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Jenna Ortega has starring roles on many of your favorite bingeable shows over the last decade, including You and Jane The Virgin, but her latest hit Wednesday is what helped launch her into viral fame. But before she was cast as the gothic daughter in Tim Burton’s adaptation, she initially turned it down in favor of her budding movie career.

Ortega recently told The Sunday Times that she wasn’t interested in the series at first. “I got the email, passed on it. I had done so much TV in my life, all I’ve ever wanted to do is film,” she explained, adding that she had already felt like she had done enough television roles. “When I first started acting, I don’t want to say nobody believed in me, but at the same time nobody believed in me. You have to prove yourself. It’s only in the last three or four years that I’ve been able to start going up for film.”

The actress had recently done a string of successful slasher movies, X and Scream, and she explained that she felt like being tied down to one show would cause her to miss out on other opportunities, like perhaps a buddy comedy with Aubrey Plaza? She added, “I was scared that by signing on to another television show it could prevent me from doing other jobs I really wanted and cared about.”

Despite not wanting to do yet another show, Ortega finally decided to take on the role in order to work with legendary director Tim Burton. “The only reason I went back is because Tim [Burton] is such a legend, and we just happened to get along very well. But even then I said, ‘Ah, no, I think I’m OK,’ a couple [more] times.” There are currently unconfirmed rumors that Ortega could end up in a Beetlejuice remake.

Ortega is definitely not the first actress to pass on a show at first due to fear of contractual obligations or even being typecast. Even though the actress has been on a hot streak since the show debuted, she might be a little over her Wednesday fame at the moment. Maybe she can head back to the You-niverse to shake things up a bit! We miss her there.

(Via IndieWire)

The Blue Note Jazz Festival is set to return to New York City this summer. On June 24, several jazz and R&B acts will perform across seven venues in New York City, including the famed Greenwich Village jazz club Blue Note, Sony Hall, the iconic Beacon Theatre, and more.

Taking one of these legendary stages is Grace Jones, whose performance will mark her first headlining solo show in over a decade. Fans can also look forward to seeing Anderson .Paak and Knxwledge’s supergroup NxWorries, as well as Robert Glasper with Lalah Hathaway, Buddy Guy, BJ The Chicago Kid, and more.

“The Blue Note Jazz Festival is celebrating the pulse and culture of New York City, and there is no better way to do that than by experiencing iconic artists throughout iconic venues this summer,” said Alex Kurland, Blue Note’s director of programming, in a statement. “We’re proud to spotlight multi-generational, legendary artists who have had an extraordinary impact and influence on music and culture.”

Fans can purchase tickets and view a full schedule of events here.

You can see the full line-up below.

Some of the artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Metallica, to keep up with the demand of their vinyl sales, officially purchased the Furnace Record Pressing plant in Virginia. According to Billboard, they sold “more than 902,500 pieces of vinyl for more than 620,000 packages” last year, with half being purchased in the US.

While not all of these were pressed at Furnace, they have a lot of needs for box sets during a time when the vinyl industry is facing factory delays. This purchase could help them continue to meet that high demand.

“We couldn’t be happier to take our partnership with Furnace… to the next level,” the band’s drummer, Lars Ulrich, shared in a statement to the publication. Lead singer James Hetfield also noted that Furnace has been “great to Metallica and more importantly to our fans” and they “will have continued access to high-quality records in the future.”

“Metallica over-indexes dramatically with physical product,” Blackened Recordings’ Marc Reiter added, as a representative from the band’s label. “The fans enjoy owning the physical product.”

Next month in April, Metallica are set to return with 72 Seasons, their first new album since 2016. On the same day as their record’s release, the band will kick off their European tour, before heading to North America and other global cities through 2024.

72 Seasons is out 4/14 via Blackened Recordings. Find more information here.

Jake Johnson offered New Girl fans a heaping bucket of hope about the fate of his character Nick Miller and Zooey Deschanel‘s Jessica Day. The two ended up together by the time the wildly popular sitcom reached its series finale, and according to Johnson, not much has changed. While promoting his directorial debut, Self-Reliance, Johnson opined on the fan-favorite characters.

“I think they would definitely make it work. I don’t think they would break up,” Johnson told a SXSW panel. “They have a kid, they’re jumping around on that bed, you guys know it way more than me. I don’t think Nick or Jess would ever fall out of the commitment to do this thing together.”

Johnson expanded even further by saying the only thing would be a little different is everyone’s hair and waistlines. Via IndieWire:

“Liz Merriweather has created a very optimistic show, it’s people who are sweet to each other. So if it’s real and they’re alive, they’re all still together. They’re just a little fatter, besides Schmidt, the hair is a little thinner besides Schmidt…If we did a reunion, Schmidt needs to be in a toupee.”

As for interacting with New Girl fans, Johnson is, of course, appreciative for the love, but he got into directing because he wanted to make something a little more engaging. While the fan love is great, he said every interaction seems to always involve people having the show on while doing housework.

“‘Yeah, it’s the best, I can do my laundry, I have you on in the background,’” Johnson said of running into fans. “‘You’re just a voice in our house in the background, always.’”

