Reese Witherspoon celebrated a milestone birthday this weekend, turning 50 on March 22, and it’s no surprise that the beloved actress was showered with parasocial love from those around her. As she received lovely (and, in one case, musical) messages from friends like Kerry Washington, Jennifer Garner, Mindy Kaling, Gwyneth Paltrow and many more, she returned the favor with sweet words of her own for her loved ones.

In the case of Jennifer Garner, I can definitely see why Reese Witherspoon would be inspired to share a personalized message to her Instagram Stories. The 13 Going on 30 star whipped out the saxophone for a rendition of “You Are My Sunshine,” with images of the birthday girl and animated suns popping up around her as she played:

She wasn’t the only one to receive a Story of gratitude, however. Kerry Washington, who co-starred in and executive produced Little Fires Everywhere with Reese Witherspoon back in 2020, shared a photo of them together, with the latter’s post showing this exchange:

• Kerry Washington: Happy [Reese Witherspoon] day everyone!!!! Happy Birthday to this very very very special light of a human being. So grateful you were born. LOVE YOU SOOOOO MUCH RW ♥️♥️♥️♥️
• Reese Witherspoon: [Kerry Washington] you are the best! I love you, thank you friend ♥️

Going even further back into Reese Witherspoon’s greatest movies and TV roles, her Cruel Intentions co-star Sarah Michelle Gellar had a hilarious take on her friend turning 50, which apparently had Witherspoon laughing:

This practice of responding to well-wishes with personalized greetings is actually really on brand for Reese Witherspoon, given her “very important” rule about returning to The Morning Show. It makes a lot of sense that someone who would make a point of telling everyone hello on the first day back on set would also prioritize replying to her birthday posts.

Gwyneth Paltrow received one of those responses after she shared a pic with the actress:

You can tell that she was really feeling the love, as she responded to people from her team, author Harlan Coben, who co-wrote her novel Gone Before Goodbye, former colleagues like Big Little Lies’ Darby Camp, comedian Leanne Morgan, singer Kelsea Ballerini, and Mindy Kaling, who shared this exchange with Reese Witherspoon:

While birthdays are something of a personal holiday, it seems like Reese Witherspoon is insistent on spreading the love around and not just enjoying her day in the spotlight. Should we really expect anything less from the woman who throws Halloween parties for her colleagues or creates a “Magical Wonderland” at her house over the holidays? I’ll bet she even sends Thank You cards for her gifts. What a woman.

Hopefully the actress felt as much love as she sent out on her birthday, and we’ll be keeping an eye out for her next projects on the 2026 TV schedule. While The Morning Show Season 5 is filming now, we’re unlikely to get that batch of episodes before 2027, but we’re definitely looking forward to the Legally Blonde prequel Elle, which Reese Witherspoon is executive producing. That’s set to premiere July 1 and can be streamed with a Prime Video subscription.

There are so many good book-to-screen adaptations to check out, from Nicole Kidman’s Scarpetta to the upcoming Ryan Gosling space adventure Project Hail Mary, and the upcoming Apple TV series Imperfect Women may be another you want to add to your watchlist. Critics have seen the eight-episode miniseries, which is based on the Araminta Hall novel of the same name. While opinions of the series are varied, they all seem to agree the performances are the best part.

Imperfect Women (streaming with an Apple TV subscription) features an impressive cast, with Elisabeth Moss and Kerry Washington starring as longtime friends Mary and Eleanor, who become suspects when Kate Mara’s Nancy — the third member of their trio — is murdered. Leila Latif of AV Club gives the movie a B+, writing that it’s refreshing to see the relationship of these complicated women explored with little concern for making them more “likeable.” Latif says:

Dave Nemetz of TVLine gives it a B, writing that while it doesn’t break any new narrative ground, Imperfect Women does spend as much time examining the grief brought on by Nancy’s death as it does trying to solve the mystery. Nemetz’s review continues:

Sherin Nicole of RogerEbert rates it 2 out of 4 stars, saying it hits all the notes of a “salacious confessional,” like hidden desires, envy and guilt, mostly with tepid results. It’s the performances that save the series, though, Nicole says:

Daniel Fienberg of THR calls the series “maddeningly generic,” and struggles to call it a “new” Apple series because of how little about it is actually “new.” It’s not the worst in the overextended genre of wealthy woman murder mysteries, though, Fienberg says, explaining:

Carly Lane of Collider is similarly nonplussed, awarding the series 5 out of 10. All credit goes to Elisabeth Moss, Kerry Washington and Kate Mara for keeping the series afloat, Lane says, writing:

Whether the critics loved Imperfect Women or thought it was just OK, every review I read gave credit to the leading trio. If this is a genre you’re a fan of, or you just appreciate the work of these actresses, the first two episodes of this Apple TV series premiere on the 2026 TV schedule on Wednesday, March 18, with episodes dropping weekly thereafter.

Every week brings great new movies to streaming and the beginning of brand new series. This week is certainly no exception. Whether you’re a fan of animation, serious drama, or ridiculous comedy, all the best streaming services have what you’re looking for. Here are some of the week’s highlights.

Invincible, Season 4 - March 18 (Prime Video)

Superhero shows and movies are everywhere, but four seasons in, there’s still nothing quite like Invincible. This animated series is certainly not for kids, but it’s a lot of fun. The new season will tell some stories completely original to the series, while still giving fans all the hilariously violent action they’ve come to expect.

Short Circuit Experimental Films: Maddie & The Test & Life Drawings March 18 (Disney+)

Disney got its start with animated shorts, and while they’re not quite as popular as they once were, they are still the place where many of today’s great animation directors got their start. The Short Circuit program at Walt Disney Animation gives anybody with an idea a chance to become a director, and this week, your Disney+ subscription gets you two new original and creative pieces of animation from fresh talent at Disney.

Imperfect Women - March 18 (Apple TV)

Any series that includes Elisabeth Moss and Kerry Washington is one that is going to get a lot of people to take notice. The new series, debuting with an Apple TV subscription, sees the two playing friends who become suspects, and investigators when the third member of their trio (Kate Mara) turns up dead.

Wicked: For Good - March 20 (Peacock)

The sequel may not have been quite as successful as the original, but in order to properly finish the epic story that is Wicked, you need Act II. Wicked: for Good continues the story of Elphaba, but the second half of the story is where Ariana Grande shines as Glinda. The movie is available with your Peacock subscription and includes a sing-along track as well as a commentary track from director Jon M. Chu.

Jury Duty Presents Company Retreat - March 20 (Prime Video)

Jury Duty was something of a surprise hit and is still one of the best reasons to have a Prime Video subscription. The reality series/comedy followed a fake trial where everybody was an actor except for one unsuspecting man on the jury. While recreating that scenario would have been difficult in a courtroom, Season 2 takes the show to the company retreat of a fictitious company, where once again, everybody is an actor, except the new hire.

Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man - March 20 (Netflix)

For many years, Peaky Blinders was one reason a lot of people had their Netflix subscription. This week, it is once again as the feature film, Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man debuts. The movie has already gotten solid reviews from critics, and so fans will likely be very happy to see Cillian Murphy return to the role that introduced him to many. Barry Keoghan and Rebecca Ferguson co-star.

The final week of March approaches, and it’s going to be a big one, as Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 finally arrives. Check back here to see what else you won’t want to miss next week.

The TV talk show landscape has been in flux for a while, with The Late Show canceled and set to end in May, leaving just ABC and NBC with late night fare (for now). Daytime television is also facing something of an exodus, as this week cemented endgame plans for The Kelly Clarkson Show, which is officially done after seven seasons, following nearly a year’s worth of rumors about behind-the-scenes issues. To be expected, the host’s announcement was met with a wave of support and love from her celebs and other followers.

Despite all the rumored writing on the wall, the reports were being treated as just that up until just recently, as an insider claimed a week prior that NBC would be making the call about the show’s future, following a new set of rumors that pointed to the show’s budget being unsustainable for the long haul. Clarkson’s message itself doesn’t address any of that, and instead points to her being able to spend more time with her children, which obviously makes sense given how her ex Brandon Blackstock’s death lead to postponed shows in 2025.

Given how much Clarkson’s been through in the past year, the comment section of her post is filled with sympathy, love and acceptance. Sure, there’s more than a little disappointment in general, since she IS one of the most positive-minded and welcoming hosts on TV. But the comments mostly look like these:

• KERRY WASHINGTON (Wake Up Dead Man): You’re amazing Kelly! Sending you so much love and gratitude.
• JULIA MICHAELS (Singer/Songwriter): Love youuuuuuuuu will miss hearing your voice pop up on my feed all the time ❤️❤️
• ANGELA KINSEY (Office Ladies): ❤️
• CARNIE WILSON (Musician): We love you ... I'm hoping for one more appearance with you sweetie... I'm so lucky to have baked with you, sing with you, talk with you!!! You're the best!!!! ❤️
• FORTUNE FEIMSTER (Stand-Up Comedian): You have been an amazing host. I was honored to have gotten to be on the show. Ten times. But who’s counting. Here’s to your next chapter!

As seen above, Clarkson's post got love from a variety of different entertainers. Movie stars. love Kelly. TV stars love Kelly. Singers love Kelly. Comedians and chefs love Kelly. If only this kind of love was enough to ward away all of life's stresses, I'd find a way to bottle Instagram comments.

Oh, did I mention chefs without actually dropping comments from anyone? Well how about ones from Top Chef, The Chew and Worst Cooks vet Carla Hall and James Beard Award-winning TikTok forager Alexis Nicole? Or maybe Snooki?

• YVETTE NICOLE BROWN (Zootopia 2): I hope I get to visit with you before your show ends! I loved watching you as a host! 🩷 I know I'll love seeing whatever you choose to do next! You've never missed!
• ALEXIS NICOLE (TikTok Chef: Kelly, you’ve been such a joy to watch! You’ve gifted us countless amazing kellyoke covers! Being on your show is one of the coolest things I’ve been lucky enough to do 🥹 can’t wait to tune in for one more epic season!!
• CARLA HALL (Celeb Chef): You will be missed, but I'm also excited to see what's next. We'll all be watching!!! 😍😍😍❤️❤️❤️
• RANDY RAINBOW (Comedian, Singer): ❤️❤️❤️❤️
• SNOOKI (Jersey Shore): Queen

Judging by all the comments, one can possibly assume that the back half of The Kelly Clarkson Show's final season will feature roughly 100,000 celebs, since everyone wants to take part before it's all said and done. Well, maybe not everyone, but enough. I'd throw my hat in that ring, too. Get me on the show, Kelly!

But viewers will probably see any of the following talents on there instead of yours truly, for better or worse. (Definitely not worse.)

• JENNA DEWAN (The Rookie): You are amazing ❤️❤️❤️
• NICO SANTOS (The Z-Suite): You’re an incredible host and we will miss your presence! Thanks for having me on the show! You and your crew were so welcoming and warm. Looking forward to your next chapter ❤️❤️❤️
• JESS HILARIOUS (Stand-Up Comedian): Nooooooo I was waiting my turn 😢I love your show KC ❤️
• D-NICE (DJ, Producer): It was an honor to be on your show. Thank you for the memories. Forever grateful.
• OLIVIA MUNN (Your Friends and Neighbors): ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

For all the sour feelings, it's not like The Kelly Clarkson Show is actually done yet. The currently in-production seventh season will be the last one, but episodes are expected to continue filming and airing into Fall 2026, so at least another seven or eight months, barring any additional setbacks.

Will another superstar celeb take her place, or will that time slot inevitably get filled by cheaper local fare? Will Clarkson return to The Voice's next open slot? Will she relese a box set of Kellyoke covers? Hopefully "yes" to three of those, and not to much to the cheap local content.

This weekend, the world lost one of its most impactful actors in Diane Keaton, who died at the age of 79. Keaton was a legend amongst performers, starring in iconic films like Annie Hall, The Godfather and Something’s Gotta Give over the course of her illustrious career. Since news of the Oscar winner’s death broke, legions of fans have been paying tribute to her as have fellow actors. Reese Witherspoon also memorialized Keaton, as she shared a sweet story about working with her years ago, and other stars had lovely responses.

How Reese Witherspoon Lovingly Paid Tribute To Diane Keaton

Before Witherspoon became the A-list actress and powerful producer she is today, she was a young actress hoping to break into the entertainment industry. Witherspoon reflected on that time in her career during a sweet moment at the Hello Sunshine Shine Away conference this weekend. Amid the event, Witherspoon acknowledged Keaton’s death with attendees and reflected on how one of her earliest auditions was for the late actress:

The thought of auditioning for a massive star like Diane Keaton seems intimidating enough, but I can’t even imagine doing it as a teenager. It goes without saying that Reese Witherspoon found herself in a prime position to make an impression at that point in her career. As Witherspoon went on to explain (as can be seen on Instagram), she did manage to make an impression when she finally had the opportunity to speak with Keaton personally. What ultimately played out was a funny exchange between the two actresses:

That was pure charm and kindness coming from the First Wives Club icon, and I love how, in that moment, she only encouraged Witherspoon as opposed to discouraging her. Still, I love the notion of Keaton – a California native – being humorously thrown off by Witherspoon’s Nashville-bred accent. Those cultural differences didn’t stop the two stars from becoming close when they filmed Keaton’s Wildflower, though. Witherspoon explained just how important Keaton’s guidance was:

Considering that Reese Witherspoon went on to headline great movies and even win an Oscar, I’d like to think she soaked up quite a bit of the knowledge imparted to her by Diane Keaton. I really appreciate how Witherspoon also pays respect to those who’ve inspired her, as she also recently did when Jane Goodall died. When it came to her Keaton tribute, Witherspoon lovingly finished it off by suggesting fans watch one of the late star’s movies and wear an eclectic ensemble in her honor.

Some Celebrities Dropped In Sweet Reactions Responses

Witherspoon’s sweet recollection of Keaton has since gone viral, so it’s probably not all that surprising that other stars have since reacted to her IG post. Kerry Washington and Candace Cameron Bure were a couple of the actors to weigh in, and their reactions as well as others can be seen down below:

• Love this. And you. - Kerry Washington
• Loved hearing this story. Thank you for sharing it 🥹💔 - Candace Cameron Bure
• ❤️❤️❤️ - Julianne Moore
• ❤️❤️❤️ - Natasha Lyonne
• ❤️ - Abigail Spencer

The love for Keaton has been more than evident since news of her passing hit the Internet. Bette Midler and Steven Martin paid tribute as well along with others like Viola Davis, Jane Fonda and Kate Hudson among others. It’s honestly been very sweet to see so many people showing love and memorializing Keaton not only for being a great actor but for also being a true original.

Diane Keaton leaves behind a storied filmography as well as plenty of mentees, including Reese Witherspoon. I feel confident in saying that Keaton’s legacy will live on, especially if Witherspoon and others continue to show their love for her. Meanwhile, we here at CinemaBlend continue to extend our thoughts to Keaton’s family and friends during this time.

Save the Last Dance was one of the best dance movies out there. Not only because it’s one of Julia Stiles’ best films, but also for bridging the cultural gaps between two styles of dancing. But close to 25 years later, the internet has been throwing shade at Stiles’ dance moves from the movie. And one of its stars, Kerry Washington, has something to say about it.

You may remember Kerry Washington’s character Chenille, who befriends new girl Sara and introduces her to the world of hip-hop. When talking about the underrated weekend box office hit on Radio Andy, host Andy Cohen mentioned that “Julia Stiles is not the greatest dancer on the planet.” The Scandal actress responded with laughter and an intriguing question:

As reported by Complex, social media sites like TikTok and X have repeatedly memed the final dance in the movie. This was when Julia Stiles’ Sara had an important audition for Juilliard that involved a graceful ballet dance that morphed into the rhythmic hip-hop dance moves she learned from her new friends. But plenty of influencers have posted videos that mockingly recreated the dance routine, with many in disbelief that the particular routine would have been accepted into Juilliard.

Like Cohen said, dance has changed a lot over the past decade. Maybe the dance routine would have been choreographed differently if the movie were made today. But Kerry Washington made sure to give esteemed praise to Save the Last Dance’s choreographer and her intentions in coming up with the final dance number:

Fatima Robinson truly is a “legend” for coming up with era-defining dance moves for a lot of high-profile artists like Michael Jackson, Aaliyah, The Backstreet Boys, and more. Other than Save the Last Dance, Robinson also choreographed for hit movies like Dreamgirls and The Cheetah Girls: One World. So it’s possible that the American music video director was simply putting together a dance that would combine the delicate moves of ballet with hip-hop moves that were reminiscent of the Y2K generation.

It would be easy for millennials to blame the dance flick’s choreographer for putting together a meme-worthy dance to be mocked decades later. Kerry Washington, however, was not having it and continued to defend Fatima:

A dance that was once a hit in one era can indeed be laughed at in the next. We could watch Saturday Night Fever, one of the best movies of the ‘70s, and cringe at John Travolta’s disco club moves. The same can be said for Grease, watching everyone get wild doing the '50s “hand jive.” Every generation has something that was once considered cool and that is seen as outdated later. But all styles of dance can still be celebrated for defining an era.

Internet users aren’t the only ones who’ve made fun of the final dance scene. On season 49 of SNL, Chloe Fineman spoofed the iconic dance sequence, looking like Sara, as “the perfect gift this season.” And who should finish off the ballet/hip-hop routine but a surprise cameo of Julia Stiles herself?! It was the perfect way to laugh at the ‘00s movie’s quirks while still celebrating its legacy.

Stiles also said on Elizabeth Day’s podcast that she felt “self-conscious” joining a dance class in fear of being judged for her dancing in Save the Last Dance. Although she made sure to point out that she’d love to “get over that” and get back to formal dance classes…or at least a private dance instruction.

The internet may be throwing shade today at Julia Stiles’ Save the Last Dance choreography, but at least none of it is coming from Kerry Washington. That particular dance routine may not have been Juilliard material in real life. Yet Stiles’ dedication to powering through the dance routine, despite not being a professional dancer, is worthy of its hard work. Feel free to find the classic romance-dance flick on Pluto TV.

Throughout the last three decades, many stars have graced the Law & Order franchise and, sometimes, they've even played more than one character. (At the SAG Awards earlier this year, Keke Palmer even asked celebrities to drink if they appeared on the show.) As L&O continues to air as part of the 2025 TV schedule, I’m still hoping for a Scandal reunion between Kerry Washington and Tony Goldwyn. On that note, Goldwyn provided an update.

It was in 2024 that Tony Goldwyn joined L&O as DA Nicholas Baxter, taking over for Sam Waterston. Although he’s now playing a lawyer, Goldwyn is certainly still President Fitz Grant from Scandal in a lot of fans' eyes, and he and Kerry Washington (who played fixer Olivia Pope) don’t let people forget it. The two still frequently get together and/or express their love and support for one another. When it comes to an on-screen reunion, Goldwyn wants it badly, sharing the following sentiments with People:

The fact that Tony Goldwyn is even bugging Kerry Washington to be on Law & Order shows just how close the two still are, if their frequent reunions weren’t any indication. When Goldwyn was asked about whether Washington might actually show up on the procedural, he said “I don’t know!” That aside, he also explained why making it happen may be "tough":

Whether or not the Little Fires Everywhere star will appear on Law & Order remains to be seen. However, I still think it's possible that it could happen. The actress is definitely busy these days, but one would think that she would try to carve out some time, especially if it means she gets to reunite with her friend and former on-screen partner.

Tony Goldwyn previously expressed interest in reuniting with Kerry Washington on the long-running drama series, and she responded by saying they just have to figure it all out. It would certainly mean a lot fans to see the stars who played Fitz and Olivia together again on screen, even though they’d be playing completely different characters. Scandal still remains a beloved show nearly seven years after its conclusion on ABC, and it would be highly surprising if NBC didn't try to capitalize on that, in a way, for L&O.

Even if the two actors doesn’t appear together anytime soon, though, Law & Order has been eventful as is lately. Between revisiting Price’s tragic past and bringing back a former star nearly 20 years later as a new character, the drama is still exciting. Here's hoping that Kerry Washington can enter the mix somehow. In the meantime, stream all seven seasons of Scandal using a Hulu subscription.

The following article contains SPOILERS for The Six Triple Eight on Netflix. If you're not caught up with the film, you can check it out with a Netflix subscription.

If you've been up to date with the 2024 Netflix schedule, then you're aware of the latest film from Tyler Perry, The Six Triple Eight. The film tells the story of the only U.S. Women's Army Corps unit of color during the Second World War, which delivered 17 million pieces of mail, and is based on the stories of several hundred real people. Because of that, CinemaBlend had the chance to hear about an incredible experience the star Kerry Washington got to have with a journalist at the premiere of the film.

When I spoke with Washington (who portrays Major Charity Adams) ahead of the film's release to those with a Netflix subscription, she revealed that at the premiere of The Six Triple Eight, there was a list of all the women who were a part of the regiment, and a journalist spotted her great aunt's name. Afterwards, she "burst into tears" because seeing her name on that list explained "so much" of her aunt's past to her:

Washington further commented that now, this movie provides the opportunity for those families of the soldiers who were a part of the regiment to have a "deepened pride" for their ancestors and tells a story that no one would have expected:

There’s so much history out there that we don’t know, and it’s a big thing that Tyler Perry wants viewers to take away from the film. Washington's story of a journalist finding out about her aunt's participation in this battalion was a fantastic example of that—she never would have known about this if it wasn't for this film's release and Perry telling these people's stories.

Washington teamed up with Oprah Winfrey and more to tell this story, and it’s moments like this that make it all the better – that they can make a connection with someone that wasn’t there before.

2024 has had some particularly good war films, like A24's Civil War, which became a favorite for many people. There have also been plenty of great war movies focused around World War II in general. But I personally think that The Six Triple Eight is a game-changer and teaches us so much about history that we didn’t know.

There are plenty of great movies coming out as part of the 2025 Netflix schedule, but since it's the end of the year, be sure to sit down with the family and check out The Six Triple Eight when you can to learn about these powerful women and how they helped America in their time of need.

