15 years ago, HBO gave audiences what would become one of the greatest TV shows of all time when Game of Thrones premiered. Its incredible cast was composed of seasoned actors, like Peter Dinklage as well as Kit Harington and other up-and-comers, and they helped shape the series into the ratings monster and Emmy winner it was for eight seasons. In some ways, it's hard to believe so much time has passed since the show first hit the airwaves. But, if you really want to feel old, Harington shared with Dinklage a fact from the series that may or may not have someone in their feels.

In terms of how old the cast of Game of Thrones was when the show first started, stars like Emilia Clarke were in their early 20s, and Maisie Williams was a child star back then. Now, everyone is all grown up since shedding their cloaks from their Winterfell days. But, when Kit Harington and Peter Dinklage had a little reunion chat on Variety’s Actors on Actors, the British actor revealed to his longtime co-star a mind-blowing, age-related stat that threw Dinklage for a loop:

• Harington: I am now the age —
• Dinklage: Oh, fuck, I hate this.
• Harington: — that you were when I first met you. My first-ever scene on camera was with you, and I remember thinking, ‘I’ve just got to be really still. That’s acting for cameras. To be as still as I possibly can be, then say my lines, then go back to stillness.’ And in my head I’m like, ‘Why is that guy moving so much?’
• Dinklage: Overacting. Bad acting. Being a ham.
• Harington: And then I realized, no, you were just so much more experienced. I was like, ‘Just freeze. If you freeze, nothing can go wrong.’

Well, way to make me feel ancient. That feeling of my mortality aside, though I love the two actors’ hilarious exchange, including Dinklage calling himself a “ham” for “overacting.” And, of course, the irony of Harington feeling he had to make himself stiff to be a good actor is great as well.

By that point, Peter Dinklage already had notable movies as part of a solid filmography, like The Station Agent and Elf, before landing the role of Tyrion Lannister on Game of Thrones and winning four Emmys for his portrayal. With that I can understand Harington having those feelings upon working with Dinklage for the first time. Of course, it's clear that they're good buddies now, which may be something that's comforting to fans.

As for that age-centric factoid, the Industry actor is indeed around the age Dinklage was. Dinklage was about 41 during production on Season 1 of Thrones, and Harington is 39 now and will turn 40 later this year. When Harington made his career breakthrough as Jon Snow, he was fresh in his early twenties, signing up for what would be an HBO show that would get the world talking. Harington's been quite reflective as of late, and he recently spoke about how a fan made him “feel old” after revealing he was three when Game of Thrones premiered.

With Kit Harington in his late 30s and Peter Dinklage in his late 50s now, both have long since stepped out of their medieval fantasy series and into new chapters of their lives. Harington has since married his GoT co-star, Rose Leslie, is a father of two kids with her and is set to star in the limited series Count My Lies.

As for Dinklage, he’s also a married man with two kids and has an upcoming role in the William Shakespeare-adapted flick, Lear Rex. From fighting off White Walkers to soaking in domestic life and acting projects, these two co-stars continue to live their best lives beyond the HBO series that turned them into household names.

It's honestly staggering just how quickly time flies, and Kit Harington and Peter Dinklage's recent conversation is a stark (no pun intended) reminder of that. While their ages have obviously changed since they began playing the Westeros-based characters, something that clearly hasn't is the camaraderie between them, and I love to see it. Fans can also see their work on Game of Thrones by streaming all eight seasons with an HBO Max subscription.

There’s nothing pedestrian about a red carpet premiere. We regularly see celebrities strut out on carpets in the naked dress trend or method dressing (like Margot Robbie is doing right now for Wuthering Heights). While I enjoy ohh-ing and aw-ing over celebrity fashion just as much as the next gal, I think the winner of premiere wear recently was Peter Dinklage… for turning up in a Twilight T-shirt.

Dinklage appeared at the Sundance Film Festival for his new movie Wicker in a Twilight T-shirt (which fans say was once available to buy at Target), dark jeans and a leather jacket. When asked about the fit by AP News, he said this:

The Game of Thrones actor has a daughter who’s around 14 or 15, making her in fact the perfect age for the vampire romance series. Check him out:

Now, the Park City, Utah festival has much more casual attire than glitzy Hollywood and New York City premieres, but you have to appreciate Dinklage for repping the franchise in a place where he knew cameras were going to be on him. Plus, it made for a standout moment in a world where men on the red carpet often get less love than the ladies.

Twilight often gets a lot of hate, but it’s got a huge cult following, and has brought a lot of joy to fans over the years. Not to mention, the series starred some actors that are still big in Hollywood today, Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart.

When the Twilight fans got word to Peter Dinklage’s wardrobe choice on Instagram, it produced a lot of fun comments. Check it out:

• “let the man play charlie in kristen’s reimagining” - @chronicallychillmemes
• “Tyrion Lannister and I have the same shirt. That is a trip 😂” - @thatmarvelmom
• “I am literally wearing the same shirt right now” - @nailangel816
• “ONE OF US! ONE OF US!” - @boxofficebooks
• “I think he lost a bet with his daughter. And I respect that” - @laura.lied
• “He drinks, and he knows Twilight.” - @lagrange.jeffrey

Fans were contemplating what team Peter Dinklage is on, as well as fancasting him for the Twilight remake (who Stewart said she’d totally direct). I actually love the idea of Dinklage as Bella’s dad, Charlie Swan, now that it’s been put out there.

Anyways, Dinklage’s new movie Wicker is actually a romantic fantasy movie, so the T-shirt was somewhat on theme. It’s about a fisherwoman (played by Olivia Colman) who commissions a husband made out of wicker (Alexander Skarsgård). Dinklage plays the basket weaver who makes said wicker husband. The movie apparently received a “double standing ovation” per The Hollywood Reporter, and currently has a 94% on Rotten Tomatoes.

No word yet on when Wicker is being released, but both Game of Thrones and the Twilight movies can currently be streamed with a HBO subscription.

Despite Poker Face earning critical acclaim in its two seasons, Peacock announced last November that it was cancelling the comedy-drama mystery series. And yet, this doesn’t necessarily spell the end of Poker Face, though if it does come back, it’ll look a lot different. Efforts are underway to not only set up the Rian Johnson-created show on another streaming service, but to also have Peter Dinklage take over the role of Charlie Cale from Natasha Lyonne. The Game of Thrones star has now shared an update on how these wild revival plans are going.

Dinklage addressed the possibility of Poker Face Season 3 happening while chatting with Deadline. For what he’s most recently heard from Johnson, the biggest hurdle in the moment is find the series a new home, with the actor sharing:

For any other TV show, having a male actor taking over playing the same lead role that an actress previously occupied would be a daunting and convoluted prospect, but evidently Peter Dinklage and Rian Johnson aren’t sweating it. Instead, the main holdup on bringing Poker Face back remains figuring out where the show will be placed next. Assuming that can be worked out, I’m curious if Peacock will still be able to keep the first two seasons on its platform, or if this will be a permanent move situation, like how the Marvel TV shows that were initially released on Netflix can now only be exclusively streamed with a Disney+ subscription.

In any case, Peter Dinklage joked that the series can be renamed to Roulette Face if necessary. It doesn’t have the same ring as Poker Face, but if that’s what it takes to overcome certain legal complications, then I’ll make do. Though best known in the TV realm for playing Tyrion Lannister for the entirety of Game of Thrones, Dinklage was most recently a series regular on the first season of Dexter: Resurrection, though let’s just say we won’t be seeing his character again whenever Season 2 arrives.

Aside from the streaming service transition, the biggest mystery surrounding Poker Face’s future is how the changeover from Natasha Lyonne to Peter Dinklage as Charlie Cale is going to work. Will this next season somehow occupy the same reality as the first two seasons, or will Poker Face become more like an anthology series where the only thing Dinklage’s Charlie shares in common with Lyonne’s is the innate ability to tell when people are lying. As for why Lyonne won’t continue playing Charlie, she said last month it’s because she wants to focus on directing movies.

Hopefully we know by the end of 2026 if Poker Face will live on or not. I’m eager to learn what reason Rian Johnson comes up with for Charlie Cale’s baffling transformation, as well as for Peter Dinklage’s version to solve his own assortment of unique crimes. Fingers crossed one of the other big streaming services will welcome Poker Face into its library of content.

In case you missed the sad news, the second-season run of Poker Face that aired earlier in the 2025 TV schedule was its last, and folks with Peacock subscriptions are not getting a third season on that particular service. The mystery-of-the-week series led by Natasha Lyonne won’t return for Season 3 on the streaming service, but that hasn’t stopped series creator Rian Johnson from shopping a new take on the series featuring Peter Dinklage taking over as lead from Lyonne. For all that I’d love to see that version of the show, what is actually going on following all those rumors?

During the recent premiere of the upcoming Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, Johnson spoke with Deadline about the swirling rumors. He confirmed that yes, he’s actively trying to keep the Poker Face concept alive; and yes, the Emmy-winning actor is central to the pitch he’s taking out. Johnson explained:

That “wild swing” he mentions lines up with earlier reporting that Johnson now envisions Poker Face as an evolving project with new leads every few seasons — essentially handing Charlie Cale's crime-solving mantle to a different actor as the show moves forward. Natasha Lyonne herself, who also executive produced, confirmed in a joint statement that she and Johnson had been planning this shift since wrapping the Season 2 finale. Meaning Dinklage isn’t a panic-induced replacement, but already part of the long-term creative roadmap, at least hypothetically.

Even so, the situation is complicated. Season 2 performed well on Peacock, but not at the breakout level of Season 1, but the series is an expensive one with new locations, settings and guest stars on a weekly basis. Combine that with Lyonne stepping away, and the cancellation starts to make more financial sense. Still, Johnson isn’t treating Poker Face as a finished chapter. He’s treating it like a story engine worth saving, even if it shifts platforms, formats, and even leads.

And honestly, Dinklage is as inspired a pick as you could ask for. He’s funny yet can carry the dramatic weight when he needs to, and his recent work on Dexter: Resurrection tapped into everything that makes him great. So the idea of him playing a road-trip sleuth with a complicated past is definitely the kind of inspired pivot that could give the series a genuinely fresh life.

If Johnson succeeds in taking this idea “out,” whether to HBO, Netflix, Amazon, or anywhere else, fans of the original two seasons of the show should expect a very different Poker Face, but one still rooted in the old-school mystery-of-the-week DNA that made fans fall in love with it. Nothing has been officially greenlit, but Johnson's making noise publicly means this project is far from dead.

We’ll have to wait and see whether this “wild swing” actually becomes the next chapter of Poker Face. In the meantime, Rian Johnson is keeping busy with his other big franchise, Wake Up Dead Man, the newest Knives Out mystery on the 2025 movie schedule. The film arrives in theaters on November 26 and will be available to anyone with a Netflix subscription starting December 12.

After Season 2 of Poker Face aired on the 2025 TV schedule, Rian Johnson's show was unfortunately canceled by Peacock, despite its acclaim. The second season of the crime dramedy has been praised by critics, and its lead, Natasha Lyonne, who said they were bringing more “ridiculous” fun to the series for Season 2. Now, while it did get canceled, don’t count Poker Face out just yet, as there’s a wild plot to save it that features Peter Dinklage. Personally, I’d love to see him on the series, and I couldn’t be happier about the fitting TV executive expressing interest as well.

When it was announced that Peacock opted not to move forward with a third season of Poker Face, it was also revealed that creator Rian Johnson, his T-Street partner Ram Bergman, MRC, and Lyonne were shopping the show to other outlets in the hopes of a new two-season commitment. It was also revealed that while Lyonne would be staying on as executive producer, Dinklage would actually take over the role she originated, Charlie Cale.

Now, while the show has not found a new home yet, Casey Bloys, the chairman and CEO of HBO and Max Content, revealed that he’s had conversations about the series. He said, via Deadline:

Not only is the concept of Poker Face possibly returning for another season exciting, but the fact that HBO seems to be interested makes it even better, especially when you consider Dinklage’s involvement. Of course, fans know that the actor portrayed Tyrion Lannister on HBO’s massively popular fantasy series Game of Thrones, and the role won him four Emmys for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. Dinklage returning to HBO for a new series over six years after GOT ended would be pretty great.

If Poker Face were to move to HBO and Dinklage were to take over, this would mark his first role at the premium cable network since Game of Thrones ended in 2019. It sounds like Bloys is interested in bringing Dinklage back into the fold, but even though conversations have happened, there’s no telling how it will all go down. However, the fact that the exec has an interest in the show is encouraging.

Meanwhile, Dinklage has been plenty busy as of late. He can be seen in Dexter: Resurrection, streaming with a Paramount+ subscription, and he reprised his voice role as Doctor Dillamond in the much-anticipated Wicked: For Good. He's also in the crime film Roofman, which premiered earlier on the 2025 movie schedule.

Now, going back to Poker Face, conversations are still pretty early, and it’s unknown which (if any) platform, including HBO, will save Poker Face. However, I know I would love to see Dinklage make his debut as Charlie Cale, and I would love it even more if he did it on HBO.

Poker Face just got a bad beat, and it's not good news for folks with a Peacock subscription. The mystery-of-the-week series led by Natasha Lyonne won’t return for Season 3 on the streaming service, even after a solid sophomore run and plenty of critical love. That would usually be the end of the story, except there’s a crazy curveball: the team behind the show is already shopping a new two-season plan built around Peter Dinklage.

Series creator Rian Johnson, partner Ram Bergman, producer MRC, and Lyonne (who remains an EP) are taking Poker Face to other buyers with an eye on continuity and a bold twist: Peter Dinklage would step into the role of human lie detector Charlie Cale if the show finds a new home, per Deadline. Johnson and Lyonne said they’ve been planning the next phase since writing the Season 2 finale and teased that Charlie could soon be “back on that open highway.”

For newcomers, Poker Face is Johnson’s riff on a classic, Columbo-style format, with each episode presenting a murder that you watch happen, and then follows Charlie, an ex-casino employee with an unfakeable knack for calling lies, as she drifts town to town in a ’69 Plymouth Barracuda and solves what the locals can’t. The first season drew raves and awards attention; Season 2 remained one of Peacock’s beloved series, though ratings were off a bit and costs were high, according to Deadline’s reporting.

The “wild subplot” here is the proposed baton pass. Dinklage wouldn’t play a new character; he’d inherit Charlie Cale, with Johnson hoping to rotate the lead every couple of years.

TV has precedent for this kind of identity handoff (think Doctor Who, The Crown, even the mid-run swap on Bewitched), and the franchise’s case-of-the-week structure makes it easier to pull off than most. It’s also very Johnson, who, with his Knives Out films, changes ensembles around Daniel Craig every time, and he’s long been fascinated with truth-telling as a storytelling engine.

There are still questions. It isn’t clear whether Season 2 showrunner Tony Tost would continue. Distribution is TBD as CAA takes the package to market. But the creative center remains intact, that being this is Johnson’s baby, and the outlet notes he’s prepared to write and direct as needed to steady the retooled version. Lyonne, busy with projects under her Animal banner, would stay on behind the scenes as well.

From a business angle, the move makes sense. Prestige guest stars, travel, and production design aren’t cheap, and asking a new partner for a two-season order provides stability for casting and scheduling while signaling confidence. From a fan angle, the pitch is pretty simple: keep the format and tone, keep Charlie’s gift, but swap the face. Dinklage—fresh off films like Wicked, Roofman, the Toxic Avenger, and a stint on Dexter: Resurrection—brings a different energy and comic bite that could change how episodes play without breaking the show. It’s a weird angle, but one that could definitely work.

Peacock passed on Season 3, but Poker Face isn’t folding and accepting a place on 2025's canceled shows list just yet. If the plan lands, the next iteration will test how elastic Charlie Cale really is as a character, and I’m here to see it.

We’ll have to see how this wild idea plays out. Meanwhile, Rian Johnson has another Knives Out entry, Wake Up Dead Man, on the 2025 movie schedule. It hits theaters on November 26 and streams for anyone with a Netflix subscription on December 12. You can also watch the first two seasons of Poker Face on Peacock.

Channing Tatum’s starring role in 2025 movie release Roofman, the story based on the real events of a man who robbed fast-food restaurants while hiding in a toy story, is already getting praise from the critics who have seen it. But it’s possible that one particular scene may get a lot of people talking when the film opens next month. It was clearly a topic of conversation on set.

In Roofman, Channing Tatum plays the robber hiding out, and Peter Dinklage plays the manager of the store where he is hiding. Speaking with People, director Derek Cianfrance talks about the first scene in the movie where the pair see each other, where Dinklage finds Tatum showering, in all his glory. The director said…

Apparently, Channing Tatum was completely naked in the scene. While it's unclear how much the audience will see, if Roofman will enter the category of popular NSFW Netflix movies one day, it appears that Tatum was completely naked on set.

While it's not Tatum's first nude scene, this would have already been a potentially awkward situation for the actor, but that awkwardness was intentionally amplified by the director because the scene with two actors, one of whom was naked, was shot between two strangers.

Apparently, Channing Tatum and Peter Dinklage had never met before filming Roofman together, and Derek Cianfrance made the decision to intentionally keep the two actors apart before filming the NSFW shower scene. This made their surprise meeting on screen a genuine surprise. Cianfrance continued…

The scene in question is actually viewable in the Roofman trailer. It has Channing Tatum's character leave the shower mid-soap for some reason to get some stuff from the store. Peter Dinklage's character comes out of the back listening to music on headphones, and initially doesn't see the naked man. When he does, the look, which was apparently genuine, is hilarious.

It’s now become a hundred times funnier, realizing that the surprising moment on screen was just as shocking for the men in the scene. Certainly they each knew what was going to happen. But the idea that the two had to play this scene, one of them naked... despite having never met is absolutely wild. That had to have added some authenticity to the sequence.

Major spoilers below for Dexter: Resurrection’s Season 1 finale for anyone who hasn’t yet streamed it via Paramount+ subscription.

Somebody better call the local PD’s glee spatter expert, because I spattered glee all over the damned place several times while watching Dexter: Resurrection’s first season finale. (Okay, I guess no experts are required, since I just willingly confessed.) The last time I felt this enthusiastic about a Dexter finale was well over 15 years ago, when the titular vigilante took down John Lithgow’s Arthur Mitchell, only to discover the Trinity Killer’s final victim was Rita. Since then? Not so wonderful.

The next few season finales from the OG series were more miss than hit, with Debra learning Dexter’s secret and her killing LaGuerta being the two main highlights, and the eight season’s final episode has notoriously been viewed as one of the worst series endings of all time. Clyde Phillips spoke years ago about wanting to repent, though the ball was dropped once more when Dexter: New Blood seemingly killed Michael C. Hall’s character off. The prequel Original Sin raised the ante somewhat, but not enough, and its out-of-nowhere cancellation destroyed any positive momentum.

Despite all that, and against all my expectations, Dexter: Resurrection still managed pulled off quite the impossible victory within the 2025 TV schedule. So grab your camera-thwarting hoodie and let’s dive in.

Dexter: Resurrection Did The Impossible By Restoring My Faith In This Franchise's Ability To End A Season Pleasingly

Like many other longtime Dexter fans, I’ve been having a total blast with Resurrection’s New York City-set plotline and Leon Prater’s killer club meetings, and I think everything involving Harrison has worked worlds better than it all did in New Blood. Yet, given everything that came in the years prior to this spinoff’s existence, I went into “And Justice For All…” expecting to be let down or disappointed in one or more ways.

The egg is all up in my face, though, because the episode was as close to a perfect finale as I could have forced myself into imagining against my own will. It was also a top-notch episode of Dexter: Resurrection overall, which is indeed a separate but equal distinction here, since it could have been a great finale while not matching up with the rest of the season, and vice versa.

The creative team managed to get Dexter out of his seemingly doomed situation
from the penultimate episode’s cliffhanger, and in ways that were both suspenseful and sensible (enough), and without the Morgan gents suffering too much. I would have absolutely flipped my lid had Dexter allowed Batista’s phone to die without giving Harrison the password, but that shitshow of a trope was thankfully avoided.

Leon Prater, both the guiding force and the guiding threat of the season, lost the upper hand while gaining his bloodlust, and was taken down without any big unbelievable showdowns, while also allowing for Uma Thurman’s Charley to escape from Prater’s grip and take better care of her mother. (For now, at least.)

Even Detective Claudette got a happy ending, as she was able to hit the dancefloor for "Stayin' Alive" before having the New York City Ripper's identity handed to her on a silver platter, along with the ensuing investigation into Prater's incriminating collection. The same goes for Blessing, whose temporary foul feelings quickly faded.

A Clear And Logical Route Was Set Up For Dexter: Resurrection Season 2

Had Dexter: Resurrection been a one-and-done season, that ending would have been absolutely perfect, at least within the parameters of this fictional universe. But thanks to its quick success, Paramount+ confirmed its future by ordering up another season. Thankfully, Clyde Phillips likely had an inkling that could happen, and worked the story so that there's a natural next step to this storyline.

While he doesn't seem to have kept the vast extent of Leon Prater's connections to serial killers around the country (and possibly beyond), it does appear as if Dexter curated a list of future targets, that includes the only surviving member of Prater's club that we've been made privy to, including Eric Stonestreet's Rapunzel killer. I can only imagine he'll be among the first to be tracked down when new episodes start again.

I'm sure there are others who will be affected by learning of Prater's death, though. Is it possible that one or more of those other killers will get suspicious about the details behind his death, and will try to avenge him? I like the idea of other killers chasing Dexter, although I don't want to end up with another Rita situation, especially if Gigi is the stand-in for Rita.

None Of My Endgame Theories Panned Out, And I'm Perfectly Fine With Being Wrong

One sign that a show nailed the ending is when a whole host of one's theories turned up empty, and it doesn't even matter. Such was the case here, as evidenced by some of the speculation highlighted below.

• Theory: Det. Melvin was the actual New York Ripper.
• Result: Debunked completely, probably.

We'd previously theorized about the New York Ripper’s identity tying back to Dominic Fumusa's Detective Melvin Oliva, thinking that his boyish fascination with her would be exactly how a serial killer cop would react to being in such a situation. However, Prater's file on the guy had "Don Frampt" as his government name. So unless Melvin legally changed his name at some point while also rising in the NYPD ranks, then this theory is busted.

• Theory: Leon Prater would fund Dexter to track down killers around the world.
• Result: Debunked completely.

To be sure, this idea was more or less shot down (literally) when Prater shot Batista to death and locked Dexter up. But cooler heads have prevailed from more strenuous circumstances, so I still held out hope that Prater might suggest this as a last-minute way to have his life spared. But he only appealed to Dexter as a father by saying he could pay for future generations' educations.

• Theory: Blessing Kamara would catch Dexter in the act.
• Result: Debunked for now.

Part of still wants to think that Ntare Mwine's Blessing has even darker skeletons in his closet than the ones that Dexter let slip out. But for the most part, I was able to tamp that idea down in place of the theory that Blessing would catch his downstairs tenant in the act of something murderous and force him to choose whether or not to break his code and kill a mostly innocent person. That said, it could still happen in the future.

• Theory: Harrison's gal pal Gigi would be revealed as the daughter/relative of another major character.
• Result: Debunked for now.

I'm not saying that Harrison isn't the kind of guy who could easily attract women at unforeseen times of life, but I was immediately suspicious after Gigi went so hard on flirting with him from the jump. Granted, I think they're a genuinely cute couple, and I HOPE she's not a vile person in any way. But how many times has a show like this introduced a new love interest with a great personality who was legitimately only around as a source of pleasure and sympathy? I'm holding off on throwing this theory out as we make our way to Seaosn 2.

While the finale didn't fully reverse the heartbreak of Batista’s death, I did appreciate Dexter making it clear that Angel was a great person, though he could have taken on more direct responsibility for making the dude's life spiral. Perhaps that's part of why Dexter chose then to let his brother Brian out of the mental cupboard, to rub it in that he's always been surrounded by darkness.

Other than that, though, this is as close to a perfect 10 dismount as can be, and is far better than anything I was ready for. I dunno if I like Dexter knowing that I need him, per his final words, but I'm okay with it if it means he'll continue operating on all cylinders.

Starring Peter Dinklage, the new incarnation of The Toxic Avenger sat on the proverbial shelf for quite a while. The movie went into production all the way back in 2021, and it made its world premiere at Fantastic Fest in 2023... but it has had a tough road securing distribution in large part due to its graphic content. Finally, the wait for the film is over, as the unrated cut is in theaters this weekend – but during the long wait, you can be sure that writer/director Macon Blair had a great deal of Batgirl-related anxiety.

We're now only a couple of years removed from Warner Bros. making the decision to cancel plans to release Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah's Batgirl starring Leslie Grace and Brendan Fraser, and Blair has confessed in an interview with IndieWire that the fate of that project haunted him as distribution was sought for The Toxic Avenger. He says that unceremonious end of that film's journey and the plight of the now-rescued Coyote vs. Acme fueled his fear that his movie would never see the light of day. Said the filmmaker,

Legendary Pictures produced the film along with Troma Entertainment (the studio that first introduced the Toxic Avenger franchise). Blair credits the former for never giving up on his movie, which is his directorial follow-up to 2017's I Don't Feel At Home In This World Anymore, but there was an extended period when he felt that the economics of the industry could result in his hard work never get distribution:

The outrageous horror comedy thankfully got rescued. Cineverse – which made major waves last year when it theatrically released Damien Leone's ultra-violent slasher Terrifier 3 (turning it into an underground hit) – made a deal in early 2025 to distribute The Toxic Avenger. This weekend, it's playing in wide release around the country (you can check Fandango to see where it's playing near you).

The film tells the story of a lonely janitor named Winston Gooze who, after getting exposed to toxic waste, gains powers and becomes a mop-wielding vigilante called Toxic Avenger. The talented cast of the indie production includes Jacob Tremblay, Taylour Paige, Elijah Wood, and Kevin Bacon – and in the future, hopefully the happy ending of this movie's journey will provide encouragement to other filmmakers with work facing questionable fates.

Warning! The following contains spoilers for the Dexter: Resurrection episode "Course Correction." Stream it with a Paramount+ subscription and read at your own risk!

Dexter: Resurrection had a stacked cast heading into the season, though pop culture's favorite serial killer has made short work of a bulk of the characters the talented actors were brought in for. This latest episode saw David Dastmalchian's Gemini Killer bite the dust after Dexter killed off the twin murderers, leaving just a couple of big Season 2 newcomers left.

For all the murder and vigilante justice, however, I do think that at least one major character will escape the Bay Harbor Butcher's wrath. I'd even be so bold as to think he'll even get chummy with Leon Prater, if this season ends up heading the way it seems it will.

Dexter: Resurrection Has Leaned Heavily On A Theme Of Acceptance

Dexter: New Blood featured the serial killer opening up to his son about his "Dark Passenger," and it got him shot in the chest. Granted, Harrison and Dexter are on better terms in Resurrection, but it's pretty clear he wants to keep his son far away from his killings as much as he can.

Whether he knows it or not, Dexter has frequently sought out someone who would accept him as a killer for much of his life. Whether it was Harry, his ex-girlfriend Lila West, or his sister Deb, he never really found someone who would fully embrace his dark tendency and not become a problem down the stretch.

With Harrison being the latest rejection he can't be his "normal self" around, I have to wonder how tempting it would be to drop the act of being "Red Schmidt" around Leon. Sure, the money is great, but how happy would Dexter be just to have an admirer who actually enjoys his work as a serial killer?

Prater Gave Dexter An Opening To Admit He Isn't Red Schmidt

"Course Correction" featured an interesting scene in which Leon pulled Dexter aside after listening to his vulnerable speech about feeling loneliness as a serial killer. Prater commended Dexter on his honesty and decided to share something of his own. We learned that his habit of "collecting" killers started in his youth, after beginning a friendship with the man imprisoned for killing his parents.

After bearing his soul and showing Dexter the first letter he ever received from his parents' killer, "Red," thanked Leon for sharing, and said he was worried that he found his presentation "boring." Leon grabbed Dexter's hand and said the following:

It felt like Resurrection set that line up for the audience to remember, and I can't help but feel like it's a big hint that Leon will eventually learn he's in the presence of the Bay Harbor Butcher. The question is how he will respond, and how he'll feel about knowing that the newest inductee to his club not only lied to him but was also responsible for the deaths of many in the group. I guess Dexter could leave that last bit out, but I figure if you're going to come clean, why not share all of it?

Prater Is Not Technically A Serial Killer

The question of whether or not Dexter and Leon Prater could get along, or even become allies, is a bit tricky. Leon is allegedly not an actual serial killer; he's just a demented billionaire obsessed with bringing them into his inner circle and sending them money so they can continue to do what they do best.

Per Harry's code, Leon would have to be an actual murderer to land on Dexter's kill table. He hasn't killed anyone directly, though his assistant, Charley, did kill the Canton Clubber and arrange for the death of Lady Vengeance to look like a suicide. Does him being the puppet master satisfy the code? Potentially, but even so, we've seen Dexter flex that code for others in the past. Maybe Leon gets a pass from the Bay Harbor Butcher for the time being.

Prater Could Help Dexter Take Care Of Batista

The serial killers club consumes Dexter so much that he's completely dismissed the fact that his old friend Angel Batista is currently hounding the NYPD, and pushing the narrative that Dex is the actual Bay Harbor Butcher. Batista is headed for a showdown with his old coworker, and he's so committed to getting ahead of him that Dexter could legitimately be captured this time and charged.

Unfortunately, I think we have plenty of evidence in this world that having friends in high places can get you everywhere. Prater could be Dexter's get out of jail free card, and maybe even take care of Angel. I'm not sure he'd approve of the way Angel is handled, but Prater has done a solid job of hiding his actions from the serial killers so far.

Dexter Seemingly Wants Credit For Being The Bay Harbor Butcher

I previously wrote about how Dexter: New Blood started to show Dexter is a villain, similar to what Breaking Bad did with Walter White. Sure, he's driven by a code and trying to deal justice to criminals, but Dexter has developed a sort of vanity for his work as a serial killer.

Case in point, Dexter sought out and killed the "Dark Passenger" primarily because he was using his name. We also see when he was tracking the Gemini Killer in the bookstore that he felt the need to flip to the chapter highlighting the work of the Bay Harbor Butcher. There was a disgruntled look on Dex's face when he saw James Doakes credited as the killer, which was convenient for him to have that case closed.

Dexter can't let the world know who he is and walk free, but at least with Leon, he could have at least one person who knows and actively supports his endeavors. Hell, maybe he could even seek out more serial killers for him to handle. I'm still not sure how he'll feel about having his "guests" actively pursued by another killer, as that feels like a pretty clear violation of his rules.

Ultimately, though, I think we're in for another season of Peter Dinklage, and at least one more season of them trying to form some understanding before the relationship starts to sour. Dexter has strayed from his righteous path in the past to fill a need, and I think Leon will undoubtedly be the next temptation for him. Will it work out, or ultimately go south? I can't wait to see!

Dexter: Resurrection streams on Paramount+ on Fridays, or those with Showtime can catch the episodes on Sundays at 8:00 p.m. ET. I'm hoping there are many more seasons beyond this one, and that the series can keep pulling in great actors for these chilling roles.

Spoilers below for anyone who hasn’t yet watched the latest episode of Dexter: Resurrection via Paramount+ subscription or on Showtime, so be warned.

Since the start of Dexter: Resurrection, fans have watched Michael C. Hall’s Dexter fighting to keep his fatherly duties separated from his Code-related activities, only for it all to dramatically dovetail when the episode "The Kill Room Where It Happens" hit the 2025 TV schedule. Our morally driven protagonist was in the midst of having a jolly good non-Vegan meal with Harrison when Peter Dinklage’s Leon Prater made his presence known, thus signifying “the jig is up,” as it were.

I’ve no doubt Dexter will be able to totally bullshit his way out of being instantly taken down by Prater and Uma Thurman’s Charley, because that’s precisely the skillset that got him to this point. But the fact that he was publicly accosted in such a way flies in the face of this character’s logic, and so much of what we’ve seen this season should have helped prep him to avoid this very situation. I’ll allow Al’s escape being a smart plot move, but have to draw a line somewhere.

Dexter should be as anonymous as anyone in a metro area as bustling as New York City, and yet it didn’t take that long for Charley and Prater to track him down. As such, I’m not sure whether this issue is meant to be seen as a specific character flaw, or if it’s an issue the writers just didn’t think to address properly. Let’s get into several reasons why Dex should have been ready for this.

Dexter Spent The First Few Episodes Tracking Harrison And The Dark Passenger Killer

Before directly connecting with Prater’s serial killer club, Dexter spent his early days in NYC stuffing his face in his car while following Harrison, and as soon as he gained knowledge of someone killing rideshare drivers, he quickly gained all the knowledge he needed to identify and track the movements of Marc Menchaca’s “Red,” and was able to approach both his son and target without either being aware of it. I get that he didn’t immediately think others might do the same to him, but that instinct should have kicked in soon after.

Dexter Knew Charley Had Also Followed Red And Broke Into His Apartment

Though he didn’t know everyone else who was involved from the jump, Dexter finding the invitation to Prater’s gathering made him instantly aware that Red’s movements and homebase were identified and infiltrated by someone else, and he later determined that Charley was responsible. To the point where, when suspicions were raised about that apartment’s lack of recent activity, Dexter improvised the excuse that he could no longer live somewhere that others knew about. So why didn’t that immediately tip him off that Charley and others could do the same thing to him?

Dexter Knew That Batista Was Following Him

Even if Dexter didn’t grasp how effective Prater’s head of security was at her job, due to not having known her for well over a decade, he has known Angel Batista for ages, and knows the man is a good detective, whether he’s on active duty or not. Not only that, but in witnessing Batista mixing it up with Blessed’s family, Dexter discovered his former colleague was able to track him down to his living arrangements, likely setting up a major showdown. But did he really think that making threats would successfully keep Batista from telling other proper authority figures where he’s living? Also, how the hell did it take him that long to clean out his passenger door? No wonder he’s not a five-star driver.

Knowing All This, Why Didn’t Dexter Take Better Precautions To Not Be Followed?

As a dude who’s mostly evaded capture for an untold number of murders over the years, Dexter should still be the most evasive and paranoid creature on the planet, regardless of the Bay Harbor Butcher being misidentified. The character shouldn’t have any spare time at this point, because he should be constantly on alert and changing locations on an hourly basis. He should have left Blessed’s house behind the second he saw Batista’s face on the property. He definitely shouldn’t be sitting comfortable and having meals with Harrison.

So what is the deal here? Is this another symptom of Dexter getting older and non-wiser? Perhaps a mental setback to accompany the physical muscle pains he’s been facing? Or is this just a character detail that the creative team didn’t think was pertinent enough to address in full? I can’t imagine that’s the case, though, and would more readily assume it slipped through the cracks.

Of course, the next episode could always feature a big reveal that Dexter DID know he was being followed, and that he set up some kind of elaborate cat-and-mouse scenario to draw Prater and Charley out at just the right time. If that happens, I’ll be the first one in line to congratulate all involved for pulling the wool over my eyes. But until then, I’ll be sitting outside in my car, watching and judging Dexter from afar without him realizing it.

After years of waiting to be released, the Peter Dinklage-led reboot of The Toxic Avenger is finally getting released. People will get a chance to see the upcoming 2025 movie at the end of August, but if they can't wait that long, Liquid Death has a treat. The horror icon is the company's new brand spokesperson, which won't make a ton of sense until watching the hilarious and NSFW commercial he's in.

Liquid Death has long been a brand that's leaned into jokes, considering its primary product is delicious spring water. One would think partnering with a movie too extreme for an MPA rating to promote its new line of sugar-conscious sodas would be a misstep, but it's pretty perfect. Context is everything, so take a look at the video below before continuing on:

I feel informed, as well as grossed out! That is to say, it's how I guess people should feel once they see The Toxic Avenger later this month, possibly without that sugary soda in hand. No one wants to lose an arm, do they?

I must tip my hat to the people at Liquid Death as well, because not many companies would allow for an ad that showed someone's limb getting ripped out of its socket alongside a new product. Of course, they likely knew what audience they were catering to by partnering with The Toxic Avenger, which is quite a few shades different than the usual superhero movie.

I also have to point out the overall '80s vibe of the commercial, and the cheap visual effects to boot. If you're someone worried about The Toxic Avenger after watching this commercial, rest assured, the costume is the only part that echoes the quality of the movie. In terms of limbs getting ripped off, I've seen the movie ahead of release and can confirm the actual film gets way more graphic than that.

And while the budget or effects used in the new version of The Toxic Avenger may far surpass the budget of several Troma films combined, fans of the original won't be disappointed. Peter Dinklage signed onto the movie in 2021 because he wanted to have some fun, and it feels like he did just that, along with the rest of the cast. I feel like this ad is evidence of that, and maybe a sign that everyone involved knows what they're doing.

The audience is king, of course, so we'll see what everyone thinks when The Toxic Avenger is in theaters beginning on August 29th. Will the unrated movie end up going down as one of the best horror movies of all time? We'll find out soon enough!

Warning! The following contains spoilers for the Dexter: Resurrection episode "Course Correction." Stream it with a Paramount+ subscription and read at your own risk!

Angel Batista was never able to discover the identity of the Bay Harbor Butcher whilst working right alongside him for a couple of decades, but he's determined to close the case in Dexter: Resurrection. The seventh episode ended with an awkward reunion in New York City, after Dexter gave Angel the slip in Iron Lake, and their eventual showdown is now seemingly locked in.

Unfortunately, I have a feeling the 2025 TV Schedule is going to close out with David Zayas' Angel not having survived to make it to a second season. That said, I don't necessarily think Dexter has it in him to kill a longtime friend, and I have two theories about the actual people who will end up taking out the Miami detective.

Theory #1: Charley Will Kill Batista

Leon Prater has shown he has a lot of power in New York City and connections all across the board. If he finds out Angel is hot on "Red's" tail and close to bringing him in, I think it's safe to say he'll send out Charley to handle the problem. He already tasked her with having Mia Lapierre killed to ensure his serial killers' club wasn't exposed to those outside of his influence.

Now that we've seen his relationship with Red grow tremendously in the latest episode, I would expect Prater to do some deeper digging into Dexter's life. He might even be able to uncover that he's the real Bay Harbor Butcher, and thus have Batista taken care of before our protagonist even has the chance to handle it on his own.

Dexter has been more than a little overconfident as of late after taking out a few killers, for all that he called Gareth the egomaniac. I think he's certainly underestimated the type of monster his wealthy benefactor can be when properly motivated to protect things that are in his best interest.

Theory #2: The New York Ripper Will Kill Batista

For those out of the loop, there's been a pretty interesting theory circling the internet about Dexter: Resurrection involving the New York Ripper. Someone on Reddit has suggested that Dexter's landlord, Blessing Kamara, is the New York Ripper. I've enjoyed the idea of this, and I'm close to thinking it may end up being true.

Blessing seems to be a good family man, but he's had brief moments where it seems some darkness haunts him. In short, he's what Dexter is trying to be right now, assuming that he is secretly a serial killer, and he's thriving in a way that The Bay Harbor Butcher would be envious of if he knew.

It also feels like a lot of the theme of this season leans on father-son relationships, with James Remar reprising his role as Harry in Dexter: Resurrection. Blessing is the only other person we've seen be a father in this season, so his character being a key to the story feels likely to me.

We don't have any concrete evidence yet that Blessing is the New York Ripper, but his meeting with Angel here at least connects the two to where, if he were, we now know how they'd potentially cross paths. There has to be some larger reason that Blessing and the New York Ripper are in this story, so I think, from a story standpoint, it would make sense if they end up having some connection to one another.

I've also seen interesting theories that the New York Ripper could be a tease for a storyline that's to come in Original Sin Season 2.

Dexter: Resurrection premieres new episodes on Showtime on Sundays at 8:00 p.m. ET, but if you have Paramount+, you can watch it on Fridays. I'm excited to see where the rest of this season goes, and with so much talk about James Doakes as of late I really hope they're re-introducing the character in Season 2 of Original Sin.

Some actors, no matter how long their career or how great their talent, will forever be first known for one iconic TV role. This isn't an indictment of their careers at all. In fact, in many ways, it tells the whole story. They were so good at one particular role that no matter what, that's what people will think of first. To be sure, these are some of the best actors of their generations ,and they deserve praise for all their roles, but especially these.

Kelsey Grammer - Frasier Crane

For a total of an amazing 20 years, Kelsey Grammer has played Frasier Crane. First on Cheers, then on its spinoff Frasier, and again in the reboot of Frasier in the 2020s. There may be no more obvious actor to include on this list.

Mariska Hargitay - Olivia Benson

Mariska Hargitay is Hollywood royalty as the daughter of Jayne Mansfield, and she's carved out on heck out her own career playing Olivia Benson on NBC's Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. She has played since the end of the 20th Century, more than 25 seasons in total. There is no other character in prime time history with a longer run than Hargitay's Benson. It's remarkable.

Jessica Walter - Lucille Bluth

The late Jessica Walter had an incredible career, but for many, she'll always be known for one of her final roles, Lucille Bluth on the cult classic Arrested Development. She was so hilarious and quotable that it's easy to see why this is the case.

Peter Falk - Columbo

Peter Falk completely embodied Detective Columbo on the show that carried that character's name. He defined a new kind of TV detective, a style that has been often imitated but never duplicated over the years since Columbo debuted. He was funny and wicked smart. A Holmesian-style detective who never found a dry cleaner.

Tom Selleck - Thomas Magnum

Tom Selleck was a hard one to include here. Thomas Magnum was one of two iconic roles, along with Frank Reagan on Blue Bloods, that Selleck has played in his career. That's not to mention Jesse Stone, another fan-favorite. But in the end, it's all about Magnum P.I., one of the best shows ever.

Lauren Graham - Lorelai Gilmore

Lauren Graham is another tough one here, because Lorelai Gilmore is hardly her only big role on TV, but none of her other shows have been nearly as enduring as Gilmore Girls and that isn't likely to change in the future. It'll always be what her fans think of first.

Lucille Ball - Lucy Ricardo

Lucille Ball was a groundbreaking legend, and that is entirely due to her iconic character Lucy Ricardo on I Love Lucy. The list of what made the show, and the comedic actor, is so long, we could never fill it out here, but she also doesn't really need any explanation. She's the queen of early TV for very good reason, and that can never be taken away.

Peter Dinklage - Tyrion Lannister

Peter Dinklage might not like to hear this... or maybe he would... but Tyrion Lannister is such an amazing role, and Dinklage's performance is completely worthy of such an iconic literary and TV character. Game of Thrones took over the television watching audience completely, and Dinklage's Lannister was almost everyone's favorite. He's done great work all through his long career, but it will be impossible to top Tyrion.

Sean Hayes - Jack McFarland

Jack McFarland from Will & Grace is one of the most underappreciated characters in any sitcom in Hollywood history. Sean Hayes is fantastic in the role, and he'll have people saying "Just Jack!" forever.

Angela Lansbury - Jessica Fletcher

Angela Lansbury had a storied career that lasted decades, and every time she appeared on screen, she lit it up. Jessica Fletcher on Murder She Wrote was her crowning achievement. She's one of the best TV detectives of all time, even if there were way too many murders in Cabot Cove than there should have been.

Henry Winkler - The Fonz

Arthur Herbert Fonzarelli. Fonzie. The Fonz. A character of many names, and one iconic look. Henry Winkler has had a career that most actors can only dream of, but his role on Happy Days will always be what he is first known for. We should all be so cool.

Sarah Michelle Gellar - Buffy Summers

Sarah Michelle Gellar's role in the movie Cruel Intentions may be her most iconic movie role, but it doesn't eclipse her role as Buffy Summers on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Not even close. It'll always be her most beloved role.

James Gandolfini - Tony Soprano

On one hand, it's a shame that James Gandolfini is on this list. His premature death will always have us asking "what if?" On the other hand, he is so freaking GREAT as Tony Soprano in The Sopranos, that its impossible not to include him here. Just watching him in anything else, or old interviews, you quickly realize that he completely disappeared into the gangster. It's remarkable.

Gillian Anderson - Dana Scully

Speaking from experience, I can say that many teenagers in the 1990s have a huge crush on Dana Scully on The X-Files. She was smart and capable, but with an air of mystery that really kept viewers guessing, in the best way.

William Shatner - Captain Kirk

Personally, I think William Shatner's best role was on Boston Legal. He was also amaing in TJ Hooker. However, even if he had 1000 legendary roles over his career, he would still be most remember for James T. Kirk in Str Trek. That's how iconic the role, and the show are.

Matthew Perry - Chandler Bing

It was a real tragedy when the world lost Matthew Perry in late 2023. He was a once-in-a-generation talent and, in many ways, was first among equals on Friends. He was in some other great projects, like The Whole Nine Yards and Fools Rush In, but let's be honest, he'll always be Chandler in our hearts.

Amy Poehler - Leslie Knope

Amy Poehler was a star on SNL and in a ton of great movies. However, she was absolutely born to play Leslie Knope on Parks & Rec. It's almost hard to believe she isn't actually Leslie in real life, and that's meant to be the most sincere of compliments.

Michael K. Williams - Omar Little

Of all the amazing characters and actors on The Wire, Omar and Michael K. Williams stand out above them all. He was one of the most honest and complex characters in TV history, and the late Williams, another actor we lost way too soon, will be forever remembered for his portrayal of the Baltimore stick-up man.

George Wendt - Norm Peterson

Cheers had an amazing ensemble of comedic actors, and as a kid, my favorite was always George Wendt and his character Norm. He was the most popular guy in the bar and the most popular with viewers. When Wendt died in 2025, everyone started sharing their favorite moments of his from the show, despite the show ending decades ago.

Mary Tyler Moore - Mary Richards

Mary Tyler Moore made it after all, and all on her own. Her titular show was the highlight of her long, incredible career, and it's a good thing the show was named after her, because she deserves to be remembered forever for it.

Caroll O'Connor - Archie Bunker

Caroll O'Connor's role as Archie Bunker became one of the most iconic and most important in television history. The groundbreaking sitcom, All In The Family, changed TV forever, and Bunker, with his bigotry and chauvinism, reinvented just how much a simple sitcom could say about society.

Rainn Wilson - Dwight Schrute

Of all the characters on The Office, Dwight, played by Rainn Wilson, was the one we all loved to hate the most. It must have been such a fun role for Wilson, because he never phoned it in, and he never let us down; we could count on him driving us nuts every week. I mean that in the very best way.

Wayne Knight - Newman

Wayne Knight has popped up in all kinds of roles in his career. We'll never forget him for his performance in the original Jurassic Park, for example, but it's Newman on Seinfeld that we'll always love him most for. He might not have been a main character, but that is testimony to just how good he was. He's as remembered as the "big four" despite playing a much more limited role. That takes a great actor and an even better performance, and he did over the entire run of the show.

Ian McShane - Al Swearengen

Al Swearengen from Deadwood is one of the best characters of the prestige era of TV. Ian McShane has had a long, distinguished career, and at the top of the list of his great performances is as the foul-mouthed, tavern-owning gangster in the HBO Western.

Danica McKellar - Winnie Cooper

Ask anyone in Gen X about Danica McKellar, and they might mention her Hallmark movies. They might also mention her wonderful guest turn on The West Wing. In the case of both of those, though, they will come after they fondly reminisce about watching her as Winnie Cooper on The Wonder Years. They grew up with Winnie and Kevin (Fred Savage). It was her earliest role, but it remains her most iconic.

The original Toxic Avenger is one of those movies that defines the term cult classic. An early hit for Troma, the studio where several celebrated directors (including James Gunn) first cut their teeth, The Toxic Avenger spawned many sequels throughout the '80s and '90s, so it’s not all that shocking that a Toxic Avenger remake was eventually given the green light.

The new film, starring Peter Dinklage in the title role, has had a rough road ot release. There was significant difficulty finding a studio willing to distribute the film. It seems the movie is quite extreme, which explains why, when it debuts in August, it will do without an MPA rating. Bloody Disgusting does, however, have MPA-style promotional material which promises just what we’ll get when The Toxic Avenger arrives, including…

• Mutant Nudity
• Hilarious Harm
• Ultra Violent/Toxic Content
• Gnarly Theater Fun
• Splatter Laughter
• Monstercore
• Punk Rock Bandits
• Mops
• Toxic Sludge Exposure

It’s unclear if there was even an attempt to get an actual MPA rating here, and the movie was deemed too mature for even an R-rating, or if they just didn’t bother. Based on these descriptions, either is certainly possible. The original film did receive an R-rating, but it sounds like the new one may have truly outdone the original in this particular way. Theatrical success of unrated movies is rare, but it does happen.

Official MPA ratings have standard language they add to give prospective viewers an idea of what sort of content they’re going to see. Needless to say, this sort of language is not exactly MPA-approved. What it is, however, is hilarious, and confirmation that anybody interested in seeing The Toxic Avenger is going to get exactly the movie they’re looking for.

The Toxic Avenger remake premiered during the 2023 Fantastic Fest, but it then found itself sitting on a shelf, unreleased for two years. Thanks to Cineverse, however, it is now part of the 2025 movie schedule. The movie is apparently so over the top and wildly violent that it seems studios felt the movie was unreleasable and impossible to adequately market. Of course, this was also exactly why Peter Dinklage wanted to do the movie.

Based on these descriptions of the film, it’s not difficult to understand why traditional studios might have had trouble with the film. The Toxic Avenger is certainly going to be a “general audience” sort of movie. A movie with “Mutant Nudity” and “Splatter Laughter” certainly isn’t going to be for everyone, so find out where yoy stand by watching the teaser below.

Of course, for longtime fans of The Toxic Avenger and movies like it, descriptions like this are going to get them (on)lined up and buying tickets. If movies that are equal parts violent, gross, and hilarious are your thing, it looks like the new Toxic Avenger will be everything fans could possibly want.

As a proud New Jersian, you know I just gotta love The Toxic Avenger, who was once labeled as “The first superhuman-hero…from New Jersey!” Because honestly, I'm on board for any superhero from my home state.

So, it makes my heart proud to think about the recent trailer for the The Toxic Avenger movie starring Peter Dinklage that initially premiered in — wait for it — 2023! That's right, debuting as the opening film at 2023's Fantastic Fest, the fifth film in The Toxic Avenger series (and a reboot, at that) is finally getting a wide release and joining other upcoming 2025 movies on August 29.

So, being a huge fan of The Toxic Avenger and anything Troma-related, really, I thought now is as good a time as any to look back and reflect on the previous Toxic Avenger films before Macon Blair's newest entry gets a wide release. Because Toxie is not just another pretty face, you know.

The First Toxic Avenger Movie Is One Of The Greatest Independent Films Of All Time

One of the greatest independent films of all time, The Toxic Avenger is as Troma as you can get. The story of a janitor who falls into a can of toxic waste and transforms into Toxie, is not going to get any points when it comes to superhero origin stories. But honestly, it doesn’t have to. The world of Tromaville is like a character in itself.

The janitor in question becomes a crime-fighting hero who takes out drug dealers and pimps, because that’s just what deformed vigilantes do, apparently. In fact, one scene in the new trailer that takes place in a restaurant comes directly from this movie, as Toxie wipes the floor (not literally) with some thugs.

Unfortunately, the Mayor of Tromaville has ill intentions, and is actually the head of a huge crime ring in the city. He sends out his goons to take care of Toxie, who dispatches them with silly justice. Toxie isn’t all good though, as he’s the kind of “hero” who takes revenge on the people who transformed him, and there are a series of brutal kills (the one at the gym is particularly icky) that he does in gory fashion.

Overall, the movie is rather straightforward, but that’s its biggest strength (and something that I wish the sequels followed, but I’ll get into that in a few).

The Toxic Avenger looks…let’s just say rough, even by independent movie standards, but that’s part of its charm. With a budget of only $500,000, Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz were able to create such an imaginative and filthy-looking world, and we fans of the series wouldn’t want it any other way.

The Toxic Avenger Part II Is Definitely Inferior To The First Movie…And By A Wide Margin

With a storyline that partly takes place in Japan (and anybody who knows me can attest that I love anything Godzilla or Japan-related), the second film in the Toxic Avenger series should be a slam dunk for me. And yet…

Well, let me talk about the plot first. Following the events of the first film where Toxie cleaned up the scum in Tromaville, everything seems to be in order. In fact, Toxie even now works at a hospital for the blind. But, uh oh, a new threat called Apocalypse Inc. comes to town and seeing what a dump (er, I mean, nice place) that Tromaville is, they decide it’s perfect to set up shop there. They blow up the hospital, but Toxie survives, and he’s pissed! Violence ensues.

In fact, lots of violence ensues in this film. Even more so than in the first film, even. Through certain events, Toxie learns that his father, who left him as a child, is now living in Japan, so Toxie travels there, on a windsurf board no less, and there’s a whole storyline that takes place in the land of the rising sun (Toxie even learns how to be a sumo wrestler!). It all culminates in Toxie returning to Tromaville to save the day.

Sounds fun, right? Well…it is, and it isn’t. For one thing, even though it’s only roughly an hour and a half in runtime, it still feels a bit too long. Also, being a Troma film from the late ‘80s, some of the humor might be a bit too offensive by modern day standards (I mean, this is the same studio that would later release Sgt. Kabukiman N.Y.P.D).

But I think the biggest problem is that it’s just a bit too all-over-the-place. Yes, that is a trademark of Troma films in general, but the first film felt a lot more centered and easy to follow, while this sequel just throws a bit too much at the wall. And, while some of it sticks, a lot of it doesn’t. With a scary 0% critical score on Rotten Tomatoes, I guess I’m not the only one who feels this way. (The Dark Knight’s Michael Jai White makes his film debut in it, though, so that’s something.)

The Toxic Avenger Part III: The Last Temptation of Toxie Has A Fun Video Game Subplot That Makes It Stand Out From The Rest

Filmed back-to-back with The Toxic Avenger Part II, The Toxic Avenger Part III: The Last Temptation of Toxie manages to be better than its predecessor. And not just with that snazzy title.

This time around, Toxie actually starts working for the evil Apocalypse Inc. from the last movie, since he really has nothing else to do as of late. His blind girlfriend can get surgery to see, and Toxie takes up an office job in order to secure the funds.

So, of course this is a great opportunity to get Toxie in a shirt and tie, and he becomes a bit of a yuppie, though not quite of the American Psycho-variety (when’s that new adaptation coming, by the way?). The people are upset with Toxie since he pretty much sold out, but what they don’t realize is that he actually sold more than just his dignity…he’s pretty much sold his soul.

That’s right. Befitting of the title, Toxie’s boss is actually the Devil, and once he realizes this, the movie turns into something like The Wizard (The video game movie. Not The Wizard of Oz, which you should also rewatch), as Toxie is challenged to a series of video games by the Devil himself. This is where the film becomes fun, as the various levels are more ridiculous than the last.

Eventually, Toxie beats his “last temptation” and the film ends on a happy note. What fun! But, seriously, it is pretty fun. The video game subplot really makes this film stand out from all the other movies in the franchise, and I really dig that about it. It certainly makes this film better than the last one.

Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV Gave Audiences A Soft Reboot Before It Was Cool

Bypassing the ‘90s completely and coming out in 2000, Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV is the last Toxic Avenger film before the remake, and it’s a fun one to go out on (Though, I still want to see Toxic Twins: The Toxic Avenger V, which we never got).

Pretty much wiping the last two Toxic Avenger movies out of existence with a voiceover (by Stan “the man” Lee, no less), Citizen Toxie acts as a sequel to the first movie, which, you know, isn’t confusing at all, given that it’s The Toxic Avenger FOUR.

Anyway, this sequel is explosive…literally! As an explosion causes a rift that sends Toxie into a sort of bizarro world called Amortville (So, they’re doing the whole Troll 2 — not that Troll 2 — Nilbog is Goblin spelled backward thing, but with Tromaville).

In this bizarro world, there’s an evil version of Toxie, but he’s called the Noxious Offender. Of course Toxie has to battle him, as that’s what a good Toxic Avenger does. This film is also interesting because it costars another Troma hero, Sgt. Kabukiman, who has his own evil twin called Evil Kabukiman. There’s a whole lot of fighting, a whole lot of jokes in poor taste (since this is a Troma film, of course), and honestly, a whole lot of fun.

Citizen Toxie was disregarding sequels even before it was cool with 2018’s Halloween. But, I think it was a smart call, since this movie does feel like a fitting follow-up to the first film. The first two sequels, while they have their merits, really feel pretty aimless as a whole, but this film, as gross as it is, feels a bit more streamlined, even with the bizarro world storyline. And, that’s why I love it.

But, what about you? Are you a fan of The Toxic Avenger? If so, join me in celebrating that only a few more months have yet to pass until we finally see that fifth installment in the franchise!

Plenty of upcoming 2025 TV shows can show off having great casts, but which franchise can boast two star-studded lineups across two different timelines centering on the same titular character? That tricky distinction is best exemplified by Showtime’s Dexter series, which concluded its prequel series Original Sin in a theory-sparking way in February, just a few months before the impending spinoff Dexter: Resurrection premieres. The latter started filming in January, and there’s been no end to the exciting cast reveals.

While major details are still somewhat scarce, we know that Resurrection will center on the killer-killing vigilante at some point after he was killed off in New Blood and then brought back to life in Original Sin’s premiere. And we also know that this may well be the most impressive ensemble cast yet to join Michael C. Hall in the world, although it’s technically impossible to beat Original Sin’s mirror images of the O.G. cast.

Check out all the big names who have signed on for the new spinoff since it was first announced, starting with new recruits and ending with the few known returning stars. (Note that while Jennifer Carpenter addressed her potential to return, she currently isn’t within this lineup.)

Eric Stonestreet - "Al"

• The Modern Family and Santa Clauses vet is reportedly set to appear in four episodes.
• He'll portray a midwesterner named Al who is believed to be one of the serial killers that the namesake vigilante will be tracking down.

Krysten Ritter - "Mia"

• Jessica Jones vet Krysten Ritter joins Dexter: Resurrection in a guest-star capacity as a character named Mia Lapierre, who is rumored to be a well-respected sommelier that may
• It's unknown how many episodes "Mia" will be featured in, but she's also believed to be a potential serial killer who catches Dexter's eye.

Neil Patrick Harris - "Lowell"

• Following the cancellation of his comedy Uncoupled, whose second season was initially picked up by Showtime before the 2023 strikes messed those plans up, Neil Patrick Harris is indeed teaming up with Showtime for this guest-starring spot on Dexter: Resurrection.
• Harris will be portraying a character named Lowell, and little else is known about the role, though set photos revealed the actor will be rocking a rather different hairstyle in the horror-thriller.

Steve Schirripa - "Vinny"

• Sopranos and Blue Bloods vet Steve Schirripa doesn't factor into a ton of TV horror, but he'll be making his mark on the Dexter-verse in a recurring capacity.
• Schirripa will portray a character named Vinny, who will apparently be a greed-mongering landlord of a less than reputable living establishment.

David Dastmalchian - "Gareth"

• Late Night with the Devil and Oppenheimer vet David Dastmalchian is no stranger to horror and genre projects, so it's no surprise he's joining this franchise in a guest-starring capacity.
• Unfortunately, beyond the "guest star" distinction and the lone character moniker "Gareth," nothing else is known about what to expect from Dastmalchian's character.

• Fans have waited ages to see Game of Thrones alum Peter Dinklage's debut as Toxic Avenger, but we'll have to settle for his next TV role as a series regular in Dexter: Resurrection.
• Dinklage will star as a billionaire venture capitalist named Leon Prater, whose publicly philanthropic nature is buttressed by darker interests and urgest.

Uma Thurman - "Charley"

• The first additional cast member to be announced for Dexter: Resurrection alongside Michael C. Hall, esteemed Hollywood icon Uma Thurman landed what is arguably her biggest TV role yet as a series regular within this universe.
• Thurman will portray a polished and dependable character named Charley, who serves as the Head of Security for Peter Dinklage's billionaire Leon Prater, after having previously taken on a variety of upper-level security positions.

Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine - "Blessing Kamara"

• The Lincoln Lawyer vet Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine is set as the series regular named Blessing Kamara, a driver for a rideshare company. He's an extremely positive guy who is dedicated to both his family and his local community, which will either be a good thing or a bad thing for Dexter.

Kadia Saraf - “Claudette Wallace"

• Kadia Saraf, who has portrayed Attorney Anya Avital in both Law & Order: SVU and Organized Crime, will play NYPD Detective Claudette Wallace, who has a reputation for being rigidly methodical and sharp as a tack.

Dominic Fumusa - "Melvin Oliva"

• Best known for Nurse Jackie and Godfather of Harlem, Dominic Fumusa is joining Dexter: Resurrection as fellow NYPD Detective Melvin Olivia, who seems to be the only investigator who totally understands his partner Claudette.

Emilia Suárez - "Elsa Rivera"

• Musician and Up Here co-star Emilia Suárez is set to play the confident and outgoing Elsa Rivera, a workplace buddy of Harrison Morgan's at the Empire Hotel.

Returning Stars From The Dexter-Verse

• Michael C. Hall as Dexter Morgan
• James Remar as Dexter's late father Harry Morgan
• Jack Alcott as Dexter's son Harrison Morgan
• David Zayas as Angel Batista
• David Madigoff as Iron Lake PD's Teddy Reed (from Dexter: New Blood)

Dexter: Resurrection is currently in production, which kicked off in January, and the eventual goal is for the spinoff to debut on Showtime and Paramount+ with Showtime in Summer 2025.

If it wasn't for Thursday Night Football, I might've never learned about my favorite comedy of 2024. It was only a quick commercial promoting a new comedy movie available with a Amazon Prime Video subscription that revealed Peter Dinklage and Josh Brolin were starring in it. I threw it on after the game and was shocked Brothers was barely being talked about.

A movie from Etan Cohen, the same mastermind behind Tropic Thunder and Idiocracy, is sitting on streaming for the world to discover. I love it so much that I feel obligated to spread the word to other comedy fans who have no idea it even exists so we can get everyone on board with this movie featuring two brothers trying to change their lives with some long-lost jewels.

This Movie Thrives On Two Actors Known For Their Dramatic Roles Crushing It In The Comedy Genre

I don't know why I was so shocked to see James Brolin and Peter Dinklage doing comedy, especially since I can immediately think of prior examples for both. Dinklage plays the disgruntled author Miles Finch in one of the best Christmas movies ever, Elf. And how can we forget, especially with the arrival of Deadpool & Wolverine for those with a Disney+ subscription, that Brolin played Cable in Deadpool 2?

Those are just a couple of examples, and there are other times where both have shown their funny side in other movies or on Saturday Night Live. That said, there's something hilarious about seeing these two be obscene and over the top when we've seen Peter Dinklage's Emmy-winning role as Tyrion Lannister. The same is true of Brolin, where I sooner think of No Country For Old Men or Dune before one of his funnier roles.

It's easy to forget all their past dramatic roles watching Brothers, as both men alternate between the goofy and straight man throughout. Dinklage shines as the greasy Jady, politely but firmly rejecting oral sex from a geriatric cellmate before linking up with his brother Moke. Brolin also plays his part perfectly as the slightly dim brother trying to hide his felonious past from his new family.

What makes the performance so great is that it isn't hard at any point in the movie to believe these two are brothers. Brothers hinges heavily on a sibling vibe between them, and they both play their parts perfectly. Jady is the troublemaker who follows in his mother's footsteps with elaborate plans and get-rich-quick schemes, and Moke goes along mainly out of love for his family while still trying to make an honest name for himself. The chemistry these two have is siblings is what will hook you on this movie, but there's still a lot to love about it beyond just their performances.

The Supporting Cast Is Loaded With Stellar Talent

Josh Brolin and Peter Dinklage do a lot of heavy lifting in this movie, but it needs to be said they're also backed up by a stellar supporting cast. You have Glenn Close playing their sketchy mother, Cath, who is central to this big jewel heist comedy. Her performance falls somewhere between her characters in 101 Dalmatians and Hillbilly Elegy, and it's glorious.

Another person who vastly elevates the quality of this movie is Brendan Fraser, who, despite being picky about his role after The Whale, is back to doing what he does in the comedy world. Watching Brothers reminded me of how hilarious Fraser is when he's playing a character who is screaming and almost manic the entire time. He's behind some of the funniest moments in this movie, and I don't think anyone else could play his Officer Farful.

The above two are highlights, but there are plenty of others to highlight. Taylour Paige does a great job playing the supportive housewife, and I'm not sure I'll ever be able to watch Spider-Man again without seeing Marisa Tomei's wild character. I can't spoil anything more than what I've said, but suffice it to say this is a vast departure from the mom characters she's played in the past.

Ricky Stanicky Was My Favorite Comedy Of 2024, This Tops It

In my book, Prime Video is the winner of the best comedy movies of 2024. I was blown away by how hilarious Ricky Stanicky was when I first saw it that I was fairly confident nothing that came out the rest of the year would be nearly as funny as seeing John Cena dressed as Britney Spears. For those who still have yet to see that movie, let CinemaBlend's glowing Ricky Stanicky review persuade you to check it out.

I rated Ricky Stanicky a 4.5, which I think is a full star above our official review, but believe me when I say that for as much as I love that movie, Brothers tops it in just about every way imaginable. That's not to say Ricky Stanicky is a bad movie, either. I just think that Brothers is the best comedy we'll see in 2024. Given there's not much time left in the year, I feel pretty safe in assuming no other upcoming comedy still yet to be released is going to blow me away.

The only thing disappointing to me is that Brothers didn't get a theatrical release because damn, I think this movie was good enough to have a solid run in theaters. I'm hoping that as more people see it and word of mouth spreads, this movie garners some sort of cult following on streaming. I don't think there's going to be a sequel to this movie, but hopefully if enough people watch it, it'll start to get more eyes on it as we close out the rest of the year.

If you haven't figured it out by now, watching Brothers is just as easy as firing up that Prime Video subscription. Check it out, and make sure you don't accidentally mistake it for the Jake Gyllenhaal and Tobey Maguire movie that is absolutely not a comedy. I cannot stress enough how different those two movies are, despite their shared titles.

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.

Earlier this summer, the internet was obsessed with actors who they thought looked like “sexy rats,” and for ages, there’s been a lot of chatter about people falling for celebrities who aren't necessarily considered "conventional" crushes. Now, a thread on Reddit has gone viral about the topic of unconventional crushes, and their choices and reasoning for them are A+.

Considering House of the Dragon just wrapped up its second season on the 2024 TV schedule, let’s start this round-up from this Reddit thread with @mismorningstaarr’s pick. They went for Matt Smith, and when we’re thinking about him specifically as Daemon Targaryen, I can see why they wrote this:

Like Matt Smith, Willem Dafoe’s filmography is filled with quirky characters – I’m thinking about Poor Things, The Lighthouse, and even Spider-Man – and bold choices, which is why @AudreySimmons85 wrote:

I think they’re so right! I adore Willem Dafoe!

The choices continued as @Accomplished_Egg6239’s pick was one of Parks and Recreation’s best guest stars. Best known for her supporting roles and voicing Marcel the Shell, Jenny Slate is a star, and I totally agree with this person:

There was a lot of passion behind this next pick, which tracks considering he’s a beloved actor who won four Emmys for playing Tyrion Lannister in the Game of Thrones cast and has gone on to prove his range and charisma through quite the catalog of roles. @xiahabi wrote:

Staying on the Game of Thrones train, @Level_99_Healer gave some love to Brienne of Tarth, writing:

There was a lot of appreciation for Jack Black after @GGATHELMIL named him. @raccoonlovechild gave their reasoning for this choice in the comments, writing:

From really leaning into the hilarious “Peaches” discourse when the Super Mario Bros. Movie came out, to dancing and singing on the red carpet of the Kung Fu Panda 4 premiere, Black has proven this point in dividends over the last year alone. However, his whole career is a giant highlight reel of this…I mean we all saw The Holiday, it was impossible not to fall for him.

This list was full of incredible comedians, and it showcased that there’s something so attractive about a good sense of humor. @SamsaraBug showed some love for a beloved SNL alum, writing:

Along the same lines, @Take-to-the-highways posted about their favorite actors (especially those who are naturally funny), noting the lead actor of Better Call Saul is their top choice:

Shifting gears, there was also many who posted about crushes they have on actors who have played darker and more sinister roles. For example, @koalasarecute22 chose a legendary actor from the Harry Potter cast as their crush, writing:

We’ll end on an incredibly timely pick considering the hit that is Fallout. Many of us fell in love with The Ghoul on the Amazon Prime show, and in return, Walton Goggins found a whole new group of admirers. While I don’t know if @maverick1ba fell in love with the actor because of one of Prime Video’s best shows, I do agree with their sentiment now that I’ve seen the video game adaptation:

Overall, all these picks are incredible, and in a lot of cases, the reasoning for them is hilarious and relatable.

Attractiveness is more than just looks, and don’t get me wrong, all these people are good-looking, but there’s so much more to them! While they may be considered unconventional choices at first, all these people deserve all the love in the world.

HBO's Game of Thrones ran for eight legendary seasons, airing 73 episodes in total. The sprawling epic included dozens of storylines and even more characters. According to IMDB, 843 different actors appeared on the show, including these 32 who appeared in the most episodes. 

There are some surprising characters that don't appear on this list, like Ramsey Bolton (Iwan Rheon), his father Roose Bolton (Michael McElhatton), Ollena Tyrell (Diane Rigg), and, of course, Ned Stark (Sean Bean), and Khal Drogo (Jason Momoa), who didn't live long enough to be on it. 

Warning: Spoiler alerts of course! 

Tyrion Lannister - 67 Episodes

Peter Dinklage's character, Tyrion Lannister, appears in more episodes than any other character on Game of Thrones. The cleverest member of the Lannister clan appeared in 67 of the 73 episodes. He's introduced in the very first episode and makes it all the way to the last one. 

Cersei Lannister - 62 Episodes

The villain we all loved to hate, Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey) appeared in an amazing 62 episodes. For a character that was in the middle of all the palace intrigue, who made as many enemies as Cersei did, it's a wonder she made it as far as she did. Like her siblings, Cersei was introduced in the first episode of the show, and made it to the 72nd episode, when she was killed when the Red Keep collapsed on her and her brother Jaime. 

Daenerys Targaryen - 62 Episodes

Daenerys Targaryen's character arc from the meek sister of a pretender king to a strong leader to a bloodthirsty tyrant is one of the most controversial arcs in TV history. It all began in the first episode of the series and ended in the controversial final episode. Emilia Clarke's character was in a total of 62 episodes over that time. 

Jon Snow - 62 Episodes

The broody Jon Snow (Kit Harington), has one of the craziest storylines of the series, taking him from Winterfell to The Wall, to the Red Keep, and everywhere in between. Audiences met Jon in the first episode, along with the rest of the Starks, and he makes it all the way to the end. It might not have ended for Jon the way some people wanted, but at least he's alive at the show's conclusion. 

Sansa Stark - 59 Episodes

Another character with an insane story arc is Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner). It unfolds over 59 episodes, starting with the first and ending with the last. She goes from a sweet summer child in the beginning, to one of the toughest and coldest leaders in The North by the end. Sansa has a brutal life over the course of the series, but it leads to somewhere great. 

Arya Stark - 59 Episodes

Viewers first met the second youngest Stark child, Arya (Maisie Williams), in the first episode when King Robert came to visit Winterfell. Through 59 episodes over all eight seasons, Arya turns into one of the best assassins in Westeros after her travels take her from her home up north, to King's Landing, to Braavos, and back again, finally ending up at Winterfell for one of the biggest moments of the series, when she takes out the Night King. 

Jaime Lannister - 55 Episodes

It's no surprise that Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) is on this list, with 55 episodes. Jaime and his sister Cersei first appeared in the premiere, making quite a mark for the things he would do for love. He also has one of the least satisfying story arcs, after ditching Lady Brienne to return to his toxic relationship with his sister. The Kingslayer almost finds redemption before giving it all up for misguided love. 

Jorah Mormont - 52 Episodes

Ser Jorah Mormont (Iain Glen), Daenerys' faithful guard makes it 52 episodes in Game of Thrones. He appears by his queen's side in the first episode and through eight seasons of ups and downs, including a long banishment from Daenerys' Queens Guard. In the end, Jorah gets the noble death he deserves in the second episode of Season 8, defending the Mother of Dragons in the Battle of Winterfell against the White Walkers.

Samwell Tarly - 48 Episodes

Jon Snow's most loyal companion is Samwell Tarly (John Bradley). Jon meets Sam at Castle Black in the fourth episode of Season 1 and they remain the best of friends until the end. After a journey that takes him all over Westeros, Sam makes it to the end of the final episode. 

Theon Greyjoy - 47 Episodes

Possibly no one had a rougher time in Game of Thrones than Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen). That's not to say he didn't deserve some of the unspeakable things that happened to him, as he was pretty awful from the time we met in the first episode until he finally redeems himself in Season 8. Like so many others, Theon falls at the Battle of Winterfell after defending Bran for as long as he can. Theon made it a total of 47 episodes. 

Varys - 46 Episodes

Lord Varys, the Spider, played by Conleth Hill, is always lurking in the shadows. For 46 episodes of Game of Thrones, he is mixing things up behind the scenes. Audiences first meet the Master of Whisperers when Ned Stark attends his first small council meeting in Episode 3 of Season 1. Varys is still helping make decisions for the realm in the final episode of the series. 

Davos Seaworth - 42 Episodes

Ser Davos Seaworth (Liam Cunningham), the pirate-turned-knight is a fan favorite who first appeared in Episode 1 of Season 2 as an advisor to Stannis Baratheon. Though he comes from humble beginnings, he rises all the way to Master of Ships under King Bran in the final episode of the show. 

Brienne Of Tarth - 42 Episodes

One of the most noble people in all of Westeros is Brienne of Tarth, played by Gwendoline Christie. We don't meet Brienne until Episode 3 of Season 2, but from there, she becomes a key character in a number of different stories. She has one of the most satisfying conclusions when she is named Commander of the King's Guard in the final episode. 

Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish - 41 Episodes

Aidan Gillen's character, Petyr Baelish, better known by his nickname, Littlefinger, plays a massive role in the battle for the throne throughout the series. As Master of Coin, viewers first meet Littlefinger in Episode 3 of Season 1. Though he puts himself in danger a number of times with his conniving actions, he makes it 42 episodes, before dying at the hands of Arya in the Season 7 finale.   

Bran Stark - 40 Episodes

Bran Stark (Isaac Hempstead Wright) plays one of the most pivotal roles throughout the run of Game of Thrones. In a way, he is responsible for everything that happens after he is thrown from the window by Jaime at the end of the very first episode, and in the end, it's Bran that becomes King at the end of the series, which surprised most fans of the show.

Sandor "The Hound" Clegane - 38 Episodes

Rory McCann's portrayal of Sandor "The Hound" Clegane is one of the best on the show. He's funny, tough, scary, and sometimes, even kind. It's a hard line to walk for an actor and McCann does it brilliantly for 38 episodes, from the first in the series until the second-to-last episode when he dies with his brother, The Mountain. 

Missandei - 38 Episodes 

Daenerys Targaryen's righthand woman, Missandei (Nathalie Emmanuel), is one of the most loyal people on the show, serving Dany as both an advisor and a good friend. Fans first meet Missandei in the first episode of Season 3 and watch her through 38 episodes, until she is killed on Cersei's order in Episode 4 of Season 8.

Bronn - 37 Episodes

Jerome Flynn's Bronn is the ultimate survivor. While he's a sellsword when we first meet him, when he fights as Tyrion's champion for his trial by combat at the Eyrie in Episode 4 of Season 1, he ends up a high lord and Master of Coin by the end of the series after appearing in 37 episodes, right down to the final one. 

Podrick Payne - 35 Episodes

Podrick Payne (Daniel Portman) is a ladies' man, which is one of the funniest recurring jokes on Game of Thrones. He's also a loyal squire to Brienne until he is promoted to the Kingsguard in the final episode. The popular Podrick appears in 35 episodes in total, from Episode 2 of Season 2, until the end. 

Grey Worm - 34 Episodes

Grey Worm (Jacob Anderson) is the former slave, freed by Dany, and becomes Dany's most loyal soldier. He appears in a total of 34 episodes, starting in Season 3 and making it to the final episode and living to see another day. 

Eddison Tollett - 34 Episodes

Viewers first meet Eddison Tollett (Ben Crompton) in Episode 1 of Season 2 as a member of the Night's Watch. Always faithful to Jon Snow, Edd is a key member of the watch, though not a major character in the show. Still, he appears in 34 episodes, until his death at the Battle of Winterfell in Season 8.

Tormund Giantsbane - 33 Episodes

Everyone's favorite Wildling warrior, Tormund, played by Kristofer Hivju, appears in 33 episodes. We meet him later in the series, in Episode 1 of Season 3, but luckily for everyone, he makes it to the end, traveling with Jon Snow north of what's left of The Wall to live with the other Wildlings. 

Grand Maester Pycelle - 31 Episodes

Grand Maester Pycelle, played by the great Julian Glover, is a weaseling character, loyal to the Lannisters. That is, until he is betrayed by Cersei and her defrocked Maester, Qyburn. Still, he appears in 31 episodes from Season 1 until his death in Season 6. 

Melisandre - 29 Episodes

As despicable as Melisandre (Carice van Houten) is, it's remarkable that she survives until Season 8. Appearing in a total of 29 episodes, the Red Woman's allegiances change a couple of times, though nothing will ever excuse what she did to Stannis' daughter. 

Tywin Lannister - 27 Episodes

Charles Dance's performance as Tywin Lannister is one of the best in all of Game Of Thrones. Over 27 episodes from Season 1 through his death in the privy in Season 8, Tywin is a villain everyone loves to hate. 

Gilly - 27 Episodes

Gilly (Hannah Murray) is one of the most sympathetic characters in the brutal world of Games of Thrones. The former Wildling daughter/wife of Craster escapes with Sam and her son and they survive together until the very end of show. Gilly appears in 27 episodes from Season 2 through the finale. 

Margaery Tyrell - 26 Episodes

Margaery Tyrell, played by Natalie Dormer, is a polarizing character in Game of Thrones. She has a knack for playing the game well and married not one, but two kings throughout her 26-episode run between Seasons 1 and 6, but ultimately she is outplayed by Cersei when she is killed in the Sept of Baelor explosion. 

Joffrey Baratheon - 26 episodes

There is no question that Joffrey Baratheon (Jack Gleeson) is one of the greatest villains on Game of Thrones and in TV history. Almost from the moment audiences met him in the first episode, we hated him. That hatred only grew over the next 26 episodes that he appears in, until finally, we all get what we wanted when he is poisoned at his own wedding. 

Catelyn Stark - 25 episodes

Maybe the most tragic character on Game of Thrones is Stark matriarch Catelyn Stark (Michelle Fairley). She sees her husband die, her daughter held hostage, and her son Robb die. It's all too much for her take by the end of her 25-episode arc when she dies at the Red Wedding, after being introduced in the fist episode. 

Barristan Selmy - 25 episodes

Barristan Selmy (Ian McElhinney) is another close advisor to Dany. Though not as close to her as Jorah, he's still an important member of her Queen's Guard after his banishment from Joffrey's Kings Guard. His run lasted for 25 episodes until he is killed helping Grey Worm against the Sons of the Harpy.

Gregor "The Mountain" Clagane - 24 Episodes

Sandor Cleagane's brother, Gregor "The Mountain" Cleagane, is a knight of few words. Eventually, after his poisoning in a trial by combat, he's a man of no words. He's still one of the most fearsome knights in the realm. Three different actors played The Mountain throughout the 24 episodes he appeared in, Conan Stevens (Season 1) Ian Whyte (Season 2), and Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson (Seasons 4-8).

Gendry Baratheon - 24 Episodes

Although we meet the illegitimate son of King Robert, Gendry (Joe Dempsie) in Season 1, his character arc takes him in and out of the series, and despite appearing in seven of the eight seasons, he only shows up in 24 episodes. 

There are a handful of characters that just missed the cut here, like Ramsey Bolton, Robb Stark, and Stannis Baratheon, and a whole lot more fan favorites that are way down the list because they appeared in far fewer shows than you'd guess. But these are the characters that appeared the most. 

The brand new, revamped and rebooted DC Universe (DCU) has opened up endless possibilities. A new Superman has already been cast and is ready to take flight in the first movie in the new universe, which is replacing the old DC Extended Universe (DCEU). 

Producer James Gunn has shown he has a clear vision to wipe away most of the past and move forward with new actors and new stories, so for the purposes of this daydreaming, we're going to leave out the great actors who have appeared in DC-related films in the past, including the most recent movies starring the likes of Jason Momoa, Gal Gadot, and Ben Affleck, though we're not against them returning, too. 

Ryan Gosling

Ryan Gosling is one of the biggest stars in the world, and also one of the most versatile actors in Hollywood. He's the kind of actor you could cast in almost any role and you just know he'd hit it out of the park. He could play a hero or a villain and audiences would be transfixed no matter what. We probably want him as one of the most famous heroes though, someone befitting his star status. 

Daisy Ridley

We know she can carry a franchise, and we know she's a tough woman, so Daisy Ridley just has to find her way into the DCU. Of course, she'd have to be a hero, but who knows, maybe a change of pace from the Star Wars movies could be cool and she could play a villain. Either way, she has to have powers greater than The Force. 

Tom Cruise

It's time. It's hard to believe Tom Cruise has never been in a superhero movie. One of, in not the, biggest action stars of the last few decades still has that "hole" on his resume and it's time it got filled. Of course, we'd all love to see Cruise as a hero, but it would be awesome for him to be in any role, even a cameo like his turn in Tropic Thunder. Just get him in there, James Gunn! 

Jennifer Lawrence

Sure, Jennifer Lawrence appeared in the X-Men franchise, but that was years ago, and the comic book movie scene is a whole lot different today. Lawrence is a perfect fit for any number of roles, and even though she's great as Mystique, what about a hero as big as Wonder Woman or Black Canary? Surely she'd be fantastic. 

John Krasinski

John Krasinski delighted fans with his cameo as Dr. Reed Richards in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. MCU fans have been dying to see him as Mister Fantastic in the Fantastic 4 in the future, but so far, there's only been cold water thrown on the idea. That opens up the DCU for the former The Office star and he needs to step in. 

Zendaya

There isn't a bigger star on the scene right now than Zendaya. Sure, she's played MJ in the MCU and Spider-Man movies, but let's give her some real superpowers and let her run wild in the DCU. 

Jacob Elordi

Sure, Jacob Elordi says he's not interested in playing a superhero, having turned down an opportunity to read for Superman in the new DCU, but that doesn't mean we can't dream, right? There are so many heroes in the universe he could play. Elordi has been a hit in recent years with his role on HBO's Euphoria and movies like Saltburn and Pricilla, so he doesn't really need to be in the DCU, but we need him to be. 

Timothée Chalamet

Timothée Chalamet has a knack for picking great roles for himself. At this point, he can pick and choose anything he wants, given how often his movies are hits. Chalamet could probably just tell James Gunn what role he wanted and they'd find a way for it to happen. So let's do it! 

Meryl Streep

Let's be real, there is nothing Meryl Streep can't do. The greatest actor of her generation, bar none, and yet, she's never appeared in a superhero movie. She's flirted with the idea, according to some reports, and she even did the Wakanda salute at the 2024 Golden Globes, but alas, we still haven't seen her in one. The new DCU must have a spot for her, right?

Patina Miller

Patina Miller has won a Tony and she's starred in two hit shows (Madam Secretary and Power Book III: Raising Kanan), but she hasn't broken big on the big screen, aside from an important but too-brief role in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, and it's time that changed. She looks like a superhero and can act her socks off, so let's make it happen, let's make her a star in the DCU. 

Adam Driver

As Kylo Ren in the Star Wars sequels, Adam Driver showed he could play a first-rate villain. Now it's time to see him play a hero. Any hero, pick one, it doesn't matter, he'd kill it. Batman? For sure. Superman? Well, that role is taken, but yes. Aquaman? Oh yes. Martian Manhunter? Check. Wonder Woman? Sure, why not, he's got the hair for it. Let's go! 

Mark Wahlberg

Mark Wahlberg may be aging gracefully and while he says he's ready to play grandpa roles, we think he'll never be too old for a spot in the DCU. Somehow he's never been in either the MCU or any of the DC-related properties, so the time is right. 

Cailee Spaeny

She may not jump off the page as a possible superhero, but don't forget that Cailee Spaeny starred in Pacific Rim Uprising and clearly has the chops to be in a big action flick. She's an up-and-coming superstar and jumping into the DCU now would be perfect timing. 

Alan Ritchson

Reacher's Alan Ritchson is over six feet tall and built like a monster truck, is there anyone in Hollywood more perfect to play an intimidating villain in a comic book movie? Sure, he could play a superhero, too, but being a villain would be an awesome departure from his character on Reacher and it would be a ton a fun. And again, just look at the guy! 

Sterling K. Brown

Sterling K. Brown had an all-too-brief role as T'Chala's traitorous brother N'Jobu in Black Panther and it's high time he gets a chance to sink his teeth into a bigger superhero role. How about John Stewart/Green Lantern in the DCU? Brown has even campaigned for the role, so really, it's a perfect opportunity to get him into the DC Universe, it needs to happen, so we're putting it out there into the universe again. 

Peter Dinklage

Peter Dinklage has dabbled in superhero movies in the past, playing the villain, Bolivar Trask, in X-Men: Days of Future Past, as Eitri in Avengers: Infinity War, and as the Toxic Avenger, but it leaves us all wanting more. Let's be honest here, anything Dinklage does is awesome, so getting him into the DCU somehow would be amazing. He's also pretty good at carrying a wildly popular franchise, as he proved with Game of Thrones.

Taraji P. Henson

Taraji P. Henson has done it all, except star in a comic book movie. Henson is one of the best actors of her generation and yet, she's got this hole in her resume that, let's be honest, we all want to see filled. The DCU would be a perfect place for her to land, in just about any role, superhero, villain, regular human... anything, just get her in there! 

Charlize Theron

Audiences were teased with a Charlize Theron character in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and the actress stars in the Old Guard franchise, but she's not appeared in any DC-related projects yet and she sure deserves to. We'd love to see her in any number of roles, as she can play just about anything. 

Jason Statham

He's one of the biggest action stars in the world, and yet Jason Statham hasn't appeared in the MCU or anything DC-related. This is something that must be remedied! How about Cliff Steele/Robotman, whose origin story comes out of a race car crash, which would dovetail perfectly with Statham's past work as star of The Transporter movies and in the Fast franchise?

Jodie Comer

Jodie Comer has been taking the world by storm over the last few years and that means it's time to find her way into the DCU. Comer could be great in the MCU, but the possibilities in the DCU are endless and for someone like her, on the rise in Hollywood, the sky's the limit. 

Don Cheadle

Don Cheadle is pretty entrenched in the MCU, where he's played James "Rhodey" Rhodes/War Machine 10 times in various movies and TV shows. Still, Cheadle is awesome, and there has to be a way to get him into the DCU, too. He'd need to play a completely different kind of character, like a villain, but we're for it. 

Jenna Ortega

Wednesday star Jenna Ortega is clearly ready for the big time. She'd be great as Aquagirl, or, even better, the villain Lourdes Lucero/Encantadora. There are a lot of options, let's hope she fits into one, because it would be great. 

Zoe Saldaña

Zoe Saldaña is another star that most fans immediately associate with The Guardians of the Galaxy and the MCU, but with the Guardians franchise possibly winding down, and the franchise's director, James Gunn, now in charge over at DC, this could be a good time to switch it up for Saldaña, as there are a lot of different heroes she would be great for. 

Josh Gad

Hear us out. Josh Gad may not be the first person you think of when you think of an action movie or a comic book movie, but some of the best casting decisions are sometimes the ones you least expect. Think Michael Keaton as Batman or even Robert Downey, Jr. as Iron Man. Gad, with his blend of humor and "everyman" qualities, can be pretty chameleon-like and that could make him perfect for the DCU. 

Gwendoline Christie

How has this happened? How have we gotten dozens of superhero movies in the last couple of decades and Gwendoline Christie hasn't been in any of them? Sure, she's got the physique to play any hero out there, but it's her wit and comedic timing combined with that that makes the Game of Thrones star a no-brainer. This seems too easy.

Naomie Harris

Naomie Harris jumped into the comic book world by playing Shriek in Venom: Let There Be Carnage. She was predictably great, so why not have her cast as a character with a multi-film arc? She should be. With the James Bond Universe in flux with the departure of Daniel Craig, this would be a great time for Harris to find a new franchise to get attached to. 

Daniel Kaluuya

Black Panther star Daniel Kaluuya (who also starred as a real-life Black Panther in Judas and the Black Messiah) is an actor who could fit into the DCU in just about any role. He could be a charming hero, or an evil villain, or even a government bureaucrat. Kaluuya's acting toolbox has a lot of options, the DCU will do well to take advantage of that somehow. 

Natalie Dormer

Natalie Dormer is a veteran of a lot of big-time franchises. Game of Thrones, Hunger Games, and even the MCU. Unfortunately, she was in fewer Game of Thrones episodes than you would think, and her appearances in the other two were also fairly brief. The DCU has a great opportunity to feature her in a much larger role. 

Donald Glover

This is another absolute no-brainer. Donald Glover is one of the most talented and charming actors in the business, there are an endless amount of roles he could fill in the DCU, so someone out there needs to find a spot for him. 

Diego Luna

With Andor (and his other projects) Diego Luna showed the world how great he can be in a franchise. His performance was gripping, and bringing that same energy to the DCU would be fantastic. 

Jack Quaid

Let's take a sec to lament that despite starring in one of the wildest superhero franchises of all time, The Boys, Jack Quaid hasn't really had an opportunity to be a proper superhero (V-24 notwithstanding). So let's give him a proper chance here! Put him in the DCU! 

Hayden Panettiere

Save the cheerleader, save the world. It was a mantra for Heroes and it's time to see Hayden Panettiere play another superhero. She was so great in Heroes, there's no way she wouldn't be great in the DCU

The DC Universe is James Gunn's oyster, these are some of the pearls out there just waiting to be plopped onto his beach. 

The de facto mascot for Troma — the independent film production company known for cinema's most disturbing, absurd, and even controversial cult favorites — is the titular hero of The Toxic Avenger. Audiences who indulge in shocking violence, gross-out effects, and heartwarming underdog stories might see the 1984 B-movie as one of the best superhero movies of its time. Those same people might be excited to know that the franchise is continuing with a new reimagining of the original, and the following is your guide to everything you need to know about the upcoming superhero movie reboot.

What Is The Toxic Avenger Release Date?

Finally, The Toxic Avenger is set to release in theaters sometime in 2025. Almost two years after it premiered at Fantastic Fest, the film found distribution through Cineverse, which also put out Terrifier without an MPA rating.

While it still has yet to confirm a specific release date on the upcoming 2025 movies schedule, this is exciting news for fans who feared it may end up suffering the same fate as the completed but cancelled Batgirl, following reports that it was deemed unreleasable. Luckily, it is finally going to have its day "in the toxic sun," as star Peter Dinklage hoped for when speaking to ComicBook.com, and in its purest form as an unrated wide release.

What The Toxic Avenger Is About

As established, The Toxic Avenger is a reimagining of an awesomely cheesy movie in which a gawky, rail-thin teenager named Melvin Fred Junko III (Mark Torgl), works as a gym custodian in Tromaville. That is, until a cruel prank goes wrong, causing him to fall into a drum of toxic waste. Instead of killing him, the chemicals transform him into a grotesque mutant (portrayed by Mitch Cohen, but voiced by Kenneth Kessler), but also give him super powers that he uses to rid his town of its dastardly derelicts and corrupt authority figures.

The basic zero-to-hero metamorphosis plot is carried through in the reboot, but with a few key changes that help it stand alone. According to Legendary Pictures’ previously released official description, the central character is a middle-aged man named Winston, who does also work as a janitor and is severely underpaid by his greedy boss. He tries to acquire the pay he deserves by attempting to rob his company — a chemical factory — which only results in him falling into a pit of toxic waste, transforming him into “Toxie.”

The Toxic Avenger Trailer Is A Compilation Of '80s Nostalgia-Fueled Camp

Considering how strongly the story of The Toxic Avenger breaks tradition from superhero fiction and cinematic craftsmanship in general, it only makes sense that the new film’s trailer feels anything but traditional. It, at least, feels faithful to the same cheesy tone and gory visuals of the original, as you can see by checking out the first official, red-band teaser below:

The clip starts off as a compilation of crudely shot TV news, featuring hilarious hints at Toxie’s new appearance — from a face crudely doodled on a potato to one call-in interviewee claiming he looks like a “fucked up hot dog.” It soon transitions into a more traditionally dramatized scene of the eponymous hero (whose face is unseen) using a glowing green mop to thwart a fast food restaurant robbery. His brutal methods might be shocking to a layman but it is exactly what a true Toxic Avenger fan has come to expect.

Peter Dinklage Leads The Toxic Avenger Cast

The previous installments of the Toxic Avenger franchise are not known for having an A-list ensemble. However, that is not the case for the reboot. Let’s take a look at who stars in the new Toxic Avenger cast one by one, below.

Peter Dinklage (Winston Gooze/The Toxic Avenger)

Leading The Toxic Avenger as Winston Gooze and his “toxic” alter ego is Peter Dinklage, whose previous contributions to the superhero movie genre include X-Men: Days of Future Past as Bolivar Trask and Avengers: Infinity War as Eitri — a giant responsible for constructing the Infinity Gauntlet. The actor is even better known for his four-time Emmy-winning performance in the Game of Thrones cast as Tyrion Lannister.

Jacob Tremblay (Wade)

According to EW, Winston’s stepson, Wade, is played by Jacob Tremblay in his live-action superhero movie debut, having previously lent his voice to Max’s animated Harley Quinn series as Robin. However, the Canadian actor — best known from the acclaimed A24 movie, Room — is well-versed in horror (such as his memorable scene from Doctor Sleep) and comedy (Good Boys, most notably), so the combination of the two promises that this role should be a breeze for him.

Taylour Paige (JJ Doherty)

We also know from EW that another A24 movie star, Taylour Paige (from the fact-based drama Zola) is starring as JJ Doherty — an investigative reporter who aspires to be a vigilante herself. The Toxic Avenger is not the only action-comedy on her plate, as she is also part of Netflix’s Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F cast as Eddie Murphy’s onscreen daughter, Jane.

Elijah Wood (Fritz Garbinger)

One of the central antagonists from The Toxic Avenger is Fritz Garbinger, played by Elijah Wood. The former child star who still acts is better known for playing the heroic Frodo from the Lord of the Rings movies, but has a few villains under his belt — such as Kevin from the Sin City cast or the deadly protagonist of his 2012, first-person remake of Maniac.

Kevin Bacon (Bob Garbinger)

Fritz’s older, also villainous brother, Bob Garbinger, is played by Taylour Paige’s Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F co-star, Kevin Bacon — an undisputed icon known for great ‘80s movies like the original Friday the 13th, Footloose, and plenty more. This marks his latest of several superhero movie roles, having played the main bad guy in both X-Men: First Class and James Gunn’s 2010 dark comedy, Super, and, later, himself in The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special.

Julia Davis

EW did not have a scoop on the role played by Julia Davis, who is best known from Love Actually and as the star of the BBC comedy, Nighty Night. She also starred in one of the best Black Mirror episodes (“Fifteen Million Merits”) and, more recently, acclaimed films like Phantom Thread and a great horror movie that addresses grief from Netflix called Run Rabbit Run.

The Toxic Avenger Is Not Rated

According to ComingSoon.net, when talk of a Toxic Avenger reboot first broke ground, the intent was, reportedly, to make it a PG-13-friendly take more in line with the animated spin-off series, Toxic Crusaders. Luckily, Macon Blair went in the more traditional direction and came out with a film that, unlike its four, R-rated feature-length predecessors, will be distributed without an official rating.

However, the movie is listed on FilmRatings.com as rated R strong violence and gore, language throughout, sexual references and brief graphic nudity. Well, even if that R rating is not going to stick for the upcoming release, at least the MPA gave us confirmation that the reboot will feature all the known staples of the original franchise.

The Toxic Avenger Is 102 Minutes

The original Toxic Avenger was only a little more than 80 minutes long, while each of its sequels surpassed 100 minutes. The reboot falls under the latter category, rounding out at 102 minutes, to be exact, according to Deadline’s report on 2023’s Fantastic Fest lineup.

From Writer And Director Macon Blair

This new reimagining of The Toxic Avenger comes from the mind of Macon Blair, who previously made his debut as a writer and director with the 2017 Netflix film, I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore, which also starred Elijah Wood. Some audiences may recognize the filmmaker as an actor in the Oppenheimer cast and from his lead role in an acclaimed revenge movie from 2013 called Blue Ruin — one of his many collaborations with director Jeremy Saulnier. Blair also appears in The Toxic Avenger, as evidenced by a brief glimpse in the trailer.

Blair’s work on the film has earned high praise from Lloyd Kaufman, who co-wrote the original classic with Joe Ritter and also co-directed it with his Troma Entertainment co-founder, Michael Herz. Kaufman told Dread Central, “Macon Blair knows Troma better than I do,” before going on about the filmmaker’s extensive knowledge of the Toxic Avenger franchise — including the aforementioned early '90s animated series. Both Kaufman and Herz are credited as producers for the reboot.

Early Toxic Avenger Reviews Have Been Positive

Kaufman also told Dread Central that he believes Macon Blair’s Toxic Avenger script is better than his from decades earlier. The world already seems to agree with him, based on the film’s impressive Rotten Tomatoes score of 91%.

Those who are looking for something bizarre and out of the ordinary from the superhero movie will likely get just what they are looking for with The Toxic Avenger.

It's hard to believe Entourage ended its eight-season run so long ago, in 2011 (not counting the less-than-well-recieved movie in 2015). For the length of the show, one thing that kept audiences coming back for more each week was the great celebrity cameos. What started as a trickle in the first season, became a flood towards the end, with big stars always showing up, usually with hilarious results. Here is our list of some of the funniest celebrity cameos on Entourage. 

Mark Wahlberg

It makes sense that Mark Wahlberg would be the first cameo on the show, appearing in the very first episode of Season 1. Entourage was (very) loosely based on his experiences in Hollywood as a young actor, and the Boogie Nights star was a producer of the show. 

David Schwimmer

A great thing about the cameos was that often the celebrities weren't afraid to poke a little fun at themselves. Take, for example, David Schwimmer's spot in the Season 6 episode "Running on E." Schwimmer sits in a pitch meeting with super agent Ari Gold's (Jeremy Piven) team and offer after offer is for the Friends star to play some sort of neurotic character for comedic effect. The frustration for Schwimmer is palpable. 

Peter Dinklage

One of the most common tropes on the show was the stars taking potshots at Ari. Ari was a character we all loved to hate, but it turns out most of the celebrities playing themselves also hated Ari. Peter Dinklage is one of those when he trades barbs with Ari at a party in the Season 2 "Sundance Kids."

John Stamos

John Stamos was the perfect type of celeb to show on Entourage. It was always fun to see how a cameo appearance might just be an opportunity to take down lovable loser Johnny Drama (Kevin Dillon). In a bit of a twist, after getting insulted by Stamos a few times, the two play an epic match of ping pong that ends predicably for Drama in the Season 7 episode "Tequila Sunrise." 

Jeffrey Tambor

Jeffrey Tambor plays a jerk like few others can in Hollywood. When he's playing a fictionalized version of himself being to jerk to his kids, it's comedy gold. Fictional life as a jerk and real life have blurred together for Tambor, but his appearance in Season 6 is still really funny. 

Matt Damon

Matt Damon takes charity very seriously, so his cameo on Entourage, in the Season 6 finale, fits perfectly. It's also a rare time that Vince (Adrian Grenier) is the one getting clowned when he tries to dodge both Damon and Bono into giving money to their charity to help children.  

Val Kilmer

Val Kilmer's guest spot on the show is a little different than most on this list. He doesn't play himself, but the role is so brief – and so funny – that it had to be included. In Season 1, the Top Gun: Maverick star plays a "sherpa" living in a giant house in Beverly Hills like a '60s hippie. 

Snoop Dogg

No one brings joy like Snoop Dogg. There is never a time when people are unhappy to see the legendary rapper show up somewhere on TV and Entourage is no exception. The brief interaction between Snoop, Vince, and Eric (Kevin Connolly), partly highlights the confusion of how to pronounce "Cannes" in the Season 4 episode "The Dream Team."

James Cameron

The Season 2 episode "Sundance Kids" really kicked the cameos on the show into overdrive and one of the best of the whole series is James Cameron. Vince is trying to land a role in his Aquaman movie, so Turtle and Drama try to help (and fail). The best part, though, is Cameron's interaction with a barista (played by This Is Us star Chrissy Metz). 

Tom Brady

Turtle (Jerry Ferrara) is a die-hard New York Giants fan, so when he meets Tom Brady at a charity golf tournament, he does what any self-respecting fan would do, he blows him off and refuses to shake his hand. It's brilliant. 

Martin Scorsese

Entourage proved just how big it was for celeb cameos when none other than Martin Scorsese appeared for a brief scene to offer Vince a role in his fictional The Great Gatsby movie in the finale of Season 5. You know you've made it when Scorsese gets involved. 

Scarlett Johansson

Season 1 ends with a big-time star appearance when the one and only Scarlett Johansson cameos on the phone with Vince, after Eric promises him to land a date with the superstar actress. It works, though it's the last time we'd see Johansson on the show. 

Stan Lee

Comic legend Stan Lee became the king of cameos with his iconic moments in the MCU universe for years, a streak that ended with his death in 2018. It's all too appropriate that we include him on this list, not only due to Lee's status as a cameo-king but because his quick role is just so funny as he can't quite place where he's seen Vince's adult film star girlfriend, Sasha Grey, before.

Lamar Odom

Entourage was replete with professional athletes throughout its run. Lamar Odom shows up pretty early in the show's run, in "An Offer Refused" in Season 2. The cameo is notable because of the way Drama gets obsessed with how men's calves look, including Odom's, which understandably freaks the NBA star out. 

Bono

Bono's appearance in the Season 6 finale is brilliant. He only appears via computer screen, as he's on a video call with Matt Damon and teams up with Damon to gang up on Vince to guilt him into getting on board with their charity. It's vintage Bono, pushing a charity but not taking himself as seriously as the world perceives him to be. 

Bobby Flay

Ari being a jerk to someone isn't a surprise, but Ari being a jerk to Bobby Flay is, pardon the pun, pure gold. Flay is great playing himself as the chef at his own restaurant, one of Ari's favorites, but the two bicker before Flay has had enough in the Season 8 episode "Whiz Kid." 

Sofia Vergara

Sofia Vergara's cameo is notable because she's not playing herself. While she herself is perfect for the role as a Colombian actress auditioning for the movie Medellin, it's funny because of how ridiculous the rest of Vince's team reacts to her. The first episode of Season 2 is one of the most unique, and funniest, of the show's run. 

M. Night Shyamalan

M. Night Shyamalan's appearance in the episode "Sorry, Harvey" in Season 4 is classic Entourage. Playing himself, he's angry at Ari for not reading his latest script and confronts the super agent to call him on it. It's the kind of cameo we've come to expect from this show, a major star fighting with Ari. 

Christina Aguilera

The Season 7 finale, "Lose Yourself" is one of the saddest of the show, for a few reasons. One is Ari throwing a lavish party for his wife to keep her from leaving him complete with Christina Aguilera singing "You Are Beautiful," only to have his wife not show.  Aguilera gets mad at Ari (naturally) and demands his Lakers playoffs tickets to keep performing. 

Adrian Peterson

NFL superstar Adrian Peterson selling a dinosaur skull. Is there anything more that needs to be said? The Season 7 episode "Tequila and Coke" has a great moment poking fun at people investing in fossils, and yes, Nic Cage gets a shout-out. 

Zac Efron

It's no surprise that Ari would be trying to steal a client from another agent, but what makes Zac Efron's cameo on Entourage so funny is his interaction with a fan while on the phone with Ari. A mom using her daughter to get Efron's autograph (and pushing for, um, more) is hilarious. 

Kanye West

Vince and his crew have no problem asking anyone for a favor. Kanye West is the victim of one of the most outlandish requests when they beg him for a ride on his private plane to France, even though Ye is headed for London in "No Cannes Do" from Season 4. The rapper is stunned and doesn't hide it, but still, who can turn down Vince? No one, not even Ye.

David Spade

David Spade is the perfect star for a cameo on Entourage. In his, he's got women on both arms and plays a total jerk. While he's surely not a jerk, he somehow has that public perception, which is what makes the cameo so much fun in the Season 8 episode titled "The Big Bang." Spade is just hilarious. 

Phil Mickelson

Phil Mickelson is clearly a good sport. Despite the show taking a shot at the pro golfer's failure at the 2006 U.S. Open, he later agreed to appear on the show, if only to show up Ari. A chance meeting on the golf course between Mickelson, and Kevin Dillon and Jerry Ferrara, led to the role. Kizmet. 

50 Cent

50 Cent makes one of the briefest cameos on the show, but it's one of the best. When he sees Turtle driving, he pulls up alongside and manages to take Turtle down a notch, despite the fancy ride he's driving in. Turtle has a rough time in his birthday episode, "One Car, Two Car, Red Car, Blue Car," from Season 6.

Aaron Sorkin

Aaron Sorkin's first cameo (he made two) on Entourage came in an episode named after him, "The Sorkin Notes" in Season 6. Sorkin is caught up in some drama in Ari's office that he wants no part of and is hilarious in a rare acting role for the writer and director. Now can we get that West Wing revival starring Sterling K. Brown that Sorkin had an idea for, please?

Dean Cain

Another very brief cameo comes from Dean Cain. The former Superman actor disrupts one of Drama's auditions, which crushes Drama, as he figures there's no one he can compete with Cain for the part. It's vintage Johnny Drama in the Season 6 episode "Scared Straight." It's another moment in which you can't help but feel terrible for Drama. 

Eminem

The Season 7 finale, "Lose Yourself," not only foreshadows Vince's downward spiral, but Eminem's cameo. In one of the lowest moments of Vince's life, he first insults Minka Kelly, then gets into a fistfight with Eminem. It's as sad as it is funny, a line the show walked brilliantly in the episode. 

Alex Rodriguez

How tragic would be to hear that you lost out on a ton of money from former Yankee Alex Rodriguez? That's what happens to Turtle when the shortstop-turned-third-baseman shows up on screen to tell Turtle that the tequila company he once owned a lot of stock in went public after he sold out. Ouch. 

Steve Nash

Poor Steve Nash. The NBA star was at the height of his fame when he was unwittingly cornered by Eric at his manager's office (Scott Caan). Eric dumps all of his girlfriend problems on the Canadian basketball player's feet in the Season 6 episode "Murphy's Lie," and all Nash can do is look stunned. 

Johnny Galecki

Johnny Galecki's role in Entourage was a little more than one cameo, it was more like three cameos over three episodes and he plays a fictionalized version of himself who makes Eric's life hell by dating Eric's ex-girlfriend Sloan (Emmanuelle Chriqui). This version of Galecki is terrible but completely hilarious. 

Jessica Simpson

As Ari tries to protect his client base, he's forced to go hat in hand to a client who's mad at him for not caring when her dog died. Jessica Simpson meets Ari at the door in "Bottoms Up" from Season 7, and in classic Entourage fashion, makes Ari look like the jerk that he is, despite his insincere attempt to gift another dog to Simpson. It sums up everything a great Entourage cameo should be. A big star, an unrepentant Ari, and some choice lines. 

This is a list that could be almost endless, and we didn't even get into the multiple cameos in the Entourage movie, one of which featured Channing Tatum that didn't actually happen. 

When it comes to those channels that we all need to pay a little extra for – such as Showtime, Starz, etc. – they all seem to produce some of the absolute best shows. But you want to know which channel I think has made stars even bigger? HBO. 

The channel, which stands for 'Home Box Office,' has produced some of the best TV shows of the last twenty or so years, and with that, several actors and actresses have come and gone and left their mark, earning plenty of awards recognition for their work in the shows. Today, we'll be going over 32 of them. 

Emilia Clarke (Game Of Thrones)

Of the Game of Thrones cast, Emilia Clarke probably became one of the most-known actresses in the world after her portrayal of Daenerys Targaryen. On the show for the entirety of its eight seasons, Clarke earned plenty of awards recognition and was nominated several times for a Primetime Emmy Award for her role in the show, including her last nomination in the Lead Actress category. 

Jonathan Groff (Looking)

While Jonathan Groff never earned a Primetime Emmy nomination for his role in the LGBTQ+ show Looking, he did win plenty of other awards for his time on the show. Groff is known to be a triple threat with his acting, singing, and dancing talents. He was even a part of the original Hamilton cast, but his starring role in Looking brought on plenty of recognition.

Zendaya (Euphoria)

The Euphoria cast is filled with talent, but let's be honest – Zendaya is the main star we're all looking towards. Nominated several times for the show for a Primetime Emmy, Euphoria has taken this once Disney Channel star and given her the chance to show off her incredible acting skills, one I'm sure she'll continue to do. 

Peter Dinklage (Game Of Thrones)

Peter Dinklage has been around in movies and TV for some time, but everyone recognizes him as Tyrion Lannister from Game of Thrones, a performance he did for eight show seasons. Out of the entire cast, Dinklage was the one to be nominated for the most Primetime Emmys – and he won four times. 

Lena Dunham (Girls)

Girls lasted for six seasons and gave plenty of stars shining lights, such as Allison Williams, Adam Driver, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and more, but Lena Dunham was certainly the award-winner of the group. The actress, who also created the comedy for HBO, earned several nominations at the Primetime Emmys, the Golden Globes, and more. 

Tony Hale (Veep)

The Veep cast is highly talented, and Tony Hale is just one of many. And his role as Gary Walsh in Veep is undoubtedly one of his best. Among several other awards that he was nominated for this role, he won the Primetime Emmy award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series twice before the series ended. 

Bill Hader (Barry)

This show – especially Barry Season 4 – was a rollercoaster ride from beginning to end, and Bill Hader's performance has been hailed as one of the best of the show. Hader has been nominated for several Primetime Emmy Awards, and the show has also been nominated for Outstanding Comedy.  

Michael C. Hall (Six Feet Under)

While Michael C. Hall gained a lot of fame for another role he did – the still rewatchable Dexter on Showtime – he gained a lot of fame at first for his role in Six Feet Under, where he played David, one of the brothers who owns a family-funeral home. His role in the show earned him several nominations, including Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. 

Jeremy Strong (Succession)

Succession’s success is awesome to watch, growing larger and more prominent over the years, and one of the lead actors, Jeremy Strong, has gained a lot of award recognition throughout the series' four seasons. Among Outstanding Writing, Outstanding Drama Series, and more, Strong has also earned nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series at the Primetime Emmys. 

Lena Headey (Game Of Thrones)

Cersei Lannister is undoubtedly one of the most-hated villains of Game of Thrones, but I don't think anyone could hate Lena Headey's performance. Throughout the series, the actress earned several nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, among several other awards at the Golden Globes, the Poppy Awards, and more. 

Anthony Carrigan (Barry)

I don't know where it came from, but NoHo Hank became my favorite character in Barry, and I think it's because of Anthony Carrigan's portrayal of him. While Carrigan's character didn't get as much hype at the beginning of Barry, the actor has earned several awards for his role in the show, including Primetime Emmy nominations. 

Diana Rigg (Game Of Thrones)

Olenna Tyrell had to be the best player in Game of Thrones, and I'm pretty sure we all were heartbroken when Diana Rigg passed away. The actress earned several nominations for her role in the show, including Primetime Emmys for her guest appearances. Who could ever forget Olenna? 

Brian Cox (Succession)

I don't think anyone could forget Brian Cox as the patriarch of the Roy family in Succession, Logan Roy, the leading man we were all following for years on end. And, of course, Cox earned plenty of praise for his portrayal in the show, including several Primetime Emmy nominations and wins. 

Sydney Sweeney (The White Lotus And Euphoria)

Sydney Sweeney is an exceptional case on this list, as two of her shows on HBO have earned her nominations. She was a part of The White Lotus Season 1 cast, which earned her a Primetime Emmy nod, and for the second season of Euphoria, she also earned a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress. Both of which were certainly deserved. 

Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep)

As the lead of Veep, I don't think we could get through a list like this without mentioning Julia Louis-Dreyfus and her role as Selina Meyer. The series, which ran from 2012 - 2019, was a massive success for her and earned the actress several nominations and wins for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy and the series for Outstanding Comedy Series at the Primetime Emmys. 

James Gandolfini (The Sopranos)

We can only have an HBO list by mentioning James Gandolfini from The Sopranos. As the patriarch of the Soprano family, Tony, James Gandolfini won several awards over the series, including Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series at the Emmys three times. The show itself also won Outstanding Drama Series several times. 

Evan Peters (Mare Of Easttown)

Mare of Easttown was a limited series on HBO, and the entirety of the cast was incredibly impressive. Evan Peters has gained fame over the last decade for his roles in movies like X-Men and the anthology series American Horror Story, but his role as Detective Colin Zabel has been hailed as one of his best. His portrayal earned him the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, among other awards. 

Henry Winkler (Barry)

Henry Winkler is a TV legend from Happy Days, but his role in Barry is one of my favorites. And the people who award these actors agreed too, as Winkler earned several awards for his character, Gene Cousineau, including Primetime Emmy wins. 

Kate Winslet (Mare Of Easttown)

Kate Winslet was the star of Mare of Easttown, a limited series on HBO, and out of everyone on the cast, she won the most awards for her time on the show. Some of her accomplishments include Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie at the Primetime Emmys, TV Film of Miniseries Lead Actress of the Year for the Gold Derby Awards, Best Television Movie or Miniseries Actress for the Critics Choice Awards, and more. 

Edie Falco (The Sopranos)

For the six seasons of the American crime series The Sopranos, my favorite out of the entire cast was Edie Falco. Carmela was possibly the best TV wife out there and was the only person who would keep up with Tony's mess. Falco's portrayal of her went down in history. The actress was nominated for (and won) several Primetime Emmy Awards, Golden Globes, and more. 

Michael Imperioli (The Sopranos)

Michael Imperioli played Christopher Moltisanti, the protégé of Tony in The Sopranos and someone who seemed to get some of the best storylines in the show. During his time on the series, Imperioli was nominated for his role in several awards, such as  Emmys, Golden Globes, Prism Awards, and more. 

Jake Lacy (The White Lotus Season 1)

The White Lotus cast for Season 1 had some impressive talent, but everyone seriously loved to hate Jake Lacy's character, Shane Patton. But everyone also loves his performance — which earned the actor several nominations across awards shows, including a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie. 

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Game Of Thrones)

Game of Thrones created several big names for Hollywood, and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau is another that we saw plenty of in the awards sphere. His character of Jamie Lannister is often credited as having one of the best character arcs in television and earned several award nominations, including the Primetime Emmys. Game of Thrones itself won Outstanding Drama Series several times. 

Sarah Snook (Succession)

The entire Succession cast is filled with talent, but one of my favorites has always been Sarah Snook, who played Shiv in the popular HBO series. Portraying the character for all four seasons, Snook has been nominated for several awards, including Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. 

Alexandra Daddario (The White Lotus, Season 1)

Daddario has been in the industry for some time, but her role in The White Lotus Season 1 is considered one of her best. The anthology series gave the actress the chance to shine as Rachel, and she was nominated for several awards, including Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie at the Primetime Emmys.  

Matthew McConaughey (True Detective, Season 1)

True Detective is an anthology series from HBO, and many lovers of the show agree that Season 1 had one of the best storylines, led by a captivating performance from Matthew McConaughey. The Academy Award-winning actor earned several awards for his lead performance in the first season, including a Crime Thriller Award, a Critics' Choice Award, a Primetime Emmy nomination, a Golden Globe nomination, and more. 

Issa Rae (Insecure)

Insecure is a comedy-drama from HBO, featuring co-creator Issa Rae in the show's lead role. The series was extremely well-received, and Rae was nominated for several awards, including Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series at the Primetime Emmys and Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy at the Golden Globes. 

Kit Harrington (Game Of Thrones)

Jon Snow is probably the most known character from Game of Thrones aside from Daenerys and Tyrion – which is not surprising considering the character is getting his own Game of Thrones spinoff series. The actor behind him, Kit Harrington, was nominated for several awards during his time on the show, including the Primetime Emmy award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama for the show's final season. 

Jennifer Coolidge (The White Lotus, Seasons 1 And 2)

While The White Lotus is an anthology series, Jennifer Coolidge was a part of the main cast for the first two seasons (and only the first two). And her time on the show as Tanya was exceptionally well-received and loved. Among many other awards, Coolidge won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series of Movies. 

Anthony Hopkins (Westworld)

Anthony Hopkins is one of the most critically acclaimed actors of our time, and of course, he has been praised for his TV performances. This time around, it's Westworld, where he earned several nominations from the Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, and more. The series was also nominated for Outstanding Drama Series at the Primetime Emmys. 

Murray Bartlett (The White Lotus Season 1)

Murray Bartlett was a part of The White Lotus Season 1 and he was honestly one of the show's funniest characters. For his performance as Armond, Bartlett earned several nominations. The show was also nominated for Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series for Season 1.

Jeffrey Wright (Westworld)

Jeffrey Wright is a great actor who has been in various movies and TV shows, but one of his most critically acclaimed roles was portraying Bernard Lowe in Westworld, a series he starred in for some time. Wright earned several nominations, including the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. 

There are so many amazing actors and actresses who have gone on to do incredible things. And truthfully, this makes me want to see all these shows again to see their talent. Is anyone up for a Game of Thrones rewatch?

Fans who are looking forward to a return to The Hunger Games, have a lot to be looking forward to. The runtime of the prequel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, has been revealed, and it will be the longest movie in the franchise, clocking in at one second short of 157 minutes. This makes it 10 minutes longer than The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, which previously had the franchise runtime record.

The two-hour and 37-minute runtime reported by GamesRadar isn't necessarily that shocking considering Songbirds and Snakes is the longest Hunger Games novel, coming in at about 130 pages more than Catching Fire or Mockingjay. On the other hand, Mockingjay was split into two films in order for it to get everything in and not make it a four-hour movie. At some point, you need to make the decision to either split your film or make it shorter.

Cearly there’s a feeling that there’s a lot in the 500 pages of Songbirds that needed to be included in the film. The good news is, at this point, a two-and-a-half-hour franchise movie has become essentially normal. So it’s unlikely anybody is going to have a particularly hard time with the film’s runtime. 

It’s almost surprising that there wasn’t a call made to split the new Hunger Games prequel into two movies. Although it has been a while since we got one of these movies, so maybe it wasn’t clear how big the audience would be. Since it’s a prequel giving us essentially all-new characters, it might not automatically attract all the people who made the Hunger Games movies so successful previously. Still, the Songbirds and Snakes trailer certainly hits all the beats we’d expect from a Hunger Games movie, so anybody who enjoyed those stories is likely to find something they like here. 

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is set more than 60 years prior to the events of The Hunger Games trilogy. It sees a young Cornelius Snow, Donald Sutherland’s less-than-sympathetic character from the previous films, becoming a mentor to a young Hunger Games contestant, played by Rachel Zegler. The Songbird and Snakes cast is stacked, in addition to the up-and-coming Zegler it includes Peter Dinklage as the man who created the Hinger Games, as well as other stars like Jason Schwartzman and Viola Davis.

There aren’t any more Hunger Games books, so it appears this will be the last movie in the franchise, at least for now. Of course, there has been talk of creating new Hunger Games movies based on the ideas and characters previously established, without official source material. If Songbirds and Snakes is a box office hit, it’s a safe bet we’ll be hearing that talk start up once again.  

Game of Thrones was a pop culture phenomenon that took over television back in its day, so it’s only fitting that a growing number of former Thrones stars have since joined the MCU as another pop culture juggernaut. Emilia Clarke, whose breakout role was as Daenerys Targaryen in the HBO series, can now be found with a Disney+ subscription as part of the cast of Marvel’s Secret Invasion. While promoting the new series, the actress shared a funny story about when Game of Thrones became more like Marvel, and how she and co-star Peter Dinklage reacted.

Security skyrocketed in the later seasons of Game of Thrones, when millions of people were dying to know over hiatus what would happen next for Emilia Clarke’s Daenerys, Peter Dinklage’s Tyrion, and the rest of the characters. So, dealing with secrecy for Secret Invasion plot details wasn’t entirely new to Clarke, and it’s apparently easier nowadays than during Game of Thrones. The actress told EW:

Marvel is of course notorious for the practices that prevent spoilers from getting out, ranging from heavily redacting scripts to preventing Spider-Man star Tom Holland from reading full scripts, to the point that Guardians of the Galaxy’s Zoe Saldana said that it “feels like a cult.” For Emilia Clarke, however, it’s much easier to fend off people asking for Marvel spoilers than it was for Game of Thrones back in the day. The actress went on to share a certain move by the GOT showrunners that particularly affected Peter Dinklage: 

Apparently, both Emilia Clarke and Peter Dinklage are actors who prefer paper scripts over reading on a screen! David Benioff and Dan Weiss, who Clarke previously joked about not letting her slouch as Khaleesi on Game of Thrones, evidently went full Marvel to try and keep secrets later in the show’s run. 

Her comments back up what Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, a.k.a. Jaime Lannister himself, revealed about the final season. He shared that not only did the cast receive their scripts digitally, but those scenes vanished Mission: Impossible-style once they were finished filming! The showrunners’ efforts were sometimes thwarted, including that time when a Ferris wheel spoiled their secrecy plans.

Of course, it’s hard to blame anybody at Game of Thrones or HBO for being concerned about spoilers in light of security leaks. Four episodes from Season 5 were leaked early (with one cast member claiming that HBO did so deliberately), and Season 6 dealt with another leak. Multiple episodes of the eighth and final season hit the web before they aired on HBO, although that didn’t stop the show from hitting history-making ratings before the end. 

As recently as October 2022, the Season 1 finale of House of the Dragon leaked, so maybe the Game of Thrones spinoff will go into Marvel security mode as well! If so, Emilia Clarke presumably won’t have to deal with any of the measures, as the show is set centuries before her Game of Thrones character was born, and the actress herself isn’t watching HOTD.

If you want to revisit Emilia Clarke’s time as Daenerys Targaryen, you can find all eight seasons of Game of Thrones streaming with a Max subscription.

Just when you thought you could trust any street vehicle or mechanical device to not come alive before your eyes, the Transformers movies are back with a seventh installment that takes us into the 1990s. Director Steven Caple Jr.’s prequel (which hits theaters today) not only brings back a couple of your favorite Autobots (including Bumblebee), but also introduces some other “robots in disguise,” as well as some new human friends into the cinematic franchise. Let’s talk about all the characters (new and old), the actors in the Transformers: Rise of the Beasts cast who portray them, and what else you may recognize the performers from.

Anthony Ramos (Noah Diaz) 

The cast’s lead human character, struggling New Yorker Noah Diaz, is played by Anthony Ramos, who broke out as a theater performer by playing Usnavi in a 2012 production of In the Heights — which he reprised in the 2021 film adaptation — before reuniting with Lin-Manuel Miranda to originate the roles of John Laurens and Phillip Hamilton in the Hamilton cast. Some of his most notable screen acting credits include the crime drama, Monsters and Men, and Oscar-winning romance A Star is Born from 2018, and his next major gigs include the upcoming Marvel TV show, Ironheart, a Twister “sequel” called Twisters, and a sci-fi drama currently on the 2024 movies schedule called Distant.

Dominique Fishback (Elena Wallace) 

Joining Noah on his adventure with the Transformers, where her archeological expertise comes in handy, is Elena Wallace — arguably the biggest role to date for Dominique Fishback, outside of her BAFTA-nominated role in the Judas and the Black Messiah cast as Deborah Johnson. Before then, she led the 2018 drama, Night Comes On, appearing in The Hate U Give the same year, starred in the Netflix original sci-fi movie, Project Power, in 2020, starred opposite Samuel L. Jackson in Apple TV+’s The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey in 2022, and led Amazon Prime’s Swarm cast the following year.

Dean Scott Vazquez (Kris Diaz)

As Noah’s younger brother, Kris, we have Dean Soctt Vazquez, who last worked with Ramos when he made his feature film debut in the In the Heights cast as Sedo, following small guest roles in hit TV shows like Manifest and Mr. Robot. In 2022, the up-and-comer starred in a crime thriller called 9 Bullets and began voicing the title role of Nickelodeon’s Santiago of the Seas before starring in the feature-length comedy, Theater Camp, which comes out July 2023.

Luna Lauren Velez (Mrs. Diaz)

Starring as Noah and Kris’ mother is Luna Lauren Velez, who has previous experience playing the mother of a blockbuster's heroic lead character, having voiced Rio Morales in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and its 2023 sequel, Across the Spider-Verse. The actor is even better known for her TV roles, such as Maria LaGuerta in the Dexter cast, Dr. Gloria Nathan on Oz, and her recurring stint on How to Get Away with Murder as Soraya Hargrove. 

Tobe Nwigwe (Reek)

As Noah’s friend, Reek — a character inspired by Caple Jr.’s late friend, according to the director’s Instagram post — is Tobe Nwigwe in his feature film debut. The rapper’s previous acting credits include four episodes of the hit Netflix dramedy, Mo, and a role on creator Issa Rae’s funny Max original TV show, Rap Sh!t.

Peter Cullen (Optimus Prime)

Continuing his long-standing tenure as the voice of Optimus Prime is Peter Cullen, who is, undoubtedly, best known for playing the leader of the Autobots. However, the legendary voice actor has plenty more iconic roles to his name, having done vocal work for creatures like King Kong in the 1976 remake of the monster movie classic, the Predator in the 1987 original, and the Gremlins in the holiday horror movie classic from 1984, as well as the voice of Eeyore in countless Winnie the Pooh titles.

Ron Perlman (Optimus Primal)

Someone also known for lending his deep, distinct voice to many animated projects — most often as comic book villains like Clayface or Deathstroke — is Ron Perlman, who voices the gorilla-like leader of the Maximals, Optimus Primal. Some of the veteran actor’s best-known live-action roles include the title hero of Guillermo del Toro’s Hellboy movies, Clay Morrow in FX’s Sons of Anarchy cast, and Sterling Frost, Sr. in Peacock’s Poker Face cast more recently, to name a few.

Pete Davidson (Mirage)

Voicing a scrappy, sometimes rebellious Autobot named Mirage is Pete Davidson, who already has some notable voice acting roles on his impressive resume, including security guard Jerry in The Angry Birds Movie 2 and the titular Great Dane from Netflix’s Marmaduke movie. Some of his biggest roles include making his comic book movie debut as Blackguard in 2021’s The Suicide Squad, as a victim of a party game gone horribly wrong in Bodies Bodies Bodies, and fictionalized versions of himself in both The King of Staten Island and the Bupkis cast.

Peter Dinklage (Scourge)

Voicing Scourge — the leader of the Terrorcons — is Peter Dinklage, who has also lent his voice to the Angry Birds Movie franchise as Mighty Eagle, as well as the Ice Age movies franchise as Captain Gutt, and The Croods: A New Age voice cast as Phil Betterman. 

The four-time Emmy winner (all for his Game of Thrones cast stint as Tyrion Lannister) previously starred in live-action blockbusters like X-Men: Days of Future Past (in which he played the designer of a group of villainous robots) and Avengers: Infinity War (as a giant named Eitri), as well as giving memorable performances in smaller films like 2017’s Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri and Cyrano, as the title character, in 2021.

Michelle Yeoh (Airazor)

Voicing a winged Maximal named Airazor is Michelle Yeoh, whose previous blockbuster roles include two different MCU characters (Aleta Ogord in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Ying Nan in the Shang-Chi cast), while her voice acting roles include the Soothsayer in Kung Fu Panda 2 and Yuki in the Paws of Fury cast, more recently. 

The Malaysian-born Academy Award winner (for the Best Picture Oscar winner, Everything Everywhere All At Once) rose to fame by kicking butt in great action movies like Supercop and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon before stealing the show in the Crazy Rich Asians cast and the Disney+ original TV show, American Born Chinese.

Liza Koshy (Arcee)

As a loyal Autobot named Arcee, we have accomplished dancer and Internet personality Liza Koshy, who last played a movie character based on a popular toyline when she voiced Zipp Storm in 2021’s My Little Pony: A New Generation, in addition to voicing herself on Scooby-Doo and Guess Who? As for her live-action roles, her first major big screen credit was 2016’s Boo! A Madea Halloween before being cast on Hulu’s horror TV show, Freakish, landing her own YouTube original TV show (Liza on Demand), starring in Netflix’s 2020 dance movie, Work It, and judging contestants on NBC’s Dancing with Myself. 

Cristo Fernández (Wheeljack)

Wheeljack — an Autobot with ace mechanical skills — is voiced by Cristo Fernández, who is best known from Apple TV+’s Ted Lasso cast as Dani Rojas. Previously, he had a small role in 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home mid-credit scene as a bartender serving an out-of-place Eddie “venom” Brock (Tom Hardy) and, that same year, played a human taking on some very volatile aliens in the sci-fi comedy Creatures.

John DiMaggio (Stratosphere)

Stratosphere — an autobot disguised as a rickety military transport jet — is only the latest of many Transformers (on the big or small screen) played by accomplished voice actor John DiMaggio. He has far too many iconic roles to list here, but among the most notable include another haywire robot named Bender from Futurama (formerly), various DC characters (including one chilling depiction of the Joker), and Jake the Dog from Adventure Time, to name few. 

Michaela Jaé Rodriguez (Nightbird)

One of Scourge’s most fearsome and skilled Terrorcons is Nightbird, who is voiced by Michaela Jaé Rodriguez — the first transgender actor to be a part of the Transformers franchise and first to be nominated for a Lead Actress Emmy for playing Bianca Rodriguez on Ryan Murphy’s ballroom culture-inspired drama, Pose. The successful stage actress also starred in Netflix’s  tick, tick… BOOM! cast and later starred in Apple TV+’s Loot opposite Maya Rudolph in 2022.

Colman Domingo (Unicron)

As Unicron — the huge, planet-eating Transformer the Terrorcons answer to — we have Colman Domingo, who has never played such a frightening character before, but has starred in some frightening titles with his starring role in the Fear the Walking Dead cast and supporting role in the Candyman cast from 2021. The Emmy winner (for his guest spot in HBO’s Euphoria cast) has also starred in quite a few fact-based titles (such as Lincoln, 42, Selma, The Birth of a Nation, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, and Zola), previously worked with Euphoria creator Sam Levinson for 2018’s Assassination Nation, and starred opposite Michael B. Jordan in the Amazon Prime original movie, Without Remorse.

Now that we have uncovered who plays the “robots in disguise” and their human allies/enemies, you are prepared to see Transformers: Rise of the Beast in theaters now!

Since the early '60s, Pop-Tarts have been the go-to breakfast dish for anybody needing a quick meal before heading out the door. I guess it was only a matter of time before a movie was made, though who would've thought it would come decades later from Jerry Seinfeld? The iconic comedian directed Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story, which will eventually become available to anyone with a Netflix subscription, and in addition to being a part of it, he's also brought on some famous stars. 

The cast list for Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story is unbelievably stacked. A look down this list will show a who's who in comedy and get readers excited for this upcoming movie. Let's dive in and talk about some of the big names who will take part in this comedy movie. Full disclosure, we don't know the roles any of these actors and actresses are playing, but seeing them all together has me very excited about this project. 

Jerry Seinfeld

Comedian Jerry Seinfeld will star in Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story, which highlights the competition between Post and Kellogg's to produce a breakfast pastry in the early 1960s. Seinfeld is most known for his self-titled hit series, as well as his successful stand-up career. 

Melissa McCarthy

Melissa McCarthy is, without a doubt, one of the funniest women working in film. Whether it's Spy, Bridesmaids or any of her other notable movies, McCarthy is always on point with her ability to seamlessly meld quick wit with physical comedy. Hopefully all of that is happening in Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story, but we can only wait and see. 

Jim Gaffigan

Stand-up comedian Jim Gaffigan might be primarily known for his stage work, but he's had a pretty healthy career in both film and television. Readers might remember his TV Land series The Jim Gaffigan Show or some of the various other movies and shows he's played a small role in, one maybe you've heard some of his voice work over the years, like as Thunderbolt in Stargirl Season 2.

Amy Schumer

Amy Schumer turned down doing the Barbie movie, but she'll be in Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story in an undisclosed role. In addition to a highly-successful career in stand-up comedy, Schumer has found in just about every aspect of entertainment from film and television. 

Hugh Grant

Hugh Grant is an acting icon, and while he may not be the first person that comes to mind in a traditional comedy, he's had roles in quite a few entertaining ones over the years. One of my favorites had to be his recent cameo in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, but there are many other examples worth checking out. 

James Marsden

With Westworld officially in the rearview, James Marsden is in the cast of Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story. Marsden's career in film and television spans everywhere from X-Men to Enchanted. Having him aboard is a gift, and I expect his role will be a good one. 

Jack McBrayer

Jack McBrayer has come a long way from his days on 30 Rock, though a lot of the things folks love about his role on that comedy show are still present in some of his more recent works. I don't know officially what to expect from McBrayer, but I wouldn't be surprised if his positive-leaning Southern charm he's known for is on full display in whatever role he's been given. 

Thomas Lennon

It's hard to see Thomas Lennon and not see anything other than Lieutenant Jim Dangle of Reno 911. It's a credit to Lennon that his character has had the sort of longevity to still be relevant in 2023, though I'm sure we'll see him play someone entirely different in Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story. 

Adrian Martinez

Actor Adrian Martinez has popped around Hollywood on the film and television side in various roles since the early '90s. 2023 will be a big year for him with an appearance in Renfield, and it's possible we'll see Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story arrive then as well. 

Bobby Moynihan

Saturday Night Live veteran Bobby Moynihan has been added to cast of Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story. This is just another notch in the belt for Moynihan's growing film career and his already-impressive string of television roles. Given the amount of voice-acting the actor's done in recent years, I almost wonder if he might be a spokesperson for Pop-Tarts or something along those lines in this upcoming movie. 

Max Greenfield

Between his roles on New Girl and The Neighborhood, it's easy to see why any comedy would want to bring on Max Greenfield. He's a natural talent who also proved he has some dramatic acting skills, as well with projects like The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story. Hopefully he'll get a solid role in this film to further open up his career to other big roles. 

Christian Slater

Christian Slater's film and acting credits can't be summarized in a brief blurb, but luckily, he's enough of a household name we shouldn't have to run down the list. Suffice it to say that everyone should be thrilled he's in Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story, regardless of what he's doing. 

Sarah Cooper

Stand-up comedian Sarah Cooper will join the cast of Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story, and she's definitely one of the up-and-coming talents on this cast list. Anyone unfamiliar with her work should certainly check out her Netflix special Sarah Cooper: Everything's Fine to get ready for her upcoming performance in this movie. 

Rachael Harris

Lucifer fans should know actress Rachael Harris quite well, as she spent years on the main cast as Dr. Linda Martin. She's also had roles on numerous acclaimed comedies like Frasier and Ghosts, so she can bring a lot to this comedy film. 

Cedric Yarbrough

Cedric Yarbrough has done quite a bit in Hollywood throughout his career, though I daresay he's held any roles quite as prolific as his role as Deputy Jones on Reno 911. Now he's a part of Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story, and hopefully ready to wow the world with whatever he'll be doing in this comedy. 

Maria Bakalova

Bulgarian actress Maria Bakalova really burst out into Hollywood following Borat Subsequent Moviefilm and has slowly worked her way to larger roles in Hollywood. Her role in this movie is on the heels of her role as Cosmo the Spacedog on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, so 2023 could be a big year for the actress. 

Kyle Dunnigan

Stand-up comedian Kyle Dunnigan will appear Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story, and he'll join a lot of former co-stars in the process. Dunnigan was known for his role as "Craig" on Reno 911 and was a writer on Inside Amy Schumer. Suffice it to say he probably had a lot of friends on set. 

Peter Dinklage

Actor Peter Dinklage has jumped through a lot of genres in his career and proven he can do anything from fantasy projects like Game of Thrones to comedy outings like Elf. There's no telling what he'll be up to in Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story, but knowing Dinklage's talents, I'm sure it'll be good. 

Jon Hamm

Jon Hamm is rolling right on from his role in Top Gun: Maverick into Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story. It's quite a genre jump for Hamm, but no doubt the Emmy-winning actor is game for whatever the comedy brings his way.  

John Slattery

John Slattery will join his former Mad Men co-star in Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story. Though we know little about his role, Slattery is electric in almost any role he's taken on, and I wouldn't expect this comedy to be any different for him. 

Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story will stream on Netflix, but we're still waiting for an official release date. Hopefully, the movie will be as satisfying as a warm Pop-Tart, and it's hard to believe it won't be with this talented cast. 

It’s been four years since we last spent time in the Transformers film series via Bumblebee, but next year, the hiatus ends. Earlier today, the first trailer for Transformers: Rise of the Beasts dropped, giving us a taste of the cinematic debut of the Maximals, Predacons and Terrorcons. Following that preview, more cast members have been unveiled for the 2023 movie releases, including Game of Thrones’ Peter Dinklage.

As with any Transformers movie, Rise of the Beasts will spotlight some human characters, most notably Anthony Ramos’ Noah and Dominique Fishback’s Elena. But obviously the reason one goes to see a Transformers movie is to watch giant humanoid machine beings pummel each other, and with no shortage of those in Rise of the Beasts, that means there are numerous voice actors in the cast. On that note, Deadline reports that Peter Dinklage will voice Scourge, the leader of the Terrorcons who can turn into a black Peterbilt 359 logging semi truck. Dinklage is joined by Liza Kosher as Arcee, John DiMaggio as Stratosphere, David Sobolov as both Rhinox and Battletrap, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez as Nightbird, Cristo Fernández as Wheeljack, and Tobe Nwigwe as Reek.

While these a lot of new names to keep track of, they aren’t the first voice actors to be announced for Transformers: Rise of the Beasts. Along with Peter Cullen once again voicing Optimus Prime, we’ve known since June 2021 that Ron Perlman is voicing Optimus Primal, the leader of the Maximals who turns into a gorilla. Then in October, director Steven Caple Jr. shared that Michelle Yeoh and Pete Davidson are voicing Airazor and Mirage, respectively. So there will be a lot of new robots in disguise jumping into action for the first time in this summer blockbuster. 

Looking back on Peter Dinklage, who starred as Tyrion Lannister for the entirety of Game of Thrones, this is the latest of many voice acting gigs he’s scored over his career. His other credits in this field include Ice Age: Continental Drift, the Angry Birds movies and The Croods: A New Age. Dinklage has also starred in blockbusters like X-Men: Days of Future Past and Avengers: Infinity War, and he’ll play Casca Highbottom in next year’s The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.

Taking place in 1994, seven years after the events of Bumblebee, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts will follow Noah and Elena going on a globe-trotting adventure with Optimus Prime and the Autobot that will see them teaming up with the Maximals against the Predacon and Terrorcon factions. Rise of the Beasts is intended to be the first of three new installments in the Transformers film series, and we’re also getting an animated prequel movie set on Cybertron that’s scheduled for July 2024.

You’ll be able to hear Peter Dinklage and the rest of Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’ voice cast when the movie hits the big screen on June 9, 2023. If you’re interested in watching Bumblebee beforehand, you can do with a Paramount+ subscription.

With just over a year to go before The Hunger Games prequel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is set to hit theaters, we finally have more than a single still that looks more like a romantic comedy than the dystopian thriller it will be. As the upcoming 2023 movie continues to shoot in Europe, an official video from the set of the movie has just come out. 

The official TikTok account released a nearly minute video of one of the movie’s stars, West Side Story’s Rachel Zegler, giving us a set tour of sorts on The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Check it out: 

I’ll admit, after the first image of the Hunger Games prequel came out, my interest waned for the book adaptation, but this video just got me super excited for the movie again. Of course, The Ballad of Songbird of Snakes is based off Suzanne Collins’ novel of the same name which follows President Snow before he led Panem. He is just a teen, and in the above video, we see him in his curly hair hanging around Panem back in the day. 

Rachel Zegler brings a ton of personality to the video, making it look like a coming-of-age teen comedy, when in fact the end product will be a lot more dire and dramatic. At the beginning of the video, she goes up to the movie’s Snow, played by Tom Blyth, who looks like he’s already in character. 

In the TikTok, Zegler takes us to video village, where it looks like Nina Jacobson is keeping a close eye on the footage as she has with all the other Hunger Games movies. You can also catch a glimpse of Peter Dinklage on set, who will play Casca Highbottom, dean of the Academy Snow attends. However, it looks like he was rehearsing rather than performing considering he was just in a t-shirt. 

Zegler also introduced us to Josh Rivera, who was also her costar in West Side Story and is reportedly her real-life boyfriend. Rivera will play Sejanus Plinth, a close friend to Snow in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Zegler didn’t look to be in any costume in the video, and is unlikely to be in the shots being filmed in the set video. But as she says in the video, she’ll be playing Lucy Gray Baird in the movie. Lucy is the District 12 tribute who Snow is chosen to mentor for the 10th Hunger Games. 

If you’ve yet to read The Hunger Games prequel, Lucy is so much different than Katniss, folks. Actually, the prequel will be different from the main franchise we know and love for a lot of reasons. As the franchise continues, Jennifer Lawrence has given her blessing to the new cast, advising them to “have the best time” which looks to be the case. 

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is set to hit theaters on November 17, 2023. We’ll keep you updated here on CinemaBlend as we learn more about the project. 

Seven years ago, the main Hunger Games film series closed out with Mockingjay — Part 2, but in late 2023, moviegoers will have the opportunity to return to Panem, albeit in the past rather than following the events of the first four movies. The film adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ prequel novel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes has been putting together its cast over the last few months, and today brings word that Game of Thrones star Peter Dinklage has been added to the lineup.

Peter Dinklage will star in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes as Casca Highbottom, dean of the Academy, the most prestigious school in Panem’s Capitol. Director Francis Lawrence, who previously helmed the latter three Hunger Games movies, said the following in an official statement about Dinklage’s involvement in the prequel:

Nathan Kahane, president of Lionsgate’s Motion Picture Group, also said that Peter Dinklage will “bring a formidable, charismatic authority to the important role” of Casca Highbottom. No spoilers here for those who haven’t read The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and want to go into the movie as freshly as possible, but Highbottom’s role is indeed important, not just to this story, but the deeper Hunger Games mythology. So while we obviously don’t know exactly how much screen time Dinklage will have in this upcoming movie, don’t count on it being a cameo.

As already indicated, Peter Dinklage is well known for playing Tyrion Lannister throughout the entirety of Game of Thrones’ run, and his other genre work include playing Trumpkin in The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, Bolivar Trask in X-Men: Days of Future Past and Eitri in Avengers: Infinity War. Along with The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Dinklage’s other upcoming projects include leading the Toxic Avenger reboot. Dinklage was most recently seen on the big screen in Cyrano co-starring alongside Haley Bennett, Kelvin Harrison Jr. and Ben Mendelsohn.

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes follows Coriolanus Snow, the future president of Panem who was played by Donald Sutherland in the Hunger Games movies, as an 18-year old who’s been tasked with mentoring Lucy Gray Baird, the girl tribute from District 12, for the 10th annual Hunger Games. Billy the Kid star Tom Blyth will play Snow in the movie, and West Side Story actress Rachel Zegler has been cast as Lucy. In addition to these two and Peter Dinklage, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’ cast includes Hunter Schafer as Tigris and Jason Schwartzman as Lucretius “Lucky” Flickerman, among many others.

Keep checking back with CinemaBlend for more updates on The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, which opens in theaters on November 17, 2023. Look through our 2023 release schedule to see what other movies coming out next year catch your eye.

It’s been almost three years since HBO’s Game of Thrones aired its final episode, but the series’ cultural footprint is still felt. Even after its divisive finale, the world still discusses both the good and the bad of those eight seasons of stories. On the better side of that spectrum is the fact that fans still love to throw one of Peter Dinklage’s most memorable lines at him in public, and their choice makes total sense. 

During a chat with BBC’s Ali Plumb, Dinklage reflected on several of his catchphrases delivered as Tyrion Lannister. Admitting that part of the entire Game of Thrones empire came from merch that bore various saying he became famous for, it all came down to one piece of knowledge that you could probably quote without question. According to Peter Dinklage, here’s which line he’s best known for: 

For a line that’s so iconic and identifiable with Peter Dinklage’s character, it’s surprising that it comes pretty late in Game of Thrones’ run. Uttered in Season 6’s second episode, “Home,” it rests among other lines like “Death is boring,” “A mind needs books,” and of course, “A Lannister always pays his debts” as some of Dinklage’s greatest hits. Yet the most often cited, and potentially best marketed saying has to be the one in the clip below:          

Even with appearances in both X-Men: Days of Future Past and Avengers: Infinity War, as well as an emotional performance in Joe Wright’s Cyrano, Peter Dinklage still gets quite a bit of love for his turn as Tyrion Lannister. If he’d followed his original instincts, Dinklage wouldn’t have taken the role and changed the face of pop culture history for sure. Further explaining his appreciation, the award-winning actor explained why it doesn’t bug him all that much: 

The future has a ton of quotable promise for Peter Dinklage, as he’s set to take part in The Toxic Avenger reboot. There’s plenty of room in the Game of Thrones lexicon for more memorable gems as well, with House of the Dragon set to be not too different from its predecessor. Who knows where the next “I drink, and I know things” will come from in pop culture? All we can really do is appreciate how Peter Dinklage seized the opportunity written for him, delivering an indelible memory for fans to quote early and often. 

House of the Dragon is supposed to debut on HBO and HBO Max later in the 2022 TV season, with no specific date mentioned but a hype-worthy trailer on display. If you’re looking for something new to watch, and a little closer in the calendar, take a look at the TV premieres that are slated for the winter and spring seasons. Finally, if you’re looking to catch Peter Dinklage in Cyrano, the film is currently showing in limited release. 

Cyrano starring Peter Dinklage is finally hitting theaters! We sat down with director Joe Wright last fall to discuss the making of the movie, working with actors, our love Atonement, and that iconic one-er at Dunkirk and more. 

Also this week, we dive into the controversy surrounding the Oscars choosing to prerecord and cut down 8 categories for this year's Academy Awards ceremony rather than present them live. The Critics’ Choice Super Awards might be the populist film problem with most awards shows, and we discuss the recent nominations. 

Timestamps (approx. only)

00:00:00 - Intro
00:03:47 - Interview with Joe Wright
00:32:06 - Academy Awards Controversy
00:53:35 - Critics Choice Super Awards
01:03:25 - Cast List for Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer
01:04:45 - This Week In Movies
01:05:00 - Studio 666 Review
01:13:00 - Cyrano Review
01:20:15 - John Singleton Blend

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The Marvel Cinematic Universe has become a behemoth property, with countless iconic characters making up its various franchises. There are a number of highly anticipated upcoming Marvel movies, chief among them being Taika Waititi’s Thor: Love and Thunder. But is Peter Dinklage in Thor 4? Here’s what he says.

Game of Thrones icon and comic book movie vet Peter Dinklage made his MCU debut as Eitri in Avengers: Infinity War. He had a small but very important role, crafting Thor’s new weapon Stormbreaker alongside Groot and Rocket. Dinklage was recently asked if he’ll be returning to the MCU in Phase Four, responding with:

Well, that’s certainly intriguing. Peter Dinklage seems to be hinting at a role in Thor: Love and Thunder, which would be his sophomore appearance in the MCU. Considering the little we know about Taika Waititi’s blockbuster, there does seem to be room for Eitri to factor into the story.

Peter Dinklage’s cryptic comments about Thor: Love and Thunder come from a recent appearance on the Empire Podcast. Eventually the conversation turned to his role in the MCU, where it was hinted that he might be in Chris Hemsworth’s upcoming sequel. Now the question is: how meaty of a role will the Cyrano actor have? 

While Taika Waititi and company have been keeping their cards close to the chest, some information about Thor: Love and Thunder has trickled out thanks to merchandise. One recent revelation is that when Natalie Portman’s Mighty Thor wields Mjolnir, the weapon will feature cracks that harken back to Hela destroying it in Ragnarok. And who better to put it back together than the legendary weapon maker Eitri?

This is all theorizing at this point, but there’s no telling where Taika Waititi will take us throughout the course of Thor: Love and Thunder’s runtime. The Oscar-winning filmmaker has teased that it’ll be bigger and crazier than Ragnarok, and the movie's definitely boasting an ensemble cast. And the upcoming blockbuster also marks the first time a Marvel hero has been given a fourth solo flick.

While there have been some leaks from Thor: Love and Thunder’s set, the movie’s overall plot remains a total mystery. Marvel fans are thrilled about the inclusion of the Guardians of the Galaxy, although they’re not expected to have that big of roles. Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster will also return to the MCU after being noticeably absent throughout Phase Three. In addition to transforming into Mighty Thor, she’ll seemingly be adapting the character’s cancer plot line from the comics.

Thor: Love and Thunder is currently expected to arrive in theaters on July 8th. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

Thanks to awards season, winter of any given year is typically overflowing with spectacular prestige pictures designed to delight cinephiles the world over. This year is no different, as some of the best filmmakers working today have been releasing some brilliant movies in the last couple months – and one of the great highlights among them is Joe Wright’s new musical Cyrano. Nominated for 4 BAFTAs, including Outstanding British Film, the film features a spectacular cast, an amazing soundtrack and is a wonderful story. It’s an emotional cinematic experience you really don’t want to miss.

Based on the classic play Cyrano de Bergerac, and adapted based on the 2018 stage musical of the same name, the new movie tells the tale of its titular hero, Cyrano, (played by Game of Thrones star Peter Dinklage) – who is a soldier left suffering through life as a result of bottled emotions, caused by the fact that he can’t tell the target of his affections his true feelings. He has been in love with his best friend, Roxanne (Haley Bennett), for almost as long as he has known her, but fear that she doesn’t feel the same way about him forces him to hide how much he cares for her. When he learns that Roxanne has fallen for Christian (Kelvin Harrison Jr.), a new cadet in his regiment, Cyrano agrees to help the young man woo the beautiful woman, and in doing so the protagonist finds himself expressing his real emotions to his beloved through his romantic rival.

It’s a great adventure full of terrific drama, humor, and music, and while there are a great number of reasons why you should make a special effort to see the film on the big screen, here are five specific ones that will hopefully motivate you to buy a ticket.

Peter Dinklage Delivers A Phenomenal Performance

It’s certainly an open secret that Peter Dinklage is a talented actor. From The Station Agent to Game Of Thrones, he has consistently delivered spectacular and emotional turns that have earned him tremendous respect and excellent reputation. This reputation is only further bolstered by his performance as Cyrano. The film marks his first time playing the romantic lead in a film, and as the eponymous character his performance is full of great wit and deep emotions as a man who lets his pride get in the way of his heart – preventing him from confessing his true feelings to the woman he loves. He is surrounded by a stellar supporting cast, all of whom are also brilliant, but Dinklage’s work here is next level, and some of the best work we’ve seen from him in his perpetually impressive career.

It’s An Enchanting And Inspirational Love Story

Based on a true story, the original play Cyrano de Bergerac – written by Edmond Rostand – is well over a century old at this point, but the fact that it is still as impressive and meaningful today as ever is perfect proof of how genuine and heartfelt the material is. As ever, society is riddled with judgements about class and perceptions of beauty, and the new movie is a story about how far too frequently those aesthetics can be rigorous opponents of truth and authentic emotion. While changing a few of the plot elements, but maintaining the original setting, screenwriter Erica Schmidt has sincerely and earnestly captured all of the most important themes and truisms of the original tale, and it feels just as powerful now as it must have felt in the late 19th century. It has a great deal to say about romance without ever feeling schmaltzy or overbearing, and the themes and message of the piece are genuinely inspirational. 

The Movie Has Humor To Match Its Big Heart

The film is primarily a romantic drama, as it’s the intense pangs of unrequited love that drive the plot up until its deeply emotional conclusion, but part of what makes the musical such a stirring cinematic experience is its blend of tones – specifically the regular injections of humor. The movie never loses its commitment to its period setting, which extends to the dialogue, but in this cadence the movie finds many moments to be witty and fun, which serves to only further endear an audience to the cast of characters. Peter Dinklage’s eponymous hero has a wicked tongue that has the ability to tear down any clown who shows him disrespect, but there is also a sparking comedic chemistry between him and Kelvin Harrison Jr.’s Christian that regularly inspires wide smiles. 

The Soundtrack Is Exhilarating And Emotional

Recent months have been huge for the big screen musical, as genre fans have seen some fantastic new releases hit theaters, and it’s with that in mind that this sentiment should hold a lot of water: the soundtrack for Cyrano is among the best in recent memory. Aaron and Bryce Dessner, best known as members of the band The National, composed the music for the new movie, with lead singer Matt Berninger contributing lyrics, and the songs are wonderful. The incredibly emotional "Heaven Is Wherever I Fall" is the highlight of the tracklist, sung from the perspective of soldiers penning goodbyes to loved ones as they prepare for a deadly charge on the battlefield, but every ballad featured is gorgeous and performed brilliantly by the cast. 

Joe Wright’s Direction And Seamus McGarvey’s Cinematography Are Gorgeous

Making the film all the more impressive is the fact that it’s Joe Wright’s first venture into the musical genre – the director best known for period dramas like The Darkest Hour and Pride & Prejudice. He proves himself a natural with the material. The movie reteams Wright with cinematographer Seamus McGarvey – who earned Oscar nominations for two of his previous collaborations with the director (Atonement, Anna Karenina) – and they create cinema magic with a vast collection of bold musical sequences featuring sweeping and striking camera work. It’s an adaptation that utilizes every advantage of the medium, as it’s as aesthetically stunning as it is dramatic in its storytelling.

Cyrano will be in cinemas in the UK on February 25, and for all of the reasons noted above and more, you should definitely do yourself a favour and see it on the big screen.

With Oscar nominations right around the corner, CinemaBlend is taking a look at which films and performances are likely to be in contention for nominations. Let’s look at a the Lead Actor race. 

Locked In

Benedict Cumberbatch's deeply layered, tortured performance in The Power of the Dog is earning him the best reviews of his career. His film is also one of the biggest all-around contenders of the year, making him an absolute lock that you could rest easy betting your house on.

With a Golden Globe win under his belt for King Richard, Will Smith stands as a top contender in the category. His portrayal of Richard Williams is charming, funny, and heartfelt. It’s the kind of transformative leading role from an A list star that the Oscars can’t possibly pass up on.

Also carrying an emotionally heavy biopic is Andrew Garfield who will easily sing his way to a nomination for his portrayal of musical-theatre icon Jonathan Larsen in Tick, tick… Boom! His energetic, endearing performance is winning over critics and audiences alike, and it doesn’t hurt that Garfield is having an incredible year with appearances in The Eyes of Tammy Faye and Spider-Man: No Way Home

Denzel Washington is eyeing his 9th acting nomination for The Tragedy of Macbeth. Though the film is iffy as a Best Picture candidate, Washington’s towering performance will be impossible to ignore, especially since he’s an Academy favorite. 

Likely Bets

The four aforementioned actors were all nominated at SAG, Golden Globe, and Critics Choice, meaning there may only be one slot up for grabs. Javier Bardem’s performance as Desi Arnaz in Being the Ricardos. Despite controversy over his casting and having been largely ignored by critics groups, the actor secured a couple major industry award nominations at the Golden Globe and SAG awards. This makes the three-time nominee a strong candidate for the fifth slot. 

Peter Dinklage took a hit when he missed the SAG nomination, despite being a winner and previous nominee for Game of Thrones and The Station Agent, respectively. The film’s momentum has died a bit, with the studio delaying the release until after nominations. But Dinklage is a well respected actor, and many may feel it’s his time. This category hasn’t seen a lineup without a first-time nominee in 41 years, and Dinklage could keep that stat going.

Dark Horses

The past three Leonardo DiCaprio films nominated for best picture were coupled with a lead actor nomination for the actor. Don’t Look Up might break this streak, as it has failed to gain traction for any of its individual cast members at precursors. We can’t overlook the possibility of a surprise, but if Leo couldn’t get a SAG nomination, I don’t see how he can get the Oscar nomination.

I don’t see anyone else as having much of a chance, but perhaps Nicolas Cage in Pig, or Mahershala Ali in Swan Song could pull off a surprise.

Check back here at CinemaBlend for more category breakdowns including Adapted Screenplay, Original Screenplay, Supporting Actor and Supporting Actress.

Over the past few years, there’s been an ongoing conversation about representation in the media. In addition to calls for projects to become more inclusive in regards to race or sexual identity, there’s also been discourse regarding disabled indivuals. And Dylan Postl, aka WWE’s Hornswoggle, has shared his own thoughts about Peter Dinklage revealing concerns about Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs remake.

Disney has had a habit of making live-action remakes of their classics, with Rachel Zegler set to star in the upcoming spin on Snow White. But Game of Thrones icon Peter Dinklage took umbrage with this project, specifically regarding how folks from the dwarfism community are perceived by the public. But Dylan Postl aka Hornswoggle doesn’t seem to agree, as he recently shared in an interview,

There you have it. While Peter Dinklage doesn’t want to see little people in stereotypical roles like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, there’s another perspective to consider. Because Dylan Postl thinks that would have been a great opportunity for seven performers to make it onto the big screen. After all, a Disney movie is a dream job for many actors.

Dylan Postl shared his two cents about the ongoing Snow White situation in a conversation with the Daily Mail. He makes a fair assessment referring to Peter Dinklage as perhaps the most successful dwarf actor of all time. This is due to his iconic run as Tyrion Lannister in Game of Thrones, as well as his upcoming projects like Cyrano. And Hornswoggle himself would like to see more little people on the big screen.

Later in that same interview, Dylan Postl went on to speak about the various roles Peter Dinklage has taken during his years in TV and film when making his argument. In the WWE alum’s own words,

To clarify, Dylan Postl does misspeak here. Peter Dinklage didn’t appear in The Lord of the Rings of the Hobbit trilogy. He may instead be referencing Dinklage’s role in The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. But one can see the point he's trying to make.

For his part, Peter Dinklage didn’t hold back when speaking about Snow White. During his now-viral comments, he dropped an F-bomb to express his disappointment in Disney bringing back such stereotypical dwarf roles. As he put it,

This statement eventually resulted in Disney issuing its own statement, ensuring that the new Snow White movie has a new take on the seven dwarfs, and is consulting with members of the dwarfism community. We’ll just have to wait and see how this all shakes out.

Snow White is in pre-production now and is expected to hit theaters sometime in 2023. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

After years spent in development, Disney’s live-action Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs remake is finally making steady progress forward, with West Side Story’s Rachel Zegler being cast as the title princess and production expected to begin soon. However, earlier this week, Game of Thrones star Peter Dinklage called out Disney about the upcoming project, which resulted in the studio responding to his concerns soon after. Now comedian Brad Williams, who, like Dinklage, has achondroplasia (a type of dwarfism), has weighed in on the matter.

For those who missed out on Peter Dinklage’s comments, the actor said that despite Disney being “progressive” with its casting of Snow White, the studio is still choosing to adapt a classic fairytale that he sees as “fucking backwards” with its depictions of dwarfs. Disney then revealed that this remake is “taking a different approach with these seven characters,” and that there’s been consultation with “members of the dwarfism community.” Here’s what Brad Williams had to say about Disney’s forthcoming take on Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs when TMZ caught up with him:

On the one hand, Brad Williams agrees with Peter Dinklage about it being somewhat regressive to bring Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to the big screen again with regards to the title seven men, even if a Latina actress has been cast as Snow White, a role often played by white actresses. But on the other hand, Williams acknowledged that this movie could be a way for him, along with other performing little people, to get a role in a major motion picture.

Thinking outside the box, Brad Williams also suggested a way Disney’s live-action Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs could be progressive without causing issues with the dwarfism community, and it would require setting the Prince who shows up at the end to the sidelines. In the comedian’s words:

Brad Williams added that all of the seven dwarves are “self made” as diamond miners, have a nice house and won’t hesitate to protect her, whereas the Prince radiates “Do you know who my father is?” energy. When the interviewer brought up how some people think Dinklage is “singlehandedly” taking away roles from seven little people because of his Snow White comments, Williams countered that Hollywood is doing that more by “not providing more roles” to little people, while Dinklage is “pretty much the only one working in Hollywood that doesn’t play stereotypical dwarf roles.” 

Time will tell exactly how Disney’s live-action version of Show White and the Seven Dwarfs differs from the animated movie Disney released in 1937. That said, in addition to Rachel Zegler, the remake’s cast includes Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen and Andrew Burnap as an unidentified male lead who’s neither the Prince nor the Huntsman. The Amazing Spider-Man’s Marc Webb is directing the feature.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is just one of many Disney movies coming up on the live-action remakes/re-imaginings front. The next one on the slate is Pinocchio, which will hit Disney+ sometime in late 2022 (and not to be confused with Guillermo de Toro’s Pinocchio movie for Netflix), followed by The Little Mermaid coming out in theaters on May 26, 2023.

Game of Thrones was a cultural phenomenon. It dominated conversation, and filled in some of the gaps that were left by the departure of The Sopranos and The Wire. Plus, it generated tremendous interest in the writing of George R.R. Martin as well as the acting talents of incredibly talented people like Emilia Clarke, Maisie Williams, Sophie Turner, Lena Headey, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Peter Dinklage, all playing significant characters across the show's eight seasons. The show is so major nowadays it’s easy to forget what a gamble this expensive epic of bloodlust, adultery, incest, dragons, and White Walkers must have been for the suits at HBO. Who knew if it was going to work? But work, it did, and that’s part of the reason why Dinklage is confident in the upcoming Game of Thrones prequel, even though he knows it’s bound to be quite different than the show he worked on for nearly a decade. 

Peter Dinklage opened up about his time on Game of Thrones while appearing on an episode of Marc Maron’s podcast, WTF, and in the process offered up his opinion about the announced prequel series, House of the Dragon. The story will be set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones, but it will dig deep into a history that Thrones fans will recognize - the downfall of House Targaryen. As for the content, Dinklage told Maron:

He’s talking about Martin, Ryan J. Condal, and Miguel Sapochnik – collaborators who had their fingerprints all over Game of Thrones (especially the strongest episode including Hardhome, The Battle of the Bastards, and The Bells). So Peter Dinklage knows, intimately, the approach that these storytellers will bring to The House of the Dragon, even though fans had a problem with the show's ending. Which is why, as he continued opening up to Marc Maron, he emphasized:

He’s right about the fact that Game of Thrones took a while to find its largest audience, probably because no one really knew what to expect from the series as it worked its way through its first season. Hell, the first episode ended up with a brother and sister sleeping together, then trying to kill a child to hide its secret. Not quite a “gather the whole family together for an hour of television” type of programming. And we expect The House of The Dragon to push similar taboo envelopes when it debuts. Make sure you have your HBO Max subscriptions are up to date, because the show is coming in 2022 (at an undetermined date). But let’s give it a few episodes before we deem it or dismiss it as one of the best HBO Max shows airing now, or ever before. 

When it comes to iconic HBO shows, one that always comes to mind first is Game of Thrones. One character that everyone loved was Tyrion Lannister, the youngest of the Lannister siblings. 

While the Season 8 ending of Game of Thrones was less than stellar to many fans, the one great thing that kept coming was Peter Dinklage’s performance as the famous Lannister, and his many lines of wisdom and wit. Here are some great Tyrion Lannister quotes from Game of Thrones.  

“Wear It Like Armor” (Season 1, “Winter Is Coming”)

Much of the Game of Thrones cast was together from the very first episode, and that included both Peter Dinklage as Tyrion and Kit Harington as Jon Snow. But, before Snow was off becoming King of the North and using Longclaw (a sword Harington compared to his new weapon in the MCU), he was a young man who had been treated terribly his whole life because of being born a bastard.

When Tyrion met Jon in “Winter Is Coming,” the first episode of the series, he offers Jon this key piece of advice: “Never forget what you are. The rest of the world won’t. Wear it like armor, and it can never be used to hurt you.”

Not only is it great guidance for someone like Jon, who had had issues trying to figure out his path in life due to his unknown heritage, it’s a great message for the rest of us, too. 

“What Sort Of Imbecile Arms An Assassin With His Own Blade?” (Season 1, “The Wolf And The Lion”) 

I mean, he’s not wrong. In the Season 1 episode, “The Wolf and the Lion,” when Catelyn has captured Tyrion and assumes that he made the attempt on Brandon's life, after she discovered a dagger, he responds with the above quote. 

It would be quite foolish of him to walk around with a blade he'd tried to have used on Bran. It’s the way in which he responds that makes it so much funnier. 

“Death Is So Final, Yet Life Is Full Of Possibilities.” (Season 1, “The Kingsroad”)

Another great quote from Season 1, during the episode, “The Kingsroad,” features Tyrion and Jaime speaking about Bran’s fall and subsequent coma. Jaime says that even if Bran awakens, he’ll be a cripple, noting that he'd wish for a clean death any day over that. 

However, Tyrion responds to that with disagreement, saying that even if he was crippled, it’s better than death because, “Death is so final, yet life is full of possibilities. I hope the boy does wake.” 

Definitely true, as there is much uncertainty when it comes to death. However, life has so much going for it. Tyrion's point is that it's better to live every day with a new state of mind or in a changed body (i.e. losing the use of one's legs, like Bran did), rather than to be dead and not get the chance to continue living. 

“It’s Hard To Put A Leash On A Dog Once You’ve Put A Crown On Its Head” (Season 2, “A Man Without Honor”) 

Joffrey Baratheon (played by the very talented Jack Gleeson) was a piece of human scum, and I’m sure you guys feel the same way. While Tyrion always had to tread very carefully around his family, he often tried to portray his feelings about the boy to his mother. He says the above in Season 2's “A Man Without Honor,” as delicately as he can when Cersei laments about Joffrey’s fits of power. 

Damn, talk about a mic drop. Not only did he insult her son in a decently civilized manner, but it spoke volumes about Joffrey, saying that before he was made king he was a piece of work. Now, it's that much harder to control his horrible impulses. 

“I Try To Know As Many People As I Can.” (Season 3, “Dark Wings, Dark Words”) 

This line is not only funny with context, but is honestly quite telling of Tyrion as a character. In the Season 3 episode, “Dark Wings, Dark Words,” Shae and Tyrion are talking about Sansa, and she’s worried for the girl since Lord Baelish’s friend spoke to her about him. Tyrion responds, saying that Baelish doesn’t have any friends. 

Shae answers that it was a woman, and Tyrion immediately knows that it had to have been Ros. Shae asks how she knows him, because Ros is a prostitute, but Tyrion responds simply, “I try to know as many people as I can. You never know which one you’ll need.”

The conversation after is funny, with Shae accusing him of having sex with her (as Tyrion had), but it also says a lot about Tyrion, because truly, he does know literally everyone. It’s how he ended up somehow alive and still in a king’s court after that crazy Game of Thrones finale. 

“I Did Not Kill Joffrey, But I Wish That I Had!” (Season 4, “The Laws Of Gods And Men) 

This scene always leaves me in awe of Dinklage’s acting talent. In the infamous courtroom scene in during “The Laws of Gods and Men” in Season 4 of Game of Thrones, Tyrion is put on trial for Joffrey's murder. 

When Shae testifies against him, that is the last straw, and Tyrion cracks, snapping at everyone, practically snarling at the court, “I did not kill Joffrey, but I wish that I had! Watching your vicious bastard die gave me more relief than a thousand lying whores!”

The ferocity in which this statement was said always sends shivers down my spine, and will forever be my favorite Tyrion scene of the whole show, hands down. 

“I Drink - And I Know Things” (Season 6, “Home”) 

I mean, come on. Probably one of the most iconic lines of the whole show. In the Season 6 episode, “Home,” when Daenerys flew off on Drogon after the Sons of the Harpy attack, Tyrion, Missandei, and Greyworm were left all alone, wondering what to do. Tyrion worries about the dragons below, saying they wouldn’t do well in captivity. 

Missandei asks how he knows this, and Tyrion simply responds, “That’s what I do - I drink and I know things.” 

I mean, there honestly isn’t a better quote that sums up this man. That literally is what he does. He drinks and he knows things. I’m pretty sure I have a mug with this saying on it. It’s simple perfection. 

“You're In The Great Game Now — And The Great Game Is Terrifying.” (Season 6, “The Winds Of Winter”) 

Okay, let’s pretend the finale of Season 8 didn’t happen. Let’s pretend what happened to Daenerys didn’t happen. When she finally got the ships to sail across the Narrow Sea to Dragonstone in “The Winds of Winter,” at the end of Season 6, we were all hyped. And when she chose Tyrion to be the Hand of the Queen, we were even more hyped.  

She has an honest conversation with Tyrion right before they’re getting ready to go, and he asks her if she’s afraid. When she answers honestly and nods, he responds with, “Good, you’re in the great game now. And the great game is terrifying.” 

This quote is one of my favorites because it really shows just how much more Daenerys had to overcome for her crown. Even after taking down the slave cities, getting a whole army, and becoming the ruler of Meereen, it was now that she was in the Great Game, and that this was the real challenge. One that she should be terrified of. And the fact that her Hand of the Queen, Tyrion, said this, makes it all the more memorable. 

“Our People Haven’t Been Friends In The Past.” (Season 8, “Winterfell”) 

The last season of Game of Thrones was, ah, not well-received - for lack of better words. But, that doesn’t mean Tyrion didn’t have at least one last good line in him. 

When Tyrion, Daenerys, Jon, and everyone else arrived in Winterfell to discuss how to approach the Night King and everything else, he brought up this important key fact to both sides when tensions began to rise: “Our people haven’t been friends in the past. But we must fight together now. Or die.”

Simple, straightforward, and to the point. He’s basically saying, “the enemy of my enemy is my friend,” and in order for them to survive the Long Night, they needed to get over their differences and learn to survive together. 

I’m always going to miss Tyrion and the whole cast of Game of Thrones, but at least I can re-watch and enjoy Tyrion’s best quotes.

Given how much success Disney has had with the live-action remakes of its classic animated movies over the last decade, it stood to reason that eventually it would turn its gaze to 1937’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, the studio’s first full-length animated feature film. However, yesterday Game of Thrones star Peter Dinklage expressed concerns about the Mouse House tackling a Snow White remake, namely over the title seven men that help out the princess protagonist. Now Disney has issued a response to his comments.

For those who missed it, during his recent appearance on WTF with Marc Maron, Peter Dinklage talked about how even with the “progressive” casting choice of West Side Story’s Rachel Zegler, a Latina actress, playing the live-action Snow White, Disney is still telling a “fucking backward story about seven dwarfs living in a cave together.” Here’s what Disney had to say about the actor’s remarks:

Peter Dinklage did acknowledge that he’d be interested in a version of the Snow White story with “the most fucked up, cool, progressive spin on it,” and while you can be sure Disney won’t describe its remake in that exact way, evidently the studio is taking steps to ensure that the Seven Dwarfs are handled in an appropriate way. In its writeup on Disney’s statement, THR shared that in the three years since the live-action Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs started development, Disney “has been reimagining the dwarf characters since the earliest stages.” The studio also brought on “cultural consultants” for its Aladdin and Mulan remakes.

We’ll have to wait until after the live-action Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs remake comes out to learn how Peter Dinklage thought about how those seven characters were handled. No doubt much of that will hinge on whether this is one of Disney’s more “traditional” remakes, like Beauty and the Beast and The Jungle Book, or if we’re getting something more akin to Dumbo or Mulan, where major creative liberties are taken with the original story. At the bare minimum, I wouldn’t be surprised if the seven dwarfs in this version aren’t named Doc, Grumpy, Sleepy, Happy, Bashful, Sneezy and Dopey.

One way the live-action Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs film adaptation will distinguish itself from its animated predecessor is with Tony-winngng actor Andrew Burnap being cast as new male lead character; i.e. he’s not playing The Prince or The Huntsman. The Snow White remake will also star Gal Gadot as The Evil Queen, while behind the scenes, The Amazing Spider-Man’s Marc Webb is directing. An official filming start date hasn’t been announced yet, but like Disney indicated in its statement, production’s kicking off soon.

As soon as any significant details about the live-action Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs remake arrive, including when it will be released to the public, we’ll let you know. Those of you now itching to rewatch the original just need to have a Disney+ subscription.

Peter Dinklage has been riding high lately after receiving acclaim and multiple award nominations for his performance in Cyrano. From Avengers: Infinity War to The Station Agent to Death at a Funeral, Dinklage has excelled in every role while being a great representative of his community. He's is also known for being vocal, and one film recently led him to call out Disney. The Game of Thrones alum gave his honest thoughts on the live-action Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

The actor who played Bolivar Trask in X-Men: Days of Future Past (who almost resurfaced in X-Men: Apocalypse) has been a glowing example of how successful the little person community can go in Hollywood. It’s been his work and talent that led to him obtaining A-list status. So, it’s no surprise that the Emmy winner might have some issues with Disney’s upcoming live adaptation of Snow White. Peter Dinklage let his feelings be known during an interview on the podcast WTF with Marc Maron. He seemed to question the House of Mouse’s idea of representation, as he commented:

The Station Agent star was looking at the film from a little person’s perspective. He appeared to be forewarning Disney of a possible backlash if they move forward with the original story. Of course, Peter Dinklage wasn’t done with the multimedia company, as he called it out for the story’s portrayal of little people:

For decades, Peter Dinklage has been fighting the good fight, but felt his efforts haven’t been enough. He viewed the upcoming live-action adaptation as a potential setback for his community.  Despite his opposition to the seven dwarves, the Cyrano star seemed okay with the House of Mouse doing a new Snow White by saying:

If the film is going to be progressive like other live-action Disney adaptations, such as Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin, Disney needs to go all in. The casting of West Side Story’s Rachel Zegler in the title role seemed to point in that direction. But here's the real question: how the studio will address the little people community in the film? Given other notable changes in Disney live-action adaptations, Snow White might figure out a clever way to address the sensitive topic.

Nothing much Disney's live-action take on Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs outside of Rachel Zegler as Snow White, Gal Gadot playing the Evil Queen and Marc Webb being attached as the director. Of course, fans will have to wait and see if Peter Dinklage’s concerns are addressed when Snow White finally arrives in theaters.

While 30 Rock was on television, it became a huge hit for NBC and ended up strengthening the careers of its 30 Rock cast, which included famous names like Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin, Tracy Morgan, and more. Several 30 Rock actors have only continued to succeed in their post-30 Rock lives, as there were also a lot of guest appearances. 

Many of the actors who popped up on 30 Rock back then have gone on to star in huge shows, big hit movies, and more. Since it’s been so long, and everyone has had such influential careers, their appearances on 30 Rock might have flown under the radar. Here are eleven 30 Rock actors who appeared on the popular sitcom that you may have forgotten about. 

Tituss Burgess (D’Fwan)

While many of us probably know Tituss Burgess from his breakout role as Tituss Andromedon on the Netflix original series, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, he appeared in 30 Rock as D’Fwan. A member of Tracy Jordan’s wife’s entourage, D’Fwan was a hairdresser and friend of Angie, who had plenty of sass who appeared on the show for four episodes, during Seasons 5 and 6. 

Honestly, I could see why Tituss was cast in this role, as I feel like his character from Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and 30 Rock are pretty similar in many ways. 

Amy Schumer (Stylist)

I feel like at this point everyone knows who Amy Schumer is, from her hilarious comedy specials on Netflix to movies like Trainwreck. But, before she blew up as a stand-up comedian and actress, Schumer had some guest roles in TV. One of which was on 30 Rock. 

While her moment was a “blink and you miss it” sort of deal, it’s still easy to point her out if you look hard enough. In the episode, “Mamma Mia!,” during Season 3 of 30 Rock, Amy Schumer plays a stylist who is working on Liz. Her only line is “Ugh, I’m gonna get some tape.” Again, super short, but it’s so funny to see her way before she was really famous. 

Cristin Milioti (Abby)

Cristin Milioti has had quite the career in both movies and television. From her role as "the mother" with the How I Met Your Mother cast to her parts in big movies like the Leonardo DiCaprio-led, The Wolf of Wall Street or Palm Springs, she has truly become a star. However, she had a minor guest role on 30 Rock back in 2011 during the sixth season of the show.  

In the episode “TGS Hates Women,” Milioti played Abby, an insufferable woman who was supposed to be something good for TGS when they were accused of misogyny, but that ends up backfiring royally for Liz. Her character was so much, and it was a great way to show her comedic timing before her breakout role on How I Met Your Mother. 

Adrienne C. Moore (Various)

The Orange is the New Black cast was full of stars from beginning to end, and one of those who grew on me over time was Adrienne C. Moore’s character, Black Cindy, a hilarious inmate. However, before she ended up becoming one of the most popular characters on OITNB, Adrienne C. Moore guest-starred in not one, but two episodes of 30 Rock.

In Episode 2 of Season 7, titled "Governor Dunston," Moore played the manager of a supply store who catches Liz and Chris attempting to jazz up their sex life a little bit. Her second guest role, however, was more memorable, this time having a name, Shanice, and working as a marriage bureau employee in Episode 7 of Season 7, titled "Mazel Tov, Dummies!," who says that she’ll never get married and catcalls Chris. Definitely a fun moment. 

Peter Dinklage (Stewart)

While Peter Dinklage did have a pretty successful career prior to this appearance, it wasn’t until he became a part of the Game of Thrones cast that he truly became famous, portraying Tyrion Lannister for all eight seasons of the show. But, before he was the smartest lion ever, he guest starred on 30 Rock for an episode in Season 3, titled “Senor Macho Solo.”

Dinklage portrayed Stewart, a man with dwarfism who is intelligent and looks to be exactly what every woman would want. The only issue is that Liz mistook him for a child when they first met - and everything else sort of starts to fall apart from there. This is personally one of my favorite guest spots because it’s always so funny to look back and see him before the Game of Thrones hype. 

Anna Chlumsky (Liz Lemler)

Anna Chlumsky was in Hollywood for a time as a child actress, but had taken a break so that she could finish school. Afterwards, she made her big return to TV, with her biggest role so far being that of Amy Brookheimer in the popular HBO original series, Veep. Before that even show premiered, she had made a minor guest role on 30 Rock in Season 1, on the episode, "The Fighting Irish."

While her appearance is brief, it is memorable. Anna Chlumsky played Liz Lemler (a play on Liz’s name, Liz Lemon), who was Floyd’s girlfriend. However, Liz (Fey) made quick work of her and fired her from TGS when she was told to get rid of 10% of her staff. Talk about making sure you’re the only Liz around. Even so, it’s always fun to watch the show and remember she was on here before Veep came out. 

Aubrey Plaza (NBC Page/Tour Group Leader)

I know. It’s hard to imagine a world where Aubrey Plaza wasn’t famous, after her huge role as part of the Parks and Recreation cast, or with her amazing movies, like Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, Child’s Play, Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates, and so many more. 

But, for a couple of seconds in Season 1, Aubrey Plaza popped up as a NBC Page (a real-life position) that was leading a tour group, in the episode, "Tracy Does Conan." It’s crazy to think that only a few years after his appearance she got the part on Parks and Recreation. 

Donald Glover (Various)

Donald Glover has truly become a mastermind of the entertainment world. Not only is his a big musical act, making music through his alter ego, Childish Gambino, but he’s had so many hits that it’s hard to keep track. This includes being a part of the Community cast, creating his own FX comedy, Atlanta, appearing as young Lando in Solo: A Star Wars Story, and so much more. 

Before all of those success, Glover worked on 30 Rock. While it’s known that he was a writer on the show, Glover actually appeared on screen four times, in Seasons 1, 2, 3, and 6. While many of his roles were small, uncredited or improvised, it’s so much fun to see him pop up from time to time, knowing about the success he had not that long after.  

Ben Sinclair (Brooklyn Idiot)

There’s something about Ben Sinclair’s appearance on 30 Rock that sits so perfectly with me. If you don’t know, Sinclair created High Maintenance, an anthology series that tells the story of a cannabis courier, otherwise known as “The Guy,” who delivers his products to people in the borough of Brooklyn in New York City. The show started off as a Vimeo series and then went on to become a television series on HBO. 

Why do I say this appearance is perfect in 30 Rock? Because of his character’s name - Sinclair’s character was literally called Brooklyn Idiot for the one episode he was on in Season 5, called, "100: Part 1." I mean, come on, could there not be a better pairing of character name / actor? It’s hilarious to think he went on to create a show about a Brooklynite years after his appearance. You gotta love it. 

Chloe Grace Moretz (Kaylie Hooper)

Kick-Ass had come out a year prior to Chloe Grace Moretz's first time on 30 Rock, but her career has only gotten bigger since, with appearances in movies like Dark Shadows, The Addams Family, Tom & Jerry and more. For three episodes, from Season 5 to Season 7, she played Kaylie Hooper, who was the granddaughter of Hank Hooper, the newest boss of NBC. 

Y'all, I could re-watch her interactions with Alec Baldwin’s character, Jack Donaghy, all day. While her character was only on three episodes, her appearances were so memorable, and I wish she was on the show more. I would have loved to see her rivalry with Jack play out, but it’s great to see how far Moretz has come in the film industry since then.

Matt Lauria (Winthrop)

Last but not least, we have Matt Lauria, who played Winthrop in the second episode, "Jack Gets In The Game," of Season 2 of 30 Rock. While his appearance was brief, the main reason I put this here is that this was actually Matt Lauria’s television debut, before he would go on to star in the highly successful sports series, Friday Night Lights, as Luke Cafferty two years later. 

Lauria has also appeared in a variety of other shows as main or recurring characters, such as CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Parenthood, the Apple TV+ series, Dickinson, the drama Kingdom, and currently has a main role in CSI: Vegas. It’s insane to think that this incredible career in television all started out with this one minor appearance, that you might have forgotten about, on 30 Rock. 

With several seasons under its belt, there are plenty of other celebrities or actors who have appeared on 30 Rock, but these are truly the ones who have become huge stars. I need to see if they’ll be popping up in any other TV shows or movies soon.  

Game of Thrones had become one of my favorite TV shows of all time for a reason when I began watching it way back when, as I’m sure a lot of other people think the same. 

While I think we can all collectively agree that the show tapered off in its last season, no one can deny the impact that it had on us as a society, and how one of the characters in particular grew to be one of the most popular and quotable characters on TV ever - Tyrion Lannister, played by Peter Dinklage. 

Dinklage did grow in fame for his famous portrayal of the character, but believe it or not, he’s been in the business for some time. So, if you’re looking for some other movies that Dinklage has popped up in, or maybe even TV shows, here are the best Peter Dinklage movies and TV shows that are streaming right now. 

Game Of Thrones (2011-2019)

I mean, it’s why you’re here, isn’t it? Game of Thrones, based on the popular book series, A Song of Ice and Fire, follows several main characters who are all vying for one thing - the Iron Throne, and the ability to rule all of Westeros when its latest king dies. It’s a fight for the throne, and everyone is pawns within their own game. 

Peter Dinklage played Tyrion Lannister, as mentioned before, and I’m not joking when I do say this is one of the best roles he has ever had, for good reason. Tyrion is such a blessing in disguise. You'd never think that this man, at first, with his buffoonery and drunkenness, would have the best brains out of everyone, but he has become one of the most known Game of Thrones characters of all time for his strengths.

Stream Game of Thrones on HBO Max. 

The Station Agent (2003)

Arguably where a lot of people first saw Peter Dinklage, The Station Agent is a heartwarming movie that stars Dinklage. When his only friend passes away, a young man decides to seclude himself from society and takes shelter in an abandoned train station. But even if he decides to live his life alone, that doesn't mean that other people won’t come in and influence him still. 

While this wasn’t the first time that I saw Peter Dinklage (we’ll get to that later), I can understand why this movie ended up becoming a hit for the actor’s career. He’s so great in it, from the very start to the very end, and his charisma with both Patricia Clarkson and Bobby Cannavale is perfect and really shows just how much a single friend can impact the life of someone. 

Stream The Station Agent on Showtime. 
Rent The Station Agent on Amazon.

Find Me Guilty (2006) 

Next up, we have Find Me Guilty, where Peter Dinklage co-stars. In this courtroom drama mixed in with comedy, Find Me Guilty is based on a true story, telling the tale of one of the longest Mafia trials in history, about the real-life Jacki DiNorscio, who was on trial for racketeering - alongside several others. However, this trial is like no other. 

Find Me Guilty is certainly not the most accurate courtroom drama, but it’s freaking funny as hell. Peter Dinklage portrays Ben Klandis, one of the defense attorneys who aids Jackie during his attempts to defend himself, and his interactions with him are the best. Vin Diesel as Jackie is some of the best casting and he and Dinklage really do make a great pair, creating hilarious moments that will make you laugh plenty. 

Stream Find Me Guilty on Amazon. 
Rent Find Me Guilty on Apple TV.

Death At A Funeral (2010)

An American remake of the British movie of the same name, Death at a Funeral is a great comedy movie with an A-list ensemble that tells the story of a funeral getting turned upside down when secrets and lies are revealed, causing mayhem within a family and more trouble than anyone expected. 

Fun fact - Peter Dinklage was actually in the original British movie but as a completely different character, and I have to say, I enjoy him much more in the American version. His acting is put more at the forefront of the film, showing off his comedic timing even more so than the first movie. What’s even better is that Dinklage is cast as a villain in this role, something that, at the time, we didn’t really see him in do so often, and he really outdoes himself.

Stream Death at a Funeral on Netflix. 
Rent Death at a Funeral on Amazon.

The Chronicles Of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008)

A fantasy movie that everyone should watch, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian is the second entry in the Chronicles of Narnia series, based on the novel of the same name. It follows the same siblings from the original film and their return to Narnia, but this time, to fight and make sure that the true king, Prince Caspian, can get his title back, through magic, sword fights, and more. 

Peter Dinklage plays Trumpkin, a red dwarf who can be a bit of a jerk but has good intentions at heart, and Dinklage was the perfect casting for this role. Dinklage’s portrayal of Trumpkin is great because his character is like the perfect amount of good and bad. He’s not the best man but he’s not the worst, and that makes him a really compelling character, one that only someone like Dinklage could play. I always think the Chronicles of Narnia film series deserved more credit, and there's so much story and yet we only got three movies. If you haven’t seen it, you should watch it now. 

Stream The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian on Disney+. 
Rent The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian on Amazon.

Elf (2003)

Ah, Elf, one of my personal favorite Christmas movies. In this classic film directed by Jon Favreau, Elf follows Buddy, a human who climbed into Santa’s sack years ago and was raised in the North Pole. But when he’s told he’s not actually an elf himself, he goes on a journey to New York City to find his true past, and his true father. 

Now, this was the first time I ever saw Peter Dinklage, as the children’s author Miles Finch who throws a fit at Buddy when he calls him an elf. I mean, come on. How can you not laugh at that scene? While Peter Dinklage was only in the movie for a short amount of time, his impact was huge. Who could forget the moment he climbed onto the table and basically threw down on Buddy, who (played by Will Ferrell) is a literal giant compared to him? It’s just so funny.

Stream Elf on HBO Max.
Rent Elf on Amazon.

My Dinner With Herve (2018)

The only other TV project that I put on here is this TV movie, because genuinely, I think it’s again one of Dinklage’s best. My Dinner with Herve is a drama film that looks at the life of Herve Villechaize, who was the star of the popular fantasy show, Fantasy Island, and his interactions with a journalist sent to interview him for work. 

While this was a TV film, I feel like this could have been shown on the big screen and Peter Dinklage could have been nominated for so many awards for this performance. While there are moments that drag on a bit, Dinklage’s performance as Herve is outstanding and compelling in so many ways and one that everyone should watch if they are a fan of him. Even his co-star, Jamie Dornan, gave an amazing performance as well, and their chemistry while on screen was some of the best I’ve seen in a TV film.

Stream My Dinner with Herve on HBO Max. 

I Care A Lot (2020)

One of my favorite movies of 2020, I Care A Lot stars Rosamund Pike as a woman who has found a loophole in life - she gets assigned as a court-appointed guardian for older people, and uses that to her advantage, stealing all their money. However, her ruse starts to become exposed not that long after, putting her life, as well as everyone else’s, in danger. 

If you wanted Peter Dinklage in another fun villain role, this is the one, where he plays Roman Lunyov, and it’s another case of where he is just so fantastic in his portrayal. To be honest, you’d never expect this scary gangster that Marla (Rosamund Pike’s character) gets herself tangled with to be Dinklage of all people, but he sells it well and creates a hell of a bad time for her character. Their rivalry is fantastic and the main reason I love to re-watch this movie. Definitely one of the best dark comedies in a long time. 

Stream I Care A Lot on Netflix.

X-Men: Days Of Future Past (2014)

The first superhero movie on this list, X-Men: Days of Future Past is another entry into the X-Men series, this time we follow Wolverine as he is sent to the past in order to change it so a future event - which could cause the death of humanity and mutants - doesn’t occur.

Dinklage plays Dr. Bolivar Trask, another classic villain, except I feel that Dinklage gives a lot more heart to this X-Men villain, more than what any other actor could do. While some of the X-Men movies are hit or miss, in my opinion, I think this is one of the better ones because not only does it have a great cast, but the villain feels a little more grounded and not out of this world, and that’s thanks to the great acting from Dinklage and his portrayal of Dr. Bolivar Trask.

Stream X-Men: Days of Future Past on Disney+. 
Rent X-Men: Days of Future Past on Amazon.

Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

The second superhero movie, Peter Dinklage actually had a decently big role in Avengers: Infinity War back in 2018. If you, for some reason, haven’t heard of the premise of this huge movie, Avengers: Infinity War is the first part in a two-part epic finale of the fight against Thanos, the Avenger’s biggest threat, and his plan to wipe out half the universe. 

Dinklage portrayed Eitri, who was the King of the Dwarves of Nidavellir (from Thor’s world, basically), and had the ability to craft Thor a new weapon after his previous one, Mjollnir, was destroyed. While his role in the movie wasn’t super long, it was extremely important and his interactions with Thor were not only funny but impactful. I really wish that he was seen more in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I wouldn’t mind if he popped up in Thor: Love and Thunder somewhere, but that might just be me wishing for that. 

Stream Avengers: Infinity War on Disney+. 
Rent Avengers: Infinity War on Amazon. 

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri (2017)

Last but not least, we have Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri. This Academy Award winning film tells the story of a mother who would do anything to try and find justice for her daughter, who was raped and killed a few months prior. So, she rents out three billboards, just on the edge of her town, in order to get the police’s attention and see if they can find more on what happened. 

Something I really like about Dinklage’s role as James in this movie is while it is short, he has some of the most memorable moments alongside Francis McDormand’s character. I also loved that James was almost like this light in the darkness, because while this is a very serious situation they are in, he tries to make humorous jokes to try and make Mildred (McDormand’s character) smile. And as someone who has relied on friends like that in my darkest times, I can appreciate the heck out of that. 

Rent Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri on Amazon.

I’m sure this will only expand as time goes on, and he starts to do more amazing things. Maybe even now, you have a new movie to watch - or a TV show to binge. Whatever the case, it’ll be a real good time. 

The Game of Thrones fandom goes pretty hard, especially those who have read George R. R. Martin’s novels before and during the HBO series' creation. The series did not follow the books exactly, especially since the show concluded before all the novels have even been released, and Game of Thrones star Peter Dinklage explained how it felt when “offended” fans would criticize the show’s adaptation of the beloved fantasy novels. 

The fanbase’s love for the books apparently had some heavy weight on Game of Thrones’ cast members, given how many viewers apparently couldn’t escape the mental image of George R. R. Martin’s fantasy world they already had in their brains solely from reading the novels. In an interview with The Sunday Times (via Insider), star Peter Dinklage explains how “impossible” it was to avoid fan opinion and criticism, however hard he did try to do so. Here’s what he said:

Peter Dinklage previously stated that he had misgivings about taking up a part in the Game of Thrones HBO adaptation for a completely different reason, but the pressure of such an opinionated fan base may have been the source of some discomfort once he did sign on for the series. Fantasy fans can have zero chill sometimes, even with someone as fabulous as Dinklage. 

Once fans saw the cast in action, though, there were obviously very positive reactions, especially during the early seasons. Peter Dinklage in particular is a fan favorite as Tyrion Lannister, as his brooding nature mixed with his genius (and drunkenness) proving to be a pretty lovable combination. Despite such Emmy-winning talents though, the actor wasn't free from negative comments.

In the same interview, Dinklage revealed that even more criticism was targeted at him and his fellow cast members at the end of the series when it was time for their characters to depart, saying:

You can’t make everyone happy, and when it comes to something from George R. R. Martin, you can’t really expect to be fulfilled 100% when he kills off basically all the fan-favorite characters anyway. It’s no secret that many fans were overwhelmingly let down during the last season of Game of Thrones, but perhaps those who were left disappointed may see some rectification when Martin releases the heavily anticipated Winds of Winter (assuming it ever happens) or when the upcoming prequel series debuts.

George R. R. Martin has given fans some major hope that House of the Dragon will be something to enjoy just as much as the earlier Game of Thrones seasons. The prequel does not yet have a release date, but we can expect the series to drop sometime this year.

As for Peter Dinklage, you can check him out in his recently released musical drama Cyrano. If that’s not your style, though, he is also playing the over-the-top role of the titular unlikely superhero in Troma’s The Toxic Avenger revival. While it’s almost impossible to escape criticism, it sounds like being a part of Game of Thrones has prepared him well to handle any strong opinions thrown his way.

While making movies seems like a glamorous and exciting profession, film sets can come with a certain level of danger. The industry is still reeling from the fatal accident that happened on the set of Alec Baldwin’s Rust, which resulted in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. And now respected actors like Peter Dinklage, Andrew Garfield, and more have responded to the tragedy, and calls for guns to be removed from sets.

Halyna Hutchins died in October of 2021, after a prop gun held by Alec Baldwin accidentally went off on the set of Rust. As the investigation continues, producers like Dwayne Johnson have committed to no longer using real guns on set in order to make sure this type of tragedy doesn’t happen again. An actor’s roundtable by THR was recently asked their opinion on this, where Peter Dinklage and Andrew Garfield both expressed support for the initiative. As they put it,

"Dinklage: That should never happen again. So anything we can do to move away from that then that’s our responsibility. 

Garfield: It’s kind of a no-brainer. If it can be avoided. 

Dinklage: And it can be avoided, what you can do with movies. That also calls into question: are there too many guns in movies? We’ve all held guns in movies probably. I always think about that, being anti-gun myself when a character isn’t. But that made it very clear that there has to be change, now 100 percent."

There you have it. Both Andrew Garfield and Peter Dinklage have been involved in projects that used prop guns, and it seems they both would rather see functioning weapons removed from sets. Considering how much money goes into visual effects in major blockbusters, it certainly seems like there’s a safe way to bring guns to life on the screen without endangering any cast or crew members.

Aside from those two acclaimed actors, the always delightful Nicolas Cage was also involved in the same round table, as a result of his performance in Pig. The 57 year-old actor joined the conversation about gun safety on set, and gave his perspective about what it’s like having such a uniquely dangerous career. As he put it,

Another solid point. While film acting is about emoting and becoming a character on camera, it often requires certain real-life skills. On top of driving various vehicles and picking up fight choreography, many roles require actors to learn how to use a gun. And as such, Nicolas Cage seems to think it's up to movie stars to learn proper gun safety.

The investigation and conversations about Rust’s accident and the death of Halyna Hutchins will likely continue for some time. We’ll just have to see which steps are made in order to make sets a safer place, and if more producers commit to not using real guns. 

Be sure to check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.

Peter Dinklage has been in his fair share of interesting roles, and you don’t have to look further than his iconic portrayal of Tyrion “The Imp” Lannister in HBO’s Game of Thrones to see him in a role that breaks genre barriers. 2022 is bringing some different sides of Dinklage out in his upcoming films, as he is playing two more very different classic characters, one of which is the titular protagonist in Troma’s The Toxic Avenger. Dinklage has now revealed why he signed on for such a “crazy, over-the-top” role, especially when following the very different role of Cyrano de Bergerac.

In an exclusive interview with Empire, Peter Dinklage reflected on his reasoning for taking a role in a Troma film, even though the company has a reputation for putting out films with more of a B-movie ranking and he has now risen to have quite the name recognition and star power. Apparently Dinklage is down for the pure fun of it, saying:

Traditionally, the Toxic Avenger is a meek man who becomes a superhero after falling into a whole bunch of toxic waste. What emerges is a pretty monstrous mutant avenging nerds everywhere in a very “over-the-top” and “crazy” way. Peter Dinklage won’t be singing in The Toxic Avenger, but he is referencing his part in Cyrano, where he again plays the titular character in the musical. Dinklage seems to have the right idea, thinking that if he’s having fun, he’s not really working. 

If Troma films are as fun to make as they are to watch, Peter Dinklage is certainly on to something. The original version of The Toxic Avenger originally released back in the ‘80s and is one of the crown jewels of Troma Entertainment. In the same interview, Dinklage made it clear that his upcoming film is not, in fact, a remake, but it will follow the same mold as other Troma films in how it approaches itself. Here’s what he says, exactly:

Even though Troma is known for its low budget B-movie horror films, a lot of big names have been in Troma films before they got their big breaks. This includes Samuel L. Jackson in Def by Temptation to Billy Bob Thornton in Chopper Chicks in Zombietown. With names like that, how could they not be a blast to film? 

Peter Dinklage, although not at the beginning of his career in any way, seems like the perfect fit for a Troma film, especially one with such a cult following like The Toxic Avenger.  It sounds like he’s at the point in his career where he just wants to have some fun on the job, and I honestly can’t wait to see him take up the Toxic Avenger’s mop and sling some bad guy brains as pretty much the strangest superhero ever.

2021 was probably the worst year in the Golden Globes’ 77 year history. They were rightfully called out earlier this year for a total lack of Black members, as well as other unethical practices, resulting in NBC refusing to air their ceremony for 2022. 

The HFPA is currently in the process of making reforms to their organization, and has recruited 21 new members this year (their total prior was about 86). It was uncertain if the HFPA would even announce nominees and winners for the films of 2021, but on October 15th they confirmed they would hold a ceremony in some capacity, with nominations to be announced December 13th at 6 A.M. PST. 

A consequence of the chaos this year for prognosticators is that we don’t actually have confirmation on what films will be campaigned in comedy or musical, making predicting films like CODA much more difficult. So in my predictions below I’m also predicting category placements.

Motion Picture Drama

If Belfast, Dune, King Richard, and The Power of the Dog don’t all show up here, I’d be shocked. In my mind that leaves open one slot for a wildcard to sneak in. Part of the challenge predicting this year is that we don’t know which films will be slotted in comedy or drama. If CODA is in drama, I think it has a shot here. Despite underwhelming reviews, we shouldn’t underestimate Nightmare Alley or Being the Ricardos either. Spencer and The Tragedy of Macbeth could certainly contend, as could either of Ridley Scott’s films: House of Gucci and The Last Duel. Right now I’m hesitantly predicting CODA, but I expect to be swapping out this slot up until nomination morning.

Drama Actor

Will Smith (King Richard), Benedict Cumberbatch (The Power of the Dog), and Denzel Washington (The Tragedy of Macbeth) are near-locks in this category. The remaining two slots are tricky, as much of the competition they’ll face at the Oscars is on the comedy/musical side. Joaquin Phoenix has a shot for his understated performance in C’mon C’mon (assuming that’s in drama), and though it's a long shot, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Nicolas Cage sneak in for Pig. For now, I’m predicting Javier Bardem for his portrayal of Desi Arnaz in Being the Ricardos, and Bradley Cooper for Nightmare Alley.

Drama Actress

Don’t bet against these four: Kristen Stewart (Spencer), Jessica Chastain (The Eyes of Tammy Faye), Nicole Kidman (Being the Ricardos) and Lady Gaga (House of Gucci). As for that final slot, Penélope Cruz and Olivia Colman are certainly in the conversation for their roles in Parallel Mothers and The Lost Daughter respectively, but those films could be a little under the radar for the Globes. They love actors who play musical icons (see Andra Day’s shocking win last year), so I’m predicting they’ll nominate Jennifer Hudson for her portrayal of Aretha Franklin in Respect. 

Motion Picture Comedy / Musical

This was the best year for musicals in recent memory, and unlike some years, the Globes have plenty of riches to pick from in this category. West Side Story, Tick, tick… Boom!, Cyrano, and In the Heights all have a great shot to make it into this lineup. But they’ll be competing with comedies Licorice Pizza and Don’t Look Up. I expect the lineup will be pulled from these six films. In the Heights and Cyrano are probably the most vulnerable of the musicals. Though recency bias would favor Cyrano, I’m predicting it to miss, as it’s the least acclaimed the bunch. Or maybe both will show up at the expense of Don’t Look Up, whose divisive reactions could work against it.

Comedy / Musical Actor

There are four actors in this lineup that no one should be betting against: Andrew Garfield (Tick, tick… Boom!), Peter Dinklage (Cyrano), Leonardo DiCaprio (Don’t Look Up), and Anthony Ramos (In the Heights). The final slot is keeping me up at night. I would love for them to go with Simon Rex for Red Rocket, but that’s probably wishful thinking. I could honestly see them going for Ansel Elgort in West Side Story, but in a year where the organization is on thin ice, I think they’ll know better than to bring that sort of controversy their way. I’m perhaps optimistically going with Cooper Hoffman for Licorice Pizza. Although he is young and hasn’t been as seriously in the awards conversation as his co-star Alana Haim, it certainly helps that he is part of a bigger overall contender. 

Comedy / Musical Actress

The two no-brainers here are Alana Haim for Licorice Pizza and Rachel Zegler for West Side Story. I also expect Emma Stone may pretty easily get a nomination for Cruella, considering that things start to get a little thin beyond here. If CODA is in comedy, Emilia Jones will be nominated. And if Haley Bennett is lead for Cyrano, I’d say the same. If not, the most realistic options in my mind are Melissa Berrera (In the Heights), Jennifer Lawrence (Don’t Look Up), and Renate Reinsve (The Worst Person in the World). I am far too cynical to pick the latter, but I would jump for joy if it happened. I’m settling for Berrera and Lawrence for now.

Supporting Actor

I’m expecting both Ciaran Hinds and Jamie Dornan will make it in for Belfast and Belfast respectively. Jared Leto has a shot here for House of Gucci, especially considering he was surprise nominated for The Little Things last year. For the remaining two slots there are a lot of options. Jon Bernthal has a great shot at coat-tailing off of King Richard. And I’d love to see Robin de Jesus in for Tick, tick… Boom!, a film I expect they’ll adore. I’m predicting those two for now. Kodi Smit-McPhee has been garnering lots of critics awards, but I’m skeptical he’ll perform as well with certain major precursors. Troy Kotsur has been gaining steam for CODA, but like Yuh-Jung Youn or Paul Raci last year, he may be too unknown for the HFPA. I’m also watching out for Mike Faist (West Side Story), Bradley Cooper (Licorice Pizza), and Ben Affleck (The Tender Bar). Unfortunately I don’t have much hope for Jason Isaacs (Mass).

Supporting Actress

Four performances widely expected to be nominated here are Ariana Debose (West Side Story), Caitriona Balfe (Belfast), Aunjanue Ellis (King Richard), and Kirsten Dunst (The Power of the Dog). Fighting for that last slot we have Cate Blanchett (Nightmare Alley), Meryl Streep (Don’t Look Up), Ruth Negga (Passing), and Ann Dowd (Mass). I am also considering Rita Moreno for West Side Story. Though this is somewhat of a long shot, it could be a great moment for the Globes to pick a veteran all-star for what will likely be their favorite musical there. But considering how CODA seems like it’s starting to take off, I’m going with Marlee Matlin.

Director

The contenders who seem most likely here are Steven Spielberg (West Side Story), Kenneth Branagh (Belfast), Denis Villeneuve (Dune), and Jane Campion (The Power of the Dog). Many are predicting Paul Thomas Anderson for Licorice Pizza. I am skeptical. The director has never been nominated for a Golden Globe before. We can’t count out Adam McKay (Don’t Look Up), who was nominated for Vice and The Big Short. Nor should we underestimate Reinaldo Marcus Green (King Richard) or Guillermo del Toro (Nightmare Alley). However, I’m going with Lin Manuel Miranda for Tick, tick… Boom! Some would call this a long-shot, but I think the film is stronger than many are assuming and this feels like just the kind of celebrity actor-director nomination they’re notorious for embracing.

Screenplay

To make up for the director snub, I’m predicting Paul Thomas Anderson will land his first Golden Globe nomination in screenplay for Licorice Pizza. I also feel confident writer-directors Jane Campion and Kenneth Branagh will be nominated for their widely celebrated films. Despite Being the Ricardos’ lackluster reviews I cannot in good conscience underestimate 7-time nominee, 3-time winner Aaron Sorkin in this category. I’ve got my eye on Don’t Look Up here, as well as King Richard. But I feel the love for West Side Story will be so strong that Tony Kushner will take a nomination.

With the Golden Globe and Critics Choice Award nominations both taking place Monday the 13th, there will surely be a lot to discuss in terms of how it shapes the Oscar race. Check back here on Cinemablend for more awards analysis in the coming weeks.

The weather is getting colder. Tinsel is being hung with care. It's only a matter of time before the snow falls. That's right, it's nearly Christmastime, which means one thing: we're getting ever closer towards Elf season. Once an unlikely hit for New Line Cinema, the Will Ferrell lark has become a seasonal classic, sparking no shortage of joy for audiences young and old during the most magical time of the year. Also starring Zooey Deschanel, James Caan, Bob Newhart, Peter Dinklage, and the late Ed Asner, the Elf cast is filled with seasoned veterans and former newcomers alike. Now that the season is upon us, it's time to look back on the 18-year-old (!) movie and see what Jon Favreau's all-star ensemble is doing now. 

Will Ferrell (Buddy The Elf)

As Buddy the Elf, an orphan child who spent his formative years in the North Pole and reconnects with his father as an emotionally-stunted adult, Will Ferrell became a movie star thanks to his gleeful lead performance in Jon Favreau’s Elf. Establishing his comedic chops through his uproarious work on NBC’s Saturday Night Live, the actor continued to find fame thanks to his performances in the Anchorman movies, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, The Other Guys, Old School, and Step Brothers — many of which he also co-wrote and produced. Ferrell's other film credits include Stranger Than Fiction, The Producers, Blades of Glory, the Zoolander films, the Daddy’s Home movies, The LEGO Movies, and, most recently, Netflix's Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga. 

Most recently, Will Ferrell produced and starred in Apple TV+’s The Shrink Next Door. He also appeared in the short film, David. Next, Will Ferrell is the star and producer of Apple TV+’s Spirited. He’s also attached to a number of other projects, including The Prince of Fashion, Fruitcake, an untitled eSports project, and plenty more. Furthermore, Ferrell is a producer or executive producer behind many notable movies and shows, including the Emmy-winning HBO series, Succession.

James Caan (Walter Hobbs)

In the role of Walter Hobbs, Buddy the Elf’s distant father (both physically and emotionally), James Caan plays a deeply disapproving dad in Elf. Most notably, the actor was Oscar-nominated for his hot-tempered performance as Sonny Corleone in The Godfather. Additionally, Caan was acclaimed for his work in Thief, Misery, Bottle Rocket, For the Boys, Brian’s Song, The Gambler, Funny Lady, A Bridge Too Far, The Glory Guys, El Dorado, Dick Tracy, Alien Nation, and other films. Also, the same year that Elf arrived, Caan was celebrated for his performance in Dogville. 

Following Elf, James Caan has been seen a number of movies, including Get Smart, Blood Ties, The Good Neighbor, Undercover Grandpa, Holy Lands, and Small Apartments. He was also heard in the Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs movies. On TV, Caan starred in ABC’s short-lived Back in the Game. He was also seen in Starz’s Magic City. Recently, Caan appeared in Queen Bees and JL Family Ranch 2. He’s also attached to Ace Beyond the Rye, Redemption, and Megalopolis, which reunites him with Francis Ford Coppola. 

Zooey Deschanel (Jovie)

Playing the part of Jovie, Buddy the Elf’s sardonic co-worker who's unexpectedly charmed by this man’s relentless good cheer, Zooey Deschanel found her first brushes of fame as the love interest in 2003’s Elf. Following this breakout role, the actress continued to make a good impression and/or stole the show in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Failure to Launch, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, and Bridge to Terebithia before she landed lead parts in (500) Days of Summer, The Happening, Yes Man, Our Idiot Brother, and Gigantic. Deschanel also reunited with Will Ferrell in Winter Passing. But she was most acclaimed for her lead performance as Jessica Day in Fox’s New Girl. 

Following her time on that hit series, for which she was Emmy-nominated, Zooey Deschanel was heard in last year’s Trolls World Tour, reprising her voice-only role from the previous movie. She can also be seen in Katy Perry’s “Not the End of the World” music video. Currently, Deschanel is filming the music drama, Dreamin’ Wild. She also co-hosts ABC’s The Celebrity Dating Game. Away from acting, Deschanel is known for her music career, particularly her work in She & Him. 

Mary Steenburgen (Emily Hobbs)

As Emily Hobbs, Buddy the Elf’s ever-confounded step-mom, Mary Steenburgen played a concerned matriarch in Elf. Most notably, the actress won an Oscar for her outstanding supporting role in Melvin and Howard. Steenburgen can also be seen in Parenthood, Back to the Future Part III, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, Time After Time, Philadelphia, Clifford, and Nixon. Later, she reunited with Will Ferrell in Step Brothers. Steenburgen was also seen in The Help, Four Christmases, Inland Empire, The Brave One, and Book Club. Recently, she appeared in Happiest Season. Next, Steenburgen stars in Nightmare Alley. 

Away from film, Mary Steenburgen starred in Fox’s The Last Man on Earth. She can also be seen in Orange Is the New Black, Justified, Joan of Arcadia, and Curb Your Enthusiasm. Recently, the actress appeared in NBC’s Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist. Steenburgen reprises this role in Roku’s Zoey’s Extraordinary Christmas. 

Daniel Tay (Michael Hobbs)

In the role of Michael Hobbs, Buddy’s moody younger half-brother, Daniel Tay plays a smart-aleck kid in Jon Favreau’s Elf. This Christmas favorite is easily his most famous acting credit, though he also played Young Harvey in the wonderful American Splendor that same year. Tay's other credits include Beer League and Brooklyn Rules. Additionally, the actor voiced the title character in Doogal and he can be heard in video games like Grand Theft Auto IV and Bully. Away from film, moreover, Tay was seen in various episodes of The Jamie Kennedy Experiment. 

In 2009, Daniel Tay stepped away from acting. As Bustle wrote, the former actor graduated from Yale University and he became a bilingual editor and an SAT tutor. 

Bob Newhart (Papa Elf)

Playing the part of Papa Elf, Buddy’s loving adoptive father, Bob Newhart is a benevolent dad in Elf. Most famously, the actor-comedian was the star of The Bob Newhart Show and Newhart, both for which he was Emmy-nominated. Newhart was also Emmy-nominated for his work in ER and The Librarian: The Curse of the Judas Chalice. Later, he won an Emmy for playing Arthur in CBS’s The Big Bang Theory. Additionally, Newhart is known for his voice work in The Rescuers and The Rescuers Down Under. His most notable film credits include Catch-22, In & Out, Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde, and Horrible Bosses. 

Peter Dinklage (Miles Finch)

As Miles Finch, a best-selling children’s book author who doesn’t take kindly to Buddy the Elf’s observations, Peter Dinklage played a short-tempered character in 2003’s Elf. Most notably, the actor is a four-time Emmy winner for playing Tyrion Lannister in HBO’s Game of Thrones. Also, the same year that Elf came into theaters, Dinklage was acclaimed for his terrific lead performance in Tom McCarthy’s The Station Agent. He was also seen in Living in Oblivion, Human Nature, and Tiptoes. In the years to follow, Dinklage notably appeared in Death of a Funeral (2007 and 2010), Pete Smalls Is Dead (which he produced), X-Men: Days of Future Past, Three Billboards in Ebbing Missouri, Avengers: Infinity War, Rememory, Pixels, Find Me Guilty, I Think We’re Alone Now (which he produced), The Boss, and HBO’s My Dinner with Herve (which he produced). 

Most recently, Peter Dinklage was seen in Netflix’s I Care A Lot and heard in The Croods: A New Age. He also lent his voice to the podcast series, Heads Will Roll. Next, Dinklage is set to star in Cyrano — a performance that’s already garnering acclaim. He’ll also appear in and produce American Dreamer. Currently, Dinklage is filming The Toxic Avenger, Hitpig, and Brothers, which the actor will produce. 

Faizon Love (Gimbel's Manager/Wanda)

In the role of Wanda, Gimbel’s overworked manager, Faizon Love was a last-minute replacement for Wanda Sykes in Elf. Prior to his performance in this film, the actor was known for playing Wendell Wilcox in The WB’s The Parent ‘Hood. Love is also known for his film debut, lending his voice to the role of Robin Harris in Babe’s Kids. His other film credits include Friday, The Meteor Man, Don’t Be a Menace …, 3 Strikes, The Players Club, Blue Crush, and The Replacements. 

Following his time in Elf, Faizon Love starred in ABC’s short-lived series, The Big House, and last year’s Bulletproof 2. He also notably appeared in Torque, Who’s Your Caddy?, Couples Retreat, Idlewild, Just My Luck, The Fighting Temptations, The Paperboy, and Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son. Additionally, Love starred in YouTube Red’s Step Up: High Water. Most recently, the actor was seen in She Ball and The War with Grandpa. Next, Love will appear in Off the Grid Comedy: Belize, Trading Soles, Back on the Strip, and Block Party. The comic's other upcoming projects include Friendship Day, Social Redemption, and The Fastest Man Alive. 

Amy Sedaris (Deb)

Playing the part of Deb, Walter’s belabored secretary, Amy Sedaris has a cheery supporting role in 2003’s Elf. Most notably, the actress co-created and starred in Comedy Central’s Strangers with Candy, along with its prequel film of the same name. Sedaris also created and starred in Comedy Central’s Exit 57. Additionally, the actress was seen in Maid in Manhattan, School of Rock, and Six Days, Seven Nights. Following Elf, Sedaris lent her voice to the role of Princess Carolyn in Netflix’s acclaimed animated series, BoJack Horseman. She can also be seen in Alpha House, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, The Mandalorian, and The Heart, She Holler. Moreover, Sedaris created and starred in truTV’s Emmy-nominated surrealist series, At Home with Amy Sedaris, which ended earlier this year.

Furthermore, away from television, Amy Sedaris can be seen in Snow Angels, Romance & Cigarettes, Stay, Jennifer’s Body, Old Dogs, and I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With. She also reunited with Will Ferrell in Bewitched. Additionally, Sedaris can be heard in Shrek the Third, Puss in Boots, My Life as a Courgette, and 2019’s The Lion King. Most recently, Sedaris was seen in Save Yourselves! and heard in The Boss Baby: Family Business. She can also be heard in No Activity, Robot Chicken, and DuckTales. Sedaris also guest-starred in HBO’s Betty. Next, the film-TV actress will appear in Dave Franco’s Somebody I Used to Know. 

Ed Asner (Santa Claus)

As the immortal Santa Claus, the late Ed Asner will live on as Father Christmas in the modern holiday classic, Elf. Fondly remembered for his performance as Lou Grant in CBS’s The Mary Tyler Moore Show and its spin-off, Lou Grant, for which he won seven Emmys, the actor was also acclaimed for his Emmy-winning turns in Rich Man, Poor Man and Roots. He’s also warmly remembered for his lead voice role in Pixar’s Up. His other notable film and TV credits include El Dorado, JFK, The Closer, Dead to Me, Gus, and Cobra Kai, to name only a very select few. 

Even during his final years, Ed Asner remained very active as an actor and voice performer. Earlier this year, for instance, the belated movie star was seen in Senior Entourage, Barking Mad, and Disney+’s Muppets Haunted Mansion. Asner could also be seen in The Premise and Grace and Frankie and heard in Dug Days. His final credits include Awaken, Deadly Draw, Back Home Again, A Fargo Christmas Story, The Gettysburg Address, and The Last Saturday Night. 

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