TV/Film

Renée Rapp Joins Jacob Elordi in Hilarious Celebrity Lip-Reading Sketch on ‘SNL’: Watch

Reneé Rapp is taking a little break from music to brush on her lip-reading skills.

The 24-year-old Mean Girls star, who made her musical guest debut during Saturday Night Live on Jan. 20, joined host and Saltburn star Jacob Elordi in a hilarious sketch about “professional lip-readers” who attempt to decipher secret conversations between celebrity couples like Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce.

“We pick up on extremely subtle lip movements and body language to decipher exactly what someone might be saying,” Elordi explains to a pair of Entertainment Tonight hosts, played by SNL cast members Heidi Gardner and Ego Nwodim.

After Elordi and his sharply dressed parter Bowen Yang attempt — and fail — to accurately read the lips of celebs like Timothée Chalamet, Kylie Jenner and Jennifer Lawrence from recent awards ceremonies, the ET hosts skeptically question their skills.

“Our lip readings hold up in court — we’ve had people put away for life!” Elordi says defensively. Yang’s character adds, “We’ll show you. We just need assistance from our little lesbian intern Reneé.”

Rapp, dressed in a black blazer and white shirt with matching tie, steps out to inform viewers that she’s been assigned “40 hours of court-ordered media training” because she’s been “going absolutely off in every single interview lately.”

The Broadway vet proceeds to show off her lip-reading skills by reading the lips of attorny Kristin VanOrman and Gwyneth Paltrow from the actress’ 2023 ski collision trial.

Watch the “Entertainment Tonight Lip-Readers” SNL sketch 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.



Renée Rapp Introduced by Rachel McAdams, Performs ‘Mean Girls’ Song With Megan Thee Stallion on ‘SNL’: Watch

Renée Rapp‘s Saturday Night Live debut was full of surprises.

The 24-year-old singer and actress, who reprises her Broadway role as Regina George in the new box office-topping Mean Girls movie musical, showed off her powerful pipes and threw in some unexpected moments while appearing as musical guest during the iconic sketch comedy show’s first episode of 2024 on Jan. 20.

With an introduction from SNL host and Saltburn star Jacob Elordi, Rapp opened with a memorable delivery of “Snow Angel,” the title track from her 2023 debut album, which peaked at No. 44 on the Billboard 200. Sporting a white corset with a matching blazer and dress, she opened the musical number by impressively singing while lying flat on her back. She eventually rose up and finished the powerful track with the aid of a full backing band.

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

Later in the show, Rapp returned with a surprise intro from Rachel McAdams, who played Regina George in the original Mean Girls from 2004. The singer then launched into an upbeat performance of “Not My Fault,” her collaboration with Megan Thee Stallion, which appears on the soundtrack of the new Mean Girls movie musical adaptation. Halfway through, the superstar rapper made a cameo from a large-sized pink cake in the middle of the stage.

Earlier in the week, Rapp was announced as a performer at this year’s Coachella, billed just under headliners Lana Del Rey, Tyler, the Creator and Doja Cat.

Elordi’s SNL hosting gig, meanwhile, follows his starring turns in Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla and Emerald Fennell’s Saltburn, which recently earned him a pair of BAFTA Film Award nods for best actor in a supporting role and rising star.

Next up, Justin Timberlake will make his SNL return on Jan. 27. He’ll be the musical guest for the fifth time as a solo artist. Dakota Johnson will be returning to host that evening for a second time.

Watch Rapp’s SNL performances 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.


https://youtube.com/watch?v=h_9kjzTwkos&version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent


https://youtube.com/watch?v=vSEuUelaaks&version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent

Michael Jackson’s Nephew Jaafar Jackson Shares Toe Stand Photo Portraying the Icon in Biopic

Jaafar Jackson is making his late uncle, Michael Jackson, proud.

The actor took to Instagram on Friday (Jan. 19) to share a photo performing the “Thriller” singer’s famous toe-stand pose. “The Journey Starts Monday,” he captioned the post, indicating that filming for the upcoming Michael biopic begins filming next week. In the film, Jafaar is set to portray his famous uncle.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

The film will take on the musician’s life and career and will be produced by Graham King (Bohemian Rhapsody) and John Branca and John McClain, who are the co-executors of the Michael Jackson estate. There is no information yet surrounding release date and how much of Michael’s life the biopic will dive into.

“Jaafar embodies my son. It’s so wonderful to see him carry on the Jackson legacy of entertainers and performers,” said Katherine Jackson, mother of Michael Jackson, in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter.