December has very nearly come to an end. We are getting close to that holiday period where families will come together, possibly in front of the television. If you're getting an early start, the best streaming services have some quality programming to get you through the start of winter.

What’s coming soon on Netflix and Max includes a pair of potential awards season contenders. What’s upcoming on Disney+ is a double dose of animation, of two very different kinds. Hulu has more Law & Order than you’ll know what to do with, and Peacock brings the funny.

New TV

Law & Order Seasons 1- 20 - December 16 (Hulu)

If you’re looking for a new show to binge through that will keep you busy for a while, I think we have a winner. The first 20 seasons of Law & Order, the show’s entire original run before its brief 2022 revival, will mean getting some serious use out of your Hulu subscription. That means all the Jerry Orbach you can handle.

The Simpsons Christmas Double Episode “O C’mon All Ye Faithful” December 17 (Disney+)

Ever since Disney purchased Fox the Simpsons have become a big reason to have a Disney+ subscription. In addition to being able to watch all previous seasons of the show, a number of animated shorts have been made exclusively for the streamer. Now things get even bigger, as a brand new double-length episode arrives only on Disney+ for Christmas.

Laid, Season 1 - December 19 (Peacock)

Based on an Australian series, Laid stars Oscar-nominated Stephanie Hsu as a woman who discovers that all of her ex-lovers have begun to turn up dead. This forces her to retrace her sexual past and come to terms with it, and revisit all her previous relationships.

Marvel Animation’s What If...? (Season 3) December 22 (Disney+)

One of the most fun and creative corners of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been What If…? The animated series takes story beats from the MCU movies and series and reimagines them in different ways. The third and final season of What If...? debuts on Sunday, with a new episode premiering every day until just before the New Year.

New Movies

The Six Triple Eight December 20 (Netflix)

Written and directed by Tyler Perry, The Six Triple Eight is the story of the only women’s Army Corps unit during World War II. Kerry Washington stars in the new film. It's available this week with a Netflix subscription following a brief theatrical run in order to qualify for Awards season consideration.

Juror #2 - December 20 (Max)

Before he becomes Lex Luthor in next year’s Superman movie, Nicholas Hoult stars as a man who finds himself on a jury where he knows more about the case than he lets on. Directed by Clint Eastwood, in what could be his last film, the movie was largely overlooked in theaters, but those who saw Juror #2 seemed to love it, and now it will be available for a much wider audience.

Next week will bring us Christmas and with it many different holiday specials and celebrations.

Since television began, women have been an important part of its history. This is a list of many of the groundbreaking women who have made their mark not only for themselves but for all women in the industry. Women like Lucille Ball, Barbara Walters, Mary Tyler Moore, and many more.

Lucille Ball

I Love Lucy has been one of the most enduring hits in the history of television. It's been on TV both in the first run when it first aired in 1951 and in reruns ever since. Almost the entire time TV has been in people's homes. Of course, that's all because of the brilliant Lucille Ball's performance as Lucy. She's a one-of-kind legend we're unlikely to see the likes of again.

Roxie Roker

Over the course of her incredible career, Roxie Roker broke new ground everywhere she acted, whether it be on the big screen, the Broadway stage, or, as Helen Willis on The Jeffersons, on television. The most important thing Roker did on TV seems so antiquated now that it's hard to believe, but when she was on a hit CBS show, she was actually the first Black actress to appear on a TV show in a relationship with a white man. It was a huge deal.

Carol Burnett

Not only is Carol Burnett one of the funniest women in TV history, but she's at or near the top of the list of the funniest people, period. Her eponymous show was a groundbreaking sketch comedy show and she not only paved the way for more female comedians to have their own show, she paved the way for enduring sketch comedy shows like Saturday Night Live

Betty White

There are few actors more beloved than Betty White. When she died just shy of her 100th birthday in 2021, the outpouring of grief from fans was incredible. It wasn't just for her roles on legendary shows like The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Golden Girls, but for her whole career in television back to its earliest days.

Shonda Rhimes

Many of the women on this list are here for what they've done in front of the camera. Shonda Rhimes is here for what she does behind the scenes as one of the most prolific show creators of all time. Not only is she one of the first women to be so successful as a TV producer, but she's one of the first Black women to do it, making it doubly important and groundbreaking.

Ellen DeGeneres

It's obvious why Ellen DeGeneres is on this list, but that doesn't mean we should overlook the obvious. When DeGeneres came out as a lesbian on her sitcom in 1997 it was actually earthshattering. It shouldn't have been and today, something like that would hardly be blinked at and that's all because she had the guts to do it when she did.

Phoebe Waller-Bridge

Phoebe Waller-Bridge's Fleabag does something that few shows have done before it - it's an unflinching look at the life of a single woman and by doing that it, it automatically less of the cultural taboo it's been for far too long. It's weird that it's taken so long for something like this be a cultural stone, but at least we're here now.

Barbara Walters

In the TV news business, there is no more groundbreaking figure than the legendary Barbara Walters. As a news broadcaster, reporter, interviewer, and panel host, Walters did many things no woman before her had ever done. It's hard to downplay just how much of a trailblazer Walters was during her amazing career.

Marta Kauffman

As the producer and co-creator of Friends, Marta Kauffman showed the world that a woman could create what was, at the time, the biggest show in the world. It wasn't a show "for women," Friends was a show for everyone and few shows have seen the kind of popularity Friends had - and continues to have today with its endless life on streaming.

Mary Tyler Moore

Without The Mary Tyler Moore show, we might not have had other trailblazing shows like Murphy Brown, or Ellen, or Fleabag. Mary Tyler Moore did it first and, for many, still did it best. Before he blazed a trail on her own, she was also an early hero on The Dick Van Dyke Show. She truly made it on her own on TV.

Jane Curtain, Lorraine Newman, And Gilda Radner

It had to be hard for the three women in the original "Not Ready For Prime Time Players" on Saturday Night Live, Jane Curtain, Lorraine Newman, And Gilda Radner. The show felt like a frat house at times and there they were, consistently as funny or funnier than the frat bros that made up the rest of the amazing cast. Talk about groundbreaking.

Cicely Tyson

Cicely Tyson's first television role came in 1961 and her final appearance came just before her death in 2020. In between she starred in literally 100s of episodes of television and often was the first and only Black woman on those shows and episodes. There aren't enough words to explain how important she was for every Black woman who came after her on TV.

Peggy Charren

Activist Peggy Charren is different than most on this list. She wasn't an actress, nor did she even work in the television industry. Instead, she was an advocate for the children at home watching. It's because of the work of Charren that kids had the option to watch informative and educational TV, and not just corporate drivel made to sell more sugary cereal to them. Anyone who grew up loving Sesame Street or The Electric Company has Charren to thank, at least in large part.

Katie Couric

It's hard to believe that it took until 2006 for a major network to have a female lead anchor, but it's true. That woman was, of course, Katie Couric and for that alone, she should forever be remembered as a groundbreaker. She's done so much more as well, so it's not the only thing she'll be remembered and appreciated for.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus

Julia Louis-Dreyfus' career has been nothing short of spectacular. She is one of very few people, much less women, to have won more than 10 Emmy Awards, for her work on not one, not two, but three hit shows. Seinfeld, The Old Adventures of New Christine, and Veep have all been great in large part due to her talent and hard work.

Irna Phillips

On her Wikipedia page, Irna Phillips is described as a scriptwriter, screenwriter, casting agent, and actress. In reality, she kind of invented the entire genre of the soap opera in the 1940s, first on radio and later on TV. She was the first to really pinpoint women as a target audience and write and create shows geared towards them. Daytime TV would be very different if not for Phillips.

Diahann Carroll

Diahann Carroll isn't the most famous person on this list and that's kind of weird because her contribution to TV is huge. Her groundbreaking role as the lead in Julia showed that Black actors, especially Black women, could be a whole more than just maids or other stereotypical roles they typically played before Julia debuted in 1968.

Candice Bergen

Even before she blazed a new trail in Murphy Brown as the first woman on TV to express the desire to raise a child as a single mom, Candice Bergen was breaking ground on TV. She was the first female member of the SNL Five-Timers Club, for example. As the lead on Murphy Brown, she won so many Emmys (five) that she started declining invitations to give others a chance at the career boost a win provided.

Bea Arthur

Like her cast mates on Golden Girls, Bea Arthur was a true trailblazer. For starters, she is one of few women in Hollywood who served in the active military during World War II as a marine. Once she got to Hollywood, she played by her own rules which eventually landed her a recurring role on All In The Family in the early '70s, tackling some of the biggest issues of the day. That led to the spinoff Maude where she was unflinching in her pursuit of bringing women's liberation issues to the forefront on prime-time TV, including such political hot topics as sensitive as abortion in the early '70s.

Oprah Winfrey

Of all the entries on this list, the one who might need the least introduction is Oprah Winfrey. Starting with a small locally-produced talk show on TV called AM Chicago and later simply The Oprah Winfrey Show, Winfrey built a massive media empire and became one of the biggest moguls in television. Her empire reaches across all forms of media these days and she's among the richest people in the world. And then there are all the cars she's given away...

Nichelle Nichols

Nichelle Nichols was the sole woman in the original Star Trek cast and she more than held her own. Not only was she an equal member of the Enterprise crew, she was an equal member of the cast. On the show, Nichols' character Uhura shared an on-screen with Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) which was one of the first, and most famous example of an interracial kiss on network television. It seems simple, but it was incredibly groundbreaking at the time.

Donna Reed

There were plenty of family-focused sitcoms on 1950s television. What set The Donna Reed Show apart is evident by its name. It was one of the first shows that focused on the mother, played by Donna Reed, as the primary character of the show. This wasn't Father's Knows Best or My Three Sons. Reed was the star and the main character. Additionally, she was no mere wallflower. She was a strong, independent-minded mother and wife who had a full life as a homemaker and mother and audiences saw it all, not just June Cleaver doing the dishes while wearing her pearls.

Laverne Cox

Orange Is The New Black star Laverne Cox wasn't the first transgender woman on TV, but she was one of the most visible as part of such a huge hit. Cox, and her character were remarkable not only because she was was transgender but because her character Sophia dealt with problems that weren't just because she was transgender, but because she was also human locked up in prison. Sophia wasn't simply a one dimensional character, she was much more than her gender. That was, and still is, rare.

Jodie Whittaker

If she does nothing else in her career (and that is unlikely), Jodie Whittaker will forever be known for being the first female Doctor on Doctor Who. That alone makes her incredibly groundbreaking and worthy of inclusion on this list. There was even a time when critics and fans thought that such a thing would be impossible. Whittaker has been remarkably popular and has proven all the doubters wrong.

Marlo Thomas

Like many instances on this list, it's hard to believe that there was ever a time when it was shocking to even consider an entire television show focused on an unmarried woman. Of course, there was a time when that was true, but that was before Marlo Thomas starred in That Girl starting in 1968. The show, which was actually a little controversial at the time was all about Thomas' character moving to New York to try to make it in show business.

Debbie Allen

Debbie Allen is probably best known as the star of the TV version of Fame (and a small role as the same character in the movie), as well as a judge of So You Think You Can Dance. But Allen's accomplishments run so much deeper than that. She is one of the most prolific TV directors of the last few decades and was the choreographer for the Oscars for a decade. She's had an amazing career on both sides of the camera.

Kerry Washington

It's really hard to wrap one's head around the fact that between Julia, starring Diahann Carroll, which ended in 1971, and Scandal when it started in 2012 (created by Shonda Rhimes), there were no TV shows with a Black female lead. Kerry Washington changed all that when Scandal became a huge hit and ran for six seasons on ABC.

Lynda Carter

Who says girls can't be superheroes? Well, today we know all too well that women can not only be superheroes, but they can lead franchises as such. Back in the late '70s, that was an open question that was answered by Lynda Carter who helped turn Wonder Woman into a hit show that ran for three seasons and then became a staple of syndication for years after.

Sandra Oh

It seems like Sandra Oh has been around forever. She got her big break as part of the cast of Arliss on HBO, then found more fame as a member of the cast of Grey's Anatomy. Her groundbreaking moment came in the titular character in Killing Eve. When she did, she became the first woman of Asian descent to lead a show in the United States. Remarkably it took until 2018 for that to happen. Like all the other women on this is, she proved there are still trails to be blazed.

Pauline Frederick

Pauline Frederick was a groundbreaking female reporter with ABC and NBC during her career. She covered major events like World War II and the Vietnam War, first on radio and then as one of the first female reporters on TV.

Mary Kay Stearns

Like the TV network it was first broadcast on, The DuMont Network, Mary Kay Stearns, and her sitcom Mary Kay And Johnny has mostly been lost to time. Few people remember the show or the network and that's too bad, because both were groundbreaking. In fact, Mary Kay And Johnny was the very first sitcom ever aired on broadcast TV when it debuted in 1948. Mary Kay Stearns starred with her real-life husband Johnny Stearns and not only was it the first sitcom, but it was the first show to feature a pregnant woman and the first to show a married couple sleeping in the same bed.

Viola Davis

As an EGOT winner, Viola Davis has proven over and over what a powerhouse actor she is, no matter where it is. Whether on stage, in film, or on television, she is one of the best to ever do it.

Kerry Washington has been on her A-game for over a decade now, and this all seemed to start with Scandal. The actress portrayed Olivia Pope on the incredibly popular ABC series for seven seasons, cementing her status as a leading lady. Even though Washington has starred in some great movies and TV shows since, all roads seem to lead back to the network drama, and she appears to agree. Now, the Little Fires Everywhere actress has opened up about what Scandal has meant to her and the lessons she took from starring in the hit show.

Ahead of Washington receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, she spoke to Variety about the career milestones that led to this moment. It was impossible to talk about milestones without discussing Scandal and the cultural icon that her character Olivia Pope became. The no-nonsense, political fixer character became a feminist icon, and she is often cited as a media shift in how Black women were portrayed on television. Because of this, many often cite Washington for changing their life, which the actress understands intimately. She said:

The time period in which she did Scandal was transformative for Washington. Her status and talent landed her more big Hollywood acting roles like Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained, and she took on more responsibility behind the scenes by directing and producing.

The Scandal era was also huge for her personally, as Washington got married and started a family during its run. She said:

While life milestones were important, it was her inner growth that made Scandal so formative for Washington.

Notably, the actress was number one on the call sheet for this show for its entire run. Her being the central character gave her a natural leadership position on set which the Ray star found empowering. Also, her character being so confident and in control gave her more confidence in her own life. She explained:

Washington is certainly the hero of her own story.

She has since expanded her repertoire with her production company Simpson Street, and it has helmed projects like UnPrisoned, American Son, and Confirmation, all of which had Washington as number one on the call sheet. She seems to focus on stories that deserve more of a spotlight, especially those from marginalized or underrepresented communities.

Now, it seems like Olivia Pope isn’t the one changing lives. The actress herself, who has become an unstoppable and inspirational force in Hollywood and beyond, is the one doing that.

You can see Kerry Washington in her upcoming project on the 2024 movie schedule, The Six Triple Eight, which will be available with a Netflix subscription on December 6th. Fans can also revisit her star-making performance in Scandal with a Hulu subscription. For more information on other exciting titles streaming this year, make sure to consult our feature on upcoming Netflix releases.

While every TV series that starts is bound to have a final episode, it’s never a fun moment as an audience member when the life of a series you’ve been following gets unexpectedly cut short. That is sadly the fate of Hulu’s UnPrisoned, as star Kerry Washington revealed on her social media on Friday.

UnPrisoned’s second season premiered in the 2024 TV schedule over the summer, but as it turns out those eight episodes will be the last we see of Paige and Edwin Alexander’s father-daughter relationship. Check out Washington’s emotional Instagram announcement:

The actress and executive producer shared a sweet montage from the set of UnPrisoned that featured a lot of dancing, laughing, and John Stamos, all to the tune of SZA’s “Snooze”. Along with saying “that is a wrap on UnPrisoned,” she wrote these words:

The series first premiered for those with a Hulu subscription in March 2023 to rave reviews from critics and audiences (just look at the Rotten Tomatoes score) and thus the production continued with a second season, which had its episodes drop just two months ago. The series is about Paige Alexander (Washington), who is a marriage family therapist and single mother whose life gets upended when her father, Edwin (Delroy Lindo), is released from prison after seventeen years there. He moves in with Paige and her teenage son.

UnPrisoned was Kerry Washington’s first ongoing series since Scandal ended in 2018 (even though her co-star Tony Goldwyn totally wants to work with her again). Washington has spoken before about trying to quit acting many times before reading a script that changes her mind. Here’s hoping the cancellation of UnPrisoned doesn’t steer her away from doing more TV, because we love her presence on our television screens. As she also wrote in the statement:

Sadly, it's time to add UnPrisoned to our list of cancelled and ending 2024 shows. The series joins a couple of other series that the streaming service cancelled this year like Life & Beth and Death and Other Details. Despite its cancellation, you can still stream UnPrisoned right now.

Watch UnPrisoned Season 2 Online

Watch UnPrisoned Season 2 Online: Synopsis

Kerry Washington (Scandal) returned for season 2 of the hit Hulu comedy, delighting as perfectionist therapist Paige Alexander, whose ex-con father Edwin saddled her with some pretty serious daddy issues. In this outing, the Alexanders are seeking help from “radical healing coach” Murphy (John Stamos), whose unconventional approach might be what their family needs to heal and grow. Bold, heartfelt, and hilarious, our guide below explains how to watch UnPrisoned Season 2 online.

UnPrisoned was one of the most-watched Hulu Originals of 2023. Produced by the Disney-owned Onyx Collective, the comedy-drama saw Edwin (Delroy Lindo) move in with his daughter and her son after two decades in prison. Their journey to reconciliation is laced with humor and heartbreak, with Paige’s conscience-stricken inner voice realized in amusing flights of fancy, like imagined conversations with her six-year-old self (Jordyn McIntosh).

After Edwin’s wrongful arrest reignited Paige’s abandonment issues, Season 2 sees the family striving to become their best selves. Paige’s romantic life has been a train wreck – Bill dumped her and she couldn't commit to case worker Mal (Marque Richardson) – while her son Finn (Faly Rakotohavana) is grappling with anxiety. That’s where John Stamos (You, Full House), providing a blast of irreverent energy, comes in. Playing self-declared “radical healing coach” Murphy, he's trying to help Paige, Edwin, and Finn climb out of their emotional quagmires.

Washington and Lindo's performances have received nothing but praise, while Variety called the show a “heartfelt comedy about one family’s piece of the Black experience.” Critics are praising the sophomore outing as ever better, particularly how deftly the show balances it's humor and heart.

Stream the series now using our guide, which breaks down how to watch UnPrisoned Season 2 online – and from anywhere in the world with a VPN.

How to watch UnPrisoned Season 2 online for free in the US

Get ready for another brilliant binge-watching session. US viewers can watch UnPrisoned Season 2 exclusively on Hulu with all eight episodes available now.

Subscribers can chose from a number of Hulu plans. Firstly, you can opt for one of its on-demand only plans, which comes with a 30-day free trial to new members. Thereafter, you’ll pay $7.99 a month for its ad-supported plan, or $17.99 a month to go commercial free.

If you want to benefit from its 90+ live channels, the Hulu + Live TV plan is currently $76.99 per month and comes with ad-supported Disney Plus, ESPN Plus, and Hulu included too. And, if you’re new to the service, there’s a 3-day free trial currently available.

You can also opt for one of the Disney Plus bundle plans and pay from $9.99 a month for purely on-demand content.

How to watch UnPrisoned Season 2 online from anywhere

US citizen on vacation? Or perhaps you're working overseas and want to stream UnPrisoned on a streaming service, just as if you were back home. Unfortunately, in some markets you'll be stopped from doing so due to geo-blocking.

But with a VPN you can change your IP address and make your computer, smartphone, tablet or other streaming device think its right back in the US.

That means US citizens overseas can subscribe to a VPN, join a US-based server and access their subscription no matter where you are in the world, just as if you were in the comfort of your own home.

How to use a VPN to unblock streaming services:

1. Choose your ideal VPN and install – our go-to recommendation for unblocking is NordVPN, costing from $3.99 a month with its 2-year plan

2. Connect to a server – for Hulu, for example, you'll want to connect to a server based in the US

3. Go to the stream you wish to access - for UnPrisoned, head to Hulu.

Can I watch UnPrisoned Season 2 online in Canada?

Not yet! While you can stream Season 1 of UnPrisoned Season 1 on Disney Plus, we don't yet know when new episodes will drop on the House of Mouse. That’s a bit odd, given the show had a simultaneous debut on both Hulu and Disney Plus originally. Either way, UnPrisoned Season 2 is almost certain to land here in the coming months.

Don’t have a Disney Plus account? Disney Plus prices start from CA$7.99 a month for the platform’s ad-supported plan. Otherwise, choose between its Standard (CA$11.99 a month/CA$119.99 annually) or Premium ad-free options (CA$14.99 a month/CA$149.99 a year).

Can I watch UnPrisoned Season 2 online in the UK?

Alas, UnPrisoned Season 2 doesn’t yet have a Disney Plus release date. But we can virtually guarantee that the show’s latest episodes will soon join other Onyx Collective content on the platform, like TV series The Other Black Girl and award-winning documentary Summer of Soul.

In the UK, Disney Plus plans begin from as little as £4.99. Of course, subscribers have the option of upgrading to the ad-free Standard plan at £7.99 a month, or the £10.99 Premium option, which supports 4K and HDR streaming.

An American abroad trying to access Hulu? Get yourself a VPN to port yourself back home.

Can I watch UnPrisoned Season 2 online in Australia?

Crickey! Just like Canada and the UK, no UnPrisoned Season 2 release date has been announced Down Under either. Rest assured, we’ll update this space as soon as a drop date is confirmed.

There are just a few subscription options to choose from in Australia. Go monthly for AU$13.99, or get a great saving – effectively 12 months for the price of 10 – by getting an annual plan for AU$139.99.  There’s also a Disney Plus Premium plan available at AU$17.99 a month if you’re looking to boost your audio and video quality.

UnPrisoned Season 2 Trailer

UnPrisoned Season 2 Episode Release Schedule

• UnPrisoned Season 2 – Episode 1, “Don’t Try Harder, Try Different”: Wednesday, July 17
• UnPrisoned Season 2 – Episode 2, “How to Be a Cat”: Wednesday, July 17
• UnPrisoned Season 2 – Episode 3, “How to Be Friends”: Wednesday, July 17
• UnPrisoned Season 2 – Episode 4, “Into-Me-You-See”: Wednesday, July 17
• UnPrisoned Season 2 – Episode 5, “Trigger Happy”: Wednesday, July 17
• UnPrisoned Season 2 – Episode 6, “The Legend of the Rollerblades”: Wednesday, July 17
• UnPrisoned Season 2 – Episode 7, “A PTCD Christmas Carole”: Wednesday, July 17
• UnPrisoned Season 2 – Episode 8, “The After-Party”: Wednesday, July 17

UnPrisoned Season 2 Episode Synopses

Episode 1: “After Paige's viral TED talk leads to public scrutiny of her personal life, Finn finds himself in crisis and Edwin has to make a decision about how best to support his family.”

Episode 2: “Following a revelatory family therapy session, Paige takes Edwin's advice and experiments in dating like a cat, while Edwin pursues new employment and Finn tries to make a friend.”

Episode 3: “Paige tries being friends with Mal, but keeps running into the same obstacle: his new girlfriend. Meanwhile, with college looming, Finn volunteers at the halfway-house, where Edwin teaches him how to fight more than his feelings.”

Episode 4: “When a former flame slides into Paige's DMs, she finds herself wondering if she can relive what they once had. Meanwhile, Edwin investigates if a past crime might be coming back to haunt him and Finn explores questions about his father.”

Episode 5: “Edwin savors a big career win catering Esti's open house, Paige's triggers are exposed when Nadine joins their family therapy session and everyone takes it to the mat in a family smackdown. Winner heals all.”

Episode 6: “When Paige, Finn, Edwin and Esti visit Los Angeles, everyone must confront their past and present. Paige and Finn finally reunite with Finn's father, while Esti and Edwin attend a Korean trans-racial adoption meetup.”

Episode 7: “While Edwin and the family deck the halls and jingle the bells, Paige must get to the bottom of why she doesn't like Christmas before she ends up ruining it for everyone -- and in the process has a major revelation and a healing.”

Episode 8: “After suffering a devastating family loss, the Alexanders make major breakthroughs in becoming a family -- only to be confronted with a new revelation that may turn it all upside down.”

Tony Goldwyn and Kerry Washington shared the small screen for seven seasons of Scandal on ABC, but their careers have since taken them in different directions. Goldwyn joined the cast of Law & Order earlier in the 2024 TV schedule as the new District Attorney to replace Sam Waterston as Jack McCoy, and while the Season 23 finale ended with Nick Baxter's future in question, it seems like a safe bet that he'll be back in the fall. Now, Washington has weighed in on whether she'd join Goldwyn on Law & Order after he voiced some interest.

Back in June, Tony Goldwyn told People that he's "all for it" on the subject of Kerry Washington appearing on Law & Order. More recently, the former Scandal leading lady responded to the idea of coming to the NBC drama, telling ET:

That may not be confirmation that the actors behind the tumultuous "Olitz" pairing on Scandal will definitely share the screen again, but it definitely wasn't a "no" from Kerry Washington! I'm not sure what kind of character Washington could play on Law & Order, but I feel very confident predicting that the two actors' dynamic would be very different in Dick Wolf's TV universe than Shonda Rhimes' shows. While Law & Order can delve into some of the worst crime in primetime, it definitely doesn't get as steamy as Olitz on Scandal!

Kerry Washington certainly hasn't stayed away from the small screen in recent years, despite taking a break after Scandal and her repeated attempts to quit acting. After the end of the ABC drama, she moved to Hulu for Little Fires Everywhere in 2020 and UnPrisoned in 2023, with the latter returning for Season 2 on July 17 for Hulu subscribers. Law & Order would be a return to live-action network TV for the actress, although she's all-in on the idea of some fellow Scandal alums coming to UnPrisoned. She told ET:

Whether or not anybody else from Scandal will appear on Kerry Washington's UnPrisoned, NBC recently announced the fall premiere date for Law & Order to confirm when Tony Goldwyn's Nick Baxter and Co. will be back in primetime. The show returns to its 8 p.m. ET time slot on Thursdays where it will once again be followed by Law & Order: SVU, but NBC's Law & Order Thursdays are no more following the decision to turn Law & Order: Organized Crime Season 5 into a streaming original for Peacock Premium subscribers.

If you want to revisit earlier episodes of Law & Order streaming in the weeks ahead of the Season 24 premiere, you can find Tony Goldwyn's first season of the show streaming on Peacock. As for Scandal with Goldwyn and Kerry Washington, all seven seasons are streaming on Hulu.

Most actors don't just come out of the woodwork and immediately get awards attention, box office success and global stardom. Many start out taking bit parts in big movies or supporting character gigs opposite more successful performers. From Academy Award winners like Charlize Theron and Viola Davis to superhero stars like Tom Holland and Ben Affleck, here are 32 now-famous faces you might not remember popped up in famous movies before they were big. 

Matt Damon

In his movie debut, a very young Matt Damon can briefly be seen in 1988's Mystic Pizza as Steamer Windsor, the younger brother of Adam Storke's Charles, the clean-cut, country-club love interest of fun-loving pizzeria waitress Daisy (Julia Roberts). Steamer is present at an awkward dinner where Charles brings Daisy home to meet the family. 

Viola Davis

In the 1998 crime comedy Out of Sight, which is undoubtedly one of Steven Soderbergh's best movies, Viola Davis has a small role playing Moselle Miller, the wife of boxer Maurice "Snoopy" Miller (Don Cheadle). She would later go on to act alongside her Out of Sight co-star Jennifer Lopez in another crime flick, 2015's Lila & Eve.

Philip Seymour Hoffman

The 1992 Martin Brest melodrama Scent of a Woman memorably stars Al Pacino as a blind retired colonel and Chris O'Donnell as the prep-school student hired to watch over him, but it also features Philip Seymour Hoffman in one of his earliest performances as a fellow student named George Willis, Jr.

Carey Mulligan

The Bennet household is a bustling one in Joe Wright's 2005 adaptation of the Jane Austen classic Pride and Prejudice, so much so that you might have overlooked that — along with the likes of Keira Knightley, Rosamund Pike and Jena Malone — a teenaged Carey Mulligan is one of the Bennet sisters. (It's just one of many movies that prove Mulligan should be a much bigger star.) 

Elijah Wood

Long before he embarked on a quest to destroy the One Ring as Frodo in The Lord of the Rings, Elijah Wood was a successful child actor in films like The Adventures of Huck Finn, The Good Son, North and Flipper. However, before those starring roles, the pint-sized performer showed up as "Video Game Boy #2" in Back to the Future Part II.

Octavia Spencer

The 1999 Drew Barrymore comedy Never Been Kissed is jam-packed with unexpected actor appearances, from Jessica Alba to James Franco — together they play a dopey but popular high school couple — to Octavia Spencer. The latter plays a coworker of the main character Josie Geller (Barrymore) at the Chicago Sun-Times. 

Timothée Chalamet

With everything that goes on in Christopher Nolan's Interstellar — you know, that whole part about the astronauts who have to travel through a wormhole near Saturn in search of a new home for humankind — viewers may have forgotten that a fresh-faced Timothée Chalamet as Tim, the teen son of Matthew McConaughey's Cooper. 

Brie Larson

Well before she received an Oscar or donned a superhero cape, Captain Marvel star Brie Larson was a tween actress who had a main role in the short-lived WB sitcom Raising Dad. One of her first big-screen gigs, however, was as a popular Six Chick in the 2004 Jennifer Garner favorite 13 Going on 30. (Don't feel too bad, Mark Ruffalo didn't remember her either.) 

Charlize Theron

If you're a fan of The Wonders, you no doubt remember band members Guy (Tom Everett Scott), Lenny (Steve Zahn), Jimmy (Johnathon Schaech) and the bass player (Ethan Embry). However, you may not so readily remember that Charlize Theron is also in That Thing You Do!, as Guy's ex-girlfriend Tina, who leaves him for her dentist. 

Joe Manganiello 

Before making the ladies sweat in the Magic Mike franchise, Joe Manganiello was making Peter Parker sweat for an entirely different reason in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man film series, playing the high-school bully Flash Thompson. His character dated Kirsten Dunst's Mary Jane before she ended up with Spidey himself (Tobey Maguire). 

Seth Rogen

The titular teen protagonist of Donnie Darko (played by Jake Gyllenhaal) doesn't just have to deal with those disturbing visions of a rabbit-costumed man named Frank. He also has to deal with a pair of high school bullies, one of whom is played by Seth Rogen in his first ever movie appearance. 

Amy Adams

The Steven Spielberg-directed crime comedy Catch Me If You Can featured several now-well-known actresses before they were household names, including Ellen Pompeo, Elizabeth Banks and Amy Adams. The latter acted opposite Leonardo DiCaprio (played teenage con artist Frank Abagnale Jr.) as Brenda Strong, a young hospital worker who falls for Frank and his fraud. 

Keira Knightley

Given her uncanny resemblance to Natalie Portman, it's only fitting that a teenage Keira Knightley appeared as Sabé, a handmaiden and royal decoy for Portman's Padmé Amidala in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. Even Knightley herself could use a reminder about who she played in the space trilogy!

Michael Fassbender

Years before memorable film roles in Inglourious Basterds, Jane Eyre, the X-Men movies and his Oscar-nominated turn in Shame, Michael Fassbender made his film debut in the 2006 action epic 300. He played the character of Stelios, a young, spirited and highly skilled Spartan soldier fighting under Gerard Butler's King Leonidas.

Sandra Oh

"Gupta? Mhm. Mhm. Mhm. The queen is coming!" It's one of the most memorable lines uttered in The Princess Diaries and it's said by none other than a pre-Grey's Anatomy Sandra Oh. Joining Anne Hathaway and Julie Andrews in the beloved cast, Oh plays the humorous vice principal at Mia Thermopolis's school. 

Margot Robbie

Before her big breakout in The Wolf of Wall Street — and even longer before she painted the world pink with the phenomenon that is Barbie — rom-com fans got their first introduction to Margot in the 2013 romantic dramedy About Time. Robbie plays Charlotte, a woman that the main character Tim Lake (Domhnall Gleeson) is crushing on before he meets his true love, Mary (played by Rachel McAdams).

Joaquin Phoenix

The 1989 Ron Howard-directed comedy Parenthood already has a stacked cast — Steve Martin, Rick Moranis, Keanu Reeves, Mary Steenburgen and Dianne Wiest, to name a few — before you even remember that one of the youngins in the movie is played by a teenage Joaquin Phoenix, then going by his birth name Leaf.

Samuel L. Jackson

It's hard to remember a time when Samuel L. Jackson wasn't a major movie star, but in the 1970s and '80s, the iconic actor was racking up bit parts in big titles, including Eddie Murphy's Coming to America. In the 1988 rom-com, Jackson plays a character known as "Hold-Up Man," an armed robber who has held up the local fast-food restaurant called McDowell's five times. 

Kristen Stewart

Though she has been acting professionally since grade school, Kristen Stewart didn't become a global star until she played moody teen Bella Swan in 2008's vampire romance Twilight. But years before that, she played a memorable part in the 2002 David Fincher thriller Panic Room, appearing opposite Jodie Foster as her character's daughter. 

Dakota Johnson

\Dakota Johnson had her big Hollywood breakthrough leading a beloved book-to-film adaptation, as Anastasia Steele in the erotic Fifty Shades film series. But she actually showed up in another huge movie five years earlier: 2010's The Social Network, as a college coed who spends the night with Sean Parker, played by Justin Timberlake. 

Gabrielle Union

Before she led the Clovers to cheer competition victory in 2000's Bring It On, Gabrielle Union was given supporting roles in '90s teen favorites like 10 Things I Hate About You and She's All That. The latter was actually her film debut, in which she appeared as popular girl Katie, a member of Zack Siler's (Freddie Prinze Jr.) friend group. 

Nicolas Cage

Technically, Nicolas Cage wasn't in Fast Times at Ridgemont High. But Nicolas Coppola was — when he made his feature film acting debut in the 1982 coming-of-age comedy, the actor was still going by his birth name. However, the Oscar-winning star would later change his name professionally to avoid nepotism allegations. (He is, of course, the nephew of director Francis Ford Coppola and actress Talia Shire, and a cousin of director Sofia Coppola and actor Jason Schwartzman.)

Johnny Depp

Johnny Depp memorably made his big-screen debut in the 1984 horror film A Nightmare on Elm Street, but movie fans might not remember that a short while later, he also appeared in Oliver Stone's war film Platoon as a young soldier fighting in the Vietnam War alongside the likes of Charlie Sheen, Willem Dafoe, Tom Berenger, Forest Whitaker and Kevin Dillon. 

Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman has had a prolific acting career ever since she was a tween, starting from when she starred as the young protégée of a hitman in the 1994 action film Léon: The Professional at only twelve years old. Though that was an instantly memorable introduction to the performer, you might have forgotten that only a year later, she worked alongside screen greats like Al Pacino and Robert De Niro in the Michael Mann-directed classic, Heat. 

Tom Holland

He's most famous for spinning webs as Spider-Man but long before that, Tom Holland was making his film debut (and making audiences weep) in the 2012 disaster drama The Impossible, as a young boy desperately trying to reunite with his family following a horrific tsunami. 

Vince Vaughn

The heartwarming 1993 sports drama Rudy — about a young man (Sean Astin) who dreams of playing football at the University of Notre Dame — features an ironic pair of film-acting debuts. It was the first movie roles of both Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn, playing teaching assistant D-Bob and tailback Jamie O'Hara, respectively. That duo would famously go on to star in the 1996 buddy comedy Swingers. 

Ryan Gosling

Another early football role for a Hollywood heavyweight, a young Ryan Gosling already had some big TV gigs under his belt (The Mickey Mouse Club, Young Hercules) before he appeared as Alan Bosley, the wiry cornerback of T. C. Williams High School's football team in Remember the Titans. And if you remember that locker-room singalong, you know the little Goose had charisma even then!

Mila Kunis

Yes, that is a mini Mila Kunis in Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves — she played a friend of Wayne Szalinski's (Rick Moranis) niece, who throws a house party once it seems like all of the grown-ups have left for the evening. (Instead, the adults have been accidentally zapped to microscopic proportions, naturally.) 

Daniel Craig

Before he was Bond, James Bond, Daniel Craig was Ballard, John Ballard, in the 1998 historical drama Elizabeth. The British actor portrayed a priest-slash-assassin who conspired with the Duke of Norfolk (Christopher Eccleston) to overthrow Queen Elizabeth I (played by Cate Blanchett) from the throne. Of course, Bond would never treat the Queen of England that way!

Jake Gyllenhaal

Given that filmmaking is a family business for Jake Gyllenhaal — he is the son of film director Stephen Gyllenhaal and screenwriter Naomi Foner, and the younger bro of the great actress Maggie Gyllenhaal — it's not a shock that the actor started young. He made his film debut at age ten in 1991's City Slickers, playing the son of Billy Crystal's character Mitch Robbins. 

Kerry Washington

Kerry Washington is best known for playing crisis management expert Olivia Pope in the ABC drama series Scandal, but more than a decade earlier, she showed off her fix-it skills as Chenille Reynolds in Save the Last Dance, helping Julia Stiles's character Sara better integrate into their South Side high school and hip-hop culture at large. 

Ben Affleck

Like his famous best friend Matt Damon, Ben Affleck also began his acting career as a child and while eagle-eyed moviegoers no doubt remember spotting him in early-'90s films like School Ties and Dazed and Confused, they may have forgotten his uncredited early cameos, such as "Basketball Player 10" in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie. 

I realize that I’m not an actor and have no reason to be jealous of them, however, the more I know about Knives Out 3 (AKA Wake Up Dead Man), the more I want to be a part of the making of this movie. Most recently, Kerry Washington spoke out about how excited she is to start filming with her co-stars like Josh Brolin and Glenn Close, and as I said, I can’t help but be a tad jealous over and overwhelmingly hyped about this project on the 2025 movie schedule.

Now that the cast of Wake Up Dead Man is known, and Rian Johnson announced that Knives Out 3 is filming, the actors in this ensemble are getting asked about the project. Of course, they have to keep things pretty close to the chest when it comes to plot details. However, while talking to People, Kerry Washington shared how excited she is to start working on this highly anticipated whodunnit:

I imagine it is like summer camp. Both the Knives Out cast and Glass Onion ensemble were stacked with A-Listers, and Wake Up Dead Man is no different. Summer camp feels like an appropriate way to describe working on this movie, especially when the list of co-stars is as fun as this one. Along with Washington, Johnson has assembled quite the crew, which includes: Daniel Craig (of course), Josh O’Connor, Cailee Spaeny, Mila Kunis, Andrew Scott, Glenn Close, Daryl McCormack, Thomas Haden Church, and MCU pals turned whodunnit co-stars, Jeremy Renner and Josh Brolin.

When you mix an ensemble like that with a stunning location like the mansions in the first two mysteries from Rian Johnson, I’m sure it does feel like summer camp.

Washington went on to say that she’s also excited about the project because it will reunite her with some old friends, she said:

For some context, the Scandal star and Glenn Close were both in the 2004 TV movie Strip Search. Washington also worked with Brolin on The Dead Girl, which came out in 2006 – and, fun fact, also starred OG Knives Out star Toni Collette. So, it’ll be exciting to see these folks reunite on screen two decades later.

Along with that, Washington referenced her “new friends.” One of the reasons these films are so delightful is they bring together a cast you’d never expect. Seeing veteran actors like Kerry Washington and Jeremy Renner interact with the likes of breakouts like Challengers star Josh O’Connor and Civil War’s Cailee Spaeny will be so entertaining! And knowing Rian Johnson, he has some surprises up his sleeve that will make this whole collaboration even better and more unpredictable. As the Ray star said:

I agree, I also think it’s going to be “a lot of fun,” and I’m jealous that they all get to live the mystery now, while we have to wait over a year to watch the movie. However, I’ll easily get over that, and I know that the wait for Wake Up Dead Man will be well worth it.

At the moment, Knives Out 3 does not have a release date, however, they are filming it now, and it’s expected to premiere next year. While we wait for more news about this exciting movie and amusing stories about it from Kerry Washington and the cast, you can buy or rent Knives Out on Amazon and stream Glass Onion with a Netflix subscription to dive back into the wildly fun world of Benoit Blanc.

When it comes to the best movies of the 1990s, Clueless is definitely up there! It’s not only a hilarious high school comedy with all its quotable lines and fashion moments, it’s a pop culture minefield of the era! While the original cast of Clueless is absolutely perfect, over the years, it's been revealed that numerous big name actors were almost in the classic ’90s movie. From Reese Witherspoon to Gwyneth Paltrow, a lot of massive stars crossed paths with the Beverly Hill-set film before Alicia Silverstone, Paul Rudd and more were officially cast. 

Next time you watch Clueless, which is currently available to stream with a Paramount+ subscription, you can imagine how these other major actors would have been like as the main cast. Check them out: 

Reese Witherspoon 

Years before Reese Witherspoon starred in iconic movies like Legally Blonde, Election and Cruel Intentions, the actress auditioned “so hard” for Clueless, clearly to play Cher Horowitz. While talking to BuzzFeed, she shared the role that got away. It’s not hard to see her as the leading character, but of course she’s gone on to have a fabulous career without wearing that yellow plaid matching set. At the time, casting director Carrie Frazier recalls Witherspoon was “amazing,” but Alicia Silverstone was ultimately the right Cher. 

Kerry Washington

At the same time Reese Witherspoon shared her audition for Clueless, her Little Fires Everywhere co-star Kerry Washington explained that she tried out for a role in the comedy as well! We can totally see Washington rocking the role of Cher’s best friend Dionne Davenport, but it was, of course, Stacey Dash’s part to win. While realizing their unique connection, Witherspoon and Washington joked they should “recreate” a Clueless scene together. 

Ben Affleck 

Another big name that could have been in the 1995 movie is Ben Affleck! At the time, Affleck was just stepping into the Hollywood scene with roles in School Ties and Dazed and Confused when he was considered for Paul Rudd’s part as Josh. Reportedly, Affleck passed on the role in order to do his first movie with Kevin Smith, Mallrats, as well as Glory Days. But as casting director Carrie Frazier said, per ET, she was “really trying to get” Affeck for the part and was “heartbroken” when it didn’t go to him at first.  

Terrence Howard

Before Donald Faison earned the role of Murray in Clueless, Terrence Howard was reportedly a “top contender” for Dionne’s boyfriend. At the time, Howard was also pretty new to Hollywood, but he’d done guest spots in All My Children, Living Single and Family Matters. While Howard didn’t get the role, he would go on to be part of Mr. Holland’s Opus, which became a part of the 1995 award season conversation. 

Zach Braff 

Speaking of Donald Faison, the actor’s future BFF and Scrubs co-star Zach Braff was also up for Clueless as Josh as well. All we know is that he auditioned for Paul Rudd’s part, but didn’t get it. Braff and Rudd certainly look somewhat alike, and we have to wonder if Faison and Braff passed each other at the casting office years prior to meeting on Scrubs. 

Angelina Jolie 

Carrie Frazier has also revealed in the past that Angelina Jolie was among the actors who auditioned for Cher Horowitz at the time. However, the casting director shared that she felt Jolie was “too knowing” for playing the high schooler and found her to be “exactly the opposite” of what they needed for the role. 1995 would become the year Jolie first starred in a movie, but it was for Hackers instead. 

