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It must be nice to see a familiar face on set when you start a new gig. Surely, Ben Affleck feels comfortable on his sets when his pal Matt Damon shows up because the two work well together, and we all know how much fun Ryan Reynolds had when bringing his friend Rob McElhenney to the Deadpool set (even if his part was cut). So when Harry Lawtey joined the cast of Joker: Folie A Deux, he was understandably relieved when he learned that his Industry costar Ken Leung is also entering Todd Phillips’ Joker-verse.

Lawtey was cast as Harvey Dent in Phillips’ highly-anticipated sequel to Joker. Leung also appears in the film in an undisclosed role, though Lawtey didn’t know about it until the day before he began filming. The actor told I-d: “Oh my god! I only found out the day before because [Industry co-star] Myha’la told me!” Lawet revealed. While he mentioned hsi first scene was opposite star Jauquin Phoenix, his first speaking role was addressing Leung.

“My first shots were with Joaquin but my first line of dialogue was [spoken to] Ken. It made such a difference because the stakes were so high,” he expressed. Having a familiar face helped make the jump a lot less scary, Lawtey said. “The first time I had to speak on camera, I was speaking to someone I really, really love and have a huge amount of trust and admiration for. They just felt like safe eyes to look into. That’s always the case with Ken.” It’s nice that somebody feels comfort when looking into Ken’s eyes because the man has played some seriously disturbing characters.

You would think that Phillips would know about this beforehand, but he seemed surprised to know that his stars had worked together before. “Halfway through the scene, [Phillips] comes up to me and says: ‘Apparently you guys are in a show together?’”

On the other hand, going from Pierpoint and Co to the gritty streets of Gotham is pretty intimidating, though not as intimidating as working with Lady Gaga. “There were a few occasions when I got to be a metre away from her while she sang. I had a front-row seat to that experience. I kept thinking, how many people would pay loads of money to have that?” How much money would you pay to see Ken Leung explode at you about incorrect budgets?! Something to think about.

Joke: Folie A Deux dances into theaters on October 4th.

(Via I-D)

Despite the fact that we are at the deepest point of the NBA offseason, a month removed from the Olympics and a month still to go before training camp starts, we have had a few bits of controversy still pop up. We’ve seen Shaq continue his beef with Rudy Gobert (and Ben Simmons), while Anthony Edwards reignited the seemingly never ending war of words between NBA generations.

While we typically see older players criticizing the current generation for being soft, Edwards spun it around and said players from the 80s and 90s didn’t have any skill — with the exception of Michael Jordan — in a somewhat bizarre, one-off answer to a question in a wide-ranging Q&A that never followed up or built off that statement. Unsurprisingly, that led to plenty of push back and ruffled feathers, with Magic Johnson offering the most scathing rebuttal, noting he didn’t feel the need to respond to someone that’s never won a championship at any level, from high school to the pros.

On a recent episode of Podcast P, Paul George and DeMar DeRozan discussed Edwards remarks (video above), and, while trying to give Edwards the benefit of the doubt that maybe some context was missing, noted that they didn’t understand why he’d say something like that. DeRozan, in particular, seemed taken aback by the comments, explaining that “I would never undermine anybody that came before me because they built the foundation for us to be where we was at today.” DeRozan also points out that he hopes the game keeps growing to where players in 20 years look more athletic and more skilled than the players now, but that he wouldn’t want those players trashing guys like Ant — who he also said is his favorite player right now.

In an age where top streaming TV shows (Wednesday, Severance, and Peacemaker come to mind) are taking three years to return for second seasons, it’s nice to realize that certain genuinely bingeworthy series do achieve followups at a steady clip. Those would include Reacher on Prime Video/Amazon, and on a not-entirely-dissimilar similar note, The Diplomat on Netflix. Heck, some ongoing series don’t even get renewed faster than these these two series can turn around new seasons.

An even better part of this budding rapid-fire release pattern: Keri Russell has been a TV mainstay for much of her life for good reason. Her Mickey Mouse Club days were followed by success on Felicity (including a fateful haircut) and The Americans (including butt kicking and wigs), and now, The Diplomat‘s appeal has been resting mainly on her shoulders.

This is no slight against her co-stars (including Rufus Sewell), of course, but let’s also admit that Russell is almost uniquely able to tackle this show’s hefty blend of suspenseful drama mixed up with some sardonic, even at times straight-up funny, flair. With that said, let’s get down to business on what to expect from more of The Diplomat.

Plot

Alright, so Netflix’s teaser trailer drop answers the most prominent question that was on viewers’ minds: does Hal Wyler live?

The answer (unless he somehow enters into another life-or-death situation) would be “yes.” And choosing to reveal his fate in the trailer is a clear signal that showrunner Debora Cahn would like us to focus elsewhere going into the season. For starters, Kate and Hal are also shown in the trailer while displaying a united front against the onscreen debut of Allison Janey as Vice President Grace Penn giving straight-up lethal looks to the married diplomats. However and as Cahn revealed to Entertainment Weekly, Hal is “shaken,” and “[a]lmost dying like that can shake a lot on every level.”

This will likely yield more personal-life disaster because, according to Cahn, this experience will throw Kate and Hal back together again despite the budding Dennison (David Gyasi) situation:

“Kate was ready for this new relationship. She was really ready to move on, and there’s nothing like a near-death experience for you to just cling to somebody and forget all of the stuff that was driving you apart. It was over. They had reached a conclusion, so when suddenly she’s like, ‘I’m back. I’m here now.’ Do you trust it? Do you trust her? A lot of the season is about trust and there is a line that comes later in the season, where Kate says to Hal, ‘Of course, I don’t trust you. This isn’t built on trust.’”

Additionally, the show juggles the matter of Kate realizing that Prime Minister Nicol Trowbridge (Rory Kinnear) was surely behind the attack that nearly killed Hal, but there’s the difficulty of not being able to spy on him due to U.S.-U.K. relations. As Cahn describes the matter, “So how do you prove it? And then if you prove it, what the hell do you do about it?”

Meanwhile, Keri Russell has added more shading to the Hal-Kate dynamic:

“I think the people around them in the story don’t know what’s happening. They don’t know what to make of them. It’s unnerving because they’re fighting cats and dogs or they’re completely backing each other up in this fierce way. And it’s unnerving because people don’t know where they stand.”

These Kate-Hal developments might have disappointed David Gyasi, who previously followed up on the first season finale by telling Town and Country his hopes for the second season: “I’d love to explore what that relationship is with Kate. I mean, maybe they’d just gotten to a place when she makes that choice for that beautiful red dress. It’s the first time that they touch—they touch hands.” Well, damn.

In other words, expect the personal and professional relationships of this series to be even more intertwined than within the first season. And as Vanity Fair has reported, a Netflix consultant, ex-CIA official Kari Amelung, believes that the show does well at portraying how married diplomats will often stay married because filing for divorce causes them “to forfeit coveted overseas assignments to return to the States.” So, they will “just live in hatred [with each other].” God, this is so irresistibly messy.

Cast

Keri Russell returns as Kate Wyler with Rufus Sewell as Hal. Allison Janney appear to be ready to shake up everybody’s little world, and David Gyasi will return as Austin Dennison. Presumably, we will also see Rory Kinnear as PM Trowbridge and Ali Ahn as Eidra Graham.

Release Date

The Diplomat will return on October 31, 2024.

Trailer

Behold the return of Hal, even though he never left:

Danity Kane’s Dawn Richard is the latest accuser to come forward with allegations against Diddy and has now sued him.