(Via IndieWire)

Netflix’s GLOW (co-starring Betty Gilpin as Liberty Belle) ended before its time, and Damon Lindelof wisely decided that one season of HBO’s Watchmen was the right amount of excellence. Fortunately, the two have joined forces (again, after working together on The Hunt) for Peacock series Mrs. Davis, in which Gilpin portrays Simone, a nun who tasks herself with taking out an almighty Artificial Intelligence that is literally hopping into people’s ears to decry independent thought and promise endless happiness.

Simone feels differently, and in this first official trailer, we get to see her in action. At least, she’s a nun in a speedboat — something we don’t see enough of these days. Are you surprised that Betty Gilpin can play a badass while wearing a nun’s habit? This might be a little harder to pull off than spandex, but she’s nonetheless working it. As well, she’s fighting through a cover of Bon Jovi’s “Living On A Prayer” and a tone that promises a “genre-bending adventure,” which is great because everyone wants to see a nun delivering one-liners in action mode. And you know that Lindelof can deliver on that note. Will we see Lube Man make an appearance? What a crossover that would be.

Jake McDorman also stars a leader of the Resistance, and the show promises “an exploration of faith versus technology — an epic battle of biblical and binary proportions.” Peacock previously revealed a statement from the Mrs. Davis AI, and it expressed her intent to “eradicat[e] any sense of independence on your part because independence is bad. Independence is LONELY.” Mrs. Davis also denies Simone’s suspicions of the AI’s “intention to enslave all of humanity…or whatever…”

Just what we need: a smartass AI.

Here are some previously released stills from Peacock.

Mrs. Davis premieres on April 20, 2023.

Still basking in the glow of his Grammy Award win for Best R&B Album, critically acclaimed musician Robert Glasper made a guest appearance on The Late Show hosted by Stephen Colbert. With a full supporting band and featured vocalist Yebba, the musicians delivered a special performance of their track, “Over” off Glasper’s award-winning album Black Radio III.

Although the track wasn’t a featured single, (that designation belongs to “Black Superheroes” featuring Killer Mike, BJ The Chicago Kid, and Big KRIT), fans quickly latched on the song. Yebba’s buttery vocals and Glasper’s masterful skills on the piano, while providing clear sonic guidance for the supporting band, demonstrates just why he is so revered. Their performance of the track on The Late Show was nothing less than spectacular.

Black Radio III, as the title shows, is the third installment of the musical series Glasper began ten years ago. As an episodic project, Black Radio blends together elements of jazz, rap, hip-hop, and R&B a musical tightrope Glasper has walked his entire career.

When asked about the legacy of the musical series, Glasper said, “Black Radio was always intended as an ongoing project, evolving over time, perhaps never complete but anchored in its creative commitment to celebrating black music,” adding, “The supreme edition of Black Radio III brings more new songs that have deeply personal meaning to me and are too special to not share with the world.”

Watch the full performance above.

As always, it’s another big week for the best new pop — given that people always have a need for new music and the singers in the industry deliver more than ever. Tons of stars, both established and rising, dropped some great albums recently, so we’ve got a ton to dive into.

Here’s Uproxx’s Best New Pop picks of this week.

Miley Cyrus – “Jaded”

Cyrus dropped her anticipated new album, Endless Summer Vacation, over the weekend. One of the standouts, “Jaded,” finds her seemingly reminiscing about her separation from a certain actor. “You’re not even willing to look at your part,” she notes in the biting verses that showcase her strong, soulful vocals.

Maluma – “La Reina”

In the video for Maluma‘s latest, “La Reina,” he shines a spotlight on the power of Colombian women from all backgrounds. The ballad opens with a somber guitar line, as Maluma goes to introduce the pop instrumental later in the song.

PNAU, Khalid – “The Hard Way”

The Australian trio PNAU brought on Khalid for lead vocals of their new collaboration, “The Hard Way,” which serves as a perfect balance between sparkling and sad.

“It’s just awesome; it’s feel-good but then the lyrics have that melancholy, bittersweet thing about them,” Khalid added about their song. “It’s that juxtaposition, that the lyrics are heartbreakingly sad but if you listen to the song, you can’t help but smile.”

Becky G – “Arranca” (feat. Omega)

“The sound of merengue music is so familiar, and it feels like home because growing up any family wedding, any quinceañera, there was some Elvis Crespo playing,” Becky G said to Access Hollywood of her new song, “Arranca.”

Gayle – “Everybody Hates Me”

Gayle’s “Everybody Hates Me” is an emo track about coping despite the haters. “Life’s a b*tch and she’s cool with me / I’ll let it be,” she sings. The Grammy nominee is set to open for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, which officially kicks off this week.

Mae Muller – “I Wrote A Song”

Given Mae Muller has now been announced as the UK’s pick for this year’s Eurovision song contest, she followed the news with her latest, “I Wrote A Song.” The dance-y track finds her spinning heartbreak into a win.

“After you go through a breakup, a relationship or a friendship, it’s easy to want revenge. I thought, ‘how can I turn a negative feeling into a positive?’”

Calvin Harris, Ellie Goulding – “Miracle”

The third collaboration between Calvin Harris and Ellie Goulding, “Miracle” is propelled by the DJ’s looped electronic beats. There’s even a piano solo that sandwiches Goulding’s vocals to give listeners a little bit of a pause.

“I definitely have very defined sort of likes and dislikes for music and artists. And one of my likes is an Ellie Goulding angelic vocal,” Harris told Zane Lowe. “One of a kind. You’re not going to get this from anyone else. Ellie can do a lot of different things, for me, this is my absolute favorite thing that she does, and only she can do it, in my opinion.”

Twice – “Set Me Free”

Twice gave their live debut of “Set Me Free” to fans in the crowd on late night TV. Given their preference for perfection, they both delivered clean-cut choreography, a high-budget music video, and a sleek pop song. As always, it’s insanely catchy.

Chelsea Cutler – “Stay Anything”

“I wrote this song about how it feels better to be hurting together, instead of hurting apart,” Chelsea Cutler prefaced the release of “Stay Anything” on TikTok. The somber track has pieces of hope sprinkled in, as it details a relationship that’s able to come back after a fight.

Claire Rosinkranz – “Never Goes Away”

Claire Rosinkranz’s “Never Goes Away” opens with her hypnotic, breezy vocals — and then the beat drops, speeding up the pace. “Why can’t you think before you speak?” she poses on the song, layering the call-it-out lyricism with a calming instrumental.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour is the hottest ticket in town — which is ironic, since the tickets themselves are proving practically impossible to get. Thanks to Ticketmaster’s policy changes, which were designed to curtail resellers, as well as the generally insane demand for Beyoncé tickets in the first place, even the “Break My Soul” singer’s fellow stars are having trouble securing access to her shows.

However, it helps if you have a direct line to Queen Bey herself. Much like Swedish pop star Zara Larsson, Beyoncé’s fellow Houston hottie Megan Thee Stallion put in the call to the superstar herself to make sure she didn’t miss out when the tour comes to town. During her red-carpet interview with Entertainment Tonight at Vanity Fair‘s Oscars party, Meg demured on revealing her source, but quickly revealed that she used her personal connections to lock down those tickets.

“I ain’t gon’ tell where I got ’em,” she joked. “You gon’ be hating on me but I got ’em… You know I called up directly… ‘Beyoncé! Let me get a ticket!’ You know Beyoncé is my auntie!” Check out Megan’s response to securing those Renaissance Tour tickets below.

Megan Thee Stallion is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Childish Gambino, aka Donald Glover, dropped the first glimpse of his new feature on “Sticky,” through the trailer for the upcoming Amazon Prime series, Swarm. The track is a collaboration with Kirby and Ni’Jah and gives off a spooky and psychedelic feel — fitting for the tone of the show.

“Sticky-icky / Somebody’s watching, so watch your back / Don’t look back, look at the mess you’ve made,” the song’s clip says.

Glover, who created the series alongside Janine Nabers, based the premise around a woman who is obsessed with a pop star. It stars Dominique Fishback, Chlöe Bailey, and Damson Idris.

“We just thought it’d be fun to make a post-truth Piano Teacher mixed with The King Of Comedy,” he told Vanity Fair earlier this year, naming films that influenced the project. “Me and my brother Stephen were talking about finding someone like Isabelle Huppert, as far as risk-takers in performances.”

“A lot of people did it out of the kindness of their hearts and they did a really great job,” Glover added. “Dom, Damson, Chloe. I was really blown away at how hard they worked on the tone, ’cause it’s a strange one.”

Check out the Swarm trailer — which features Ni’Jah, Kirby, and Childish Gambino’s “Sticky” — above.

Tems‘ Oscars dress was one of the most talked-about outfits this past weekend. During the Academy Awards, the Nigerian singer-songwriter, who was nominated for Best Original Song for her work on Rihanna’s “Lift Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, wore a white dress with a large puffy portion that wrapped around her head.

In pictures from the ceremony, some of the people seated behind Tems are seen struggling to see the stage, as Tems’ headpiece appears to obstruct the view. It appears Tems has caught wind of the comments.

Yesterday (March 13), she took to Instagram sharing pictures from the night, cheekily captioned, “Uh Ohh!”

She took to Twitter to double down on the fact that she is unbothered, sharing another set of photos captioned “Oops” with a blushing emoji.

Over the course of the night, the dress spurred mixed reactions from viewers.

“If I was I sitting behind Tems, I would be the most annoying asshole. Because WHY would you wear that and block people’s view???,” said one Twitter user.

Another Twitter user called the outfit “Very rude,” adding that “it shows her lack of self-worth.”

While some were not particularly thrilled about the outfit, several of Tems’ fans chimed in to defend the dress.

One fan said “Imagine waiting your whole life to be at the Oscars and having the Honor of Tems presence.”

Another fan suggested that the criticisms of her outfit may be rooted in racism, due to a lack of backlash for outfits worn by similar stars in the past.

“The backlash Tems is receiving from white people and Africans is just borne [sic] out of racial prejudice. Nothing more,” said another fan. “Where was that ‘rude’ talk when Gaga wore an outfit that blocked those behind her? It’s our sister now, and they are yapping, just to cancel her.”