Movies/TV category, Page 30
Pittsburgh drew highest TV rating in Trump-Harris debate
An estimated 65 million viewers tuned in to watch the debate between former President Trump and Vice President Harris, preliminary overnight television ratings revealed Wednesday. The estimate, based on results in the nation’s major TV markets, is 28% bigger than the number of viewers who saw Trump face off against...
‘The Mentalist’ star Simon Baker admits drinking and driving in Australia
MULLUMBIMBY, Australia — Australian actor and director Simon Baker, best known for his role as Patrick Jane in the CBS drama series “The Mentalist,” avoided a conviction Wednesday after pleading guilty to a charge of driving under the influence of alcohol near his rural home. The 55-year-old appeared in the...
TV Q&A: Do political ads bump regular advertisers?
Trib Total Media TV writer Rob Owen answers reader questions every Wednesday at TribLive.com in a column that also appears in the Sunday Tribune-Review. Q: We are starting to see more and more political advertising on television as we approach the 2024 election. Are there rules in place to allow...
TV Talk: ABC moderators push back during presidential debate
June’s presidential debate was the most consequential in modern political history — it led President Joe Biden to drop out of the race. So the debate on Tuesday between newly minted Democratic nominee Kamala Harris and Republican nominee Donald Trump seemed unlikely to have such dramatic consequences. But ABC hyped...
TV Talk: When viewers’ broadcast favorites return
Want to know when your favorite broadcast network shows will be back? Find out below: “Abbott Elementary” (9:30 p.m. Oct. 9, ABC). “Accused” (8 p.m. Oct. 8, Fox). “Alert: Missing Persons Unit” (midseason, Fox). “All American” (midseason, The CW). “The Amazing Race” (midseason, CBS). “American Idol” (midseason, ABC). “America’s Funniest...
Ryan Seacrest debuts as new host of ‘Wheel of Fortune’
LOS ANGELES — For the first time in almost 8,000 episodes, “Wheel of Fortune” did not open with a hello from longtime host Pat Sajak. Ryan Seacrest stepped into Sajak’s shoes after his 41-year tenure as host of the famed game show, joining co-host and letter turner Vanna White. Seacrest,...
James Earl Jones, acclaimed actor and voice of Darth Vader, dies at 93Video
NEW YORK —James Earl Jones, who overcame racial prejudice and a severe stutter to become a celebrated icon of stage and screen — eventually lending his deep, commanding voice to CNN, “The Lion King” and Darth Vader — has died. He was 93. His agent, Barry McPherson, confirmed Jones died...
Jailed Harvey Weinstein taken to NYC hospital for emergency heart surgery, his representatives say
NEW YORK — Jailed ex-movie mogul Harvey Weinstein underwent an emergency medical procedure at a New York City hospital on Monday to remove fluid on his heart and lungs after he complained of chest pains over the weekend, his representatives said. Weinstein, 72, was rushed to Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan...
TV Talk: Max’s ‘The Pitt’ to film locally this week; WPXI reporter exits
Max’s upcoming 15-episode, Pittsburgh-set medical drama “The Pitt,” executive produced by Carnegie Mellon University grads John Wells and Michael Hissrich and starring Noah Wyle (“ER”), is filming the bulk of its scenes on soundstages at Warner Bros. in Burbank, Calif. However, Wyle, producers and likely a few additional cast members...
‘The Bachelorette’ finale elicits social media backlash
The roller coaster finale of Jenn Tran’s season of “The Bachelorette” has fans chirping on social media. Tran, 26, who is training to be a physician’s assistant, first appeared on Joey Graziadei’s season of “The Bachelor” before being selected as the franchise’s next star. She was the first Asian American...
Movie Review: Bring your global entry card — ‘Beetlejuice’ sequel’s a soul train ride to comedy joyVideo
“I have global entry!” Now, does that sound like a funny line? Of course it doesn’t. Whatever in the history of mankind and airport lines could be funny about global entry? But put it in the mouth of comedy goddess Catherine O’Hara, and place it in the singularly inventive world...
Move over, Michael Douglas. Michael Keaton wants to start using his real name
Michael Keaton. Michael Douglas. Michael Keaton Douglas? “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” star Michael Keaton wants to start using his birth name professionally. But he’s not shedding the Keaton. He’s just adding a Douglas. The “Dopesick” Emmy winner, who has been using “Michael Keaton” as his stage name since the 1970s, said he...
‘Battle of Bushy Run’ screening aims to raise money for Battlefield Heritage Society
The story of the pivotal Bushy Run battle where British and colonial soldiers defeated native warriors, enabling them to end the siege of Fort Pitt during Pontiac’s War in August 1763, will hit the big screen locally Sunday, Sept. 15. “It’s a good tool to introduce new people to the...
Netflix developing ‘Twilight’ animated series ‘Midnight Sun’
An animated series adaptation of “Midnight Sun” — Stephenie Meyer’s retelling of “Twilight” from Edward Cullen’s perspective — is in development at Netflix. The book was released in 2020 as a companion novel to Meyer’s bestselling “Twilight” series. Cullen is the sparkly vampire who becomes protagonist Bella Swan’s love interest....
TV Talk: ‘The Old Man’ returns, ‘Universal Basic Guys’ premieresVideo
Trib Total Media TV writer Rob Owen offers viewing tips for the coming week. PASADENA, Calif. — It’s been more than two years since the end of season one of “The Old Man” but the FX series returns at 10 p.m. Sept. 12 (next day on Hulu) with back-to-back episodes...
Harvey Weinstein won’t face charges in Britain, but he could be hit with new accusations in New York
LONDON — Disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein won’t face charges of indecent assault in Britain, prosecutors announced on Thursday. The Crown Prosecution Service, which in 2022 authorized two charges of indecent assault against Weinstein, said it decided to discontinue proceedings because there was “no longer a realistic prospect of conviction.”...
TV Talk: Judge Judy returns to WPXI, more daytime changesVideo
There will be a minimum number of changes in syndicated daytime TV this fall on local stations — KDKA and WTAE will stand pat with no significant changes to their schedules — but perhaps the most consequential change, if past is precedent, will be the arrival of “Judy Justice” on...
A prosecutor asks for charges to be reinstated against Alec Baldwin in the ‘Rust’ case
SANTA FE, N.M. — A prosecutor has asked a New Mexico judge to reconsider the decision to dismiss an involuntary manslaughter charge against Alec Baldwin in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer on the set of a Western movie, according to a court filing made public Wednesday. Special prosecutor Kari...
‘Fake heiress’ Anna Sorokin will compete on ‘Dancing With the Stars’ amid deportation battle
LOS ANGELES — Anna Sorokin, the con artist who was convicted of swindling banks, hotels and friends in 2019 after falsely building a reputation as a wealthy German heiress named Anna Delvey, has found her newest venture: “Dancing With the Stars.” Described as the “notorious ankle bracelet fashionista” in a...
TV Q&A: Where did Katherine Amenta land?
Trib Total Media TV writer Rob Owen answers reader questions every Wednesday at TribLive.com in a column that also appears in the Sunday Tribune-Review. Q: Have you heard anything as to where Katherine Amenta, formally of WPXI, has landed? I was very surprised when I heard of her exit in...
‘The Bachelorette’ promises emotional finale to former Pitt student’s season
“The Bachelorette” fans will learn how Season 21 ends Tuesday night after a summer of watching Jenn Tran find love. The three-hour finale will air starting at 8 p.m. on ABC. The show will then be available Wednesday for streaming on Hulu. Viewers can catch up on episodes ahead of...
TV Talk: WTAE off DirecTV Stream only
Over the weekend, a retransmission dispute between the Walt Disney Co., owner of ABC, and DirecTV erupted, taking ABC-owned channels (ESPN, Disney Channel, ABC-owned affiliates) off DirecTV properties, including satellite-based DirecTV as well as internet-distributed DirecTV Stream. In a new wrinkle, this retransmission dispute took other ABC-affiliated stations, regardless of...
ESPN networks, ABC and Disney channels go dark on DirecTV on a busy night for sports
ESPN has gone off the air on a major carrier for the second straight year during the U.S. Open tennis tournament and in the midst of the first full weekend of college football. Disney Entertainment channels went dark on DirecTV Sunday night after the sides were unable to reach a...
Venice Film Festival welcomes Pitt and Clooney, and their new film ‘Wolfs’
VENICE, Italy — George Clooney and Brad Pitt returned to the Venice Film Festival on Sunday for the world premiere of “Wolfs.” Before hitting the red carpet, the Hollywood stars reflected on reuniting, the rise of streaming and Clooney’s New York Times op-ed urging President Joe Biden to end his...
Trump film ‘The Apprentice’ finds distributor, will open before election
NEW YORK — After struggling to drum up interest following its Cannes Film Festival premiere, the young Donald Trump drama “The Apprentice,” starring Sebastian Stan as the former president, has found a distributor that plans to release the film shortly before the election in November. Briarcliff Entertainment will release “The...
