Latest news with #VarsityBlues
Pink Villa
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Scott Caan and Elizabeth Debicki Join Brad Pitt in David Fincher's Next Untitled Project
Actors Scott Caan and Elizabeth Debicki have joined Brad Pitt in an upcoming Netflix film, whose details remain largely under wraps. The project centers around Cliff Booth, the stuntman character portrayed by Pitt in Quentin Tarantino's 2019 film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. This new story is set in a later time period than the original movie. While details are tightly guarded, sources say the film draws from a script Tarantino wrote but chose not to direct. Pitt reportedly convinced him to let director David Fincher take over the project, which was greenlit earlier this year. The film's storyline may include elements from Tarantino's 2021 novel, which expanded on Cliff Booth's backstory, including the controversial death of his wife. However, it is unclear how closely the movie will follow the book. Debicki and Caan's roles have not been confirmed. Sources suggest the script includes two major female characters — one running a bar and mud wrestling venue, and another described as a trophy wife — but it's unknown whether Debicki will play either of these roles. For Caan, this marks a reunion with Pitt, having worked together in the Ocean's Eleven trilogy. Production is expected to begin in California this July. Netflix has not released any official statements regarding the new cast members. Scott Caan, son of late actor James Caan, is known for his work in television, including CBS's Hawaii Five-0 and Fox's Alert: Missing Persons Unit. His film credits include Varsity Blues and Gone in 60 Seconds. Elizabeth Debicki gained widespread recognition for her portrayal of Princess Diana in Netflix's The Crown. She has also appeared in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Tenet, and the upcoming Maxxxine. Both actors are represented by CAA, with Caan also managed by Linden Entertainment and Sloane Offer.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
US court reinstates former USC coach's college admissions scandal conviction
By Nate Raymond BOSTON (Reuters) -A U.S. appeals court on Friday reinstated a former University of Southern California water polo coach's bribery conviction arising from his role in the nationwide "Varsity Blues" college admissions scandal. The Boston-based 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that a trial judge wrongly overturned a jury's 2022 verdict finding Jovan Vavic guilty of conspiring to commit federal programs bribery by accepting payments to help wealthy parents' children gain admission to USC as fake athletic recruits. The judge had set Vavic's conviction aside and ordered a new trial after concluding the prosecution during closing arguments misstated what it needed legally to prove its case, which arose out of the investigation dubbed "Operation Varsity Blues." But U.S. Circuit Judge Julie Rikelman, writing for a three-judge panel, said that while part of Vavic's conviction could no longer stand following an appellate ruling in a different "Varsity Blues" case, the prosecution's closing arguments were not contrary to the judge's jury instructions on the law. The ruling opens the door to Vavic being sentenced three years after the jury's verdict. His lawyers did not respond to requests for comment. He was among dozens of people charged in 2019 in the investigation, which exposed how some wealthy parents went to extreme lengths to secure spots for their children at schools like Yale, Georgetown and USC. They did so with the help of William "Rick" Singer, a California college admissions consultant who was sentenced in 2023 to 3-1/2 years in prison after admitting he facilitated college entrance exam cheating and helped bribe coaches to secure his clients' children's admission as phony athletes. More than 50 people, including coaches and parents, pleaded guilty. Prosecutors claimed that in exchange for more than $200,000, Vavic helped mislead USC admissions officials into believing children of Singer's clients belonged on his championship team. While prosecutors said some money that Singer paid went toward Vavic's children's private school tuition, another $100,000 went to a USC account used to fund the water polo team.
Reuters
2 days ago
- Politics
- Reuters
US court reinstates former USC coach's college admissions scandal conviction
BOSTON, May 30 (Reuters) - A U.S. appeals court on Friday reinstated a former University of Southern California water polo coach's bribery conviction arising from his role in the nationwide "Varsity Blues" college admissions scandal. The Boston-based 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled, opens new tab that a trial judge wrongly overturned a jury's 2022 verdict finding Jovan Vavic guilty of conspiring to commit federal programs bribery by accepting payments to help wealthy parents' children gain admission to USC as fake athletic recruits. The judge had set Vavic's conviction aside and ordered a new trial after concluding the prosecution during closing arguments misstated what it needed legally to prove its case, which arose out of the investigation dubbed "Operation Varsity Blues." But U.S. Circuit Judge Julie Rikelman, writing for a three-judge panel, said that while part of Vavic's conviction could no longer stand following an appellate ruling in a different "Varsity Blues" case, the prosecution's closing arguments were not contrary to the judge's jury instructions on the law. The ruling opens the door to Vavic being sentenced three years after the jury's verdict. His lawyers did not respond to requests for comment. He was among dozens of people charged in 2019 in the investigation, which exposed how some wealthy parents went to extreme lengths to secure spots for their children at schools like Yale, Georgetown and USC. They did so with the help of William "Rick" Singer, a California college admissions consultant who was sentenced in 2023 to 3-1/2 years in prison after admitting he facilitated college entrance exam cheating and helped bribe coaches to secure his clients' children's admission as phony athletes. More than 50 people, including coaches and parents, pleaded guilty. Prosecutors claimed that in exchange for more than $200,000, Vavic helped mislead USC admissions officials into believing children of Singer's clients belonged on his championship team. While prosecutors said some money that Singer paid went toward Vavic's children's private school tuition, another $100,000 went to a USC account used to fund the water polo team.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Felicity Huffman's comeback: How Desperate Housewives' glamorous relaunch may save fan-favourite's floundering career after college admissions scandal saw her jailed
The actress that brought Desperate Housewives' legendary Lynette Scavo to life is now back on our screens - after six years out of the spotlight following a scandal that saw her jailed for 11 days. All came crashing down for Felicity Huffman in 2019 when the New York-born star, renowned for being a series fan-favourite, was exposed being involved in the Varsity Blues college admissions controversy when she fudged her daughter, Sophia's SAT score to snag her a spot at a prestigious school. Pleading guilty to the crimes, the actress, 62, went on to serve just under a fortnight in prison and do 250 hours of community service, with the ordeal blowing a hole in an otherwise starry career. With a reputation marred by controversy, the star was forced to take an involuntary break from acting - and while she's since braved comebacks, it hasn't been easy. Now however, amid the beloved series' relaunch, Felicity looks to have been offered a second chance, having landed her first water-tight acting job since the debacle - which also embroiled A-listers like Lori Laughlin - threatened to extinguish her reputation for good. In May, she appeared in a leading role in The 13th Wife: Escaping Polygamy playing the 'extraordinary true story' of Rena Chynoweth, the former of 'a manipulative polygamist group leader'. It marked her second major production in a comeback that has taken her six years to land, with the actress having previously described how her 'old life died' after the scandal came to light. Last year, she opened up in a rare interview since the incident, confessing that she felt as if her 'old life has died'. Felicity, who was at the time preparing to star in Hir in London's West End as the radical and liberated mother of a transgender son, told The Guardian that she was 'still processing' what happened, but was 'grateful' for the second chance. The play marked her return to work after bribing college officials $15,000. Reflecting how how she felt performing in front of an audience who knew about her past, she said: 'I walk into the room with it. I did it. It's black and white.' When asked how she was following the scandal, she answered that she founded it 'a loaded question'. Felicity said she is 'still processing' how she is doing after the ordeal, but added that she feels 'grateful to be here' and is happy as long as her family are doing well. The publication reported that Felicity has 'barely worked' since she was jailed and reflecting on the change to her career, she said: 'I did a pilot for ABC recently that didn't get picked up. It's been hard.' 'Sort of like your old life died and you died with it. I'm lucky enough to have a family and love and means, so I had a place to land,' she said. In May, she appeared in a leading role in The 13th Wife: Escaping Polygamy playing the 'extraordinary true story' of Rena Chynoweth, the former of 'a manipulative polygamist group leader' In the years following the reputation shattering ordeal, she has worked to repair her wrongdoings, but initially struggled to make ends meet beyond a handful of roles in flopped productions. Last year, she took on a role in the spin-off series, Criminal Minds: Evolution playing Dr. Jill Gideon, the ex-wife of Jason Gideon, who was played by Mandy Patinkin on the original show. After scoring the role in its second series, her husband, fellow actor, William H. Macy, praised his wife for doing a 'great job' and said he was 'really glad she's working'. Felicity has also made an appearance in a small handful of productions since, including being cast in a pilot for a spinoff of ABC's 'The Good Doctor' opposite Kennedy McMann - though it didn't make it beyond the first episode. In 2020, she starred in an untitled pilot for ABC, performing as the owner of a minor league baseball team, but again, the show failed to progress. She starred as Tammy MacDonald in the 2019 dark comedy, Tammy's Always Dying, about an alcoholic who is diagnosed with terminal cancer . The film, which premiered at the 2019 Toronto Film Festival slumped in the reviews, scoring just a 5.7 out of 10 on IMDb. It's a far cry from some of her former wins in the industry, with the Desperate Housewives actress having once been nominated for an Oscar while playing a trans woman in the drama, Transmerica. She played the villainous prosecutor Linda Fairstein in When They See Us, a miniseries about the Central Park Five, a group of young black New York boys who were wrongfully imprisoned for the rape of a jogger in New York (pictured) Prior to college scandal and after Desperate Housewives came to a close in 2012, she had taken on a number of roles, including Cake in 2014 with Jennifer Aniston, Rudderless in 2014, and the series, American Crime, in 2015. And amid news of the scandal in May 2019, Felicity was simultaneously receiving acclaim for her TV and film roles. She played the villainous prosecutor Linda Fairstein in When They See Us, a miniseries about the Central Park Five, a group of young black New York boys who were wrongfully imprisoned for the rape of a jogger in New York. Then in July 2019, she was seen in Otherhood, a comedy film directed by Cindy Chupack, alongside Angela Bassett. But it would prove her last before a long break. Seven years after she wrapped on Desperate Housewives, Felicity was sentenced to 14 days in jail who her involvement in the college admissions scandal. The actress paid Rick Singer $15,000 to fudge her daughter Sophia's SAT scores in order to land her a place at college and was among a group of wealthy, famous parents swept up in the ordeal. Felicity paid $30,000 in fines and spent 11 days in jail after being charged with fraud in 2019. In her first public remarks outside of the courtroom, she said she thought it was 'a joke' when FBI agents turned up at her mansion to arrest her. 'They came into my home, they woke my daughters up at gunpoint - again, nothing new to the black and brown community - then they put my hands behind my back and handcuffed me. 'I asked if I could get dressed. I thought it was a hoax. I literally turned to one of the FBI people in a flak jacket and a gun and I go 'is this a joke?' Felicity said she regretted the scheme but felt she had no choice at the time because Sophia, who she previously said has a learning disability, would not have been accepted otherwise. 'It felt like I had to give my daughter a chance at a future. And so it was sort of like my daughter's future, which meant I had to break the law,' she said. 'I think I feel the people I owe a debt and an apology to is the academic community and to the students and the families that sacrifice and work really hard to get to where they are going legitimately.' 'I want to use my experience and what I've gone through and the pain to bring something good,' she said. Felicity and Macy hired Singer to help Sophia improve her scores in order to get into college. She claims the scheme was not obvious at first, but became plain when Singer told them Sophia would not be accepted into any schools without greasing the wheels. 'After a year, he started to say your daughter is not going to get into any of the colleges that she wants to,' the actress expressed in an interview with Eyewitness. 'And I believed him. And so when he slowly started to present the criminal scheme, it seems like - and I know this seems crazy at the time - but that was my only option to give my daughter a future. 'And I know hindsight is 20/20 but it felt like I would be a bad mother if I didn't do it. So - I did it.' Sophia was unaware that her parents had paid for someone to alter her test answers after she completed the SATs. The scheme involved Singer paying off a handful of discreet test supervisors who would inflate students' scores once they had completed the exam. On the day of the SAT test, she said Sophia was nervous and asking if they could go for ice cream afterwards. 'She was going, "Can we get ice cream afterwards?"' Felicity recalled. 'I'm scared about the test. What can we do that's fun? And I kept thinking, turn around, just turn around.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
What has Felicity Huffman done to her face? Shamed star shows off new fresh look 6 years after Varsity Blues scandal
Felicity Huffman showed off a fresh new look as she stepped out in New York City on Wednesday. The Desperate Housewives alum, 62, put her glowing complexion on display and looked rejuvenated as she headed for an appearance on Good Morning America. The actress — who's been working to re-establish her acting career six years after being involved in the Varsity Blues college admissions scandal — wowed in a flowing white coat with a white button-up and navy pants underneath. Her platinum blonde hair was elegantly swept into an updo, with a few strands softly framing her radiant face. Her youthful appearance led to speculation about whether she's undergone any recent facial cosmetic enhancements. has reached out to Huffman's representative for comment. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Felicity Huffman, 62, showed off a fresh new look as she stepped out in New York City on Wednesday; (R) Pictured in 2024 in London Huffman added height to her outfit with a pair of black peep-toe heels. She accessorized with large gold hoops. The actress appeared on GMA to discuss her role in 'The Thirteenth Wife: Escaping Polygamy', a two-part Lifetime movie set to premiere May 31 and June 1. Directed by Michael Nankin, it tells the true story of Rena Chynoweth, an American woman who was involved with a polygamist fundamentalist Mormon group known as the Church of the Lamb of God, led by Ervil LeBaron. Chynoweth is known for her involvement in the 1977 murder of Rulon C. Allred, the leader of another polygamist group. Six years after the Varsity Blues scandal led to her imprisonment, Huffman has been actively working to rebuild her career. Last year Huffman opened up about how the scandal has affected her, admitting it feels like her 'old life has died.' Huffman, who was at the time preparing to star in Hir in London's West End as the radical and liberated mother of a transgender son, discussed her comeback with The Guardian. The play marked Felicity's comeback to acting after she was imprisoned for 11 days in 2019, after bribing college officials $15,000 to fudge her daughter's SAT scores. Discussing how she feels about everyone in the audience knowing the guilty verdict of her trial, Felicity said: 'I walk into the room with it. I did it. It's black and white.' Felicity said she is 'still processing' how she is doing after the ordeal, but added that she feels 'grateful to be here' and is happy as long as her family are doing well. The publication reported that Felicity has 'barely worked' since she was jailed and reflecting on the change to her career, she said: 'I did a pilot for ABC recently that didn't get picked up. It's been hard.' Her youthful appearance led to speculation about whether she's undergone any recent facial cosmetic enhancements 'Sort of like your old life died and you died with it. I'm lucky enough to have a family and love and means, so I had a place to land.' Discussing the reaction she has had since the news of the scandal broke, Felicity said that while some people have been kind to her, others have not. One person who has supported her is American playwright David Mamet, who wrote an open letter about her incarceration. David suggested that Felicity should have received the Texas Verdict, which essentially means: not guilty, but don't do it again. Felicity said that is was 'kind and brave' of David to defend her, but she didn't admit whether she agreed with his verdict or not. In December 2023, Felicity finally broke her silence on the scandal, saying she felt she had 'no option' but to break the law. Felicity paid $30,000 in fines and spent 11 days in jail after being charged with fraud. She had paid Rick Singer $15,000 to alter her daughter Sophia's SAT scores in order to land her a place at college and was among a group of wealthy, famous parents swept up in the scandal. Actress Lori Loughlin was also jailed for paying for both her daughters to be accepted into USC. Lori and husband Mossimo Giuliani had their daughters masquerade as sports stars, propping them up on rowing machines to fudge applications that presented them as athletes. In her first public remarks outside of the courtroom, Felicity told ABC that she thought it was 'a joke' when FBI agents turned up at her mansion to arrest her. 'They came into my home, they woke my daughters up at gunpoint - again, nothing new to the black and brown community - then they put my hands behind my back and handcuffed me. 'I asked if I could get dressed. I thought it was a hoax. I literally turned to one of the FBI people in a flak jacket and a gun and I go "is this a joke?"' Felicity said she regretted the scheme but felt she had no choice at the time because Sophia, who she previously said has a learning disability, would not have been accepted otherwise. Sophia went on to study drama at Carnegie Mellon. 'It felt like I had to give my daughter a chance at a future. And so it was sort of like my daughter's future, which meant I had to break the law,' she said. 'I think I feel the people I owe a debt and an apology to is the academic community and to the students and the families that sacrifice and work really hard to get to where they are going legitimately.' Felicity and her husband William H. Macy hired Singer to help Sophia improve her scores in order to get into college. She claims the scheme was not obvious at first, but became plain when Singer told them Sophia would not be accepted into any schools without greasing the wheels. 'After a year, he started to say your daughter is not going to get into any of the colleges that she wants to.' 'And I believed him. And so when he slowly started to present the criminal scheme, it seems like - and I know this seems crazy at the time - but that was my only option to give my daughter a future.' 'And I know hindsight is 20/20 but it felt like I would be a bad mother if I didn't do it.' 'So - I did it,' she said. Sophia was unaware that her parents had paid for someone to alter her test answers after she completed the SATS. The scheme involved Singer paying off a handful of discreet SAT test supervisors who would inflate students' scores once they had completed the exam. Singer, the mastermind, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison in January 2023. After 16 months in federal prison, he was released in August 2024.
