Latest news with #ZooeyDeschanel
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Property Brothers Drew and Jonathan Scott give glimpse of 'bittersweet' personal summer amid HGTV turmoil
Property Brothers Drew and Jonathan Scott have given fans a glimpse into their 'bittersweet' personal summer amid the ongoing turmoil at HGTV. The duo recently shared that during the show's hiatus they took their 91-year-old father, Jim, to Scotland - where he was born. They also took their own children, including Drew's young kids - Parker and Piper, along to visit Jim's hometown as he reconnected with his roots. Jonathan was accompanied by fiancée Zooey Deschanel but it is unclear if her kids Elsie and Charlie - to whom he is a stepfather - joined in on the getaway. 'We took our dad back to his hometown, and then we stayed in a castle, and then we went to Munich and Italy and Zurich. So it was fun to travel and get the kids used at a young age to traveling abroad,' Drew shared to People. 'Our dad's 91, so if we go, it's nice to take him too, because he can go back and see his brother and family. 'So, we did a big family reunion there. We had 60 people together and it was a lot of fun.' In July, without warning, HGTV pulled the plug on Bargain Block, Married to Real Estate, and Izzy Does It - with sources telling the Daily Mail more changes are coming. It also delayed the twins' new show titled Chasing the West. It was supposed to come out on July 20 but it was postponed to July 30 amid the ongoing shakeup. Another program of theirs - Don't Hate Your House With the Property Brothers - was meant to begin airing its second season on July 30. But an updated press release stated that season two of the home renovation show will start 'later this year,' with no specific date announced. The Scotts' show Celebrity IOU, however, has managed to stay on its original schedule, premiering on July 9 with guest star Rachel Brosnahan. Chasing the West will see the Property Brothers help families escape the city and acclimate to country life across an eight-episode first season. The brothers grew up on a 160-acre ranch at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Alberta, Canada. 'It was sort of bittersweet because we could share what we loved about growing up on a ranch with all of these families,' Jonathan told People. 'On the flip side, I miss it. It was so fun to be in the mountains.' Drew added: 'It was like a blast to the past for us. It was nostalgic. We were riding horses every other day, and I haven't ridden in years, so I was sore.' Shortly after the initial raft of HGTV cancellations last month, network sources spoke exclusively to the Daily Mail about the thinking behind the move. 'We had to stop the bleeding,' said the senior source, who claimed that revenues were underperforming and the network needed to act. 'We were hemorrhaging money. So in order to stop the bleeding, we had to have a bloodbath. It was calculated cuts to make things make sense, financially.'
Chicago Tribune
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Review: Kokandy Productions resurrects the dreamy 'Amélie the Musical'
What was ground zero for the manic pixie dream girl movie trope? Zooey Deschanel in '(500) Days of Summer?' Kirsten Dunst in 'Elizabethtown?' Winona Ryder in 'Autumn in New York?' It depends on the nature of your preferred definition and some go back as far as Katharine Hepburn. But a case surely could be made for the pointy-haired French star Audrey Tautou in 'Amélie,' the whimsical 2001 French fable from Jean-Pierre Jeunet about a melancholy but lovable Montmartre waitress who decides that the best cure for her own feelings of loneliness is throwing herself into improving the lives of the clutch of Parisian eccentrics who surround her. 'Amélie' was one of the most internationally successful French movies ever made, and those of us who fell under its witty, sweet, intermittently acerbic spell at the time surely recall it with great fondness. Ah, when quirkiness and whimsy still felt fresh and new. Until, that is, some of us walked into Broadway's Walter Kerr Theater in 2017 for the disastrous musical version. Not many folk had that dubious pleasure, given that 'Amélie,' which has a book by Craig Lucas and music by Daniel Messé, lasted only 57 regular performances. I hadn't seen it since before this weekend and was not sure I ever would before Kokandy Productions, the indisputable current leader in edgy, off-Loop musicals, announced its summer project. 