THIS IS THE CHRONICLES OF EFREM: The Daily Buzz For Feb 9☕📰☕

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#MAGFAB: Linda Evangelista Covers Zeit Magazine 1.2.2024 No.6, Lensed by Cass Bird

Supermodel original Linda Evangelista covers the February 2024 issue of Zeit Magazine [IG]. Linda is styled by Katelyn Gray for images shot in Soho, New York City by Cass Bird [IG]. / Hair by Bob Racine; makeup by Romy Soleimani

Linda Evangelista says about Cass Bird: “She gets me.”The lowest rung of the fashion commentariat put their ignorance on full display with regard to Linda’s scars reveal on one cover of Zeit.
When shooting a gun at a human as a commentariat member, the saying goes “ready, aim, fire”. Part of “ready” involves asking yourself if this person really deserves to be metaphorically shot down by your comment. And do you have your facts in order?
Additionally, when one member of the commentariat reveals absolute ignorance and stupidity, there’s no reason for others to chime in with equal ignorance.

Linda Evangelista’s Double Mastectomy
Google exists to help validate whether Linda Evangelita’s breast scars are from a ‘boob job’ or a more serious life event. In about five seconds, Google will make it clear that Linda Evangelista has experienced not one, but two bouts of breast cancer in recent years. The first was in December 2018 and the second in July 2020.

#RHOA: Cynthia Bailey flashes leg in leather dress while out in Hollywood as ex she gears up for acting debut
Cynthia Bailey is set to make her debut on season three of the crime drama series BMF (Black Mafia Family) that's set to premiere on Starz in a few weeks.

Having already shot her stint of the show the longtime model, actress and reality star enjoyed some down time and headed out for a lunch date with friends in the West Hollywood neighborhood of Los Angeles on Wednesday.
After enjoying some friends time in the restaurant the group were seen making their way back outside to the bustling streets, on their way back to their parked vehicles.

On this day, Bailey stepped out in a rather unique ensemble that consisted of a black velvet blazer over a long leather dress that resembled a duster coat.
The dress was cinched in at the waist with a built in belt that helped showcase her womanly curves, along with opening in the front that allowed her to flaunt her legs at any given moment.

In a move to show off her more casual side, The Real Housewives Of Atlanta alum would also add a pair of black-and-white sneakers and a red a white baseball cap to her ensemble.

Underneath her hat, the Decatur, Alabama native had her raven tresses style long, straight and flowing over her shoulders and down past the middle of her back.
The mother of one ended up carrying her essentials in a large Louis Vuitton box bag that she carried with her throughout the afternoon.

In the wake of stormy weather and a temperature tumble down to the 50s Fahrenheit, Bailey and company were all a little more bundled up than they normally would being in Southern California.

Despite the chill in the air, there was no shortage of sun when the ladies stepped out of The Henry, which is a hotspot in the West Hollywood neighborhood.
Just last week, Bailey took to her Instagram page to promote her new role in BMF, which follows the Black Mafia Family, a drug trafficking and money laundering organization.

'This season, it’s all eyez on #BMF & i am soooooo excited to join this amazing cast!' she began in the caption, before adding, 'can't wait for you guys 2 meet Gloria!

'#BlackMafiaFridays return March 1 on STARZ,' she continued. '#BMF #BlackMafiaFridays Premieres Friday, March 1 on STARZ.'

#NewMusic from Usher “Ruin” Featuring Pheelz!
Global superstar and R&B icon Usher has just released his new single “Ruin” featuring Pheelz.
The Afrobeats & Amapiano-infused R&B track was also produced by Pheelz. It is Usher’s latest offering leading up to the highly anticipated release of his ninth studio album “Coming Home” on February 9th.

LISTEN HERE:
The video for “Ruin” is a creative reunion between Usher and Dave Meyers who also directed the videos for “U Remind Me” and “Risk It All”. Shot entirely on iPhone 15 Pro, it uses home as the allegory for love as USHER explores different meanings of it through a number of scenes throughout.

This Sunday, Usher will headline the Apple Music Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show in Las Vegas on February 11th.

#HipHopNews: North West Stars In Kanye West And Ty Dolla Sign's "TALKING / ONCE AGAIN"!

Directed by Damiano and Fabio D’Innocenzo, with Matteo Cocco handling cinematography, “TALKING / ONCE AGAIN” is split between North’s previously teased verse from the Vultures Miami listening event and unheard material from Ty Dolla Sign. “I love it here/ We gonna take over the year for another year/ It’s your bestie, Miss, Miss Westie/ Don’t tryna test me/ It’s gonna get messy/ It’s gonna get messy/ Just, just bless me, bless me,” she rapped in the former segment.

Vultures is slated to hit streaming platforms on Friday (Feb. 9). It’s the inaugural volume of a three-part series, with subsequent installments expected on March 8 and April 5.
An event at the United Center in Chicago is scheduled for Thursday (Feb. 8). According to the description, “[Kanye] has chosen his hometown for this monumental occasion. It’s a symbolic return to the city for an official listening event reminiscent of the unforgettable Donda Album Listening Experience held in August 2021. This gathering promises to be an iconic moment in music history, bringing together special guests, album collaborators, and fans in a celebration of creativity and innovation.”

Separately, Kanye expressed concerns over being seemingly blacklisted by concert venues on Tuesday (Feb. 6) night. “We just sold out the United Center in seven minutes and I just wanted to express to everybody out there to see if anybody can help with this,” he said in a now-deleted post via Instagram. “It’s the only arena I had access to in the past year. And when I call, people say there’s no [availability] for me, and you know why that is. If there’s anybody out there that can help with this, please do.”

Afterward, Kanye shared screenshots of text conversations attempting to secure tour dates. Freddie Gibbs also offered to help set up a concert in San Diego at Petco Park.

Chrisean Rock Sued For Assaulting Tamar Braxton’s Backup Singer, James Wright Chanel!
Reality TV star and rapper, Chrisean Rock, has been sued months after allegedly assaulting Tamar Braxton‘s background singer, James Wright Chanel, RadarOnline reports. The lawsuit was filed in court on Tuesday (Feb. 6).
Rock, whose real name is Chrisean Malone, allegedly struck Wright after feuding with Tamar’s team about performing at Los Angeles’ Novo club on Nov. 10.

The “Vibe” crooner was reportedly invited to Braxton’s concert and became angry after not being allowed to perform her music for the crowd. According to a member of Braxton’s team, Le Troy Davis, Rock came to the venue “drunk, with 1,000 people, smelling like weed.”

Davis explained that Rock got into some sort of argument with Wright Chanel backstage about not performing, struck the singer in his face, and left him bloody. He reportedly had to seek medical attention to stop the bleeding.
Reportedly, Wright was left with two broken teeth and cuts on his face from her rings.

Backing Davis’ claims, Wright’s attorney, Kevin Anderson stated to the Los Angeles Times, “She hit him multiple times in the face for no reason at all. We were surprised that she was able to leave the facility that night. She had on rings that were pretty much equivalent to brass knuckles.”

Besides Davis — who deemed Rock “trash” and responsible for “why her life is the way that it is” — Tamar Braxton also spoke out about the incident. In a statement shared via Instagram, the singer said she initially did not address the heinous act “out of respect for James” and her team, but confirmed, “[Wright] got assaulted at my show, and it was by Chrisean.”

Speaking on why Rock was invited to her show in the first place, Braxton said via IG, “Chrisean is someone I look at like, from afar, a younger sister. She was somebody I wanted to meet, to possibly take under my wing.” She also shared that she felt connected to Rock, as they’re both from Maryland.
The “Love & War” songstress also admitted that she did indeed invite the Baltimore native to come on stage for the show’s “twerk off” but not to perform. She added that there must have been a “misunderstanding” between both parties.

Rock also spoke out via IG Live and claimed that “false narratives” were being made.
“I think it’s just a clout chasing thing… Honestly, I need to start protecting my name,” she said at the time.

Mo’Nique Slams Oprah, Tiffany Haddish, Kevin Hart, D.L. Hughley And More In Explosive Interview

After an explosive interview with Katt Williams last month on Shannon Sharpe‘s Club Shay Shay podcast, Oscar-winning actress and comedian Mo’Nique has now started her own blaze.
On the podcast’s most recent episode, The Parkers star sat with Sharpe for a candid conversation regarding her upbringing, disparities and betrayal in Hollywood, and the industry peers that have wronged her.

WATCH

She also mentioned that she spoke on the same topic that Taraji P. Henson raised regarding Hollywood’s inadequate pay a decade ago — but no one stood behind her like they did for The Color Purple star due to her habit of naming names.
During the conversation, Monique “Mo’Nique” Hicks, voiced her past and present frustrations with people like Tiffany Haddish, Kevin Hart, D.L. Hughley, Will Packer, Tyler Perry, The President of Lionsgate and more.

No holds barred, the 56-year-old addressed Haddish speaking on her husband publicly, Perry stirring up a detrimental rumor about her, Packer once asserting that he was “The Head Ni**a In Charge” on a set, Oprah disrespecting her family, Hart doubling back on his promises, Hughley allowing an inappropriate question to be asked about her husband, and much more.

“When I saw that, it’s like, Tiffany, if you had a husband like mine, you may not have two DUIs,” she said about Haddish claiming to not want a husband like Sidney Hicks. “If you had a husband like mine, you may not be caught up in what looks like you could have been grooming a child.”

As far as Hughley, she admitted, “I never knew D.L. Hughley had a problem with me. [He said] I was bitter. I was dangerous with what I was doing … my husband didn’t know what he was doing.’ This went on through the years. ‘I was unloved.’ All of these things and I said to myself, ‘I’m a see you.’”

She also mentioned going on a show of Hughley’s where she was asked to play the questions game, “Would You Rather?”
Instead of the game being fun, she was asked a question that insinuated confusion about her husband’s sexuality

Perry and Winfrey also got plenty smoke, as Mo’Nique claimed that both movie and TV moguls had her blackballed from Hollywood. The Baltimore-native shared the time that Winfrey called her to give her a heads up that only her brother would be coming on her talk show to discuss molesting the comedian when she was younger.

However when the episode aired, Mo’s mother was also on the show without her knowledge. “Had Oprah Winfrey said, ‘I’m going to have your mama,’ I would’ve shut that sh*t down,” she said. She also accused Winfrey of snubbing roles over the years that were first offered to her, such as in Lee Daniels’ The Butler.

Mo’Nique Blames Oprah For Taraji P. Henson’s Mistreatment While Filming ‘The Color Purple…
“What I was not going to do was to make Hollywood the priority,” she said, before recalling a conversation she recorded between her and Perry. “I said to Perry I’m not in the business of working for free. So we had a mutual agreement. No problem. We got up, we hugged, everything was good. When they knew that I was not going to be the actress or be the one that say, ‘Because it’s them, I gotta do it.’ No. I don’t care who it is … Now comes the blackball.”

According to the NAACP Image award-recipient, Perry has admitted on audio to spreading the rumor that she was “difficult to work with,” which Sharpe also confirmed. For Mo’Nique, she expressed that she was hurt that many of the people who could have stood up for her did not, including Winfrey.

“Let me be clear: I love those people. We love those people, my husband and I love [them],” she spoke of those she mentioned. “They’re our brothers and sisters and as my husband always says, ‘Momma, we ain’t calling nobody out, we’re simply calling them up to say, listen let’s make our community better by making it right, not running and hiding by what you consider is your power.”

Additionally, the mother-of-two explained how she feels she was used as an example for what happens when Black women speak up, despite her successful track record. “If I was a white woman, my name would be Melissa McCarthy,” she said. “Same track record. Five-year sitcom in syndication. Same track record. The opportunities are not the same.”

Cecilia Gentili, NY Transgender advocate and Activist dies at 52
Cecilia Gentili, a prominent public health advocate, author and actor who fought for trans rights and helped launch the movement to decriminalize sex work in New York, has died at 52.
News of her death was posted on her Instagram on Tuesday evening.

“Our beloved Cecilia Gentili passed away this morning to continue watching over us in spirit,” the post read. “Please be gentle with each other and love one another with ferocity.”
The news prompted online tributes from LGBTQ+ groups, public health workers, activists and elected officials.

“New York’s LGBTQ+ community has lost a champion in trans icon Cecilia Gentili,” Gov. Kathy Hochul stated on X, formerly known as Twitter. “As an artist and steadfast activist in the trans rights movement, she helped countless people find love, joy and acceptance.”
In its own social media post, the New York City health department called Gentili a “beloved collaborator, partner and friend."

Gentili was well known in New York’s public health community for working to improve access to services for trans people and sex workers and reduce the spread of HIV.
She founded the company Transgender Equity Consulting in 2019, after serving as director of policy at GMHC, a nonprofit dedicated to HIV care and advocacy. Before joining GMHC, she helped develop transgender health services at Apicha Community Health Center, which focuses on care for Asian American, Pacific Islander and LGBTQ+ populations as well as people living with HIV.

Gentili began expanding her work in the arts in recent years. She won a Stonewall Book Award for her 2022 memoir “Faltas: Letters to Everyone in My Hometown Who Isn't My Rapist,” and recently launched the one-woman, off-Broadway show “Red Ink.” She also made cameos on the FX show "Pose," which chronicled New York City’s 1980s ballroom scene.

Gentili advocated for a range of causes, including the successful effort to repeal a state loitering law known informally as the “walking while trans ban.” She was often seen on the frontlines of protests and was arrested in October at a New York City rally calling for a cease-fire in Gaza.

As a public speaker, Gentili often peppered her speeches with humor, while urging those in the audience to do more to fight for people on the margins.
“Your rainbow doesn’t do s—t if you are not doing what you need to do for sex workers,” she told the crowd at a 2019 Pride rally in Central Park.

Gentili spoke openly about her own experiences earning a living through sex work after moving to New York from Argentina to live more safely as a trans woman.
“In doing so, she inspired countless others and truly paved the way for our communities — especially sex workers and trans women of color — to access high-quality and judgment-free healthcare,” Patrick McGovern, CEO of the nonprofit LGBTQ+ health care provider Callen-Lorde, said in a statement.

Gentili received a Community Health Award from Callen-Lorde for her leadership in 2019. She worked with the organization to launch a clinic for sex workers, called Cecilia’s Operational Inclusion Network, or COIN.
While pushing for more services for sex workers, Gentili always made clear that she opposed any police involvement in the sex trade, which put her at odds with critics of full decriminalization.

“There’s a long history of non-sex workers making decisions for sex workers and this is a great opportunity to craft those services from what people in the community say they need,” Gentili told Gothamist in 2019.
In an interview published in November, Gentili said she was spending more time away from the city. She said she had purchased a house in Upstate New York and was exploring her relationship with religion.

Alicia Keys’ ‘Hell’s Kitchen’ Musical Announces Broadway Cast

Alicia Keys‘ off-Broadway Public Theater musical, Hell’s Kitchen, has announced its Broadway cast.
According to Deadline, the celebrated cast of the off-Broadway show will transition to “The Great White Way” after numerous rave reviews in Fall of 2023. Cast members Chris Lee, Maleah Joi Moon, Shoshana Bean, Kecia Lewis, and Brandon Victor Dixon are all expected to make the leap.

The behind-the-scenes creative team for Hell’s Kitchen includes Tony Award nominee Camille A. Brown handling choreography, with Tony Award nominee Michael Greif responsible for the show’s direction. Hell’s Kitchen also features classic and new original songs from the GRAMMY award-winning musician and Adam Blackstone. Additional castings for the play will be announced at a later date, the outlet reports.

Alicia Keys talked about the critically acclaimed musical in an interview with VIBE. While the show isn’t an autobiography, she detailed how her journey inspired the play’s characters and themes.
“The characters are definitely inspired by the city, inspired by my experiences of individuals and people. And I think that’s what gives it the richness and the relatability that you experience when you come,” she said. “To me, that’s why it feels so good, how art does imitate life because you’re able to take the experiences, those fundamentals, those emotions, those connections, those layered, complex behaviors of humanity and put it all together into these stories that really, really hit you.”

Hell’s Kitchen premiered in October 2023 to rave reviews. The show was scheduled to run until December. However, the musical received a five-week extension to continue through mid-January.
Previews for the Broadway show will begin at Broadway’s Shubert Theatre on Thursday (March 28). The opening night for the adaptation will be on Saturday (April 20).

Elsewhere, Keys and her husband, Swizz Beatz, offered a private first look at their Giants: Art from The Dean Collection. The limited exhibit was held at the Brooklyn Museum on Tuesday night (Feb. 6).
The married couple invited their close friends and family to witness the presentations and fine art created by African Diaspora artists. Pictures from the event show entertainers such as Fabolous, Westside Gunn, Tracee Ellis Ross, Tierra Whack, and more attending the show.

Giants: Art from The Dean Collection celebrated Black art through photos, metal work, sculptures and more. The exhibit highlighted the couple’s philosophy of “artists supporting artists.”

Eve Confirms New Memoir ‘Who’s That Girl?’ Is Coming This September
Eve is finally telling her story in the form of a new memoir.Aptly named after one of her hit singles, Who’s That Girl? is slated for release on Sept. 17 and is co-written by journalist and author Kathy Iandoli.

“I’m excited for people to get to know me on a deeper level,” said the Ruff Ryders’ First Lady in a statement. “This story is decades in the making.”
According to PEOPLE, the memoir is described as “fearless, empowering, and inspirational.” It will explore her rise to prominence as a pioneering female emcee, her impact on pop culture and fashion, and the struggle to balance her personal life and professional hustle.

The book won’t gloss over the West Philly native’s journey to Hollywood and will reveal stories on how she became one of the top female rappers in a male-dominated industry, including previously untold recollections behind her discography, “the internal battle leading up to Lip Lock,” how she entered the scene as “Eve of Destruction,” how she made history as the first artist to win a Grammy for Best Rap-Sung Collaboration with Gwen Stefani for “Let Me Blow Ya Mind,” and becoming the third female rapper to have her solo debut on top of the Billboard 200.

Eve will also detail her romance with husband Maximillion Cooper and fertility obstacles. She welcomed her son, Wilde Wolf, in February 2022.
Throughout her career, the 45-year-old has released four albums, costarred in 15 films, starred in her own sitcom as well as Queens—alongside Brandy, Naturi Naughton, and Nadine Velazquez—and co-hosted the Emmy-nominated talk show, The Talk, for three years.

Kelly Rowland Reportedly Expecting Third Child With Husband Tim Weatherspoon

Kelly Rowland may be ready to welcome a new addition to her family with Tim Weatherspoon. The former Destiny's Child star has been reported to be pregnant with her and her husband's third child.
Breaking the news is Media Take Out, which cites two people close with the singer as their sources. According to the outlet, both sources have "independently confirmed" Kelly's pregnancy, which has not been officially revealed by the star.

One of the alleged friends said that the 42-year-old singer and her husband "always wanted three kids, two boys and a girl." The pair are already parents to two sons, so they're allegedly hoping this time they'll have a daughter.
The report, which should be taken with a grain of salt, also notes that Kelly is still "early" in her pregnancy, maybe two of three months, so she's only barely showing. That possibly explained why she didn't show any signs of pregnancy when celebrating her husband's 50th birthday in a star-studded bash back in January.

'A Quiet Place: Day One' Official Trailer Shows First Reactions To Alien Invasion
Paramount Pictures has given first-look footage at "A Quiet Place: Day One". Making its way out online on Wednesday, February 7, it opens with a nod to the previous two films in the franchise by featuring scenes from "A Quiet Place" and "A Quiet Place Part II" starring John Krasinski and Emily Blunt.

The upcoming movie serves as a spin-off prequel that takes fans back to the first day of the alien invasion. It mostly follows Lupita Nyong'o's character's Sam, who is described as a woman on a day trip to New York City when the monsters arrive.
The trailer shows people's first reactions to the alien invasion. People are scrambling for safety, nurses are running in the hospital and fighter jets are flying over NYC as skyscrapers come crashing down.

Sam, who tries to survive with a cat she carries around, is seen meeting various people on the way, including Joseph Quinn's Eric and Djimon Hounsou's character, who previously appeared in "Part II". "Discover why our world went quiet," read a tagline in the video.

WATCH HERE
Plot details are still kept under wraps. In a new interview with EW, Nyong'o reveals the trepidation that she realized when filming the movie. "This notion of a quiet New York is one that will arrest many," she shares. "It's an impossible thing to imagine.... When you live there, you block out all the sound quite naturally. You just forget to hear the sound. I realized how hard it would be to survive in a world that required you to be silent in that particular city."

She then compares the spin-off to the previous two films, which focus on the Abbott family, "When you have a family, there is an innate expectation that they will want to stick together," referring to Lee (Krasinski), Evelyn (Blunt), Regan (Millicent Simmonds) and Marcus (Noah Jupe). She adds, "We don't have that in this film. We have these disparate individuals who collide into each other's lives, and it is at a very pivotal time for the world. How do they negotiate survival together? What we get is really interesting - and even surprising - chemistry in the characters that meet each other along the way."

Of how she changed after shooting with a cat for the movie, the "Black Panther" star divulges, "I was afraid of cats when I started this movie. By the end of the movie, I was crying leaving that cat. Now I am definitely a cat mom. I have my cat's fur all over me, and I think of it as a symbol of affection, which I never imagined I would."

Meanwhile, Quinn sees "Day One" as more of an escape movie rather than a survival story. "It's more of a [character] drama than anything," he explains. "The script is obviously set in the world that we know, but it's very much a film about these two characters who are lost and trying to negotiate their fates. There are also some wonderful other characters in the film who Sam encounters, but the bulk of it is Eric and Sam in their mutual acceptance of this bleak, more quiet, new reality."

Krasinski, who directed the first two films, passed the torch to Michael Sarnoski for the spin-off. "The franchise is in the more than capable hands of director Michael Sarnoski, even though after seeing that [footage] I gotta be honest, I'm a little jealous," Krasinski told an audience at CinemaCon 2023. "I gave my baby away, but he did a great job."

Also starring Alex Wolff, "A Quiet Place: Day One" is scheduled to be released in U.S. theaters on June 28.

Beyonce Announces Launch Date of Her New Hair Care Line, Cécred

Beyoncé has revealed a teaser trailer for her upcoming haircare brand, Cécred, giving fans a glimpse of what’s to come and announcing the launch date.
On Tuesday, she posted the trailer on her Instagram and official website with the caption, “Hair is sacred. The journey begins Feb 20. Visit CECRED.COM.”

The teaser clip features a group of women in a hair salon named ‘Headliners Hair Salon,’ paying homage to the Houston salon opened by Beyoncé’s mom, Tina Knowles, in 1990.
The clip features various scenes of women getting their hair washed and shampooed before returning to the salon, where a bright neon sign reads ‘Headliners La Mode Salon.’

Beyoncé is later depicted getting her hair washed, followed by shots of workers and clients interacting within the salon.
The trailer concludes with a heartfelt moment capturing a young Beyoncé and her mother, Tina, waving at the camera, followed by the brand’s name appearing in white letters as the screen fades to black.

On the haircare line’s official Instagram page, a second clip was posted featuring the Queen Bey sharing more about her highly anticipated new brand.

“Obviously, I grew up in my mother’s hair salon,” she said before the brand’s logo flashes up on the screen and a montage of her fans discussing her haircare line is shown. “Welcome along my hair journey.”
“The rumors are true. Cécred is coming. Mark your calendars 2.20.24,” read the caption.

Britney Spears Confesses to Making Out with Ben Affleck Years Ago
The pop star made the confession in a since-deleted social media post on Wednesday, Feb. 7, where she shared a black-and-white throwback photo of her posing next to Affleck and Diane Warren at an event years ago.
But according to Spears' account, she and Affleck did much more than pose together that night.

The "Toxic" singer, now 42, said she "made out" with the actor that same evening, an experience she said she "honestly forgot" about over the years.
"Cool pic of me and Ben Affleck and Diane Warren years ago," Spears wrote in the caption of her throwback post, which now seems to have disappeared from her Instagram page. "He's such an amazing actor."

"Did I fail to mention I made out with Ben that night ... I honestly forgot ... she cheekily wrote, adding, "damn that's crazy !!!"
"Wish I could tell you guys the story that happened before that !!!" Spears further teased. "Oh dear, I'm just being a gossip girl."

But Affleck, 51, isn't the only man Spears has spilled the tea on lately, as she also said she had a "passionate" fling with Colin Farrell and name-dropped her ex-boyfriend Justin Timberlake in her memoir The Woman in Me, which came out in the fall of 2023.

While sharing some of the nitty-gritty details from her romance with Timberlake, Spears accused him of cheating on her while admitting to cheating on him as well. She also claimed to have been pregnant at one point by the NSYNC singer and said she ended up having an abortion.
In her more recent love life, Spears was married to model and actor Sam Asghari, whom she wed in June 2022. After just over a year of marriage, Asghari, 29, filed to divorce the singer in August 2023.

Giancarlo Esposito Takes Over for Late Andre Braugher in Shondaland’s ‘The Residence’

Giancarlo Esposito is taking over the male lead in Netflix’s Shondaland drama The Residence following the passing of Andre Braugher.
Braugher, who died Dec. 11 following a battle with lung cancer, was tapped last February to be the male lead on Netflix’s Shonda Rhimes drama The Residence, starring opposite Uzo Aduba. The White House murder-mystery started production before shutting down amid Hollywood’s dual strikes. Braugher had already completed filming a lot of his scenes on the series, which was scheduled to resume filming last month January. Esposito’s casting means the scenes Braugher had filmed will be reshot on the drama from showrunner Paul William Davies (Scandal), which has continued production amid the recasting.

Here’s the official logline for The Residence, per Netflix: “132 rooms. 157 suspects. One dead body. One wildly eccentric detective. One disastrous State Dinner. The Residence is a screwball whodunnit set in the upstairs, downstairs and backstairs of the White House, among the eclectic staff of the world’s most famous mansion.” The drama uses Kate Andersen Brower’s book, The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House, as a jumping-off point to tell a new murder-mystery story.

Esposito steps into the role of White House chief usher A.B. Wynter and joins a cast that includes Aduba, Susan Kelechi Watson, Jason Lee, Ken Marino, Edwina Findley, Molly Griggs, Al Mitchell, Dan Perrault, Bronson Pinchot Isiah Whitlock Jr. and Mary Wiseman. Also joining the cast are Al Franken as a senator, Andrew Friedman as director of the national park police and Julian McMahon as the prime minister of Australia.

Davies, who previously teamed with Shondaland on ABC’s Scandal and For the People, serves as showrunner and exec produces alongside Rhimes and Shondaland’s Betsy Beers. The eight-episode series stems from Shondaland’s overall deal with Netflix as well as Davies’ pact with the streamer.
Esposito’s credits include Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul for AMC, where he next stars in Parish. Esposito previously followed Braugher on Homicide: Life on the Street in its final season after the latter departed.

“I couldn’t be prouder and more honored to be stepping into Shondaland’s The Residence for someone that I loved and respected and cherished in Andre Braugher,” Esposito said in a statement announcing the casting. “To be afforded the opportunity to create in his honor with this incredible team extends the depth and breadth of his legacy through all of us who loved him so dearly.”

Jesse Williams & Girlfriend Ciarra Pardo Enjoy Rare Date Night at Sushi Restaurant in WeHo
Jesse Williams is enjoying a very rare night out with his girlfriend. The 42-year-old Grey’s Anatomy alum and girlfriend Ciarra Pardo stepped out for a low-key dinner date at the exclusive sushi restaurant Sushi Park on Wednesday night (February 7) in West Hollywood, Calif.

For their night out, Jesse wore a green jacket over a black hoodie and black pants while Ciarra wore a red coat, black sweater, and jeans.
It’s not clear how long Jesse has been dating Ciarra, but he’s definitely known her for a long time. She was referred to as his “longtime girlfriend” in court documents as part of his custody battle with ex-wife Aryn Drake-Lee back in February 2022, according to Radar Online.

One of the last times they were spotted out together was back in June 2023.

T.J. Holmes Hints He & Amy Robach are Banned From Visiting Disney Parks After Affair

T.J. Holmes hinted at an unexpected effect of his relationship with Amy Robach.
If you forgot, the former GMA3 hosts were ousted from their jobs at ABC just over a year ago after it was revealed that they were romantically involved while both married to other people.

During a recent episode of their Amy & T.J. podcast, T.J. implied that their affair also got them indefinitely banned from visiting Disney parks.
One of their guests recently revealed that he was trying to get his wife to join him in running the Disney 5K, which prompted T.J. to hint at their inability to travel to the parks.

“We would love to run with you down at that 5K. I don’t think we are allowed on the park’s grounds anymore,” he told their guest, via Us Weekly. “We will check. Last we checked, we weren’t.”
If you were unaware, Disney owns ABC, which would likely explain the reason for their ban

‘Luther Vandross: Never Too Much’ Director Talks Late Crooner’s Struggle Weight and Sexuality Struggles
*Nearly 20 years after his death, Luther Vandross still ranks among the best singers of all time. Yet despite countless R&B classic hits, numerous awards, and a loyal fanbase, he was famously private, with only a select few familiar with his life outside the spotlight.

With the arrival of the upcoming documentary, “Luther: Never Too Much,” Dawn Porter aims to give filmgoers an honest look inside Vandross’ world while highlighting his musical legacy
“I wanted him to be able to tell you his story as much as possible, so how do you do that with someone who’s not with us?” Porter told The Hollywood Reporter, touching on the crooner 1980’s classic hit “Any Love.” “A lot of that was thinking about the lyrics. [On] ‘Any Love,’ he was just endlessly frustrated with the absence of a romantic partner in his life,” she tells The Hollywood Reporter. “So through his lyrics, I think you get to know a little bit more about him.”

Set to premiere Jan. 21 at the Sundance Film Festival, “Luther: Never Too Much” explores Vandross’ musical legacy and influence, in addition to his struggles with his weight and sexuality. In addition to directing, Porter will produce the documentary. Vandross’ former label Sony is on board with the project as well as some of the “Stop to Love” hitmaker’s former bandmates and collaborators. Among those interviewed will be Vandross’ musical partner Marcus Miller, Mariah Carey, Nile Rodgers, Clive Davis, Valerie Simpson, Richard Marx, and Jamie Foxx, who joined Porter as a producer on the film.

The arrival of “Luther: Never Too Much” comes nearly two decades after Vandross, died in 2005 after suffering a stroke in 2003. The entertainer was 54. The film is noted for being the first-ever documentary about Vandross.
With the blessing of the singer’s family to produce the film and Sony’s involvement, Porter had a green light to access 80 hours of rehearsal footage as well as his famed music catalog, 150 hours of archival footage, and more than 2,000 photos, the Reporter mentioned.

For Porter, the green light from the Vandross family was a very notable achievement in helping her put together a quality film.
“The family is sensitive about some things, and I had a lot of respect for that, but they also had a lot of respect for me as a filmmaker and knew that all the aspects of his story should be told, so everybody’s happy. “I think they’ve gotten a lot of pitches, but we seemed to all hit it off,” she said.

“I’m not interested in doing a commercial. This is not a commercial for Luther. This is the truth as I discovered it,” Porter adds. “If we had discovered some hard things, you talk about the hard thing, and there are a few hard things. He didn’t have a perfect life by any means, so we addressed all of that. But I think for all of us, your struggles and how you respond to those struggles, that’s the story.”

Vandross’s struggles with his sexuality are covered in “Luther: Never Too Much” as well as his well-known battle with his weight.
Discussing the late crooner’s sexuality and the media’s constant speculation throughout his career, Porter emphasized her desire to respect Vandross, who had a strong female following.

“What’s challenging, of course, is that he’s not here to speak for himself, and he chose to keep his private life private. On the other hand, I’m not homophobic; I wouldn’t want to be homophobic, so what we tried to do was have the people who loved him and knew him talk about his desire to be private and then say, ‘We’re going to respect how he wanted to live his life and what he wanted to say,’” she told the Reporter.
“We worked hard on that section because I think, on the one hand, nobody should be outed. On the other hand, don’t you just wish Luther could live in 2024? The world has changed. The world was different then. George Michael wasn’t out. AIDS was rampant. There was a lot of discrimination,” Porter adds. “So, I feel comfortable respecting his choice but saying that that was a struggle. The conversation around his sexuality was always a conversation that he struggled with, just like he struggled with his weight and his lack of love.”

Although Vandross was immensely popular, his fluctuating size was often a conversation among fans, who referred to him as Big Luther or Little Luther during various points in his career.
“It struck me how much all the talk shows had no shame about focusing on his weight, I think in a way that we wouldn’t do today. I think people realize that’s inappropriate and body shaming,” the award-winning filmmaker expressed. “It’s one thing to have to deal with, it’s another thing to have to deal with it in public. There’s a lot of shame that he had, so we tried to show that.”

Monica To Join Nicki Minaj On Her Pink Friday 2 North American Tour

Grammy-Award winner singer and R&B fave Monica will be joining Nicki Minaj on her Pink Friday 2 North American Tour.
The Atlanta-native singer shared the major announcement while making a guest appearance on The Jennifer Hudson Show Thursday. “I’m grateful for Nicki,” Monica shared.

Excited to touch down in all the major cities across the US, Monica expressed how it’s cool not to be forgotten as people tend to forget the impact she had throughout people’s childhoods.
“I’m really grateful for Nicki, because she’s one of those people that has always said, ‘Monica meant everything to my childhood,’ and some people, they act like they forget. And so, it’s pretty cool to not be forgotten and to be called for things like such, so we ‘gon show up and show out.”

This news came about not long after her recent feature on Nicki’s ‘Love Me Enough’ single alongside Keyshia Cole, which featured on the deluxe version of PF2. In addition to this record, Monica focused on her single ‘Letters,’ which was released this past summer and features The Game. The ‘So Far Gone’ artist has her R&B album Trenches and a country album that are anticipated to be released sometime this year.

The Pink Friday 2 Tour jumps off March 1st in Oakland, CA, ending on May 13th in Oklahoma City, OK, hitting major cities across the US and Canada that include Philadelphia on March 29th, New York on March 30th, and Toronto on April 30th. All confirmed dates are listed below.

March 1 at Oakland Arena in Oakland, CA
March 3 at Ball Arena in Denver, CO
March 8 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV
March 10 at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, WA
March 13 at Footprint Center in Phoenix, AZ
March 18 at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, LA
March 20 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, GA
March 21 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, GA
March 22 at Amway Center in Orlando, FL
March 24 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, TN
March 26 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, NC
March 28 at Prudential Center in Newark, NJ
March 29 at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA
March 30 at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY
April 1 at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC
April 2 at CFG Bank Arena in Baltimore, MD
April 4 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY
April 5 at XL Center in Hartford, CT
April 8 at TD Garden in Boston, MA
April 10 at TD Garden in Boston, MA
April 12 at Schottenstein Center in Columbus, OH
April 13 at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, WI
April 17 at Bell Centre in Montreal, CN
April 18 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, CN
April 20 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, MI
April 24 at United Center in Chicago, IL
April 25 at United Center in Chicago, IL
April 27 at Target Center in Minneapolis, MN
April 30 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, CN
May 1 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY
May 9 at Toyota Center in Houston, TX
May 11 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX
May 12 at Moody Center in Austin, TX
May 13 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, OK

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