Jeremy Renner

Another memorable member of the Clueless cast was Breckin Meyer’s Travis Birkenstock, who played the school’s resident stoner/skater kid. According to ABC, the eventual Avengers actor “came down to the finals” to play Travis at the time and was “very funny” in his audition. If he had gotten it, it would have been Renner’s first movie. Instead, 1995’s National Lampoon’s Senior Trip was his first film! 

Keri Russell

Director Amy Heckerling reportedly had her “heart set” on Alicia Silverstone quite early on for Cher Horowitz (per ET), but she was asked to “explore” all the options, so she went ahead and did so. Among the names she has shared that auditioned is Keri Russell, who would of course go on to star in another iconic coming-of-age leading role with Felicity. 

Sarah Michelle Gellar

Another future ‘90s TV icon who auditioned for Clueless just a couple of years before getting her big break leading a show was Sarah Michelle Gellar. The Buffy the Vampire Slayer actress auditioned as Cher’s nemesis at school Amber, which Elisa Donovan ended up playing. In this case, Gellar was actually offered the role before Donovan, but she had to pass it up due to a role she had at the time on All My Children.  

Seth Green 

Another actor that was reportedly up for Travis Birkenstock along with Jeremy Renner before Breckin Meyer, was the actor’s pal Seth Green. While he didn’t get the part, the actor would star in another iconic ‘90s teen movie in 1998’s Can’t Hardly Wait which starred the likes of Jennifer Love Hewitt.

Dave Chappelle

Dave Chappelle could have been in Clueless too in Donald Faison’s role of Murray. The director apparently met with the comedian while casting for the part after being a fan of Robin Hood: Men In Tights. However, what allowed Faison to win over him was his more “innocent” appeal. She felt Chappelle was a bit too edgy for the high school role. 

Gwyneth Paltrow 

Lastly, we also know that Gwyneth Paltrow was also in the running for Cher. It sounds like the studio really wanted her to be in the movie after she had been in 1993’s Flesh And Bone. However, the director shared she never actually got to see Paltrow audition. Paltrow would go on to star in Se7en that year!

So many huge actors were considered for Clueless. While it’s fun to imagine these other great talents as these iconic characters, the casting team of the comedy really made some incredible choices. We wouldn’t want it any other way! 

Kerry Washington’s personal and professional trials have been making headlines as she promotes her memoir Thicker than Water. She shocked fans with recounts of a scrapped Django Unchained assault scene and playing Meg Ryan’s best friend in a movie. Another candid story came from her memoir as Washington opened up about her decision to share a past abortion experience.

The Scandal star didn’t hold back when talking about the sensitive subject in her recently released book. The moment came at a time when Kerry Washington was still a rising star in Hollywood, fresh off the success of the hit movie Save the Last Dance. She was between roles when a romantic fling led to an unplanned pregnancy. The then-young actress felt she wasn’t ready for a child so early in her career. However, she explained why her abortion didn’t come without trepidation as the Emmy winner said to People:

Revealing such a long-kept secret can be hard for anyone, especially someone as visible as the Little Fires Everywhere star. Abortion is a sensitive topic, which elicits a myriad of responses. For the actress, it was a personal matter that she didn’t have to share but chose to because of her large platform. Washington admitted to the publication that she felt hypocritical about having an abortion due to her past as a sex health teacher.

Kerry Washington was more candid about her experience as she admitted to giving a fake name to protect her privacy. She mentioned feeling ashamed during her procedure. Despite her past shame, the actress clarified why she chose to share her abortion experience. The actress-producer stated:

Washington chose to use her book to alleviate the shame around women and this sensitive topic. She wanted to let women – famous and not – know that they are not alone in this experience.

Kerry Washington shares more stories beyond her abortion experience in Thicker than Water, which is currently available on bookshelves everywhere. In addition to her bombshell memoir, her acting career is still thriving despite her trying to quit for years and the ongoing actors’ strike. Washington recurs on The Simpsons and stars in and produces Unprisoned, which premiered on the 2023 TV schedule. Both series are available to stream through a Hulu subscription.

On Friday, October 13, 2023, Hollywood icons George Clooney, Don Cheadle, Eva Longoria, and Kerry Washington descended upon Clooney's Roybal School of Film and Television Production Magnet in Los Angeles. This LAUSD school, specializing in film and TV production, was celebrating its second year and, amidst the festivities, these A-list celebrities came together for a moment of sheer hilarity. In a star-studded viral video, the fabulous foursome displayed their wit and charm while playfully poking fun at the younger TikTok generation in an A+ video.

The TikTok clip, which was posted to Kerry Washington’s official account, starts with the quartet of stars gathering around Eva Longoria as she reads from Washington's memoir, Thicker than Water. At the same time, a popular TikTok sound starts playing. The popular track features a young person addressing "the older generation” on the social media platform, who the voice claims are folks “born in the '90s." Just when you think it's business as usual, the fun takes an unexpected twist as the viral sound seamlessly transitions into the iconic beats of "Gangsta's Paradise" by Coolio. The group’s reactions are nothing short of comedic brilliance, and you can see all of the antics down below:

The video, which the Django Unchained actress playfully captioned, “Are we too old to be here… @Roybal Learning Center?!” is both humorous and impactful. The event provided a platform for the stars to address significant concerns. George Clooney took a moment at last year's opening to throw shade at Ben Affleck and call himself the best Caped Crusader. However, this time around, the 62-year-old Ocean's Eleven star took the stage to raise awareness about the institution's mission of inclusivity for underrepresented students in the film and TV industries. 

Students are said to receive industry insights from guest speakers, specialized curricula co-developed with industry professionals, field trips and direct pathways to jobs at top entertainment companies like Amazon, Fox, NBC and Netflix. While they are also expected to fulfill high school academic requirements and are strongly encouraged to pursue post-secondary education, who knows? Perhaps one of the students could soon grace the 2024 movie release schedule or beyond.

Reuters reported that the ER veteran also called for renewed negotiations between Hollywood studios and striking actors to resolve their differences over a new labor contract. Talks between studios and the SAG-AFTRA actors' union were halted after studios rejected a bonus linked to streaming TV subscribers, a move George Clooney found "worrisome.” He urged execs to “get in the room” and not to “take a vacation.” The Batman & Robin actor has been at the forefront of the ongoing situation, releasing a statement about joining the strikes earlier this year while also joining at least 15 stars who have donated at least $1 million to the actor's relief fund. 

Eva Longoria -- accompanied by the real-life inspiration for her directorial debut, Richard Montañez -- and Kerry Washington delivered motivational speeches to the students. Don Cheadle was a returning attendee and Roybal Advisory Board Member and previously attended in 2022 with Mindy Kaling.

Amidst the online circus of zany and offbeat viral content, this TikTok video of the A-listers is a breath of fresh air that effortlessly bridges generational gaps. Whether you hail from the '90s or beyond, this video promises to make you smile. On top of all that, while the group may have humorously poked fun at today's kids, their collective presence at the event indicates that they truly want the younger generation of thespians to succeed. And quite frankly, you love to see it.

Make sure to check out our schedule of 2023 new movie releases to read about what flicks are headed to a theater near you.

These days we know Kerry Washington for her standout roles in critically acclaimed shows like Scandal and movies like Ray. However, before that, she starred in supporting roles, and she explained how she was beginning to feel typecast as “the white girl’s best friend.” Recently, she opened up about this chapter in her career, and she explained how a movie she made with Meg Ryan marked a turning point. 

In 2004, Washington co-starred with Ryan in the film Against the Ropes. The movie was loosely based on the first successful female boxing manager, who the Sleepless in Seattle star played. The Scandal actress played her “coworker and confidante,” as she described in an excerpt of her memoir Thicker Than Water (via EW). She continued to talk about making the movie, and how she was starting to feel  typecast, saying:

Before this film, Washington had played the friend of Julia Stiles’ character in Save the Last Dance, and she had another role like that in the pilot Wonderfalls. She said Against the Ropes was the last time she took the role of “the white girl’s best friend.” She explained why the movie with Meg Ryan was her final one like this:

Continuing to recall this point in her career, and opening up about why she wanted to play different kinds of characters, she wrote:

Not long after she made this change, Washington went on to star in Ray and The Last King of Scotland. 

Ray also came out in 2004, and both Washington and Jamie Foxx received great acclaim for it. To this day, it’s considered one of the best movies of the 2000s and a biopic about Black musicians everyone should watch. It’s also one of Foxx’s best movies, and he won an Oscar for his performance. Overall, Ray is regarded very highly, and it stands out as a major highlight in Washington's career. It also came right after Against the Ropes.

Then, in 2012, after eight years of taking on some great roles in movies, Kerry Washington landed her role as Olivia Pope in Scandal, which was historic. She became the Black first woman to lead a network drama in 38 years, per EW, the show was wildly popular, and she got two Emmy nominations for her performance. 

Kerry Washington is truly a legend, and it’s inspiring to hear about how she overcame hurdles and achieved her goals throughout her career. Due to the fact that she made the decision to work toward different types of roles after Against the Ropes, she went on to land some of her best characters, and she continues to impress audiences with her incredible performances.  

Both Kerry Washington and Meg Ryan have careers worth admiring, and they’re both super busy at the moment. The When Harry Met Sally actress is making her return to acting with the rom-com What Happens Later. It’s slated on the 2023 movie schedule for a November 3 premiere. Meanwhile, along with her memoir, the Scandal star recently starred in the series UnPrisoned, which is available with a Hulu subscription. 

Quentin Tarantino is a writer and director who clearly has no problems with violence going to extremes. Many of his movies include significant blood throughout their runtimes or include scenes that have become famous for their levels of intensity. Django Unchained certainly has its share of brutal violence, but apparently, the movie could have gone even harder, but Tarantino changed his mind about including a rape scene, apparently at the last minute.

The Daily Beast has excerpts from Kerry Washington’s new memoir Thicker Than Water in which the actress reveals that the original script for Django included what she calls a “terrifyingly brutal rape scene," one she had true reservations about being part of. But when it came time to actually shoot the scene, Tarantino instead wrapped the shoot for the day. It seems Washington still doesn’t know why the scene was cut, though she was very glad it was. She explained…

It doesn’t sound like Washington ever voiced her concerns to Tarantino directly, which makes it a very interesting question why the scene was cut. What's more, this decision was seemingly made on the day the scene was to be shot. 

Washington wonders if there was a conversation between Tarantino and Foxx about the scene. Maybe the two had been talking about whether it was really necessary. Or did the director decide himself that the movie just didn’t need it? Based on the level of violence that Django Unchained was comfortable with, which Will Smith has said is the reason he turned down the movie, the scene wouldn’t have felt out of place. And it may have been one of the most violent sequences in the movie.

It sounds like Django Unchained went through a lot of changes from page to screen. Samuel L. Jackson has talked about scenes of his that were cut as well. Zoe Bell has mentioned a fight scene her character was supposed to have that never happened. Perhaps the assault scene was simply one change among others. Or some of the other changes led to this scene not being needed.

Actors are certainly no strangers to being asked to do extreme things, but for Washington, who admits in the book to having been sexually violated by a friend as a child, it may have been that much tougher to go through a scene that would have put her through such an experience.

We can say with certainty that the assault scene wasn’t necessary. As our original Django Unchained review stated, it is still a great film, and there’s no feeling that any moment is missing from it. 

Kerry Washington is one of our great American actresses. She mesmerized the world with captivating performances in Django Unchained and The Last King of Scotland, and cemented herself as an A-lister when she played Olivia Pope on the ABC drama, Scandal. She has been so successful, that Hulu paid her a million dollars an episode for Little Fires Everywhere. Now she has revealed that she has wanted to quit acting at several points in her career, but something always seemed to stop her from doing so. 

The Prom actress was profiled by W Magazine, and she opened up about fame, and some of her most iconic performances over the years. Washington revealed that although her skills as an actress made her a star, she has almost quit the business many times. However, every time she comes close to giving up Hollywood for good, an incredible opportunity always pops up that draws her back in. She explained:

While the Emmy winner may have been pushed to a quitting point many times, I think her fans are happy she never left the business. Washington is extraordinary, and her work on so many different projects across various genres is why audiences love her so much. Scandal was a sensation, resulting in a historic run on ABC that wouldn’t have been the same if another actress had played Olivia Pope. She embodied the role, just as she did her characters in Ray and The Last King of Scotland. 

Washington may have wanted to leave acting to pursue other endeavors in the past, but she has found a way to participate in other ventures while maintaining a lustrous career performing. She is a fierce activist, and she is a member of the Creative Coalition which is a group of creatives who seek to explore issues of social and political importance. She has also produced films like The Fight and Netflix’s American Son. On top of all that, she directed episodes of Scandal, Reasonable Doubt, and Insecure too. 

Even as Washington explores different sides of her creativity outside from behind the screen, the Confirmation actress continues to pursue other projects that put her in front of it too. Her current Hulu comedy, Unprisoned allows her to show off her sitcom chops, and it deftly explores issues regarding the post-prison experience. Washington is also a producer on the project. She is additionally set to star alongside Eva Longoria in the comedy 24-7 and a Tyler Perry-directed war film titled Six Triple Eight. While she may have wanted to leave the business before, it doesn’t seem like Kerry Washington is slowing down anytime soon and we will continue getting incredible performances from the Scandal star. 

You can see Kerry Washington in Unprisoned, which is currently streaming with a Hulu subscription. Fans of the actress can also stream Scandal on the platform, which earned the actress several of her Emmy nominations. 

Tyler Perry has had a good thing going at Netflix for a few years now, first delivering 2020’s A Fall from Grace to the streaming platform, followed by both A Made Homecoming and the long-awaited A Jazzman’s Blues both arriving in 2022, not to mention Perry’s role in Don’t Look Up. Now Perry is putting together his fourth Netflix movie, Six Triple Eight, which is about the all-Black, all-female 6888th Postal Directory Battalion from World War II, and it’s been officially announced that Oprah Winfrey and Kerry Washington are just two of the heavy-hitting actors appearing in this feature.

With Six Triple Eight kicking off principal photography this week, Netflix announced who will be making up the ensemble cast. Along with Oprah Winfrey and Kerry Washington, the latter of whom is also executive producing, the lineup of actors includes Law & Order’s Sam Waterston, Thelma & Louise’s Susan Sarandon, If Beale Street Could Talk's Ebony Obsidian, How to Get Away With Murder's Milauna Jackson (who also appeared in A Jazzman's Blues), Tiny Pretty Things' Kylie Jefferson, The Wiz Live!'s Shanice Shantay, Charmed's Sarah Jeffery, Pam & Tommy's Pepi Sonuga, Safety's Jay Reeves, Daybreak's Jeanté Godlock, Raising Dion's Moriah Brown, Ruthless' Baadja-Lyne Odums, The Throwback's Gregg Sulkin and Breaking Bad's Dean Norris. Furthermore, Nicole Avant from Her Excellency Productions; Keri Selig from Intuition Productions, and Carlota Espinosa; Angi Bones and Tony Strickland from Tyler Perry Studios are attached as producers.

Based on an article by Kevin M. Hymel published in WWII History Magazine by Sovereign Media, Six Triple Eight delves into the inspiring story of the 855 Black women who made up the 6888th Postal Directory Battalion. It was on them to sort through and fix the three-year backlog of undelivered mail, and not only did they accomplish this task, they did in half the time given. In the midst of going through the 17 million pieces of undelivered mail that ultimately reconnected soldiers with their families and loves ones upon making it to their intended destinations, they faced discrimination, unfamiliar land, and a war-torn country, yet persevered by following the motto “No Mail, Low Morale.”

Tyler Perry has assembled quite the impressive lineup of talent for Six Triple Eight, and while it’ll be a while until this movie makes its way to Netflix subscribers, this is a great time for this story to be told in a cinematic setting following President Joe Biden signing a bill on March 14, 2022 for the women of the 6888th Postal Directory Battalion to receive a Congressional Medal of Honor. With this kind of story and the actors involved, Six Triple Eight turns out well, perhaps Perry and his team could find some awards attention being thrown their way.

Redirecting our focus on the two actresses previously highlighted, this will be talk show host heavyweight Oprah Winfrey’s first time playing a role in a movie since 2018’s A Wrinkle in Time, where she starred as Mrs. Which. Winfrey’s other notable film credits include The Color Purple, The Princess and the Frog, Lee Daniels’ The Butler and Selma. As for Kerry Washington, who led ABC’s Scandal as Olivia Pope for seven seasons, she popped up last year in fellow Netflix movie The School for Good and Evil as Professor Clarissa Dovey. 2020 was an especially big year for Washington too, as she appeared in the movies The Fight and The Prom, as well as the limited series Little Fires Everywhere, which can streamed with a Hulu subscription.

Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more updates on how Six Triple Eight is coming along, and be sure to look the 2023 Netflix movie schedule to learn what the streaming service will deliver this year on the cinematic side of things.

The reviews are in for Netflix’s latest fantasy property, The School for Good and Evil. The movie is directed by Paul Feig, of Bridesmaids and The Heat fame, and stars Sofia Wylie, known for her role in the Disney+ show High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, and Sophia Anne Caruso, who originated the role of Lydia Deetz in Beetlejuice on Broadway. Supporting the ladies are big stars including Charlize Theron and Kerry Washington. It follows Wylie and Carusos' characters as they are pitted against each other after being placed in the schools of good and evil, respectively. Though it’s based on the popular YA series by Soman Chainani of the same name, the reviews for the film are mixed. 

Starting with Maya Phillips from The New York Times, she explained that there are good and evil elements to the film. She wrote that the special effects, certain points of the plot, and the world-building aren't the best. However, she did praise Wylie’s performance along with the A-list older cast members, specifically Theron, Michelle Yeoh, and Laurence Fishburne. She wrote: 

While there were aspects of the film Phillips enjoyed, David Ehrlich at Indie Wire did not like the movie at all, calling it a ripoff of the Harry Potter movies in the headline. He discussed the parallels to the popular series about the wizarding world, and then also pointed out the various clichés The School for Good and Evil fumbles into. He wrote: 

Sticking with the Harry Potter comparisons, Peter Debruge at Variety said the movie felt like it “recycled from J.K. Rowling’s superior wizarding school.” However, he did compliment the costume design, though that was really it. His main point was the film tried to tackle too much, writing: 

Meanwhile, Hoai-Tran Bui at /Film was not nearly as offended by the film as the last two critics. She described the film as “charmingly silly” and a “frothy and fun time.” She complimented the performances of the two leading ladies, while also pointing out some of the film's flaws, the biggest one being it’s too long. While most of these critics have compared it to Harry Potter Bui took a different route, writing: 

Christy Lemire at Roger Ebert wrote that the movie feels “overstuffed.” She wrote that there are lots of interesting points the film could focus on, but its big flaw is it tries to focus on them all rather than choosing one. She compliments the performances of Wylie and Caruso as well as the over-the-top sets and costumes. However, in the end, it just tired to do much, and she gave it 2.5 stars. 

Well there you have it, the consensus seems to be mixed to negative when it comes to The School for Good and Evil. However, there was agreement that the film is visually stunning, especially the costumes. 

You can check out The School for Good and Evil with a Netflix subscription, and make sure to check out the 2022 movie schedule to stay in the know about other movies coming out throughout the year. 

Over the years, Netflix has become an exciting place for YA fans to see some inspired adaptations of their favorite books and novel series, with shows like Shadow and Bone, Fear Street, To All The Boys I Loved Before and 13 Reasons Why. That tradition continues with a movie adapting author Soman Chainani’s fantasy series, The School For Good And Evil.

Directed by Bridesmaid’s Paul Feig, the new Netflix original movie follows friends Sophie and Agatha, who attend the School of Good and Evil as classmates and learn about their mysterious pasts and destinies. It also features an exciting, star-studded cast that we will shine the spotlight on now for you. Here is a breakdown of who is playing who in Netflix’s The School for Good and Evil cast.

Sofia Wylie

Playing one of the film’s main protagonists, Agatha, is Sofia Wylie, who has played a Marvel character before – namely Riri “Ironheart” Williams on Disney XD’s Spider-Man series and in a few animated shorts. Her first taste of fame was as a dancer on America’s Got Talent in 2015 and, two years later, being cast on Nickelodeon’s Nicky, RIcky, Dicky & Dawn and Disney Channel’s Andi Mack. Two years after that, was cast as the lead of a short-lived Disney show about dancing called Shook, and as a main character of Disney+’s hit series High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. 

Sophia Anne Caruso

As Agatha’s best friend, Sophie (who is placed in the School of Evil), we have Sophia Anne Caruso, who is best known for originating the role of Lydia Deetz for Broadway’s take on Beetlejuice. She had earlier experience with screen acting from appearing in 2008’s Eagle Eye and 2011’s I Am Number Four from director D.J. Caruso (no relation), and she also played Brigitta in NBC’s The Sound of Music Live! in 2013, but The School For Good And Evil marks her first lead role in a film.

Laurence Fishburne

Another cast member with Marvel titles under his belt (2007’s Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer and 2018’s Ant-Man and the Wasp) in addition to DC movies (he played Perry White in the DECU) is Laurence Fishburne, whose earlier work includes playing Cowboy Curtis on Pee-wee’s Playhouse, as well as starring in grounded, thought-provoking dramas like Boyz n the Hood. However, the Oscar nominee (for What’s Love Got to Do with It) is best known as Morpheus, whom he did not reprise in the fourth installment of the Matrix movies. However, he did reunite with Keanu Reeves for the last few John Wick movies and will reprise his role as the Bowery King for that franchise’s upcoming fourth installment.

Michelle Yeoh

Reportedly playing Professor Emma Anemone from the School of Good, is Michelle Yeoh – who is also best-known for playing heroic badasses like Jessica Yang in Supercop, Wai Lin in Tomorrow Never Dies, Yu Shu Lien in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, or Evelyn Wang in Everything Everywhere All at Once, more recently. Of course, those are only some of Yeoh's best movies, which also include a couple of MCU films (as a different character in each), some rom-coms (such as when she was in the Crazy Rich Asians cast) and last worked with Paul Feig on Last Christmas), and her recent voice over work in the Paws of Fury cast and in Minions: The Rise of Gru.

Jamie Flatters

The School for Good and Evil will be many American audiences’ first introduction to Jamie Flatters before he appears in Avatar: The Way of Water later in 2022, unless they already caught his last Netflix original movie — the European World War II-set drama, The Forgotten War, from 2020. The English actor debuted on the BBC’s coming-of-age dramedy, So Awkward, in 2015 before landing recurring roles on a more mature British drama called Liar and another dark miniseries from the U.K. called Close to Me.

Kit Young

The School for Good and Evil is only the latest Netflix original title based on a series of YA fantasy novels to star Kit Young, following his breakout role in the Shadow and Bone cast as Jesper Fahey. He made his acting debut alongside The Handmaid’s Tale cast member O-T Fagbenle in the 2008 made-for-TV military biopic, Walter’s War, and has appeared in stage productions of classic Shakespeare plays that were filmed and distributed by National Theatre Live — namely Julius Caesar in 2018 and A Midsummer Night’s Dream the following year.

Peter Serafinowicz

Peter Serafinowicz has a lot in common with his fellow cast members. He has starred in comic book adaptations (Guardians of the Galaxy and Amazon Prime’s live-action reboot of The Tick, for instance), Simon Pegg movies and TV shows (most notably Shaun of the Dead and Spaced), John Wick: Chapter 2, and a number of Paul Feig movies (including Spy and the aforementioned Last Christmas). However, none of his co-stars can claim to be the first actor to voice Darth Maul in Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace.

Rob Delaney

Yet another comic book movie veteran (Deadpool 2) in The School for Good and Evil cast is Rob Delaney, who is also part of the Fast and Furious movies universe (he was in the Hobbs and Shaw spin-off), worked with Charlize Theron in the Bombshell cast, worked with Paul Feig on Last Christmas, and was in Netflix’s The Bubble cast with Peter Serafinowicz. The creator and star of Amazon’s Catastrophe also had an especially busy year in 2021 with the live-action Tom & Jerry movie, Guy Ritchie’s Wrath of Man, the futuristic animated feature Ron’s Gone Wrong, and Disney+’s Home Sweet Home Alone.

Mark Heap

The School of Evil counterpart to Michelle Yeoh’s character, Professor Bilious Manley, is played by Mark Heap, who is no stranger to fantasy, having starred in 2007’s Stardust, and who is also known for movies like 2002’s About a Boy. However, he is best known for his scene-stealing main role on Spaced and would reunite with the hit British sitcom's star/co-creator (Simon Pegg) and director (Edgar Wright) for the apocalyptic comedy The World’s End in 2012. 

Patti LuPone

Another The School for Good and Evil cast member with a theater background and a role in a Paul Feig Movie (Last Christmas) is the legendary Patti LuPone. Her first major role in a feature film was in Steven Spielberg’s 1941, which she would follow up with more acclaimed hits like Witness in 1985 and 1989’s Driving Miss Daisy, for instance. Also in 2022, she returned to the American Horror Story cast for Season 11, which is only her latest time working with producer Ryan Murphy after her recurring role on Pose and in the Netflix miniseries, Hollywood.

Rachel Bloom 

Rachel Bloom’s connections to the rest of the School for Good and Evil cast include a comic book adaptation (she leant her voice to Batgirl in 2019’s Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) and starring in a recent Disney+ movie (Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers from 2022). The Emmy-winning star and co-creator of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend can also be seen playing a Hulu-employed comedy writer in the platform’s Reboot cast and, years earlier, had a brief role on How I Met Your Mother in Season 7.

Kerry Washington

As the Dean of the School for Good, Professor Clarissa Dovey, we have Kerry Washington, who was part of The Prom cast for her last Netflix movie and has been in Marvel films – namely two Fantastic Four movies as Ben Grimm’s girlfriend, Alicia. She became a household name, however, when she was cast in her Emmy-nominated role as Olivia Pope in Shonda Rhimes’ Scandal in 2012 – the same year she reunited with her Ray co-star, Jamie Foxx, in Django Unchained. In 2020, Washington won an Emmy for executive producing Live in Front of a Studio Audience: “All in the Family” and “Good Times” and was also nominated that year for her performance in Hulu’s Little Fires Everywhere.   

Charlize Theron

As the Dean of the School for Evil, Lady Lesso, we have Charlize Theron, who is -- like Michelle Yeoh -- usually known best for playing heroic badasses like Furiosa in Mad Max: Fury Road, Lorraine Broughton in Atomic Blonde, or Andy in her last Netflix movie, The Old Guard. However, she has gone bad to play serial killer Aileen Wuornos in Monster (for which she won an Oscar), the royally evil Ravenna in Snow White and the Huntsman and its sequel, and Cipher in the Fast and Furious movies. The South African native – who broke out in Tom Hanks’ That Thing You Do! cast  – also received Academy attention for 2006’s North Country and 2019’s Bombshell, and recently joined the MCU as Doctor Strange’s love interest, Clea.  

With a director as versatile as Paul Feig at the helm and a star-studded ensemble like this, we could be looking at the next Harry Potter — in terms of being a successful franchise based on a series of YA fantasy books. Stream The School for Good and Evil on Netflix, if you have not already, to see for yourself.

Book adaptations of big-time novels always seem to go over well with audiences, and have for plenty of years, with movie sagas such as Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings taking over the box office. But, a newcomer is arriving on the movie scene, one which should have been adapted almost as soon as it came out, if you ask me.

The School for Good and Evil, an amazing addition to the fantasy genre, is finally getting its own adaptation into the film world – but not in theaters. However, it will be appearing as a Netflix movie, on the popular streaming website. However, what else do we know about this upcoming film? What is it going to be about? Who is going to be in it? There are plenty of things that you might not know, but we do. Here are some quick things we know about the upcoming Netflix film.

The School For Good And Evil Release Date Is Set For October 21

Mark your calendars, fantasy lovers, as The School for Good and Evil is going to be coming out as part of the 2022 movie release schedule! Announced with the official poster from the Netflix Twitter page, it was confirmed that The School for Good and Evil would release on the popular streaming platform in Fall 2022, specifically on October 21. 

Talk about a great addition to all the fun Halloween movies we’ll be watching during that time of year - I can always use a little good and evil in my life. 

The School For Good And Evil Has A Star-Studded Cast

With an adaptation like The School for Good and Evil, we all knew that the cast needed to be amazing. And, luckily, there’s no shortage of amazing additions to this Netflix movie. First, let’s take a look at the two leads characters of the film, Sophie and Agatha, where the story begins. These two roles will be played by Sophia Anna Caruso, known for her role in the Broadway musical Beetlejuice, and Sofia Wylie, who stars on a Disney+  show you really should watch, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.

Wylie is especially excited for her role in The School for Good and Evil. In an interview with MTV, she talked about her part as Agatha and how she’s excited to “bring some realness” to the character that hadn’t been seen before. She described Agatha’s struggles with internal and external beauty through her own experience, saying that it’s something she can relate to and that it’s an important message to teach.

Adding on to this cast, Deadline reported that two megastars, Charlize Theron and Kerry Washington, signed on for two of the main roles in the upcoming film. Theron is set to play Lady Lesso, and Washington will portray a teacher at the school, Professor Dovey.

In addition to these two, in another article, Deadline reported that Laurence Fishburne, known for his roles in The Matrix trilogy and many other films, as well as action star Michelle Yeoh, from movies such as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Everything Everywhere All At Once, Crazy Rich Asians, and her TV role in Star Trek: Discovery, have stepped up to be in The School for Good and Evil. Fishburne will play the Schoolmaster – a role that sounds quite fitting for someone of his talents, and Yeoh will portray another teacher, Professor Anemone.

Also for the film, Demi Isaac Oviawe, Kaitlyn Akinpelumi, and Freya Theodora Parks will play Anadil, Dot and Hester, three young women who are a part of The Coven in The School for Good and Evil, as confirmed by a behind-the-scenes look with the author of the original novel, Soman Chainani on YouTube.

Already, this film is shaping up to be filled to the brim with some of the Hollywood elite. I, for one, can’t wait to see what they do with the material they are given, because it’s about to get magical.

The School For Good And Evil Will Follow The Bestselling Book Series

For those who don’t know, The School for Good and Evil is composed of several novels in a series. Netflix confirmed that this new movie will be based on the series by Soman Chainani, and from the premise of the film, it’s looking to be exactly like the first novel.

As confirmed by the description from the trailer for the new movie on YouTube, The School for Good and Evil is going to follow two best friends, Sophia and Agatha, who are swept into a world of trying to balance both good and evil when they are given different roles, but this in turn causes their lives to turn upside down. 

I’m already on board for a story like this. Two opposing personalities who end up being trained in styles that they thought they weren’t aligned with? Thrown into unlikely situations? Fantasy elements? My god, I can almost feel the franchise coming. Netflix has a great addition with this one.

Bridesmaids Director Paul Feig Is Directing The School For Good And Evil

I don’t think there could have been another perfect choice for the director for The School for Good and Evil than Paul Feig. The legendary director has produced some of the biggest comedic hits in the last ten years. For example, Feig directed the smash-hit Bridesmaids back in 2011, the 2016 remake of Ghostbusters, the Emilia Clarke Christmas comedy Last Christmas, the comedy thriller, A Simple Favor, and so many others.

Besides movies, Paul Feig has also directed multiple episodes of several incredible sitcoms, such as The Office, Arrested Development, Parks and Recreation, and 30 Rock. The School for Good and Evil novels have an amazing comedic element to them, and I can only imagine what a comedic director like Paul Feig will bring to the table in this new film.

Finding Neverland Screenwriter David Magee Wrote The Screenplay For The School For Good And Evil

When it comes to an adapted screenplay, you always have to make sure that you find the right person to do it, because with novels, there are so many details that need to somehow make it into the movie. The School for Good and Evil found its screenwriter in David Magee.

Magee is a perfect choice, because not only has he been around the business for some time, he’s had plenty of experience in writing fantasy, working on films such as the Academy-Award winning Life of Pi, the Disney sequel Mary Poppins Returns, and wrote the screenplay for Finding Neverland, the story of the author who created the legendary character, Peter Pan. Truly, he has great experience up his sleeves, and I’m eager to see what he’ll do with the fantastic story that is The School for Good and Evil.

The School For Good And Evil Has Finished Filming 

As you can expect for a film that already has a trailer, The School for Good and Evil finished production for their film not too long ago. From a tweet on Twitter from Netflix Geeked, it was confirmed back in July of 2021 that filming had wrapped on the film and was entering into the post-production phases. 

Watch The Trailer For The School For Good And Evil 

If you haven’t yet seen the trailer for The School for Good and Evil, be sure to watch it now, as you won’t want to miss out on the magic. 

With an amazing cast, awesome story, and some really cool looking set pieces featured in the trailer, The School for Good and Evil is looking to be an amazing addition to Netflix's original film line-up. I can’t wait for this movie to pop up as part of the 2022 Netflix movie schedule. I’m practically counting down the days. 

In the years since Reese Witherspoon's Legally Blonde hit theaters, many fans have felt inspired to recreate iconic moments from the comedy. Of course, one of the standout scenes is Elle Woods’ Harvard University video essay, during which she makes her appeal for admittance to the institution’s law school. What made the scene so iconic, though, is that Woods records herself from a pool. While fans have mimicked the scene multiple times, one new recreation may strike a different chord, as Witherspoon’s Little Fire Everywhere co-star, Kerry Washington, did a flawless take on it.

Of course, viewers know how close the actresses are, as they were friends even before they starred in and produced the Hulu miniseries. So Kerry Washington’s homage to the classic rom-com shouldn’t be a tremendous surprise. The Scandal actress did her best Elle Woods impression as she floated in her pool. You can see how her Legally Blonde recreation compared to Reese Witherspoon’s original scene by checking out Washington’s Instagram post down below:

The Django Unchained alum just let Elle do the talking, as she effortlessly paddled the pool water. Accentuating the video with the film’s signature song “Perfect Day,” however, was the cherry on top. It's said that imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, and that's definitely clear in the video involving the Little Fires Everywhere co-stars.

While the Save the Last Dance actress isn’t the first to pay tribute to Legally Blonde, her pool scene  may be one of the better offerings. Others have done the film's lead character justice, though. Black Widow’s Florence Pugh went full Elle Woods in a pink minidress and platform heels for the film’s European press tour last year. It might’ve been a mere coincidence, but her photos were taken on the film’s 20th anniversary. Of course, Wicked’s Ariana Grande pulled off Wood’s hot pink look in the 2018 music video for "Thank U, Next," which had nods to other classic comedies as well. All of this love love proves fans are still craving more Elle in their lives, which is why they're surely eager for more updates on Legally Blonde 3.

With the threequel still in development, one has to wonder if Kerry Washington could find he way into the movie. She already pitched herself for a new Space Jam movie, so why can't this latest video be an audition tape?. The Emmy winner could be a good addition to the movie, especially considering that she has great on-screen chemistry with the project's star.

Reese Witherspoon and the cast of Legally Blonde have been busy since the first film premiered but, hopefully, many of them (along with Kerry Washington) can get back together for that third movie. While you await more updates, you can revisit every hot-pink moment by streaming the original 2001 movie and its sequel with an Amazon Prime subscription.

Hollywood lost a television legend this week in Michael K. Williams, the beloved actor known for his roles in acclaimed shows like The Wire and Boardwalk Empire. Williams was found dead in his New York apartment this past Monday, with the news of passing arriving in the afternoon. Fans have since taken to social media to mourn the late star and express their condolences. A number of celebrities like The Rock and Viola Davis are also paying their respects to Williams with some truly sweet tributes.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson acted alongside Michael Kenneth Williams in the 2013 movie Snitch. In an Instagram post, the wrestler-turned-actor shared a photo of Williams and shared a sweet caption:

Oscar-winner Viola Davis shared a raw reaction on social media. Along with her caption, she also shared a sweet video featuring a number of images of the late actor:

Ed Norton was also one of the stars who took some time to remember the actor, with whom he worked with on the 2019 film Motherless Brooklyn. In one of the two tweets he shared, Norton discussed what the performer brought to the film:

Scandal star Kerry Washington reacted to the news in a social media post of her own. Like many others, she expressed shock and sadness over the actor’s passing:

Of course, Michael K. Williams’ The Wire co-stars also chimed in with some incredibly sentimental thoughts. Lance Reddick, who played the role of Cedric Daniels on the HBO drama, shared a video to Twitter in which he shared how he learned of Williams’ passing and what it was like to work with him:

Wendell Pierce’s William "Bunk" Moreland shared a number of scenes with Michael K. Williams’ Omar Little on The Wire. Pierce posted a lengthy thread on Twitter in which he mourned his colleague:

Wendell Pierce also spoke on the significance of the characters they played on The Wire. He illustrated this by referring to one of the show’s key moments:

It’s honestly still hard to believe that Michael K. Williams is no longer with us. For many of us, he was a constant presence in our entertainment viewings. As tragic as the situation is, it’s lovely to see so many taking the time to remember him not only for his contributions as an artist but as a human being.

We here at CinemaBlend continue to extend our thoughts and condolences to Michael K. Williams’ family and loved ones at this time.

Space Jam was a movie that, somehow, became something of a cultural touchstone. And when LeBron James came along, a basketball player at a performance and celebrity level that reminded people of Michael Jordan, many started to talk about the idea of seeing him star in his own Space Jam movie. And now exactly that has happened. But one star is apparently looking to start work on Space Jam 3 much sooner than we thought, as Kerry Washington has put together her own audition tape.

Actress Kerry Washington posted a video of herself to Instagram in her very own Tune Squad jersey asking LeBron James to put her in the game. It's a compilation of her shooting and, while of course, I'm guessing she cut out any shots where she missed, Washington is certainly showing that she has some skills here. Check it out.

The no-look over the head shot is especially fun as even Kerry Washington is surprised she made that one, though one wonders how many attempts were made. The slam dunk on the toy basketball hoop is also great. And of course, the video uses music from the original movie, that had a soundtrack that was perhaps even more popular than the film itself.

At this point, Space Jam has always seemed like a once in a generation thing. Michael Jordan did it and now LeBron James did it and if we ever get a Space Jam 3, we would expect that move would come in 20 years or more when another dominating star of basketball arrives on the scene. Having said that, if Space Jam: A New Legacy ends up doing well enough in the eyes of Warner Bros. perhaps there will be an attempt to make a new movie with LeBron. And if they do, there's no reason Kerry Washington couldn't also be involved.

While Space Jam: A New Legacy certainly didn't break any box office records, the fact is that the math has changed and the question of whether a movie was a big enough hit to warrant a sequel now has a more complicated answer than simply its box office results. Box office is still a part of that equation, but now streaming numbers also need to be included, and there, the accounting gets a little tricky.

Maybe we could see another Space Jam movie in the short term. Certainly if the movie is considered a success by the studio, then that possibility will likely be explored. At this point no movie studio is ever going to completely ignore a potential franchise.

And if WB wants to make another Space Jam movie but LeBron James isn't interested, then I think I know an actress who looks good in a Tune Squad jersey and can hit the basket without even looking. She'd probably be up for starring in Space Jam 3.

Awards Season 2021 has been different for everyone as many shows have gone virtual in the face of COVID-19. Hollywood stars have been dressed to the nines while sitting in their living room, kitchen or office. There have been some red-carpet moments but on a smaller scale. One star who made the best of a bizarre situation was Oscar winner Halle Berry. Berry took to social media to share her sheer red-carpet dress at home.

Along with a stellar acting career, Halle Berry has been a red-carpet staple for more than three decades. She has made countless best dressed lists over the years, especially after her breakout moment at the 2001 Oscars. But photos of Berry in red carpet attire have been minimal as award shows pivot to being remote and virtual. This development didn’t stop the Oscar winner from showing off her latest red-carpet look. She took to Instagram to post a video and series of photos in a custom Christian Siriano dress. Check out the actress’s red carpet look below:

As evident by her Instagram post, Halle Berry continues to stun the public with her age-defying beauty and keen fashion sense. She showed how age is only a number with her sheer top and black tulle skirt. As with most posts by the Oscar winner, the public swarmed the red carpet at home look with compliments and emojis, unlike previous social media posts. Berry’s look stunned so many that even other celebrities had to share their reactions.

Fellow Oscar winner Jamie Foxx responded to Halle Berry’s post with enthusiasm. He kept his reaction plan and simple, stating:

Emmy winner Kerry Washington was so stunned by Berry she didn’t have any words. She just left a series of flame emojis. After Washington’s reaction, pop superstar Ariana Grande decided to leave some heart emojis. Grande’s response elicited quite a few responses, including some emojis from Berry herself.

Halle Berry’s post even pulled in singer and dancer Ciara to leave a comment. She left a simple reply under Berry’s post:

Even Vanessa Bryant couldn’t keep herself from leaving a comment under Berry’s post. She left a simple “Love” followed by a butterfly emoji as an homage to the butterflies on Berry’s sheer top.

Coming 2 America star Arsenio Hall chose to keep things simple as he praised the Oscar winner. He left crown and flame emojis in her comments. Soon after Hall’s simple comment, Real Housewives star Cynthia Bailey chose to leave a simple heart emoji in Berry’s comments.

But out of all the comments on the post, one was truly special. Upon seeing Halle Berry’s post, the dress’s designer Christian Siriano left the comment:

Siriano then went onto make a post on his Instagram of Halle Berry’s photos. He wrote a touching tribute to the Oscar winner:

Halle Berry’s Instagram post showed how she still can leave people stunned by her beauty and fashion after decades of working in Hollywood. Hopefully, Berry and other Hollywood stars will be able to return to red carpets soon.

In a movie musical jam-packed with fun and inclusive messages, Kerry Washington had to get serious for Netflix's The Prom. The Scandal actress plays the head of a high school PTA in small-town Indiana, who rules to cancel the prom after Jo Ellen Pellman’s Emma asks if she can take her girlfriend to the annual dance. Washington’s conservative character is key to the Broadway adaptation, but was a unique undertaking for her to take on.

When CinemaBlend spoke to Kerry Washington and Ariana DeBose of Hamilton and Steven Spielberg’s upcoming West Side Story remake, I asked her how stepping into the role may have altered her own perspective. Here’s what Washington said in response:

The Prom’s Mrs. Greene is much different than Kerry Washington and has some opposing values to her own. But in order for the actress to play her best, she told us she felt like she needed to come at the character from a place of compassion and non-judgement. It’s interesting to hear how ideologies may change how an actor might approach a role, and while Washington was not prescribing to the beliefs of the PTA head, she found a way to appreciate and accept her.

Kerry Washington’s message about her character speaks to The Prom’s message about meeting different beliefs halfway in order to make room for acceptance from the left and the right. In Ryan Murphy’s musical, adapted from the Broadway musical of the same name, a group of failed Broadway actors venture to the Indiana town to protest on behalf of Emma after reading about it online, with every intention for their “activism” to boost their reputations. Although they are coming from a place of love, they are also facing blindspots related to their privilege and selfishness.

Throughout the antics of The Prom, which also stars Meryl Streep, James Corden, Nicole Kidman, Keegan-Michael Key, Andrew Rannells and Tracey Ullman, the characters each get their own lessons in empathy and understanding over judgement. So Kerry Washington’s own experience playing a conservative mother unaccepting of LGBTQ+ relationships is fitting.

The Prom has debuted on Netflix to positive reviews from critics and audiences, but if you’re not a musical theater fan, the movie may not be your jam. Check out what other big movies are hitting Netflix before the end of the year with CinemaBlend’s list of the Netflix originals lineup.

It is not too much of stretch to imagine Meryl Streep and her pal Nicole Kidman starring in a new, old-fashioned musical, yet seeing Keegan-Michael Key in the ensemble is unexpected - but welcome, nonetheless. However, those women are not the only veterans to the genre and the comedian is far from the last surprise in The Prom cast.

Directed by Glee co-creator Ryan Murphy, the film is based on a Tony-nominated hit stage show of the same name that was actually inspired by a heartwarming true story. It focuses on an Indiana teenager whose plea to take her girlfriend to the annual school dance convinces the conservative school board to cancel the event entirely. Upon hearing the news, a quartet of theater actors suffering from their own personal crises decide to give the lonely student a chance to be herself by organizing their own prom.

The bright, lavish, and socially-conscious comedy is a bit of a return to what made Ryan Murphy a household name before delving into darker territory with American Horror Story or Ratched, but for the star-studded cast, some are clearly enjoying a return to the musical scene while others are relishing in their first taste of it. So, just in time for The Prom’s premiere in theaters and on Netflix Friday, December 11, take a look at where you may recognize The Prom's talented cast, staring with one living legend who needs no introduction.

Meryl Streep (Dee Dee Allen)

Playing self-proclaimed “cultural disruptor” and self-obsessed Broadway star Dee Dee Allen in The Prom is far from Meryl Streep’s first song and dance. The three-time Oscar-winning star of Sophie’s Choice, The Post, and Steven Soderbergh’s new HBO Max exclusive Let Them All Talk got her start in theatre, which she would revisit on the big screen for cinematic adaptations of shows like Mamma Mia! (and its sequel) and Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s Into the Woods, as remade by Disney.

James Corden (Barry Glickman)

Said Into the Woods movie also starred James Corden as the Baker and Narrator, but, in addition to hosting the Tony Awards twice and playing Bustopher Jones in 2019’s Cats, that is merely the tip of the iceberg for his Broadway experience prior to playing performer Barry Glickman, who, like the young central character of The Prom, was rejected from his school dance as a teen, too. The British comedian has also hosted The Late Late Show on CBS since 2015 and will reprise the animated title role of the sequel to 2018’s Peter Rabbit in April 2021.

Nicole Kidman (Angie Dickinson)

The Prom is actually Nicole Kidman’s third collaboration with Meryl Streep after The Hours (which earned her an Oscar) and Big Little Lies (which earned her an Emmy) and her fourth musical film after 2001’s Moulin Rouge!, 2006’s animated Happy Feet, and 2009’s Nine. To continue our numerical theme here, the Netflix film is also the Australian actress’ second LGBT-themed film in two years after playing the unaccepting mother of a young gay man in Boy Erased and easily her funniest project within that time, as well, having done mostly dark dramas like Destroyer, Bombshell, and HBO miniseries The Undoing. However, that period also saw the Batman Forever star return to comic book flicks as Jason Momoa’s mom in Aquaman.

Andrew Rannells (Trent Oliver)

Andrew Rannells stars opposite comic book movie star Don Cheadle on Showtime’s Black Monday, but playing theatre actor Trent Oliver is a return to his roots, having led a stage career for years before his breakthrough role in The Book of Mormon - the Tony-winning musical from the creators of South Park. The openly gay Nebraskan also has an extensive voice acting career (including Pokémon), made his live action TV debut on HBO’s Girls, and has worked with The Prom director Ryan Murphy several times before, including playing himself on Glee’s series finale and one-half of a same-sex couple looking to adopt a child in the short-lived comedy The New Normal.

Kerry Washington (Mrs. Greene)

The role of homophobic PTA head Mrs. Greene in The Prom is Kerry Washington’s first role in a musical, having made her non-musical Broadway debut late after an extensive film and TV career, including Save the Last Dance, Boston Public, and playing The Thing’s blind love interest, Alicia Masters, in two Fantastic Four movies. It was in 2012 when the Little Fires Everywhere star achieved household name status as the Emmy-nominated lead of Shonda Rhimes’ political drama Scandal and reuniting with her Ray co-star Jamie Foxx in Quentin Tarantino’s pre-Civil War revenge western Django Unchained.

Keegan-Michael Key (Principal Tom Hawkins)

I may have said earlier that Keegan-Michael Key being in The Prom cast was surprising, but it is actually his second Netflix original musical this year after Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey. However, The Lion King star’s role as an open-minded high school principal is a far cry from his overtly disciplinary character Mr. Garvey on Key & Peele - the popular sketch show he created and headlined with his former MadTV co-star Jordan Peele, whom he has also shared the big screen with in Keanu and Toy Story 3, to name a few so far.

Jo Ellen Pellman (Emma Nolan)

Persecuted lesbian teen Emma Nolan is the feature film debut of 24-year-old Jo Ellen Pellman, who is no stranger to the screen having appeared on HBO’s The Deuce and the Emmy-winning Amazon Prime original The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel in 2019. However, what convinced Ryan Murphy to cast the openly gay actress as the lead of The Prom was her background in theatre, which includes productions at Walnut Hills High and the University of Michigan and a stint at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts studying Shakespeare.

Ariana DeBose (Alyssa Greene)

An extensive background in theatre is also what earned Ariana DeBose the role of the Alyssa, the closeted girlfriend of Emma Nolan and daughter of Mrs. Greene, in The Prom. The 29-year-old was in the ensemble for the 2011 cast of Stephen Sondheim’s Company (which also including Neil Patrick Harris and Stephen Colbert) years before playing “The Bullet” in Lin Manuel Miranda’s blockbuster history lesson set to rap, Hamilton. Audiences could have also seen DeBose sing and dance this year as Anita in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story remake if not for Covid-19 causing it to be delayed for December 2021.

Tracey Ullman (Vera Glickman)

Other than my assumption that Vera Glickman must be related to James Corden’s character, I cannot find much about fellow Into the Woods star Tracey Ullman’s supposedly original role in The Prom. I imagine it will be a big deal once officially revealed, however, since her vast stage credits, Emmy-winning sketch comedy series (which The Simpsons is spun-off from), and spots in films like Robin Hood: Men in Tights and TV projects like the FX miniseries Mrs. America have made the 60-year-old British comedian one of the most celebrated women in entertainment.

Mary Kay Place (Grandma Bea)

Also a prolific figure in the industry is Mary Kay Place, who actually had worked previously with a few of her The Prom co-stars (namely Meryl Streep and Andrew Rannells in various projects) before playing Emma Nolan’s grandmother, Bea. Among the multi-talented actress, writer, producer, and director’s most notable credits are playing Meg in the classic ensemble dramedy The Big Chill, a distraught cuckquean in Girl, Interrupted, and the mother of Michael Cera’s crush in Youth in Revolt from 2009.

Kevin Chamberlin (Sheldon Saperstein)

Starring as Sheldon Saperstein is fellow theater-trained, Tony-nominated actor Kevin Chamberlin, whom you may not recognize by name, but have probably seen somewhere without realizing it. The 57-year-old Baltimore native made his feature film debut as an NYPD bomb squad specialist in Die Hard with a Vengeance, played a bouncer named Frank in Sam Mendes’ Road to Perdition, and had a recurring role on Heroes. He also played Gavel in The Emoji Movie alongside his The Prom co-star James Corden, but his best-known role to date might be as the Ross Family’s butler Bertram on the Debbie Ryan-led Disney Channel original series Jessie.

Logan Riley (Kaylee)

Alyssa Greene’s cheerleading squad, Kaylee (who was originally named “Mandy” in the 2016 off-Broadway run of The Prom), is played by Logan Riley. The 21-year-old actress, dancer, and model, has previously been credited under her full name (Logan Riley Hassel) in her most notable appearances, such as a love interest to Manny Rodriguez on a Season 4 episode of Modern Family and popular Bayview High School clique member Sienna on Netflix’s original Full House spin-off Fuller House.

Nico Greetham (Nick Boomer)

Playing Kaylee’s love interest is Nico Greetham, who landed his first big break as a contestant on So You Think You Can Dance in 2013 before starring in a Broadway revival of Newsies, earning a small part on Glee, and a starring role on Power Rangers Ninja Steel as one of the yellow rangers. Playing Nick Boomer in The Prom is easily the 25-year-old’s biggest role to date, despite an uncredited as appearance as a “Young Goon” in Birds of Prey in 2020.

What do you think? Are you more excited to the theatrical veterans or the rising stars in the cast of The Prom? Let us know in the comments and be sure to check back for additional information and updates on this fun musical event, as well as even more inside looks at the cast members of your movies and TV shows, here on CinemaBlend.

In the past five decades, Saturday Night Live has seen a stellar rotation of guest hosts – some of which have returned enough times to join the Five-Timers Club. However, some classic SNL hosts still have a while before they can qualify for that honor and even have yet to headline a second time.

Since we are currently in SNL Season 50, I would say it is about time that some of the most successful and hilarious members of the One-Timers Club be considered to return for what would very likely be another slam dunk episode. The following are some celebrities who deserve the chance to prove lightning can strike twice in Studio 8H.

Pedro Pascal

With his Emmy-nominated performance in The Last of Us, his legion of Gen-Z fans, and plenty of other fandoms he is a focus of, Pedro Pascal is the type of actor who appeals to all ages, which is part of why his Season 48 episode became an instant classic. He would return less than a year later to cameo alongside host Bad Bunny and reprise his “Protective Mom” character, whom I know fans would love to see return by the time The Last of Us Season 2 premieres or when he shows up in the upcoming Marvel movie, The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

Quinta Brunson

Quinta Brunson achieved Emmy-winning success as the creator and star of Abbott Elementary (one of the funniest TV shows on Hulu) before making her hosting debut in Season 48, for which she brought back the same energy she demonstrated on HBO’s acclaimed sketch comedy TV show, A Black Lady Sketch Show. A performer with her charisma and sharp sense of humor was made for a show like SNL and as long as her ABC sitcom is a hit (and even beyond its ongoing tenure), I believe she deserves plenty more chances to rock it at Studio 8H.

Travis Kelce

Many professional athletes have appeared on SNL as hosts and one of the more recent and surprisingly successful of the bunch is Travis Kelce, who was an absolute riot as a far too old American Girl Doll Cafe patron in one funny bit. Having made a cameo not long after his Season 48 episode in a sketch poking fun at the NFL’s attention to his girlfriend, Taylor Swift, it’s clear that SNL likes the Kansas City Chiefs player, who has dabbled in more acting since, which means there could be more reasons to bring him back even if he were to hang up his helmet sometime soon.

Natasha Lyonne

SNL’s Season 47 finale was a bittersweet episode – bitter because it was the last to feature heavy hitters like Kate McKinnon and Pete Davidson in the cast and sweet because it was headlined by a supreme talent like Emmy nominee Natasha Lyonne. She is one of the most versatile and naturally funny actors of her time and I would say that promoting the upcoming Poker Face Season 2 would be a great reason for her to come back, not that she really needs one as far as I am concerned.

Robert Downey Jr.

SNL’s 11th season is considered the worst year in the show’s history, as well as a career low for then-cast member Robert Downey Jr., who luckily went on to achieve greater things, such as playing Iron Man in the Marvel movies and becoming the first former SNL actor to win an Oscar (for Oppenheimer). Still, the beloved actor has only come back to host the show for one, totally solid, episode, but I cannot help but feel he deserves more time to shine at Studio 8H.

Taylor Swift

Any doubt that the aforementioned Taylor Swift had acting ability was quelled by her November 2009 SNL episode, in which she poked fun at herself with her “Monologue Song” and did a killer Shakira impersonation. That wasn't even her first time appearing in sketches (she played Little Orphan Annie in a bit about Broadway during her first musical gig) and not her last either (she showed up in Please Don’t Destroy’s “Three Sad Virgins” video, for instance). Yet, while T Swift qualifies for the Five-Timers Club for musical guest appearances and has made a few jaw-dropping cameos on SNL, she has only been a host once, but will hopefully get another well-deserved double shift.

Neil Patrick Harris

Taylor Swift's first musical SNL gig was also Neil Patrick Harris' sole hosting appearance, during which he appeared in a hilarious SNL Digital Short that recreated the Doogie Howser, M.D. theme with an eclectic variety of instruments. The former How I Met Your Mother cast member’s impeccable talent, which has since earned him countless other hosting gigs, made it a really fun show. Perhaps the actor and producer is just too busy for SNL these days, which, to me, means they should just try harder to get him.

Kerry Washington

Emmy winner Kerry Washington hosted Saturday Night Live in 2013, at a time when the cast lacked women of color, which the show hilariously self-indicted itself over by having the Django Unchained star play Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey, and Beyonce in the cold open. That does not even scratch the surface of the comedic prowess she exhibited for her one-time hosting gig, from her Scandal-ous monologue to a gut-busting "What Does the Fox Say?" parody with Jay Pharaoh. Washington has said she has wanted to quit acting on several occasions, only to be pulled back in by something extraordinary, which makes me wonder if a really clever SNL episode could do the trick.

Bryan Cranston

We tend to forget how funny the man who won five Emmys for playing Walter White can be, and if Malcolm in the Middle does not provide a fitting example, perhaps his 2010 bid as Saturday Night Live host will. The episode – featuring a monologue explaining his long career without household name status and a brilliant Billy Ray Cyrus impersonation in the first-ever "The Miley Cyrus Show" sketch – was hilarious, but the actor’s only return so far is a surprise cold open cameo as his Breaking Bad alter ego in 2016. I am still anticipating the day he could reprise the character, and others, on SNL as a host for his second time.

Lin-Manuel Miranda

At the peak of Hamilton's success on Broadway, its creator took the stage of Saturday Night Live as host for a 2016 episode that served as a perfect way to show the vast extent of his talents. In fact, behind-the-scenes footage revealed Lin-Manuel Miranda to be an amazing pre-show host as well, by surprising audience members lined up outside 30 Rock with pizza. The Tony winner cameoed as Alexander Hamilton in a Season 50 cold open (and struggled to keep a straight face next to James Austin Johnson’s Donald Trump) but that was the last we saw of him at Studio 8H… for now, hopefully.

Bradley Cooper

Months before The Hangover made him a household name, Bradley Cooper proved his worth as a comedic actor – with a biting impression of his future American Hustle co-star Christian Bale, for instance – on his sole SNL episode in February 2009. He has since returned for a few cameos (including a particularly memorable one opposite Betty White at the 40th Anniversary special) and obtained permission to film scenes in Studio 8H for his directorial debut, A Star is Born. However, it would be really nice to see him headline a show again.

Donald Glover

This multi-talented, award-winning artist both hosted Saturday Night Live and performed as his rapper alter ego, Childish Gambino, in 2018. The episode, which also saw Donald Glover's official debut as Lando Calrissian prior to Solo: A Star Wars Story, featured the Community cast member and Atlanta mastermind showing he "really can do anything," proving himself a natural for sketches and earning the right to a second hosting gig, which has yet to be secured. It makes you wonder how he could have possibly failed to make the cut when auditioning for SNL, even if it might have been for the best.

Awkwafina

In her SNL monologue, Awkwafina shared that her first visit to Rockefeller Center was as a child who just "wanted to be near the building" when Lucy Liu made history as the show's first host of Asian descent in 2000. The second to do so, 18 years later, was the Golden Globe-winning comedian turned rapper and Crazy Rich Asians star, who also displayed her penchant for dancing to classic game show theme songs in, arguably, the funniest sketch of the night. Hopefully, the actor makes her return to SNL soon because we are convinced there is still much more we have yet to learn about her.

Andy Samberg

Why would I like to see more of Andy Samberg on SNL? Other than how he and The Lonely Island basically changed the show forever with classic pre-recorded bits like "Lazy Sunday,” the guy is just really funny and the fact that he has only hosted once, two years after leaving the cast in 2012, is surprising. Based on his stint of cameos as Douglas Emhoff for Season 50, Samberg clearly does not even need to plug something like his dramatic performance in 2024’s Lee to earn another hosting gig, because just another idea for a Justin Timberlake collaboration would suffice.

Anna Kendrick

While she never became a cast member, Anna Kendrick is somebody tailor-made for the world of Saturday Night Live, which she proved in her sole hosting gig in 2014. In just her opening monologue, she was able to show off how well her comedic timing comes through in her astonishing singing voice, before lending it to a song about international "dong" admiration. In fact, I would support the idea of bringing her on as both host and musical guest for her return and just give her anything to sing. Whatever it is, she'll nail it.

Conan O’Brien

At one point, seeing former SNL writer Conan O'Brien host for the first time since 2001 seemed pretty unlikely, considering his strained relationship with NBC after an awkward, premature Tonight Show exit in 2010. However, after making an epic cameo in Season 47, it does not seem like much of a stretch for the beloved former late night talk show host to reclaim his place at Studio 8H. Not to mention, with new superhero movies still popular, there is no better time for him to reprise the overenthusiastic superhero, Moleculo: The Molecular Man.

What do you think? Do these celebrities deserve a second Saturday Night Live hosting gig, or, perhaps, are they better off not trying to repeat themselves?

On Shonda Rhimes’ Scandal, she makes sure that problems from within the seedy underbelly of the political landscape never reach the public. Yet, there is not much one would call “scandalous” about the life of Kerry Washington, who received two Golden Globe nominations and two Emmy nominations for playing Olivia Pope on the hit ABC drama.

The 43-year-old Bronx native, most recently seen in Hulu’s Little Fires Everywhere, has an eclectic filmography in film and TV, including a supporting role in Save the Last Dance and providing the voice of Shuri in the 2010 animated miniseries Black Panther. Kerry Washington is also known for playing Jamie Foxx’s on-screen wife twice (and counting), first in the 2004 music biopic Ray and second in Quentin Tarantino’s pre-Civil War era revenge epic Django Unchained eight years later.

This is just the tip of the iceberg regarding the actress’ fascinating life behind the scenes. The following are seven more facts about Kerry Washington that might not sound like cause for a scandal, but are of equal amusement, nonetheless.

Kerry Washington Majored In Anthropology Instead Of Acting

After making her screen acting debut as a cheerleader named Heather in a 1994 ABC after school special, Kerry Washington did not immediately continue to pursue acting projects. In fact, instead of studying the art at George Washington University, she majored in anthropology and sociology, in hopes of earning a degree that would allow a greater variety of career options. This did not necessarily mean that she was ruling out the possibility of acting professionally, however, as she explained to the magazine Backstage, she felt that studying a social science could "help [her] understand [her] role as an artist in embodying people."

Low Earnings From Save The Last Dance Forced Kerry Washington To Return To Substitute Teaching

That liberal arts degree helped Kerry Washington earn gigs as a substitute teacher, which proved to be an effective fall back even after landing a role in a film as big as Save the Last Dance. The 2001 romantic dance flick, in which she played Julia Stiles' friend and Sean Patrick Thomas' sister Chenille, did not pay her very well, so she returned to subbing for New York elementary schools, where she happened to encounter her fan club. As the actress shared on Late Show with Stephen Colbert, high school students were cutting class to see "'Chenille' teach French."

Kerry Washington Was Taught To Dance In High School By Jennifer Lopez

Kerry Washington's moves in Save the Last Dance were not just an act, as she had began to take lessons in the art as a child. By the time she was in high school, as she recalled on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, she had a "very inspiring teacher name Larry Maldonado" at her local Boys & Girls Club with a frequent substitute instructor named "Jennifer," who eventually left the Bronx for Los Angeles "to be on In Living Color," a hit sketch comedy series from the 1990s. Then, with a smirk, Washington confirmed that it was multi-talented performer Jennifer Lopez whom she, at times, would learn lessons in dancing from.

Kerry Washington Auditioned To Play Dionne In Clueless

Before playing fierce rivals on Little Fires Everywhere, Kerry Washington and Reese Witherspoon could have been one of the most iconic duos of the '90s. While promoting Hulu miniseries based on Celeste Ng's bestselling novel, which they also produced, in a video for BuzzFeed, Witherspoon recalls auditioning to play Cher Horowitz in Clueless, to which a surprised Washington says, "I did, too," referring to the role of the main protagonist's best pal, Dionne. Of course, Alicia Silverstone and Stacey Dash would win both roles in the 1995 high school movie classic, but Witherspoon and Washington agree that a new reimagining with them would have potential.

Christoph Waltz Pushed For Kerry Washington To Sing In German For Django Unchained

To play Broomhilda von Shaft, the enslaved wife of the title character in Django Unchained, Kerry Washington had to learn German for the first time, and cites her co-star Christoph Waltz as a great on-set tutor. In fact, it was the Austrian-born two-time Academy Award-winner who suggested the idea of including a 19th-Century German lullaby Washington would sing as a linguistics exercise in the film, which she revealed in an interview with Collider. Seeing it as a perfect alternative to Quentin Tarantino's original intention for the character to whistle (which the actress cannot do), Washington's recording of the song became part of the finished product.

Kerry Washington Is A Cousin Of Colin Powell

Covering up damaging secrets from within the White House as Olivia Pope on seven seasons of Scandal is not the full extent of Kerry Washington's experience in the world of politics. I am not just talking about her efforts as an activist, because, as she would mention during a commencement address to the 2013 class of her alma mater, George Washington University, Former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell is her cousin. The relatives were spotted together at the 42nd Annual NAACP Awards ceremony in 2011.

Kerry Washington Made Her Directorial Debut With An Episode of Scandal

The Shonda Rhimes creation that made Kerry Washington a household name in the acting world would also become the starting point of her career behind the camera. "The People v. Olivia Pope," the tenth episode from the seventh and final season of Scandal, was directed by Washington, aired in 2018, and would lead to more directorial efforts from the actress, such as one Season 2 episode of Frankie Shaw's Showtime dramedy SMILF in 2019 and, most recently, an episode from the current fourth season of Insecure, an Emmy-nominated HBO comedy created by its star, The Lovebirds actress Issa Rae.

Be sure to check back for additional information and updates on Scandal star Kerry Washington, as well as even more in-depth looks at the lives of your favorite celebrities, here on CinemaBlend.