In a career that spanned throughout almost his entire life, the King of Pop had 13 No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart. He first saw success as part of the family band the Jackson 5, and four of their songs topped the Hot 100.

Jackson died on June 25, 2009 at age 50.

Justin Timberlake’s Best ‘SNL’ Sketches

We’ve compiled his best Saturday Night Live sketches over the course of his career.

Justin Timberlake is putting on his suit and tie, and heading back to Saturday Night Live.

The star is set to make his SNL return on Jan. 27, marking his fifth time as musical guest as a solo artist. Dakota Johnson will be joining Timberlake, returning to the show as host for the second time.

The 10-time Grammy winner is no stranger to the Saturday Night Live stage. He joined SNL‘s coveted Five-Timers Club in March 2013, two times of which he pulled double duty as both host and musical guest. 

The “Say Something” singer has been teasing fans via social media over the past week of a potential new album era, wiping his Instagram clean before posting a series of photos from what looks like a music video set. “EITIW,” he captioned the post, with fans theorizing that the single will be called “Everything I Thought It Was.” Redditors even tracked down a trademark application filed by a mysterious LLC early last year for that phrase, as well as for “Everything I Thought It Was…A Sonic Film.”

In celebration of Timberlake’s return to Saturday Night Live as well as another year of new music from the star, we’ve compiled a list of his best SNL sketches over the years, including everything from a song about gifting genitals and a short where he pimps his singing skills for vegan delights to another that finds him transforming into one “classic” lady. See below.

Watch Reneé Rapp & Bowen Yang Spoof Barry Keoghan’s NSFW ‘Saltburn’ Scene on ‘SNL’ Set

As Barry Keoghan’s nude Saltburn romp continues to cast a large shadow over social media, the Saturday Night Live is sharing its own spin on the film’s buzzy conclusion.

At the end of Saltburn, Keoghan’s character frolics and dances around an empty castle completely nude as Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s 2002 dance smash “Murder on the Dancefloor” booms in the background. In a new video posted to the variety show’s official Instagram page Friday (Jan. 19), Emmy-nominated cast member Bowen Yang and Jan. 20 musical guest Reneé Rapp re-enacted the scene — completely clothed, of course.

As Yang and Rapp serve for the camera, the Mean Girls star still found a way to pay proper homage to Keoghan’s scene, opening her black blazer and cradling her breasts mid-spin. Once the duo finishes their romp — also to the tune of “Murder on the Dancefloor” — the camera then pans to Jacob Elordi, who starred alongside Keoghan in Saltburn, giving his approval with a deliciously dramatic slow clap.

Elordi is set to make his SNL hosting debut this Saturday, Jan. 20. The gig follows his starring turns in Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla and Emerald Fennell’s Saltburn, which recently earned him a pair of BAFTA Film Award nods for best actor in a supporting role and rising star.

The latest edition of SNL also marks Rapp’s first visit to the iconic set. After releasing her debut studio album last year — Snow Angel, which peaked at No. 44 on the Billboard 200 — the Broadway alum kicked off 2024 with the box office-topping Mean Girls movie musical.

Check out SNL’s alternate Saltburn ending below:

Justin Timberlake Is Returning to ‘Saturday Night Live’ as a Musical Guest Amid New Music Rumors

He’s bringing sexy back to Saturday Night Live! Justin Timberlake is set to make his SNL return on Jan. 27, NBC announced on Friday (Jan. 19). He’ll be the musical guest for the fifth time as a solo artist. Dakota Johnson will be returning to host that evening for a second time.

Fans have been speculating that the singer-actor is about to announce a new album after Timberlake wiped his Instagram account clean earlier in January. Since then, he’s also announced a one-night-only show in Memphis happening Jan. 19, the same day that NBC announced his return to Saturday Night Live. Then on Jan. 17, he made a cryptic Instagram carousel post, teasing “EITIW,” which fans have speculated may be his new musical era, as the photos appeared to show the set of a music video, while sleuths on Reddit found a trademark filing for “Everything I Thought It Was…A Sonic Film.”

And to further whet fans’ appetites, the next day, it was revealed that the “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” singer is set to appear as a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Jan. 25.

The 10-time Grammy winner is no stranger to Studio 8H at 30 Rock. He joined SNL‘s Five-Timers Club in March 2013, with two of those times when he pulled double duty as musical guest as well. His stints on the late-night comedy show have also resulted in several of his sketches going viral (“Dick in a Box” and “The Barry Gibb Talk Show,” for example.)

