I don’t know about you, but I’ll never forget reading George Orwell’s Animal Farm in high school. It’s one of those core-memory books I have because of how timeless the allegorical novella from 1945 is. Well, now Animal Farm is among the upcoming book-to-screen adaptations on the 2026 movie schedule, and the new trailer previews Andy Serkis’ approach to it.

Now, Andy Serkis has been working on helming an Animal Farm movie since back in 2012, originally as a performance capture movie. Ultimately, the director/voice actor decided to make it as a traditional 3D animated film geared toward ages 11 and up. While the previous trailer for it showcased the more lighthearted aspects of the film, this new look at Animal Farm (in the video above) offers perhaps a more balanced showcase of how the classic is being handled.

The movie starts with a group of animals thinking they are “going on vacation” before they realize they’re being sent to a slaughterhouse and rebel against their humans. Just like the novella, they decide to take over the farm for themselves, thus calling it “Animal Farm.” Once they do so, they have to decide how the farm will be ruled. Two pigs ultimately assume command and start to adopt rules on the farm that create inequality among the different animals, thus becoming a dictatorship.

While there’s definitely some cute family-friendly elements to this Animal Farm that may seem off-kilter to those who read the novella, this new look seems to skew closer to the source material. About halfway through this trailer, you can see how some of Animal Farm’s residents start to be treated unfairly. Though there is a key difference to note in this Animal Farm, with the protagonist being a new character, a piglet named Lucky, who decides to “rebel” against the dictatorship.

The animated film was initially going to be produced by Netflix back in 2018, but was ultimately made by Cinesite, Aniventure, and Imaginarium Productions. It is being distributed through Angel Studios. The movie boasts a star-studded cast, with Seth Rogen as Napoleon, Gaten Matarazzo as Lucky, along with Kieran Culkin, Glenn Close, Steve Buscemi, Laverne Cox, Woody Harrelson, Jim Parsons, Kathleen Turner, and Iman Vellani among the voice cast.

Per a press release by Angel Studios, the producers of this Animal Farm worked closely with George Orwell’s estate to “intentionally” reimagine “certain roles and character identities to broaden the film’s appeal to younger audiences.” When speaking about his film, Serkis said he wanted this version of the classic to “feel contemporary and genuinely connect with younger audiences”.

Previously, Animal Farm was adapted into movies in 1954 and as a live-action movie in 1999. This new Animal Farm is coming to theaters on May 1.

Spoilers are ahead for Episode 13 of CBS' Elsbeth Season 3, called “Murder Six Across” and available streaming with a Paramount+ subscription.

Elsbeth is the place to be in primetime to find celebrities playing murderers who kill their victims in bizarrely funny ways, with Season 3 returning in the 2026 TV schedule to break a rule with Midnight Mass’s Hamish Linklater. The latest episode featured none other than Steve Buscemi himself as a crossword puzzle fanatic pushed to murder most foul over a “delulu” combination of frustration over slang and an unrequited crush on a fellow puzzler. Carrie Preston spoke with CinemaBlend about Buscemi requesting a role on her show, which had him “flailing around.”

Even if Elsbeth hadn’t been officially reclassified as a comedy on the awards circuit after a lot of what Carrie Preston described as “hard work,” Steve Buscemi playing Simon, an old-fashioned crossword puzzler who commits murder with a nylon drawstring backpack, would have been undeniably funny. Buscemi is also one of the biggest names to appear on Elsbeth as a murderer opposite Carrie Preston, and she revealed that the show didn’t have to reach out to try and recruit him:

Considering that Steve Buscemi has a long history on the screen going way back before Wednesday Season 2 (and my earliest memory of him was seeing Con Air on cable in the '90s when I was probably too young to be watching Con Air), it’s hard to imagine that any show would just say no to a request by the actor for a role. According to Carrie Preston, it meant a lot to her that he was a big enough fan of her series to go that extra mile. She shared:

A celebrity coming on Elsbeth generally isn’t going to be playing one of the good guys, with the exception of Ethan Slater guest-starring as a cop while the Wicked buzz was still buzzing. So, Steve Buscemi getting a role on Elsbeth was likely going to mean killing somebody is a very outlandish way. Still, a murderer isn’t exactly a new kind of role for the Boardwalk Empire alum!

So, what was it like to actually work with Buscemi, when he came in both as a big name and an existing fan of the show? Carrie Preston only had good things to say about his performance in “Murder Six Across,” telling me:

Well, one doesn’t become a star on the level of Steve Buscemi by giving co-stars an evil impression! Of course, he does have comedy credits to his name, ranging from films like The Big Lebowski and Fargo to TV projects like Miracle Workers and 30 Rock, the latter of which spawned the iconic “How do you do, fellow kids?” meme. Carrie Preston went on to share her experience watching him work alongside one of her frequent scene partners:

Once upon a time, I might have said that I cannot believe a network TV show recruited Steve Buscemi for a one-off role like this, but that would have been before Elsbeth started pulling in major stars to play killers. Nathan Lane as the opera lover with a killer instinct about theatre etiquette has gone down as my favorite ever since the Season 2 premiere, but Buscemi as Simon Craigie the crossworld puzzler is now a contender for the #1 spot.

You can revisit all of Elsbeth’s celebrity killers with all three seasons so far streaming on Paramount+, and keep tuning in to CBS on Thursdays for new episodes. The hour-long comedy has already been renewed for Season 4, so fans can enjoy the rest of Season 3 without wondering if Elsbeth’s journey is ending.

Spoilers for Wednesday Season 2, Part 1 are ahead! Read with caution, and watch the series with a Netflix subscription.

When Part 1 of Wednesday Season 2 came to a close, things weren’t looking good for Jenna Ortega’s titular character. However, with the second half of the season premiering on Netflix’s 2025 schedule on September 3, I knew she wouldn’t be gone for long. That was confirmed in the trailer for Part 2. However, it wasn’t the most shocking reveal. No, no. The most surprising revelation was the fact that Gwendoline Christie’s Principal Weems will be back, too.

So, obviously, I’ve been thinking about the impact the late principal will make, and I’ve developed a theory that it will have something to do with Steve Buscemi’s Principal Dort.

Gwendoline Christie Is Returning As Wednesday’s Spirit Guide

Now, Principal Weems might be back, but I wouldn’t say she’s back from the dead. That’s because in Part 2’s trailer, it’s confirmed that she is Wednesday’s new “spirit guide.” You can see her return in what seems to be the main character's dreams in the video below, and it would appear that these interactions will happen while Wednesday is in the hospital after that fall at the end of Part 1.

It would appear she’s there to support Wednesday (which might haunt her, too), and I assume she’ll help her wake up so she can save Enid from whatever is coming for her.

However, I don’t think that’s the only purpose Principal Weems will serve. I also think Christie’s character could help amplify Wednesday’s relationship with the current principal of Nevermore, Barry Dort.

I Have A Theory About Wednesday’s Relationship With Steve Buscemi’s Principal Dort Being Impacted By Weems' Return

One of my primary questions coming out of Wednesday’s first season had to do with who would take over for Principal Weems. However, we quickly learned that Steve Buscemi had joined the Wednesday cast to play the new headmaster of Nevermore Academy. We then got to know him in the first half of Season 2, and it became abundantly clear that he was like Weems' antithesis.

He’s the polar opposite of her in a lot of ways, but specifically when it comes to overall vibes, and their juxtaposition feels too fun not to explore in the second half of the season.

Therefore, with Principal Weems being Wednesday’s spirit guide, I have a feeling Dort will become a bigger part of our lead character’s story, too. Could Weems help reveal that Dort is part of the big evil plan? Could she coax Wednesday to get his help? The options are endless; however, I do think Christie’s character being present will bring Ortega’s student closer to the new principal.

Personally, I think this connection will highlight and emphasize the living principal’s role in whatever is going on at Nevermore. I have a feeling he’s up to more than just keeping kids in line, and I think Wednesday’s connection with Weems could help bring his true intentions to life.

To see if that happens, you can stream Wednesday Season 2, Part 2 on Netflix, starting September 3.

HBO doesn't have a monopoly on prestige television, but they are the king of it. The network loves to work with the same people who have proved they have what it takes to make great shows. That includes many of the same great actors who appear on more than one show. Some of these actors have appeared in three or four (or more) shows over the years, but for this list, we're sticking with at least two, usually the ones they are best known for. Actors like Wendell Pierce, Cynthia Nixon, and many more.

Wendell Pierce - The Wire And Treme

Wendell Pierce first broke out as the best-dressed detective in the Baltimore Homicide Unit on The Wire. Pierce's character, Bunk Moreland, appears in every episode of the show. A couple of years after The Wire ended in 2008, the show's creator returned to HBO with Treme, and it was a natural fit to include Pierce, who is a New Orleans native, in the cast.

Carrie Coon - The Gilded Age And The White Lotus

2025 was a huge year for Carrie Coon on HBO. Not only did she return for Season 3 of The Gilded Age as the determined high society lady, Bertha Russell, but she also killed it on the third season of the anthology series The White Lotus. She stole the show with her monologue in the final episode of that show, while continuing to dominate New York society in the 1880s in The Gilded Age.

Steve Buscemi - The Wire And Boardwalk Empire

Steve Buscemi's first appearance on HBO came when he joined the cast of The Sopranos as Tony Blundetto, Tony Soprano's cousin, in Season 5 of the legendary peak TV-era show. He wasn't on the show long, but a couple of years later, he played a much bigger role on Boardwalk Empire. He played the fictional mob boss Nucky Thompson in the period piece created by Sopranos writer Terrance Winter.

Evan Rachel Wood - True Blood And Westworld

Evan Rachel Wood started her career as a talented child actor and made her first appearance on HBO as a recurring character in True Blood. She made an even bigger splash on the network as one of the main characters in Westworld. Wood also appeared in the miniseries Mildred Pierce on HBO.

Alexander Skarsgård - True Blood And Big Little Lies

Alexander Skarsgård is a true HBO regular. His first show for the network, the limited series Generation Kill, aired in 2008 and he returned to the network that same year as a series regular in the vampire hit True Blood. While still starring on that show, he made a one-off appearance in the series finale of Eastbound and Down. He was a main cast member on Big Little Lies, playing a very dark character (and earning an Emmy in the process), before he took on a notable guest-starring role in Succession, earning two more Emmy nominations.

Sydney Sweeney - Euphoria And The White Lotus

Sydney Sweeney burst onto the scene alongside her castmates in the teen drama Euphoria on HBO in 2019 and in 2022, she also appeared in Season 1 of The White Lotus. She earned not one, but two Emmy nominations that year, one for each show.

Edie Falco - Oz And The Sopranos

The HBO show Oz was an early entry in the "peak TV era" from the network, running for six seasons in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The cast of Oz was stacked and included Edie Falco as Officer Diane Whittlesey. That isn't the show she is most famous for on the network, of course. As Falco's time was coming to a close, she landed the role of a lifetime as Carmela Soprano in The Sopranos, and her amazing performances earned her three Emmy awards.

Aidan Gillen - Game Of Thrones And The Wire

Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish in Game of Thrones is one of the great TV villains of all time, and the character was played brilliantly by Aidan Gillen. It wasn't Gillen's first major role on HBO, as that came a few years earlier when he played the ambitious politician Tommy Carcetti on the final three seasons of The Wire.

Cynthia Nixon - And Just Like That And The Gilded Age

itsCynthia Nixon has been a staple on HBO for decades now, starring as Miranda Hobbes in And Just Like That... and it's predecessor. She's also one of the stars of the incredible period drama The Gilded Age as the spinster-turned-wealthy widow Ada Forte, née Brook.

Michiel Huisman - Game Of Thrones And Treme

Treme, which ran for four seasons on HBO, had a whole host of actors who were HBO regulars. Michiel Huisman, who played the musician only known as "Sonny" on the New Orleans-based show, was also starring in a little show called Game of Thrones at the same time on the network, playing Daario Naharis.

Michelle Monaghan - True Detective And The White Lotus

It must be incredibly rewarding for any actor to have the opportunity to star in two anthology shows on HBO. Michelle Monaghan knows exactly how it feels. She first starred in Season 1 of True Detective and, more recently, was part of the stellar cast of Season 3 of The White Lotus.

Michael K. Williams - The Wire And Boardwalk Empire

The late Michael K. Williams left behind an incredible legacy at HBO. He was, of course, one of the most incredible TV characters of all time as Omar Little on The Wire, and he followed that up with a great turn as a gangster in 1920s New Jersey in Boardwalk Empire. Those weren't his only appearances on the network. He popped up in a one-off scene on The Sopranos in 2001, then later in the miniseries The Night Of. His final television credit before his tragic death was on the HBO show Lovecraft Country.

Alexandra Daddario - The White Lotus And True Detective

Before earning an Emmy nomination for her great turn as newlywed Rachel Patton in Season 1 of The White Lotus, Alexandra Daddario had a recurring role on another HBO anthology series, True Detective, during its first season. She even had a cameo early in her career in The Sopranos.

Murray Bartlett - The White Lotus And The Last Of Us

It's easy to see why The White Lotus was such a monster hit when it aired its first season, with Murray Bartlett stealing the show as the hotel manager who gets caught in a serious downward spiral as the show goes on. He's hilarious and heartbreaking at the same time. Later, he was cast in "Long, Long Time," one of the most beloved episodes of The Last of Us, as Frank, the deceased lover of Bill, played by Nick Offerman. While it was only one episode, it was so good that we had to include it here. Bartlett was also a regular cast member on the HBO show Looking.

Danny McBride - Eastbound And Down And The Righteous Gemstones

What is there to be said about Danny McBride's various sitcoms on HBO? After making his name in supporting roles in movies like Pineapple Express and Tropic Thunder, he arrived on HBO in the now-legendary Eastbound and Down. His next hit for the network was Vice Principals alongside Walton Goggins, and then as Jesse Gemstone on The Righteous Gemstones.

Clarke Peters - The Wire And Treme

It's hard to believe that The Wire is one of those shows that never won an Emmy. That goes double for the excellent cast, including the great Clarke Peters, who played Lester Freamon in all five seasons of the show. Like some of his co-stars on the show, he also appeared in Treme on HBO.

Jeanne Tripplehorn - The Gilded Age And Big Love

Jeanne Tripplehorn is a veteran actor whose career stretches back to 1992's Basic Instinct. She was a big part of Big Love on HBO as Bill's only legal wife in the show about polygamy in Utah. Tripplehorn also starred in a recurring role on The Gilded Age as a disgraced high society outcast who happens to be one of the kindest characters on the show. She was also nominated for an Emmy for her role as Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis in Grey Gardens on HBO.

Jeffrey Wright - Westworld And Boardwalk Empire

Jeffrey Wright is one of the best actors of his generation, and he's had an opportunity to show off just how great he is in multiple HBO shows. First, he won an Emmy for his role in the miniseries Angels in America. Later, he had a recurring role on Boardwalk Empire, before his fantastic turn on Westworld, for which he was nominated for three more Emmys, but sadly didn't win one. In 2025, he reprised his voice role in The Last of Us video game in the HBO adaptation.

Jamie-Lynn Sigler - The Sopranos And Entourage

Jamie-Lynn Sigler occupies an interesting spot here. Of course, she's best known for her role as Meadow Soprano on The Sopranos. Her next role on HBO came in a role that was a fictionalized version of herself dating Turtle in Entourage.

Walton Goggins - Vice Principals And The White Lotus

Walton Goggins has been one of the hardest-working actors in Hollywood for many years, and in 2025, he really upped his profile with his fantastic performance in Season 3 of The White Lotus. It was his third major show on HBO after Vice Principals and The Righteous Gemstones.

Lena Headey - Game Of Thrones And The White House Plumbers

She played one of the greatest villains of all time on Game of Thrones, and Lena Headey returned to HBO in 2023 in the underrated miniseries The White House Plumbers, where she played Dorothy Hunt, wife of one of the Watergate burglars, E. Howard Hunt.

Pedro Pascal - Game Of Thrones And The Last Of Us

Like a lot of actors, Pedro Pascal put in a ton of work early in his career with one-off roles in every show you can imagine. Then, in 2014, he was cast as Oberyn Martell on Game of Thrones, and his career blew up. More recently, he's been breaking hearts on The Last of Us on HBO.

Indira Varma - Game Of Thrones And Rome

The Game of Thrones cast was absolutely stacked, including the great Indira Varma, who played Ellaria Sand in 13 episodes of the show. That wasn't her first time in an HBO show, however. In 2005, she starred as Niobe in two seasons of Rome, the incredibly underrated (and expensive to produce) historical drama created by John Milius.

Jim True-Frost - The Wire And Treme

Jim True-Frost's character in The Wire has one of the most interesting character arcs on a show full of great arcs. His performance as Roland Pryzbylewski was, like so many others on the show, nothing short of excellent. Like others on The Wire, True-Frost also starred in Treme. He even had a cameo in Boardwalk Empire as legendary lawman Eliot Ness.

Kim Dickens - Deadwood And Treme

Kim Dickens has a stellar television resume, and two jewels on that CV are both HBO shows. First, she was one of the main characters, Joanie, in Deadwood. Later, she starred on Treme.

John Hawkes - Deadwood And Eastbound And Down

The original cast of Deadwood was a bunch of heavyweights, including John Hawkes, who played Sol throughout the run of the show. A few years later, the versatile actor returned to HBO in a completely different kind of role as the brother of Kenny Powers in Eastbound & Down. Most recently, he put in a fantastic performance in Season 4 of the anthology series True Detective.

Rose Leslie - Game Of Thrones And The Time Traveler's Wife

The Time Traveler's Wife is one of the more under-the-radar shows in HBO history. Rose Leslie led the cast of the show that was canceled after one season, despite a passionate fanbase. Of course, Leslie first became a star on HBO as Ygritte on Game of Thrones.

Bobby Cannavale - Boardwalk Empire And Vinyl

Bobby Cannavale really made his name on HBO as the volatile gangster Gyp Rosetti in Boardwalk Empire, though his first gig on the network was in a small role on Six Feet Under. After Boardwalk Empire, he teamed up with the creators of Vinyl, starring in the lone season of the short-lived show.

Edi Patterson - The Righteous Gemstones And Vice Principals

The Righteous Gemstones and Vice Principals are two shows that were perfect for Edi Patterson. She's wonderful at playing quirky characters, fitting in great with the cast of both of those shows.

Domenick Lombardozzi - The Wire And Boardwalk Empire

Herc in The Wire is an obnoxious character that is hard to love, but Domenick Lombardozzi's performance charms everyone who watches the show. He repeated the feat later on Boardwalk Empire.

Regina King - Watchmen And The Leftovers

If anyone on this list needs no introduction, it's the great Regina King. She is a force of nature in everything she does, including two excellent HBO shows, The Leftovers and the one-and-done Season of Watchmen.

Michael Imperioli - The Sopranos And The White Lotus

Some people might remember Michael Imperioli as Spider in Goodfellas, but most will first know him as Christopher Moltisanti, Tony's frustrating nephew in The Sopranos. He returned to HBO in Season 2 of The White Lotus and once again reminded fans of the network how great he can be.

After Season 1 of Wednesday ended, I was left with so many questions about how this Addams family member’s story would continue. Well, now Wednesday Season 2 has dropped its first teaser trailer, providing us with a bit of context about what’s to come. However, overall, it left us with more questions than answers about the Jenna Ortega-led show.

So, as we wait on pins and needles for Wednesday’s August 6 premiere on Netflix’s 2025 schedule, here are the inquiries I’ll be spiraling over:

Who Is Steve Buscemi Playing?

Ever since Steve Buscemi’s involvement in Wednesday was announced, I’ve been dying to know who he’ll play. Last season, we saw Gwendoline Christie’s principal go down, so that job is open, and I was curious if he’d take it. It’s still unclear if that’s the case. However, this teaser did give us the tiniest amount of insight into the Boardwalk Empire star’s mystery character.

In the trailer, we see him at a microphone at what appears to be a carnival. He’s wearing a Nevermore blazer and seems to have some showmanship. I’d assume he’s an employee at the school. However, right now, we don’t really know what his affiliation or job is.

We do know his character’s name is Barry Dort, though. So, at least we have that, thanks to the caption provided with the image above.

However, I’m still curious if he’ll be a friend or foe to Wednesday, and my curiosity cannot be quelled when it comes to the impact he’ll have on the students at Nevermore.

What Role Will Pugsley Play This Season?

During Season 1 of Wednesday, we really didn’t see Isaac Ordonez’s Pugsley at all. He showed up with the family, but other than that, he didn’t have a significant role in the story. Now, with Season 2, it would appear that we’ve done a complete 180 with his story.

In the teaser, there are two moments involving the youngest Addams that really caught my attention. The first was his use of some sort of zappy eclectic power like Uncle Fester’s. That has me wondering so many things, including, but not limited to: how did he get this power, why does he have it, and when will it come in handy for Wednesday?

The other point of intrigue came when he stepped out of the car, and he was wearing that signature purple Nevermore blazer.

It would appear that Wednesday’s little brother is about to play a much bigger role in Season 2 as he’ll be attending the school and has power. The question I now have is: what kind of part will he play in his sister’s story?

Will Morticia Be Involved In The Mystery?

In the voiceover on the trailer, a woman notes that all families have secrets, and said secrets have “deadly consequences.” What we’re seeing during that moment is Morticia looking suspicious while holding a notebook that has terrifying scribbles in it.

After that, Wednesday says:

Well, that makes me worry a lot, actually. What on Earth does that mean? What is the meaning of that notebook? And how will Morticia Addams impact the mystery her daughter is trying to solve?

It seems Catherine Zeta-Jones will play a significantly larger role this season, based on all the intrigue surrounding Morticia in this teaser, and I’m desperate to learn more.

Overall, this tiny but mighty teaser trailer got me amped for Wednesday Season 2’s premiere on the 2025 TV schedule. It set the stage for an epic and creepy mystery, and gave us just enough to theorize over while we wait to use our Netflix subscriptions on August 6 to stream part one of this long-awaited sophomore installment.

Here’s the thing: I love Con Air. I was blown away by the all-time great action movie when I first saw it as a kid back in 1997, and 28 years later, I’m just as obsessed with it. Even though some things will never make sense about the star-studded action flick, there’s so much to love. You’ve got one of the wildest Nicolas Cage characters, an amazing John Cusack performance, and quite possibly the most ruthless group of villains of all time led by John Malkovich’s Cyrus “The Virus” Grissom.

Though Cyrus is quite possibly one of the most charismatic, intelligent, and meanest bad guys of the ‘90s, I don’t think he’s the worst of the worst aboard the “Jail Bird.” Sure, he’s the ringleader of it all and adds more notches to his kill count than anyone else in the movie, but there are some runaways on the plane that are far more rotten. Let me explain…

Cyrus ‘The Virus’ Grissom

While it is true that Cyrus “The Virus” Grissom orchestrated the whole hijacking, killed an ungodly number of people, and has a rap sheet longer than just about anyone in Con Air, it’s argued in the movie that he’s a “true product of the system.” It doesn’t absolve this show-stealing villain of his crimes, but it’s all he’s ever known.

The 11 inmates killed during his stints in prison, three riots, and two escape attempts won’t put him on the “nice” list, but unlike some of his co-conspirators and fellow passengers, John Malkovich’s utterly insane character did at least have standards. Despite having “killed more men than cancer,” Cyrus despises assalters, has no time for white nationalists, and is incredibly loyal to those who have his back (just don’t turn against him).

Nathan ‘Diamond Dog’ Jones

Nathan “Diamond Dog” Jones, Ving Rhames’ militant domestic terrorist in prison for blowing up an NRA meeting, is nearly as charismatic and devilish as Cyrus, and he also has quite the bite. One of the orchestrators of the prison transport plane takeover, Diamond Dog is pretty much The Virus’ right-hand man. And despite being a very, very bad man, his charm, wit, and smile make it hard to hate on him too much.

Yeah, he kills a lot of folks, adds several more felonies to an already impressive list, and makes life a living hell for Cameron Poe (Nicolas Cage), but again, it’s hard to keep this dog down.

Earl ‘Swamp Thing’ Williams

Earl “Swamp Thing” Williams (M. C. Gainey) is one of the hijackers we learn the least about in Con Air. Outside of being a skilled pilot (and knowing how to properly remove a plane’s transponder) and fellow inmate, nothing much is said about him before or after he hitches a ride in Carson City. However, his crazy sense of humor, facial hair, and general disdain for authority put him in the middle of the pack as far as terribleness goes.

Joe 'Pinball' Parker

I miss the days when Dave Chappelle would randomly show up in movies like You’ve Got Mail and Con Air, because he had a perfect batting average in the late ‘90s. Though Joe “Pinball” Parker doesn’t get a whole lot of time in the movie before he gets crushed by the landing gear and ends up smashing through that old dude’s car, he does play a key role in taking over the plane.

The serial arsonist catching a fellow inmate on fire kickstarts the whole takeover of the plane, and him quickly grabbing a guard’s keys allows the more violent offenders to escape their cages. If he’d kept his mouth shut (and that balloon of fuel and matches) in his stomach, Cameron Poe would have made it home on time.

Francisco Cindino

Francisco Cindino (Jesse Borrego) is only in Con Air for a short while before he gets turned into a pile of ashes by Cyrus Grissom, but this guy had it coming. A South American drug lord and terrorist who helped finance the whole operation, Cindino made the mistake of trying to double-cross one of the most ruthless men to ever go through the United States Penal System.

William 'Billy Bedlam' Bedford

Okay, now it’s time to talk about the bad of the bad when it comes to Con Air villains. First up is William “Billy Bedlam” Bedford (Nick Chinlund), a man with absolutely no redeeming qualities. He’s not bright, he’s not funny, he’s not nice, and he has one of the most disturbing reasons for being in prison in the first place.

This guy didn't kill his wife after catching her having an affair, but instead drove four towns over to her family's house where he killed her parents, her brothers, her sisters, and even the dog before it was all said and done. Plus, he didn't put the bunny back in the box when Cameron Poe politely asked him to leave his stuff alone.

John ‘Johnny 23’ Baca

Danny Trejo may be a badass in real life, but his character in Con Air was one depraved sicko. John “Johnny 23” Baca, whose name would be “Johnny 600” if the authorities knew how many women he had assaulted before being caught, even has a tattoo representing each of his victims on his arm.

The serial assaulter, who mostly just looked scary and made multiple threats to Guard Sally Bishop (Rachel Ticotin) on the flight, showed not even a sliver of remorse from start to finish, which made him one of the worst of the worst on “Jail Bird.”

Garland ‘The Marietta Mangler' Greene

Steve Buscemi’s Garland Greene is introduced as “The Marietta Mangler” when he is brought aboard the plane like Hannibal Lecter halfway through Con Air, and instantly becomes one of the most insane and unforgettable convicts on the escape path. While the man responsible for countless murders does seem to be one of the nicer convicts on the flight (at least on the surface level), that's far from the case.

Despite his friendly demeanor, keen observation skills, and ability to point out irony in the worst of times, I can’t set aside the fact that Greene bragged about driving through multiple states wearing a victim’s head like a hat. But his successful escape at the end of the movie does have me bummed we never got a Con Air sequel.

So, Who's The Worst?

If Cyrus “The Virus” Grissom isn’t the worst of the worst from Con Air, then who is it? Well, after thinking long and hard about this, I firmly believe that it’s Billy Bedlam who is the sickest, most depraved, and unlikable convict aboard the plane. Not only did he kill his wife’s family (and dog) so that she would suffer even more, and not only was he a chicken shit throughout the movie, but he also messed with Cameron Poe’s attempt to do the right thing and ruin his surprise for his daughter.

Johnny 23 and Garland Greene weren’t far behind, but Billy Bedlam was just the worst…

Bonus: DEA Agent Duncan Malloy

Before I go, I just have to point out that DEA Agent Duncan Malloy (Colm Meaney) has to be the biggest jerk in Con Air and possibly in any ‘90s movie. It’s partially his fault that everything got chaotic in the movie, and his “AZZ KIKR” license plate gives off some serious inferiority complex like he’s Kirk Millhouse sleeping in a racing car on The Simpsons. However, his introductory line of “this is spectacular” when describing his car is one of the best parts of the movie.

I know Cyrus “The Virus” Grissom is a terrible guy who deserved to go out by getting crushed by some random piece of equipment off the Las Vegas Strip, but there’s no denying he’s one of the best villains of all time.

The highly-anticipated second season of Wednesday will be arriving relatively soon on Netflix’s 2025 schedule. Having brought back '90s Wednesday Addams actress Christina Ricci for Season 1, the Jenna Ortega-led series will introduce more fun cast additions in Season 2. Not only has Lady Gaga joined the cast of Wednesday after her song “Bloody Mary” went viral with Ortega’s dance, but Steve Buscemi has opened up about bringing his own unique charms to the series.

Previous reports pegged Buscemi as the new principal at Nevermore Academy, which will certainly change the vibes at the school. Although The Big Lebowski actor couldn’t say too much about his role specifics, he told THR what it was like for him shooting the hit Netflix series, which reunited him with series EP and director Tim Burton. According to Buscemi:

Buscemi starred in 2003 fantasy drama Big Fish along with Ewan McGregor and plenty of other talents, which Burton helmed well over 20 years ago. The two are teaming up once again, but this time on a kookier and spookier story than the emtional drama of the aforementioend film.

Although it’s been quite a long time since they worked together, it sounds filming Wednesday has been as enjoyable an experience as ever for the esteemed actor, and not just because of the New Zealand sun. Buscemi also praised the rest of the cast, and hinted that we'll be seeing him mix it up with a variety of familiar faces when Season 2 premieres. As he put it:

The Addams Family remains a favorite among fans young and old, and the Fargo vet is definitely in that group. So, being on a show like Wednesday and working with Tim Burton once again is probably one of the coolest things for Buscemi. And just about anyone on the show, as well. It will be exciting to see Buscemi on the show and to see the new principal at Nevermore Academy. There will surely be some interesting dynamics to come out of it, and it’s hard to tell what will happen.

Not that Buscemi and Lady Gaga are the only exciting additions for Wednesday Season 2. OG Uncle Fester actor Christopher Lloyd also joined the cast, along with Billie Piper, Thandiwe Newton, Haley Joel Osment, Heather Matarazzo, Frances O’Connor, and Joonas Suotamo. The show is definitely raising the bar for its second season, and considering Season 1 broke viewing records, I wouldn't be surprised if the creatives up the ante accordingly.

As of now, not too many details have been released about Season 2 of one of Netflix's best series, but from the sounds of it, fans will want to be excited for what’s to come. For now, Season 1 can be streamed in full with a Netflix subscription.

There are fewer more popular cult classics than The Big Lebowski. Some of the cast is very well known of course, and they are on this list, but others are less so. They are all phenomenal actors, and most have had long careers outside of the Coen Brothers classic, and while you might think to yourself, "Oh yeah, I know that guy," you might not remember from where. That's why we're here to fill in those gaps and give you 32 cast members from The Big Lebowski and where else you've seen them on screen. 

Jeff Bridges (The Dude)

Of course, you can't talk about The Big Lebowski without talking about The Dude, or "El Duderino" if you're not into the whole brevity thing. Jeff Bridges is on the record as saying it was one of his favorite roles and that's saying a lot considering he's won an Oscar for another role in Crazy Heart and is the star of another beloved cult classic, Tron. Bridges' full list of accomplishments is far too long to mention here. 

Peter Stormare (Uli Kunkel/Karl Hungus)

Any fan of the Coens probably immediately recognizes Peter Stormare as the nihilist Uli Kunkel and from his role as Gaear Grimsrud, Steve Buscemi partner in Fargo. Before Lebowski, he also was in The Lost World: Jurassic Park and Armageddon. Most recently, he is probably best known for playing Abram Tarasov, the main baddie in John Wick: Chapter 2. 

John Goodman (Walter Sobchak)

John Goodman's performance as Walter Sobchak is one of the best of the legend's career. It's hardly his only great performance in a Coen Brothers movie, either. He's worked with the writing and directing team in Raising Arizona, O Brother Where Are Thou?, Inside Llewellyn Davis, and Barton Fink as well. Not to mention all the other roles he's well known for. 

David Huddlestone

The late David Huddlestone, who passed away in 2016 was amazing as the other Jeff Lebowski. He also pops up in some other great roles you may have missed, like Mayor Olson Johnson in Blazing Saddles and as Sen. Max Lobell in a couple of episodes of The West Wing. 

Philip Moon (Woo)

Philip Moon's Woo is one of the two goons sent by Jackie Treehorn to shakedown the wrong Lebowski and his actions towards The Dude's rug is what kicks off the whole adventure. Outside of this movie, Moon is probably best known as Mr. Lee in Season 2 of Deadwood. 

Mark Pellegrino (Thug #2)

Mark Pellegrino plays one of the thugs who assault The Dude at the beginning of the movie, dropping The Dude's bowling ball on the floor in the bathroom. Pellegrino has dozens of credits on his resume going all the way back to the 1980s including the wrestling movie No Holds Barred, plus Lethal Weapon 3, Mulholland Drive, Capote, and National Treasure. Pellegrino is also well known for playing Jacob in Lost. 

Flea (Kieffer)

The three idiot nihilists who fake the kidnapping of Bunny Lebowski were all in a band together called Autobahn. Every band needs a bass player, so adding the Red Hot Chili Pepper's Flea to the mix is perfect casting. It's not Flea's only acting work, either. He has also appeared in Back to the Future II as one of the skating thugs, and alongside his bandmate, Anthony Kiedis in The Chase among other roles. 

Leon Russom (Malibu Police Chief)

The chief of the Malibu police department, played by Leon Russom, is a real reactionary. Russom himself is, presumably, not, but he is a fantastic actor. He's best known these days for his smaller, but very important role as the old man in the woods in A Quiet Place. 

Torsten Voges (Franz)

German Torsten Voges' first big role in the U.S. was as one of the nihilists, Franz. He's the least known of the three actors playing the supposed kidnappers, but since he's appeared in movies like 88mm and TV shows like Grimm. 

Julianne Moore (Maude Lebowski)

The late '90s were a peak moment in Julianne Moore's career, one of a few, as she continues to be one of the best actors in Hollywood. Around the same that she starred in The Big Lebowski, she also starred in Boogie Nights and Magnolia. More recently she received acclaim for her acting in May December, one of the best movies of 2023. 

Jerry Haleva (Saddam Hussein)

Jerry Haleva isn't a big name actor, but he found a lot of success in the 1990s for playing Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, including in The Big Lebowski. As the spitting image of Hussein, he also showed up in Hot Shots! and Hot Shots! Part Deux.

Sam Elliott (The Stranger)

Sam Elliott has one of the greatest mustaches in movie history and it's on full display in the movie. Elliott is beloved for his decades of work in movies like Mask, the classic western Tombstone, and Road House. 

Philip Seymour Hoffman (Brandt)

The Big Lebowski was released just as the late Philip Seymour Hoffman's career was really starting to take off. He'd had some important roles previously, as in Boogie Nights, Twister, and Scent of a Woman, and of course after he became a pretty huge star. 

Jimmie Dale Gilmore (Smokey)

Jimmie Dale Gilmore plays the burnout pacifist Smokey whose foot was over the line in a league match against Walter and The Dude. Gilmore isn't a professional actor, but he is one of the most accomplished and underrated country singer/songwriters of '70s and '80s. 

Ben Gazzara (Jackie Treehorn)

When Ben Gazzara died in 2012, he'd been in show business for nearly 60 years. He started on the stage but also made a huge mark on TV and in movies. Some of his most well-known roles came in The Thomas Crown Affair (1999), Summer of Sam, and, of course, as the main antagonist in the original Road House, alongside fellow Lebowski actor Sam Elliott.

Aimee Mann (Nihilist Woman)

Aimee Mann doesn't have a huge role in the movie, as she's seen just in one scene, ordering pancakes with the other nihilists, and missing a toe nail, with nail polish. Of course, Mann is best known as one of Canada's greatest singer/songwriters and while her music has been in many movies, she's only acted in a couple. 

Jon Polito (Da Fino)

Jon Polito was a Coen Brothers regular, playing in five of their movies before his death in 2015. He also was a series regular in the first couple of seasons of Homicide Life On The Streets and in movies like The Crow and American Gangster. 

Tara Reid (Bunny Lebowski)

Pretty much everyone knows Tara Reid, right? In the '90s, she was huge, starring not only as Bunny in The Big Lebowski, but as Vicky in American Pie and its sequels. Since, her most infamous role has been in the Sharknado series. Bunny is still her best role though, don't you think? Brandt does. 

Jack Kehler (Marty The Dancing Landlord)

Jack Kehler is a fantastic character actor who completely disappears into his roles. So much so that you might love some his movies and not even know he's in it - and that's meant as a compliment. He's been in Point Break, Men In Black, Waterworld, and many others. 

Steve Buscemi (Donny)

Donny was a bowler. And a surfer. Steve Buscemi is an actor. And a legend. And so much more. There isn't much we can add that most people don't know about Buscemi. He's starred in some of the best movies and TV shows of all time, including Reservoir Dogs, Con Air, and The Sopranos. It's arguably he's most loved as Donny though. 

Carlos Leon (Maude's Thug)

Carlos Leon has a pretty small role in The Big Lebowski as one of Maude's thugs who knocks The Dude out and takes the rug back. After Lebowski, he found his biggest fame as a series regular, Carlos, in Oz. He's got dozens of other credits to his name, especially on shows shot in New York like Law & Order and others. Of course, he is most known for being Madonna's ex-partner and the father of her daughter, Lourdes Leon.

John Turturro (Jesus)

It could be easily argued that John Turturro steals the show as Jesus. Of course, he steals the show in almost every movie his in, and he's well-known for doing it. His breakout role came in Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing and since he's got dozens and dozens of impressive credits, including three Golden Globe-winning performances. 

Richard Gant (Older Cop)

Richard Gant's small role in The Big Lebowski as the more skeptical cop investigating The Dude's car theft is a character actor with an impressive career. He's worked with Eddie Murphy in movies like Norbit, Daddy Day Care, and Nutty Professor II: The Klumps, among other roles. 

Christian Clemenson (Younger Cop)

The more enthusiastic cop helping The Dude with his car is played by Christian Clemenson. Clemenson has been working in Hollywood since the mid-'80s when he had a small role in Hannah and Her Sisters. He's also been in blockbusters like United 93, Apollo 13, J. Edgar, The Fisher King, and Broadcast News. 

Dom Irrera (Tony The Chauffeur) 

When The Dude learns all about his chauffeur's rash, he can do nothing but sympathize. the chauffeur, played by comedian Dom Irrera, is a small but memorable role. It's Irrera that makes it so. The standup has been in the business for decades and often pops up in screwball comedies like Silence of the Hams and the forgotten Rodney Dangerfield movie The Fourth Tenor. 

David Thewlis (Knox Harrington)

David Thewlis plays the visual artist Knox Harrington. Most people know Thewlis as Remus Lupin in the Harry Potter series. He's was also Ares in Wonder Woman and Justice League, plus he'll star in the next two installments of the Avatar series. He's a fantastic actor who you might now know the name of, but love him nonetheless. 

Lu Elrod (Diner Waitress)

Lu Elrod is one of the actors that you know you've seen before, but can't always place. In Lebowski she's the waitress that tries to hush Walter, but she's also played small roles in about a dozen other movies like Primary Colors, Wag The Dog, and Kicking And Screaming.  

Mike Gomez (Laughing Cop)

The most memeable moment in the movie is the laughing cop when The Dude asks about any leads in the case of his stolen car. Mike Gomez is that laughing cop and as such, has become more recognizable for that rile. Outside of that, he's probably best known as Quinones in the Clint Eastwood movie Heartbreak Ridge.  

Peter Siragusa (Gary The Bartender)

Heard more than seen, Peter Siragusa as Gary the bartender doesn't have a big role in the movie, serving The Dude his White Russians at the bowling alley. Peter Siragusa was an accomplished actor, however. Much of it was voice work before he died in 2022, but you would certainly recognize him as the lineman in Home Alone. 

Warren Keith (The Funeral Director)

Warren Keith is one of the Coen Brothers' go-to actors, having appeared in four of their movies, Raising Arizona and The Big Lebowski and well as off screen in Fargo and A Serious Man. He was recently in the acclaimed 2020 Oscar-winner Nomandland as well. 

Gérard L'Heureux (The Big Lebowski's Chauffeur)

Gérard L'Heureux doesn't have a big role in the movie either, but he is a great actor, despite not really having any lines as he drags The Dude from one limo to another. He's probably best known as one of the prison guards in Con Air, a movie that doesn't make any sense but is still one of the most re-watchable movies ever. 

Asia Carrera (Woman in Adult Movie)

Some of you out there might not want to admit to knowing who Asia Carrera is, but certainly many do. As one of the most-booked adult film stars of the '90s, Carrera was very famous, but not often talked about. The Big Lebowski is one of her very few roles in straight Hollywood, but she's got hundreds of credits in that other Hollywood that people don't always admit to watching. She's really a legend in that way. 

People, it’s time we give Wednesday Season 2 all the snaps, because the cast they just announced is next level. Of course, our favorite leading lady, Jenna Ortega, and her beloved Nevermore crew, including Emma Myers' Enid Sinclair, are coming back. However, the excitement really ramps up when you see the new additions. While we knew about Steve Buscemi joining the Wednesday cast, now we also know that the OG Uncle Fester, Christopher Lloyd is going to be on the show too, along with many others, and now is 100% the time to get pumped about the return of the Netflix megahit. 

Christopher Lloyd Is Set To Return To The World Of The Addams Family 

That’s right, you read that correctly, Christopher Lloyd, AKA the original Uncle Fester from The Addams Family movies, is joining the Wednesday cast as a guest star this season!

At the moment, we don’t know who Lloyd will be playing. However, it is logical that he won’t be reprising the role of Fester, because Fred Armisen plays that part on Wednesday – however, we don’t know if the SNL vet will be back for Season 2 yet. 

Based on Season 1, which saw the OG Wednesday Addams, Christina Ricci, playing Marilyn Thornhill, I assume Lloyd will be a new character in Season 2. 

While it’s unclear if Ricci will be coming back to Wednesday, if she does, it’d be very fun to see her and Lloyd share a few scenes. Maybe he could play her assistant, seeing them be evil together would be such a blast!

Overall, I love that Wednesday is keeping its streak going of casting OG Addams Family cast members in the show. However, there’s a lot more to get excited about, because Season 2’s ensemble not only includes Christopher Lloyd, but a whole slew of incredible actors. 

The Entire Season 2 Cast Of Wednesday Is Fabulous 

I promised that the Season 2 Wednesday cast is super stacked, and I’m about to live up to it. 

To announce that Season 2 of the Addams Family spinoff was in production, Netflix’s Wednesday account dropped a video on their social platforms that showed Thing delivering scripts to the cast. 

Thing dropped off scripts to our established regulars like Jenna Ortega (Wednesday), Catherine Zeta-Jones (Morticia), Emma Myers (Enid) and Joy Sunday (Bianca). 

It also delivered scripts to new additions, which included Steve Buscemi who will be playing someone named Barry Dort. This video also revealed that Doctor Who’s Billie Piper will be playing Capri, and Westworld’s Thandiwe Newton is joining the cast as Dr. Fairburn. 

Many other incredibly exciting guest stars and new regulars were also announced through this video. This includes The Sixth Sense’s Haley Joel Osment and Scream’s Heather Matarazzo as well as Frances O’Connor and Joonas Suotamo. Overall, I’m so here for Wednesday adding even more actors who are known for their work in the horror, sci-fi and/or fantasy genres. 

Finally, to make matters even more exciting, Netflix posted a cast photo confirming that the majority of the regulars will be back. However, notably, Percy Hynes White, Jamie McShane and Naomi J. Ogawa, will not be returning. 

Personally, considering the questions I had after Season 1 of Wednesday, I’m thrilled that Hunter Doohan is coming back as Tyler, so we can continue to see the story about his monster play out. Along with him, I can’t wait to see Ortega and Myers back on screen, because I always need more Enid and Wednesday in my life. In fact, seeing more of their friendship is one of the changes I’m hoping Season 2 of Wednesday implements.  

All-in-all this massive announcement deserves all the snaps, because it really solidifies the fact that Season 2 of Wednesday is ready to rock, and I can’t wait to see it. This cast truly is one-of-a-kind, especially with the additions of legends like Christopher Lloyd, Thandiwe Newton and Steve Buscemi. Now, the countdown is truly on as we wait for the sophomore season of The Addams Family spinoff.

As we learn more about Season 2 of Wednesday, we’ll keep you posted. As for what you can do while you wait, you can stream Season 1 of the series with a Netflix subscription, and make sure to check out the 2024 TV schedule to find other shows to watch until the premiere of the next season of this incredibly well-cast show. 

Reportedly, there’s a new principal in Wednesday’s town. It’s been reported that Steve Buscemi is joining the cast of Wednesday, and apparently, he might be the new principal at Nevermore Adacemy. Coming on the heels of the death of Gwendoline Christie’s principal, this casting news marks a massive change for the school and I think it could completely alter the vibe at Nevermore. 

While the plot details of Wednesday Season 2 are still under wraps, Variety reported that Steve Buscemi is apparently joining Jenna Ortega and co. for the next set of episodes. According to their sources, the Fargo actor will be playing the new principal at Wednesday’s school. 

I don’t know about you, but going from Gwendoline Christie's Principal Weems to Steve Buscemi as Nevermore’s headmaster is the best kind of whiplash. 

One of the biggest questions coming out of Wednesday Season 1 was regarding who would take over from Principal Weems. During the twist end of the first season, Christie’s character was poisoned by Christina Ricci's Ms. Thornhill, and she died. Obviously, anything can happen, and maybe she can come back. However, she was pretty dead at the end of the season, so a new principal seems like the next logical step. 

However, when thinking of people who could replace her, I would have never thought of Steve Buscemi, because everything about them is different. 

Weems was very regal, fashionable and friendly with Wednesday. I imagine if the Boardwalk Empire actor is indeed playing the principal in the next season, he won’t be any of these things in the same way Christie was. I can see him being a more ominous and conniving principal, and for some reason, I feel like he and Wednesday would not get along. 

While this will obviously be a massive change if it proves to be true, it’s also a welcome one. The finale of Wednesday’s first season solved the primary mystery and set up new challenges for our titular character. With a principal slot vacant, it makes sense that they’d bring in someone who could make Nevermore feel like a different school. Seeing how the kids handle that will undoubtedly make the upcoming installment even more interesting, and I’d love to see Buscemi and Ortega go toe to toe. 

Jenna Ortega has said there will be more horror in Season 2, and she will be doing more behind the scenes on Wednesday after addressing aspects of the show that “made no sense to her.” Adding The Big Lebowski actor to the cast would help the show really evolve from Season 1, and it’d add a level of unpredictability to an already unpredictable show that I’d love. 

As we learn more about the role Steve Buscemi might play on Wednesday, we’ll be sure to keep you posted. In the meantime, you can stream Season 1 of the series to see Gwendoline Christie’s take on Nevermore’s principal with a Netflix subscription. 

Very few people can say that they started out working their dream job and celebrities — excluding some well-known child stars, of course — are certainly no exception. Many of the biggest names on the A-list used to make a living doing something completely different than what they are now famous for, but at least some of them can say that one of their earliest jobs was especially different. Take a look at some of our favorite examples of not-so-average professions famous people took on before hitting it big.

Meghan Markle (Calligrapher)

Even before Meghan Markle married Prince Harry, she knew how the write like a princess. According to People, the former Suits cast member used to work part-time as a professional calligrapher, writing out wedding invitations for the likes of Robin Thicke and Paula Patton and even teaching the craft.

Whoopi Goldberg (Mortuary Cosmetologist)

Even before teaming up with a “spirited” Patrick Swayze in the 1990 romantic supernatural thriller, Ghost, Whoopi Goldberg knew a thing or two about the dead. The future EGOT winner recalled to David Letterman on Late Night how she used to work in a mortuary putting makeup on corpses and styling their hair.

Matthew McConaughey (Golf Course Armadillo Hunter)

Matthew McConaughey broke through in the industry with his unforgettable performance in Dazed and Confused in 1994. Earlier than that (as he revealed to GQ), the Academy Award-winning Texas native worked at Oak Forest Country Club initially to just rake the golf course sand traps, until he was asked to also help get rid of an armadillo infestation. All right, all right, all right.

Christopher Walken (Lion Tamer)

Did you ever notice how often Christopher Walken has played an animal — such in 2016’s astonishing The Jungle Book remake as King Louie or in the 1998 animated adventure, Antz? Well, as the Oscar-winner revealed to Vanity Fair, he actually has a unique connection with animals, having gained some experience with lion taming while working at a traveling circus.

Simu Liu (Birthday Party Spider-Man)

When Simu Liu led the Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings cast in the title role, technically, that was not his first time playing a Marvel Comics character. While on Jimmy Kimmel Live, the Chinese-Canadian actor shared that he used to dress up as Spider-Man and entertain children at birthday parties.

Jennifer Lopez (Law Office Tax Return Filer)

Most people know that one of Jennifer Lopez’s earliest jobs before becoming “Jenny from the Block” was dancing with the Fly Girls on In Living Color. Yet, the Bronx Times revealed that, before even then, she spent her Saturdays at the Thomas Lavin Law Office filing tax returns.

Margot Robbie (Sandwich Artist)

From the way Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn speaks so passionately about a certain breakfast item in 2020’s Birds of Prey, you might think the Australian actor knows a thing or two about making sandwiches, and you would be correct. The Academy Award nominee spoke to Sean Evans on Hot Ones about her time as a “sandwich artist” at Subway, where she actually invented a few delicious concoctions of her own.

Terry Crews (Courtroom Sketch Artist)

A lesser-known fact about Terry Crews is that he is an exceptional drawer and even showed some of the best examples from his portfolio on Jimmy Kimmel Live. During that same visit, the Brooklyn Nine-Nine cast member and America’s Got Talent host recalled how he put that talent to great use by working for a television station sketching scenes from local trials in his hometown of Flint, Michigan.

Megan Fox (Smoothie Shop Banana Mascot)

One time when Megan Fox appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, the actor fell prey to the host’s recurring “jump scare” gag, courtesy of a person dressed as up as a banana. The costume choice was in reference to the Transformers movies star’s first job at a smoothie shop, for which she would, sometimes, have to dress as the yellow fruit to promote the business.

Hugh Jackman (Clown)

While known best for playing very intimidating characters like Wolverine in the X-Men movies, Hugh Jackman is known to be a very funny and charming presence offscreen. It makes sense when you discover the Australian actor used to work as a clown, but would reveal to Howard Stern that his talents were limited to juggling and found entertaining children above three years old quite difficult.

Eva Mendes (Hot Dog On A Stick Vendor)

Fun fact: one of Eva Mendes’ earliest show business gigs was appearing in Will Smith’s 1998 “Miami” video before reuniting with him in Hitch seven years later. Before then, she made dough working at a “hot dog on a stick place,” which she revealed to Australia’s Will & Woody radio show (via Daily Mail) that she was actually fired from for giving an inappropriate Secret Santa gift to a coworker.

