TV/Film

12 Nov 2024

Ariana Grande & Cynthia Erivo Channel Their Teen Selves in Emotional New ‘Wicked’ Commercial

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo might be powerful witches now, but years ago, they were simply munchkins with big dreams.

And in a new Xfinity commercial that premiered Tuesday (Nov. 12), fans are reminded of the long yellow brick road both women took to make their dreams come true through being cast in Wicked, which stars the “Yes, And?” pop star as Glinda and the Pinocchio actress as Elphaba. Directed by Wicked cinematographer Alice Brooks, the two-minute spot opens with two little girls resembling a young Grande and Erivo separately watching The Wizard of Oz on their home TVs and becoming involved with musical theater.

As the girls grow older, real-life Grande and Erivo step in to play their younger selves. Viewers see the temporarily brunette-again R.E.M. Beauty founder typing out her now-iconic 2011 tweet — “Loved seeing Wicked again … Made me realize again how badly I want 2 play Glinda at some point in my life!” — and the Tony Award winner belting out a song before the two women eventually meet in an empty soundstage, taking each other’s hands.

In a behind-the-scenes video posted the same day as the commercial — which shows footage of the two stars blocking scenes and listening intently to Brooks’ instructions — the director explained that the ad is “about colliding destinies.” “It was really important to me that [Grande and Erivo] feel real and raw and tangible, and that other little kids — and grownups, anyone with a dream — will be able to connect to it,” the director added. “The story just flows seamlessly together as we intercut their lives.”

Trending on Billboard

Both videos come just 10 days away from the premiere of the first Wicked film, with the second part to hit theaters one year later. Leading up to Part 1’s arrival, Erivo, Grande and the rest of the cast have been traveling the world to attend various premieres, from Australia to Los Angeles and — most recently — Mexico City. At the Monday (Nov. 11) screening at Auditorio Nacional, the Harriet star and Victorious alum looked stunning in a gothic black dress and pearlescent ballgown, respectively, and at one point held each other’s hands while looking emotional as fans at the red carpet began cheering, “Wicked! Wicked! Wicked!” 

Watch Grande and Erivo’s new commercial above, and check out the behind-the-scenes footage below.

11 Nov 2024

Blake Shelton, ‘Yellowstone’ Creator Taylor Sheridan Are Launching a New Singing Competition Show

Blake Shelton and Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan are teaming up for a new singing competition series. CBS announced the series, with the working title The Road, for fall 2025 on Monday (Nov. 11).

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

The series puts a different spin on the typical talent competition setup, with singers joining a yet-to-be-announced headlining artist on tour, and performing as opening acts in venues throughout the country. The singers will compete to win local fanbases to secure a spot in the next city and remain on the tour.

The series aims to offer viewers a backstage pass into the life of a touring artist, with access to the behind-the-scenes workings of the music industry, as viewers see what happens with rising artists pile into a tour bus and contend with a grueling schedule as they chase their musical ambitions.

Trending on Billboard

Shelton and Sheridan are both executive producers on the series, as well as Lee Metzger and David Glasser.

“I’m a big fan of Taylor’s incredible work, and I’m excited to team with him and my long-time collaborator, Lee, on The Road,” said Shelton in a statement. “I know a thing or two about singing competitions and what it’s like to chase a music dream and live life on tour. I’m looking forward to discovering new talent and giving them this platform.”

“There is a revolution taking place in country music. Building a platform with Blake for the next leaders of that revolution is an incredibly exciting venture,” Sheridan added. “No more shiny floors and studio audiences. This is where the rubber meets the road – literally. Get in the van, go to the next town and win the crowd. Do it enough, and you become the next leader. Simple as that.”

Shelton previously spent 23 seasons as a coach on the hit singing competition series The Voice and starred in the series Barmageddon, in addition to his ongoing career as a 29-time Billboard Country Airplay chart-topping country artist. Shelton recently teamed with Post Malone for the three-week No. 1 Country Airplay hit “Pour Me a Drink.” Sheridan, in addition to his work on Yellowstone, is known for shows such as 1883 (featuring country artists Tim McGraw and Faith Hill), 1923, Mayor of Kingstown and The Last Cowboy.

The Road is produced by MTV Entertainment Studios, Glasser’s 101 Studios with Shelton and Metzger’s Lucky Horseshoe Productions (Shelton and Metzger serve as executive producers for Lucky Horseshoe Productions). Metzger previously worked with Shelton on both The Voice and Barmageddon.

“This project has been a true labor of love that Taylor, Blake, Lee and I have been talking about for some time now,” Glasser said. “I can’t thank CBS enough for supporting us on this journey to bring an incredible project to audiences everywhere.”

“Blake and I have been working together a long time and now joining forces with Taylor and David is literally the kind of team you dream about to bring something of this scale to country music fans,” added Metzger.

11 Nov 2024

*NSYNC’s Lance Bass Opens Up About Signing ‘Horrible’ Deals in New ‘Larger Than Life: Reign of the Boybands’ Clip

Lance Bass is one of the many boyband members and associates featured in the upcoming Larger Than Life: Reign of the Boybands documentary, which dives deep into the genre’s history and influence. In a new clip shared exclusively with Billboard on Monday (Nov. 11), the *NSYNC star shares a glimpse of how often a young boyband will sign an unpleasant deal to find success.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

“Everyone kind of has the same story. The first deal is horrible, we got taken advantage of here — but people will still sign that contract because they know that sometimes, that’s the only way they can get their foot in the door,” Bass explains in the clip, as videos of young musical hopefuls from bands like *NSYNC, Backstreet Boys and more flash on the screen. “Then, after finding success, people think, ‘They can change it. I can start here, but I know I can change that. It won’t last forever, I can renegotiate.’ When you sign a contract, especially teenagers sign these entertainment deals, they’re ironclad. They’re very, very hard to get out of.”

The upcoming, Tamra Davis-directed documentary will feature members of *NSYNC, 98 Degrees, Backstreet Boys, Hanson, New Edition, New Kids On The Block, The Osmonds and SEVENTEEN, as well as managers and other key music players, as they spotlight the impact of boybands throughout the 1990s and 2000s and what it was like to be a member or a fan of these iconic groups.

Trending on Billboard

Larger Than Life: Reign of the Boybands, produced by MTV Entertainment Studios, in partnership with Gunpowder & Sky, will premiere on Paramount+ on Nov. 12. Watch the new preview clip exclusively via Billboard below.

11 Nov 2024

BLACKPINK’s LISA Welcomes Guests to Thailand in ‘The White Lotus’ Teaser

BLACKPINK’s LISA is stepping into her acting debut for HBO Max’s The White Lotus season three.

The HBO 2025 teaser, which features snippets of the new season, offers fans their first look at the K-pop star, credited under her given name Lalisa Manobal. She stars as Mook, a resort manager who greets new guests with a warm, “Welcome to The White Lotus in Thailand, ka.”

Set to premiere next year, White Lotus‘ third season was filmed across Thailand, making the project a homecoming for LISA, who has previously spoken of her excitement about sharing the beauty of her homeland with viewers.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

In a recent interview with ELLE, LISA shared her initial reaction to being cast by The White Lotus creator Mike White, whom she called “a genius.”

Trending on Billboard

“I think I cried [when I got the role]. I was with my friends, my mum’s friends, and my mum as well, but I didn’t tell them that I auditioned for it,” LISA said. “I’m super excited and nervous, because it’s my first acting project. So I was happy for a second, and then I was like, ‘Oh, wait, wait, how am I going to deliver this?’”

Although acting is new to LISA, the BLACKPINK star noted some similarities to her work on music videos, saying, “It’s pretty new to me, but I think it’s similar to shooting music videos…I’m excited for my fans to see it.”

She added that filming in Thailand allowed her to reconnect with her roots and enjoy Thai cuisine daily. “I feel like people are going to fall in love with Thailand even more,” LISA remarked.

Beyond her new venture in television, LISA has continued to make waves in the music world. In 2024, she released her single “Rockstar,” which debuted at No. 70 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 4 on the Billboard Global 200, as well as became LISA’s first-ever No. 1 hit on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. She’s also since released the Rosalía-assisted track “New Woman,” and “Moonlit Floor.”

BLACKPINK, comprised of LISA, Jisoo, Jennie, and Rosé, has set unprecedented records. Their highest-charting Billboard Hot 100 entry, “Ice Cream” with Selena Gomez, reached No. 13. The group made history in 2022 as the first female K-pop act to top the Billboard 200 with their album Born Pink, which also reached No. 1 on the U.K. Albums Chart.

Watch a sneak peek of LISA in White Lotus here.

10 Nov 2024

Mattel Apologizes for ‘Wicked’ Doll Packaging Mistakenly Linking to Adult Website

A misprint on the packaging for Wicked character dolls manufactured by Mattel led consumers to visit an adult website, rather than the movie’s website, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Mattel issued an apology for the error on Sunday (Nov. 10).

The web address listed on the doll boxes in question is wicked.com, instead of Universal Pictures’ wickedmovie.com, says THR. When going to wicked.com, a message comes up requiring users to be 18 and older. Those who click “enter” arrive on an adult website promoting a pornographic movie titled Kenzie Loves Girls 2 from a venture called “Wicked Pictures.”

The Wicked dolls being sold with the inappropriate website printed on their package include Glinda (who’s played by Ariana Grande in the upcoming film) and Elphaba (who’s played by Cynthia Erivo).

Mattel issued the following statement: “Mattel was made aware of a misprint on the packaging of the Mattel Wicked collection dolls, primarily sold in the U.S., which intended to direct consumers to the official WickedMovie.com landing page. We deeply regret this unfortunate error and are taking immediate action to remedy this. Parents are advised that the misprinted, incorrect website is not appropriate for children. Consumers who already have the product are advised to discard the product packaging or obscure the link and may contact Mattel Customer Service for further information.”

As of Sunday evening, Billboard confirmed the dolls are no longer available on major online retailers including Target and Amazon.

The issue comes less than two weeks before Wicked, filmmaker Jon M. Chu’s adaptation of the hit Broadway musical, opens in theaters Nov. 22. Leading research firm NRG has Wicked on track for an opening of $85 million — which would be one of the biggest starts seen at the box office for a musical, THR reports.

10 Nov 2024

Mk.gee Captivates With ‘Alesis’ and ‘Rockman’ Performances During ‘SNL’ Debut: Watch

Mk.gee brought an air of mystery to Studio 8H during his Saturday Night Live musical guest debut on Nov. 9.

The enigmatic 28-year-old multi-instrumentalist delivered captivating performances of his songs “Alesis” and “Rockman” on the long-running comedy sketch show, hosted by comedian Bill Burr.

During his first performance of the evening, Mk.gee (born Mike Gordon) took the stage in a dimly lit setting to deliver a haunting rendition of “Alesis” from his 2024 debut album, Two Star & The Dream Police. Later in the episode, he returned for a powerful performance of “Rockman,” joined by fellow musicians Zack Sekoff and Andrew Aged.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

Currently on a world tour, Mk.gee will be heading to Australia in December. He also recently revealed he’s been working in the studio on Justin Bieber‘s upcoming album.

SNL will return on Nov. 16, with pop star Charli XCX pulling double duty as both host and musical guest. While the Brat hitmaker has appeared as the musical guest twice before, this will be her first time hosting the show.

Trending on Billboard

SNL has certainly kept Charli in the spotlight, especially in her Brat era. In the season premiere, cast member Bowen Yang even dressed in full Charli drag for a sketch in which he portrayed the pop star hosting her own Talk Talk Show.

Even Charli herself was impressed by the sketch. Speaking with Howard Stern, the singer shared that she thought Yang did “a great job” portraying her. “I think SNL is iconic,” she said. “We had a feeling it was coming, so we were really excited about it. I love Bowen… I was actually really impressed with the hair texture. I thought it was a great wig. It was good, it was cool.”

Watch Mk.gee’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.

09 Nov 2024

The Weeknd Remembers ‘Candyman’ Actor Tony Todd: ‘A Trailblazer’

The Weeknd is paying tribute to late actor Tony Todd.

On Friday (Nov. 8), the superstar singer honored the iconic actor, known for his roles in horror franchises Candyman and Final Destination, with a heartfelt post on his Instagram Story.

“A trailblazer,” the Weeknd, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, wrote alongside a photo of Todd as Daniel Robitaille/the Candyman. “Rest well Tony Todd.”

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

Todd passed away on Wednesday (Nov. 6) following a long illness at his home in Marina del Rey, a neighborhood of Los Angeles. He was 69. The actor is best known for his portrayal of the sinister figure in Candyman (1992) and for his role in Final Destination (2000). He also appeared in the sequels of each movie.

Todd’s extensive filmography includes roles in Night of the Living Dead (1990), The Rock (1996), The Crow (1994), Hatchet (2006), The Man from Earth (2007), Frankenstein (2015), Hell Fest (2018), Requiem (2018), Hellblazers (2022), and The Bunker (2024), among others.

Trending on Billboard

He also appeared in multiple Star Trek series, portraying Kurn in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, as well as Alpha Hirogen in Star Trek: Voyager.

“The industry has lost a legend. We have lost a cherished friend. Rest in peace, Tony—Your Final Destination Family,” wrote New Line Cinema, the studio behind the Final Destination films, in a tribute shared on Instagram.

The Weeknd is no stranger to the horror genre himself. As previously reported, the singer’s upcoming psychological thriller Hurry Up Tomorrow will be distributed worldwide by Lionsgate. The film, directed by Trey Edward Shults, marks the Weeknd’s feature film debut and will also serve as an extension of his upcoming sixth studio album of the same name. Jenny Ortega and Barry Keoghan will also star in the movie.

Hurry Up Tomorrow is produced by The Weeknd’s production company, Manic Phase, along with his producing partner Reza Fahim (co-creator of The Idol) and the late Kevin Turen. Executive producers on the film include Ortega, Shults, Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino, Ryan Kroft, The Weeknd’s manager Wassim “Sal” Slaiby, and Harrison Huffman.

See The Weeknd’s tribute to Tony Todd here.

08 Nov 2024

Sarah Sherman Is Super Confused About the Spelling of Mk.gee’s Name in ‘SNL’ Promo

Not for nothing, but singer/producer Mk.gee literally taught us how to say his name on his 2018 EP, Pronounced McGee. But, here we are with this week’s Saturday Night Live promo featuring host comedian Bill Burr, in which cast member Sarah Sherman just can’t do the math on how to sound out the Two Star & Dream Police performer’s stage moniker.

“Hi, I’m Bill Burr and I’m hosting SNL this week with Mk.gee,” says Burr, who will anchor the first show following this week’s historic election in which former President Donald Trump beat out Vice President Kamala Harris. “Mk.gee, how do you spell your name?” a confused Sherman asks.

“M, as in Mk.gee,” responds the enigmatic indie singer-songwriter, who recently revealed that he’s working in the studio on Justin Bieber’s next album. “Yeah, ‘K’ as ‘Kiss From a Rose,’ by Seal,” adds Burr. “Dot as in ‘dot com,’ the host continues as the musical guest concludes, “G as in ‘gee.’”

Trending on Billboard

“Okay, never mind, forget I asked,” an exasperated Sherman tells the men.

In the second bit, Sherman is very impressed with herself, rolling her eyes and saying, “Thank you, I do look ravishing today!,” to which Burr says, “I didn’t say you looked ravishing” as Mk.gee stands silent in a giant brown coat and matching hued shirt and black baseball hat. “I’m talkin’ about Mk.gee,” Burr assures her.

“Your hotel room tonight?,” Sherman goes on, as she pretends to be having a private conversation with a suitor via a non-existent earpiece. “What?” a confused Burr wonders. “Sorry, I’m on a call. Let me know when the promo starts,” Sherman tells him. “Sorry about that… where were we, Mickey Rourke?” Sherman coos while holding a finger to her ear to continue the phantom chat. The latter finally gets the attention of Rourke superfan Burr, though it’s too late at that point.

This weekend’s gig will mark 27-year-old New Jersey native Mk.gee’s SNL debut. Mk.gee is currently on a world tour that take him to Australia in December.

Watch this week’s SNL promo below.

08 Nov 2024

Cori Broadus Opens Up About Stroke & Gets Wedding Advice From Dad Snoop Dogg: Watch

Wedding planning is hard for everyone, even Snoop Dogg‘s daughter, Cori Broadus — especially considering the health challenges she’s faced this year.

In a new trailer posted Thursday (Nov. 7) for the family’s upcoming three-part E! docuseries Snoop Dogg’s Fatherhood: Cori and Wayne’s Story, the 25-year-old bride-to-be details the difficulties of putting together her nuptials to fiancé Wayne Deuce before opening up about the stroke she suffered earlier this year. “My health was declining,” she recalls in the two-minute teaser over footage of her in the hospital.

“Doctor comes in, ‘Cori, you had a stroke,’” continues Broadus, who also battles Lupus. “I’m hurting, I’m scared. Why is this happening to me?”

Trending on Billboard

The preview of the docuseries — which premieres Dec. 5 and also finds Broadus struggling with her relationship to Deuce and battling online trolls accusing the groom of only being with her for clout — comes nearly a year after Broadus revealed on Instagram Stories that she’d “had a severe stroke” in January. “I started breaking down crying when they told me,” she wrote at the time. “I’m only 24. What did I do in my past to deserve all of this?”

Shortly afterward, Snoop told People that his daughter was “doing a little bit better” and agreed that the scare had put his own life in perspective. The 53-year-old rapper shares Cori with wife Shante Broadus, along with sons Corde and Cordell. He also has a son named Julian from a previous relationship.

Elsewhere in the trailer for Snoop Dogg’s Fatherhood, the “Drop It Like It’s Hot” artist gives his daughter advice on planning her lavish wedding, which is set to cater to a guest list of 750 people. “Y’all got your life together … whatever you want, manifest it,” he tells her before squashing Cori’s dream of having Justin Bieber attend the big event. “You got too many godd–n dreams!”

But, as Cori says in the clip: “I’m a princess, so the princess gotta do it big.”

Watch the full Snoop Dogg’s Fatherhood: Cori and Wayne’s Story trailer above.

08 Nov 2024

‘Jeopardy!’ Trolls Travis Kelce With a Cheeky Taylor Swift Clue: ‘Sorry to This Man’

Travis Kelce might be a three-time Super Bowl champion, but to many parts of the world, he’ll always be Taylor Swift‘s boyfriend first and foremost.

And on a recent episode, Jeopardy! poked fun at the 35-year-old Kansas City Chiefs tight end’s celebrity status with a cheeky clue: “Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity? is hosted by this man who’s maybe more famous as a bf than as a 3-time Super Bowl champ.”

The prompt was certainly enough for a contestant named Derek to correctly lock in his answer — “Who is Travis Kelce?” — adding $200 to his tally. Jeopardy! later posted a photo of the clue and wrote, “Sorry to this man ?”

Trending on Billboard

Kelce hasn’t said anything about the clue, but based on his past comments about his superstar girlfriend, he’d probably find the game show’s classification funny. In September, he laughed off a question about being Swift’s “arm candy” while speaking to CBS Mornings, saying, “It’s the life I chose, I guess. I have fun with it. It comes with the territory of wanting to do fun activities like this.”

In the same interview, the New Heights host also raved that “literally, every single one” of the 14-time Grammy winner’s songs is his favorite. “If you see me at a concert, you’ll see me singing them all,” he added.

Indeed, Kelce has been to quite a few Eras Tour concerts since he started dating Swift last summer. He most recently attended her second night in Indianapolis Nov. 2, after which he said on his podcast, “I wanted to see Tay one more time before this thing got closed up.”

“I’ll tell you what, man,” he added of her show — one of Swift’s last before Eras wraps up in December — on the Nov. 6 New Heights episode. “The American crowds, they did not disappoint. I heard that it was a lot more rowdy this time around, knowing she was coming back to stop through America one last time before the tour was over with, and I’ll tell you what, man, that thing was rocking. Absolutely rocking.”

See Jeopardy‘s clue about Kelce below.