Latest news with #Twits
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Charlie Berens is voicing a character in 'The Twits,' new animated movie coming to Netflix
One of Wisconsin's most-recognized voices will be voicing a character in "The Twits," a new animated film coming to Netflix this fall. That would be Charlie Berens, who will be the voice of Gorb Klurb in the first screen adaptation of the Roald Dahl book of the same name. From his garage, the Wisconsin comedian made the announcement on his Instagram Story Aug. 5, during which he said he's "super excited." Berens joins a cast of stars, including Margo Martindale, Natalie Portman, Emilia Clarke, Nicole Byer, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan and Ryan Lopez. The movie was written, directed and produced by Academy Award nominee Phil Johnston, whose favorite book growing up was "The Twits," according to a report on Tudum, Netflix's official companion site. Johnston's other works include "Wreck-It Ralph," "Ralph Breaks the Internet" (which earned him an Oscar nomination) and "Zootopia." Johnston — who Berens called his "buddy" and "the mastermind" behind the movie — also wrote "Cedar Rapids"; Berens was a production assistant on that 2011 Ed Helms comedy. ("Got a credit already — not to brag," Berens said in his video announcement.) "The Twits'" team, according to Tudum, also includes Jellyfish Pictures, which is animating the movie; co-directors Katie Shanahan and Todd Demong; producers Maggie Malone and Daisy West; and writer Meg Favreau. As for the film's original music, David Byrne of the Talking Heads wrote and produced several songs for it, which are performed by the cast. Byrne brought in Paramore lead singer Hayley Williams to co-write and perform the end-credits song with him. With Netflix's acquisition of the Roald Dahl Story Company in 2021, the streaming service has a lineup of Dahl projects in the pipeline, including an animated "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory." Dahl's other iconic children's books include, "Matilda" and "James and the Giant Peach," among others. While Dahl died at age 74 in 1990, his legacy lives on through his legendary works and the new life that continues to be breathed into them. What is 'The Twits' animated film about? According to Tudum: Mr. and Mrs. Twit are the meanest, smelliest, nastiest people in the world, who also happen to own and operate the most disgusting, most dangerous, most idiotic amusement park in the world, Twitlandia. But when the Twits rise to power in their town, two brave orphans and a family of magical animals are forced to become as tricky as the Twits in order to save the city. When does 'The Twits' come out on Netflix? "The Twits" will be released on the streaming platform on Oct. 17. "Mark your calendars," Berens said in his video. "We'll see you guys soon. And uhh, do watch out for them deer — OK." More about Charlie Berens Berens, who grew up in Elm Grove and New Berlin, is a comedian, New York Times bestselling author and Emmy Award-winning journalist. He's known for his hilarious videos about all things life in the Midwest. He also wrote "The Midwest Survival Guide: How We Talk, Love, Work, Drink and Eat … Everything With Ranch," hosts "The Cripescast Podcast" and has several other endeavors, including Berens Old Fashioned Brandy. In the movie "Green and Gold," which played in theaters earlier this year, Berens portrayed a radio host on a Door County station. In a Journal Sentinel interview this year, Berens shared that he has filmed a standup special. He has a slew of shows scheduled in Wisconsin in September, several of which are sold out (tickets are still available for an Aug. 27 taping of the "Bellied Up" podcast at the Vivarium in Milwaukee). And, in November, he'll be hitting the road for "The Lost & Found Tour." More information, including dates and locations can be found at his website ( This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Charlie Berens adding his voice to 'The Twits,' new animated movie Solve the daily Crossword
New Straits Times
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New Straits Times
#SHOWBIZ: K-Pop star Hwasa suffers burst eardrum during recent tour
SEOUL: K-Pop sensation Hwasa, a member of the popular girl group Mamamoo, has disclosed that she has suffered from a significant hearing impairment following an alarming incident during a performance. The 30-year-old singer revealed on a recent episode of the Crazy Rich Koreans reality show that her in-ear monitor exploded, leading to severe damage to her left eardrum. Hwasa explained that the unfortunate event occurred due to her habit of maximising the volume of her ear monitor to clearly hear the music over fervent fan cheers. "Often when the fans' cheers are very loud, I turn up the ear monitor volume to the maximum level so I can hear the music clearly," she said. Recalling the specific moment, Hwasa said, "While performing in Boston, the device actually exploded, damaging my eardrums and causing me to experience tinnitus." As a direct consequence, she now suffers from hearing loss in her left ear. Adding to the ordeal, Hwasa also endured intense leg pain during the same performance but bravely continued with the show. "It was so painful that I couldn't stand at that time, but I had to continue anyway. I couldn't let the fans down," she added, highlighting her dedication to her fans. The incident took place during the opening night of her debut solo tour, 'Twits', at the MGM Music Hall in Boston, United States. The concert featured a dynamic setlist comprising her solo hits, Mamamoo's popular tracks, and cover versions of songs by artistes who have influenced her career. Hwasa has an impressive solo discography, including the mini-albums Maria (2020) and O (2024), the single album Guilty Pleasure (2021), and chart-topping singles like "Twit." Alongside Hwasa, Mamamoo's lineup includes members Solar, Wheein, and Moonbyul.
Korea Herald
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Mamamoo's Hwasa expands solo tour to Europe
Hwasa of Mamamoo added Europe and Thailand to her "Twits" solo fan concert tour, her agency P Nation announced Tuesday. She is planning to visit Bangkok in August and from Oct. 21, six cities in Europe: Paris, Berlin, London, Poland's Warsaw, Amsterdam and Frankfurt, Germany. The songstress toured 11 cities in the US and Canada between March and April for 'Twits,' her first visit to the region as a solo act. She went live in Seoul on April 20 and in Hong Kong in May and is set to perform in Taipei and Singapore later in June. Hwasa signed with P Nation in 2023 and dropped her second solo EP 'O' last year. The mini album topped the iTunes Top Albums Chart in seven regions.
South China Morning Post
22-02-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Authenticity checks and balances help writers stay within fine lines
Published: 11:00am, 22 Feb 2025 In 2023, British children's publisher Puffin updated the work of author Roald Dahl to exorcise perceptions of bias and prejudice. Their goal was to retrofit the work for new generations of global readers. Out went the casual name calling, fat-shaming, othering and general linguistic cruelty. Witches were no longer 'old hags', but rather, 'old crows'. The terrifying Twits were still 'beastly', but no longer deemed 'ugly'. The work of Dahl, long criticised for his antisemitic views , was considered ripe for review. 'Of course they're real people,' he wrote about the Oompa-Loompas, arguably enslaved and trafficked workers who staffed Willy Wonka's chocolate factory, originally conceived as African pygmies. 'Imported direct from Loompaland … And oh, what a terrible country it is!' Textual adjustments were not merely altruistic. With a sale of Dahl's catalogue to Netflix in 2021 for a reported £500 million (then around US$685 million), preserving the value of the IP portfolio also meant heading off any future possibility of 'cancellation' amid the ongoing culture wars. The backlash that followed changes to Dahl's work , however, was swift and clear: don't mess with our stories. For American filmmaker Steven Spielberg, the writer's original work should be considered 'sacrosanct', and the edits tantamount to 'censorship'. Oompa-Loompas on the set of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971), a film based on Roald Dahl's 1964 novel, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Then-British prime minister Rishi Sunak asserted that literature should be 'preserved and not airbrushed'. Even Britain's Queen Camilla appeared to weigh in, imploring authors to 'please remain true to your calling, unimpeded by those who may wish to […] impose limits on your imagination'. Criticism of the tampering was far from unanimous, however. Writers including Philip Pullman , the prize-winning author of fantasy trilogy His Dark Materials (1995-2000), spoke up in defence of cancellation, asserting on BBC Radio 4 that if Dahl's writing is indeed offensive, 'let him go out of print' and make space for the new generations of writers who are more relevant to today's readers.