Hollywood has been implementing new tactics for sex scenes over the last few years. One of the key changes has happened behind the scenes, with the hiring of intimacy coordinators. Back in 2018, HBO execs began hiring intimacy coordinators for all of their shows. The goal was to make sets more comfortable for actors filming sex scenes. Recently, Scandal vet Kerry Washington, Shrill’s Aidy Bryant and more revealed how they felt about working with intimacy coordinators on set and how it intersected with their jobs as producers.

Kerry Washington, Insecure’s Issa Rae, The Morning Show’s Reese Witherspoon and a plethora of other actresses have added the job of producer to their already impressive resumes. As such, they were far more involved with the making of their shows than they would have been otherwise. These responsibilities included the hiring of intimacy coordinators and working with them as both actors and producers. When working on Hulu’s Little Fires Everywhere, Washington explained why she felt it was important to bring on an intimacy coordinator. Here’s what she told THR:

It sounds pertinent for any TV set to include a third party during sex scenes, if only to even the playing field and make it so everyone feels they have a voice in the matter. I’m sure sex scenes can be very awkward to film and it seems that having an intimacy coordinator makes for a better experience all around.

Meanwhile, actress and producer Aidy Bryant hired an intimacy coordinator for Shrill Season 2 to oversee sex scenes between Bryant and her co-star Luca Jones. The Saturday Night Live star says that she wouldn’t have thought to do a sex scene at all without an intimacy coordinator and having the say of a producer. In her words:

Hiring an intimacy coordinator was also incredibly important to Issa Rae, whose first sex scene happened on Insecure, the HBO show where she serves as producer, creator, and lead actress. While she’s happy that it happened “on her own terms,” hiring an intimacy coordinator ensured that the sex scenes were up to the “standards” of the actors.

In addition, Dickinson’s Hailee Steinfeld added that being an actor-turned-producer gave her the power to ensure that her fellow actors felt secure during sex scenes. Here’s what she said:

Of course, not everyone is a fan of working with intimacy coordinators during sex scenes. Big Little Lies star Shailene Woodley has said that intimacy coordinators make her “uncomfortable.” However, she did say that they were a “wonderful” resource for actors to “lean on to know they’ll be protected.” All that said, it’s good that intimacy coordinators are becoming a normalized addition to TV and film sets.

Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for updates. In the meantime, be sure to check out our summer TV guide, as well as our complete 2020 Netflix schedule, to find out what’s premiering soon.

Let's be honest, one of the most unexpectedly fascinating aspects of literally no one being able to go out in public on a regular basis has been the glimpses of celebrity homes we've been getting. Sure, before The Inside Times began, we'd get the occasional famous person doing an Instagram live or something from their plush bedroom, but now we're getting to see way more of these people's homes than before. The Global Citizen One World: Together At Home event took place recently, and we normals were treated to an inside view of dozens of celebrity houses, and some of them made me super jealous.

Of course, this all started a little over a month ago, as talk show hosts like Jimmy Fallon (Who has a two story slide in his house!), Conan O'Brien and Stephen Colbert began to do monologue-only segments from home to keep us entertained. Then, they went to doing full shows from home, which led to them interviewing folks like Lady Gaga and a very buzzed Martha Stweart via video chat. Thus, this new, sort of unfiltered look at how celebrities live every day was born.

As you might expect, most of the famous faces who appeared on One World: Together At Home have very nice houses with some features that most of us either would love to have or wouldn't have even thought to want in our own homes. So, for your enjoyment now, we've got the best features of the celebrity houses as seen on One World: Together At Home. There's a surprising lack of gold bars and dragon-like stores of jewels spilling out everywhere, but I like to think this is because everyone here was just sympathetic enough to hide as much of their financial prosperity from us as possible. Let's get to it!

John Legend Has A Lot Of Room And Awards

Alright, Mr. EGOT, sir. We get it! You are very talented and have won lots of awards. Actually, I don't really blame John Legend for showing off many of the awards he's won during his time as a music superstar who is also a judge on The Voice. Just look at that stack of trophies; it doesn't even include everything, since I can't see his Emmy or Oscar among what's pictured, but it's still very impressive. Also worth getting a shout out in this shot of Legend's home? Look at that expansive room behind him, guys. It's multi-level! There are stairs from the piano / award section to the living area! I want to go to there...

Matthew McConaughey Wants Us To Just Keep Livin

Alright, I know you must be thinking that this plain ol' office is too basic for any real jealousy, and, unless there's a holding area filled with giraffes right behind the camera in Matthew McConaughey's room, you'd be right. I mean we have all the boring necessities of a home office here: a printer / copier thing, a photo printer, a large desk, knick knacks and what appears to be some booze for those tough days at work. But, look to the right of McConaughey's head, and you'll see a neon sign that says "j.k.livin." This is a personal mantra of his, and also the name of his foundation, so I think it classifies as something we can all envy.

Kerry Washington Is Super Organized

I fully expected to see Kerry Washington wearing some gorgeously luxe cream outfit while eating popcorn and sipping red wine like Scandal's Olivia Pope for this segment, but it turns out her personal style is a bit more like that of her Little Fires Everywhere character. Still, while nothing here looks totally unattainable, how many of you would enjoy having someone come in just to organize your bookcases by color? Not that Washington didn't handle this task herself, but, what if you run out of room on the red shelf? What does she do? Is there a room where she just throws all the books that don't fit, or that aren't the right color? I need to know Kerry!

Keith Urban Has Cloning Technology

This shocking segment began as a simple, but lovely, performance in, what I assume, is Keith Urban's very well-outfitted home music studio. And it was nice, but then Mr. Urban decided to let us all in on a little secret: sure, he's spent a lot of money so that he can record music from the comfort of his home with the best equipment, but he's spent even more cash so that he could have his own personal band of Keiths to back him up whenever the need arises! I have so many questions. Did Urban develop this technology? Has he cloned anyone else? Which of the assembled Keiths is Keith Prime? I supposed we'll find out soon enough.

Adam Lambert Has A Rain Forest In His Home

Now we're getting somewhere! American Idol alum Adam Lambert is performing in an area of his home that looks a bit like a (clone-less) home studio, but the more intriguing feature of this section of his domicile would seem to be that it's actually a tropical rain forest. Lambert looks totally comfortable performing around all this vegetation, but I kinda of wish there were even more plants. Why are there no vines climbing up the wall, Adam? Or, maybe one of those carnivorous plants nearby to nip at you every time you stick your tongue out? I appreciate you letting your rain forest grow as it likes, but maybe do a little landscaping for us next time, mmmmkay?

Jennifer Lopez's Yard Is A Magical Fairy Land

Well, instead of being an indoor feature (I mean, I'm pretty sure this is outside, but I wouldn't put it past J. Lo to have trees and such inside her house.), Jennifer Lopez showed off her yard, which is, apparently, really a magical land of fantasy, fairies and dreams come true. I have a flood light in my backyard with a motion sensor on it, but that's just so I can see if any creepers or weird animals get in. Who has one light per tree in their yard? And, this is just a section of the thing, there could be 20 more trees that we can't even see. We also have the main tree, which is covered in white lights and...you know what? Just adopt me, Ms. Lopez!

Beyonce Lives Among The Tree Tops, As She Should

Last, but certainly not least, we come to the wonder that is Beyoncé Knowles-Carter. While I'm sure many of us suspect Queen Bey of being one of a select few celestial beings to grace us mere mortals with their presence and talent, it turns out that she does not quite live in the heavens...not yet, anyway. One World: Together At Home did not showcase Beyoncé's singing voice or the inside of her home, but it did show us that the Carters have a lovely view of a lush wooded area and whatever city is near them, as well as every sunset they choose to spend at home. Well done madam. Well. Done.

If you missed any of One World: Together At Home, you can watch clips from the special on the Global Citizen YouTube page. For more on what to watch in the coming weeks, check out our Netflix premiere guide, see what's new on Hulu right now and prepare for summer TV!

Oh my god. I’m totally buggin’ right now. Clueless is of course perfect how it is. The 1995 cult classic is way up there among high school films, and Alicia Silverstone’s Cher will live on for generations to come as a definitive ‘90s icon. Still, apparently, the two stars of Hulu’s Little Fires Everywhere, Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington, could have been the stars of Clueless, too.

While promoting the miniseries based on Celeste Ng’s bestselling novel, the Little Fires Everywhere stars and producers found out they crossed paths back in the day. In their words:

I totally paused. Can’t you instantly imagine Reese Witherspoon as Cher Horowitz and Kerry Washington as her BFF Dionne? The casting is perfect. I wouldn’t change a single thing about Clueless but, if we could see some kind of alternate universe version of the 1995 film with the pair playing valley girls with Brittany Murphy and Paul Rudd, that’d be incredible.

Back in the early ‘90s, both actresses were just starting their careers as actresses and hadn’t quite “made it” in the industry. Reese Witherspoon’s first role was in 1991’s The Man in the Moon when she was 14 and in Disney’s A Far Off Place. As for Kerry Washington, she’d been in an episode of ABC Afterschool Specials.

While talking about their first times for Buzzfeed, the actresses revealed that they first met many years ago at a script reading at Leonardo DiCaprio’s house for a movie neither they or Leo ended up starring in. Sometime in between, they might have passed each other in the halls auditioning for Clueless, too? How crazy.

Once Reese and Kerry realized they could have been in Clueless way back when, they got excited about the possibility of recreating a scene from the classic together. Can this actually happen, now? The movie is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. It came out in July of 1995.

Last year, it was actually revealed that Reese Witherspoon was up for Cher but Alicia Silverstone wasn’t her only competition. Apparently, Angelina Jolie, Keri Russell and Gwyneth Paltrow were up for the role at one time as well. That casting director certainly knew how to pick out talent considering each of them are A-list actresses today.

Reports of a Clueless remake made the rounds back in 2018, with GLOW writer Marquita Robinson penning the script, but no other updates have been given for it since. Anya Taylor-Joy recently starred in Emma, which is basically Clueless in its first form since the ‘90s classic is a modern take on the Jane Austen novel.

Check out Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington in Little Fires Everywhere on Hulu now.

If you've had an inkling for a while now that TV star salaries for A-listers like Jennifer Aniston are beginning to skyrocket, you're not wrong. As we step into a time when there are more and more streaming services competing with broadcast networks and premium cable channels, every new prestige show that's looking to build an audience for itself is signing on the biggest names to be found. And, the streamers / networks which host those shows are increasingly willing to pay some very pretty pennies to make sure those actors stay put.

Of course, Jennifer Aniston came close to getting $1 million an episode in the later seasons of Friends, and it's not unheard of for the core casts of other long-running, popular shows to get that million dollar payday. Norman Reedus, for example, has just moved up the ranks on The Walking Dead to get that magical pay raise. The big difference with all of the actors on this list is that we're seeing an influx of these major per episode pay checks for brand new, unproven shows that want top notch talent who will be an asset when it comes time to promote said freshman series.

So, without further ado, here are some of the big names getting $1 million (or more) for each episode of their sparkling new television shows!

Jennifer Aniston (The Morning Show)

Well, well, well! Look who's finally come back to TV over a decade after her run as Rachel Green ended on Friends. Apple TV+ entered the streaming game like gangbusters on November 1 with the debut of the service as a whole and The Morning Show, which features Aniston and several other big names in an inside look at those who work in morning television. Clearly, the new streamer was willing to put its money where its mouth was, and handed out big money (reportedly $1.25 million per episode) to bring the movie star / favorite Friend back to the small screen.

Reese Witherspoon (The Morning Show and Little Fires Everywhere)

Speaking of The Morning Show, it's no wonder the series will reportedly cost Apple TV+ around $300 million across two seasons, because Aniston's co-star, Reese Witherspoon got the same $1.25 million payday for her work on the show. And, it's no wonder. Witherspoon is an Oscar-winning name in film and has been for decades. Plus, she was recently on the HBO hit Big Little Lies, and with that show likely done after two seasons, Apple was probably hoping fans would follow her to the new series. The same can, no doubt, be said for Hulu, which is paying Witherspoon $1.1 million for the upcoming drama Little Fires Everywhere.

Kerry Washington (Little Fires Everywhere)

As Witherspoon makes out like a (hard-working) bandit on two different TV shows, we can now also count her Little Fires Everywhere co-star, Kerry Washington, among the members of the $1 million club. Washington, who wrapped up her time on the uber-popular ABC hit Scandal after seven seasons in 2018, is getting paid the same salary as Witherspoon. The duo will co-star as mothers who have to deal with some heavy secrets in the potential Hulu hit, and you don't get two stars this popular to headline and not give them the same pay, right?

Nicole Kidman (Nine Perfect Strangers)

Reese Witherspoon seems to be acting as a kind of conduit for cash on this list, as her Big Little Lies co-star, Nicole Kidman, has also gotten herself a big per-episode check for the Hulu drama Nine Perfect Strangers. According to Variety, Kidman will see $1 million for each episode of the drama, which is also based on a Liane Moriarty novel. It's no surprise that Kidman is pulling in such a payday. The Oscar-winning actress has been nominated three additional times, most recently in 2016, and she's been a popular film mainstay for decades.

Jeff Bridges (The Old Man)

You might not have heard of The Old Man, but FX and Hulu are betting that you've heard of Jeff Bridges, because the companies were willing to pay Bridges $1 million per episode to bring this tale to life. The seven time Oscar nominee (who won a trophy in 2010) will star as a man who abandoned his post at the CIA decades before who's been living off the grid, but will have to deal with his past once an assassin comes calling. This is the very first time Bridges has headlined a television show, so it makes sense that FX / Hulu would be willing to shell out major cash to get him on board.

Steve Carell (Space Force)

The only actor currently netting $1 million per episode for working on a comedy, The Office giant Steve Carell is bringing his wacky sense of humor to Netflix for Space Force. The workplace comedy likely can't go wrong in bringing Carell back to the format, as he leads a team of dedicated Americans who work to establish the sixth branch of the armed services. His time on The Office helped turn Carell into a comedy legend, earning him six Emmy nominations, while he's also managed to set himself up as a major film talent and nabbed an Oscar nomination in 2015.

Harrison Ford (The Staircase)

I mean...do we really need more the name of the legend himself for this entry? Joining Jeff Bridges in the first-time-leading-a-TV-show club is Harrison "Han Indiana Solo Jones" Ford for The Staircase, Annapurna Television's series about real life author Michael Peterson, who became the prime suspect in the death of his wife. Ford did appear on The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, but that was all the way back in 1993 And, while The Staircase is still being shopped to streamers and networks, it's obvious why Annapurna would want to shell out $1.2 million for Ford to headline the drama. You know it's hard to get more prestige than Harrison Ford when casting your show.

Well, while this list is pretty impressive already, there are plenty of other TV stars across streaming, networks and cable who are inching closer to the $1 million marker of per-episode pay. And, you can bet that as more A-list actors from the world of film, or those who helped make other television shows extremely successful, sign on for new series, that the number of those getting the big bucks for their weekly work will increase.

Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for the latest, and be sure to check out what you can watch on the small screen in 2020 with our winter / spring premiere guide and Netflix premiere schedule!

With one project already in development at Hulu, Kerry Washington has signed on for another TV series for the streamer. She has the limited series Little Fires Everywhere, costarring Reese Witherspoon, set to bow on the streaming service later this year, and Washington now has added an adaptation of the graphic novel Old City Blues to her Hulu repertoire. So, what is this project about and who else is on board? Here is what you need to know.

Kerry Washington is set to star in and executive produce the futuristically timed drama, whose comic source material was set quite a few years into the future; 2048, to be exact. Adapted for live-action by A Private War screenwriter Arash Amel, Old City Blues takes place in the fictional New Athens, a city which rests in the country formerly known as Greece. The city has become overrun by high-tech criminals who traffic in smuggling and drugs. Also residing in New Athens are corrupt politicians and powerful corporations.

The characters that the story follows around New Athens are members of the New Athens Special Police. Their task? To keep the city stable following the death of the cyborg founder of a tech company. According to THR, Kerry Washington's role has unfortunately not been specified. With the story rich in so many possible avenues, though, it will be interesting to learn where she ends up in the comic's tale.

Kerry Washington playing one of the characters in the police force sounds like a very cool and potentially kick-ass avenue for the Scandal star. It sounds like there is potential for a murder mystery in this plot, too, so maybe Washington's character will do some investigating as well.

While the project is still in the development stage, there are quite a few signs that things are moving along quite well on the project. Original Pirates of the Caribbean helmer Gore Verbinski has signed on to direct. With Kerry Washington and Verbinski on board, this is sizing up to be a powerhouse offering, both in front of and behind the camera. Additionally, Outcast's Chris Black is signed on to be the potential showrunner, and Undergound's Allison Davis will write the script.

With so much already laid out as foundation, it would be surprising if Old City Blues does not get off the ground. Here is hoping it does. Old City Blues sound like an exciting project for Kerry Washington. The sky is pretty much the limit on this one and as fans learn more about the specifics surrounding her role that excitement is only bound to grow even more intense.

While you wait for Kerry Washington's Hulu output, you can binge-watch Scandal's entire run on Netflix. For new television content set to premiere on Hulu and Netflix soon, check out our monthly Hulu schedule and our 2018 Netflix premiere rundown. For new television shows set to arrive later this year, check out CinemaBlend's guide to TV's fall premieres.

TV is a competitive business, and some projects can't get off the ground without a big name attached to star. Well, one new project is bound to get a lot of attention thanks to not one but two big-name actresses signing on the star. Kerry Washington and Reese Witherspoon are teaming up for a limited series adaptation of the Celeste Ng novel Little Fires Everywhere.

Kerry Washington and Reese Witherspoon are attached to the Little Fires Everywhere adaptation as both stars and executive producers. Unsurprisingly, a number of networks and outlets are very interested in the project, and the bidding war for rights to the series is already heated up. THR reports that multiple network heads met this week at Witherspoon's production company Hello Sunshine to make a bid on the series.

The Little Fires Everywhere proves that Kerry Washington isn't looking to stay away from the small screen following the end of Scandal later this year. Furthermore, it's a sign that Reese Witherspoon has enjoyed the TV experience she gained from her work on Big Little Lies. It should be interesting to see these two ladies teaming up. Witherspoon is better known for her work on the big screen, and Washington will be fresh off leading her own primetime series for seven seasons.

Reese Witherspoon has been attached to Little Fires Everywhere for a while, as her production company bought the rights to adapting the book shortly after it was released back in 2017. The book is set in the wealthy Northeast Ohio suburb, Shaker Heights. It follows two very different families brought together by unexpected circumstances. The Richardsons are well-off and picturesque natives of Shaker Heights; the Warrens are a mother-daughter pair who rent a house from the Richardsons. Elena Richardson and Mia Warren discover their children growing quite close, but the two mothers are driven apart by a controversy when a custody battle forces the citizens of Shaker Heights to choose sides. There are secrets, there are lies, and there are undoubtedly plenty of opportunities for Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington to flex their acting muscles in the adaptation.

Little Fires Everywhere author Celeste Ng is on board the adaptation as a producer. Liz Tigelaar of Casual and Life Unexpected will contribute as screenwriter, executive producer, and showrunner. A strong team of women is bringing the story to the small screen, and it's no wonder that so many outlets are eager to land the show.

We'll have to wait and see what network is lucky enough to secure the rights to the Little Fires Everywhere adaptation. The cable-centric arm of ABC Studios is producing the series, which could point toward an ABC-affiliated network landing the project. Alternately, Reese Witherspoon has found success on HBO with Big Little Lies; perhaps HBO will scoop up the series. Then again, Witherspoon also has a project in the works with Jennifer Aniston at Apple. All things considered, Washington and Witherspoon may simply be able to go wherever they want.

Only time will tell. For what you can watch while we wait for news of the Little Fires Everywhere adaptation, take a look at our midseason TV premiere schedule and our 2018 Netflix premiere guide.

Numbers don't lie, they don't mislead, and they're rarely wrong about the simple things in life. That's why Cars 3 character, statistician Natalie Certain (Kerry Washington), loves numbers so much. As it turns out, however, numbers often completely miss the point of what makes a true champion in the racing world. I recently sat down to talk to Ms. Washington about the core themes of the film, and she explained that real winners like Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) are all about inner strength that we cannot measure on a calculator. The actress elaborated:

Wise words from a wise woman, but that's also a perfect encapsulation of the core thematic ideas that drive (pun entirely intended) the story of Cars 3. The entire narrative feels built around the idea of tearing Lightning McQueen down to rebuild him from the ground up. Faced with a new generation of technically superior racers who rely exclusively on quantifiable data to make themselves better, McQueen finds himself forced to turn to the unquantifiable qualities within himself to become the racer that he once was. Think Rocky IV, but with cars.

If there is one character in Cars 3 who seems diametrically opposed to this idea, it's Armie Hammer's Jackson Storm. I recently chatted with the actor about how his incoming Cars champion differs from longtime Cars protagonist Lightning McQueen, and he explained that Storm doesn't learn from his mistakes, or develop the humility that Lightning eventually discovered while under the tutelage of Doc Hudson (Paul Newman) during the events of the original Cars film. Based on the definition laid out by Kerry Washington during our interview, it becomes fairly clear that Storm may never become a sincere champion -- even if the numbers are in his favor.

Don't just take my word for it. Check out a clip from my chat with Kerry Washington below to hear what she had to say about the nature of champions!

On that note, and with that valuable lesson about the inherent traits of graceful winners, make sure to catch Kerry Washington as Natalie Certain when Cars 3 opens in theaters this weekend on June 16.

If you've been paying any attention to the world of TV and film, you'll notice that superhero franchises are ruling the day. Between the DC Extended Universe, Marvel Cinematic Universe, and X-Men franchise, it seems that just about every famous actor and director is getting into bed with a comic book property. And while many audiences and critics are concerned over "superhero fatigue", certain movies are groundbreakers for the genre. Case in point: last year's hit Deadpool, which effectively shattered expectations for both superhero movies and R-rated blockbusters. With development for Deadpool 2 still underway, many folks have been wondering who will be joining Ryan Reynolds in the sequel. And the newest rumor is all about Scandal star Kerry Washington.

Last week, news broke that Kerry Washington was being considered to play the role of mutant Domino in Deadpool 2. And at the Writers Guild Awards, the actress was asked about this rumor. After revealing that talks haven't really started, she admitted she'd be happy to step into the role if approached. She said,

Looks like Olivia Pope is happy to kick some ass and take names in _Deadpool _2. Now it's just a matter of whether or not Fox, Ryan Reynolds, and company think that Kerry Washington is the right actress for the job.

Kerry Washington's statement, which comes to us from Extra, should make Deadpool's many fans happy. The fandom will want a powerhouse actress to play the unique and underrated X-Man Domino, and Washington surely has the acting chops to keep up with the rest of the cast. And while previous reports claimed that The Martian actress Mackenzie Davis was being eyed for the role, there is now a new contender.

Domino is a pretty interesting member of the X-Men and X-Force, and has quite the past with Deadpool in the comics. Domino has the mutant ability to alter probability. While this seems like a lame power anywhere but Vegas, it actually makes her extremely lethal. Because in addition to her skill as a marksman and hand to hand combat, she has the ability to tip the odds in her favor. That shot that normal marksmen would miss? Domino's got it.

Domino is also known for dating Deadpool on and off in quite a few X-Men timelines. Additionally, Domino has dated Cable as well, who is also set to debut in Deadpool 2. Perhaps the two men will be fighting for her affection, while Domino and Deadpool kill plenty of bad guys.

While Kerry Washington certainly is a strong actress, I'm not sure if her resume supports some of the more comedic moments of Deadpool 2. Ryan Reynolds is a pretty masterful improv comic, and is known to riff and joke around quite a bit on set. Is she funny enough to keep up with Reynolds' trademark snark? I guess we'd just have to wait and see.

You can catch Kerry Washington in Scandal on ABC. Stay here with CinemaBlend for updates on all things Deadpool.

Even though the Deadpool franchise isn't closely tied to the X-Men movies, it still a lot of folks from the world of mutants to pick from. For Deadpool 2, the two primary new characters being introduced are Cable and Domino. There's been a lot of rumors and speculation about who will play the cyborg badass from the future and the equally badass woman whose luck is practically unlimited. However, today a potential new candidate for the latter has been revealed.

The Hashtag Show uploaded casting details earlier today about what Deadpool 2's Domino will be like. Interestingly enough, rather than have a pseudonym attached (as is often done with high profile projects), Domino is directly referred to by her civilian name, Neena Thurman. But that's beside the point. As far as actresses go, Scandal's Kerry Washington is reportedly testing to play Domino and is the "current frontrunner," but nothing is official yet. Sienna Miller and Gugu Mbatha-Raw also both tested for the role, but ultimately passed.

Whether or not Kerry Washington scores the Domino role remains to be seen, but her acting talents would certainly be most welcome in the Deadpool world. Best known for playing Olivia Pope on the ABC series Scandal, her other notable credits include Ray, Fantastic Four, Lakeview Terrace, Django Unchained, Boston Legal and Confirmation. Given Washington's busy shooting schedule for Scandal, making time for Deadpool 2 would be difficult, but it would be fun to see her acting as the straightforward foil to Ryan Reynolds' insane Wade Wilson.

For those unfamiliar with Domino, she is a mutant who can subconsciously manipulate probability around her to make improbable (note: not impossible) events occur, this giving her a lot of "good luck" and making her opponents "unlucky." This effect is usually activated when she's in a stressful situation, and when it comes to life-threatening moments, she has to take action to survive in other for the probability-alteration to occur. Along with this natural gift, Domino is a skilled mercenary, trained in several forms of martial arts and able to use a variety of firearms. While she's been a supporting character in Deadpool's corner of the Marvel universe, she's primarily tied to the X-Force, and has even been Cable's confidante and romanic interest. She was also a member of the X-Men for a time. Since Cable is also involved with Deadpool 2, perhaps we'll see a similar dynamic on the big screen.

Deadpool 2 doesn't have an official release date yet, but it's expected to hit theaters sometime in 2018. We'll let you know once an official Domino casting has been announced, but for now, let us know what you think of Kerry Washington potentially playing the character in the comments below.

It’s a tad unreal just how excited I am about The Muppets’ return to television for the new ABC series, but it turns out I’m able to get even more ecstatic about it. And all it took was a visit from one of the coolest celebs on the planet, Castle star Nathan Fillion. Though there are no ifs or ands in the Muppets promo below, there is definitely a butt, and Miss Piggy is interested in it. Check it out!

To be expected, not even a 30-second clip can be too limiting for a force as powerful as Muppetdom, and this promo exhibits everything we want out of the felt-faced characters: strong character beats and celebrity appearances. Here, we get Miss Piggy’s ego causing her to flub a line, and then her fondness for a certain male physique disrupts an entire take. Not that we blame her, since Nathan Fillion has been catching many an eye over the past 15 years.

What’s surprising here is that Miss Piggy is okay with just looking at Fillion’s ass from afar rather than trying to develop something further, since she’s so clearly interested. After all, it was previously made clear that she and Kermit had broken up, so she’s more than able to play the field. (Or the sty, or whatever pig-related expression works here.) Maybe she really was just interested in getting the advert completed. Or maybe she’s not real, and I’m hoping for things that could never exist. What would we call them, anyway? Miss Piggillion? Pygnalion?

Moving on, The Muppets brought in another major TV star to promote the show, as Scandal’s Kerry Washington hooked up with Miss Piggy and Kermit just long enough to get some selfie proof that she was with them.

Here we even get to see some of the personal tension between Miss Piggy and Kermit, and the put-upon amphibian even starts to address the issue, although Washington isn’t that interested in hearing about it. She just wants to get a picture in while making sure people know the show is airing on Tuesdays. Poor Kermie.

You can check out a third promo, with Everybody Loves Raymond and The Middle star Patricia Heaton mixing it up with the Swedish Chef, here, or you can wait to watch them all air on ABC during this weekend’s episode of Bachelor in Paradise. And don’t forget, The Muppets will make its ABC premiere on Tuesday, September 22.

To watch Kerry Washington on Scandal these days, you probably wouldn't be able to guess that she's pregnant. Of course, if you were paying close attention to the blocking and props, you might begin to notice the clever ways the series is hiding Washington's condition. While Olivia Pope usually dresses in well-fitted ensembles, we've seen her in some loose-fitting tops in recent episodes (see above). And that's not the only way the series has kept Washington's baby bump from view.

TV Guide presented a series of Gif images that demonstrate how Scandal has been hiding Washington's pregnancy, and it's actually pretty comical when you view all of them in a row. Here are a few of my favorites...

There's the old stand-behind-a-lamp strategy...

And the more awkward obstructed-view shot:

Or they can simply put Washington on the floor...

I'd personally love to see a whole episode shot through binoculars...

We can joke all we want, but if these techniques have ensured that Scandal could stay on the air -- and not have to cram a premature pregnancy plot into the story in the process - I'm all for it!

I also think we can add in Abby's attempt to stand in for Olivia as her proxy during last night's episode, considering she totally dressed the part...

That jacket has Olivia Pope written all over it! (Though it wasn't enough to sell "Olivia" to that audience.)

But the ultimate strategy for hiding Washington's pregnancy may very well be major distraction in the form of massive suspense and tension you could cut with a knife. Based on how last night's episode left off, with Olivia's gladiators taking down B613 at a crucial moment, it seems doubtful that we'll have time to play spot-the-baby-bump during next week's episode, which may be explosive in more ways than one. Here's the description for the penultimate "Flesh and Blood":

This is the second-to-last episode of the season, and the Scandal finale is set for April 17.

Photo Credit (for the top image and Darby Stanchfield's proxy scene) ©ABC. GIf credit goes to TV Guide!

Oh that Jimmy Kimmel — he sure does know a thing or two about making funny viral videos doesn’t he? Sketches, skits, and all-around ridiculousness seem to rule the late night funnyman’s show, Jimmy Kimmel Live, and his latest collaboration with the cast of ABC’s Scandal is no different. By turning the Shonda Rhimes series into a Mexican telenovela called — wait for it — ¡Escandalo!, the show gets the slightly more melodramatic treatment it deserves (but only slightly). I mean, it is the most ridiculous show on television after all: but don’t worry, we say that with love.

For Kimmel’s version of the series — which has grown increasingly popular internationally — he enlisted the series' actual actors to create a telenovela masterstroke. It goes without saying but Kimmel clearly has this all handled. Following a first installation that premiered after the show’s mid-season return on February 27th, this week’s new episode of the series required a second (and soon-to-be third) installment of the ¡Escandalo! saga as well. The first video, featuring the likes of Quinn and Mellie, focuses on a lovers’ quarrel involving a veritable smorgasbord of poison darts (is that a thing people do still?) and a window jump from our epic El Presidente, Guillermo.

This week, thank goodness, we were treated to the second installment of ¡Escandalo! (Man we really, really enjoy typing that. Almost as much as we enjoy saying it aloud), which spent the majority of its time making fun of President Fitzgerald Grant’s infamous Court Justice-snuffing scene (oh, Verna!) from season one. With not one but two mustaches (the sign of a true man, natch), Fitz turned his smothering pillow trick on El Presidente, but not before the leader could strike back — killing not only Fitz but that soup slurping fiend David Rosen. See what we mean? ¡Escandalo!. Watch the second installment below:

And yes: it seems there will be another installment to come (oh joy!), with Cyrus and Olivia Pope herself getting in on the hyperbolic and melodramatic action. Apparently it’s going to involve a pool? As if we needed another reason to be overly enthusiastic about Thursdays. We’re never going to have a Thursday night social life again: what an ¡escandalo!

When it comes to Shonda Rhimes’ mile-a-minute series Scandal, there’s not many places the talented showrunner won’t go in the name of compelling storytelling peppered by a couple jaw-on-the-floor moments each episode. But we highly suggest holding onto one’s butt in preparation for tonight’s midseason finale (titled "A Door Marked Exit"), because if what the actors have said are true, we’re in for one walloper of a time. And probably a head-spinning misadventure in crazytown.

Just look at last week’s episode, “YOLO,” where in the first few seconds of the cold open we’re exposed to some seriously fucked-up stuff: mainly Huck going balls-to-the-wall crazy on his fellow Olivia Pope & Associates instability tentpole, Quinn. Hairs were pulled from scalps as fans teetered on the edge of queasiness while Quinn saw the removal of her teeth (and maybe a bit of her dignity) at the maniacally fueled hands of Huck.

And that was just the beginning. The end showed the audience another sort of horrorshow: namely, the realization that Vice President Sally Langston had murdered her closet case of a husband following his dalliance with Cyrus’ husband, reporter James Novak. Woopsie poopsie!

“Cyrus, I have committed a sin,” came the epic last lines as the episode closed. But it seems as though she won’t be the only one forced to pay for her crimes — or at least have them handled. So what’s in store for tonight’s sure-to-be-epic midseason finale? Heaps. I mean, just look at the few snippets we get in the trailer alone. Grab your anti-anxiety medication, folks, because things are about to get downright stress-inducing up in here.

Huck and Quinn’s Uh, Interrogation Comes to Light

In a recent interview, actress Kerry Washington explained that things are about to change between the perma-bonded Olivia and Huck — and it might not be for the better. “The bond between Huck and Olivia, which has always been a sacred one. She always set the boundary between them -- "You and I live on the dark side" -- and that's unlike all of the others,” Washington explained. “The reaction Olivia has to what he does is a very big one and it's a game changer.”

Liv’s Lovelife Gets Murkier

Bellamy Young who plays the underappreciated Mellie, First Lady of Fitzgerald Grant had some interesting insights into the relationship between Olivia, Fitz, and Jake Ballard (Scott Foley). Turns out things might get hectic in that clusterfuck of a love triangle.

“Two men who love Olivia very much are going to go head-to-head and say some crazy things to each other,” explained Young. “They try to gain the upper hand on each other … Memorable words will be exchanged.”

“Keep your eye on Jake,” she added.

We’ve Not Seen the End of Momma Pope

And thank goodness for that: the shock of learning that Olivia’s mother actually was a terrorist was loop-throwing to say the least. But we can expect a lot more questions even with the influx of additional information. Oh, Scandal.

“It's handled in a Scandal way, meaning you'll get a lot more information than you have now but you'll also have more questions, which is what these writers do to us,” explained Washington.

Score One for Team Rowan?

No one would ever claim that Olivia’s relationship with her father is all that great, but it seems the whole I-had-to-lock-your-mother-away-to-protect-the-United-States thing might’ve at least paved the way for some reconciliation between the two.

“One of the interesting things you learn in the midseason finale about Olivia in relationship to that information [about her mother] is that, in a way that is somewhat surprising, it brings her even closer to her father. That is a twist that I certainly did not expect.

What Sally’s Murder Means

Of course, the biggest question is: what the heck are we going to do with a murderous Vice President who was just about to run for President? Shock of all shocks, explains Washington: it’s going to be complicated.

“It's much more complicated than you would imagine … everybody on our show has skeletons in their closet,” explained Washington. To which we say: yeah, no effing shit. But still, Sally’s strengths will not be forgotten, even in a time as perilous as this. And we can chalk it all up to one very important phone call:

“You get to see a bit of her strategic mastermind in who she calls — it's the person who she thinks can help her the most in relation to what she wants for the future.” Would she dare to consider calling Liv?

Mellie Gets In on The Action

Fancying her own strategic abilities may just do our First Lady some good, as, according to Young, “Mellie likes to imagine herself a fixer in her own right so she’s rolling up her sleeves and getting down to business … She’s tiny but loud.”

One Thing’s For Certain…

Everyone’s going to be talking about it on Friday at the office if the two most controversial characters in the cast are saying it’s downright nutters.

“[It] will leave fans on the floor, wanting more,” explained Huck’s real-life half, Guillermo Diaz.

“I mean it's hard, there's not one word to describe it. It will leave fans speechless,” added Quinn a.k.a. Katie Lowes.

And it better be: considering the recent announcement that the series’ third season order has been cut from 22 to 18 episodes, every second of the action has to count for something. There will be nary a slouch in Rhimes’ writing room, of that much we are certain.

Scandal’s midseason finale premieres Thursday, December 12 at 10PM on ABC.

Scandal pushed its audience to the limits emotionally after a jam-packed episode of revelations last week. Turns out poor Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington) may have to encounter one thing she really can’t handle: the truth about her mother. As it stands, the unsinkable Olivia Pope has found herself at quite a crossroads. Turns out her mother’s death didn’t go quite the way she thought. Instead it was her evil father Rowan Pope (Joe Morton), master manipulator/head of B-613, who called for the civilian plane momma Pope was on to be shot down. Oh, and it was seemingly her Presidential boyfriend/soulmate/holder of charged stares Fitzgerald Grant (Tony Goldwyn) who shot the plane down. But this is Scandal we’re talking about — mothership of all the twists and turns — so we’ve decided to take matters into our own hands and drum up a few explanatory, revelatory theories of our own.

A quick refresher for those playing at home: Fitz was listed as the pilot on Operation Remington — this seemingly covert mission in Iran that somehow involved Jake Ballard (Scott Foley). Huck, however, has put together some puzzle pieces and deduced that POTUS was actually part of another mission in Iceland to take down a civilian airliner carrying more than 300 passengers, including Momma Pope.

Certainly not the best news to get when you’re trying to figure out whose side you’re supposed to be on — especially when it shatters your entire world and the preconceived notions you might have about your parents.

But in the house that Shonda Rhimes built, there are always twists, turns, and fake-outs punching their way through every episode. Making sure that what you thought to be true back then was actually just a ruse. Meaning: just because Huck said it, doesn’t mean it’s true. So it got us thinking: with such a huge reveal, is there a possibility that maybe — just maybe — the mysterious case of Maya Pope née Lewis has yet to fully reveal its cards? Of course it does — this is Scandal. Which means a whole lot of hypothetical situations are about to be unfurled. And we’ve got some thoughts on the likely culprits in the Curious Case of Maya Lewis. You’ve got some explainin’ to do, Ms. Rhimes.

However, we know that you’re a busy woman — showrunning all over the place — so we’ve decided to speculate for you. And considering the fact that not much is known about the lady of House Pope, there’s plenty of hypotheticals to go around.

Olivia’s Mom Was a Terrorist - You know what they say, don’t you? Keep your friends close and your enemies closer? What if that’s exactly what Rowan was doing: marrying Maya because she was some sort of lynchpin in a much larger terror scheme? That would certainly be, well… you know.

Olivia’s Mom Was a Spy - Now wouldn’t that be a starcrossed lovers story for the (modern) ages? Two spies from different countries find love in each other, and just try to make it work in this wacky world of double-crossing. It would certainly give Rowan a softer side to him than what we’ve seen, even if he is still the man that ordered his wife’s plane be shot out of the sky.

Fitzgerald Grant Didn’t Shoot the Plane Down - Sure, it does seem that there’s no other alternative here, what with the missing flight plans and the missing mission on Fitz’s record, but still! There’s still a chance that maybe even that was a cover story, too. Because look at Fitz — our bumbling, overly emotional and sentimental Republican President — does he look like someone who would knowingly shoot down a civilian plane? Not really, though we don’t count him out on that front either, considering how things ended with Verna Thornton last season.

Olivia’s Mom is Actually Alive - Oh this would be the best surprise, wouldn’t it? Imagine if after all that, Maya was actually the one who had the leg up on Rowan? Maybe she knew that this would happen. Maybe she spied right back on Rowan and knew that when she watched the plane go down she realized her romance with him could never last, forcing her to run? A double-crossed starcross! Sounds right up Rhimes’ alley.

Operation Remington Is Something Else Entirely - As it currently stands, it might be easy to assume that Operation Remington was simply the act of shooting this civilian plane out of the sky that was covered up by something else in Iran. However it seems as though this was — at best — just one part of a much larger plan. In the teaser for Thursday night’s episode, Fitz clearly states that they’re covering up a secret that no one is looking for. So what happened?

Clearly, there are going to be far more questions than answers revealed in tonight’s episode of Scandal. And if Tony Goldwyn is to be believed, the plane in Iceland sounds like the tip of the iceberg here. That is if you’re to take into consideration what the actor said in an interview with TV Guide. Apparently, if the public found out about Remington, it “would be insane! I can't even imagine. Snowden times a thousand!” And shooting a civilian plane out of the sky — though very, very bad — doesn’t seem to quite match the levels of intensity that fueled the Edward Snowden fire. Clearly, there’s a lot more to Remington where all this is concerned. Thankfully, Scandal airs tonight (Thursday) at 10PM on ABC.

There’s been a lot of talk regarding Saturday Night Live and its lack of diversity, and more specifically, the lack of a black female cast member over the last several weeks. This issue brought a lot of attention to this week’s episode of NBC’s late night sketch comedy series, featuring African American actress Kerry Washington. The buzz surrounding her appearance on the show certainly ended up manifesting in this week’s ratings. Saturday night’s episode pulled in a 2.6 rating in the 18-49 advertising demo at the network and and the best overall viewership of the season.

Deadline first reported the news, noting that while the show did not quite manage to beat Cyrus’ episode in the demo, it still dominated. While SNL is only five episodes and a Halloween special into Season 39, last night’s ratings mean more people tuned into to see how Washington fared than they did for Bruce Willis’ first appearance since 1989. Additionally, the outlet is noting that the show featured the best ratings SNL has had in overall viewers since Justin Timberlake popped up on the show last March.

Sure, news outlets have been hot and bothered about SNL’s lack of an African American female cast member since Kenan Thompson was directly questioned about his viewpoint on the topic a few weeks ago. The comedian fumbled a little bit when questioned, noting that in auditions SNL hasn't recently found African American women who are ready to take on the role. Soon after, Washington’s appearance was announced, leading critics of the show to tie Washington’s appearance with Thompson’s comments. A lot of people knew Washington would be on the show last night, and a lot of people tuned in.

Still, I don’t think the talent involved with last night’s episode should be discounted. Eminem was the musical guest, and he’s been busy shedding light on his upcoming album, The Marshall Mathers LP 2, over the last several months. Additionally, Washington’s hit TV series, Scandal, has continued to do well over at ABC during Season 3. The actress’ profile has been rising exponentially over the last several years, and I’m not shocked to see people might want to tune in and see what the dramatic actress could do with comedy.

If you did happen to miss last night’s episode of SNL, the show did manage to address the recent controversy with a little comedy. You can catch some of those sorts of jokes, here. Or, if you are looking for some goofier humor, like a spoof of “What Does the Fox Say,” you can catch it, below.

As you may have heard, SNL’s been under fire recently for the lack of black female comedian representation among its cast. And if you hadn’t heard that, then the cold open to last night’s episode may not have made as much sense to you as it would have otherwise. Scandal star Kerry Washington hosted the episode, and though it’s not common for the host to appear in the cold open, it seems they were willing to make an exception if it meant being able to have Michelle Obama, Oprah and Beyonce (kind of) in the same sketch. The producers were sure to add a formal apology to Kerry Washington "for the number of black women she will be asked to play tonight."

This appears to be Saturday Night Live’s way of addressing the controversy as they tend to address just about everything else — with humor.

Many of us are used to seeing Washington as the poised and passionate Washington DC fixer Olivia Pope in Scandal, so it was really fun getting to see her diversity as an actor and her sense of humor throughout some of the better sketches last night. That includes this one, where Nasim Pedrad plays Heshy Farahat, a Career Week Speaker and Washington plays her… assistant?

And then there’s the “What Does the Fox Say?” spoof about what a guy’s girlfriend says:

Seems like the girl gets the last laugh there. Attention teachers-and-students: Washington also reminds people to “know your history” in this “Fall Carnival” sketch:

It doesn’t look like NBC has Eminem’s performances up online yet, but here’s the full episode: