TV/Film
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Joaquin Phoenix‘s Joker has found his Harley Quinn.
The first trailer for the much-anticipated sequel Joker: Folie à Deux, co-starring Lady Gaga as the infamous henchwoman, arrived Tuesday night (April 9).
“I’m nobody,” Gaga’s Harley tells Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck when they meet in the trailer, with a sweeping version of the 1965 Hal David and Burt Bacharach classic “What the World Needs Now Is Love” playing in the background. “I haven’t done anything with my life like you have.”
While “Love” is the only song we hear, we see the visuals of what appears to be multiple musical moments throughout the trailer. “We use music to make us whole, to balance the fractures within ourselves,” we hear Steve Coogan’s character say in voice-over.
Phoenix acknowledges his relationship with Gaga’s character in a separate scene with Coogan, saying, “I’ll tell you what’s changed: I’m not alone anymore.”
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In addition to Gaga, Phoenix and Coogan, the film also stars Zazie Beetz (Atlanta), Catherine Keener (Incredibles 2) and Brendan Gleeson (The Banshees of Inisherin).
Variety previously reported that the Todd Phillips-directed film is “mostly a jukebox musical” that integrates at least 15 reinterpretations of “very well-known songs” and could contain one or two original soundtrack songs as well. The publication added that the film is expected to “break the mold of traditional musicals.”
Earlier in the week, fans got a first listen of Gaga’s voice as Harley Quinn. “You’re Joker… you can do anything you want,” the star is heard saying over a series of TikTok photos from the upcoming movie, including one of the Joker and Harley in a loving embrace with “the world is a stage” written across the top.
Folie à Deux follows the 2019 psychological thriller, Joker. The film was nominated for 11 Academy Awards in 2020, with Phoenix winning best actor and Hildur Guðnadóttir winning best original score.
Joker: Folie à Deux is out Oct. 4. Watch the first trailer below.
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Hot Girl Summer is already heating up. Megan Thee Stallion took to social media on Tuesday (April 9) to reveal that her family will be competing on an upcoming episode of Celebrity Family Feud. “This might be in the top 5 of best family feud episodes. I CANT WAIT FOR YALL TO SEE THIS,” she […]
In the final elimination week of RuPaul’s Drag Race season 16, the top four queens were given a crash course in an important part of their post-show lives — the art of branding.
On Friday’s episode (aired April 5), the remaining contestants showed off their personalities by creating covers and excerpts from their own faux memoirs, before giving a series of interviews with Las Culturistas’ Matt Rogers about their books.
For Nymphia Wind, the challenge turned into a triumph, with the judges praising the star’s vulnerability in her interview, as well as her stunning look she wore for her book cover — the queen earned her long-awaited third challenge win and a spot in the finale. Meanwhile, after much hair-splitting from the judges, queens Plane Jane and Q found themselves in the bottom after performances that didn’t quite stack up to those of Wind and Sapphira Cristál.
Lip synching to Tina Turner’s “Better Be Good to Me,” the queens used every weapon in their respective arsenals to try and win the last spot in the show’s grand finale. Ultimately, Plane Jane landed without too much turbulence, leaving fashion queen Q on the tarmac.
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Below, Q chats with Billboard about her time on the show, her approach to making some of the best runway looks on the show, speaking about life with HIV on national television, and how she’s taking online hate from the fanbase “one day at a time.”
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You made it all the way to the top four! How does it feel, looking back on your run, knowing you made it as far as you did?
It felt really great — it’s always been a dream to be on the show. Now, you know what happened, and here I am now, and I guess we’ll see what comes from it in the future.
I did want to check in with you — I know the fanbase was pretty rough on you, and you ultimately decide to deactivate your X account a few weeks back. How are you feeling since making that decision?
Honestly? I’m fine. I’m sort of trying to take all of this one day at a time. I have days where it’s not so great, and then other days where it’s truly not bothering me at all. But it definitely has not been nearly as bad since I left X, and deactivated that account. I don’t know, it definitely has … the online part of all of this has definitely shaped a large part of this experience for me.
People really have to learn to stop taking this show so seriously.
Yeah, for sure, I agree. Here’s hoping.
On the show, you got to show off your capability as a seamstress. Your approach to fashion, and more importantly style, feels really refreshing for the show — what do you think makes your skills stand out?
Well first, thank you. I guess, what I see as fashion and style is definitely a lot more theatrical than what somebody else would see as fashion and style. It definitely comes from my background in the theater, and so sometimes, I really try to lean into that, and try to make my costumes that much more grand and costume-y. And that’s where a lot of my taste level comes from, I think.
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Did you have a favorite look you wore down the runway this season?
Oh, man. Yeah, I really, really liked my floral runway. I think that was my absolute favorite I did all season.
This was a very different kind of challenge for this season, where you essentially were tasked not only with branding yourself, but with being really open and vulnerable. How challenging did that feel in the moment?
Honestly, it didn’t feel that challenging — I thought I did good until I hit the stage and got my critiques. But, because there were only four of us left, we literally all thought that we did really great this week before heading to the main stage. When you get there, that’s really the first time that you actually get a gauge on how you did when it’s that late in the competition.
You also had already shared a lot with your sisters already up to this point in the season — how did it feel speaking publicly about living with HIV back in episode 11?
Yeah, it felt really good! I did that because, I figured if I could help one person who felt the way that I felt when I was going through my diagnosis, then it would absolutely be worth it. Having people come up to me now, saying that it helped them, really helped me realize that speaking up about that on the show was really worth it.
What did you think of Plane’s now-viral response in the moment?
It really didn’t seem like as big of a thing in the moment as it has since become, to be honest. At that point, we had heard a lot more surprising things come out of Plane Jane’s mouth, so that felt like nothing!
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Before we let you go, I wanted to ask — is there any music you’ve found yourself listening to lately?
I mean, I am always the one with Artpop on replay all day since it came out. I’m big on “Venus,” personally.
Season 25 of NBC’s The Voice has entered the cutthroat business of the Knockouts.
It’s time for the contestants to get the job done or get out. And decision time for the coaches, who have to make the hardest of cuts, or choose when to steal.
“It gets so hard to make a decision in the Knockouts,” coach John Legend said on Monday night’s episode (April 8). “Everybody’s so good, everybody survived the Battle. Nobody deserves to go home.”
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If it’s tough for the cast, it’s a blast for viewers at home.
On night one of the Knockouts, newbies Dan + Shay learned that they had some tough calls to make. Teammates Anya True (singing “Runaway” by Aurora) and Kyle Schuesler (“Say You Won’t Let Go” by James Arthur) went toe-to-toe, with True getting the win.
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The country artists had to make a decision on Frank Garcia, who sang El Triste” by José José, and Olivia Rubini, who covered “Tiny Dancer” by Elton John.
Rubini took the Rocket Man’s classic song to another level, by singing it in a higher key, a suggestion of mega mentor Keith Urban. With it, she delivered a one-two. “There’s something special about what Olivia did,” Shay Mooney remarked, “she showed us that she was very coachable, that she was ready to go to that next level.” Her voice, added Dan Smyers, “just inherently has a bit of a retro thing to it. She was spot-on with all of her notes.”
Olivia, remarked Smyers, “I feel like that came such a long way from rehearsals.”
Rubini cruises through.
Dan + Shay served as mentors in season 20, and make their coaching debut on the show this season, where they’re joined by returning coaches Reba McEntire, John Legend and Chance the Rapper.
New episodes of The Voice air Mondays on NBC.
Watch below.
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American Idol is down to its top 24, and with his confident performance in Hawaii, Triston Harper did his chances no harm of going deeper in the competition.
The teen took Idol to church on Monday night (April 8), with a performance of Blake Shelton’s “God’s Country”.
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Aged just 15, Harper possesses a beefy voice, with twang, swagger and command that could — should — belong to a seasoned pro.
The McIntosh, AL school student had the Disney Aulani stage hollering, and, at various moments, judges Lionel Richie, Luke Bryan and guest mentor Jelly Roll on their feet and dancing.
Earlier, Billboard spoke with Jelly Roll about the young competitor. “He walked in with the spirit of a 75-year-old man that had been through a lifetime of pain. Just wise beyond his years, with that deep Southern drawl,” he told Billboard’s Fred Bronson. “He has you eating out of the palm of his hand the first two seconds you talk to him, and the coolest part is he has no clue that he’s charming. It’s just naturally kind of who he is and then for him to be so moved by me was really cool.”
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Hawaii week is an Idol tradition that began in 2018, which sees the top 24 perform over two nights at Aulani, a Disney resort and spa in Ko Olina.
Harper performed on the second of those nights.
The youngster melted hearts with his Idol audition, when he performed a cover of Jason Isbell’s “Cover Me Up,” shared the tough tale of surviving homelessness with his mom, and landed the golden ticket.
The top 20 will be revealed this Sunday, April 14 on ABC, when, as previously reported, Teddy Swims, Lauren Spencer Smith and Paul Russell will take the stage for a special three-hour episode. Voting on the top 20 closes Tuesday at 6 am ET.
Watch Harper’s performance below.
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On a day when America looked up at the heavens, late night TV kept our eyes glued to the screens for an all-heart performance. Late Monday, April 8, Heart, the Rock Hall-inducted band, teamed up with Jimmy Fallon for a performance of Bonnie Tyler’s ‘80s hit “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” an amusing, hearty tribute to the solar eclipse that captured the attention of millions across North America.
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“We have a special show tonight, Heart is out musical guest and today is, obviously, the solar eclipse. So we thought we have to do what we have to do, we have to sing ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart,’” Fallon says at the top.
The musical performance was captured from the rooftop at 30 Rockefeller Center as the Moon passed between the Earth and the Sun, and briefly blotted out our star. Fallon, flanked by the Wilson sisters, wore the appropriate shades and a throwback public school uniform from Russell Mulcahy’s official music video for “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” which originally led the Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks back in 1983.
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The late night host teased the spot and shared a behind-the-scenes photo Monday afternoon, ahead of the rare cosmic moment.
At up to 4 minutes and 28 seconds, the total eclipse was lengthier than the one that caught the eyes of Americans back in 2017, which maxed out at 2 minutes and 42 seconds.
On this occasion, New Yorkers witnessed a partial solar eclipse peak at 3:25 pm, according to NASA.
Fallon is celebrating his own special moment, the 10-year milestone as host of his very own late night show. To celebrate, NBC will broadcast a two-hour primetime anniversary special on Tuesday, May 14.
Watch below.
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Heart wasn’t done with pumping up the audience. The rockers returned, this time in the NBC studios for a rendition of their 1977 classic “Barracuda.” The north American Royal Flush tour will follow, kicking off April 20 at Bon Secours Wellness Arena Greenville, SC. Watch the “Barracuda” performance below.
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American Idol is down to its top 24, and next week’s episode will feature a star-studded list of performers. Teddy Swims, Lauren Spencer Smith and Paul Russell are all set to take the stage on the three-hour April 14 episode of the singing competition series, where the top 20 will be revealed. Swims is fresh […]
At this point in his career, Keith Urban is a singing competition pro. He was a vocal coach on three seasons of the Australian edition of The Voice, and spent four seasons as a judge on American Idol.
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That’s why he was the perfect selection for a mega mentor on season 25 of NBC’s The Voice, helping the contestants prepare for the Knockout Rounds starting on April 8. “It’s such a family vibe on The Voice,” the “Blue Ain’t Your Color” singer tells Billboard, noting that he loved working with coaches Chance the Rapper and John Legend, as well as his fellow country stars Reba McEntire and Dan + Shay.
As a veteran of the singing competition space, he knows that mentorship is personal, opting against “blanket advice” for the contestants. “You have to meet each artist where they’re at. What’s consistent is knowing what advice to take or to discard,” he explains. “I’m sure the coaches would agree that nobody has all the answers. Particularly, if you’re doing something unique, chances are that nobody understands yet. A lot of artists get a lot of ‘You have to change this and change that.’ Sometimes, you don’t have to change anything at all. You have to keep working and make a better version of what already is.”
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Navigating advice from all directions is a “challenge” Urban himself experienced throughout his career, adding that it’s important to be selective with your inner circle. “You can be really stubborn and immovable on certain things but that’s going to keep you stuck. Then, other times, you’d hear someone’s advice and think maybe that’s what you should do and you do it and then you find yourself to be lost and that the advice didn’t work for you,” he says. “For me, the most important thing was having people around me that I trust. Honestly, even family and friends will often have a little bias — positive or negative. You can have some friends that are super jealous or they might have a bias and they’ll give you advice that’s actually not very good. Having people around me that I really, really trust their opinions helped the most in my career.”
As for McEntire and Dan + Shay’s country takeover on The Voice, Urban isn’t surprised. “It’s reflective of the growing popularity of country music as a genre, not just nationally but all around the world,” he says proudly. “It’s extraordinary watching it take off like it’s doing.”
While he’s helping aspiring artists at the beginning of their careers, the four-time Grammy winner is continuing his own illustrious career, as he’s slated to soon release a new album, which will include the songs “Straight Line” and “Messed Up As Me.”
“It’s always fun for me,” he says when asked how he stays passionate about making music after all these years. “I know it sounds crazy, but I get more excited now to write a song than I ever did. Even making the current record was a crazy mix of fear, excitement, discovery, curiosity, passion — just everything. I went through everything with this record, because I’ve never made this record. I’ve never seen this day. We’ve had plenty of fun but we’ve never had this one. And that’s just how I live my life. Every single day is a brand new blank canvas.”
He also stressed the importance of staying in touch with how he felt when he was first beginning his journey in music. “A quick example is when I went into the record company to play my new album the other day for about 50 people,” he recalls. “I wanted to print out the lyrics to every song and while it was a lot of work, I didn’t want to have somebody do it and I wanted to do it myself. So, I stapled all the lyrics together and put together this massive presentation. It felt like putting up my own posters at the beginning of my career. If you lose that feeling, you do start to become jaded and you get bored and your passion just disappears. For me, my passion stays so long as I keep doing the things I did at the beginning and it keeps it exciting.”
Catch Urban during The Voice Knockouts, which begin on Monday (April 8) at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, before it streams the following day on Peacock.
It’s official! The Boss’ life is coming to the big screen.
20th Century Studios and Disney announced on Monday (April 8) that they will produce and distribute the upcoming Bruce Springsteen biopic, Deliver Me From Nowhere, which chronicles the making of the rocker’s 1982 album, Nebraska. Additionally, The Bear star Jeremy Allen White is in talks to portray Springsteen in the film.
The biopic is based on Warren Zanes’ 2023 book, Deliver Me from Nowhere: The Making of Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska, and will feature involvement from Springsteen himself as well as his manager Jon Landau. Per a press release, Scott Cooper will direct the film, while Ellen Goldsmith-Vein and Eric Robinson will produce alongside Cooper, Zanes and Scott Stuber.
“Warren Zanes’ Deliver Me From Nowhere is one of the best books ever written about Bruce Springsteen and his music,” said Landau in a press statement. “Bruce and I are thrilled that Scott Cooper has chosen to write and direct the film based on that book – we think he’s the perfect filmmaker for the job. Scott, with producers Ellen Goldsmith-Vein and Eric Robinson at The Gotham Group, and Scott Stuber are bringing together a superb team to ensure that this project has the vision and soul that have been the hallmark of Bruce’s 55-year career. We’re thrilled to have the wholehearted commitment and support of the entire team at 20th and Disney.”
Cooper added, “I once read that Nebraska is an album that moves you to the marrow of your bones. I couldn’t agree more. Bruce Springsteen, and Nebraska, in particular, have had a profound impact on me and my work. Through themes of despair, disillusionment, and the struggles of everyday Americans, Bruce has formed an unparalleled legacy, painting an unflinching portrait of the human condition. Yet, amidst the darkness, a sense of resilience and a sense of hope shines through, reflecting an indomitable spirit. That’s the Bruce I’ve come to know and love and will honor with this film. Warren Zanes’ wonderful telling of this chapter in Bruce’s life is ripe for cinematic adaptation. This film has the potential to be a transformative cinematic experience, offering audiences a window into the soul of Bruce Springsteen and the universal truths that bind us all together.”
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Springsteen has previously said that Nebraska, his sixth studio album, is his most definitive work. “If I had to pick out one album and say, ‘This is going to represent you 50 years from now’ I’d pick Nebraska,” he told CBS Sunday Morning in 2023. The project peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 albums chart dated Oct. 30, 1982.
Production for Deliver Me From Nowhere is set to begin in the fall.
Kristen Wiig has officially become a member of the Five-Timers Club at Saturday Night Live.
The actress and comedian returned to Studio 8H on April 6, marking her fifth time hosting the long-running sketch comedy show. During her opening monologue, the Palm Royale star was welcomed into the prestigious group by some huge celebrities — many of whom weren’t actually Five-Timers themselves.
The cameo-filled segment started with Paul Rudd, who popped up from the audience wearing a Five-Timers Club jacket he received in 2021. “I also heard a rumor that you might be doing one of those Five-Timers sketches featuring awesome celebrity cameos,” the Ant Man actor told Wiig. “So is there a script or something I could look at for that?”
After Wiig broke the news that the evening’s episode wouldn’t feature a Five-Timers Club skit, former SNL writer Paula Pell stood up to note that the NBC show hands out Five-Timers Club jackets “to everybody like free maxi pads.” Proving her point, Matt Damon appeared wearing one of the dark blue coats despite the fact that he’s only hosted SNL twice.
Damon boasted that SNL creator Lorne Michaels told him “the first time I hosted was so good, it counted for three. Second time, not quite as good, that only counted for two, but by my math, that’s five, baby!”
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Wiig then questioned whether the Five-Timers Club held anymore meaning before the camera cut to Michaels surrounded by Jon Hamm, Fred Armisen, Will Forte and Martin Short — all of whom wore the jackets despite not having hosted five times. “Together, we’ve hosted five times,” Forte said.
As the monologue closed, with Wiig being serenaded by the celebs, Ryan Gosling — who is set to host next week’s SNL — made a cameo wearing the Five-Timers coat, even though he has not hosted the appropriate amount of times. “Are you sure?” the Barbie star asked Michaels. “I mean, I haven’t even hosted three times yet. It seems unfair.”
The monologue ended with Gosling handing Wiig her very own Five-Timers jacket.
Earlier in the show, English songstress RAYE made her musical guest debut on SNL, performing a pair of songs from her Brit Award-winning debut album, My 21st Century Blues.
Watch Wiig’s SNL monologue below. For those without cable, the broadcast streams on Peacock, which you can sign up for at the link here. Having a Peacock account also gives fans access to previous SNL episodes.
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