Latest news with #JoshGad
Los Angeles Times
19-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
A book lover's guide to the Festival of Books
Welcome to the L.A. Times Book Club newsletter. Honestly, for bibliophiles, is there a better weekend in spring than late April at the L.A. Times Festival of Books? The temps will be in the 70s, authors will be giving keynote speeches or participating in panel discussions, and the USC campus will be filled with merchants selling everything from books (and books and books) and comfy T-shirts to pretty notebooks and lusciously scented candles for your reading nook. This year's fest, the 30th annual edition, takes place the weekend of April 26 and 27. Bring your walking shoes and a tote bag for all the goodies you'll pick up as you wander between stages, merchant booths and panels featuring a stupendous lineup of world-class writers. Celebrity watchers will be in for a treat as Hollywood stars such as Josh Gad, Wil Wheaton, Wilmer Valderamma, Ben Falcone, comedian Chelsea Handler and the rock musician Peter Wolf will all be talking about their new books. The festival will be like an unending dessert table of the biggest names in the book world. Authors from the romance, fantasy (and romantasy!), sci-fi and horror spaces will appear alongside leaders in the literary fiction and nonfiction worlds talking about topics ranging from politics to nature to law enforcement to cooking. Want to find out more? Here is the complete schedule of events for you to peruse. And an insider tip: The Festival of Books app is available so that you can reserve tickets to special events or hear from your favorite author. Make sure to check out the family activities all weekend geared toward young readers. Here are a few of the Saturday panels I can't wait to stop by. I'll cover the Sunday panels in the next edition of the newsletter, so make sure to check your inbox next week. First up, a panel that I'm moderating: 'Sisterhood in Contemporary Fiction,' with Lisa See, Lynn Steger Strong, and Caoilinn Hughes. We'll be talking about women's relationships with their closest friends, who — sometimes — are also sisters. As books and libraries increasingly come under attack, the panel 'One Page at a Time' feels essential. Those on the front lines of the book wars will talk about their experiences and provide audience members with advice on how to protect their own communities and school libraries. Jason De León, Jessica Pishko and Jesse Katz focus on the humanity of those members of our culture who have been targeted for inhumane treatment in the panel 'Undocumented: The Price of the Promised Land.' Katz is also a finalist for a L.A. Times Book Prize for his book, 'The Rent Collectors.' Kiese Laymon, whose memoir, 'Heavy,' was on our list of the '30 Best nonfiction books of the past 30 years, will present his new children's book, 'City Summer, Country Summer,' about joy among a group of friends in the South. Also on the schedule: Noted voting rights activist Stacey Abrams speaks about 'Stacey Speaks Up,' her children's book about a determined little girl who speaks against injustice. The panel 'Journey to the HEA: Tackling Big Topics in Romance' explores romantic territory in which happily ever after (HEA) comes only after a lot of plot-twisting obstacles. (On Saturday alone, three hot panels on romance are enough to rev up our hearts.) More information on tickets, schedule and participants is available at the Festival of Books website. Downloading the app will keep you up to date on festival surprises and schedule changes. The L.A. Times Book Prizes will be awarded in a public ceremony on Friday, April 25 at 7 p.m. at Bovard Auditorium at USC. Special awards will go to Pico Iyer, Emily Witt and poet Amanda Gorman. Prizes will be given in categories such as fiction, current events, poetry, mystery, biography, history, young adult, science fiction, sciences, audiobooks and graphic novels/comics. The Art Seidenbaum award for debut fiction will also be given out. The winners are sure to represent a stunning assortment of books that have topped best-seller and year-end lists. (Please note: The Times may earn a commission through links to whose fees support independent bookstores.) Phew. As if there weren't enough to chew on with the upcoming festival, the books world has continued to make news. Here are some of the top stories in the lit world: 1996 was the year that the festival debuted, and Carolyn Kellogg explains how it turned out to be a momentous year for the books industry. Poetry remains an exciting place where lyrical wordsmiths turn truth into art. The legendary Cave Canem organization has become an incubator for some of the finest Black American poets of the past 30 years. As Reginald Dwayne Betts observes, 'If there was a centrifugal force in American letters over the last 25 years, it is undeniable that it has been Cave Canem.' Those who love the classic mystery writers Arthur Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie have reason to rejoice: Britbox debuted Christie's 'Towards Zero,' a sexy mystery about an adulterous tennis star, his dower aunt (played by Anjelica Huston), and a depressed detective played by the Welsh actor Matthew Rhys. After two episodes, I'm hooked. Over on the CW, actor David Thewlis plays Sherlock Holmes to Blu Hunt's Amelia Rojas in 'Sherlock and Daughter.' After her mother is murdered, young Amelia journeys from America to join her father, the noted detective, in solving her mother's homicide. Blackstone Publishing, a vibrant press in southern Oregon, has been my go-to for 'Belfast Noir,' a genre that sets its crimes during the Troubles or under the civil war's lingering shadows. Among the Blackstone authors is Adrian McKinty, who topped the bestseller lists with 'The Chain' and 'The Island.' But the series I love features Det. Sean Duffy, whose presence as a Catholic with the Royal Ulster Constabulary is a constant source of tension. Book 8, 'Hang on, St. Christopher,' was released in early March. On the other side of the country, Manhattan's Soho Press offers an off-kilter mystery that is un-baaaa-lievable but so much fun. In 'Three Bags Full' , Irish author Leonie Swann sets a mystery in a farmyard. As a farmer lies dying, his flock of sheep is mobilized to solve his murder and bring the killer to justice. (Trust me on this. You'll want to check it out.) There's a lot of bad news out there, so here are some bookish delights that have made me smile in recent days: The United States Postal Service debuted stamps in honor of Marjorie Wise Brown's 'Goodnight Moon.' I'm betting most parents will be able to identify — from repetitive memory — the text that goes along with each scene. Here's a handy guide to the newest literary genres sure to join romantasy, cli-fi, and spicyTok on next year's hot list. Writer Elon Green talks about people mistaking him for the other Elon. In one Michigan community, a human chain helped a small bookstore transport its entire inventory, one book at a time, to its new location. See you at the festival!
See - Sada Elbalad
09-04-2025
- Entertainment
- See - Sada Elbalad
"Angry Birds 3" Lands at Paramount, Sets 2027 Release Date
Yara Sameh The Angry Birds Movie 3 has landed at Paramount Pictures, which has set a theatrical release date of January 29, 2027 for the popular video game adaptation. The studio always had this date on hold in Comscore for a family event film. Game creator Rovio Entertainment and owner Sega are producing the threequel. "Angry Birds 3" sees voice cast members Jason Sudeikis, Josh Gad, Rachel Bloom and Danny McBride reprising their respective roles as Red, Chuck, Silver and Bomb. New arrivals to the voice cast include Emma Myers, Keke Palmer and Tim Robinson alongside Lily James, Marcello Hernandez, Walker Scobell, Sam Richardson, Anna Cathcart, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Nikki Glaser, James Austin Johnson and Psalm West. Producing the animated comedy alongside Rovio/Sega are Namit Malhotra's Prime Focus Studios in partnership with Flywheel Media, One Cool Group and dentsu. Paramount Pictures has global distribution duties. Sony Pictures distributed the first two films. Released in 2016, The Angry Birds Movie earned $352 million globally, not adjusted for inflation. In comparison, The Angry Birds Movie 2 crash-landed in 2019 with global earnings of $147.8 million. In announcing the Paramount news, Rovio and SEGA noted that the animated comedy franchise has earned north of $500 million at the worldwide box office and has been a hit on streaming platforms around the world, signalling a strong demand for a third installment. The Angry Birds news comes on the heels of the jaw-dropping opening of Warner Bros.' A Minecraft Movie this past weekend. And Paramount and Sega have mined gold with the Sonic and The Hedgehog franchise. John Rice, who helmed the first movie, is returning in the director's chair for Angry Birds 3. Thurop Van Orman, who directed the sequel, wrote the screenplay. The film is produced by John Cohen, Dan Chuba and Carla Connor. Grammy Award-winning musician and composer Heitor Pereira (Despicable Me, The Minions Movie, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish), who scored the first two films, is returning for The Angry Birds Movie 3. Storyboards, art development, and animation are being handled by DNEG Animation. Jeanie Chang is the production designer, and Francesca Natale is the character designer. The head of story is Vadim Bazhanov, and the lead editor is Sarah K. Reimers. read more New Tourism Route To Launch in Old Cairo Ahmed El Sakka-Led Play 'Sayidati Al Jamila' to Be Staged in KSA on Dec. 6 Mandy Moore Joins Season 2 of "Dr. Death" Anthology Series Don't Miss These Movies at 44th Cairo Int'l Film Festival Today Amr Diab to Headline KSA's MDLBEAST Soundstorm 2022 Festival Arts & Culture Mai Omar Stuns in Latest Instagram Photos Arts & Culture "The Flash" to End with Season 9 Arts & Culture Ministry of Culture Organizes four day Children's Film Festival Arts & Culture Canadian PM wishes Muslims Eid-al-Adha News Egypt confirms denial of airspace access to US B-52 bombers News Ayat Khaddoura's Final Video Captures Bombardment of Beit Lahia Lifestyle Pistachio and Raspberry Cheesecake Domes Recipe News Australia Fines Telegram $600,000 Over Terrorism, Child Abuse Content Arts & Culture Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban's $4.7M LA Home Burglarized Videos & Features Bouchra Dahlab Crowned Miss Arab World 2025 .. Reem Ganzoury Wins Miss Arab Africa Title (VIDEO) Sports Neymar Announced for Brazil's Preliminary List for 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers News Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly Inaugurates Two Indian Companies Arts & Culture New Archaeological Discovery from 26th Dynasty Uncovered in Karnak Temple Arts & Culture Arwa Gouda Gets Married (Photos)
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Angry Birds 3' Lands at Paramount, Sets Winter 2027 Release
The Angry Birds Movie 3 has landed at Paramount Pictures, which has set a theatrical release date of Jan. 29, 2027 for the video game adaptation. Game creator Rovio Entertainment and owner Sega are producing the threequel, which sees Jason Sudeikis, Josh Gad, Rachel Bloom and Danny McBride reprising their leads roles as Red, Chuck, Silver and Bomb in the animated comedy. More from The Hollywood Reporter China Mulling Ban on Hollywood Film Releases in Response to Trump Tariffs (Report) Box Office: 'A Minecraft Movie' Strikes Gold With Record-Shattering $163M U.S. Launch, $313M Globally Box Office: 'A Minecraft Movie' Is Minting Gold With an $135-Plus Domestic Debut New arrivals to the voice cast include Emma Myers, Keke Palmer and Tim Robinson alongside Marcello Hernandez, Walker Scobell, Sam Richardson, Anna Cathcart, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Nikki Glaser, James Austin Johnson and Psalm West. Producing the movie alongside Rovio/Sega are Namit Malhotra's Prime Focus Studios in partnership with Flywheel Media, One Cool Group and dentsu. Paramount Pictures has global distribution duties. Sony Pictures distributed the first two films. Released in 2016, The Angry Birds Movie earned $352 million globally, not adjusted for inflation. In comparison, The Angry Birds Movie 2 crash-landed in 2019 with global earnings of $147.8 million. In announcing the Paramount news, Rovio and SEGA noted that the film franchise has earned north of $500 million at the worldwide box office and has been a hit on streaming platforms around the world, signalling a strong demand for a third installment. 'We're very excited to be partnering with Paramount Pictures and extremely proud of our incredible cast,' Cohen said in a statement. 'Not only do we have Jason, Josh, Rachel and Danny returning to voice their fantastic characters, but they're surrounded by an all-star ensemble of comedic talent. These are some of the funniest people out there today, and we're so thrilled to have them all on board.' Added Paramount president of worldwide marketing & distribution Marc Weinstock: 'Angry Birds transcends mediums and has been embraced and celebrated the world over. We couldn't be happier to be partnering with Sega/Rovio and these other great partners to bring this latest installment, featuring an incredible voice cast, to big screens everywhere.' The Angry Birds news comes on the heels of the jaw-dropping opening of Warner Bros.' A Minecraft Movie this past weekend. And Paramount and Sega have mined gold with the Sonic and The Hedgehog franchise. John Rice, who helmed the first movie, is returning in the director's chair for Angry Birds 3. Thurop Van Orman, who directed the sequel, wrote the screenplay. The film is produced by John Cohen, Dan Chuba and Carla Connor. Grammy Award-winning musician and composer Heitor Pereira (Despicable Me, The Minions Movie, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish), who scored the first two films, is returning for The Angry Birds Movie 3. Storyboards, art development, and animation are being handled by DNEG Animation. Jeanie Chang is the production designer, and Francesca Natale is the character designer. The head of story is Vadim Bazhanov, and the lead editor is Sarah K. Reimers. 'We're thrilled to announce that our first theatrical distribution partnership is with Paramount Pictures,' said Don McGregor, Founder and CEO, Flywheel Media. 'As a film production company focused on bringing the best family movies to global audiences, we couldn't have a better start than The Angry Birds Movie 3.' 'The Angry Birds brand has demonstrated remarkable versatility, evolving from a global mobile gaming phenomenon to licensed products, animation, and a thriving cinematic franchise,' said Alex Pelletier-Normand, CEO, Rovio Entertainment. 'It has been a deeply collaborative effort to create a film that will resonate with the millions who interact with our catalog of games and products every day. We are confident that with this talented team at the helm, The Angry Birds Movie 3 will delight longtime fans and create new fans in those discovering our flock for the first time.' Myers is repped by Untitled entertainment, WME and attorney Jeff Bernstein, while Palmer is repped by 3 Arts and Hertz Lichtenstein Young & Polk. Robinson is repped by CAA and Hanson Jacobson Teller Hoberman. Best of The Hollywood Reporter The 10 Best Baseball Movies of All Time, Ranked 20 Times the Oscars Got It Wrong The Best Anti-Fascist Films of All Time
Miami Herald
23-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
The surprising way Snapchat brought Josh Gad closer to his daughter
It took Josh Gad some convincing, but he ultimately gave in to his daughters' request. The 44-year-old actor, who voices Olaf in the 'Frozen' franchise, shares two daughters — Isabella Eve, 11, and Ava Tanya, 14 — with his wife of 17 years, Ida Darvish. Like many parents today, Gad and his wife were skeptical about giving their kids more screen time — until they found a win-win solution. 'We are the parents who are screamed at every day of the week by our children saying, 'Why can't you just be like everyone else's parents and let us have unlimited screen time?'' he said in an interview with People, published March 19. While the couple are fully aware of how 'unavoidable' technology is, especially for kids, they were also worried about recent reports that found today's technology 'clinically proven to be addictive.' According to The Center for Parenting and Education, people 'between the ages of 8 to 28 spend about 44.5 hours each week in front of digital screens.' But instead of isolating his oldest daughter from her friends, Gad found a way to make everyone happy. 'When we determined that her friends were using [Snapchat] as their primary source of communication, my wife saw that Snapchat had a family center with controlled settings,' Gad told the outlet. 'And it immediately gave both parties, my daughter and us, the reassurances that we need to allow her to use this,' he added. Family Center is an in-app tool introduced by Snapchat in August 2022. It helps parents 'get more insight into who their teens are friends with on Snapchat, and who they have been communicating with, without revealing any of the substance of those conversations,' per a 2022 release. While talking to People, Gad said his early doubts had nothing to do with not trusting his daughters — and everything to do with not trusting everyone else on the internet. 'So any ability to monitor and hopefully prevent that kind of unwanted communication, I think that it should be the focus of every single one of these services,' Gad continues. 'And to Snapchat's credit, they really put their money where their mouth is,' he adds. Gad told People it gives him and his wife the opportunity to 'breathe easier at night' by giving them 'control of the destiny' of how their kids use social media. He also admitted that it has brought his entire family closer together. 'My niece would never text with my 76-year-old mother, and my mom got so frustrated,' Gad said to the outlet, adding that things started to change once they got on board with Snapchat. 'So my mom learned about Snapchat and downloaded it, and now my niece and her communicate all the time,' he continued. Gad says he's 'all for it' now that his daughter has found a balance between using it enough, but not so much that it consumes their life. 'I'm like, 'Yes, have fun. I get it. I know that that's how you want to talk to your friends,'' he admits. But according to People, Gad says he needs to refine his Snapchat skills before he falls too far behind the times. That's why he sometimes prefers communicating with his daughter through Snapchat, especially when she appears to be distant in other, more traditional ways. 'So I'm like, 'Okay, let's snap about your day back and forth,'' he told People. Gad said his younger daughter doesn't have a phone yet but that the girls are still close, according to the outlet. 'They're inseparable and yet they fight all the time,' he admits. 'It's the craziest thing. It's like they love each other to the point that they want to hurt each other.'
CBC
04-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Josh Gad has complicated feelings about tough love
Josh Gad has made a huge name for himself on the stage and screen, but he says he's struggled with anxiety and body image issues throughout his career. The award-winning actor, singer and comedian has just released a new memoir, In Gad We Trust: A Tell-Some , that sheds some light on those obstacles. He joins Tom Power over Zoom from his home in Los Angeles to talk about the book, his most famous role voicing Olaf in Disney's Frozen franchise, and his time working with a legendary theatre director whose tough love might have crossed the line into something more harmful. The full interview with Josh Gad is available on our podcast, Q with Tom Power . Listen and follow wherever you get your podcasts. Interview with Josh Gad produced by Ben Edwards.
