hero's story unfold on the big screen, and now we can count Hollywood star Octavia Spencer as one of the people who will be holding these special screenings.

Taking to her Instagram page earlier today, Octavia Spencer announced that she'll be in Mississippi when Black Panther opens to the public, so she plans on buying out a theater in an "unserved community" to ensure that brown children in the area "can see themselves as a superhero." For those who live in Mississippi and are interested in taking their kid(s) to one of these screenings, Spencer said to stay tuned for exact time and location details. Spencer's profile has grown in recent years thanks to movies like The Help, Snowpiercer, Hidden Figures and The Shape of Water, so if she has the clout and resources to help out the community and make sure a lot of kiddies can enjoy Black Panther, then that's a noble goal.

Although Black Panther isn't the first black-led superhero movie ever to be made, it is the first time the Marvel Cinematic Universe has released such a story, and it's also notable for featuring a predominantly black cast. As Wonder Woman proved last year, it's important that people can see themselves represented on the big screen, and studios making the effort to do that can result in huge box office returns. It already looks like Black Panther is going to follow in the footsteps of most other MCU movies and haul in truckloads of money. But more importantly, it's a big moment for pop culture, and now kids near a yet-to-be-revealed theater in Mississippi who wouldn't have otherwise been able to watch Black Panther will get to partake in the fun thanks to Octavia Spencer's generosity.

Taking place shortly after the events of Captain America: Civil War, Black Panther will follow T'Challa returning home to Wakanda and embracing his new duties as the nation's king. However, he will soon have to deal with the combined threat of Erik Killmonger, a Wakandan exile-turned-American black-ops soldier, and Ulysses Klaue, the South African arms dealer last seen in Avengers: Age of Ultron, both of whom want to overthrow the Wakandan kingdom. Fortunately, T'Challa won't be alone fighting this battle, as his allies will include the Dora Milaje, his prodigy sister Shuri to CIA agent Everett Ross.

Black Panther prowls into theaters on February 16, and T'Challa will return on May 4 for Avengers: Infinity War. As for Octavia Spencer, her upcoming projects include A Kid like Jake and a comedy where she'll re-team with Jessica Chastain.

There is a reckoning taking place right now in Hollywood and society at large around how women are treated and how much women make compared to men for the same job. This disparity even extends to famous Hollywood actresses. Co-stars of The Help and friends, actresses Octavia Spencer and Jessica Chastain were discussing this issue and the possibility of working together on an upcoming comedy when the former revealed that the problem is even worse for women of color. Upon hearing this, Jessica Chastain assured her friend that this inequity would not stand on their film, as Octavia Spencer recalled:

That's pretty incredible, and as Octavia Spencer also noted, Jessica Chastain is talking the talk and walking the walk. She isn't just speaking about pay equity, but is actively pursuing it in projects she is a part of. Octavia Spencer revealed this awesome story while speaking during the Women Breaking Barriers panel at Sundance (via Page Six) and became visibly emotional while doing so. That's an incredible thing for a friend to make happen for you. Receiving five times the pay you asked for is a huge deal no matter what tax bracket you fall into. But what's likely more meaningful than that is the knowledge that you and your co-star are both being treated fairly and equally. This has to be a huge moment for Octavia Spencer, who has probably spent the majority of her career feeling and knowing that this was not the case.

Octavia Spencer won an Oscar for her work in The Help and has received another two nominations since then, including one this year for her supporting role in Guillermo del Toro's The Shape of Water. Her pay should obviously not be less as a black woman, but should also be elevated in such a way to reflect this level of accomplishment. While we don't have any details on the comedy Jessica Chastain and Octavia Spencer will be working on together, it will be interesting to see the two actresses who are known more for their dramatic work getting a chance to show something different and getting paid what they deserve while doing so. Hopefully this studio's decision to exceed the actresses' demands will set a positive precedent going forward.

If pay equity is going to be achieved regardless of race or gender, studios being on the right side of history and willing to deliver more than lip service. It will also take people standing up for their beliefs and fighting to achieve the reality they want. Clearly Jessica Chastain is one of those people. She can be seen later this year in a very mysterious role in X-Men: Dark Phoenix, hitting theaters on November 2, and Octavia Spencer will be vying for her second Oscar at the 90th Academy Awards on March 4.

The Shack is clearly a step-up in the Christian drama genre. Over the last decade films of such ilk have generated hundreds of millions of dollars, even though pretty much all of them disregard any narrative cohesion or subtly in favor of their overwhelming religious messages.

With this success in mind, it's not really a surprise that, despite the extra star wattage it has at its disposal, The Shack sticks to the rigid formula that repeatedly entices religious viewers in their droves. It doesn't make it any less torturous, though, especially considering it has a running time of 132 painstakingly long minutes.

The Shack kicks off by introducing us to a young Mackenzie Phillips (Carson Reaume), who is repeatedly beaten, alongside his mother by his drunkard of a father. So much so that he eventually decides to poison him. Thirty years later, Mackenzie, who is now portrayed by Sam Worthington, has his own wife Nan (Radha Mitchell), and three children, Josh (Gage Munroe), Kate (Megan Charpentier), and their youngest Missy (Amelie Eve).

But when Missy is abducted and ultimately murdered during a family camping trip, Mackenzie sinks into a deep depression that causes him to question his faith. However, after being invited to the shack where Missy was believed to have been killed (her body was never found), by a mysterious letter, Mackenzie comes face to face with God (Octavia Spencer), as well as Jesus (Aviv Alush) and the Holy Spirit (Sumire Matsubara), who look to help him through his grieving process.

It's little surprise that The Shack was given such a comparably hefty budget, believed to be around $20 million, to work with, as it's actually based on William P. Young's best-selling novel that topped The New York Times Best Seller list and has sold over 10 million copies. Director Stuart Hazeldine, and his cinematographer Declan Quinn, use this to sprinkle the film with more cinematic panache than we're used to seeing from the genre.

Of course, the presence of Octavia Spencer (Hidden Figures, The Help) is enough to make any cinematic monstrosity a tad more bearable, but even her Academy Award winning exploits aren't enough to stop The Shack from being excruciating. Neither is Sam Worthington, who mumbles, grumbles, and whispers his way through a labored performance that somehow fails to make you feel sympathetic to a grieving father.

In fact, Mack's bereavement for his murdered daughter, and him wanting the man who killed her to be harmed, is presented as an annoyance that needs to be eradicated as quickly as possible. I get that it's not very Christian to harbor such feelings of hate, but it's also brutal and grotesque to suddenly try and make him get rid of them, too. Especially since nowhere near enough is done to establish how much of a detrimental effect this understandable reaction has had on his family.

Once it lands at it titular Shack, though, the film really starts to mirror the dreariness of its peers. It becomes increasingly repetitive, while due to Mack spending more and more time with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit its sermonizing borders on harassment. Then Graham Greene's male version of God turns up. I'm still not entirely sure why, but by this point I was so disinterested by what had previously unfolded I actually appreciated being jolted back into interest by his nonsensical arrival.

Evangelicals will see The Shack as a modern parable that should set the world to rights, looking beyond its copious amount of cinematic flaws that actually render it borderline incoherent and an absolute chore to sit through.

As any actor will tell you, there are some roles that are held in a bit higher esteem than others. Most Shakespearean leads are on this list, as are Batman and James Bond. This certainly also extends to religious figures as well, as there is a specific responsibility that comes with playing a person or entity that is worshiped. This was most definitely the way that Octavia Spencer felt going in to playing God (or at least an aspect of God) in the new movie The Shack, and it was a process that demanded a close relationship with director Stuart Hazeldine, as well as strong focus on what she wanted her performance to be.

I had the wonderful opportunity to sit down with Octavia Spencer a couple weeks ago at the Los Angeles press day for The Shack, and it was during our conversation that I touched upon her process getting into the role. Asking about how she got her mind around such an important part, and the kind of discussions she had with the film's director, she explained that it was a project that included a good bit of extra work and concentration on her part. Said the Oscar-winning actress,

The book that The Shack is based on, which was written by author William P. Young and published in 2007, was one that Octavia Spencer read long before the story was being adapted for the big screen. When she got involved with the effort and signed on to play Papa (essentially the "Father" portion of the Holy Trinity represented in the narrative), she clearly brought a lot of passion and dedication to the message with her.

You can watch Octavia Spencer talk about her role in The Shack and her preparation to play the role of God in the video below:

The Shack, which co-stars Sam Worthington, Radha Mitchell, Tim McGraw, Avraham Aviv Alush and Sumire Matsubara, is in theaters this Friday, March 3rd.

As great as life can be with one series from Vince Gilligan on the air, one can only imagine that having two of them at the same time would result in a Peak TV ouroboros. We'll get to find out in the future, as the Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul creator is teaming up with Oscar-winning actress Octavia Spencer for a dark HBO drama centering on the Jonestown Massacre. If there's a more surefire recipe for success and critical acclaim, I haven't seen it.

Octavia Spencer is the spearheader of Raven, which will take on a limited series format, as she years ago optioned the source material Raven: The Untold Story of Jim Jones and his People, written by journalist Tim Reiterman. It will take a deep look at the Peoples Temple cult started by the charismatic and persuasive Jim Jones, who took his unstable ideals to depressing heights by pulling together hundreds of followers who were almost all otherwise perfectly normal and non-cultish people.

Raven, like the nonfiction book, will unravel the hazy story of how so many people came to follow Jones in the first place. And considering Reiterman is one of the relatively few survivors from the 1978 mass suicide in Guyana, the legitimacy of what makes it to the screen should be quite high. Especially since Vince Gilligan will be the one writing the entire limited series. He'll also be executive producing alongside Spencer, who is not being courted to acting in the drama at this point. Hopefully that changes, as she makes every project better. And for comparison's sake as far as dark subject matter goes, Spencer's last leading TV role was a show about hospitalized kids.

What, you say you need yet another top-quality name with this already exciting project? According to Deadline, Emmy-winning director Michelle MacLaren will be the one behind the camera for all of the episodes. MacLaren, who started her career with an episode of the Vince Gilligan-employed series The X-Files, is very well known among TV fanatics for directing many of Breaking Bad's best episodes, as well as memorable installments of The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones and Better Call Saul, to name a few.

So now we know Raven is going to both look great and be complex and interesting, but why would they possibly announce this project without already having someone cast as Jim Jones? Why would they put that kind of speculation power in our hands with all those Breaking Bad actors to talk about? It's too bad Aaron Paul is currently heading up the cult-infused Hulu series The Path, as he could have been a great choice for this. (But he's amazing in The Path, so it's okay.) HBO series rarely pull off noteworthy miscastings, so I cannot wait to learn who earns this high-profile part. But seriously, get Dean Norris as a cop or something.

HBO could not be doing a better job of killing it recently. Westworld looks to be the next great sci-fi series, we've got more Curb Your Enthusiasm coming, and even Robert Downey, Jr. wants in on the cable network's original series. No one is going to drink the Kool Aid (or any of its more economical substitutions) when there's this much good TV happening. Now let's get comfortable waiting on Season 3 of Better Call Saul.

Guillermo del Toro has always had one foot in reality, and the other in the fantastical. Yet for one of the potential films he's developing as his Crimson Peak follow-up,he's going somewhere he's never gone before: Cold War America.

New reports have landed that del Toro's current mystery project, which is being developed under the watchful eyes of Fox Searchlight, is going to center around an "otherworldly romance" in 1963 America. Variety also reports that the as of yet untitled film has courted Academy Award winner Octavia Spencer as one of the leads, with the film set to start shooting sometime this summer. Most importantly, even with the variety of projects available to Guillermo del Toro at this moment, this untitled project is being hinted as being the highest priority out of all of them.

While this mystery Guillermo del Toro film is still without a title, we do know a little more about what the film will be about. Through various interviews and news items over the past couple of months, del Toro has revealed key details relating to the overall plot. Most specifically, this unconventional love story has been labeled as a mix of two other unorthodox romances, with a description that pegs it as "Wall-E meets Splash." Throwing that image into 1963 as the socio-political backdrop only makes us want to see this film even more than ever, despite the heightened level of mystery surrounding it.

Looking at the setting, as well as the specific year of 1963, we'd venture a guess that this story is going to focus on a human / alien romance, with both the space race and international being mixed into this story of love in a time of fear. For those of you keeping score, throw Bridge Of Spies into the mixture of projects to keep in mind. With Octavia Spencer being the first person cast on the project, we'd also like to presume that she will be one of the two star-crossed lovers who will fight society and fate to stay together. Again, this is more wishful thinking than anything, but if you're going to cast someone with the stature and chops of Spencer in your film, it seems like a foregone conclusion that her golden charms will be on full display. Now if only we could get del Toro mainstay Ron Perlman cast as the other romantic lead, we'd have ourselves an event too good to pass up.

Before you get your hopes up too high, it's good to remember that much like other iconic directors who load up on potential projects, there's a chance that Guillermo del Toro could pass this onto another helmer. That having been said, with inside sources stating he's had this film on the front burner for some time now, the law of probability has us believing that this will be the next film to have del Toro's signature style all over it. In the meantime, you can see Octavia Spencer in The Divergent Series: Allegiant, which is currently in theaters for early showings. 

Chris Evans is rather accustomed to surrounding himself with an array of stunning actors. Not only did he do just that with The Avengers and Avengers: Age Of Ultron, he also just finished performing alongside an even stronger superhero line-up while filming Captain America: Civil War. But the cast for his next project, Gifted, might just top the lot.

According to Deadline, Gifted will be directed by Marc Webb, who most recently tried his hand at rebooting the Spider-Man franchise with The Amazing Spider-Man 1 and 2, but excelled with 500 Days Of Summer. Written by Tom Flynn, and produced by Fox Searchlight, Gifted sounds as if it will be an emotional and uplifting drama, which will have Chris Evans at its fore trying to prove that he’s more than just a shield.

In Gifted, Chris Evans will play Frank Adler, who is a deliberate underachiever who also has been tasked with helping to raise his niece, Mary, in rural Florida, with his mother, Eveyln. Frank just wants Mary to live a normal life, but after she’s told that she’s "gifted" by her teachers, her grandmother insists that she should be pushed as hard as possible. This is when Frank intervenes, and takes legal action to become her legal guardian.

This will mark the latest turn of pace for Chris Evans, who recently just released his directorial debut, Before We Go, which came in the midst of his numerous performances as Steve Rogers.

Taking the role of Mary is Mckenna Grace, who was discovered after an extensive search. The 9-year-old actress belies her age with her rather astounding resume. In fact, in the next 18 months, she has five films coming out, the biggest of which is Roand Emmerich's Independence Day: Resurgence.

Gifted will need a lot from Grace, as reports suggest that she will appear in most scenes, and these will clearly involve plenty of emotion as she finds herself in the midst of a custody battle.

Lindsay Duncan, who most recently excelled in Birdman but has also lit up the likes of Doctor Who and has a glittering stage career, will play the role of Frank’s mother, Evelyn. She is clearly overprotective of Mary, especially since her own daughter committed suicide, which leaves them in this predicament.

Evelyn has legal guardianship of Mary, and Frank is so adamant that Mary be raised in as normal a fashion as possible that he then takes his own mother to court.

Rounding off the impressive cast is Oscar winning actress Octavia Spencer (The Help), who will play Roberta Taylor. The landlord to Frank’s apartment, as well as a good friend of Mary’s, Spencer is likely to be a sounding board to the number of issues that are circulating throughout Gifted.

There’s no announcement on when Gifted will begin production or be released. But since it has awards-season contender written all over it, I can only assume that the plan will be to try and get it out in time for either next year’s ceremonies, or the year after.

Over the years we've seen many actors portray God on the big screen, from George Burns to Morgan Freeman, but now it is apparently Octavia Spencer's time toe become omnipotent and all-powerful. This is because she is now in final negotiations to play God in an adaptation of the novel The Shack, which is now in the works over at Lionsgate.

Variety has gotten the scoop on this casting, reporting that newcomer director Stuart Hazeldine will be at the helm of the project. The book, penned by author William P. Young, centers on a man named Mackenzie Allen Phillips, who is devistated following the abduction of his youngest daughter, Missy, during a family vacation. Following an investigation, it appears that the girl has been brutally murdered, with evidence discovered in an abandoned shack in Oregon. Four years late, Mackenzie receives a note inviting him back to that shack - but rather than being from a murderer who is taunting him, the letter is actually from God. He makes the trip to the place of his nightmares, but it is there that he "finds something there that will change his life forever."

As you might have been able to tell by this point, The Shack is considered a Christian novel, and while it was initially self-published, it has gone on to be a huge hit. Since it was released in 2007, 18 million copies have been sold worldwide, and it was the #1 paperback trade fiction seller on The New York Times Best Seller list for nearly two years. Given this built-in audience, it's not a huge surprise that Lionsgate is trying toe make a movie out of it - though its worth noting that they've been sitting on the rights since early 2013.

Since her big win at the 2012 Academy Awards for her performance in The Help, Octavia Spencer has been rather all over the place, working on both film and television projects. Some of her most notable titles have includes James Ponsoldt's Smashed, Ryan Coogler's Fruitvale Station, Joon-ho Bong's Snowpiercer, and the Steven Spielberg-produced television series Red Band Society. She'll very soon be seen in the blockbuster Divergent sequel, Insurgent (which comes out on March 20th), though she also has two more completed projects under her belt and coming out soon in The Great Gilly Hopkins (with Julia Stoles, Kathy Bates and Glenn Close) and Fathers and Daughters (with Aaron Paul, Amanda Seyfried and Russell Crowe).

The Shack is still in pre-production, but there is a plan in place to having filming start some time this spring. Lionsgate has not yet announced a release date, but it wouldn't be a huge shock to see this movie make its way to theaters either at Christmas time, or maybe even timed with Easter next year.

It's a big day for Octavia Spencer. Not only is she among the stars of one of the new dramas on Fox's recently announced 2014-2015 lineup (Red Band Society), Spencer is also joining the anticipated Divergent sequel, Insurgent. The casting news was announced today, as Academy Award winner Octavia Spencer will play Amity leader Johanna.

Octavia Spencer joins returning stars Shailene Woodley and Theo James in this anticipated sequel. By book comparisons, Spencer's character is presumably Johanna Reyes, who's a representative of Amity and who's introduced in Insurgent, the follow-up novel to Veronica Roth's popular book, Divergent. While much of the first story focuses on Tris Prior's training for the Dauntless faction, we also get a peek inside the Erudite faction, as well as Abnegation, but Candid and Amity are only referenced. The second book gives us a look inside Amity, as the story ventures further into the dystopian Chicago backdrop that serves as the setting for this young adult series.

And that's about as vague as I can be about the premise for Insurgent without spoiling the end of Divergent, so if you still haven't seen the movie or read the first book in Roth's trilogy, consider yourself spoiler-warned from this point forward! No major Insurgent spoilers ahead.

It's not a spoiler to note that the Amity faction is known for its friendliness. We get a better understanding of how this particular faction operates in the followup to Divergent, as Tris and Four are fugitives on the run at the start of Insurgent. Kate Winslet's Jeanine Matthews is leading the hunt to track them down. Known for being trusting and peaceful, Amity seems like it would be a good place for Tris and Four to hide, but factor in the faction's determination for neutrality and things get a bit more complicated.

Octavia Spencer is an interesting choice for the role of Johanna. If they're aiming for talent, they certainly hit the mark. Spencer won an Oscar for Outstanding Actress in a Supporting Role for her memorable performance in The Help. She's had no shortage of work since then, with roles in Fruitvale Station and a voice part in Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters among her recent credits. As mentioned, she's also set to star in Fox's new drama Red Band Society. Her IMDB page lists a number of other projects in various stages of production, so we should expect to see plenty of Spencer in the near future.

Directed by Neil Burger, Divergent's worldwide box office total has surpassed $252 million. Robert Schwentke will direct Insurgent, which is already set to release March 20, 2015. And then Summit has Allegiant lined up for two parts, to release in 2016 and 2017.

When you’ve got a heavy generation-spanning drama about a mentally ill novelist, it would be a shame to just fill it with one Oscar-winning actor – in this case, Russell Crowe. Voltage Pictures’ upcoming Fathers and Daughters has fixed that problem by adding Best Supporting Actress Octavia James (The Help), Best Actress nominee Quvenzhané Wallis (Beasts of the Southern Wild) and Diane Kruger (Inglorious Basterds) to its cast. With The Pursuit of Happyness’ Gabriele Muccino directing, this is one that will probably find its way to an awards show near you in 2015.

Crowe, who is also serving as Fathers and Daughters’ executive producer, will play a brain-marred novelist and widower trying to figure out how to raise a 5-year-old daughter in New York City in 1988. Twenty-five years later, Amanda Seyfried plays the grown-up daughter who is still trying to outlast the problems that comprised her tumultuous childhood, all while in a romance with Aaron Paul.

According to Variety, Spencer will star as the head of a psychiatric clinic where Seyfried works with troubled children. Wallis will play one of Seyfried’s patients that hasn’t uttered a syllable in the year since her mother was murdered. Finally, Kruger will play Crowe’s sister-in-law, who believes that he is to blame for her sister’s death.

There is drama all over the place with this one, and the screenplay written by Brad Desch was one of the entries on the 2012 Black List (the annual list of the most popular unproduced screenplays in Hollywood). Most of the places that one reads about it all refer to the film as a love story between a father and his daughter, but it sounds more like a film that involves more skeletons in the closet than love. But I’m sure it’ll get there in the end.

Spencer had a pretty giant 2013 with starring roles in Fruitvale Station, Lost on Purpose, and Diablo Cody’s directorial debut Paradise> She even voiced a snake in Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters. She’ll next be seen in Snowpiercer, assuming it ever comes out, Mike Binder’s custody drama Black and White and the James Brown biography Get On Up. She’s currently filming Adam Collis’ comedy Car Dogs (how's that not an animated movie?)

Wallis, following a bit role in 12 Years a Slave, is now finished filming Will Gluck’s upcoming Annie remake and will voice a character in the upcoming multi-director animated adaptation The Prophet. Kruger, who recently starred in Andrew Niccol’s The Host, has been killing it as the awkward asocial Sonya in the Americanized version of The Bridge on FX. She’ll next play Abraham Lincoln’s older sister Sarah in A.J. Edwards’ biographical drama The Better Angels.

Fathers and Daughters will be heading to Berlin’s European Film Market later this month, and is setting up its pre-production in Pittsburgh, otherwise known as the "New York City of Pennsylvania."

Sorry, fans of Murder She Wrote, turns out NBC has decided to not move forward with the proposed and much-buzzed-about reboot of the series. Writer Alexandra Cunningham and producer David Janollari’s take on what was the most beloved and successful series in TV history, had Oscar winner Octavia Spencer in the starring role. Needless to say, the announcement has many scratching their heads.

The news comes as a bit of a shock given the attention the announcement garnered back in October. This adaptation of Murder was said to be a light, contemporary procedural following a hospital administrator and amateur sleuth (Spencer), helmed by Cunningham, who worked on such popular series as Desperate Housewives and the Maria Bello-fronted Prime Suspect, and Janollari, who was previously the head of programming at MTV — so, you know: hardly small potatoes. The series even received a put pilot commitment from the network. For those not in the studio-know, a “put pilot” is a categorization that forces the network to air the series’ initial episode. And if the network fails to put the pilot on TV, they have to pay up a lot of financial penalties to the studio that created it. So, clearly, there were lots of eggs riding in this proverbial basket.

But the fact remains that rebooting a series as beloved and iconic as Murder, She Wrote is extremely challenging, because rebooting an iconic series is extremely difficult. Previously, NBC had attempted to reboot the Rockford Files with David Shore (creator of House) and Steve Carell (yes, that Steve Carell). But even when they get on air, success is rarely guaranteed — hello, 90210 reboot. But the network probably had reason for high hopes in this instance, as Prime Suspect was a remake itself of a popular British drama.

Should your Jessica Fletcher dreams not wish to be dashed there is still hope. According to the sources over at Deadline, the heads of the network are open to considering an entirely new approach to the world made famous by Angela Lansbury. And the other players involved certainly have their share of work to do, too: Janollari already has a pilot order for his other NBC drama, Salvation, and Cunningham has another drama project titled Gone For Good that’s also in contention over at the peacock. The only player left to scoop up is Spencer, and well, considering how impressive she is, we hardly doubt there won’t be many an offer for her, either.

But until the day Murder, She Wrote returns, you’ll just have to satisfy yourself with repeat viewings of the opening credits:

Diablo Cody's directorial debut Paradise popped up on our radar big time last week, and not exactly for the right reasons. The film, still scheduled for a theatrical release in October, will now be premiering on DirecTV… on Thursday. That's a sudden and under-the-radar debut for a film that by all rights should be massively anticipated, directed by the Oscar-winning screenwriter of Juno and starring up-and-comer Julianne Hough, Oscar-winner Octavia Spencer, Parks & Recreation's Nick Offerman, Holly friggin' Hunter, and Russell Brand, who continues to get work despite all logic. How can something so promising get caught in such a weird situation?

Sadly, this first trailer may help answer it. The story of a girl raised as an ultra-fundamentalist Christian, now on the Las Vegas strip to find herself, Paradise is being sold based on insights like "The world is not the Las Vegas strip," and punchlines like "In the next election, I may vote Democrat." You get some hints of Cody's trademark snappy dialogue, and I genuinely like the "L.L. Bean tote bag full of cash," but Hough is no Ellen Page, and seems even here to be stumbling a bit over the wiseacre dialogue she's handed. She's the girl most recently famous for starring in the Nicolas Sparks adaptation Safe Haven, and though she gets credit for shaking up her image so early into her career, it seems to be an awkward fit so far.

Bad trailers trip up good movies all the time-- remember how unpromising the bullet train sequence in The Wolverine looked, and how great it was in the The Wolverine?-- and viewers with DirecTV will have a chance to judge Paradise for themselves soon enough, so it's a little silly to toss off judgment based on two and a half minutes of hastily assembled footage. Coming off the acerbic brilliance of Young Adult, Cody seemed as smart and capable of strong storytelling as ever. Paradise may indeed have that… but this trailer does a mighty great job of hiding it.

As someone stuck with awful Time Warner Cable, I won't be able to see Paradise on Thursday. Do you have DirecTV? Come back and let us know how it is.

The directorial debut from Diablo Cody, the Oscar-winning screenwriter of Juno and creator of The United States of Tara, ought to be a big deal. So why is it going to slink on to your TV screens next Thursday with seemingly no fanfare whatsoever? Cody herself broke the news via Twitter that her film Paradise is making its way to the decidedly small screen much, much sooner than we figured:

The DirecTV won't replace a traditional theatrical release, though, which Cody promises is still on schedule for October:

The movie, which was shot last year, has kept a bizarrely low profile since then, even though it includes among its cast Octavia Spencer, Nick Offerman, Russell Brand and Julianne Hough, who stars as an Evangelical Christian girl who survives a plane crash, denounces God, and travels to Las Vegas to commit all the sins she's avoided all these years. A piece in USA Today a few weeks ago revealed more details about the film, along with some first-look images, including this one which transforms Offerman into… well, you just ought to see it for yourself:

Paradise was looking a little odd and quirky, and despite the plum October 18 release date probably not a mega Oscar contender the way Juno was (and that's OK!) But this early DirecTV drop, especially with so little advance warning, has us concerned. Is the distributor trying to find a way to gauge early buzz from the audience without paying for screenings? Did they sign some kind of crazy rights deal with DirecTV and get stuck with this bizarre release pattern? Is this TV debut a prelude to them giving up on the film entirely? That sure seemed to be what they were doing with the first poster, which popped up online via Film Drunk and is a genuine horror show. Take a look:

Listen, it's no easy thing to win an Oscar for your first screenplay, and then to forge a pretty successful career despite hundreds of people who want to write you off as the hamburger phone girl. Cody's career since Juno has been varied and had its share of misses (sorry, Jennifer's Body), but it's also been careful and true to her own voice. We expected exactly the same from Paradise and we still might get it, no matter what wonky release plan eventually makes that possible. Hopefully this weird DirecTV arrangement is just part of what allowed Cody to make exactly the movie she wanted to make. That's the only bright side I can hunt out of this muddled release strategy. Well, that and the fact that some lucky satellite subscribers get to see the film super early. If you wind up being one of them, come back on August 8 and let us know how the movie is.