Ahead of Timberlake’s return to Saturday Night Live, Mean Girls‘ Renee Rapp is set to be musical guest on the Jan. 20 episode, which Saltburn star Jacob Elordi hosting.

Saturday Night Live airs Saturdays at 11:30 p.m. ET/PT, and streams on Peacock.

‘My Life With the Walter Boys’ Leads Top TV Songs Chart With DNCE Synch

DNCE’s “Cake By the Ocean” rules Billboard’s Top TV Songs chart, powered by Tunefind (a Songtradr company), after it was heard in an episode of the premiere season of Netflix’s My Life With the Walter Boys.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

Rankings for the Top TV Songs chart are based on song and show data provided by Tunefind and ranked using a formula blending that data with sales and streaming information tracked by Luminate during the corresponding period of December 2023.

“Cake By the Ocean” appears in the third episode of teen drama series My Life With the Walter Boys, whose first season premiered Dec. 7, 2023. Its synch comes a little over eight years after the song’s initial release; the track is the Joe Jonas-fronted DNCE’s highest charting song to date, peaking at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 in March 2016.

In December 2023, “Cake By the Ocean” earned 8.7 million official on-demand U.S. streams and 1,000 downloads, according to Luminate.

It reigns over Funkadelic’s “Maggot Brain,” which bows at No. 2 after an appearance in fellow newcomer series Fellow Travelers. The Showtime historical miniseries initially premiered in October 2023, and the episode featuring “Maggot Brain,” episode seven, first aired Dec. 10 as the penultimate edition of the show.

“Maggot Brain,” featured on Funkadelic’s 1971 album of the same name, racked up 296,000 streams in December 2023.

The most featured series on the December 2023 Top TV Songs chart is The Crown, which sports three appearances from its sixth season, episodes five through 10 of which premiered Dec. 14. Natalie Imbruglia’s “Torn” leads the group at No. 5 (3.3 million streams, 1,000 downloads), followed by Stardust’s “Music Sounds Better With You” at No. 7 (3.2 million streams, 1,000 downloads) and Portishead’s “Glory Box” at No. 9 (2 million streams, 1,000 downloads).

See the full top 10, also featuring music from Lawmen: Bass Reeves, For All Mankind, Reacher and A Murder at the End of the World, below.

Rank, Song, Artist, Show (Network)

  1. “Cake By the Ocean,” DNCE, My Life With the Walter Boys (Netflix)
  2. “Maggot Brain,” Funkadelic, Fellow Travelers (Showtime)
  3. “Unholy War,” Jacob Banks, Lawmen: Bass Reeves (Paramount+)
  4. “That’s Life,” Frank Sinatra, For All Mankind (Apple TV+)
  5. “Torn,” Natalie Imbruglia, The Crown (Netflix)
  6. “Possum Kingdom,” Toadies, Reacher (Amazon Prime Video)
  7. “Music Sounds Better With You,” Stardust, The Crown (Netflix)
  8. “Showdown,” Electric Light Orchestra, Reacher (Amazon Prime Video)
  9. “Glory Box,” Portishead, The Crown (Netflix)
  10. “Texas Sun,” Khruangbin & Leon Bridges, A Murder at the End of the World (FX)

Mariska Hargitay Recalls Getting Her New Cat & Naming Karma in Taylor Swift’s Honor

Mariska Hargitay loves her Karma. While celebrating the recent premiere of the 25th season of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit on TODAY With Hoda & Jenna Thursday (Jan. 18), the actress opened up about adopting her new cat and naming the feline after a Taylor Swift song. 

“I love my cat,” the Emmy winner gushed. “I was not a cat person, I’ll be honest. And I love lions — I see myself as a lion — and I saw this cat and I went crazy for it.” 

Hargitay made headlines in November when she revealed that her new kitty was named Karma, a tribute to Swift’s song of the same name featuring the lyric “karma is a cat purring in my lap ’cause it loves me.” The gesture was especially sweet given that the pop star named one of her own cats Olivia Benson after the actress’ SVU character years prior.  

“Are you serious?!!!!” Swift commented at the time. “Nothing has ever come more full circle ⭕️ LOVE THIS SO MUCH!! ?” 

According to Hargitay, her family didn’t even consider any other name for their new addition. “Her name was Karma from minute one, that was her name,” she told hosts Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager before quoting Swift’s lyrics, “Karma is a cat! Me and Karma vibe like that.”  