'Amélie,' the musical yin to 'Lupin's' Netflix yang. Interesting, I thought. Everything gets licensed. I should first note why I think 'Amélie' had such a rough go of it on Broadway in 2017. Many reasons: The source movie was so organically and distinctly beautiful as to resist brand extension. A chilly vibe couldn't compete with the warmth and vulnerability of Tautou's film performance. The show struggled to translate so fundamental a cinematic narrative into the language of a Broadway musical. And, frankly, time had just . Daring originality had become a familiar trope. Kokandy's hugely inventive production, which is a must-see for anyone interested in the long Chicago tradition of fresh and intimate takes on failed Broadway musicals, goes a long way toward giving Amélie back her crucial sense of self and worth. You might say it de-tropifies her. Most specifically, that is achieved by the delightful Aurora Penepacker, who plays the central character here and makes Amélie entirely her own, even though she comes with a Tautou-like Parisian bob and a day-glo vivacity that put me most in mind of Jasmine Amy Rogers in 'Boop! The Musical.' The gifted director and choregrapher Derek Van Barham, who has been doing for musicals these last few summers what David Cromer once did for straight plays in the basement of the Chopin Theatre in Wicker Park, has created an eye-poppingly immersive production that draws on the cabaret-style implications of the material (Amélie is, after all, a waitress in a Parisian cafe) and features a cast that switches, 'Once'-style, back and forth between playing instruments (playing them well, too) and performing the show's wacky lost urban souls. The tone of the production is admirable diverse: Mizha Lee Overn, for example, brings warmth to her little clutch of characters while Quinn Rigg, between stints playing the violin, adds a delicious soupçon of cynicism to his denizens. I did think Joe Giovannetti, who plays Amélie's love interest, Nino, could warm up some more toward the end, but then the production's problems mostly are in the second act. Act 1 is pretty knockout but post-intermission (an intermission that did not exist on Broadway) the show gets less specific and it just pops off the boil a tad. Penepacker's vocals are simply fabulous all the way through to her big Act 2 number, 'Sister's Pickle' (I know; what a title for an 11 o'clock number) and then she suddenly seems less tonally assured. I suspect that the show ran out of rehearsal time, which is not uncommon. I also think the problems within the material finally start to overwhelm the plethora of creative staging ideas here, all shrewdly designed and lit by G. 'Max' Maxin IV. Caper-driven films invariably have too much plot for Act 2 and that's surely the case here, when all the audience really wants is to spend more time inside the head of the heroine. So I can't report that Kokandy solves about 'Amélie.' But the score is worth hearing, when this well sung. Indeed, I'll wager you won't regret going for a second, not with this much passion and creativity and sheer talent running around what long has been the most artistically satisfying basement in the city. Review: 'Amélie' (3.5 stars) When: Through Sept. 28 Where: Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division St. Running time: 2 hours, 15 minutes Tickets: $45-55 at
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jonathan Scott Reveals Whether He and Zooey Deschanel Would Leave L.A. for the Country Life (Exclusive)
NEED TO KNOW Jonathan Scott opened up to PEOPLE about whether he and fiancée Zooey Deschanel would leave Los Angeles for a life more like his childhood Scott's new HGTV show Chasing the West has made him miss the country life, as he grew up on a 160-acre ranch in the Canadian Rockies He and Deschanel currently live with her two children in an L.A. home that they spent two years renovatingJonathan Scott may be daydreaming about a move out to the country thanks to his new HGTV show – but he's got to get his fiancée Zooey Deschanel on board first! While chatting with PEOPLE about his latest series Chasing the West — which also stars his twin brother Drew — Jonathan, 47, opened up about how filming the show was a nostalgic experience for him, and it even made him want to return to his ranching roots. In fact, working on the project made him miss life out in the country so much that he says he 'absolutely' would be down to leave Los Angeles and find a property with a lot more land, similar to the 160-acre ranch he grew up on. The only problem is, his fiancée may not be up for all the work that goes into running a ranch, he says. While referencing the New Girl alum's passion for horseback riding, Jonathan notes that although Deschanel would love to be surrounded by open land, all the 'dirty work' she'd have to do might deter her from fully embracing the ranch life. 'She's an equestrian. She used to jump,' he explains. 'So she loves having horses, loves having space.' He continues, 'I think she's not so much into the dirty work of the ranch, but she definitely is into having the space and room to run.' While Jonathan is ready to rough it and leave the city life behind him, it may be difficult for the pair to part ways with their L.A. dream home that they spent years renovating. After purchasing the property in 2020, Jonathan and Deschanel immediately got to work on transforming it into an oasis for their blended family. They made the perfect team as the actress took on the role of interior designer while the expert builder focused on construction for the 1938 build. Nearly two years later, they unveiled the completed remodel in the June 2022 issue of the brothers' magazine, Drew + Jonathan Reveal, and have since shown off their home's quirky and colorful design details on social media. The stunning home features a solarium, an outdoor fireplace, and a multi-functional office space that Deschanel uses as her glam room, music studio, closet and crafting corner. It's also adorned with vibrant wallpaper, colorful tiles and an elegant grand staircase. Almost a year after unveiling their home, Jonathan popped the question while the pair were on a vacation in Scotland together with Deschanel's two children — daughter Elsie, 10, and son Charlie, 8 — in August 2023. The milestone moment came four years after the Celebrity IOU host and Elf actress first met while filming an episode of Carpool Karaoke with Drew, and Zooey's sister Emily in August 2019. The pair were spotted holding hands a month later, and went Instagram official in October that same year. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. While the couple might not be ready to leave their city life, Jonathan opened up to PEOPLE about how meaningful it was for him to work on Chasing the West. The show follows the twins as they help families looking to trade their busy lives in the city for a slower lifestyle out in the country. While they enjoyed browsing a number of properties in Texas, Arizona and California with each buyer, it was also "bittersweet." 'It was sort of bittersweet because we could share what we loved about growing up on a ranch with all of these families,' Jonathan told PEOPLE of working on the new series. 'On the flip side, I miss it. It was so fun to be in the mountains.' Chasing the West airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET on HGTV. Read the original article on People
WIRED
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- WIRED
Lettuce Grow's Indoor Farmstand Is Perfect, Except for a Few Bugs (Literally)
Upon receiving the Lettuce Grow Indoor Farmstand in the mail, I did not expect that I'd be enjoying some tea before I'd even unwrapped all the parts. 'Is that … Zooey Deschanel? With a Dollar Tree Property Brother?' my husband asked, peering over my shoulder as I unpacked various tubes and parts. And indeed, among the boxes was a glossy handout of a slightly younger-looking Zooey, standing with a man who did vaguely resemble her current husband, Jonathan Scott, of Property Brothers fame. Turns out it was her ex-husband, film producer Jacob Pechenik, with whom she had created this indoor hydroponic gardening system in 2019. Even though they split shortly thereafter, they continued to run Lettuce Grow together after their 2020 divorce, and an Instagram photo from July 1 even shows Deschanel flanked by Pechenik on one side and Scott on the other, debuting a Lettuce Grow collab with Costco. Apparently Pechenik runs day-to-day operations and Deschanel continues to promote the company through social media, according to a 2023 People interview with the former couple. If Scott has thoughts on this whole setup, he hasn't shared them publicly. (Deschanel and Pechenik have two children together.) Anyway, perhaps as befitting a celebrity endorsement, the Lettuce Grow is quite dramatic-looking for an indoor hydroponic garden, evoking a giant, space-age version of the terra cotta strawberry planter you probably remember from your grandma's house. Even better, it delivers on its promises of growing many plants and vegetables indoors—even peppers and tomatoes—within a small footprint. There are, of course, a few caveats. Bringing Outdoors Indoors Photograph: Kat Merck As far as indoor hydroponic garden assemblies go, Lettuce Grow's was easy enough for pretty much anyone to figure out—second-easiest of the four systems I'm currently testing, behind only the Gardyn (9/10, WIRED Recommends). There are seven versions of the Farmstand: outdoor or indoor, each in small (18 plant slots), medium (24 plant slots), or large (36 plant slots); and the smaller indoor Nook, with 20 plant slots. I tested the medium, 24-slot indoor version for six weeks in a low-light corner near my downstairs bathroom. When you buy a Farmstand, you also get credits for ordering live, pre-grown seedlings that you can buy later, at a time of your choosing. I recommend ordering after you've received and assembled your Farmstand. The selection (you get to choose) spans about 100 flowers, herbs, greens, and vegetables like cucumbers, tomatoes, broccoli, and bell peppers, though once you've ordered you might want to make sure you have some insecticide on hand. Like most indoor gardening systems, the indoor Farmstand's LED lights and pump run on a timer. My Farmstand included two old-school analog timers, the kind with the infuriating little prongs that must be toggled. Lettuce Grow offers a smart timer upgrade for $24, which I also tested. The company also has an app, which kept disconnecting from the device and which I ended up abandoning halfway through. Of these, I preferred the smart timer, and I was able to set the lights to turn off at night. (They must run for 14 hours, but you can set which hours.) I set the pump to run every hour on the hour. (Note that the water sprayed by the pump does make a startlingly loud splashing sound due to the Farmstand's cavernous interior, so you may not want it in a home office or bedroom or anywhere the noise could become a disturbance.)
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
WILLIAMS SONOMA AND NO KID HUNGRY PARTNER WITH CHEFS, CELEBRITIES AND CREATORS FOR ANNUAL CAMPAIGN TO END CHILDHOOD HUNGER IN AMERICA
Proceeds From 2025 Collection Designed by Zooey Deschanel, Ayesha Curry, Timbaland, Masaharu Morimoto, Bebe Rexha, Valerie Bertinelli and Others Help Provide Meals to Children SAN FRANCISCO, July 07, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Williams Sonoma, a portfolio brand of Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE: WSM), the world's largest digital-first, design-led and sustainable home retailer, announced today, the launch of the brand's annual Tools for Change fundraising program benefitting No Kid Hungry. The 2025 Tools for Change collection includes a range of limited-edition spatulas, oven mitt and potholder sets designed by celebrities, celebrity chefs, and popular content creators with a portion of proceeds from the purchase of each product donated to help end childhood hunger in America.* Every dollar donated by Williams Sonoma from the Tools for Change campaign can help No Kid Hungry provide 10 meals to children across America.** The 2025 Tools for Change spatulas, oven mitt and potholder sets were designed for Williams Sonoma by: Ayesha Curry Bebe Rexha Brian Hart Hoffman Hannah Taylor Katie Sturino Masaharu Morimoto Olivia Tiedmann Timbaland Valerie Bertinelli Zooey Deschanel "Thanks to the support of our customers and the generosity of our partners, our Tools for Change annual campaign has raised millions of dollars to help feed children in need," said Williams Sonoma President, Felix Carbullido. "For this year's campaign, we remain steadfast in our commitment to support No Kid Hungry's vital mission to ensure every child in America has access to three healthy meals a day." "The annual Tools for Change initiative reflects the impact we can have when we come together to end childhood hunger," said Billy Shore, founder and executive chair of Share Our Strength, the organization behind the No Kid Hungry campaign. "From Williams Sonoma's leadership and its customers who have made these products staples in their kitchens, to the celebrity designers that support this cause each year, all have played a role in ensuring kids have access to the food they need and the future they deserve." The products from the 2025 Tools for Change collection are now available online and at all Williams Sonoma retail locations while supplies last. To celebrate thus year's No Kid Hungry Tools for Change program, customers can participate in the "spatdown" where they can vote on their favorite spatula designs. Williams Sonoma will donate $5,000 to No Kid Hungry in the winner's honor. To vote for your favorite design, please visit: For more information on No Kid Hungry, or to purchase products benefitting the national campaign, please visit: *While supplies last, 30% of the sale of participating WSI products will go to benefit No Kid Hungry.**Donations help support programs that feed kids; No Kid Hungry does not provide individual meals. Meal equivalencies vary. Learn more at ABOUT WILLIAMS SONOMA Since its founding by Chuck Williams in 1956, the Williams Sonoma brand has been bringing people together around food. A member of Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE: WSM) portfolio of brands, Williams Sonoma is a leading specialty retailer of high-quality products for the kitchen and home, providing world-class service and an engaging customer experience. Products include cookware, cooks' tools, cutlery, electrics, bakeware, food, tabletop and bar, outdoor, cookbooks, as well as furniture, lighting and decorative accessories. Each store offers cooking classes and tastings conducted by expert culinary staff. A comprehensive gift registry program for weddings and other special events is available in stores and online. On customers can find recipes, tips, and techniques that help them create delicious meals. Williams Sonoma can also be found on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube. Williams Sonoma is also part of The Key Rewards, a free-to-join loyalty program that offers members exclusive benefits across the Williams-Sonoma, Inc. family of brands. ABOUT WILLIAMS-SONOMA. INC. Williams-Sonoma, Inc. is the world's largest digital-first, design-led and sustainable home retailer. The company's brands — Williams Sonoma, Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids, Pottery Barn Teen, West Elm, Williams Sonoma Home, Rejuvenation, Mark and Graham, and GreenRow — represent distinct merchandise strategies that are marketed through e-commerce, direct-mail catalogs and retail stores. These brands collectively support The Key Rewards, our loyalty and credit card program that offers members exclusive benefits. We operate in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom and have unaffiliated franchisees that operate stores in the Middle East, the Philippines, Mexico, South Korea and India. ABOUT NO KID HUNGRY No child should go hungry in America. But millions of kids in the United States live with hunger. No Kid Hungry is working to end childhood hunger by helping launch and improve programs that give all kids the healthy food they need to thrive. This is a problem we know how to solve. No Kid Hungry is a campaign of Share Our Strength, an organization committed to ending hunger and poverty. Join us at WSM-PR View source version on Contacts Williams SonomaPR@
