Latest news with #Emmy-winner
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Lena Waithe Dropped Over $35,000 for a Special Piece of 'The Mary Tyler Moore' Set: 'I Will Cherish This'
On Wednesday. June 4, Doyle's Auctions held an auction for "The Collection of Mary Tyler Moore" One of the big sales of the auction was a gold-painted "M" that sat on the wall of Mary Richards' apartment in The Mary Tyler Moore Show The Emmy-winner says it's an "honor" to own the special piece after purchasing it for $35, 200Lena Waithe has purchased a special piece of television history. The Emmy Award winner has purchased the gold-painted "M" that adorned Mary Richards' apartment wall on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. The sale took place on Wednesday, June 4, at Doyle's "The Collection of Mary Tyler Moore" auction. The humble prop was the highlight of the auction, receiving a ton of interest due to its prominence in the background of a beloved sitcom, which aired from 1970 to 1977. Original estimates had the piece going for anywhere from $5,000 to 8,000. The piece far exceeded expectations, opening at $14,000 and ultimately selling for a stunning $35,200. In a statement about the sale, Waithe shares, "I will cherish this piece of television history for the rest of my life. I feel honored to have custody of it until it's time to pass it along to someone else." Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Other Mary Tyler Moore items garnered impressive sales. A colorful portrait of Moore by Peter Max sold for $15,360. Original Al Hirschfeld drawings capturing Moore's roles in The Dick Van Dyke Show ($6,080) and The Mary Tyler Moore Show ($7,680) also exceeded expectations. Moore began leading The Mary Tyler Moore Show in 1970, not long after her starring role on The Dick Van Dyke Show. The show was produced by her company, MTM Enterprises, which was behind many successful TV series. Her TV alter ego, Mary Richards, was not that different from the real Moore, the late actress once told PEOPLE in 1974. 'I never went the actors' studio route. I'm not an actress who can create a character. I play me. I'm scared that if I tamper with it I might ruin it,' she shared, noting her single girl character happened, in part, because she didn't want to play married again, and CBS didn't want her character to be divorced. She ended up with eight Emmy nominations and four wins for her work on the series. Read the original article on People
Geek Tyrant
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
Aaron Paul Reveals the Hilarious Prank Bryan Cranston Pulled on Him While Making BREAKING BAD — GeekTyrant
Aaron Paul got his big break on the award-winning fan favorite series Breaking Bad , in which he starred alongside Oscar nominee and Emmy-winner, Bryan Cranston. The pair have remained friends, but Paul remembers a particularly cruel and hilarious prank that Cranston pulled on him while making the series. On a recent appearance on the hot wing talk show Hot Ones, Paul first praised his co-star, saying of Cranston, "He's the hardest worker in the room, the most lovable… but he's also the most immature I've ever met in my life. I say that with just love and respect, the list was endless." He went on, "I remember on Breaking Bad , he came out of the production office and came up to me and said, 'It's OK' and give me this long hug. I'm like, 'What are you doing?' He's like, 'At least you go out in a big way, huh?' And I'm like, 'What are you talking about?' He goes, 'Did you read the latest script?' I go, 'No.' He goes, 'Well, just read it, and I'm here if you need me.'' Paul continued, "So, I sprinted into the production office… of course, I go to the final pages [of the script] and nothing happened, I'm still around. But he just made it seem like I died. He would not stop. He would get everybody in on it, like the costume designers said, 'Hey we gotta do your measurements for the casket.'" Paul's character Jesse Pinkman got out of the series, not unscathed per se, but alive, and went on to star in the follow-up Netflix film, El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie . Breaking Bad is currently streaming on Netflix. via: GamesRadar
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Wicked' Star Cynthia Erivo Fires Back at MAGA Hate for Playing Jesus