Beyond their interconnected cat names, Hargitay and Swift go way back. In 2015, the 12-time Grammy winner invited the Jocks actress to appear alongside Ellen Pompeo — whose Grey’s Anatomy character Meredith Grey inspired the name of Swift’s first cat — in the “Bad Blood” music video. In June of that year, Hargitay walked the catwalk alongside Swift as a guest at the 1989 World Tour. 

Watch Hargitay open up about Karma below. 



Jeffrey Wright Recalls the Time David Bowie Asked If He Wanted to Hear Some Unreleased Tunes: ‘Sure, Put in Your Little Disc’

Like many of us, David Bowie was one of American Fiction actor Jeffrey Wright’s all-time heroes. But unlike most of us, Wright not only got meet the late rock legend, he also had the opportunity to act alongside him in the 1996 biopic Basquiat, in which he played neo-expressionist artist Jean-Michel Basquiat alongside Bowie as pop art figurehead Andy Warhol.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

On The Kelly Clarkson Show on Friday (Jan. 19), Wright recalled meeting Bowie on the film in reaction to a picture Clarkson put on the big screen from a photo shoot the actor did with the “Space Oddity” singer to promote the biopic about the talented street-artist-turned-international-phenom.

“He meant the world to me,” Wright said of Bowie, who died of liver cancer in 2016 at 69. “There were periods of my life where his music was the soundtrack.” Wright describe the intense prep he did for the film — directed by artist Julian Schnabel — in which the actor painted for six months in Schnabel’s studio in the presence of dozens of original Basquiat paintings to get into character.

One day while working on a canvas, Wright said the door opened and Bowie — who also dabbled in painting, as well as quite a bit of big screen acting — walked in unexpectedly. “He kneels down next to me and he says, ‘do you mind if I watch?’,” Wright said Bowie asked. “And I said, ‘well, I think I’m gonna have to get used to it, yeah.’”

Wright recalled that they had a laugh and for the remainder of the shoot Bowie was “so generous and so smart and funny… and he couldn’t have been cooler to me.” In fact, one day he was in the hair and makeup trailer with Gary Oldman — who played a fictional composite character modeled on Schnabel — and Bowie walked in with a most incredible query. “‘Do you want to hear some music?’” the singer asked them.

“And we’re like, ‘huh?!’,” Wright remembers responding in gleeful shock. “And we’re like, ‘yeah David Bowie we’ll tolerate your music, yeah sure! Put in your little disc.’” What Bowie cued up were tracks from his then-unreleased new album, the arty concept song cycle Outside, which included some songs that ended up in the film.

“And we’re listening to it and we’re like, ‘Whoa!’ and David’s sitting there air-guitaring to his own music… and it was like, you know, the cool guy at school who found some obscure record somewhere and brought it in,” Wright recalled thinking. “Except the cool guy was David Bowie!”

American Fiction — about a struggling Black novelist horrified by the smash success of a racially charged book he wrote as as joke — is in theaters now.

Watch Wright talk about Bowie below.



Reneé Rapp Is So ‘Mother’ in New ‘Saturday Night Live’ Promos With Jacob Elordi

We’re guessing 6-foot-5 actor Jacob Elordi isn’t often called “baby girl,” but that’s just what Reneé Rapp and Bowen Yang label him in new Saturday Night Live promos, released Thursday night (Jan. 18).

“Reneé, you were so right. He is so baby girl,” SNL castmember Yang says after Elordi announces his hosting gig, to which musical guest Rapp responds: “I know. That’s what I said. He is so baby girl.”

“Me? I’m a baby girl?” Elordi asks. “So what’s Reneé?”

“Oh, I’m mother,” Rapp responds — citing a moniker she’s often given by her adoring fans on social media. “And I’m big, wrinkly son!” Yang proudly declares.

Elordi is hosting the NBC sketch comedy show for the very first time this weekend after starring in his two biggest films to date last year: playing Elvis Presley in Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla and the irresistible Felix in Emerald Fennell’s black comedy Saltburn. Rapp will also make her SNL debut this weekend as the musical guest, a week after the release of the Mean Girls musical movie, in which she reprises her Broadway role as Regina George.

Elsewhere in the promos, Yang plays off Elordi’s heartthrob status, saying as he fans himself: “More like ‘Jacob Oh Lordy!’ Am I the first person to say that?”

Elordi lets Yang know that he’s not even the first person that hour to make the pun, with Rapp imploring him: “Bowen, just stop.”

“Wow, Reneé! You really are a Mean Girls,” Yang shoots back — awkward plural and all.

SNL returns on Saturday night at 11:30 p.m. ET/8:30 p.m. PT on NBC. Watch the promos below: