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Fox News
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Fox News
‘Grandmama from Tennessee' refuses to let Hollywood change her after becoming sitcom star
Leanne Morgan is reflecting on her journey from small-town southern grandmother to sitcom star. The 59-year-old, who was raised in rural Tennessee, always dreamed of becoming a comedian. However, she put her career aspirations on the backburner to prioritize her family life with her husband Chuck Morgan and their three children while occasionally performing at local corporate functions and charity events. In 2019, Morgan was about to accept that she had no real future in comedy when she unexpectedly became a viral sensation and found mainstream Hollywood success in her 50s. Morgan's first Netflix comedy special, "I'm Every Woman," was released in 2023, and her mix of relatable humor and southern charm made her a hit with viewers. Since then, she made her acting debut in the 2025 romantic comedy "You're Cordially Invited," starring Reese Witherspoon and Will Farrell, embarked on a sold-out comedy tour and published a book, "What in the World?! A Southern Woman's Guide to Laughing at Life's Unexpected Curveballs and Beautiful Blessings." The actress, who lives in Knoxville, Tennessee, is now starring in her new self-titled Netflix sitcom "Leanne," which she co-created with Chuck Lorre and Susan McMartin. During an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Morgan, who describes herself as a "Grandmama from Tennessee," opened up about how she is still learning to stand her ground while staying true to her southern roots and refusing to let Hollywood change her. Morgan recalled how she had previously been approached about creating sitcoms, but the deals ultimately fell through as those involved didn't have a strong understanding of her brand. "With all those deals, I worked with precious people but I'd know in my heart, like, this is not how we are in the south," Morgan told the outlet. "This is not how church people are. This is not how my family is. But when you want something so bad… And they'll tell you, 'We love you,' but then they want to change you. Hollywood people can't help it." "And I don't blame 'em, they don't know my world," she continued. "With this sitcom, at first, they were trying to find their footing, and I was freaked out, but then I thought, 'I've got to give them grace. They're trying to learn me just like I am them.'" "And I was finally able to get to a place where at the beginning of every week, I could [read through a script and] go, 'We wouldn't say that,' or 'This isn't what would happen.' So, I'm finally getting the guts, honey." While speaking with the Hollywood Reporter, Morgan explained that she previously hadn't received much feedback on how to hone her material since she was focused on her family and couldn't spend much time on the comedy circuit. "I was raising these children first," she said. "I wasn't out here grinding. I was doing corporate [gigs] for men that make carpet fiber. They probably spent more on the shrimp than they did on me." Though she was grateful to have an outlet for her comedy, Morgan said that her corporate gigs were "horrible." "They suck the life out of you," she recalled. "These men have been playing golf all day, they're tired, they've probably had alcohol, and I'm up there talking about going on Weight Watchers and how I don't like low-cut panties." Morgan recalled that she was repeatedly rejected by the mainstream comedy world because the industry was seeking "edgy" comedians, and she was perceived as "mom centric." "When I was trying to audition for Aspen or Montreal [comedy festivals] or when Comedy Central would come through, they wanted edgy, and I was in a kitten heel and a pant with a bird on it, talking about how somebody doodied on a T-ball field. They'd say, 'Oh, she's not edgy. She's a mom comic.'" Morgan remembered. "But people in clubs always booked me," she added. "They'd go, 'Keep going. You're unique.'" "Now, Hollywood? Hollywood loves that mom in the kitten heel. They'd see my new 45 minutes and say, 'You've written a sitcom!' Then I'd get there and they'd go, 'Let's make your husband a Hispanic man.' And don't get me wrong, I love Hispanic men. God forbid something happens to [husband] Chuck Morgan, I'm dating a Latino man," Morgan said. "But they'd switch everything up — 'Let's make your daughter on dope, or she wants to make it in a country music and she's on ecstasy' — and I'd be like, 'Have y'all watched my act?!'" Though circumstances prevented Morgan from pursuing her dreams until later in life, she told the Hollywood Reporter that she had no regrets about her choices. "I was meant to raise my children and I think it's the best thing that ever happened," she said. "So many more people can relate to me because I did raise these children and I have gone to Weight Watchers and I don't like my stomach and my husband gets on my nerves." Morgan recalled that her chance at success in the industry finally arrived during the pandemic when people who were craving authenticity resonated with her material. "COVID-19 happened and people wanted to connect with people who were real, and there I was on the back porch talking about fixing my mama something that she could eat after her stroke," Morgan recalled. "And that's me. I talk about taking care of elderly parents, launching children, menopause, and it was a niche that nobody was filling." During her interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Morgan explained that while she candidly tackles many aspects of everyday life in her comedy, she prefers to steer clear of politics. "Honey, if you want to talk about fingernail polish or a spray tan, I'm good at that," she said. "I wouldn't know how to talk about politics." In addition, Morgan noted that her approach was inspired by another southern icon. "I've also had my Dolly Parton to look up to, and, like her, I just don't want anybody to feel uncomfortable," Morgan said. Morgan told the Hollywood Reporter that it took some time for Netflix to recognize her potential, but the streaming platform eventually went all in. Along with "Leanne," Morgan confirmed that she also has two additional comedy specials in the works at Netflix following the success of "I'm Every Woman." "It took 'em a while, but then I got some big guns in my camp who could say, 'Y'all don't have anybody like her,'" she recalled. " I ended up leasing my first [hour] to them, and they've been so precious to me. "I just shot my second one for them, and I've got a deal for a third in 2027," she continued. "And then they gave me this show — me and Chuck Lorre walked in there and I said something about having a weak pelvic floor. I was nervous, and they were basically like, 'What do you want to do? We'll do it.'" The 16-episode Netflix series stars Morgan as Leanne, whose "life takes an unexpected turn when her husband of 33 years leaves her for another woman," according to a logline for the show. "Starting over when you're a grandmother and in menopause isn't exactly what she had in mind, but with the help of her family she will navigate this new chapter with grace, dignity and jello salad." Morgan told the Hollywood Reporter that she and Lorre, the creator behind the mega-hit sitcoms "Two and a Half Men" and "The Big Bang Theory," initially envisioned "Leanne" as a single-camera comedy. "But Netflix said, 'Would y'all please consider doing a multicam and bringing that [format] back?' I thought, 'Don't put that burden on me.' Then they said, 'We'll greenlight it right now if you do.'" Morgan recalled. In an interview with the Netflix outlet Tudum, Morgan weighed in on the challenges of adapting her stand-up routine to a sitcom format with a live studio audience. "This is something I've dreamed of since I was a little girl, and it was just as exciting as I imagined," she said. "Learning a new medium was definitely a challenge — memorizing new scripts every week was totally new for me — but I loved it. As a stand-up, the comedic timing felt natural, and filming in front of a live audience was especially comfortable. By the end of the season, it really felt like home." While "Leanne" is loosely based on Morgan's life, the show is not autobiographical. Unlike her character, who is a recent divorcee, Morgan is happily married to her husband Chuck, whom she wed in 1993. The couple share three children: Charlie, Maggie and Tess. Morgan told the Hollywood Reporter that it was Lorre's idea to make the show a fictionalized version of her life. "He didn't want to base it on my real family, and he liked the idea of starting over because it's a theme that people can relate to," Morgan said. "I balked at first, but I think it's the smartest thing we did because I really would've felt protective over my children, my grandchildren and Chuck Morgan." "And years ago, I met a showrunner on 'Reba,' and that was based on [Reba McEntire's] real life, and she got very protective," she added. "It wasn't a good thing." Morgan recalled that her husband has only taken issue with one of her jokes in all of her years performing stand-up. "There was only one time that he said to me, 'Do not say that,'" she shared. "When I first got started, I'd breast fed a bunch of kids and I wanted to get my breast done, and I said [on stage], 'I want my breasts done, but it's been a bad year in the mobile home industry.'" She continued, "Chuck Morgan was in the mobile home industry, and he said to me, 'I will always take care of you. I could write a check for your breasts right now. I don't want anybody to think I cannot provide for you.'" "That is his purpose, and I never said anything like that again." During a July 2025 interview on "Today," Morgan shared that Jerry Seinfeld boosted her confidence when she was having doubts about her ability to headline a sitcom. "He said, 'Leanne, you go in front of thousands of people every night, you can make them laugh for over an hour. You know what you're doing, you know what's funny, you can do this,'" Morgan recalled Seinfeld telling her. "I know that sounds simple, but it gave me the confidence to think, 'Okay, I can do a sitcom,'" she added. While speaking with the Hollywood Reporter, Morgan shared another piece of advice that she received from Seinfeld. "I've texted everybody I know that's had a TV show, like, 'What if people don't like it?' But Jerry Seinfeld said to me, "Honey, get ready to worry the rest of your life. That's just part of it,'" she said.
See - Sada Elbalad
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- See - Sada Elbalad
Ryan Gosling, Will Ferrell Team Up for Action Comedy "Tough Guys"
Yara Sameh Ryan Gosling and Will Ferrell are in talks to star in and produce "Tough Guys," an action-comedy feature set up at Amazon MGM Studios. Longtime Workin' Moms scribe Daniel Gold penned the script as a spec, which has the following logline: 'Fed up with being 'disposable,' two henchmen break free from the criminal underworld and rewrite the rules as they abandon their ruthless boss and dodge the elite assassin on their trail.' Gosling helped bring Ferrell onto the project after becoming enamored with the script. The Oscar-nominated actor is already a favorite at Amazon MGM Studios, which will release "Project Hail Marry" on March 20, 2026. The sci-fi feature's first trailer arrived last week, ahead of a splashy Hall H panel at San Diego Comic-Con next week. Ferrell, meanwhile, is also a fixture at the studio as the star of the recently released "You're Cordially Invited" and an upcoming Nicholas Stoller feature. Gosling is in talks to produce "Tough Guys" with Jessie Henderson via their General Admission banner, while Ferrell is in negotiations to produce with Jessica Elbaum via Gloria Sanchez. Underground's Trevor Engelson and Aaron Folbe would executive produce. 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 Israeli-Linked Hadassah Clinic in Moscow Treats Wounded Iranian IRGC Fighters News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Videos & Features Tragedy Overshadows MC Alger Championship Celebration: One Fan Dead, 11 Injured After Stadium Fall Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt Arts & Culture South Korean Actress Kang Seo-ha Dies at 31 after Cancer Battle News "Tensions Escalate: Iran Probes Allegations of Indian Tech Collaboration with Israeli Intelligence" News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks Arts & Culture Hawass Foundation Launches 1st Course to Teach Ancient Egyptian Language Videos & Features Video: Trending Lifestyle TikToker Valeria Márquez Shot Dead during Live Stream
Perth Now
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Ryan Gosling and Will Ferrell starring in Tough Guys
Ryan Gosling and Will Ferrell are to star in Tough Guys. The pair are in talks to join the cast and produce the action-comedy that is in development at Amazon MGM Studios. A synopsis for the film reads: "Fed up with being 'disposable', two henchmen break free from the criminal underworld and rewrite the rules as they abandon their ruthless boss and dodge the elite assassin on their trail." Gosling, 44, is said to have helped bring Ferrell on board for the flick after he was won over by the script, which has been written by Daniel Gold. The two actors have existing relationships with Amazon MGM and Ryan will star in the studio's sci-fi movie Project Hail Mary next year. Will, 58, is also a regular in the studio's projects and featured in the rom-com You're Cordially Invited earlier this year. Gosling is in talks to serve as a producer on Tough Guys alongside Jessie Henderson through their General Admission banner while Ferrell is also in negotiations to produce with Jessica Elbaum through Gloria Sanchez Productions. Meanwhile, Ryan is set to star in the upcoming Star Wars movie Star Wars: Starfighter and director Shawn Levy has backed the Barbie star to bring a "uniquely cool ethos" to the long-running sci-fi franchise. The Deadpool and Wolverine filmmaker said: "If you can have Ryan Gosling in anything you make, do that, because that's going to make the thing so much better and cooler." Levy is convinced that the Hollywood heartthrob and Star Wars will be a match made in heaven. The 56-year-old director said: "I haven't seen that pairing, and that gets me really excited." Gosling's starring role was confirmed at a Star Wars Celebration event in Tokyo in April and Shawn said during the announcement that collaborating with the La La Land actor was a "dream come true". He said: "I had heard at one point that my movie was going to star Ryan Gosling and, believe me, that would be a dream come true for me. So today, I just wanted to tell you here in this room that that rumour is 100 per cent true." The Night at the Museum helmer is determined to tell a "new and original" Star Wars story. He explained: "[There are] so many opportunities to tell a Star Wars story that has all the heart and action and fun of Star Wars, but to do it in ways that are new and original." Ryan explained that the movie is a true passion project as he has loved the franchise since he was a child – with pictures of his Star Wars bedsheets shown to the audience at the event. He said: "The reality is that this script is just so good. It has such a great story with great and original characters. "It's filled with so much heart and adventure, and there just really is not a more perfect filmmaker for this particular story than Shawn. "You can see from the picture, I guess I was probably dreaming about Star Wars before I even saw the film. "And it's probably framed my idea of what a movie even was."
Economic Times
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Economic Times
Who is Oliver Haarmann, Reese Witherspoon boyfriend? Here's details of couple's relationship, life, children and romantic yacht getaway in France
Reese Witherspoon and Oliver Haarmann were seen enjoying a romantic yacht getaway in Saint-Tropez. The couple shared affectionate moments on board and in the water. Witherspoon, 49, and Haarmann, 57, have been dating since 2024. Their relationship has grown stronger with frequent travels and family time. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Couple's Romantic Yacht Getaway in France's Saint-Tropez Reese Witherspoon and Oliver Haarmann Relationship Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Reese Witherspoon Life and Children Who is Oliver Haarmann? Reese Witherspoon's Recent and Upcoming Projects FAQs were seen spending time together on a yacht in Saint-Tropez , France. The couple looked relaxed as they shared kisses and hugs while on the boat and in the water. Their relationship has continued to progress since it was first reported in Witherspoon, aged 49, and German financier Oliver Haarmann, aged 57, were photographed enjoying a day off the southern coast of France. The photos, taken on Sunday, July 13, show the pair lounging on a yacht in Saint-Tropez. Witherspoon wore an all-white swimsuit, while Haarmann was seen in a striped bathing suit, blue T-shirt, and white Nike baseball cap. The two shared affectionate gestures, including hugs and September 2024, multiple sources confirmed that Witherspoon and Haarmann were dating. Earlier that year, the two were first seen together in New York City in July. A source said Witherspoon was taking her time with dating. At that time, her focus was on her work and her son.'She enjoys it but doesn't want it to be a big focus. She's busy with work and her son. These are her biggest priorities,' the source had October 2024, another source reported that Witherspoon was 'having fun with Oliver.' The actor and producer was often flying between Nashville and New York City to spend time with Haarmann. The source added that Haarmann had spent time with her sons — Deacon Phillippe, 21, and Tennessee James Toth, 12. Deacon is Witherspoon's son with Ryan Phillippe, while Tennessee is her son with ex-husband Jim source also noted that they were unsure whether Haarmann had met Witherspoon's daughter, Ava Phillippe, at that Haarmann is a founding partner at Searchlight Capital and is also a minority co-owner of the NHL team New York Islanders. A source said Witherspoon appreciates that Haarmann is a businessman and not involved in Hollywood. This may be a reason for the private nature of their Witherspoon recently starred in You're Cordially Invited, a 2025 comedy film centered on a wedding. She acted alongside Will Ferrell and Geraldine Viswanathan in the movie. Her upcoming work includes the fourth season of The Morning Show on Apple TV+. She also has several projects in development, including the third installment of the Legally Blonde series, which is currently in were first linked in July 2024, and their relationship was confirmed by sources in September has spent time with her sons, Deacon and Tennessee, but it is unclear if he has met her daughter Ava.
Time of India
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Who is Oliver Haarmann, Reese Witherspoon boyfriend? Here's details of couple's relationship, life, children and romantic yacht getaway in France
Reese Witherspoon and Oliver Haarmann were seen enjoying a romantic yacht getaway in Saint-Tropez. The couple shared affectionate moments on board and in the water. Witherspoon, 49, and Haarmann, 57, have been dating since 2024. Their relationship has grown stronger with frequent travels and family time. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Couple's Romantic Yacht Getaway in France's Saint-Tropez Reese Witherspoon and Oliver Haarmann Relationship Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Reese Witherspoon Life and Children Who is Oliver Haarmann? Reese Witherspoon's Recent and Upcoming Projects FAQs were seen spending time together on a yacht in Saint-Tropez , France. The couple looked relaxed as they shared kisses and hugs while on the boat and in the water. Their relationship has continued to progress since it was first reported in Witherspoon, aged 49, and German financier Oliver Haarmann, aged 57, were photographed enjoying a day off the southern coast of France. The photos, taken on Sunday, July 13, show the pair lounging on a yacht in Saint-Tropez. Witherspoon wore an all-white swimsuit, while Haarmann was seen in a striped bathing suit, blue T-shirt, and white Nike baseball cap. The two shared affectionate gestures, including hugs and September 2024, multiple sources confirmed that Witherspoon and Haarmann were dating. Earlier that year, the two were first seen together in New York City in July. A source said Witherspoon was taking her time with dating. At that time, her focus was on her work and her son.'She enjoys it but doesn't want it to be a big focus. She's busy with work and her son. These are her biggest priorities,' the source had October 2024, another source reported that Witherspoon was 'having fun with Oliver.' The actor and producer was often flying between Nashville and New York City to spend time with Haarmann. The source added that Haarmann had spent time with her sons — Deacon Phillippe, 21, and Tennessee James Toth, 12. Deacon is Witherspoon's son with Ryan Phillippe, while Tennessee is her son with ex-husband Jim source also noted that they were unsure whether Haarmann had met Witherspoon's daughter, Ava Phillippe, at that Haarmann is a founding partner at Searchlight Capital and is also a minority co-owner of the NHL team New York Islanders. A source said Witherspoon appreciates that Haarmann is a businessman and not involved in Hollywood. This may be a reason for the private nature of their Witherspoon recently starred in You're Cordially Invited, a 2025 comedy film centered on a wedding. She acted alongside Will Ferrell and Geraldine Viswanathan in the movie. Her upcoming work includes the fourth season of The Morning Show on Apple TV+. She also has several projects in development, including the third installment of the Legally Blonde series, which is currently in were first linked in July 2024, and their relationship was confirmed by sources in September has spent time with her sons, Deacon and Tennessee, but it is unclear if he has met her daughter Ava.