Wicked star Cynthia Erivo has some thoughts about the MAGA outrage—fueled by Elon Musk—over her casting as Christ in the Hollywood Bowl's production of Jesus Christ Superstar. 'You can't please everyone,' the Tony, Grammy, and Emmy-winner told Billboard in a new interview. 'It is legitimately a three-day performance at the Hollywood Bowl where I get to sing my face off. So hopefully they will come and realize, 'Oh, it's a musical, the gayest place on Earth.'' The show will run August 1-3. Many MAGA fans slammed Erivo's Christ casting as 'blasphemy' on social media when her role was first announced in February. What seemed lost on several critics was the tone of the show itself. The 1971 Andrew Lloyd Webber rock opera has always been a provocative, at-times critical take on Christ's life, that over time became a cult favorite among queer audiences. Musk seemed to have missed that bit of information as well as he chimed in on X with an eyebrow-raised emoji in reply to an X user who wrote, 'Imagine doing this to any other religion' next to Erivo's casting news. Critics with similar complaints flooded Variety's social media post announcing the casting with one user in the replies called Erivo playing Christ 'anti-Christian bigotry' by 'Hollywood.' But Erivo told Billboard, 'Why not?' as she shrugged off naysayers. 'The more yourself you are, the more you are in front of people who don't necessarily understand, the better understanding starts to happen,' she said. As much as she wants to be 'a person you can get positive things from' since 'that is the only way you can balance this stuff,' she couldn't help getting in a jab at Donald Trump for his takeover of the Kennedy Center, where Erivo played some of the most iconic performances of her career. 'I don't know who gains what from that. I hope that it comes back,' she said. 'It's really sad to have to watch this happen to it. The Kennedy Center is supposed to be a space of creativity and art and music for everyone.' That said, assimilating to appease Trump and his 'anti-woke' mob isn't on the star's to-do list, she added. 'I want to encourage people to not decide to just tuck away and start hiding and not being themselves anymore,' she said, 'because that is exactly what they want.'
Elle
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Elle
Bradley Whitford Explains Commander Lawrence's Bold Decision On ‘The Handmaid's Tale'
Spoilers below. The penultimate episode of The Handmaid's Tale puts multiple characters in the crosshairs of the war against Gilead. One of them is High Commander Lawrence (Bradley Whitford), who makes the ultimate sacrifice when he literally blows up the fabric of the totalitarian state he helped create. 'I'm an economist, I'm not James Bond,' Lawrence says before agreeing to the daring mission. Unlike 007, Lawrence can't parachute from the plane full of commanders (including Nick Blaine) before it explodes. Having joined The Handmaid's Tale in its second season, Whitford's Lawrence has played antagonist and ally to June Osborne (Elisabeth Moss) throughout the series. In the final season, Lawrence learns his reforms are being used to lure former Gilead residents back to the country that abused and tortured them under the banner of change. When enough people have returned, the Gilead leadership will revert to the oppressive rule of law. Siding with the Mayday resistance is an act of self-preservation to stave off his future execution; Lawrence doesn't volunteer to give his life for the cause. Instead, he intended to leave the bomb on the plane before the commanders arrived, but when they showed up early, he had no way to exit without drawing attention. Lawrence climbs the stairs, puts his hand on his heart, and says a silent farewell to June in a tear-inducing, emotionally charged exchange. FIND OUT MORE ON ELLE COLLECTIVE It was a bittersweet moment for Whitford. Even though this isn't the first time the three-time Emmy-winner has experienced the conclusion of a long-running TV cultural touchstone, it doesn't get easier. He first worked with Moss on The West Wing more than 25 years ago and is in awe of her work on The Handmaid's Tale as both a scene partner and director. (Moss was behind the camera of the penultimate episode and finale.) Whitford speaks fondly of shooting his final scene to ELLE US. 'It was sitting next to Nick on the plane right before it exploded. It was really heartbreaking,' Whitford says. 'Max [Minghella] is someone I love with all my heart, and working with Lizzie [Moss], I was just so sad. I feel lucky. A weird mix.' In fact, when I ask what Whitford took from the set, he doesn't say a costume, accessory, or object: 'I took Max Minghella, and he's tied up in the basement. I make him do monologues for me, but he tells me he's very happy and grateful.' All joking aside, Whitford mentions that he had texted Minghella the day before our conversation, 'and told him I missed him.' Like his experience on The West Wing (that iconic cast 'texts each other all the time'), Whitford has formed lifelong bonds with his co-stars that starkly contrast the divided Gilead landscape. Whitford doesn't just choose politically charged projects, as he has long been using his platform on the campaign trail, calling out hypocrisy, and advocating for reproductive rights (his father was president of the Dane County, Wisconsin chapter of Planned Parenthood). Below, Whitford talks about shooting his final scenes, keeping things light on set, the story's real-life parallels, and why he's drawn to political TV shows. I feel such parental affection for this kid, who I have a very clear memory of — I worry about kids in show business — and she wandered onto the set of The West Wing, and I remember thinking that kid really wants to be here, and she was a ringer. Then she becomes the poster girl for the golden age of television, and then I get to work with her again, all grown up. Very much like Lawrence's initial condescension about June, I don't even realise it, but she's mentoring me. She's leading me. Leading Lawrence, blowing on the spark of his decency, but leading me as a human being. Lizzie is the least precious, the opposite of a method actor, to the point where it's ridiculous. I think that is an act of unconscious method acting of the way this extraordinary performer, who is playing June, ends up being the creative centre of the show, directing, taking control of all aspects of it, was an amazing thing. It was the second-to-last thing I would shoot. It was a fraught day on the set because, as lucky as I've been, it makes me more acutely aware of what kismet it takes for a show to work. So, to say goodbye to one of those experiences, it's this very weird mix of gratitude and sorrow. Even though we were just pretending, I knew I was kind of saying goodbye to her [Lizzie]. Initially, in the script. I think it was a salute. That [the hand on the heart] was one of the moments [where] Lizzie thinks she's got it; she knew that was an important moment. This is not humility [on my part]; it's desperation. You don't know what works — you really don't. But I trust her eye. I feel sorry for the showrunners because the good news and bad news for the showrunners is that you have a bunch of actors who really care [laughs]. I became very anxious about where this was gonna end. I mean, really neurotic about it, like boring my very supportive wife with repetitions about 'Where is this going?' I was worried that there was going to be a repetition of what happened to Lawrence before you met him, of being seduced by power, so much so that I talked to [creator] Bruce [Miller] about it. They're wonderfully collaborative, and that was never where it was going. Before they started writing [season 6], I called [showrunners] Eric [Tuchman] and Yahlin [Chang], and they said, 'Oh yeah, come over, we'll talk. They just started the writers' room' I just gotta know where this ends, it really means a lot to me. I'm 65 years old; this is a big part of my creative life; I'm not a child. I want to know where this goes. The moment they started talking, I was like, Oh, this is [great]. So I knew. I thought one of the tragedies of somebody like Lawrence is that the consequences of what he has done do not hit home until he loses [his wife] Eleanor. It was always very important to me that it was a real love and connection. Julie [Dretzin] made that happen because she was so good [as Eleanor], but I always thought that part of our backstory was that we had lost a child. It was always an opportunity whenever I was around kids, no matter how sort of ornery and Scrooge-y I might appear to be, that there was always the open part in there. I loved that moment with Ever [Carradine], I loved having that with [new wife] Naomi. She was such a joy to work with, and have that just real connection of a lot of unspoken stuff meant a lot to me. If we were doing another year, it would have been a lot more raucous. So within the reality of the show, very grim scenes, I think it's a way to deal with the darkness of it. By all accounts, it is everybody's experience of it and a lot of it that comes from Lizzie. There was no screaming on the set. It was all very loose. Lizzie is not precious, no matter what she has to do. It's an affirmation for me that it's a confusing thing about performing, because I've always found, no matter what the material, keeping it as loose as possible and screwing around as much as possible is the best preparation. I think it opens you up, and when it becomes somber and this anvil of artistry is on you, you can't act. It's only a slight exaggeration, but these are Canadians, the sweetest people on the planet, despite what the current president may be saying. It's very cheerful, very sweet people saying things like, 'Okay, I don't want to rush you, but I think we should get the nooses on the girls.' The combination of the toughness of the material and the joy with which we got to do it was really bizarre, but I think it's compensating. It wasn't disrespectful. It was a remarkably safe place, and the kindness and looseness of it were a big reason for that. When the show started (before I was on it)—they were shooting in 2016—this idea that women's access to healthcare would be politicised was remote. I do stuff with Planned Parenthood and this year, there's 64,000 pregnant rape victims in the United States without access to health care. It is a testament to the necessity of storytelling and the limits of storytelling. It goes to something I've always felt; I think part of the reason we're where we are politically is that I have grown up at a time where [I believed] democracy was inevitable, where, as flawed as it was, an expansion of agency within democracy was inevitable, and a more inclusive society was inevitable. They are not. I think, part of the reason we're here is we [people who agree with me politically] have tended to think that culture alone is the way you create your moral vision, and the people on the other side have understood that politics is the way you create your moral vision. Culture is incredibly important, but West Wing won't help you if you have a pre existing condition, this show's [The Handmaid's Tale] a big hit, [but it] won't help you if you're a 13-year-old rape victim in Ohio. I think at the core of this obviously very dark show is—the way I articulate it—the heart of June's character is this idea that despair is a luxury your children can't afford. Action's the antidote to despair under the most harrowing of circumstances. This is a fictional circumstance, but you can look all around the world and see people resisting under extraordinary conditions, and you can see it in history. It's a reminder of the possibility of the kind of resilience we need at this moment. We used to get crap about how paranoid we were being, and how unrealistic it was. Margaret Atwood herself almost put the book aside a couple of times because she thought it was a little outrageous. It turns out it's not. I always joke that my career is tracking the death of democracy. But none of it is intentional. What's really funny to me is when West Wing was just an idea, Aaron [Sorkin] had to fight [for it]. The notion was that you couldn't do a television show about politics. I remember having these conversations with him, and we're like, 'it has conflict, it has stakes.' It's typical of the way they think in Hollywood, they dismiss a genre if a movie doesn't work: it's idiotic. Now, we've had Veep, Scandal, House of Cards. It's a very rich arena with high stakes. We see so many iterations of it now, and it was something that was considered to be box office poison. I don't know if it's just because I'm interested in politics or active in advocacy, but I was always thinking of different parallels that make me understand the argument between June and Lawrence about whether we should reform this from the inside; the sort of Hillary [Clinton] wing versus the more radical way of approaching it. It's endlessly fascinating and unfortunately, relevant. I can't believe it. I am basically a progressive Democrat, and we're the bed wetters, right? We're the hysterics who always overstate what can happen. Well, there is no diaper big enough. We clearly underestimated, and it's why the show is so, unfortunately, prescient. What we're seeing is the weaponisation of a perverted idea of Christian faith to use as a delivery system for the accumulation of power. This stuff's right out of the fascism colouring book. It's flabbergasting that we're in this moment, but again, I hope people find some hope and inspiration in the fight against it. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. ELLE Collective is a new community of fashion, beauty and culture lovers. For access to exclusive content, events, inspiring advice from our Editors and industry experts, as well the opportunity to meet designers, thought-leaders and stylists, become a member today HERE. Emma Fraser is a freelance culture writer with a focus on TV, movies, and costume design. You can find her talking about all of these things on Twitter.
Elle
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Elle
'The Handmaid's Tale Delivers' an Explosive, Tragic Twist in the Penultimate Episode
Spoilers below. Rebellion requires sacrifice. Many have died in the fight against Gilead, and the penultimate episode of The Handmaid's Tale only spills more blood. The Mayday rebellion set out to kill commanders by lacing Serena (Yvonne Strahovski) and Commander Wharton's (Josh Charles) wedding cake with a strong sedative. June (Elisabeth Moss) and Moira (Samira Wiley) disguised themselves in red robes to secretly distribute weapons to the handmaids during the nuptials and reception. Almost everything went according to plan. However, like any other operation executed in this world, there are immediate repercussions. June, her fellow co-conspirators, and even Aunt Lydia (Ann Dowd) don't get the benefit of a trial before their punishment is decided. It is a tense hour of television (though I wouldn't expect anything less) that puts many lives on the chopping block, and two big characters meet an explosive end in the final moments. Moss plays double duty, directing an episode for the third time this season, and once again, the Emmy-winner shows poise in front of and behind the camera. Read on to find out who makes it to the final episode alive. The episode opens with June, Moira, Janine (Madeline Brewer), Aunt Phoebe (D'Arcy Carden), and the other handmaids running toward freedom with 'Look What You Made Me Do' by Taylor Swift soundtracking their escape. It is an appropriate song choice for this brief respite. Everything appears to be on schedule, but nearby explosions indicate that Gilead's Guardians are starting to retaliate. . In the trucks, Phoebe reveals to June that her real name is Ava. 'I guess all that community theater finally paid off,' says Ava. Discussion turns to who is going to stay and fight. June wants the women to live their lives, but Janine won't leave without her daughter Angela. Unfortunately, the Guardians block the gates, ready to take the handmaids into custody. First, they demand June reveal herself, which she does when they threaten to shoot other handmaids. You would think everyone in Gilead knows June's face by now. Serena also learns that she has very few options to escape. As the bombs go off in the distance, Serena runs to Commander Lawrence's (Bradley Whitford) house to seek refuge—and witnesses a handmaid stabbing a wife on the way. Naomi (Ever Carradine) is bewildered that Serena left her husband on their wedding night because that thought would never occur to her. The following morning, Naomi takes it upon herself to call Wharton to let him know his bride's location. Commander Wharton is a man who can multitask as he first meets with Lawrence to discuss the next steps after the massacre they suffered. Next, he asks for Serena's forgiveness. Serena says having a handmaid is a deal breaker, and to her surprise, Wharton agrees to try for a baby on their own. Serena is still skeptical about the whole thing, which is why it is a little too neat that Wharton spills the beans that June used their wedding to plan the attack that left 37 commanders dead. He is reminding his wife that Gilead is good and June is evil. 'I thought that we were friends,' Serena says. Wharton reassures Serena that 'God's justice will be served.' However, the new Mrs. Wharton's concerned reaction highlights that she disagrees with Wharton's intended retribution. 'So, was it the bride who figured it out?' June asks Wharton. To give a sense of his 'civility,' Wharton lets June out of her Gilead cage to have a face-to-face meeting without bars between them. Wharton assures June that Serena was stunned by her betrayal. What follows is a back-and-forth about whose sins are an affront to God. June is fearless, which rattles Wharton. Of course, everything June said to Serena about the kind of man Wharton is was accurate, and this was before she had even met the man. 'This is the beginning of the end,' says June. When Wharton continues to preach about God, June turns the tables and reminds him of the blood on his hands after what he did to the women at Jezebel's. June then brings up that Serena's version of God is one of love and quotes from the Bible: 'He that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God.' This strategy helped persuade Aunt Lydia (Ann Dowd) to do the right thing last week, but Wharton is unmoved. Gilead leaders love nothing more than putting on an elaborate public execution, with Wharton reveling in the role of emcee. Ava isn't dead yet, but her cover as Aunt Phoebe is blown, which means she is part of the hanging theatrics. The platform is a gallows equipped for multiple executions; Ava stands in place with a noose around her neck. June stands center stage with her rope attached to a crane so her soon-to-be dead body can be seen far and wide. Surprisingly, Aunt Lydia faces the same punishment but has been deemed responsible for the rogue handmaids by Wharton. The rest of the handmaids are the final piece of the execution tableau. But Lydia is full of fury, telling the crowd that her 'precious girls have been prisoners of wicked Godless men.' Finally, Aunt Lydia is part of the resistance. Wharton offers June a chance to say some last words before the mass hanging begins. While June starts with a prayer, Luke (O-T Fagbenele), Rita (Amanda Brugel), and other Mayday operatives have weapons ready to strike before it is too late. June's tone switches to rage, calling for everyone to rise up before yelling the famous Handmaid's Tale refrain: 'Don't let the bastards grind you down.' The crane pulls June up at this point, dangling her from high above. Grenades are thrown, shots are fired, and the handmaids free themselves. Rita shoots the crane operator, lowering June before it is too late. Ava is a certified badass, and it is later confirmed that the undercover aunt is actually a CIA agent. Suddenly, it all makes sense! American bombers fly above, and in the chaos, Wharton escapes. At Lawrence's, Mark Tuello (Sam Jaeger) arrives for both Serena and Lawrence, but only Serena is there. One person I thought would come to June's aid was Nick (Max Minghella). However, he is at the hospital with Rose (Carey Cox). The baby is okay, though the sedative in the cake is what led to this scare. Rose wants Nick to show his allegiance to her and Gilead, and it is disappointing that he doesn't put up much of a protest. Serena has been taken into protective custody but has told Tuello that she doesn't have any information that will help the American cause. June thinks she can get through to her, and what follows is a classic June-Serena tête-à-tête. Serena is glad to see June is alive, with June quipping about ruining her wedding. June has zero regrets about the dead commanders and keeps pressing Serena for information about the ones who escaped. Eventually, June calls Serena out for her empty promises about 'reform'—that word is meaningless with those men in charge. When that doesn't work, June focuses on what Serena values most: motherhood. Using love didn't work as a strategy on Wharton, but Serena responds to this plea. Serena tells June that Wharton and the other higher-ups will fly to Washington, DC later that day. Earlier in the episode, Serena is the one who won't let it go when Lawrence appears to be going about business as usual. She tells Lawrence that June is the reason she is alive (and the same goes for her son Noah), and it hits the spot. Without a hint of sarcasm, Lawrence asks Serena to say a prayer for June, which is a first. Lawrence tried to appeal to the remaining commanders to choose reason and restraint, but they wanted a new reign of terror. Given how much Lawrence has assisted, getting him to do another big favor for Team Mayday might be an easy ask. 'I'm an economist, I'm not James Bond,' he demurs when they ask him to put a bomb on the plane with an altitude trigger. They can't shoot the plane down because the airspace is restricted. Tuello says it is now or never; if the commanders get away, they can regroup. Lawrence won't be alone as June volunteers to be his getaway driver. Lawrence refuses this offer as she is finally safe, but June knows they will never be safe with those men still in the world. When they arrive at the plane, June tells Lawrence that courage looks brave on him. First, security at this private airfield is terrible because how is this plane left unguarded? Second, June's face should be plastered everywhere as public enemy number one. I can maybe give the Guardians a pass for earlier, but not after the whole public execution thing. Of course, the other commanders are early, and this throws the entire operation because Lawrence can't pop the case on board and then leave after they've seen him. June hides behind their car, and Lawrence looks ready to accept his fate as he walks up the stairs. He takes one final look at June, touching his heart to show he will see this through, and I get as teary as June does watching this sacrifice. Whitford has been reliably great throughout his time on the series, and he peels back the vulnerability of this character in this final moment. There is one latecomer who arrives before wheels up. June gasps when she sees Nick get out of the car—as did I. For a brief moment, I thought Nick would see her and not climb onboard the death flight. Moss cranks up the tension in her devastated look toward the man she might still love and in how she shoots this scene. (My notes at this point were just the word 'no' repeatedly.) This season has been hard for Team Nick, and I must admit that this conclusion is not the hero's end I was hoping for. Instead, Nick remarks to Lawrence about being on the winning side before asking how June is. Nick also mentions that June had told him to give all of this up, and Lawrence points out that he should've listened to her. Yep, he really should have. The plane takes off and explodes when it hits a certain altitude. Lawrence goes out as a hero, Nick goes out as a man who could only go with the rebellion so far. June has tears in her eyes, and so do I. The Handmaid's Tale is going out with a bang.
