Ariana Grande and Cher team up for 'SNL' in December. Josh O'Connor gets a hosting turn, too
NEW YORK (AP) -- NBC's "Saturday Night Live" has announced its December lineup, featuring Ariana Grande as host on Dec. 20. Cher will be the musical guest. It will mark Grande's third time hosting, while Cher hasn't appeared on the "SNL" stage since 1987. Josh O'Connor will make his hosting debut on Dec. 13, with Lily Allen as the musical guest. "SNL" veteran Melissa McCarthy will host on Dec. 6 for the sixth time. Dijon will make his debut as the musical guest. The NBC sketch comedy show airs at 11:30 p.m. Eastern and streams live on Peacock.
The next Met Gala exhibit will spotlight fashion across art history
NEW YORK (AP) -- The Metropolitan Museum of Art has announced its next spring fashion exhibit. "Costume Art" is set to launch at the Met Gala in 2026. This latest show aims to highlight the connection between fashion and art by pairing garments with art objects from across the museum. Met CEO Max Hollein hopes the exhibit will take visitors on a fashionable journey through art history. The show will also inaugurate new permanent gallery space for fashion, offering a smoother experience for visitors. Curator Andrew Bolton says the exhibit will explore themes like "Naked Body" and "Classical Body," but also less expected ones like "Pregnant Body" and "Aging Body."
Tom Cruise finally gets his Oscar moment with a lifetime achievement trophy at the Governors Awards
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Tom Cruise finally has an Academy Award. He received an honorary Oscar at the Governors Awards. Cruise, 63, was celebrated for his four decades at the peak of the movie industry. He talked about his lifelong devotion to cinema, saying "Making movies is not what I do, it's who I am." The ceremony also honored production designer Wynn Thomas, choreographer Debbie Allen, and Dolly Parton for her philanthropy. Cruise has been nominated for competitive Oscars four times without a win. Director Alejandro González Iñárritu, who has been shooting a film with Cruise, presented the award. He suggested this might not be Cruise's last Oscar.
New statue of Bridget Jones joins other film icons in London's Leicester Square
LONDON (AP) -- Bridget Jones is now a permanent resident of London's Leicester Square, joining icons like Harry Potter and Mary Poppins. A new bronze statue of the romantic comedy heroine was unveiled Monday to celebrate 25 years since the first "Bridget Jones" film. Actor Renée Zellweger, who has played Bridget four times since 2001, attended the unveiling with author Helen Fielding. The statue is the latest addition to the "Scenes in the Square" trail, which launched in 2020 to celebrate cinema. The trail also features characters like Mr. Bean and Batman.
A new Netflix doc offers an intimate portrait of Selena, straight from her family's vault
NEW YORK (AP) -- A new Netflix documentary offers an intimate portrayal of the life and career of Selena Quintanilla-Pérez. "Selena Y Los Dinos: A Family's Legacy" hits Netflix on Monday. It is a project from director Isabel Castro and is executive produced by Selena's siblings Suzette Quintanilla and AB Quintanilla III. The film features tons of never-before-seen archival footage straight from the family's personal collection. They call it "the vault." Suzette Quintanilla and Castro told The Associated Press they hope the film furthers Selena's cultural legacy as well as introduces her to new generations of viewers.
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What to Stream: 'Wicked: For Good' soundtrack, Ted Danson, 'The Bad Guys 2' and Black cowboys
Ted Danson's "A Man on the Inside" returning to Netflix for its second season and Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo belting out the "Wicked: For Good" soundtrack are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you. Also among the streaming offerings worth your time for the week of Nov. 17 as selected by The Associated Press' entertainment journalists are Aerosmith teaming up with Yungblud on a new EP, DreamWorks Animation's sequel "The Bad Guys 2" hitting Peacock and Jordan Peele looking at Black cowboys in a new documentary series.
'Now You See Me 3' races past 'The Running Man' at box office
The third installment of the "Now You See Me" series has topped the North American box office, beating "The Running Man" this weekend. According to studio estimates Sunday, Lionsgate's "Now You See Me: Now You Don't" earned $21.3 million, while Paramount's "The Running Man" made $17 million. Including international sales, the worldwide opening for "Now You See Me" is estimated at $75.5 million. The film, directed by Ruben Fleischer, brings back the original cast and introduces new magicians. Reviews were mixed, but audiences were more positive. "The Running Man," directed by Edgar Wright, also received mixed reviews and earned $28.2 million worldwide.
Celebrity birthdays for the week of Nov. 23-29 includes Colin Hanks and Miley Cyrus
Celebrities having birthdays during the week of Nov. 23-29 include actor Colin Hanks, TV personality Bill Nye the Science Guy and singer-actor Miley Cyrus. "Modern Family" actor Sarah Hyland turns 35, "Everything Everywhere All at Once" actor Stephanie Hsu hits 35 and actor Christina Applegate celebrates 54. Other celebrities with big days include "Dancing With the Stars" judge Bruno Tonioli, hip-hop artist-producer DJ Khaled and actor Ed Harris. "Chicago Med" actor S. Epatha Merkerson turns 73, singer Jonathan Knight of New Kids on the Block reaches 57 and "Fargo" co-director Joel Coen welcomes 71. Others celebrating include actor-comedian Howie Mandel and TV host and comedian Jon Stewart.
Disability rights activist and author Alice Wong dies at 51
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Alice Wong, an activist and author who championed the rights of people with disabilities, has died. She was 51. Close friend Sandy Ho says Wong died of infection Friday in a hospital in San Francisco. Wong was born with muscular dystrophy. She used a power wheelchair and an assistive breathing device. Ho remembered her as a funny person and humorous writer who wanted people with disabilities to have independence and a voice for themselves.
SS Rajamouli unveils time-travel adventure film 'Varanasi,' with elements of Hindu mythology
HYDERABAD, India (AP) -- Known for hits like "RRR" and "Baahubali," filmmaker S.S. Rajamouli has unveiled his most ambitious film yet. Announced Saturday in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad, "Varanasi" promises a visually rich time-travel adventure drawing parts of its storyline from Hindu mythology. The film features a star-studded cast, including Mahesh Babu, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and Prithviraj Sukumaran. Thousands of fans gathered to see the first look, which showed Babu as a fierce warrior. The Telugu-language film industry is known for its grand visual style and has gained global attention in large part thanks to Rajamouli's imaginative storytelling. "Varanasi" is expected to release in 2027.