In the lawsuit obtained by Rolling Stone, Richard claims Diddy “manipulated her with mantras that submission to his depraved demands was necessary for career advancement, instilling in her the belief that such abuse and exploitation were required for female artists to succeed in the music industry.” The suit alleges that Diddy groped Richard, locked her in a car for two hours, and threatened her life. It also claims Richard saw Diddy become physically violent with women.

The suit was filed in the Southern District of New York on September 10, and Richard (who was in the group Diddy-Dirty Money alongside Diddy and Kalenna Harper) has also sued former Bad Boy Entertainment CEO Harve Pierre.

Richard’s suit backs up claims made by Cassie in her own Diddy lawsuit, with Richard saying she saw Diddy chose and strangle Cassie. On one occasion, she witness him throw a hot pan of eggs at Cassie and drug her up some stairs. She also says she tried convincing Cassie to leave Diddy, but he was apparently enraged when he found out, saying he makes “n****s go missing,” and, “I end people.”

As Rolling Stone notes, Richard is now the eighth person to accuse Diddy of sexual assault.

In Eden, Sydney Sweeney and Ana de Armas separately travel to a secluded island in the Galápagos. Based on the reviews for the Ron Howard film out of the Toronto International Film Festival, it sounds like their characters do not get along. But in real life, Sweeney and de Armas would have at least one thing in common: the same desert island disc.

While playing a game of “Recommendation Roulette” for Vanity Fair, the actresses named their current favorite movie soundtrack. At the same time, and with the appropriate amount of enthusiasm, they both said, “Mamma Mia!” Or more specifically, Mamma Mia! The Movie Soundtrack, which was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media. It lost to Juno, but could The Moldy Peaches sing ABBA’s “Our Last Summer” with the burning passion of Colin Firth, Pierce Brosnan, and Stellan Skarsgård? I think not.

You can watch the video with Sweeney and de Armas here.

As for Eden, Sweeney told The Wrap that she was shocked it was based on a true story. “You read all these crazy characters, there’s no way that they all are real, and they all come together and they have all these experiences,” she said. “But then I went and I read Dora [Strauch’s] book, and I read Margret [Wittmer’s] book, and I found all the newspaper clippings of all their stories and it’s the most wild account of people just put together.”

Also wild: that a movie with Ana de Armas, Vanessa Kirby, Sydney Sweeney, Jude Law, and Daniel Brühl does not have a release date yet.

Frankie Beverly, best known for his work with the R&B band Maze (also known as Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly and Frankie Beverly & Maze), died on September 10. He was 77 years old.

The death was confirmed in a statement from Beverly’s family, shared on his Instagram page. It reads:

“FROM THE FAMILY OF FRANKIE BEVERLY

Grieving the loss of a loved one is a deeply personal and emotional experience. During this time, as we are navigating feelings of sorrow, reflection, and remembrance we kindly ask for privacy and understanding, allowing us the space to grieve in our own way. This period for is one of healing, and your respect for our need for solitude is appreciated as we honor the memory of our beloved Howard Stanley Beverly known to the world as Frankie Beverly.

He lived his life with pure soul as one would say, and for us, no one did it better. He lived for his music, family and friends.

Love one another as he would want that for us all.

Howard Stanley Beverly aka Frankie Beverly

12/6/46 – 9/10/24

The Beverly Family”

Beverly formed Raw Soul in 1970, and at the suggestion of Marvin Gaye, the band changed its name to Maze. The group would go on to release seven gold-certified albums between 1977 and 1993, all of which were at or near the top of the Billboard R&B charts.

The band received renewed attention in 2019 when Beyoncé covered “Before I Let Go” on Homecoming: The Live Album. Beverly reacted at the time, “I feel bigger than ever! I feel like I have a huge smash out there. It’s definitely a blessing.”

Beverly and Maze went on a farewell tour earlier this year, wrapping up in July 6. Beverly shared a statement with Billboard at the time the run was announced, saying, “I want to share with my lifelong fans and associates that I’ll be going out on the road one last time, then retire. Thank you so much for the support given to me for over 50 years as I pass on the lead vocalist torch to Tony Lindsay. The band will continue on as Maze Honoring Frankie Beverly. It’s been a great ride through the decades. Let the music of my legacy continue.”

Beverly was also honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2024 NAACP Image Awards earlier this year.

As Bridgerton approaches its fourth season, our young high society members are growing up way too fast. Several of the eligible singles have been paired up, much to the delight of fans, but poor Benedict Bridgerton hasn’t been able to find his own love story, even after seeing all of his siblings have their own romance arc. But all of that is about to change for the lad.

Season four of Bridgerton is finally shaping up and Dune: Prophecy actress Yerin Ha has joined the cast as Sophie Baek, a new love interest for Benedict, who’s own romantic endeavors have caused various fan theories over the years.

According to Netflix, Baek has been forced to spend much of her life working as a maid for a demanding client. But she orchestrates her own Cinderella moment and disguises herself in order to attend Violet Bridgerton’s masquerade ball, where she meets the very desirable Benedict Bridgerton. What could possibly happen next?! You’ll have to wait. Here is the official longline for season four:

The fourth season of Bridgerton turns its focus to bohemian second son Benedict (Luke Thompson). Despite his elder and younger brothers both being happily married, Benedict is loath to settle down — until he meets a captivating Lady in Silver at his mother’s masquerade ball.

Netflix shared a short teaser featuring Ha prepping for her role. “What drew me to Sophie was that she immediately has obstacles — something that she constantly has to overcome,” Ha told Tudum. “Whether it’s this battle around social status or trying to hide her feelings from Benedict.”

Season three of Bridgerton was released in two parts this year, with the most recent batch of episodes dropping at the end of June. Season four will consist of eight episodes, which are currently in production. No release date has been set.

(Via Tudum)

What do we want from James Bond? He (I’m using the “he/him” pronoun because I’m with Jenna Ortega and think we need more female-led franchises, not merely a gender-swapped “Jamie Bond”) should be cool. Obviously. This is the most important attribute. The guys want to be him, the girls (and guys) want to be with him, etc. He should also be attractive, cunning, intimidating but not too intimidating, and in this modern Bond era, a little emotionally broken.

I’m basically describing Aaron Pierre in Netflix hit Rebel Ridge, which is why I think he should be the next 007.

Written and directed by Jeremy Saulnier (who also made Green Room, one of the best horror movies of the 2010s), Rebel Ridge is about a former Marine named Terry (played by Pierre) who gets stopped by the cops in a small Southern town while riding his bike on the way to post bail for his cousin. They seize the $36,000 in cash he’s carrying via civil forfeiture, under the unjust belief that it was obtained through illegal means. Terry visits the police station, overseen by Chief Sandy Burnne (Don Johnson), and reports that the cash was stolen by his officers. This doesn’t sit well with the cops, so Terry offers a deal: let him have $10,000 back for the bail and they can keep the rest.

This is where I’ll stop describing the plot, because there are some surprises I don’t want to spoil. Besides, this isn’t a straightforward review of Rebel Ridge (if it was, my review would be this: Rebel Ridge rocks). It’s an appreciation of Pierre, who gives the kind of performance that makes you stop the film midway through — one of the few benefits of streaming over the theatrical experience — and see what else he’s been in. He was born in London (another important requirement to playing James Bond) and appeared in a bunch of British shows before making his breakthrough performance in Barry Jenkins’ astonishing The Underground Railroad series. Pierre was also in M. Night Shyamalan’s bonkers Old as Mid-Sized Sedan, a dad joke of a rapper name, and he’ll soon voice Mufasa in Disney prequel Mufasa: The Lion King.

Pierre’s stock is rising, but he’s still a relative unknown — like Daniel Craig when he was cast as Bond. It’s true Craig was in more pre-007 projects than Pierre, but no one was seeing Lara Croft: Tomb Raider or Road to Perdition for the future Benoit Blanc. It wasn’t until Layer Cake (and Elizabeth) that Craig showcased what would make him a great Bond. Rebel Ridge is Pierre’s Layer Cake.

Pierre told Men’s Health that he’s “a student of Brazilian jiu-jitsu and boxing” and “deeply in love with martial arts.” The recent Bond films have played up 007’s martial arts abilities (although it’s been in the character’s DNA since Sean Connery took karate classes), and it’s fair to assume that future titles will favor hand-to-hand combat over goofy gadgets. A balance of the two would be nice (bring back the alligator submarine!), but whichever way Bond 27 goes, Pierre possesses the physicality to pull it off. His 6’3 frame doesn’t hurt, either.

But Pierre is more than just a muscular dude (although he is that). In every interview I’ve read with him, I’m struck by his thoughtfulness for every decision he makes as an actor. Take a look at what he told The Seattle Times about playing Terry: “One of the many things that appealed to me about this character was his ability to regulate his emotions even in moments which are undeniably, blatantly unjust, and intentionally so. He does it in a way that’s so not demonstrative and so not braggadocious that even when he’s articulating how patient he’s being with you, you still might not quite understand.”

Bond is of course in “peak human condition,” as the hilariously detailed James Bond wiki notes, but he’s also someone who relies on his wits to get himself out of seemingly impossible situations. In Rebel Ridge, Pierre plays this well: Terry always looks like he’s five steps ahead of the cops, but even when he’s behind, you wouldn’t know it from his calm demeanor. There’s a rage bubbling underneath, however. When it’s released, look out. This tension between the two could make the next Bond movie more of a tight thriller, which would be a welcome change of pace following the bloat of Spectre and No Time To Die.

So, what are we doing here? Pierre is charismatic, handsome, commanding yet thoughtful, good with a one-liner, and everything he says sounds cool as hell. The search is over: we’ve found our next Bond, James Bond.

Rebel Ridge is streaming now on Netflix.

The split season for Darren Star’s newest fizzy series, Emily In Paris, means that, sure, some fan frustration did occur by making viewers wait for the year’s final five episodes. Still, that wait will make sense in retrospect because the season does meet a natural dividing point. Emily Cooper is now poised to take a few much-needed breaks from Paris, including a trip to Rome.

Who is Emily, if she’s not an American in Paris? You’re about to find out, but here’s the more pressing question:

When Does Emily In Paris: Season 4 Part 2 Stream?

The loathe-to-love-it (for me) series returns on Thursday, September 12 and will adhere to the usual Netflix release plan of dropping at 12:00am PST and 3:00am EST.

These episodes follow up on Emily’s decision to give Gabriel a real shot (Alfie, you knew that was coming, and you still walked into it), and viewers found out that Camille is actually not pregnant, although she hasn’t broken the news to anybody yet. She seems to be angling for drama with the show suggesting that she simply cannot be alone in the final moments of the most recent episode.

Netflix hasn’t released a separate synopsis for the back half of the season other than “All roads lead to Rome…” while dropping the following trailer:

We do know, however, that Christmas is coming, and that Gabriel is working towards a Michelin star, and that Mindy is still somehow on that Eurovision quest. Do you (like me) wish that she would receive something slightly meatier to work with, even though this is not a show with consequential acts for any character? Fingers crossed for a spin off.

The trailer does show Emily in Rome with a personal tour guide/love interest, and Mindy making a “stamped your passport” joke. Nice. Additionally, Netflix has revealed descriptions of “new faces” on the horizon:

Eugenio Franceschini as Marcello: Originally from Rome, Marcello is direct, confident, and values simplicity. He’s substantive but never flashy — true to the roots of his family’s company.

Thalia Besson as Genevieve: Laurent’s 20something daughter from a past relationship, who’s just moved from New York City to Paris to start her career. Her bright, eager demeanor immediately endears her to Emily, who’s thrilled to have an American expat to mentor. But their similarities may end up complicating Emily’s life – both professionally and personally.

It’s nearly time to say “ciao” — see you on the other side of the pond soon.

“They don’t think I understand / ‘Cause I’m a child at 22 / And I don’t know who I am,” sings Keni Titus in the opening lines of “Think I Got A Bad Idea.” Taken from her new EP, Juliet, the track encapsulates the assured sense of self with which the Los Angeles songwriter carries herself.

That’s to say that you shouldn’t underestimate Titus. She’s young, yes, and has recently amassed a following via social media channels like TikTok and Instagram, but her songs speak for themselves. Pop-minded with a rock-ish edge, Juliet is a striking new entry from a buzzy new voice.

Following the EP’s release last week, Titus sat down with Uproxx to talk about Justin Bieber, her fear of the deep ocean, touring with Beabadoobee, and more in our latest Q&A.

What are four words you would use to describe your music?

Let’s get ice cream.

It’s 2050 and the world hasn’t ended and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?

Girl, that’s only 25 years away. I hope I’m not worried about being remembered yet.

Who’s the person who has most inspired your work, and why?

I’m not sure there is one person. I feel like I’ve absorbed so many people over the years. I love Bruce Springsteen, Radiohead, Lana Del Rey, Bob Dylan, MGMT, and also just movies. Romance movies.

Where did you eat the best meal of your life and what was it?

The most recent spiritual food experience I’ve had was a tuna sandwich from Bub’s and Grandma’s in Eagle Rock.

Tell us about the best concert you’ve ever attended.

Justin Bieber’s Purpose tour. 2016.

What song never fails to make you emotional?

“Someone Like You” by White China or “What Do You Mean” by Justin Bieber.

What’s the last thing you Googled?

“Tony shalboub kids”

Where’s the weirdest place you’ve ever crashed while on tour?

I have never been on tour, but I’m going on tour with Beabadoobee in September, which I am so excited about. Will update if I fall asleep anywhere weird obviously.

What’s your favorite city in the world to perform and what’s the city you hope to perform in for the first time?

I have only performed in LA. I’m really excited to perform in New York and also Berlin eventually, hopefully, god willing.

What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?

I would probably tell her to take pictures and do some research.

What’s one of your hidden talents?

I’ve been thinking for 20 minutes and I can’t think of anything. I swear there is one though in me somewhere.

If you had a million dollars to donate to charity, what cause would you support and why?

Big Love Animal Rescue because save the animals.

What are your thoughts about AI and the future of music?

It used to scare me a bit but I’ve come to the conclusion that you have to have a heart to make real art. I don’t feel threatened by the robots.

You are throwing a music festival. Give us the dream lineup of 5 artists that will perform with you and the location it would be held.

This is a stressful question. Lana Del Rey for sure, I would probably say The Verve so I could hear “Bittersweet Symphony Live” once, One Direction, Oasis, Phoenix. These are my choices right now in this exact moment, in 5 minutes my mood would change everything.

Who’s your favorite person to follow on social media?

Trisha Paytas.

What’s the story behind your first or favorite tattoo?

My first tattoo is an outline of a little guitar on my arm. I got it when I was 18 because I wanted a tattoo and I played the guitar. It’s really cute I think.

What is your pre-show ritual?

Drinking some tea and talking to myself in the mirror.

Who was your first celebrity crush?

Uncle Jesse from Full House.

You have a month off and the resources to take a dream vacation. Where are you going and who is coming with you?

I’m taking my best friends and my boyfriend. I would say either a perfect island where there is no possibility of getting a sunburn, like the Irish countryside or the south of France.

What is your biggest fear?

Being in the ocean where I can’t see the bottom and a shark coming up from below me and eating me.

Juliet is available now via BannerYeer Recordings. Find more information here.