Sylvester Stallone (Girls Boarding School Dorm Bouncer)

Even if Sylvester Stallone had not written one of the best sports movies ever, 1976’s Rocky, he could have landed the title role of the aspiring boxer by his physicality alone. According to a profile by People, his jacked frame came in handy when he was 18 and started working at a Swiss boarding school to both teach gym and keep unwanted guests out of the girls dorms.

Wanda Sykes (NSA)

As one of the funniest people of her generation — and the star of one of Paramount+’s best stand-up comedy specials — it may come as a surprise to learn that Wanda Sykes used to work for an organization as serious as the National Security Agency. However, as she explained on The Rich Eisen Show, her job did not involve covert operations or filing classified material, but “buying stuff” for the office, mostly.

Chris Pratt (Coupon Salesperson) 

Before joining an insane amount of franchises (including the MCU’s Guardians of the Galaxy movies to the Jurassic World trilogy), Chris Pratt had humble beginnings as a supporting character on hit TV shows Everwood and Parks and Recreation. However, his true beginnings were even humbler, having revealed during an appearance on Conan that he once sold coupons door-to-door and did well enough to manage his own office of salespeople.

Taylor Swift (Praying Mantis Exterminator)

Years before taking on the world as a hit singer-songwriter, Taylor Swift grew up on a Christmas tree farm where everyone in her family was given a different task. As she told Esquire, the star of the sensational “Eras Tour” had the job “picking praying-mantis pods off of the trees” so that customers would not have an invasion of multi-legged uninvited guests.

Brad Pitt (Chicken Restaurant Mascot)

With how many intimidating roles Brad Pitt has played, from Fight Club’s Tyler Durden to Cliff Booth in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, the last thing anyone would think to call the actor is “a chicken.” Yet, you would not have been wrong if, decades ago, you spotted him when he made a living dressed as the mascot for California chicken restaurant El Pollo Loco, as he recalled on The Ellen Show in 2019.

Cindy Crawford (Corn Shucker)

One of the most famous models of all time, Cindy Crawford, first took on that profession in Chicago when she was 17, at a rate of $1,000 per day. A profile for Town & Country mentions that the modeling gig “sure beat shucking corn for $4 an hour,” which is something she did for a summer when she was younger.

Helen Mirren (Amusement Park Blagger)

Academy Award winner Helen Mirren technically got her start as an actor by participating in the National Youth Theatre before she was invited into the Royal Shakespeare Company, but first started honing her performance skills as a “blagger” for a London amusement park. While appearing on Mark Maron’s WTF Podcast, she defined “blagging” as shouting “something incomprehensible out to someone just to get their attention.”

Taraji P. Henson (Pentagon Secretary/Tina Turner Cover Singer)

Some of Taraji P. Henson’s most famous roles, such as Shug in Hustle & Flow and Cookie (a notable TV divorcée) on Empire, are linked to the music industry — a fact that is made even more interesting when you discover she used to work on a Potomac River cruise ship singing Tina Turner covers. Per Vanity Fair, at that same time, the future Academy Award nominee’s day job was at the Pentagon as a secretary.

Steve Buscemi (Firefighter)

While not exactly a “weird” job, it is intriguing to learn that Steve Buscemi used to work as a New York firefighter before landing roles like Mr. Pink in Reservoir Dogs. He would later revisit this time in his both onscreen (in The King of Staten Island) and in real life when — per The Independent — he volunteered to help his old company, Engine 55, search for survivors of the World Trade Center attacks on September 11, 2001.

Ken Jeong (Doctor)

After starring in 2009’s The Hangover cast and the Community cast made him a star, Ken Jeong led his own sitcom called Dr. Ken. The short-lived ABC comedy was actually based on the comedian’s previous career as an internal medicine specialist, during which he pursued comedy merely to “let off some steam,” as he shared to NPR.

Ashton Kutcher (Cereal Factory Sweeper)

Before hitting it big as Michael Kelso in the That ‘70s Show cast and, later, making innovations in the tech industry, Ashton Kutcher got his start in the cereal industry. To be more precise, as he recalled on Hot Ones, the actor swept the floors of loose Cheerios shavings at a General Mills factory.

Halsey (DMV Photographer)

As a chart-topping Grammy nominee and a non-actor who nailed her SNL hosting gig, Halsey is a person who boasts many skills but has only demonstrated a few to the public, as it turns out. She revealed in a tweet that, when she was still “Ashley Frangipane,” she worked “loads” of different jobs, but the one that caught our eye was taking “license photos at the DMV.”

Zayn Malik (Boxer)

While he did not actually make a living doing this, before competing on The X Factor and joining One Direction made Zayn Malik a star, he trained in boxing in his mid-to-late teens. In 2013, he told Daily Star (via Digital Spy) that he aspired to pursue the sport full-time at some point.

Jennifer Aniston (Bike Messenger)

As part of the Friends cast, Jennifer Aniston became one of the highest-paid actors of her time, but in her earlier years, did several odd jobs for her mother’s advertising firm. One of them, as she shared on The Tonight Show, was being a bike messenger “for a day” that she admits she decided to finish out by taking a cab for final delivery.

George Clooney (Insurance Salesman)

Despite technically growing up in a show business family (his father, Nick Clooney, is a former TV personality, and his aunt, Rosemary, acted), it took time for George Clooney to find fame of his own. According to The Standard, the Oscar-winning actor and filmmaker worked various low-paying jobs early on — one of which was going door-to-door, selling insurance.

Jon Hamm (Adult Film Set Dresser)

Very few A-listers would be willing to admit they worked in the adult film industry, but Jon Hamm had no problem talking to Howard Stern about it. For $100 a day, the Emmy-winning Mad Men cast member worked as a set dresser for, as he described them, “Skinemax movies.”

Amy Adams (Hooters Server)

Many people might say that they first saw Amy Adams when she appeared on The Office in its first season, but others might be able to claim she served them at Hooters. The Academy Award nominee told Entertainment Tonight that the restaurant chain gig was a “great way” to make ends meet during college before she found success as an actor.

Chris Hemsworth (Human Milk Pump Cleaner)

During a game of “True Confessions” with Kumail Nanjiani and host Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show, MCU star Chris Hemsworth’s potentially false personal fact stated that he used to clean and repair human milk pumps for pharmacies to rent when he was 14. It turned out to be the truth.

Danny DeVito (Morgue Hairdresser)

An artist known for his morbid sense of humor — as he has demonstrated by his crazy moments as Frank Reynolds on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and by helming movies like Duplex and Death to Smoochy — is Danny DeVito. Perhaps he got it from the several times he worked as a hairdresser for female corpses — a story he shared on The Always Sunny Podcast (via Unilad).

Channing Tatum (Exotic Dancer)

If you ever wondered how Channing Tatum learned to dance the way he does in 2012’s Magic Mike, according to an interview with Flicks and Bits, the drama was inspired by his own life before acting. In 2015, the actor recalled to Howard Stern how he started his brief exotic dancing career when he was 19 after dropping out of college.

Miley Cyrus (Undergarment Collector)

Miley Cyrus is one of the few examples on our list who actually did come from a show business family, but having a rock star like Billy Ray Cyrus as her dad also led to her first odd job. The former Hannah Montana star told Rolling Stone that, when she was much younger, her father used to pay her $10 for picking up women's undergarments that had been thrown on stage during his concerts.

Some of these jobs would make us thankful to eventually be an actor or singer if we were in any of these celebrity’s shoes. However, others sound like an interesting way to make a living.

There is no genre more near and dear to my heart than comedy. The skills necessary to make others laugh -- whether live and in-person or through a screen -- are a unique and beautiful combination that should be protected at all costs. Some artists are able to do so without leaning in to touchy subjects or cursing, while others go all the way to really earn that R rating. The tactics may differ, but the end goal is the same, to bring others joy through jokes. 

Many comedians see movies as the apex of a potential career, but most don't start out their careers in Hollywood. Many grow first through either stand-up comedy or sketch comedy. This list honors them. Here's a look back at famous actors who started in either the stand-up or sketch comedy world and went on to bigger screens.

Rainn Wilson

Known as arguably one of the best characters on the hit show The Office, Rainn Wilson got his start in the arts in New York City where he studied acting at NYU. He went on to do theater both off and on Broadway as well as sketch comedy. He even did a post-modern clown show before getting his big break on the show Six Feet Under in 2001. 

Whoopi Goldberg

Whoopi Goldberg got her start by studying drama in New York, where she landed a few stage performances before trying her hand at stand-up comedy. Like many others on this list, her comedy routine -- "The Spook Show" -- caught the attention of Oscar-winning director Mike Nichols, who helped get the young comedian to Broadway. She eventually landed her first film in Steven Spielberg's film The Color Purple, for which she earned an Oscar nomination in 1986. 

Steve Buscemi

The veteran character actor made his acting debut in 1985, but also tried his hand at stand-up comedy. Eventually, Busemi decided he "wasn't funny enough," and switched to acting instead. Buscemi has since starred in popular movies including Fargo, Resevoir Dogs, and the hit HBO Max show Boardwalk Empire.

Emma Thompson

If you're looking for a stand-up with some serious credentials, look no further than Emma Thompson. Winner of two Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, two British Academy Film Awards, a British Academy Television Award and a Primetime Emmy Award, the talented actor got her start in stand-up while in Cambridge. 

John Candy

Arguably one of the greatest comedy legends to ever live, John Candy led a fascinating life, getting his big break after joining the ensemble of SCTV — which is, essentially, the Canadian equivalent to SNL. In 1989, the star even added radio personality to his resume. The LA Times did a whole write-up of his syndicated, two-hour program, Radio Kandy, which sounds wild and apparently included rock music and comedy sketches featuring some of his former SCTV co-stars.

Mo'Nique

Mo'Nique started her comedy career with stand-up, heading to It's Showtime at the Apollo and Def Comedy Jam before eventually landing a leading role on TV's The Parkers. The comedian took her acting to the next level in 2009's Precious, for which she won an Academy Award.

Steve Carell

A versatile actor with numerous groundbreaking performances in both television and film, Steve Carrell was once a legend at Second City in Chicago who went on to land his dream job working on the ill-fated Dana Carvey Show, which you can learn about in Too Funny To Fail, one of the best comedy documentaries to date. Known best for his role as Michael Scott in the U.S. adaptation of The Office, Carell eventually went on to become a leading man in both comedies and dramas. 

Michael Keaton

To put himself through college where he studied acting, Michael Keaton worked as a cab and ice cream truck driver, and it wasn't until 1975 that he officially debuted on television. He did some stand-up comedy in his early 20s, which he recounted in an interview with Ellen, but he eventually found the right calling with movies.

Tina Fey

Known for her work on the smash hit show 30 Rock, Tina Fey got her start in acting at Second City which quickly led to a job at Saturday Night Live as notably one of the only female writers at the time. She got her break co-hosting Weekend Update and later went on to be a huge star in Hollywood. 

Jamie Foxx

It all started with a dare from a girlfriend to try his hand at an open mic. Flash forward some years and that performance led Jamie Foxx to multiple awards, including two Academy Awards, double digit Grammys, and three Golden Globe Awards, all while showing a versatile ability to crush performances across multiple genres and artistic art forms.

John Cleese

Coming from the United Kingdom, John Cleese is a British comic actor best known for his television work on Monty Python’s Flying Circus and Fawlty Towers. Cleese began writing and performing in comedy revues at Clifton College in Bristol, England, and was a member of the renowned Footlights Club while a law student at the University of Cambridge. He is best known for his work with Monty Pythion, namely Monty Python And The Holy Grail. 

Ricky Gervais

Ricky Gervais went to school at Ashmead Comprehensive School before going on to study at University College, London, where he gained a degree in Philosophy. After university, Gervais attempted to pursue a pop career with Seona Dancing, a synth-pop duo he formed with a fellow student. After forming a writing partnership with Stephen Merchant, he would go on to land his breakout role on The Office, premiering in 2001. In between all his acting gigs, he's performed plenty of stand-up and has multiple Netflix specials. 

Eddie Murphy

Growing up in Brooklyn, New York, SNL star Eddie Murphy began performing his own comedy routines at 15. In 1980, the work of the soon-to-be comedy legend caught the attention of Saturday Night Live producers. In 1982, Murphy landed his first leading role in the film, 48 Hrs, which led to multiple leads in classics such as Beverly Hills Cop and Coming to America. He went on to earn an Oscar nomination for Dreamgirls and truly set the bar by playing six characters in the 1996 smash hit, The Nutty Professor. His '80s comedy specials are still discussed today. 

Amy Schumer

Amy Schumer is certainly better known these days for her work in numerous films including the fantastic Trainwreck, but most of those career opportunity doors opened through her stand-up comedy. She built a name for herself through her work on the live mic before mostly switching to movies.

Chris Rock

An SNL vet, Chris Rock's comedy career began in 1984 at 19 when he took the stage in the New York City club Catch a Rising Star. His performance ended up catching the eye of future comedy legend Eddie Murphy, who had been watching his act. Murphy would become a huge presence in Rock's life and served as a mentor, giving him his first break with a role in Beverly Hills Cop II.

Ron Perlman

Known for very courageous roles such as Clay Morrow on the FX show Sons Of Anarchy, Ron Perlman said his ventures as a stand-up comedian ended after a heckling exchange in the Bronx escalated and he retreated out of the venue through the back door, which seems like a strange move for such an intimidating man. 

Robin Williams

Arguably one of the best comedians of all-time, Robin Williams studied acting at the Juilliard School, which he later dropped out of to devote himself entirely to stand-up comedy before making the leap to television and movies. Known for his high energy and skillful impressions, he himself has inspired other actors to reenact some of his most dramatic real-life moments in honor of the late comedian. 

Patton Oswalt

The Prince of Queens, Patton Oswalt went from struggling in the comedy world to writing for the sketch comedy show MADtv and earning his own comedy special on HBO. He continued to impress critics and fans alike, with roles such as the voice of the lead character Remy the Rat in the Pixar film, Ratatouille. 

Richard Pryor

Unfortunately, tragedy and comedy often go hand-in-hand. Such is the case with arguably one of the genre's biggest icons, the late, great, Richard Pryor. The legend had a tough life growing up and eventually joined the military before playing nightclubs as both a musician and comedian at age 23. His comedy career was populated with milestones and achievements, as well as struggles and substance abuse before passing away in 2005 due to complications from M.S..  

Bette Midler

Bette Midler landed her first Broadway role in Fiddler on the Roof by 1966, four years before trying her hand at stand-up comedy. In 1972, she released the album The Divine Miss M, which earned her a Grammy Award, and she started making frequent appearances on late-night television shows and eventually a huge acting career. Along the way, she performed live comedy and even released an album.

Norm Macdonald

Norm Macdonald's first job was writing for The Dennis Miller Show and then Roseanne. While writing on the show, he was noticed by Lorne Michaels, who liked Norm's stand up so much that he offered the young comedian a job on Saturday Night Live in 1993.

Jim Carrey

Jim Carrey, who is easily considered one of the greats, was himself taken under the wing of another comedy legend, Rodney Dangerfield, who spotted the young comic in a Toronto nightclub. Carrey eventually made it to The Tonight Show which led to his role on In Living Color and parts in many comedy classics that we know and love today, such as Dumb and Dumber, The Mask, and Ace Ventura. 

Tim Allen

Tim Allen started his career as a comedian in 1975 in a pretty peculiar way. On a dare from one of his friends, he participated in a comedy night at Mark Ridley's Comedy Castle in Royal Oak, outside of Detroit. Following his release from prison in 1981 for a drug-related crime, he returned to comedy and went on to lead the hit show Home Improvement on ABC. 

Steve Martin

From community theater, to Disneyland, to the big screen, Steve Martin began his showbiz career as a teenager. After writing his own comedy routines, plays, and music, he went on to study philosophy and poetry before winning his first Emmy Award for comedy writing on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour at the young age of 23.

Lily Tomlin

Initially studying biology at Wayne State University, Lily Tomlin decided to audition for a play which led to her changing her major to theatre and diving into stand-up comedy. Her stand-up was so impressive that it attracted the attention of the producers of Laugh-In, the notorious 1960s sketch comedy show. Tomlin went on to snag an Oscar nomination for her acting work.

Dana Carvey

One of SNL's most talented and beloved alumni, Dana Carvey absolutely dominated during his six seasons on Saturday Night Live, creating some of the show's most memorable characters. He never drifted far from stand-up though and has continued to take the stage and release specials.

Tom Hanks

Tom Hanks took the weirdest route to stand-up of anyone on this list. He was already in Hollywood and establishing a nice career when he decided to audition for a movie about stand-up comedy called Punchline. As part of that process, he developed his own stand-up routine and performed in clubs. There's even footage of it that trends every now and again.

Bob Odenkirk

Starting out as a D.J. in Illinois, Bob Odenkirk got his start in local improv workshops in Chicago, where he also did open-mic stand-up comedy for several years. In Chicago, he became friends with Robert Smigel, who would later help him become a writer for Saturday Night Live.

Larry David

Starting out in stand-up comedy, Larry David befriended Jerry Seinfeld and later went on to co-create Seinfeld. He also wrote for Friday's and Saturday Night Live and famously went on to create the all-time ridiculous show Curb Your Enthusiasm. 

Ed Helms

Ed Helms was studying improv with the Upright Citizens Brigade when he got his big break as a correspondent on Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. He later moved on to the hit NBC show The Office where he played Andy Bernard. From there, Helms went on to star in The Hangover trilogy. More importantly, he also acted in Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie.

Mel Brooks

There aren't many names in the world of comedy that stand larger than Mel Brooks. The legend started his career in stand-up before working as a writer for Sid Caesar's variety show Your Show of Shows from 1950 to 1954. After that, he, of course, took over Hollywood, winning an EGOT and directing classics like Blazing Saddles, The Producers and Robin Hood: Men In Tights.

Simon Pegg

A comedic force to be reckoned with in the U.K. before dropping smash hits like Sean of the Dead in the U.S., Pegg once told The Hollywood Reporter “I went into stand-up because comedy was something I enjoyed but also because it offered me a certain autonomy that I wouldn’t have if I was sitting and waiting for the phone to ring as an actor.”

Dan Aykroyd

Dan Aykroyd started performing comedy at 17 and later joined the main casts of Second City in Toronto and Chicago. Later, it was his work in the sketch comedy powerhouse Saturday Night Live that turned him into a huge name and opened the door for him to start in classics like The Blues Brothers and Ghostbusters.

And those are some of the actors who also took the stage to perform stand-up or sketch comedy at some point during their careers!

So, have you watched Miracle Workers? Because if not, you need to.

In this day and age, there are so many comedies that TV lovers all over the world can watch. Comedies are a part of the best shows on Netflix. They're also a part of the best shows on Max, some of which are even originals to the streaming platform. 

But you want to know what I have yet to hear people talking about? Miracle Workers, led by Daniel Radcliffe. 

It could be because the show wasn't on a prevalent network: TBS. TBS isn't the first channel I usually go to when turning on the tube, and quite frankly, there is so much TV to watch it's hard to keep track of every single TV show out there right now. But Miracle Workers was one of those shows that I knew I would watch once it hit streaming. 

After that, I kept watching the show because when I tell you that Miracle Workers is funny and creative in many ways, I mean it. And today, I have to talk about it. 

First Off, Daniel Radcliffe Is Just Having The Time Of His Life In This Show

I can't help but marvel at Daniel Radcliffe's career path since the Harry Potter movies ended because I dig it. 

Radcliffe was the head of a hugely popular and successful movie franchise for more than a decade of his life, and then when it ended, he began working in movies and TV that didn't have as big of a profit. However, you could tell he felt super passionate about them. And I have to give him tons of credit where credit is due because he has the time of his life in some of them. 

Radcliffe had taken on some crazy roles, from a man with guns on his hands in Guns Akimbo to the surprisingly heartfelt role of a corpse in Swiss Army Man. Roles like these remind me that the actor does have so much range. But the moment you see him in Miracle Workers, you'll realize that Radcliffe is an underrated comedic actor. 

I don't know what I was expecting when I first began this show, but it was nowhere close to me laughing my butt off at how much Radcliffe would make me laugh. In every iteration of the stories we are thrown into, his character is always a show-stopper and delivers such ridiculous lines it has made me snort up my morning coffee one time or the other. 

It's also paired with the fact that Radcliffe has some hysterical facial expressions. He knows how to express emotions in the most vivid and caricatured way possible, so much so that you can't help but love him and admire his comedic ability. I need to see him in more comedy movies and shows after this. 

But The Rest Of The Cast – Especially Steve Buscemi – Is Hilariously Talented

While I gave a lot of praise to Radcliffe, the rest of the Miracle Workers cast is also incredible. Karan Soni is someone I was introduced to in the first Deadpool movie (a role he'll be reprising that role in the upcoming Deadpool 3), but his comedy-style in Miracle Workers is hilarious and delivers the funniest lines. 

Another person I'll highlight is Geraldine Viswanathan. I discovered her before watching all of Miracle Workers when she starred in one of the best Apple TV+ movies, Hala. This show is the complete opposite of that, and this actress's range is incredible. My favorite character of hers was her second-season character, Alexandra "Al" Shitshoveler. Yes, you read that right. 

But I need to praise Steve Buscemi. I don't know what he does, but every character he plays somehow feels like Buscemi in costume. He's not playing a character; he's playing himself. I feel like the show's creators gave Buscemi full reign just to say and do what he wants because he's so funny. 

The Different Storylines Are So Intriguing And Unique Each Time 

Miracle Workers is a comedy anthology series, meaning each season will cover a new story with new characters. There have been plenty of shows like this, from the Ryan Murphy-created American Horror Story to the HBO original True Detective. 

However, what I love about Miracle Workers is that the stories differ vastly. All take place in different periods or other types of worlds, which only adds to the creative power of where the show can go. And from there, we get these vastly different characters that are new and exciting to follow with each season. 

With many anthology series, each season's stories might differ, but all have the same ideas and methods. Miracle Workers doesn't do that one bit, which I love. 

And Every New Character Adds Their Own Spark Of Flair – And Is So Funny

Speaking more on the characters of this show, they're hilarious, and the case is closed on that.

Something I do love about Miracle Workers is that no two characters feel the same. They all have different personalities and motivations for why they want to get from Point A to Point B, and most of the time, they're not the most noble of intentions. But damn, it is so funny to watch.

For example, Steve Buscemi plays God in the first season—just God. And you find out God in Miracle Workers is not that great of a guy. In fact, in the first episode of Season 1 of Miracle Workers, he decides to blow up Earth to focus on a new restaurant – why not? That's the kind of character you're getting – and it's hilarious. 

I Also Love How The Series Isn’t Afraid To Take Risks For Certain Kinds Of Comedy 

One of my favorite things about Miracle Workers is that it's not afraid to take bold risks with its comedy. This series is probably one of the boldest comedies out there right now. 

Maybe it's almost a good thing that it's on TBS because I think that if it was on a more significant channel, some of the comedy might not have been approved because it needed to be more "family-friendly." But this series takes some risks that I do love. 

For example, there's an entire sequence in Season 3 where Daniel Radcliffe, as a reverend, dresses up in some "suggestive" clothing and sings "She'll Be Coming Around The Mountain" while dancing – a hilarious dance at that. 

I'm not even going to tell you the context behind it. Moments like that make me laugh, and remember why this show probably wouldn't have done as well on a big channel. It's laugh-out-loud funny. 

Unfortunately, according to Deadline, Miracle Workers was canceled by TBS in November 2023, so there won't be any new stories. But there are four seasons of this show available to watch right now, and trust me, you'll enjoy every bit of it – and wish that more seasons would come out too. Three seasons are available to watch on Max – and hopefully, the fourth will be coming out soon enough. 

Stream Miracle Workers on Max. 

In 2021, John Cena, Lil Rel Howery, and the rest of Vacation Friends cast said they would like to make a sequel to the R-rated comedy, and now they have gotten their wish. The aptly titled Vacation Friends 2 not only brings back the wrestler-turned-actor and one of the funniest comedians in Hollywood right now, it also sees the return of their on-screen wives played by Meredith Hagner and Yvonne Orji, respectively.

But, like any other sequel, the Vacation Friends 2 cast also sees some new arrivals that could make this not only one of the best movies on Hulu right now but also one of the funniest titles on the 2023 movie schedule.

John Cena (Ron)

John Cena, who stole just about every one of his scenes in Vacation Friends, is back as the care-free and over-the-top Ron in the new sequel, picking up pretty much where he left off a couple of years ago, just with a baby this time around.

Cena has been on an absolute tear the past couple of years after shifting away from a full-time wrestling schedule. In 2023 alone, he’s popped up in the Fast X cast, shared the screen with Jackie Chan in the popular Netflix movie Hidden Strike, and voiced Rocksteady in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, and even “accidentally” ended up in Barbie. With even more projects in the works, like the upcoming Argyle, we’ll be seeing a lot more of Cena on the screen as well as in some of the upcoming WWE events. 

Lil Rel Howery (Marcus Parker)

For every “fly by the seat of your pants” character like Ron, there has to be the more grounded, nervous, and apprehensive Marcus Parker, who is once again portrayed by Lil Rel Howery.

Just like his muscle-bound co-star, Howery’s had a busy year in 2023, especially when it comes to the realm of streaming. He started off the year with a small part in the Poker Face cast, which saw him take on the role of a BBQ pitmaster named Taffy on the Peacock original series. After that, he made a quick appearance on Prime Video’s Harlem, which he followed up with a spot in The Out-Laws cast over on Netflix. Howery is also set to appear in the upcoming Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie, Dashing Through the Snow, and the long-awaited Good Burger 2 before the end of December. 

Yvonne Orji (Emily Parker)

Yvonne Orji is also back for another tropical getaway, once again taking on the role of Marcus Parker’s wife, Emily. Though she doesn’t have to worry about her own wedding getting ruined this time around, the trip will be just as chaotic as the first go-around.

Since we last saw Orji in Vacation Friends back in August 2021, the actress and comedian has kept quite busy in movies, TV, and her standup career. In the past couple of years, she has appeared in movies like The Blackening, a list of shows that includes The Wonder Years, Velma, and My Dad the Bounty Hunter, and a pair of comedy specials, the most recent being A Whole Me on HBO. Orji also wrapped up her portrayal of Molly Carter on Issa Rae’s decorated Insecure series, a role that earned her a Primetime Emmy nomination back in 2020. 

Meredith Hagner (Kyla)

Meredith Hagner is also back for another wild adventure, which sees her once again take on the role of Ron’s wife, Kyla.

Like the other returning stars in the Vacation Friends 2 cast, Hagner’s had a great couple of years since first showing up in the raunchy R-rated comedy movie, with more recent appearances being in Baby Ruby and Joy Ride. This comes after a string of great appearances in movies like Ingrid Goes West, The Oath, Palm Springs, and Brightburn. Let’s not forget Hagner’s numerous TV performances, which include shows like As the World Turns, Search Party, Men at Work, and Disenchantment, to name only a few. 

Steve Buscemi (Reese)

Steve Buscemi is a new addition to the franchise with his portrayal of Kyla’s dad, Reese, a convicted felon who is enjoying his newfound freedom after being released from San Quentin State Prison. He will make things interesting for all parties, to say the very least.

Buscemi, who can play incredibly funny characters and menacing figures better than just about everyone, has had a remarkable career in show business the past few decades. From appearing in some of the best Coen brothers movies, to leading riveting HBO dramas like Boardwalk Empire, he’s done it all. Let’s not forget his unforgettable portrayal of the insufferable Mr. Pink in Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs. If you look at the list of the best movies of the 2000s, you’re bound to find multiple films featuring Buscemi in some shape or form. 

Carlos Santos (Maurillio)

Back again as the catty and humorous resort concierge, Maurillio, is comedian and actor Carlos Santos.

Though not as well-known as other members of the cast, Santos has had a great run on TV the past few years, including on shows like Gentefied, Border Patrol, The Last Man on Earth, Undone, and most recently, Primo, on which he played one of the many uncles of the show’s main character, Rafa (Ignacio Diaz-Silverio). 

Ronny Chieng

Though the identity of his character wasn’t officially revealed ahead of the movie's streaming debut, Ronny Chieng shows up in the new Hulu arrival as someone wanting to do business with Marcus, as seen in the Vacation Friends 2 trailer.

Chieng, who has been a correspondent for The Daily Show for the better part of the past decade, has been on a nice run the past few years, one that has seen him land great roles in movies like Crazy Rich Asians, Godzilla vs. Kong, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, M3GAN, and Joy Ride. Over on the TV side of things, Chieng has appeared on History of the World, Part II, American Born Chinese, and Awkwafina is Nora from Queens recently. 

Jamie Hector

Jamie Hector also appears in a role not disclosed prior to the premiere, but fans of a certain HBO classic series will instantly recognize the actor.

Hector is probably best known for his unforgettable portrayal of drug kingpin Marlo Stanfield on The Wire, but that’s not to say he hasn’t had other great performances over the years. Sticking with TV, Hector has appeared on Power, The Strain, Person of Interest, and Bosch over the years. He even reteamed with David Simon for 2022’s We Own This City, though he wasn’t as cut throat in his return to Baltimore. He’s also popped up in movies like All Eyez on Me, Secrets of the Magic City, and Max Payne.

Well, hopefully this helps you make sense of the Vacation Friends 2 cast, which you can see in action with your Hulu subscription.

Even before he left the Saturday Night Live cast in 2022, Pete Davidson had already become one of the sketch comedy series’ biggest stars — not just because of his other acting projects, but also his personal life, including his dating history, especially. The actor and comedian’s personal life actually serves as the basis for Bupkis — a new Peacock original TV show that he created with Judah Miller and David Sirus. In addition to Davidson, there are many other celebrities playing themselves in guest roles in the Bupkis cast, but let’s begin our breakdown of the star-studded ensemble with its three series regulars. 

Pete Davidson (Pete Davidson)

Leading the Bupkis cast as Pete Davidson is...Pete Davidson, who acquired stardom on SNL before starring in movies and TV shows of an eclectic sort — such as his comic book movie debut in 2021’s The Suicide Squad, his voice acting parts in The Angry Birds Movie 2 and Marmaduke as the titular Great Dane, and his recurring role on The Rookie. 

The last time he played a fictionalized version of himself was in 2020’s The King of Staten Island (which he also co-wrote with director Judd Apatow), his last Peacock original project was the sci-fi rom-com Meet Cute, and one of his biggest upcoming titles is Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, in which he voices a robot named Mirage.

Edie Falco (Amy Davidson)

Starring as Pete’s mother, Amy, is Edie Falco, who is best known for her Emmy-winning performances in HBO’s The Sopranos cast as Carmela and in the title role of Showtime’s darkly comic medical drama, Nurse Jackie. The actor is also known for writer and director James Mangold’s acclaimed 1997 crime thriller, Cop Land, her role in the Oz cast as Officer Diane Whittlesey, playing Hilary Clinton on the third season of FX’s American Crime Story, and her role in the Avatar: The Way of Water cast, most recently.

Joe Pesci (Joe Larocca)

Surprisingly interrupting his retirement for the first time since he starred in Martin Scorsese’s 2019 true crime drama, The Irishman (which earned him an Academy Award nomination), is Joe Pesci, starring as Pete’s grandfather, Joe — also his first TV role since the short-lived NBC series, Half Nelson, in 1985, according to Variety. 

Before The Irishman, the 80-year-old actor starred in three Scorsese movies: Raging Bull, Casino, and Goodfellas — the last of which did earn him an Oscar. Some of Pesci’s other most iconic roles include Leo Getz in the Lethal Weapon movies, Harry from Home Alone (which turned out to be a truly painful experience for him), and the title role of, arguably, the funniest courtroom movie ever, My Cousin Vinny.

La La Anthony

Among the vast rotation of guest stars in the Bupkis cast, we have La La Anthony, who rose to fame as an MTV VJ before starring in movies like Think Like a Man and its sequel, and TV shows like the hit Starz original TV show, Power.

Colson "Machine Gun Kelly" Baker

Davidson’s real-life friend, Colson Baker (a.k.a. Machine Gun Kelly), also stars, marking their fifth on-screen collaboration following the rapper’s music video for “Loco,” Netflix’s Mötley Crüe biopic, The Dirt, Hulu’s coming-of-age dramedy, Big Time Adolescence, and the 2022 stoner comedy, Good Mourning, which Baker also co-wrote and co-directed. 

Steve Buscemi

Also starring in Bupkis is Emmy winner Steve Buscemi — star of Quentin Tarantino movies like Reservoir Dogs, Coen Brothers classics like Fargo and The Big Lebowski, and several Adam Sandler movies, too — who last acted opposite Davidson in The King of Staten Island.

Bobby Cannavale

Also on the guest list is Buscemi’s Boardwalk Empire co-star and Falco’s Nurse Jackie co-star, two-time Emmy winner Bobby Cannavale, whose impressive, lengthy resume also includes Marvel’s Ant-Man movies, Netflix’s The Watcher cast, and John Turturro’s The Big Lebowski spin-off, The Jesus Rolls, which also starred Davidson.

Charlamagne Tha God

While better known for hosting iHeartRadio’s The Breakfast Club and Comedy Central’s Tha God’s Honest Truth, as well as talking about his friend Pete Davidson’s penis on air, Lenard “Charlamagne Tha God” McKelvey has also delved into acting a few times (mostly as himself), such as on Empire, Dave, and Queens.

Charlie Day

Appearing as Pete’s therapist (according to the Bupkis trailer) is Charlie Day, whose career has taken some interesting turns since breaking out in FX’s It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia cast, such as starring in Guillermo del Toro’s Pacific Rim movies and playing Luigi in the Super Mario Bros. Movie voice cast more recently.

Philip Ettinger

Some of Phillip Ettinger’s most notable credits prior to Bupkis including the shocking 2012 psychological thriller, Compliance, Brawl in Cell Block 99, and First Reformed from 2017, and two other Peacock original TV shows: Angelyne and Friend of the Family.

Ray Romano

Also appearing is Joe Pesci’s The Irishman co-star and Bobby Cannavale’s Vinyl co-star, Ray Romano — an acclaimed stand-up comedian known best for his Emmy-winning sitcom, Everybody Loves Raymond, his role as Manny in the Ice Age movies, and the Oscar-nominated dramedy, The Big Sick.

Brad Garrett

Best known for playing Romano’s brother on Everybody Loves Raymond is three-time Emmy winner Brad Garrett, who has leant his distinct baritone voice to popular animated movies like the Pixar classic, Ratatouille, and recently played Eeyore in Disney’s live-action Winnie the Pooh reboot, Christopher Robin.

Al Gore

Former United States Vice President Al Gore — whose 2006 documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, won two Oscars — previously collaborated with Pete Davidson on a Climate Reality training presentation in 2019.

Paul Walter Hauser

While best known for dramas like I, Tonya, Cruella, or BlacKkKlansman, Paul Walter Hauser has shown his comedic side before in numerous titles, such as Reno 911! and Apple TV+’s inventive whodunnit, The Afterparty.

Sunita Mani

Audiences should recognize Sunita Mani from Netflix’s GLOW cast, her many notable supporting roles in movies like Apple TV+’s holiday musical, Spirited, her brief appearance in the Best Picture Oscar Winner Everything Everywhere All At Once, and her lead role in the sci-fi rom-com thriller, Save Yourselves!

John Mulaney

Another real-life buddy of Davidson’s with a role in Bupkis is former SNL writer John Mulaney — known for lending his voice to shows like Netflix’s Big Mouth and movies like Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and performing great stand-up specials like his most recent one, Baby J, in which he actually tells a funny anecdote about Davidson.

Simon Rex

Simon Rex was best known for starring in spoof movies like a couple of the Scary Movie installments and the Amanda Bynes-led sitcom, What I Like About You, before his acclaimed leading role in the A24-produced 2021 comedy, Red Rocket.

Oona Roche

Playing Pete’s sister (based on her line about the embarrassment her “brother” causes her) is Oona Roche, who previously appeared in a recurring role on Apple TV+’s The Morning Show and recently starred opposite Jude Law and Carrie Coon in the tense 2020 family drama, The Nest.

Cliff “Method Man” Smith

Another hip-hop artist appearing on Bupkis is Pete Davidson’s Trainwreck co-star and Wu-Tang Clan member, Cliff “Method Man” Smith, whose previous, most notable acting credits include HBO’s The Wire cast, the Key & Peele-led action-comedy, Keanu, and Starz’s Power Book II: Ghost.

Jon Stewart

Davidson paid tribute to former The Daily Show host, Jon Stewart — also known for acting in movies like The Faculty and, more recently, returning to political satire for Apple TV+’s The Problem with Jon Stewart — when he received the Mark Twain Prize in 2022, and I assume his Bupkis appearance is a way of thanking him.

Kenan Thompson

In addition to Davidson’s return to SNL as the Season 48 finale host, Bupkis will serve as a reunion for him and Kenan Thompson, who is also known for movies like the latter two Mighty Ducks installments and Good Burger, which was inspired by a sketch from his All That tenure and is getting a sequel on Paramount+.

Marissa Jaret Winokur

Bupkis co-creator Judah Miller’s wife, Tony Award winner Marissa Jaret Wionkur, has starred in movies like the Drew Barrymore-led rom-com, Never Been Kissed, and appeared on TV shows like FX’s What We Do in the Shadows, to name a few.

Chase Sui Wonders

Since working together in the 2022 horror movie, Bodies Bodies Bodies, rumors have swirled about Davidson’s relationship with Chase Sui Wonders, who is now collaborating with him again on Bupkis.

If you have a Peacock subscription, go ahead and stream Bupkis on Peacock now to see Davidson and the rest of this large, star-studded ensemble on this exciting new comedy.

There are some movies that I grew up watching and loving more and more each time I saw it. While Grown Ups wasn’t the best received Adam Sandler movie, it was one of my favorites for the sheer hilarity it offered, as well as the fun cast that it gathered to portray this funny group of friends. 

Speaking of the cast, with this movie being nearly twelve years old now (I know, I can’t believe it either), where exactly is the cast of Grown Ups now? From Adam Sandler to Salma Hayek, everyone has had their own projects and big films, while also returning to do movies and films together. Here is what the cast of Grown Ups is doing now.  

Adam Sandler (Lenny Feder)

Starting off with the main star of Grown Ups, we have Adam Sandler, who portrayed Lenny Feder. And unsurprisingly, Sandler has been up to his teeth in movies. 

For one, he was the main star of the Hotel Transylvania series, up until the 2022 movie, Hotel Transylvania: Transformania. Besides his fun voice-acting skills, he’s appeared in several movies, most of which he also produced. This includes, but is not limited to Grown Ups 2, Pixels, The Ridiculousness 6, Hubie Halloween and more.  He’s also had two movie that he’s co-starred with Jennifer Aniston with, Just Go With It and Murder Mystery, which is receiving a sequel on Netflix soon. 

In addition to his numerous comedies, Adam Sandler starred in the 2019 crime thriller Uncut Gems from Josh and Benny Safdie. 

Sandler has also popped up in several TV shows, such as Kevin Can Wait, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and he guest starred on Jessie with his late Grown Ups on-screen son, Cameron Boyce.

Coming up, he has a number of movies lined up, including Murder Mystery 2,  Spaceman and Hustle.

Kevin James (Eric Lamonsoff)

Next up, we have Kevin James, who played Eric Lamansoff in Grown Ups. James has appeared in many movies, like Grown Ups 2, Zookeeper, Pixels, the Paul Blart: Mall Cop series, Sandy Wexler, Hubie Halloween and more. James also received a starring role in the Hotel Transylvania series alongside Adam Sandler. 

On television, James has had many guest roles, but two of his biggest projects were his own sitcom, titled Kevin Can Wait, as well the comedy series, The Crew. Coming up, James is going to appear in Home Team, which is being produced by Adam Sandler. 

Chris Rock (Kurt McKenzie)

Another hilarious comedian, Chris Rock played Kurt McKenzie in Grown Ups, and has been quite active in the movie industry. He has appeared in a variety of genres, showcasing his acting skills. Since the family film he's been in Grown Ups 2, What To Expect When You’re Expecting, the Madagascar series, Top Five, the Eddie Murphy-led film, Dolemite Is My Name, the 2021 horror film, Spiral: The Book of Saw, and more. 

In television, he’s guest starred on many shows, as has many of his co-stars, but one of his most notable TV roles in recent years was playing Loy Cannon on the FX series, Fargo. Rock has also had a comedy special on Netflix, titled Chris Rock: Tamborine that you should check out. 

Coming up, he’s going to be appearing in three new projects, two with titles, Rustin and I Am Maurice, and one untitled David O. Russell project, although there hasn’t been any new news about that since January 2021. 

David Spade (Marcus Higgins)

Moving on, we have former SNL star David Spade, who played Marcus Higgins in Grown Ups. Since his appearance, Spade has been active in both movies and TV. Some of his biggest roles in recent years have been appearing in the Hotel Transylvania series, Grown Ups 2, The Ridiculous 6, Sandy Wexler, Father of the Year and more. 

With television, Spade has had roles in many shows as a recurring character, including Fameless, Roadies, Rules of Engagement and more. Spade also hosted his own talk show called Lights Out with David Spade, as well as appeared several times as himself in many shows. He’s going to be in a new HBO series, but not much else is known about that just yet. 

Rob Schneider (Rob Hilliard)

Another former SNL star, Rob Schneider played Rob Hilliard in Grown Ups, and while he didn’t appear in the sequel like many of his other co-stars, he still continued to have a very successful career since the family film. With movies, he’s appeared in films such as The Outback, Wings, The Ridiculous 6, Norm of the North, Sandy Wexler, Hubie Halloween and more. 

Schneider has also been active in television, appearing in many shows such as the sitcom series, Rob, in which he starred, Real Rob, another sitcom series in which he starred, and several guest roles. He also competed on The Masked Singer in 2021. Soon, he’s also going to be making an appearance in Home Team. I’m starting to see a trend here. 

Salma Hayek (Roxanne Chase-Feder)

I think out of all the on-screen love interests Adam Sandler has had in his movies, Salma Hayek from Grown Ups, who played Roxanne, is one of my favorites thanks to her amazing personality that she adds to the movie. Since her role in Grown Ups, Hayek has continued to have a very successful career. 

She’s had roles in movies like Grown Ups 2, Here Comes the Boom, Everly, The Hitman’s Bodyguard as well as its sequel in 2021, Like A Boss, and was a part of both the Eternals cast and the House of Gucci cast, in addition to other movies. Hayek has also had some fun with television as well, with two recurring guest-star roles on both Ugly Betty and 30 Rock. 

The actress doesn’t seem to have anything coming up just yet, but I can’t wait to see what else she does after her stellar year in 2021 with both Eternals and House of Gucci. 

Maria Bello (Sally Lamonsoff)

Moving on, we have Maria Bello, who portrayed Sally Lamansoff in Grown Ups, the wife of Kevin James’ character. Since her role in the family comedy, Bello has continued to have quite the career in both movies and TV. 

In film, she’s has big roles in films like Grown Ups 2, Beautiful Boy, Abduction, McFarland USA, Prisoners alongside the lead actor, Hugh Jackman, The 5th Wave, Max Steel, Every Day, Better Start Running, The Water Man and more. Television is where Bello has shined even more. She’s had several recurring roles in shows like Touch, Prime Suspect, and Goliath, but her biggest role so far was playing Jacqueline “Jack” Sloane in NCIS, a role she left in 2021. 

Maya Rudolph (Deanne McKenzie)

Next up, SNL alum Maya Rudolph played Deanne McKenzie, the wife of Chris Rock’s character, in Grown Ups. And since her appearance in the movie, Rudolph has had quite the career. Not long after Grown Ups did she star in the Bridesmaids cast, another comedy that blew up, and she only continued to grow afterwards. 

She’s appeared in many films, including Grown Ups 2, Big Hero 6, Wine Country, The Willoughbys, Life of the Party, the Angry Birds franchise, Hubie Halloween and more. She was also a part of the Luca cast, the Mitchells vs. the Machines cast, and the Licorice Pizza cast all in 2021 - talk about a packed year. 

Rudolph has also had success in television. She’s had recurring and main roles in shows such as Up All Night, Portlandia, The Awesomes, The Good Place, Forever and more, as well as being a part of the adult animated series, Big Mouth on Netflix and having her own baking show, called Baking It. Coming up, she will be in the new Disenchanted movie, as well the Big Mouth spinoff TV series, Human Resources. 

Joyce Van Patten (Gloria Noonan)

The next cast member to talk about is Joyce Van Patten, who played Gloria Noonan in Grown Ups. Since her role in the movie, Patten has appeared in films such as Angel’s Perch, God’s Pocket and more. She’s also guest starred in several television shows like The Good Wife and Boardwalk Empire. 

Patten doesn’t have anything in the works right now, but hopefully it won’t be long before we see her on our TV or movie screens again. 

Colin Quinn (Dickie Bailey)

Next up, we have Dickie Bailey, who was played by Colin Quinn. The SNL alum has been active both in the acting world and in the writing world, having roles in both TV and film, as well as working behind the scenes. 

As an actor, Quinn has popped up in roles in movies like Grown Ups 2, Trainwreck, Sandy Wexler, Hubie Halloween and others. He’s also been active in television, having recurring roles in shows like Girls, The Awesomes, Inside Amy Schumer, and more. 

Quinn has also been very active in comedy and writing. In 2015 and 2020, he wrote two biographies titled The Coloring Book: A Comedian Solves Race Relations in America and Overstated: A Coast-to-Coast Roast of the 50 States. He’s also had several comedy specials on Netflix and HBO, and has gone on tour for his stand-up.

Steve Buscemi (Wiley)

Steve Buscemi, while he wasn’t in the film for long, had an impactful part as Wiley in Grown Ups, and has continued to succeed in Hollywood, both on the big screen and the small screen.

As well as appearing in Grown Ups 2, Buscemi has appeared in many movies such as the Pixar movie, Monsters University, On the Road, The Incredible Burt Wonderstone, the Hotel Transylvania series, The Ridiculous 6, The Boss Baby, The Death of Stalin, The Dead Don’t Die, The King of Staten Island and more. 

Buscemi has also had an active career in television. Besides appearing on several TV shows, like 30 Rock and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Buscemi has had leading roles in both Boardwalk Empire and Miracle Workers. He also hosted his own talk show called Park Bench with Steve Buscemi. Coming up, he’s going to be appearing in a new movie titled The Year Between. 

Tim Meadows (Malcolm)

Last but not least, we have another former SNL star, Tim Meadows, who played Malcolm in Grown Ups. Since his appearance in the movie, Meadows has appeared in both film and television. With movies, he had roles in Grown Ups 2, Trainwreck, Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, Hubie Halloween and a couple of other independent movies. 

In television, he had many recurring roles including The Colbert Report, Suburgatory, Bob’s Burgers, The Goldbergs, No Activity and more. He’s also had lead roles in shows such as Son of Zorn, Marry Me and Schooled (which was a spinoff of The Goldbergs). Coming up, he’s going to appear in a new film titled Saurus City as a voice actor, so keep an eye out for him. 

With so many talented actors, it’s no wonder they went on to succeed so well. I for one can’t wait for Home Team to come out as part of the 2022 movies so I can see a lot of them together again. Or watch any of their awesome movies or shows.  

After what seems like an eternity spent locked up in a spooky castle, Hotel Transylvania: Transformania has finally premiered (on Amazon after skipping a theatrical release), kicking off the next chapter in the beloved animated franchise from Sony Pictures Animation. And, even though Adam Sandler didn’t return as Hotel Transylvania founder Count “Drac” Dracula, several longtime members of the series are back, along with some new additions.

So, after watching the movie for yourself, there’s a good chance you’re wondering where you’ve seen (or heard) the Hotel Transylvania: Transformania cast before and why some of those monstrous characters sound so familiar. Well, you’ve come to the right place. Just check in and we’ll get started on this wild and crazy bunch of monsters-turned-humans.

Andy Samberg (Jonathan “Johnny” Loughran)

Back again as Jonathan “Johnny” Loughran in Hotel Transylvania: Transformania is Andy Samberg, who has been part of the franchise since it first opened back in 2012. One of the biggest Saturday Night Live stars of the past couple of decades, Samberg has managed to find success with various film and television projects, as well as having a successful music career.

Whether he’s showing up in movies like the delightful time-loop romantic comedy Palm Springs, leading the acclaimed comedy series Brooklyn Nine-Nine, or releasing hit albums with his comedy troupe The Lonely Island, there isn’t much Andy Samberg can’t do. And, with that Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers reboot in the works over at Disney+, we’ll be seeing (or hearing) a lot more of him in the near future.

Selena Gomez (Mavis Dracula)

Selena Gomez is also back in Hotel Transylvania: Transformania as Mavis Dracula, the daughter of Count “Drac” and wife of Johnny Loughran. Already a major star by the time she joined the voice cast of the first movie 10 years ago (thanks to Wizards of Waverly Place and several other projects), Gomez has somehow become an even bigger name since then.

With movies like The Dead Don’t Die, A Rainy Day in New York, and The Fundamentals of Caring all giving her room to show off her talents, the former Disney Channel star has also stayed true to her TV roots as one of biggest names in the star-studded Only Murders in the Building cast. And there’s more where that came from, as Selena Gomez is set to reprise her role in the Hulu murder mystery’s upcoming second season, which sounds bigger than the last.

Kathryn Hahn (Ericka Van Helsing)

Kathryn Hahn is back for a second round of action after her character, Ericka Van Helsing, was introduced in Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation as the wife of Count “Drac” and great-granddaughter of Abraham Van Helsing.

Over the course of the past few years, Kathryn Hahn has gone from a successful and hilarious film and television actress to one of the most prolific names in Hollywood, with the Bad Moms franchise and one hell of a portrayal of Olivia Octavius is Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Also, let’s not forget her amazing turn as Agatha Harkness on WandaVision, a role she will soon reprise in her own spinoff series Agatha: House of Harkness which will land on Disney+ at some point in the near future.

Jim Gaffigan (Professor Abraham Van Helsing)

Taking on the role of Professor Abraham Van Helsing, the former monster hunter and Count Dracula's great-grandfather-in-law who is responsible for the all the Transformania in the Hotel Transylvania 4, is again Jim Gaffigan. 

One of the funniest comedians around (and superb CBS Sunday Morning commentator), Jim Gaffigan has also made a name for himself while not talking about his food obsessions and kids as a stand-up comic. With appearances in movies like Troop Zero, Tesla, and Luca, Gaffigan has been all over the place on the big screen. Gaffigan has also had his own comedy series, The Jim Gaffigan Show, in addition to appearances on other shows, such as Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and even Stargirl.

Steve Buscemi (Wayne)

Wayne the Werewolf has been a major player in the Hotel Transylvania film franchise from the very beginning, and even though he’s still voiced by Steve Buscemi, he appears like nothing we’ve seen before in Transformania. 

Throughout his career, Steve Buscemi has been in everything from gritty dark comedies like Fargo to zany family-friend action spectacles like Spy Kids: The Island of Lost Dreams, and just about anything and everything in between. His voice work alone, which also includes The Boss Baby and Monsters, Inc., and other successful film and television franchises, is also definitely something worth mentioning.

Molly Shannon (Wanda)

Back again as Wanda the Werewolf in Hotel Transylvania: Transformania is former Saturday Night Live superstar Molly Shannon, who has been a part of the franchise since its beginnings back in 2012.

Outside of SNL and movies based on characters from the long-running sketch comedy series, like Night at the Roxbury and Superstar, Molly Shannon has also popped up in movies like Promising Young Woman, Other People, and Bad Teacher, to name only a few. Her TV work includes The White Lotus, The Other Two, and the Wet Hot American Summer continuation series, First Day at Camp and Ten Years Later.

David Spade (Griffin)

Another longtime franchise star, David Spade, is back once again for Hotel Transylvania: Transformania where he provides the voice of Griffin, the invisible man.

Over the years, David Spade has been in some of the most unforgettable comedies, the most notable being Tommy Boy and Joe Dirt. Spade has also spent a large portion of his career working with former Saturday Night Live co-star Adam Sandler (including the first three movies in the Hotel Transylvania franchise). 

Keegan-Michael Key (Murray)

Keegan-Michael Key is back in Hotel Transylvania: Transformania as Murray the mummy, a character he first voiced in the second installment of the franchise back in 2015. 

The former Mad TV  cast-member and co-creator of Key & Peele has gone on to find a tremendous amount of success as a voice actor in recent years, including SuperMansion, Green Eggs and Ham, The Lion King, and Toy Story 4. His live-action work includes titles like Keanu, Playing with Fire, and The Prom. Keegan-Michael Key is also set to appear in the upcoming Wonka remake as well as the long-awaited Super Mario Bros. animated movie, both of which have impressive cast lists.

Brian Hull (Count "Drac" Dracula)

Taking on the role of Count “Drac” Dracula in Hotel Transylvania: Transformania is Brian Hull, who stepped in after Adam Sandler departed the franchise. But, don't worry, Hull is a master impressionist who is more than capable of pulling this off.

Brian Hull doesn’t currently have all too many voice-acting credits in feature films, though he did appear in the Pup Star franchise. However, Hull has a massive following on YouTube, where he has gained 2.3 million followers for his insane impressions that include everything from various animated characters singing “Bohemian Rhapsody” to Disney and Pixar characters singing “Let it Go.”

Fran Drescher (Eunice)

Appearing once again as Eunice, a.k.a. Frankenstein’s wife, in Hotel Transylvania: Transformania is none other than Fran Drescher, who happens to have one of the most recognizable voices in all of show business.

In the years since becoming a massive star as the main attraction of The Nanny cast, Fran Drescher has continued to work on various television projects over the years, including Happily Divorced, Broad City, and most recently, Indebted. Her film work, which goes all the way back to a small role in Saturday Night Fever, also includes The Creatress, After Class, and The Christmas Setup.

Brad Abrell (Frankenstein)

Taking on the role of Frankenstein (who was previously voiced by Kevin James) in Hotel Transylvania: Transformania is veteran voice actor Brad Abrell. 

With credits going all the back to the original Swamp Thing series in 1990, Brad Abrell has provided the voices for characters in Men in Black (the movies and the 1998 animated series), The Bold and the Beautiful, and Green Eggs and Ham, to name just a few. And, if you've played a video game in the past decade or so, there's a good chance you've heard Abrell's voice on more than one occasion.

Asher Blinkoff (Dennis)

Returning for his third round of action in the animated franchise, Asher Blinkoff again provides the voice of Dennis, the dhampir son of Johnny and Mavis, in Hotel Transylvania: Transformania.

In the years since joining the Hotel Transylvania franchise with the second installment in 2015, Asher Blinkoff has gone on to show up in Bling, Red Shoes and the Seven Dwarfs, and Sing 2, in which he provided the voice of one of the Rosita’s (Reese Witherspoon) piglets.

Hopefully, all of this helps you out in the event you’re scratching your head trying to figure out why the voices of the Hotel Transylvania: Transformania cast sound so dang familiar. If you’re looking for even more ideas of what to watch after you finish streaming the new Amazon animated release, take a look at all the promising upcoming 2022 new movie releases that will be coming to theaters and streaming platforms in no time at all.

In December 2003, audiences around the world were introduced to the fantastical story and over-the-top characters of Big Fish. What some will call the best Tim Burton movie, this fantasy dramedy about a man learning to appreciate his father and his form of storytelling before it’s too late, features some of the best actors of the time and continues to enchant viewers of all ages.

But, nearly 20 years have past since we first watched a man catch a catfish with a wedding ring, visit an idyllic town hidden in the forest, and change the lives of countless people, and it’s safe to say you are probably wondering what the Big Fish cast is up to. Here is the answer to your question…

Ewan McGregor (Young Edward Bloom)

In Big Fish, Ewan McGregor plays the younger version of the Edward Bloom, the charismatic storyteller whose life journey was the stuff of legend. Already a major force in Hollywood by the time he worked with Tim Burton in the fantastical drama (the movie came out just one year after the release of Star Wars: Episode II — Attack of the Clones), McGregor has only become a bigger star in the years following its release.

All in the last five years, Ewan McGregor has appeared on Fargo, continued his globe-trotting motorcycle adventure docuseries with Long Way Up, and portrayed a grown-up Danny Torrance in Doctor Sleep. McGregor will return to the “galaxy far, far away” when he leads the upcoming Disney+ series, Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Albert Finney (Old Edward Bloom)

The beloved legend of film, television, and the theatre, Albert Finney, took on the role of the older version of Edward Bloom in Big Fish, and brought with him decades of experience. The two-time Golden Globe winner continued to show up in movies like Ocean’s Twelve, The Bourne Ultimatum, and Skyfall before stepping away from acting in 2012. Finney passed away in February 2019 at the age of 82.

Billy Crudup (Will Bloom)

Taking on the role of Will Bloom in the Big Fish cast is Billy Crudup. In the years since playing the once-dismissive son of Edward Bloom, Crudup has gone on to appear in movies like Spotlight, Where’d You Go, Bernadette, and Zack Snyder’s Justice League (he previously worked with the director for Watchmen). 

Billy Crudup received a great deal of praise for his portrayal of Cory Ellison on the Apple TV+ original series The Morning Show, including a Primetime Emmy and Critics Choice Award in 2020.

Jessica Lange (Sandra Bloom)

Two-time Academy Award winner Jessica Lange portrays Sandra Bloom through much of Big Fish. The star of movies like Tootsie, Blue Sky, and Cape Fear, Lange has continued to appear on the big screen in recent years with movies like The Gambler, Wild Oats, and the upcoming Marlowe.

Over the course of the past decade, Jessica Lange has been a major player on the FX horror anthology series, American Horror Story, appearing on five of the show’s seasons since its debut in 2011. 

Alison Lohman (Sandra Bloom)

Alison Lohman, who broke out with her role in the 2002 drama, White Oleander, portrays the younger version of Sandra Bloom in Big Fish. Lohman followed up the Tim Burton film with movies like Matchstick Men, Beowulf, and Drag Me To Hell through the first decade of the 21st Century.

Upon stepping away from professional acting after marrying filmmaker Mark Neveldine in 2009, Alison Lohman began to spend her time raising her children, as well as serving as an online acting coach, a service she continues to offer to this day.

Marion Cotillard (Joséphine)

Marion Cotillard was already a sensation in her native France but started to break through with American audiences with her take on the character Joséphine Bloom in Big Fish. In the years following the film’s release, Cotillard appeared in Inception, Contagion, The Dark Knight Rises, and Macbeth, to name only a few.

More recently, Marion Cotillard has appeared in movies like Dolittle and Annette, and will soon join the star-studded cast of the Apple TV+ anthology series Extrapolations.

Helena Bonham Carter (Jenny/The Witch)

Helena Bonham Carter takes on two roles in Big Fish: Spectre resident Jenny and the Witch who showed a young Edward Bloom how he would die. In the years following the film’s release, Bonham Carter went on to land the role of Bellatrix Lestrange in the final four Harry Potter movies, and work more recently in Ocean’s 8 and Enola Holmes.

The versatile actress also found success on television, with one her most notable performances being that of Princes Margaret on the third and fourth seasons of The Crown. Helena Bonham Carter appeared on the Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts special in early 2022, where she had a memorable encounter with Daniel Radcliffe.

Danny DeVito (Amos Calloway)

Amos Calloway, the circus ringmaster (and werewolf) in Big Fish, is portrayed by the versatile Danny DeVito. The Golden Globe and Primetime Emmy Award winner has an extensive filmography to say the very least, including a great number of film and television appearances in recent years.

One of the leads of long-running comedy It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, which released its 15th season in late 2021, Danny DeVito has appeared in movies like Dumbo, Jumanji: The Next Level, and The One and Only Ivan over the past few years, with more movies on the way, like Haunted Mansion and Sniff.

Robert Guillaume (Dr. Bennett)

The late Robert Guillaume appeared as one of the major supporting characters, Dr. Bennett, in Big Fish. The Primetime Emmy and Tony Award winner passed away in October 2017 at the age of 89, per Deadline, leaving behind a legacy in film, television, and theatre. His list of credits range from the sitcom Soap to Aaron Sorkin's Sports Night and the 1994 animated smash hit, The Lion King, and even the 2004 video game, Half-Life 2.

Matthew McGrory (Karl The Giant)

Matthew McGrory portrayed the gentle and misunderstood Karl the Giant in Big Fish, which was a far stretch from the characters the actor played before and after. Due to his large stature, McGrory worked in mostly horror movies like House of 1000 Corpses and The Devils Rejects, and fantasy shows like Charmed and Carnivale. Saddly, McGrory passed away in August 2005 at the age of 32, according to the New York Times.

Steve Buscemi (Norther Winslow)

Taking on the role of the poet-turned-millionaire Norther Winslow in Big Fish is Steve Buscemi. One of the best character actors by the time he appeared in Tim Burton’s beloved classic, Buscemi has continued to find success in just about everything he does, whether it's as an actor or director.

Since 2019, Steve Buscemi has had one of the lead roles on the TBS anthology comedy series Miracle Workers, has appeared on Scooby-Doo and Guess Who?, and even showed up on an episode of Rick and Morty. He will next appear in Hotel Transylvania: Transformania.

Ada Tai and Arlene Tai (Ping and Jing)

Sisters Ada and Arlene Tai appear in Big Fish as the conjoined twins Ping and Jing, but unlike their characters, they are not physically attached at the hip (though they work extensively together). The sisters last appeared on film in 2014, when they were featured in the short film The First Minute. The sisters currently own and operate the Los Angeles-based interior design company A&A Design Firm.

Loudon Wainwright III (Beamen)

Taking on the role of Spectre mayor, Beamen, in Big Fish is Loudon Wainwright III, the accomplished singer-songwriter who has also made several appearances in movies and television shows throughout his career. His most recent acting credit was the 2018 murder mystery series Mosaic, though he continues to release music, like the 2020 studio album I’d Rather Lead a Band.

David Denman (Don Price)

Don Price, Edward Bloom’s friend-turned-enemy in Big Fish, is played by David Denman, who most will recognize as the despicable Roy Anderson on The Office. Denman continues to be busy in Hollywood with movies like Brighburn and Greenland both having been released in the past few years. In 2021, Denman was featured in the main cast of the HBO dramatic limited series, Mare of Easttown.

Deep Roy (Mr. Soggybottom)

Taking on the role of Amos Calloway’s assistant and most-trusted friend, Mr. Soggybottom, in Big Fish is Deep Roy. The actor, stuntman, and puppeteer has appeared in dozens of movies over the years, including Star Trek, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Hook, and even Return of the Jedi. Roy’s most recent feature film appearance was in 2016’s Star Trek Beyond, though he does stay rather busy with his booming Tik Tok account.

Missi Pyle (Mildred)

Missi Pyle appears in Big Fish as Mildred, one of the residents of Spectre who had an impact on Edward Bloom. Throughout her career, Pyle has made appearances on shows like Drunk History, Dirty John, and most recently, Y: The Last Man. Her most recent movie appearance was in the 2019 psychological drama Ma.

Well, hopefully this helps you make sense of the massive Big Fish cast. And, who knows, maybe we’ll see those familiar faces in some of the upcoming 2022 new movie releases.

Hotel Transylvania’s monsters are coming back, with the fourth installment of the animated monster comedy series, Hotel Transylvania: Transformania, set to hit Amazon Prime on Friday, January 14. Critics have had a chance to screen the movie, so we can get a little inside information to help us decide if we want to stock up on the microwave popcorn this weekend.

Hotel Transylvania: Transformania features an all-star cast, with Selena Gomez and Andy Samberg returning as Mavis and Johnny. Kathryn Hahn, Steve Buscemi, Molly Shannon and David Spade are among the other returning voices. Dracula and Frankenstein, however, who were voiced by Adam Sandler and Kevin James respectively in the first three movies, have been replaced by Brian Hull and Brad Abrell. Genndy Tartakovsky, the series’ previous director, had a hand in the screenplay, but he handed over the reins on this one to Jennifer Kluska and Derek Drymon. Let’s see how the critics liked this final installment of the fun franchise.

Starting with our own CinemaBlend review, Mike Reyes gives the franchise finale 3.5 stars out of 5, saying the zany humor and sight gags that have endeared audiences since the first movie’s release in 2012 are still there in what is a fitting end to the series. Transformania might even pack an emotional punch for those who have been there from the beginning:

 Debopriyaa Dutta of Screen Rant gives the movie 3 out of 5 stars and says Adam Sandler's absence is a little jarring at first, but Brian Hull settles into the role, and the monster-human reversal at the heart of the plot is fairly well-executed by the big-name cast: 

 John Defore of The Hollywood Reporter says the Hotel Transylvania movies have never really been about the script, and the visual gags and wacky energy should make its target demographic happy. The humor is mostly geared toward the kids, but Mom and Dad should find enough to appreciate as well: 

 The review from Josh Spiegel of SlashFilm rates the movie a 5 out of 10. He says Transmorphia is fine, but it hits the exact same character arcs as the previous three. The writing seems to suggest that all involved know it’s time to wrap the series: 

 Adding to the crowd of voices with mixed-opinions, Simon Abrams of The Wrap agrees that while Hotel Transylvania: Transformania doesn’t break any new ground, the formula is one that’s worked for it, and the final installment is still well-crafted, creepy and silly: 

Hotel Transylvania: Transformania sounds like a kid-pleaser, and hey, that’s the goal, right? The critics seemed to agree the new sequel stays in the lane of the previous three, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing, especially for a children’s franchise that’s proven successful. Whether mom and dad will zone out remains to be seen.

Skipping theaters, Hotel Transylvania: Transformania will be available on Amazon Prime on Friday, January 14. Be sure to check out our 2022 Movie Schedule to see what other movies are coming soon. 

It has been a quarter of a century since Joel and Ethan Coen introduced audiences to the wild and crazy world (and characters) of their 1996 dark comedy Fargo. In that stretch of time, the movie has become a modern classic, spawned a successful anthology series on FX, and helped take the careers of its colorful cast of characters — led by Frances McDormand, William H. Macy, and Steve Buscemi — to the heights of their respective careers in film, on television, and beyond. 

But, a long time has passed since we’ve first met the cast all those years ago (the movie can officially rent a car at this point), so now seems like the perfect time to take a break and look back on what the Fargo cast has been up to as of late...

Frances McDormand (Marge Gunderson)

Fargo is one of the best Frances McDormand movies, and turned the actress into a sensation and Academy Award winner following her iconic portrayal of the nice but no-nonsense Brainerd police chief, Marge Gunderson. Since taking on the role of the seven-months pregnant police officer with a knack for solving crimes and postage stamp painting, McDormand has gone on to win two more Oscars, one for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri in 2018 and another for Nomadland in 2021 (she also took home Golden Globes for each of those performances). 

One of the best actresses of her time, McDormand continues to find success whether she’s appearing in her husband Joel Coen’s movies, like The Tragedy of Macbeth, working with Wes Anderson in the likes of The French Dispatch, or with just about anyone else. McDormand is set to star in Sarah Polley’s upcoming drama Women Talking, per Variety.

William H. Macy (Jerry Lundegaard)

William H. Macy’s portrayal of Jerry Lundegaard, the desperate and short-sighted car dealer who hires a pair of crooks to kidnap his wife, will forever go down as one of the Primetime Emmy Award-winning actor's best performances. 

In the years since appearing in Fargo, Macy has found success with roles in everything from Boogie Nights to Bobby, with dozens of memorable performances before and since. From 2011 to 2021, Macy portrayed Frank Gallagher on Shameless, the down-on-his-luck and substance-abusing patriarch of the Showtime series’ central family, which earned him multiple Primetime Emmy and Golden Globe nominations throughout the show’s impressive 11-season run.

Steve Buscemi (Carl Showalter)

Things didn’t shake out all too well for Steve Buscemi’s Fargo character, Carl Showalter, but the same can't be said about the actor and the state of his insanely successful and fruitful career over the past 25 years. 

From 2010 to 2014, Buscemi portrayed Enoch “Nucky” Thompson, the corrupt, powerful, and dangerous Atlantic County official at the center of Boardwalk Empire, a performance that earned him a Golden Globe and four Screen Actors Guild Awards during the show’s run on HBO. More recently, Buscemi has appeared on comedy series like Miracle Workers and Rick and Morty, as well as a list of movies that includes The King of Staten Island, Hubie Halloween, and the soon-to-be-released Hotel Transylvania: Transformania.

Peter Stormare (Gaear Grimsrud)

Peter Stormare’s portrayal of the silent but deadly killer, Gaear Grimsrud, in Fargo adds a much-needed layer of danger and darkness to the offbeat nature of the Coen Brothers movie. 

In 1998, Stormare and his Fargo co-star Steve Buscemi appeared in the Coen Brothers' The Big Lebowski. Over the course of the past few decades, there have been multiple years in which Stormare has appeared in more than five movies (he appeared in 10 in 2013 alone), though he has slowed down just a little bit more recently. In 2020, he appeared in the pandemic thriller Songbird, which he followed up with two animated films in 2021 — Gift of Fire and Cryptozoo. He currently co-hosts the docuseries Secrets of the Viking Stone.

Harve Presnell (Wade Gustafson)

Wade Gustafson, Jerry Lundegaard’s father-in-law who gets caught up in the ill-fated kidnapping and ransom plan, was portrayed by Harve Presnell. The veteran character actor, who appeared on shows like Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman and Dawson’s Creek, as well as in movies like Saving Private Ryan and Mr. Deeds, passed away at the age of 75 in July 2009 following a battle with pancreatic cancer, according to the New York Times.

Kristin Rudrüd (Jean Lundegaard)

Kristin Rudrüd shows up in Fargo as Jean Lundegaard, the unsuspecting wife of Jerry Lundegaard at the center of the dark comedy’s doomed-from-the-start kidnapping and get-rich-quick scheme. Born and raised in the actual Fargo, North Dakota, Rudrüd appeared in a few more movies in the late 1990s and early 2000s before stepping away from acting. This includes Pleasantville, Drop Dead Gorgeous, and Herman U.S.A.

Tony Denman (Scotty Lundegaard)

Tony Denman shows up in the Fargo cast as Scotty Lundegaard, the only son of Jerry and Kristin Lundegaard, whose demeanor (and life) forever changes upon his mother’s kidnapping and murder. 

In the years since Fargo was released into the wild, Denman has appeared in a number of movies including National Lampoon’s Barely Legal, Transylmania, and, more recently, For the Love of Jessee. Denman has also popped up on numerous TV shows over the years, including King of the Hill, My Crazy Ex, and The 33rd: Sci-Fi Anthology in 2018. Denman is part of a comedy duo by the name of As a Matter of Fact.

Steve Reevis (Shep Proudfoot)

Taking on the role of Shep Proudfoot, the man who convinced Jerry Lundegaard to hire the men to kidnap his wife for the ransom money in Fargo, is Steve Reevis. Leading up to his appearance in the Coen Brothers dark comedy, Reevis had roles in movies like Twins, Dances with Wolves, and The Doors, and later went on to show up in The Missing, The Longest Yard, and Fishing Naked, his final film appearances. There were a number of TV shows to feature Reevis over the years, including Walker, Texas Ranger, Malcolm in the Middle, and Bones. Unfortunately, Reevis passed away at the age of 55 in December 2017, per The Hollywood Reporter.

Larry Brandenburg (Stan Grossman)

Larry Brandenburg shows up in Fargo as Stan Grossman, Wade Gustafson’s accountant who informs Jerry Lundegaard of his client’s decision to handle matters himself. Prior to the release of Fargo, Brandenburg landed small roles in movies like Field of Dreams and The Shawshank Redemption, as well as shows like Quantum Leap and Cheers. 

In the years following the film’s release, Brandenburg landed roles in some of the most popular shows of the early 21st Century including Monk, Grey’s Anatomy, and NCIS. Brandenburg’s final appearances came in the movie Last Harbor, and an episode of the successful animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars, both of which were released in 2010.

John Carroll Lynch (Norm Gunderson)

In one of his early film appearances, John Carroll Lynch shows up in Fargo as Marge Gunderson’s husband Norm. Prior to working with the Coen Brothers in the duo’s dark comedy, Lynch had small roles in Grumpy Old Men and Beautiful Girls, with his film career taking off immediately after. 

Over the years, Lynch has had a rather balanced career with action spectacles like Volcano and Gone in 60 Seconds, right up there with thrillers like Zodiac (he played the prime suspect in the titular case) and Shutter Island. In 2020, Lynch portrayed David Dellinger in Aaron Sorkin’s courtroom drama The Trial of the Chicago 7.

It should also be pointed out that Lynch has had a successful career on the small screen, as well, with major roles in various entries in the American Horror Story franchise, Big Sky, and Veep, on top of dozens of other smaller roles dating back to a 1996 episode of Frasier.

Stephen Park (Mike Yanagita)

Mike Yanagita, Marge Gunderson’s high school friend who makes a dinner scene all the more awkward and uncomfortable in Fargo is portrayed by comedian and actor Stephen Park. Prior to landing the small, yet memorable, role in the 1996 dark comedy, Park made a name for himself with appearances in movies like Do the Right Thing, Kindergarten Cop, and Falling Down, as well as shows like In Living Color, Martin, and Friends. 

Since completing his duties in Fargo, Park has been in everything from A Serious Man to Snowpiercer, and The Gambler to The French Dispatch. Park’s recent television appearances include Warrior and Infinity Train. And, just like so many other big-name actors and actresses, Stephen Park will take on an unspecified role in Wes Anderson's upcoming (and mysterious) movie Asteroid City.

With electric and unforgettable performances from Frances McDormand, William H. Macy, and the rest of the Fargo cast, it's easy to see why the 1996 Coen Brothers dark comedy remains such a treat for movie lovers of all ages. If this trip down memory lane has piqued your interest, check out the assortment of Fargo behind the scenes facts we gathered from the making of the movie. If you want to know more about everything coming out in theaters and on streaming services, check out CinemaBlend's 2021 movies schedule.

Pixar was one of those movie studios I always gravitated towards when i was growing up, due to the fact that I loved their stories, amazing animation, and ability to make me and my parents cry. One of my favorite Pixar films has always been Monsters Inc. Whether that was because I looked like Boo as a toddler, or because I love re-watching it now as an adult, it’s always stood out to me as one of Pixar’s best films. 

But, with such a long list of stars, where are the Monsters Inc. cast members nowadays, such as John Goodman and Billy Crystal? If you’ve wondered where your favorite working duo of monsters have been, look no further than here. 

John Goodman (Sulley)

Sulley was a kind-hearted monster who took on the role of looking after Boo while trying to get her back to the human world, and he was voiced by the famous John Goodman. If you’ve heard of his name before, that shouldn’t be a shock. 

Goodman has been around in TV and movies for a long time. For a sample of his live-action work since Monsters Inc., he appeared in the autobiographical musical movie, Beyond The Sea, the comedy, Evan Almighty, the black and white feature, The Artist, the action thriller film, Patriots Day, the Charlize Theron-led film, Atomic Blonde, and more. 

Goodman has also done voice work several times, for films like The Jungle Book 2, Bee Movie, and the Disney animated feature, The Princess and the Frog. He also voiced Sully again in Monsters University. 

John Goodman has also made regular appearances on television. Currently, he stars in the HBO comedy, The Righteous Gemstones, and on The Conners as Dan Conner. He led the Amazon original series, Alpha House, and was a regular on the first season of the HBO's, Treme. Right now, reprising his Sulley with the Monsters at Work cast on Disney+. 

Billy Crystal (Mike)

As the second half of the original duo in Monsters Inc., Mike was the comedic monster to Sulley’s more relaxed one, creating hilarious moments that made both kids and parents snicker. Famed comedian and actor Billy Crystal voiced Mike, and has done plenty since his role in the famous Pixar film. 

Besides reprising the role of Mike in both Monsters University and the Disney+ original series, Monsters at Work, Crystal has appeared in both movies and television shows. In terms of film, he provided his voice for the Studio Ghibli film, Howl’s Moving Castle, appeared in Tooth Fairy, I’m Still Here, Untogether, Here Today, and many others. 

However, Crystal has also shined on TV. He starred as himself in The Comedians, appeared in three episodes of Web Therapy, and has done several documentary and guest appearances as well. Crystal also hosted the Academy Awards twice since Monsters Inc., in 2004 and 2012. 

Mary Gibbs (Boo)

I know you all love Boo from Monsters Inc., and now she’s all grown up! Mary Gibbs, who voiced Boo when she was only five years old, has stepped out of the spotlight since her voice role in the movie. Besides providing the voice of Boo in many Monsters Inc. related projects, she also provided some additional voices in the Pixar film Inside Out. 

Other than that, Gibbs is living her life happily. She has a YouTube channel called Boo All Grown Up where she talks about voice work and her life, and has said that being a part of Monsters Inc. was something that was very special to her, according to Newsweek: 

Trust me, Mary Gibbs, we believe that too. Who could ever forget your adorable voice saying, “Kitty!” 

Steve Buscemi (Randall)

Randall was certainly an annoying workplace villain in Monsters Inc., and Steve Buscemi did a great job voicing him. Besides reprising Randall in Monsters University in 2013, Buscemi is an actor who has been active in Hollywood for years, and hasn’t slowed down. 

With movies, Buscemi has appeared in a variety of them, including but not limited to the Spy Kids series, the Adam Sandler-led comedy, Grown Ups, the Netflix film, The Ridiculous 6, and the political satire, The Death of Stalin. 

Buscemi has also appeared in several television shows. He starred in the lead role in the HBO series, Boardwalk Empire, hosts the web television series, Park Bench with Steve Buscemi, and has a main role in Miracle Workers alongside Daniel Radcliffe. He's also appeared in The Sopranos, 30 Rock, and more. 

James Coburn (Henry J. Waternoose III)

Waternoose was always up to no good in Monsters Inc., and he was voiced by James Coburn. Unfortunately, Coburn passed away shortly after Monsters Inc. was released, but prior to his passing, Coburn had an impressive list of credits. He was famed for many of his westerns, such as The Magnificent Seven, Hell Is For Heroes, The Great Escape and so many more. 

His last project was The Mists of Avalon, a miniseries that he helped produce, which garnered him a Primetime Emmy nomination. 

Jennifer Tilly (Celia Mae)

Celia was an adorable, snake-headed creature who, honestly, deserved much more love from Mike in Monsters Inc. Jennifer Tilly voiced Celia in the Pixar film, and reprised her role in Monsters at Work on Disney+. 

While Celia is a bubbly monster, Jennifer Tilly is known the most for a much darker, sinister role - voicing Tiffany Valentine in the Chucky franchise, a.k.a., the bride of Chucky. She's played this part for many years, and is currently doing so in the Chucky TV series. 

Besides her impact on the horror genre, Tilly has appeared in several other films and TV shows. With movies, she had a role in Disney’s The Haunted Mansion starring Eddie Murphy, Home on the Range, Tideland, 7 Days to Vegas and more. On TV, she has been voicing Bonnie Swanson on Family Guy for two decades, played Crystal in Out of Practice, and guest starred in many shows. 

Bob Peterson (Roz)

Roz is watching you, always watching you, and this loveable yet disgusting monster was played by Bob Peterson. While you might not recognize his face, you’ll surely recognize his voice. Peterson is a Pixar animator, screenwriter, storyboard supervisor, director, and voice actor for the company.

He has worked on several films, including co-directing Up, and writing for Up and Finding Nemo. As an actor, he voiced Mr. Ray in Finding Nemo and Finding Dory, Dug in Up (a role he reprised for the Disney+ original show, Dug Days), and provided several additional voices for many of the Pixar films. He also directed and wrote for Forky Asks a Question. 

John Ratzenberger (Yeti)

Be careful, you don’t want to get banished! The Yeti was a symbol of what can happen to a monster at Monsters Inc., and was played by John Ratzenberger, a role he reprised in both Monsters University (at the tail end of the film) and Monsters at Work. 

Ratzenberger is a name that should sound very familiar to Disney and Pixar followers. Ratzenberger has offered his voice to several iconic characters in Pixar films, such as Hamm in the Toy Story franchise, Mack in Cars, The Underminer in The Incredibles franchise, and many, many more. He appeared in the first 22 Pixar films. 

Besides that, he’s also had a prominent career in both film and television. He had a voice role in Spirited Away, The Village Barbershop, Planes, and others. On television, Ratzenberger appeared in 8 Simple Rules, hosted Made in America, had a role in Legit, and appeared in Just Roll with It, along with several guest roles. Don’t be surprised if he appears in another Pixar film soon.

Frank Oz (Jeff Fungus)

I mean, how can you now know who Frank Oz is if you’re into voice-actors? Jeff Fungus was a bit of a minor character in Monsters Inc., but he was played by the iconic Frank Oz, who is known for voicing probably one of the most famous characters in cinema history - Yoda from the Star Wars series, in several films and TV shows. 

Besides Star Wars, Frank Oz has done plenty in film and TV. He had a minor voice role in Inside Out, voiced a robot in Zathura, appeared on screen in one of the best recent mystery movies, Knives Out, and many others. Oz is also a puppeteer, and has not only used his talents for Yoda, but for several The Muppets projects, including Muppets Tonight. His latest television credit was voicing Yoda in Star Wars Rebels.

Daniel Gerson (Needleman And Smitty)

As the two little workermen in Monsters Inc., Needleman and Smitty offered some great comedic moments, as voiced by Daniel Gerson. Gerson primarily worked as a screenwriter for Pixar, working on the screenplays for both Monsters Inc. and Monsters University, as well as the Disney feature, Big Hero 6, and contributed to many other Disney/Pixar films like Zooptopia, Cars and more. 

He also lent his voice to a minor role as the Desk Sargent in Big Hero 6. Gerson sadly passed away in 2016 due to brain cancer, while working on Cars 3. 

Steve Susskind (Jerry Slugworth)

The best announcer Monsters Inc. had. Jerry Slugworth was voiced by Steve Susskind. He had voice roles in movies like The Emperor's New Groove, Osmosis Jones, The Iron Giant ,and more prior to Monsters Inc. 

He also appeared in television shows like Married…with Children, NewsRadio, Seinfeld, Frasier, The Tick. Susskind passed away in 2005, with his last credit being Dog Gone Love. 

Bonnie Hunt (Ms. Flint)

Another great coach for scarers, Ms. Flint was voiced by Bonnie Hunt. Hunt has appeared in many films such as Cheaper by the Dozen, the Tom Cruise films Jerry Maguire and Rain Main, the Tom Hanks-led, The Green Mile, and more. 

She’s also done voice work for A Bug’s Life, voiced Sally in the Cars series, and has voiced Dolly in the Toy Story series since 2011. She also voiced Bonnie Hopps, the mother of the protagonist in Zootopia. With TV, she appeared in her own television series, Life with Bonnie, produced and hosted The Bonnie Hunt Show, had a recurring voice role in Sofia the First, and reprised the role of Ms. Flint in Monsters at Work. 

Jeff Pidgeon (Thaddeus “Phlegm” Bile)

Thaddeus Bile, otherwise known as Phlegm, was voiced by Jeff Pidgeon, another employee of Pixar. He primarily works as a screenwriter, animator, and a storyboard artist, but provides his voice for some of their movies as well. 

He voiced roles in the Toy Story series, such as those famous green Aliens, as well as provided additional voices for WALL-E. He also voiced Mr. Spell on Forky Asks a Question on Disney+, and voiced Fly on Dug Days. 

Laraine Newman (Ms. Nesbit)

Last up is Ms. Nesbit, voiced by Laraine Newman. In film, she appeared in The Sum of All Fears, Ready or Knot, and The Late Bloomer. 

On television, she had a role in 7th Heaven, According to Jim, Comedy Bang! Bang!, and several guest appearances in many shows. 

Goodness, with so many amazing creators and actors on this project, it’s no wonder Monsters Inc. was such a success. Now, if I could just see Boo all grown up in animation, that would be fantastic.

The stars showed up and showed out for Halloween this year! From Harry Styles and Kendall Jenner to Reese Witherspoon and Saweetie, Hollywood’s brightest absolutely crushed it. There are plenty of contenders for 2021’s best costume, but I think Steve Buscemi makes an incredibly strong case. In a hilarious surprise, the 30 Rock alum donned his duds from his iconic “fellow kids” meme to hand out candy. 

That’s right, the star donned the red cap, hoodie, grey “music band” shirt and even the skateboard while giving out treats to those who passed by his Brooklyn home. Communications professional Debra Wexler was one of the first to alert Twitter to the actor’s choice of costume. You can see her original post down below, which includes a pic of her daughter alongside the Boardwalk Empire alum:

Those who regularly use social media and have a thing for gifs have probably seen the one that features Steve Buscemi’s Lenny Wosniak. For those unfamiliar with the recurring 30 Rock character, he was a private investigator that was hired by Alec Baldwin’s Jack Donaghy on a number of occasions. This led to more than a few humorous situations on the hit NBC series. 

The meme specifically originates from a 2012 episode from the show’s sixth season called “The Tuxedo Begins.” In it, Lenny recalls going undercover at a high school, which (despite his positive view of the situation) was unsuccessful. It’s during his encounter with some teens that he utters the iconic phrase “How do you do, fellow kids?” The meme/gif has become a cultural touchstone for the Internet, which makes it that much more cool that the actor decided to play into its notoriety. 

When it came to potential characters to revisit for Halloween, Steve Buscemi actually had more than a few to pick from. He could’ve easily donned a dapper suit to honor Boardwalk Empire’s Nucky Thompson or one of his various roles from TBS’ comedy anthology series Miracle Workers. Of course, he also could’ve looked to some of his big-screen roles for inspiration. I personally wouldn’t have minded if he’d thrown on a bowling shirt and transformed into The Big Lebowski’s Donny. 

The battle for best costume was honestly stiff this year, though. Honestly, it’s hard to top something like Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker as True Romance’s Alabama and Clarence. And Kevin Hart’s take on Michael Jackson’s iconic “Remember the Time” music video is one for the ages. And then there’s even Lizzo’s wild take on The Mandalorian’s Baby Yoda. Still, I’d certainly say that Steve Buscemi stands among some of the best of 2021. 

I’m already looking forward to seeing how he follows up the costume next year. Part of me thinks he’ll go for something more movie-oriented, just to switch things up. But sometime during the year-long wait, you can check out the original 30 Rock episode, and the series as a whole, by streaming it on Peacock.

Daniel Radcliffe and Steve Buscemi have played some whacky characters in their TBS comedy Miracle Workers, but that's not all they do in the series. As producers, they're occasionally asked things they'd like to see happen in the show, and it turned out both had a major suggestion that helped shape the way Season 3 came together.

I recently got a chance to speak to both Daniel Radcliffe and Steve Buscemi about Miracle Workers: Oregon Trail, and after viewing the first episode, I noticed something I hadn't seen much of in the previous seasons. Buscemi (who was a late addition to the series when it started) confirmed that Season 3 will feature a good deal of interaction between him and Radcliffe's character, and that the two pushed for it ahead of the start. Buscemi said:

Miracle Workers: Oregon Trail is headed out on one of America's greatest pioneer paths as weary settlers are encouraged by Reverend Ezekiel Brown (Daniel Radcliffe) that the answer to all their troubles is out west in Oregon. The group is committed to the journey but unable to find passage there until a chance encounter with one mysterious stranger results in them getting a guide for the journey. Little do they know that stranger is outlaw Benny the Teen (Steve Buscemi), who only agrees to the journey in an effort to evade capture from bounty hunters.

While new seasons of Miracle Workers are often different from those that came before as an anthology, there hasn't been a storyline yet in which Daniel Radcliffe and Steve Buscemi's characters spend a prolonged amount of time together. That will change in Season 3, as Buscemi's Benny the Teen will likely be front and center as he leads a bulk of the cast through the Oregon Trail.

Miracle Workers: Oregon Trail is certainly yet another wild direction for the series, which was set in heaven in its original season and the middle ages in Season 2. Newcomers curious to watch Season 3 can jump right in, though, as there's no carryover from the stories, which are all based on the writings of humorist and writer Simon Rich.

Miracle Workers: Oregon Trail airs on TBS Tuesdays at 10:30 p.m. ET. For more on the series' actors, check out what Daniel Radcliffe said about the Harry Potter movies, and how he feels about them now.

You might know him from Fargo, The Big Lebowski, Reservoir Dogs, Con Air, Ghost World, or The Death of Stalin. You might recognize him as the voice of Randall in Monsters Inc. and Monsters University, respectively. Or you might know him as the guy who carries a skateboard and asks, "How do you do, fellow kids?" However if you know actor/writer/director/Internet meme Steve Buscemi best, you've probably been acquainted with his work from a 30-plus year career.

The hard-working character actor is one of the best in the business, and he only continues to impress with his distinguished and dynamic performances. While you're likely familiar with his work, how well do you know the man himself? The performer has lived a fascinating life, resulting in a career that's equally as expansive. If you love Steve Buscemi, here's what you should know about the Boardwalk Empire star.

Steve Buscemi Used To Drive An Ice Cream Truck

Before he became an acclaimed actor, Steve Buscemi's livelihood hopped around all-over-the-place. As we'll detail more thoroughly later, Buscemi performed a variety of odd jobs, providing an eclectic resume from which he (hopefully) sprung formative ground in his extensive acting resume. One of his most interesting jobs was driving an ice cream truck, which he took on early in his life when he felt directionless and uncertain of his career path.

This experience only lasted a short while in the scheme of things, though he eternalized it with 1996's Trees Lounge. In his first feature, which he also wrote, Buscemi plays a man who drives an ice cream truck. He used these early experiences to inform this film.

He Was Hit By A Bus, Used The Settlement Money To Pay For Acting School

Steve Buscemi has faced his share of difficulties. Born on Friday the 13th, he hasn't had the best luck in life, but he has made the most of it —even in the midst of peril. Early in his life, during Buscemi's teenage years, he was struck by a passing bus and suffered a fractured skull. The incident might've claimed his life in more dire circumstances, but it was actually the event that led to stardom.

After a settlement found Buscemi $6,000 richer, he invested the money in drama school on his father's insistence. This formal training into the dramatic arts allowed the future actor to excel in his craft, and his incredible career is certainly proof of that. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

Steve Buscemi Was A Firefighter In The '80s And Volunteered During 9/11

Prior to his years as a hard-working actor, Steve Buscemi served as a firefighter for the FDNY. He passed his civil service test in 1976 and joined the ranks in 1980. Buscemi continued fighting fires with Engine Company No. 55 in Little Italy in New York until 1984, which is when his performance career picked up in earnest. As he expanded an actor, Buscemi didn't forget his history with the team.

On September 11, 2001, as he watched the towers fall, he instinctively grabbed his gear and ran back to his firehouse to provide his services in the midst of citywide panic. Likewise, as firehouses shut down across NYC, Buscemi served as an activist, even getting arrested in 2003. In 2014, he was appointed an FDNY honorary battalion chief.

He Was Briefly A Stand-Up Comedian

Stand-up comedy is, in essence, a form of performance and self-expression. It's a means through which one can take life's darkness or absurdities and turn it into something perceptive, observant, and reflectively humorous. It's also just a way for funny people to make people laugh (hopefully). In any case, in Steve Buscemi's early days, particularly as he etched his way into theater, Buscemi made a brief foray into stand-up comedy. Alas, his time therein didn't last long.

It's (somewhat) easy to make your way into open mics and other comedy-friendly venues. Particularly if you're performance-driven. But to withstand the hurtles that come with it, you need to be vigilant (and really funny). While Buscemi is a very funny actor, it wasn't meant to be. Nevertheless, his short stand-up tenure was detailed on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

During A Trip To Sicily, Steve Buscemi Discovered That He Was Mispronouncing His Name

There are few certainties in life, but most people have the small comfort of knowing who they are and how to pronounce their name. Well, that luxury wasn't afforded to Steve Buscemi. It wasn't until he was well into adulthood that he realized he'd been mispronouncing his own name.

The truth wasn't discovered until he took a trip to Sicily with his family and wife. Believing his name is pronounced boo-SEM-ee, which is how many Americans pronounce it (and how he previously pronounced it), it wasn't until he went to the motherland that he learned it's actually pronounced boo-SHEM-ee, which is quite a revelation to learn later in life. Buscemi recounted this journey on Live! with Regis and Kelly.

Steve Buscemi Directed Episodes of The Sopranos, Oz, Portlandia, 30 Rock, Nurse Jackie, And More

While Steve Buscemi is primarily known for his extensive acting resume, which includes nearly 200 film/television credits, he's also an established writer-director of the stage and screen. His filmmaking career began with 1992's short film, What Happened to Pete. He eventually followed it up with 1996's autobiographical dramedy, Trees Lounge. His other movies include Animal Factory, Lonesome Dave, and Interview, though Buscemi's directorial work on the tube is more well-known.

Most prestigiously, he directed several episodes of The Sopranos, and he worked on Portlandia, Nurse Jackie, 30 Rock, and Oz. He also called the shots for episodes of Homicide: Life on the Street, Love, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Park Bench with Steve Buscemi (a web series), and, most recently, Miracle Workers. He also directed Vampire Weekend's 2014 concert video.

Steve Buscemi Was Once John Waters' Doppelgänger On A Christmas Card

Has anyone ever said you look like a certain celebrity? Whether you take it as a compliment or insult, if you're compared to one famous face or another — accurately or otherwise —there's little you can do about it. Whether the comparison comes flattering or otherwise, most people accept it (or not) and move on. But when Steve Buscemi was compared to notorious filmmaker John Waters, he decided to make trouble.

Specifically, the actor adorned the Pink Flamingos' writer-director's signature look, including his pencil-thin mustache, and got his picture taken in the attire. Later sending the photo to Waters himself, the director liked the snapshot so much, he used it for his annual Christmas card mischief. Now, the photo is floating around, continuing to provide quick amusement. Here's how Buscemi described to Film Threat this comical Christmas card appearance:

Steve Buscemi Was Stabbed In A Bar Fight And Nearly Died

We're very lucky to have Steve Buscemi, particularly as he continues providing memorable and distinctive performances. But we're even more lucky to have him around since he almost died in 2001 following a brutal, near-fatal bar fight stabbing.

During off-hours in Wilmington, North Carolina shooting Domestic Disturbance, a forgotten crime-thriller starring John Travolta, Buscemi, Vince Vaughn, and producer Scott Rosenberg were relaxing at a bar and having fun when the night took an ugly turn. The ensuing brawl found Buscemi stabbed above the eye and in the jaw, throat, and arm. He was rushed to the hospital and the situation proved critical. Thankfully, he made it out with his life intact.

Steve Buscemi 'Hit It Off' With Adam Sandler When They Filmed Airheads

One of the most unlikely, endearing working friendships in contemporary film history is the one shared between Adam Sandler and Steve Buscemi. The actors first collaborated on 1994's Airheads, and they've kept a correspondence over-the-years. As Buscemi told The Guardian, he and Sandler hit it off when they filmed the rock 'n roll comedy, playing Lone Rangers' Rex and Pip. Since the film, Buscemi appeared in Sandler comedies like The Wedding Singer, Mr. Deeds, Big Daddy, Grown Ups 1 & 2, The Ridiculous Six, I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, and most famously, Billy Madison.

But that's not all! Buscemi also lent his voice to the Hotel Transylvania movies, and he recently starred in Hubie Halloween. With nearly 20 different movies shared on their filmographies, they'll probably reunite again in whatever movies come next under Happy Madison's banner.

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Steve Buscemi is widely regarded as one of the truly great modern character actors, best known for movies like Reservoir Dogs, Fargo, and Ghost World, but what most people don’t know about is the bravery he has exhibited during his life beyond his life as a performer. In the early 1980s, prior to his start making films and TV, he spent years working as a New York City firefighter, and on September 12, 2001 he began what turned out to be a week-long volunteer effort searching for survivors and other firefighters in the rubble of the World Trade Center.

Knowing this, it’s impossible not to respect the hell out the man – but it’s interestingly something that has never been reflected in his work. Prior to starring in Judd Apatow’s new film The King Of Staten Island, Buscemi has never actually played a firefighter character. Finding this a curiosity, I took the opportunity to ask the actor about it last week when I had the chance to interview him via video call, inquiring if it inspired any kind of hesitance on his part, and you can watch his response by clicking play on the embed below:

Like Steve Buscemi, The King Of Staten Island star/co-writer Pete Davidson also has a personal connection to the events of September 11th, as Davidson’s father was a first-responder firefighter who died on that horrible day. Having known about that story prior to becoming a part of the new movie, and also desiring the opportunity to work with Judd Apatow, Buscemi explained that there wasn’t a drop of doubt in him when he was asked to be a part of the film. Said the actor,

In the semi-biographical movie, Pete Davidson stars as Scott, a 24-year-old suffering from arrested development due to the emotional damage of losing his firefighter father when he was seven years old. His world is disturbed in a major way when his mother (Marisa Tomei) starts dating for the first time in 17 years, and making the situation even rockier is that her new boyfriend (Bill Burr) is also a firefighter. The relationship winds up leading Scott to explore the idea of following in his father’s footsteps, which is how he winds up meeting Steve Buscemi’s Papa, who is the elder statesman of the local station.

While Steve Buscemi is best known for playing squirrely criminal-types, The King Of Staten Island gave him the chance to play a role that let him draw from personal experience, and he jumped at it when it was offered. Buscemi had become acquainted with Judd Apatow in the past thanks to his frequent collaborations with Adam Sandler, and when he got a special invite to the movie’s early table read he was delighted to see the event snowball into him getting a role in the project:

We’ll have a lot more from my interviews with Judd Apatow and the stars of The King Of Staten Island for you here on CinemaBlend in the coming days, so be sure to stay tuned here on the site!

TBS' Miracle Workers is coming back for its second season, sending cast members like Daniel Radcliffe and Steve Buscemi back to a simpler (and yet somehow endlessly more complicated) era for the Dark Ages. The new batch of episodes is just as silly as the heavenly first season, but there probably isn't anything heavenly about getting a bit of duck poop in in one's eye, an experience that Radcliffe actually went through while filming.

While Daniel Radcliffe's boy wizard Harry Potter likely has spells that keep his eyeballs free from foul fecal flecks, the actor himself has no such magical abilities on his latest TV show. While speaking to press during Miracle Workers: Dark Ages' panel at the Television Critics Association winter press tour, Daniel Radcliffe started talking about the difficulties that come with using ducks during scenes. And then... well, you can probably imagine.

As one might imagine, that admission drew quite an amused reaction from those around, such as creator Simon Rich and co-stars Steve Buscemi, Geraldine Viswanathan and Karan Soni. Technically, Daniel Radcliffe was speaking to the press via satellite, away from everyone, so it probably made it a little easier to drop knowledge of the #2 variety.

Thankfully, Daniel Radcliffe followed through by explaining exactly what happened, and his reaction couldn't have been more quaint. In his words:

When life gets you down, and you feel like you aren't too particularly interested in giving a shit, take the time to appreciate that you probably aren't recognizing any poop-to-eyeball impact. I mean unless that's your thing, as it might very well have been for people living in the dark ages.

Following the Miracle Workers: Dark Ages TCA panel, I had the pleasure of interviewing co-stars Geraldine Viswanathan and Karan Soni about the upcoming season, which was filmed in Prague. Because this is a show that features a family with the last name Shitshoveler, and obviously because of Radcliffe's eye situation, I had to ask about the production's smell, and Soni had some choice words to say about those ducks. (Warning: don't read the following quotes while eating.)

None of them are Darkwing Duck, but they're all pretty dangerous nonetheless. To be fair, the ducks do earn some laughs in Miracle Workers' early episodes, but perhaps not enough that Karan Soni came away from the experience with anything resembling forgiveness for his feathered co-stars. (That's mostly a joke, but not completely a joke.)

It wasn't just the smells, though. Karan Soni also spoke up about how the ducks seemed to have a keen sense for just how to mess up a scene. Here's how he put it:

Don't worry, don't worry. We're all done talking about ducks and the kinds of waste that can be created by such ducks. Now it's just time to get excited about a show whose qualities are far, far above poopy.

For the new season of Miracle Workers, the central cast returns in all-new roles as medieval citizens coping with widespread ignorance, widespread inequality and a complete lack of medical awareness. Daniel Radcliffe plays a bumbling prince, with Karan Soni as his incredulous knave-of-all-trades. Meanwhile, Steve Buscemi plays the Shitshoveler patriarch who comes to grips with his daughter, played by Geraldine Viswanathan, being a more evolved chip off the old block.

Daniel Radcliffe As Marvel's Moon Knight? Impressive MCU Fan Art Might Sway You

Miracle Workers: Dark Ages will make its debut on TBS on Tuesday, January 28.

Adam Sandler is back for another movie in his massive deal with Netflix, following the (unexpected?) success of Murder Mystery. Sandler's new movie is another murder mystery, but it's also a holiday movie -- just not the usual Santa stuff. This one is a Halloween comedy that reunites him with several old friends from SNL and beyond.

The Halloween movie will feature the all-star comedy lineup of -- deep breath -- Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Julie Bowen, Maya Rudolph, Ray Liotta, Steve Buscemi, Rob Schneider, Michael Chiklis, Kenan Thompson, China Anne McClain, Paris Berelc, Tim Meadows, Colin Quinn, June Squibb, Shaquille O’Neal, Karan Brar, Noah Schnapp, Mikey Day, Melissa Villaseñor, Kym Whitley, Lavell Crawford, Betsy Sodaro, George Wallace, and Blake Clark. Phew!

Deadline says the Halloween movie is currently untitled, but it just started filming north of Boston and it's at least working until the title of Hubie Halloween. People has a photo from set showing Kevin James rocking a wild mullet and beard as a Salem, Massachusetts police officer. James recently showed off a photo on social media with a massive beard but a bald head.

Here's what the Observer says the movie (whether ultimately called Hubie Halloween or not) is about:

Adam Sandler's last murder mystery seemed to work well for Netflix, since that 2019 Jennifer Aniston movie reportedly got a record number of views in its opening weekend.

Adam Sandler likes to work with his friends, and Jennifer Aniston said she signed on for Murder Mystery specifically to work with him again. Kevin James keeps returning to Sandler as well. They've worked together in Grown Ups, Grown Ups 2, I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, and Zookeeper, plus through cameos in 50 First Dates and You Don't Mess With the Zohan.

Speaking of old friends, here's hoping Steve Buscemi has another classic lipstick-worthy scene in this movie:

Steven Brill, who directed Adam Sandler's 2017 Netflix film Sandy Wexler, is directing this new Happy Madison Productions movie as well. Brill also directed Sandler's 2000 film Little Nicky and co-wrote the script with Sandler. And Brill directed the 2016 movie The Do-Over with Sandler and David Spade.

Adam Sandler signed a four-movie deal with Netflix in 2014, then signed on for four more in 2017. His Happy Madison movies for Netflix so far include The Ridiculous 6, The Do-Over, Sandy Wexler, The Week Of, Father of the Year, and Murder Mystery.

This new Halloween movie -- Hubie Halloween or Whatever They End Up Calling It -- doesn't have a streaming date yet on Netflix. Sometimes Netflix announces that along with a trailer. It would be great if they could do a super-quick turnaround for this Halloween 2019. We'll see.

Daniel Radcliffe has been rather fearless in selecting his Hollywood roles ever since wrapping up his time as Harry Potter on the silver screen. He seems to be keeping that trend of interesting roles alive with TBS' upcoming limited series Miracle Workers. Radcliffe will play an angel who has the ear of God, who will be played by the great Steve Buscemi. Check out a first look below!

It appears Miracle Workers is going to be more like Dogma than Touched By An Angel. (Too bad George Carlin isn't around.) Steve Buscemi's God appears to be caught up in the nuances of life, which likely complicates the job for Daniel Radcliff's angel Craig. He's meant to bring the urgent prayers of Earth's faithful to the creator's attention, which probably gets hectic.

God, unfortunately, appears more caught up in why humanity has opted to name weather events after anything other than the sounds they make. Such as "whooshy whooshy" instead of typhoon. It tracks.

This may be an early scene from Miracle Workers, as early descriptions of the TBS limited series said Daniel Radcliffe's angel Craig would be working to prevent the world's destruction in God's absence. Steve Buscemi's God is quite present here, at least physically, since his mind is on things other than prayers from those that request his divine intervention. Perhaps he needs to head to New Orleans and listen to some jazz music like God did in Preacher?

Steve Buscemi's role in Miracle Workers seems to work well, despite the seemingly chill and laid back God role belonging to Owen Wilson when the series was in development. Wilson exited the project for unknown reasons a year ago, which then led to Buscemi's casting. While we may never know what Wilson's portrayal would've looked like, Buscemi's interpretation of the deity looks to be one that audiences won't soon forget, especially opposite a wide-eyed and stressed Daniel Radcliffe.

Miracle Workers is a seven-episode anthology series from legendary Saturday Night Live showrunner Lorne Michaels. As it's an anthology, folks may only get one season with this Daniel Radcliffe and Steve Buscemi team-up, only to be sent on a new adventure for potential future seasons. Of course, past TV anthologies have often drawn from a similar stable of returning actors, so perhaps these two talented actors may be persuaded to stick around if Miracle Workers is a hit. (I wouldn't suggest praying in this case.)

His film work may be more recognizable to a mainstream audience, but one shouldn't discount Daniel Radcliffe's merits as a television actor. Radcliffe co-starred with Jon Hamm in the short series A Young Doctor's Notebook & Other Stories, which was a pretty solid romp from start to finish. Hopefully, Miracle Workers is more of the same and will encourage Radcliffe to have a go at more American television projects.

Miracle Workers premieres on TBS on Tuesday, February 12, at 10:30 p.m. ET. For a look at what else is happening on television before and around that time, be sure to visit our fall and midseason premiere guides.

No one is a bigger punching bag in The Big Lebowski than Steve Buscemi's Donny. Sure The Dude goes through a lot more trouble in the movie, but Donnie spends the majority of his screen time being told by John Goodman's Walter to "Shut the fuck up," and by the end, he suffers a fatal heart attack. Initially Buscemi was going to turn down playing Donny because of how much the character was bullied, but then he changed his mind once he read The Big Lebowski's ending. As Buscemi recalled:

I can understand where Steve Buscemi's coming from. As you're watching The Big Lebowski, you can't help but wonder why Donny is put through so much grief for just asking questions or chiming into conversation. Granted, the Coen brothers have previously revealed this is a reference to Buscemi's role in Fargo, where Carl Showalter is quite the chatterbox, but still, one couldn't blame the actor for not being on board with this particular character.

However, as Steve Buscemi continued in his interview with Today alongside Jeff Bridges and John Goodman for The Big Lebowski's 20th anniversary, once he read how Walter reacted to Donny dying after their confrontation with the nihilists outside the bowling alley, then he changed his mind. Walter has a horrible way of showing love, but he nonetheless cares about his bowling buddy. That was what ultimately led to Buscemi deciding that this was a movie worth joining.

Of course, Donny's demise arguably leads to The Big Lebowski's final punchline, as when The Dude and Walter go to spread Donny's ashes on the coast, not only does Walter use it as an opportunity to talk about the Vietnam War, but then the wind blows Donny's ashes straight into The Dude's face. So yeah, Donny definitely doesn't get any respect in The Big Lebowski, but without him, the movie just wouldn't feel complete.

The Big Lebowski marked Steve Buscemi's fifth collaboration with the Coen brothers, the earlier ones being Miller's Crossing, Barton Fink, The Hudsucker Proxy and, as mentioned earlier, Fargo. Buscemi reunited with the duo for their portion of the 2006 anthology film Paris, je t'aime, but he has yet to star in another of their full-length features. Since neither he nor the Coen brothers' careers are slowing down, maybe another opportunity to team up again will eventually present itself.

Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for all the latest movie news. The Coen brothers' next movie, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, hits Netflix on November 16, and if you're curious about what's heading to theaters over the next year, you can find that information in our 2018 and 2019 release schedules.

Harry Potter's Daniel Radcliffe has a new TV show, in case you didn't know, and the always excellent Steve Buscemi just signed on for the best role, that definitely has us more interested in this series. Buscemi will join TBS's upcoming comedy series Miracle Workers to play Radcliffe's boss, also known as God. Here's what we know about this role so far, and what it means in regards to previously reported news on the series.

As some may know already, Steve Buscemi's role of God was already promised to another high profile actor in Hollywood, Owen Wilson. As confirmed by TVLine, Wilson has exited Miracle Workers, but as of this writing, no reason has been officially given as to why the actor departed the project, but an anonymous source claims the decision was indeed Wilson's to exit the series.

In any case, Buscemi is now in the role and prepared to play God, who has "checked out" and is focusing on his favorite hobbies that he's passionate about, as opposed to anything involving the plight of humanity. As one can imagine, that causes some problems for humanity, and it's up to a low-level angel by the name of Craig (Daniel Radcliffe) to answer humanity's prayers.

The anthology series, which is going to be a seven-episode comedy produced by Saturday Night Live showrunner Lorne Michaels, will feature Radcliffe's character actively working to prevent Earth's destruction in God's absence. On paper, Miracle Workers sounds like a similar concept to AMC's Preacher, although one has to imagine things won't be nearly as dark in this series as they are in Seth Rogen's tale.

While it is sad that a God played by Owen Wilson will be something the world has to wait on, it will be fun to see Steve Buscemi step back into the world of comedy, and on TV no less. Having said that, it's not as though Buscemi has ever really left the genre, as the actor voiced a character in SpongeBob SquarePants in an episode earlier this year, in addition to voicing a character in Jaden Smith's bizarre Netflix anime Neo Yokio. Buscemi was also featured on TBS earlier this year as he played a doctor on a skit on Full Frontal With Samantha Bee.

Miracle Workers is set to premiere on TBS sometime in 2018. With the fall season in full swing, that tentative date feels easier to bear than most considering there are a ton of shows to watch already. Keep up with everything happening by bookmarking our fall premiere guide, which is jam-packed with the dates and channels for some shows that are definitely worth checking out. For more on Steve Buscemi (because one can never have enough), read up on what the actor thinks was his best death scene in his career has been.

In the early days of computer-generated animation, the stories weren't very taxing but the writing was pithy, if not infantile, and the animation was breathtaking. However, as the days of Pixar and Dreamworks evolved, the stories started to become more advanced, and it seemed like the technology grew on pace with the storytelling tools that the filmmakers would use. However, with any growth medium, there's bound to be a ceiling, and The Boss Baby is further proof that maybe we should scale back on the CGI films, because while the visuals are still gorgeous, the stories are really starting to flag.

Boss Baby (Alec Baldwin) isn't like the rest of the babies out there. He's one of the elite few drafted for middle management at BabyCorp, tasked with the job of making sure the babies of the world get all of the love. That job is about to get more complicated, as rival corporation PuppyCo is about to unveil a project that's going to tip the scales of cute power. All Boss Baby has in his arsenal is his wits, his Sigma-6 style management skills, and Tim (Miles Bakshi), a brother who'd rather be an only child than cede any love to his bratty brother. Together, they're going to have to save the day, for baby and kid alike.

Even with the trailers selling the film on the sillier side, The Boss Baby manages to defy the lowest of expectations, as the film trades in both vaguely sly "adult jokes" and overly broad children's humor, with neither really landing a killing blow of entertainment. What makes this even worse is the fact that the film's story is a disjointed mess that could really use some effective humor to fill in the narrative cracks. With the right jokes and set-pieces, this film could have flown through its running time. Instead, we get a mish-mash of two film's worth of ideas that could have easily been split into two, fully written, and possibly funnier films.

And yet, The Boss Baby still has a murderer's row of talent at its disposal who do not flag at any point in the film. Alec Baldwin, despite being given sub-par dialogue, sells the idea of BabyCorp and even just Boss Baby's character with such Donaghy-an prowess, you'd be ready to buy into it all if it made just a little more sense. Partnered with young actor Miles Bakshi, the pair work pretty effectively as a team, and do their best to elevate the film to a better standard than it's built for. Even supporting players like Steve Buscemi, Lisa Kudrow, and Jimmy Kimmel all contribute in their own ways, but for the most part, this is Baldwin and Bakshi's show.

But perhaps the best component of The Boss Baby are the retro-futuristic visuals the film is drenched in. The folks who designed the film's look must have really loved The Incredibles, because that film's 60's jet-set style visuals are well represented in every frame of this film. The color palette and the designs at work are really a marvel to behold, and there are patches of this film that could easily become great poster / cover art. If your kids make you sit through The Boss Baby, rest assured that while the film itself won't entertain you, picking through the film's lush imagery will certainly keep you awake for most of the film.

Were The Boss Baby released around 1997 or so, this could have been a well-received hit with kids and adults alike. But, much like some of the lesser animated efforts released into Hollywood today, this film does not hold up to the level of storytelling that kid's films can put out when they're really at their best. What The Boss Baby lacks in cohesive story, it makes up for in gorgeous retro-styled visuals. Judging by how beautiful the film is, you can see just how lacking the story is. If cookies are for closers, The Boss Baby doesn't even get the set of Fisher Price steak knives.

Alec Baldwin's the type of guy you can count on to take care of business. So, naturally, he's the perfect choice to voice a commerce oriented toddler, who knows how to negotiate for his parent's attention, in the Dreamworks Animation film Boss Baby. But believe it or not, Baldwin has just landed some co-stars that are about to give him a run for his money.

The Hollywood Reporter picked up on the recent news that the Boss Baby cast has grown a healthy amount, and with some equally impressive comedic talent joining the roster. So, naturally, now's a good time to run down the roster and see who we're dealing with here. But before we start to rattle off names and resumes, let's take a look at the film's brief synopsis. The following is the what Boss Baby is going to be all about:

While that synopsis definitely sounds like Toy Story, by way of Look Who's Talking, the following cast members look like they can take this project to the next level of laughter.

Jimmy Kimmel

In the role of the father to Boss Baby, late night talk show host and comedian Jimmy Kimmel will be trying to teach his children all of the valuable life lessons a man with a life long grudge against Matt Damon can teach. This is Kimmel's first animated feature since The Smurfs 2 in 2013, where he played the role of "Passive-Aggressive Smurf."

Lisa Kudrow

Playing the mom of the Baby Boss cast is none other than Friends and The Comeback star, Lisa Kudrow. In the case of Kudrow's casting, animated voice-overs are quite familiar to her resume, as she's done everything from Disney's Hercules cartoon series to Bojack Horseman. We can only imagine how much fun Lisa Kudrow and Jimmy Kimmel will have recording their roles as the parents, especially if they get to play off of each other in the same room.

Steve Buscemi

Playing the bad guy isn't something new to Steve Buscemi, and neither is playing an animated figure. So Boss Baby may have landed themselves a double threat, that is if Buscemi's character of Francis E. Francis, the CEO of PuppyCo, happens to be a baddie. Considering the film calls for our two intrepid youngsters to uncover a dastardly plot, it's almost assumed that since there's a CEO character present, he'll be the man behind the plot. Buscemi was last heard in an episode of Bob's Burgers, but is also known for providing the voice of Wayne, the werewolf friend to Adam Sandler's Dracula, in Sony's smash hit from last year Hotel Transylvania 2.

Patton Oswalt

If the voice of Patton Oswalt doesn't automatically fill your head with the mention of his name, then you probably don't watch a lot of TV. Oswalt has provided the voice for not only numerous characters on Netflix's Bojack Horseman, but he's also the narrator on ABC's hit comedy The Goldbergs, and provided the voice of Remy the Rat in this little indie film called Ratatouille. Much like his character on The Goldbergs, Oswalt will play the adult version of the older child in the Baby Boss family, telling the audience the story from his point of view.

With a cast this prestigious in the comedy arts, it looks like Dreamworks Animation could have another much needed hit on their hands. Boss Baby has its eyes on a March 10, 2017 release date, and let's hope the studio doesn't decide to shuffle it too much, as we're really curious to see how this one plays out.

If there was ever a contest between Steve Buscemi and Sean Bean over who's been killed off more in the history of cinema, it would probably be a close call. Both men have been offed more times than anyone would care to count, and Buscemi knows this better than anyone else in the business. Though when it comes to his favorite death scene, it has to be the one he played as The Big Lebowski's Theodore Donald 'Donny' Kerabatsos.

During an interview on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Steve Buscemi was asked by the popular late-night host about which method of expiration was his favorite. Out of a long line of deaths in films and television shows such as Fargo and Boardwalk Empire, the one death that stuck with Buscemi was Donny's unfortunate demise at the hands of fate. He explained his reasoning in the following blurb:

Steve Buscemi has a point when it comes to the death of Donny, the man that was forever out of his element and just waiting for the hammer to drop. We can all relate to that first viewing of The Big Lebowski, when we've just finished watching Walter and The Dude clobber some Nihilist ass, only to realize that Donny was having a fatal heart attack. If we were expecting anyone to be injured and/or killed, it would have been either The Dude or Walter, more likely the latter as he'd always had that warrior spirit that was destined to die in battle. So when our heroes escape with nary a scratch, only to see Donny keeled over in the throes of death, the shock was enough to almost send us into the very same state.

To be killed in as many films as Steve Buscemi has, and to still keep getting back on the horse, shows a lot of dedication to his craft. It also shows how good of a sport that Buscemi is, thanks to his rather fruitful career as a well-known character actor. Whereas some actors might balk at the idea of a big death scene, Buscemi merely laughs it off and gets on with the job at hand. Which is why no matter how many times Hollywood may kill off Steve Buscemi, he'll always have lived more than most of his contemporaries.

Stand up comedian Louis C.K, is nothing if not an innovator. Over the last few years he has developed not only a signature brand of humor, but myriad ways of delivering it. Between his amazing standup sets, and equally amazing forays into the world of television, he's one of the most reliable sources of comedy working today. Now it seems he has teamed up with actor Steve Buscemi to bring audiences comedy in a new format: a web series.

The announcement came from an update on Louis C.K’s official website. His new series, which he and Steve Buscemi co-created, is called Horace and Pete. Centering on bar owners Horace (C.K.) and Peter (Buscemi) the series follows them as they run a 100-year-old bar in the heart of Brooklyn. The whole thing plays out like a demented, depressing episode of Cheers. Throughout the course of the first episode the characters remark on current events, such as Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, with a sense of defeat; this is where the country is headed, so we might as well sit back, drink, and accept it. In addition to Buscemi and C.K, the series features acting legend Alan Alda, who lends a sense of gravitas and prestige to the overwhelmingly somber affair.

Check out the clip below to get a sense of the series' tone:

What’s arguably most interesting about the web series is the fact that everyone involved was able to keep its production a closely guarded secret. Despite all of the big names associated with it, no one on the outside had any idea what was going on. It appears the Louis C.K. has wanted to keep himself busy after walking away from his massively popular FX series Louie. The intent with Horace and Pete seems to be a fulfillment of the desire to cut out the middleman and produce content that can be given straight to audiences through the Internet without any intervention by a network. FX already gives C.K. incredible levels of creative freedom with how he operates on his self-titled series, but it seems that with Horace and Pete he wanted to create something that possessed an even greater grassroots feeling. As long as we’re getting more Louis C.K. we’re in no position to complain.

Horace and Pete is currently available online at Louis C.K’s official website. The first episode is 67 minutes long and costs $5 to download. We will keep you updated with any and all information related to the show – or to any of Louis C.K’s other projects – as they become available to us. Stay tuned.

In the five years that it has been on the air, Bob’s Burgers has featured a number of very awesome guest stars – from Jon Hamm, to Zach Galifianakis, to Patton Oswalt – and the next season will be no different. In fact, the show has some truly fantastic names lined up for Season 6, and many of them were just announced at San Diego Comic-Con this afternoon.

This afternoon, the likes of show creator Loren Bouchard, H. Jon Benjamin (Bob), Jon Waters (Linda), Dan Mintz (Tina), Kristen Schaal (Louise), Eugene Merman (Gene), Larry Muphy (Teddy), and developer/producer Jim Dautrieve all joined together on a Bob’s Burgers panel at San Diego Comic-Con, and it was while answering fan questions that the group announced some amazing guest voices who will be featured in upcoming episodes of the show. So who are these fantastic people? Read on to find out!

Though he was actually the last name to be revealed, Paul Rudd was arguably the most exciting name revealed during the panel – partially because his character was the only one that was identified with a bit of context. According to Loren Bouchard, an upcoming episode will feature Tina getting the chance to ride a horse for the first time, and the revelation that she has an imaginary horse friend in her name Jericho. It’s this imaginary horse friend who will be voiced by Rudd.

Henry Winkler is certainly no stranger to television, thanks to a resume that is highlighted with titles like Happy Days, Arrested Development, and Children’s Hospital, but he will expand his tenure on the small screen by voicing a character on the sixth season of Bob’s Burgers. We don’t know what role he will be playing just yet, but the good news is that he’s voice is so identifiable that we should be able to figure out who he is the second his character opens his mouth.

When it comes to voice-over roles, Steve Buscemi is no novice either, having had notable roles in movies like Monsters Inc. and Monster House, and he will have the chance to lend his pipes to another character when he plays a character on Bob’s Burgers. Again, we don’t know exactly who he will be playing, or when he will be showing up during the season, but we anticipate that we will be able to recognize him immediately.

We haven’t heard Wanda Sykes doing a voice-over role since playing a school therapist on a 2013 episode of The Simpsons, but later this year she will be jumping over to a different animated series on Fox. Given that she is exactly the kind of actor that Bob’s Burgers loves to feature, it’s surprising that her cameo this season will only be her first time on the show, but we hope that she winds up being a welcome addition for her episode, and possibly a regular.

This one is a bit more iffy, as it was hard to make out over the sound of the crowd applauding the list of names being announced, but unless I’m mistaken, we can expect at least three members of the series Flight of the Conchords to appear on this season of Bob’s Burgers - specifically the great Jermaine Clement, Bret McKenzie, and Rhys Darby. It would make sense that they appear on the show, if not only because both Kristen Schall and Eugene Merman had regular roles on their shortlived HBO series, not to mention the fact that their musical stylings match up perfectly with the animated show.

These are the big new names that were mentioned during the Bob’s Burgers San Diego Comic-Con panel, but they surely won’t be the only actors who pop up in the upcoming Season 6. So stay tuned, and listen closely!

Spoilers if you haven't watched the fifth and final season of Boardwalk Empire, yet!

HBO’s Boardwalk Empire wrapped up its run last year with an eight-episode season. In addition to jumping ahead to 1931 and following protagonist Nucky Thompson navigating the Great Depression, the series also flashed back to his younger years, and the latter half of the season showed how then-Sheriff Thompson met a young Gillian Darmody, the girl he would pimp out to his employer The Commodore. In the show’s final moments, Nucky was gunned down by Gillian’s grandson Tommy Darmody, who was carrying out revenge for all the pain that Nucky had inflicted on his family. While fans and critics were split on the ending, series lead Steve Buscemi believe it was a great conclusion for the gangster drama.

In a recent AMA, Buscemi was asked by a fan if he was happy with the way the series ended, specifically with how Nucky’s fate was handed. Overall, the actor was satisfied with how the character he played for five years met his end, though admittedly surprised. Said Buscemi:

Nucky and Gillian may not have shared many scenes, but their complicated relationship always loomed in the background throughout the show’s run. Her son Jimmy had spent his childhood looking up to Nucky as a father figure, and began working for him when Season 1 kicked off. When Jimmy discovered that Nucky had arranged the sexual affair between his mother and The Commodore, he joined with others to overthrow Nucky from his position of power. This power struggle ended with Jimmy being gunned down by Nucky in the Season 2 finale. Nucky and Gillian were at odds for the remainder of the series, and while he tried to make amends in the final episode, by that point it was too late. She had been locked away in a sanitarium and had undergone a horrific surgical treatment.

Buscemi also admitted that although the series would occasionally touch on the Nucky’s past, it was hard for him to get a complete grasp of his character until the series concluded.

In the end, it was Nucky’s thirst for power that led to his downfall. By handing off the 12 yeard-old Gillian to The Commodore in a last-ditch effort to keep his job as sheriff, he took the first step to wielding tremendous power and influence, but he also set into motion events that would lead to Tommy killing him in retribution. Decades of manipulation and greed resulted in Nucky being shot by the third generation member of a family he had screwed over in the very city that he once controlled. 

You can check out the rest of the Reddit AMA for the documentary Check It here. 

You may not automatically think of Steve Buscemi and Adam Sandler at the same time. The two have very different careers. Buscemi is known for roles like gangster Nucky Thompson on HBO’s Boardwalk Empire or Mr. Pink in Reservoir Dogs, while Sandler is most widely recognized for his sophomoric humor. Still, the two friends have teamed up many times and have made eleven movies together over the years, and if you’ve ever wondered which of these is his favorite, Buscemi recently revealed his answer. (Hint: it’s one of ours, too).

Over the weekend, the Fargo star participated in an AMA session on Reddit, and when one fan asked which of his Adam Sandler team ups tops his list, Buscemi said:

If we’re being honest, Billy Madison is still one of our favorite Adam Sandler movies, too. He may have had some dogs in recent days, but that 1995 outing still totally holds up. This is also still one of our favorite Buscemi appearances, as well. What starts out as a sweet, earnest moment -- one that illustrates just how much rich kid Billy Madison really has changed over the course of his journey -- plays out relatively straight only to take a very strange turn at the end.

This is also a cameo that pays off big at the end, as Buscemi’s Danny McGrath shows up to save the day. Pity the likes of Bob Simonds, Helen Akerley, Perry Blake, and the other names that he didn’t cross off of his list (all people who worked on the movie, by the way).

This is far from the only memorable small role Buscemi has rocked in a Sandler movie. The homeless guy in Big Daddy and the drunk best man in The Wedding Singer both rank fairly high in our book, but few are as outstanding as his brief turn in Billy Madison. If you think you’re well versed in their collaborations, you might want to check out this quiz we posted recently, and let us know your favorite in the comments below.

As the trailer for the upcoming Hotel Transylvania 2 promises us that the "Drac Pack" – or the friends and followers of Count Dracula (Adam Sandler) – is back in action. Gear up for the sequel with this first-look teaser trailer. It’s literally on fire.

Sequels can go in so many different directions. From the look of Hotel Transylvania 2, Adam Sandler’s Count Dracula is going to get a grandson, the offspring of his vampire daughter (Selena Gomez) and her back-packing human husband, Jonathan (Andy Samberg). Instead of freaking out, like he did in the first movie, Drac seems to be taking to this grandparenting thing… except for the "learning to fly" lesson. That almost backfired horribly.

Released back in 2012, Hotel Transylvania was an underrated family comedy that took place at a vacation spot for classic movie monsters. Dracula (Sandler) established the hideaway because he got sick and tired of townsfolk hunting his friends with torches and pitchforks. But the animated comedy was really just an excuse for the comedian to cast his Grown Ups friends in animated roles. Kevin James voiced Frankenstein. David Spade was the Invisible Man (really, just a pair of glasses). Steve Buscemi played an exhausted Wolf Man, and Cee-lo Green, randomly, was the Mummy.

Everyone seems to be back for this sequel, which also plans to introduce a new face in Mel Brooks’ Vlad, an "old-old-fashioned vampire" who checks in to the hotel for an impromptu family getaway… creating all sorts of generation-inspired tension and laughs.

The more important return for Hotel Transylvania 2, though, has to be director Genndy Tartakovsky, who brings a unique visual style to his animation. The filmmaker and animator’s previous work on projects like Star Wars: Clone Wars and Samurai Jack have earned him a massive following. I once attended a Hotel Transylvania panel at San Diego Comic-Con, and Tartakovsky received a rock-god welcome from a ballroom of adoring fans. It was something to see.

His immense popularity likely helps explain why the original Hotel Transylvania banked an impressive $358 million worldwide. Obviously, that’s sequel money, which explains why Sony Pictures Animation got the group back together to see if they can replicate some of the initial film’s success.

Hotel Transylvania 2 opens in theaters on September 25.

Despite the fact that they have had two very different kinds of careers, Adam Sandler and Steve Buscemi’s friendship has resulted in a lot of collaboration over the years. The two men first started to work together in the mid-1990s, and evidently enjoyed each other’s company enough that they have done a total of 11 feature films together. It’s this fact that has led to us creating our latest quiz.

In the last 21 years, Steve Buscemi has played nine different characters in Adam Sandler movies, but can you identify all of the titles with just an image of Buscemi’s character and a description of his part? Find out by taking our quick test below!

Round #1

Release Date: June 25, 1999

Character Name: Homeless Guy

Character Description: This Steve Buscemi side character is introduced in his movie because of the curiosity of a little boy, who doesn’t quite understand why a person would find himself living on the streets of New York City. By the end of the film, he winds up helping Adam Sander’s character in a rather significant way.

Round #2

Release Date: July 20, 2007

Character Name: Clint Fitzer

Character Description: Clint Fitzer is a government agent who is sent in to investigate the legitimacy of the relationship between this movie’s two main characters. It’s one of the more significant roles Steve Buscemi has had in an Adam Sandler-led movie, playing a key antagonist.

Round #3

Release Date: September 28, 2012

Character Name: Wayne

Character Description: This movie only had Steve Buscemi in a voice role, but he still got to play a best friend to Adam Sandler’s character. As you may have been able to tell, he’s a werewolf, but he’s also a husband and a father of some very rambunctious children.

Round #4

Release Date: August 5, 1994

Character Name: Rex

Character Description: Rex is one of the three members of metal band The Lone Rangers, along with his best friends Chazz and Pip. Unfortunately, the musicians have a little bit of trouble finding an audience, and this winds up leading them to create a hostage situation at the local rock radio station.

Round #5

Release Date: February 13, 1998

Character Name: David 'Dave' Veltri

Character Description: A part that actually went uncredited in the movie, this character starts off as a bit of a nuisance for Adam Sandler’s, being an obnoxious, drunk Best Man at his brother’s wedding, he is ultimately able to redeem himself to a degree by taking on an inspired new profession by the end of the story.

Round #6

Release Date: June 28, 2002

Character Name: Crazy Eyes

Character Description: In case you couldn’t tell by his name, this character is best remembered for his ridiculous, bugged-out eyes, but he is also a good pal and customer of the movie’s protagonist, and towards the end of the movie winds up benefiting from the relationship to a great degree.

Round #7

Release Date: June 25, 2010

Character Name: Wiley

Character Description: In a cameo role, Steve Buscemi plays a bold bully in this movie who repeatedly experiences intense physical pain while trying to get a laugh at the expense of Adam Sandler’s character and his friends. By the end of the film he winds up in a full-body cast.

Round #8

Release Date: March 13, 2015

Character Name: Unknown

Character Description: Admittedly, this one is kind of a trick question – given that the movie doesn’t come out until this weekend – but if you’re a real Adam Sandler/Steve Buscemi fan then you’ve probably been tracking this one anyway.

Round #9

Release Date: February 10, 1995

Character Name: Danny McGrath

Character Description: Danny McGrath’s story begins as a sad one, but has a rather happy ending. As a kid, he was relentlessly bullied by Adam Sandler’s character, and grew up holding huge grudges. Fortunately, this relationship is mended during the course of the film, and Danny actually winds up getting to play hero.

This poll is no longer available.

Over the weekend, I wrote an article about a game that gives players the chance to go on a virtual date with Nicolas Cage. At the time, I assumed it was just a product of the Internet's obsession with Cage, which is partially true. But as I investigated, I uncovered a strange, often-creepy, subgenre of video games: unlicensed celebrity dating simulators.

These games mimic the beginnings of a romantic relationship with a celebrity, which is probably better than stalking. But there's still something creepy about the kind of person whose obsession is strong enough to fuel the development of an entire video game.

Like any good journalist, I feel a responsibility to the public. So, I've selected five of the weirdest celebrity dating simulators on the Internet, and I'm sharing them with you.

You're welcome.

Justin Bieber Date

Justin Bieber currently has 60 million salivating followers on Twitter, so this dating simulator almost feels redundant.

The story kicks off with a chance meeting on an airplane. After impressing him with your encyclopedic knowledge of his private life, Bieber invites you to meet him in a park. There's a short discussion about how awesome dogs are after which you're invited to hang out backstage before a concert.

The more questions that answer correctly, the bigger Bieber's smile gets.

Admittedly, I never made it past the third stage. Bieber started asking some very specific questions about his life, and I wasn't willing to do the kind of research required to improve my romantic chances. So, we're just friends.

The artistry on this simulator is impressive. Someone put a lot of time into perfectly crafting Bieber's face, paying special attention to the lips and eyes. I suspect it was a labor of love.

Kiss Paris Hilton

I've played hundreds of video games in my life, and some of them were throw-your-controller difficult. I've even played untranslated versions of Japanese RPGS, but Kiss Paris Hilton might be the most confusing game of my career.

Kiss Paris Hilton is different than the rest of the titles on this list. You don't actually get to kiss her, because she's constantly kissing other famous people. You're just the lookout, making sure that Paris and her beau don't get busted.

First she's kissing Jared Leto on a on a magical, floating roller coaster that was constructed on an African savanna. Then it's Sum 41's Deryck Whibley on a beach. Then she smooches Paris Latsis in the middle of a busy street. Every time Hilton is caught locking lips, people throw soda cans and beach balls at her head, just like in real life.

But here's my question: why would a person who's famous for an explicit sex tape be so nervous about kissing in public?

Steve Buscemi Date/Experience

Yes this is a real game, but installing it isn't easy. If you want to date Steve Buscemi, you'll need to purchase a game-development program called RPG Maker. This'll drain about 70 bucks from your wallet, which is too much to spend on a game that's hosted on Tumblr.

After jumping through all of these hoops, I realized that getting a real date with Steve Buscemi might be easier. And he'd probably pay for dinner, so it'd be cheaper too.

Though, the real-life Buscemi wouldn't use as many typos, and you might not get to meet his stuffed animal collection.

One Direction Dating Game!

If you're looking for a virtual dating experience with One Direction, prepare to be overwhelmed with choices. After spending only a few minutes searching, I managed to dig up a half-dozen One Direction dating sims. And I stopped looking, because my browser's pop-up blocker was being overwhelmed.

I did manage to find a very simple, text-based sim that allowed me to sit down and chat with each of the band members individually. However, I learned quickly that the guys from One Direction get very frustrated if you don't answer their narcissistic questions correctly. So, if Harry Styles asks you to name his favorite animal, and you incorrectly respond with one of the 60,000 other animal species on earth, he gets angry.

When your date gets upset over trivial things within the first few minutes of the conversation, some people call that a "warning sign."

KimYe - Dating Sim for Kim Kardashian and Kanye West

Of the celebrity dating simulators on this list, KimYe is the only one that actually made it to the App Store and Android Marketplace. Though, it's been taken down for what I can only assume are numerous copyright violations.

Players take on the role of Kanye West and attempt to win Kim Kardashian's heart while managing a busy music career. This is accomplished through texting, shopping, and fighting off an "onslaught of other suitors vying for her attention."

Kanye only has 72 days to win her over. After that, he goes back to focusing entirely on himself.

If one ever needs proof that the Academy Awards don’t actually define who the most talented people in Hollywood are, one need only look at the long, long list of people that they have ignored over the last century. Legendary actors like Joseph Cotton, Peter Lorre, Kim Novak, Edward G. Robinson and many more not only never won Oscar trophies during their careers, but were never even nominated for a prize. But as shocking as that list is, there are some names of snubbed actors in the modern era that will confuse the hell out of you.

With the 87th annual Academy Awards upon us, we’ve assembled a list of 15 brilliant, currently working actors who amazingly have never been up for Hollywood’s highest honor. Who are the names? Read on to find out!

Steve Buscemi

A big reason why the Best Supporting Actor Academy Award even exists is to celebrate the works of the great character actors working in the movie industry, and yet one of the greatest of all time, Steve Buscemi, has never gotten any attention from the ceremony. This is honestly a rather baffling mystery, as Buscemi’s 30 year career is packed with brilliant titles and collaborations with geniuses like the Coen brothers and Quentin Tarantino, and yet the Oscars have never felt the need to give him consideration. Seriously, how the hell did he not get nominated for Fargo?

Jeff Daniels

In the past few years, Jeff Daniels has found himself finding great awards success thanks to his time on television – winning the 2013 Outstanding Lead Actor Emmy for his performance in Aaron Sorkin’s The Newsroom - but every time the guy has flirted with an Academy Award it has ended in disappointing fashion. He arguably came closest in 2005 with his turn in Noah Baumbach’s The Squid and the Whale, but was ultimately shut out of the final race. That being said, it’s hard to imagine that Daniels will wind up ending his career with a permanent spot on this list – especially when you consider that he is currently working with the likes of Danny Boyle and Ridley Scott on his next two feature film projects.

Isabella Rossellini

Over the course of her 39 year career, Isabella Rossellini has earned acclaim, and hardware from many film organizations, but sadly her performances have never stirred Academy members to the degree that they felt the need to declare her work some of the best in a given year. This is an awful shame given her memorable turns in movies like David Lynch’s Blue Velvet and Peter Weir’s Fearless (which got nominations for Dennis Hopper and Rosie Perez, respectively). Rossellini is certainly one of the most notable Italian imports in modern cinema, and it would be too bad if her big screen career ended before getting her first nod.

Donald Sutherland

At the age of 79, Donald Sutherland is the oldest actor on this list, but that only really serves to amplify just how ridiculous it is that he has never found himself up for an Academy Award. The man’s career is full of brilliant performances in some truly amazing movies – from Ordinary People to MASH to Invasion of the Body Snatchers to Don’t Look Now, but evidently none of these turns really stuck out versus stiff competition in various years. If it doesn’t happen in the next few years for one reason or another, there is definitely a case to be made for him at some point getting a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Jeffrey Wright

Jeffrey Wright’s career started off a bit slow as he was getting his foot in the door in the film industry back in the 1990s, but since the turn of the millennium the guy has proven to be one of the industry’s most talented character actors. In that time, he has found himself in multiple Academy Award nominated films, including Ali, Syriana, and The Ides of March, but has not yet been able to get himself on the Academy’s radar. Of course, just because it hasn’t happened yet doesn’t mean it won’t, and one could easily see it happening as he keeps getting more interesting roles in interesting projects.

Alfred Molina

Thanks to movies like An Education and Frida, Alfred Molina has spent some time within the last 15 years being a part of some awards races, but to this point his work has not yet resulted in a nomination from the Academy Awards. He’s certainly been working with the right people, including directors like Paul Thomas Anderson, Ron Howard, and Kenneth Branagh, but sadly those impressive collaborations have not yet yielded any little golden men for the actor. Fortunately, the guys has rarely taken long breaks between projects, so his big ticket film could be coming at really any point.

Danny Glover

One can fairly easily predict that it will be Danny Glover’s time playing Roger Murtaugh in the Lethal Weapon movies that winds up being his most lasting legacy in the film industry, but it’s still rather surprising that his time starring in movies like Steven Spielberg’s The Color Purple (which got 11 Oscar nominations) and Peter Weir’s Witness (which got eight Oscar nominations and two wins) never resulted in a single nomination for himself. Admittedly, at this point in Glover’s career it sort of seems the time has come and gone, but with the right director and the right script, anything can happen.

Pam Grier

Pam Grier came as close as she’s ever been to an Academy Award nomination when she starred in Quentin Tarantino’s brilliant 1997 crime drama Jackie Brown, but it’s a shame that she’s never actually gone all the way to the show. In addition to being an exceptional actress, she also happens to play an important role in cinematic history through her part in the Blaxploitation movement. Even if she doesn’t end up with another performance in her career that finds her in the awards race, at the very least the Academy should find some way to honor her contributions to cinema.

John Goodman

It’s perhaps an example of the Academy having a bit of a bias against actors who have spent a good portion of their careers on television, but there really is no excuse at this point for John Goodman not to have at least collected an Oscar nomination by this point in his life, if not an actual award. Like the case with Steve Buscemi, Goodman’s work with the Coen brothers alone should have at least resulted in one nod (Barton Fink!), but the guy is equally good in everything he does, and it’s shocking he has not get gotten the consideration he deserves.

Scarlett Johansson

After years as a child actor, Scarlett Johansson got her adult career off to an absolutely stellar start by making films like Lost in Translation and working with Woody Allen on multiple projects, but despite all of the clout she was able to build up, it has not yet resulted in an Oscar nod. Admittedly she has gotten a bit further away from the awards race in recent years due to the fact that she is turning into one of Hollywood’s most popular action hero leads, but the truth is that she’s still putting in award caliber work in smaller films like Her, and because she’s only 30 it’s not hard to see her eventually doing something that really gets the Academy’s attention.

Allison Janney

The fact that she has spent a good portion of her career on television is most likely what’s held Allison Janney back from the Academy Award crowd, but it still feels surprising that she has never at least picked up a nomination. With her warm screen presence as well as her high talent level, you’d think she’d at least find herself getting a Best Supporting Actress nod at some point, but to this point it has not happened yet. The good news is that she’s a very prolific actress who takes on a lot of opportunities, so it’s not hard to believe that we could see the Janney Drought end in the next few years.

Alan Rickman

Alan Rickman has a remarkable fanbase thanks to his legendary work in Die Hard and the Harry Potter series, and while we understand why those titles didn’t get him consideration from the Academy Awards (they’ve never been too big on genre stuff), the truth is that it’s still surprising he hasn’t picked up a nomination at this point in his career. The guy most certainly has the talent, but it just hasn’t translated to this point. Fortunately, all it takes is one spellbinding performance to take him out of qualification for this list, and one can sense that it’s really in the cards for him. It’s just a matter of when.

Meg Ryan

Over the course of his career, Tom Hanks has earned five Academy Award nominations, and has even taken home the Best Actor prize twice… but that really only serves to highlight the fact that his longtime romantic comedy partner, Meg Ryan, has never been up for acting’s highest honor. Thanks to their greater acceptance of comedic films, Ryan has been celebrated by the Golden Globes multiple times – earning nominations for When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle and You’ve Got Mail, but none of that attention ever translated to Oscar attention. It’s not too late for Meg Ryan just yet, though if she wants the chance to ever get an Academy Award she should probably start doing more movies.

John Turturro

While Joel and Ethan Coen have picked up numerous Academy Awards for themselves over the years, it’s kind of amazing that they haven’t been able to spread that success to some of their favorite character actors. Yes, like Steve Buscemi and John Goodman, John Turturro is yet another Coen regular who has somehow never managed to find Oscar’s awareness. It’s a real shock just because the guy has done some truly fantastic work in films like Miller’s Crossing, Barton Fink, Quiz Show and Rounders. Hopefully the time and opportunity have not come and gone.

Jennifer Jason Leigh

She may still be remembered by many as the curious Stacy Hamilton in Fast Times At Ridgemont High, but Jennifer Jason Leigh has honestly put together quite an impressive resume in the decades since – albeit one that has not yet been given any notice by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. A lot of her stuff has been more under the radar, but she has been consistently earning acclaim for years in movies like Margot At The Wedding and The Spectacular Now. This year she is playing the lead female role in Quentin Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight, so this may actually be her opportunity to finally get her first nomination.

Just when you may have thought you'd seen enough advertising and promotional material for the upcoming Sam Taylor-Johnson-directed erotic drama Fifty Shades of Grey (or gone out of your way to avoid it at all costs), a little gem like this crosses your screen. Watch the below trailer for the upcoming film now with the welcome addition of everybody's favorite character actor.

What begins like any other traditional trailer for the edgy romance pic quickly turns into something entirely different, and without question it's also a heck of a lot more humorous, thanks to the Boardwalk Empire actor. The tone of the clip begins exactly as you might think with Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson) meeting the very mysterious and wealthy Christian Grey... only this time it's safe to say he goes by Mr. Pink (as validated by his saying he wants his coffee filled six times).

The mock trailer doesn't stop there, though, as it works in audio and visual clips of Steve Buscemi from a range of films spanning his career, all of which add to the hilarity. While some match with Fifty Shades more than others, the vid, brought to us by Boo Ya Pictures, is relatively spot on. That first shot of him as mob boss Enoch "Nucky" Thompson taken from Boardwalk was great and the closing shot of him in bed with Ana with the scratches all over his chest was absolutely priceless!

I'm sure some folks out there are totally excited to see Fifty Shades of Grey, especially people who have read the books. I am unfamiliar with the source material, so I can honestly say it hasn't grabbed me with the marketing thus far. That is, until this trailer. With Steve Buscemi in the role of Grey I'm suddenly somehow interested. It's amazing what the guy, whose career took off after playing a hired killer in Fargo, can do for one's interest when it comes to his appearing onscreen.

Watching this video, I will admit that I found myself trying to figure out what each clip of Steve Buscemi tied to which of the movies in his filmography. Some of these are definite deep cuts, but I was able to place a handful that included the above mentioned Boardwalk Empire and the alluded to Reservoir Dogs. I also spotted clips of him from the Coen brothers' Fargo and Adam Sandler's Mr. Deeds, Billy Madison and The Wedding Singer, all four adding up to equal one ridiculous and sometimes delirious-looking Christian "Buscemi" Grey.

The R-rated drama flick Fifty Shades of Grey aims to make quite a box office splash as it hits theaters this Friday the 13th. Is it too deranged and/or too early to petition for Buscemi's inclusion in the newly-announced sequels to the film?

Snickers, a company whose ads have often been as enjoyable as their candy, is bringing the greatest commercial of all time to the Super Bowl this weekend, in a promo that makes world-renowned badass Danny Trejo one of the Brady Bunch. (If you don’t also think this is the best commercial ever, Trejo-Brady may very well kill you in your sleep.)

Calling back to one of the most memorable Brady Bunch episodes of all times – in which Marcia’s busted nose was like, the worst thing ever! – the Snickers ad envisions Trejo as Marcia after she’s hit in the face with a football. There are some obscure metaphors out there, but being “Danny Trejo with an axe” angry leaves no room for misinterpretation. None.

Of course, the living room table is the only real victim of Marcia’s rage, as the always calm Carol tells her to eat a Snickers bar, and of course that calms her right down. I always thought it was silly when Snickers’ campaigns ran around the “Hungry?” idea, since a candy bar is generally the opposite of what a hungry person should eat. But I’m intrigued by their implied claims here that a combination of chocolate, caramel, peanuts and nougat are a suitable cure for murderous vengeance. I’ll take that prescription.

And if all that weren’t enough, in pops an angry Steve Buscemi as middle sister Jan, who just HATES that Marcia is getting all this attention. The way he prissily spins around and waltzes off is one of the best pieces of physical acting I’ve ever seen from the Boardwalk Empire actor. What I really want to know is, does this commercial count as a proper Desperado reunion for Buscemi and Trejo?

I love how fluid this all looks, and it really speaks to how far CGI has come over the years. Now I want to see Archer taking on goons with Maxwell Smart, or both versions of The Flash running around together. It doesn’t have to be Snickers doing it. This is an open call to anyone who wishes to make commercials for me.

There have already been a slew of pricy ads released ahead of the Super Bowl’s airing, from Kim Kardashian getting silly to high-octane movie trailers. But I still can’t wait to see what’s coming next.

Tune in for all the football and commercials (and Katy Perry) you can handle when Super Bowl XLIX airs on Sunday, February 1 on NBC.

"Every story has a beginning, sir."

The first four episodes of the fifth and final season of HBO's Boardwalk Empire felt a little light on the body count for the normally bloody bootlegging drama. Sure, there have been a few grisly murders, like Tonino and Buck, as well as a mass shooting or three of nameless henchmen and/or hookers, yet Joe the Boss and Sally Wheet are the only two regulars six feet under. Hell, even calling them regulars is a bit of a stretch, with the former only having shown up sporadically and the latter being a rather late addition to the series. Forget 'No One Goes Quietly,' Season 5 started to feel like 'No One Goes At All.' And the trend continues in the "King of Norway." Not for lack of trying.

”It ain't a murdered body?”

Of course, there's so much more to appreciate about Boardwalk Empire than the violence, but it does seem like a lot of Season 5 hasn't been focused on the confrontations that we really want to see. Instead, the series is spending an awful lot of time in the past and - since the drama is all about repetition this year, I'll say it again - I don't care for the flashbacks. This week the sequences set in (and reinforcing the importance of) the past jumped ahead 13 years with Marc Pickering and a pair of fake teeth now playing Nucky. Or should I say, Deputy Sheriff Thompson. Once again, father figures figure into the thread with Mabel's dad disapproving of their relationship. He's not a fan of Nucky's ambition. The same ambition that makes him ask surrogate father Sheriff Lindsay to be part of the other jobs that he does for the Commodore. Origin stories! No young Gillian?

”They are in the body forever unless they're rooted out.”

And that brings us to the other tangential storyline in the final season. Doesn't visiting Gillian in the women's mental institution feel like visiting another planet? A shame, since I thought her character's journey came to a satisfying end last season. The story itself is compelling, taking a look at the horrifying conditions that women of the time who were deemed crazy and put in psychiatric 'care' were often forced to endure, but it doesn't fit at all with the rest of the narrative. Maybe I'm not seeing the big picture, and Gillian will be brought back into the fold. I don't think so though. Not with 'fixing her insides' as part Dr. Cotton's diagnosis. We saw how that went. That being said, Gillian was always crafty and, if history does repeat itself, she might find herself a way out of the terrifying situation.

”Well. I'll leave you two to catch up.”

The other storyline operating on the fringe of the main action this season found its way back in "King of Norway," with Chalky arriving in Atlantic City in search of, what else, revenge. Unlike Gillian's thread, Chalky's always felt like it was moving towards a reunion with the major players so it never seemed like we were being sidetracked with a non-essential story. And the "In Cold Blood" sequence with Buck (also directed by Ed Bianchi) was exceptional. This week, Chalky looks like his old self again, sitting in front of Nucky at the club in a nice three piece suit. I love how Nuck mentions how a man who really wants to sneak a gun in somewhere cannot be stopped, and we see this very thing unfold in one of the final scenes. Chalky hides it in his crotch. Insecure friskers. Finally, I thought we were going to see a big name bite the bullet this week but the doctor wasn't in. Daughter and Daughter's daughter were home, however. An interesting twist and another Maybelle reminder.

”History doesn't repeat itself. But it does rhyme.”

I'm not going to lie, it felt pretty good to hear the quote I've been using as the basis for my Boardwalk recaps worked into the dialogue. Nucky is trying to take control by asserting that history doesn't repeat itself, but everything suggests the opposite. Like my favorite odd couple, Eli and George, once again working for the law. Of course, it's not like they're actually wearing badges; they're the 'expendables' being sent on a suicide mission to grab Capone's books. It's perfect timing for Nelson because he was sick of being ruled by fear anyway, but Eli's got a loving wife and a baby on the way. I think June will forgive him for having sex with Sigrid if he makes it out of this season alive. George Nelson certainly doesn't seem to care. Like I said, this is all a welcome change for the former prohibition officer who finds it easier to hate everyone. I'm still laughing from when he told his kid he would sound better farther away. I want this buddy cop comedy.

”You're a man that knows how to return a favor.”

While Nucky's busy fighting a war and finding out about his mistress' death in Havana, his wife and new partner in crime seems to be coming into her own as a crook / insider trader. Margaret managed to take care of the problem with Mrs. Rothstein quite easily, as well as rope her dope of a boss into the illegal activities. Mr. Thompson had a bit more trouble with his business in "King of Norway," with his longtime friend Johnny Torrio helping the upstarts Lucky and Meyer to take him and Maranzano out of the picture in one drive-by-shooting. However, both of the targets survived the hit, and now the bodies should start piling up. Perhaps Torrio should have taken his own advice and (stayed) retired? And Arquimedes should get a raise for once again saving Nucky's life. Whose ear will he take first for this? The path to being a legitimate business man looks longer and longer every week.

"Maybe you just don't see the end of it."

The fifth and final season of Boardwalk Empire continues with Episode 6, "Devil You Know," next Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on HBO. Created by Terence Winter, the series stars Steve Buscemi, Kelly Macdonald, Michael Shannon, Shea Whigham, Vincent Piazza, Anatol Yusef and Stephen Graham.

Hit the link for a look at "Devil You Know"...

"All empires fall."

Even though it didn't kill in the ratings, Boardwalk Empire was one of the best shows on TV last year, and HBO's bootlegging drama will be back for its fifth and final season this fall. There are some spoilers ahead, but here's the first look at Season 5...

Since the Boardwalk Empire Season 5 tease is set to a cover of Harry Nilsson's 'One,' I figured you could listen to the original as you read the rest of the post.

The first look at this final season of Boardwalk Empire doesn't show too much footage – it is a tease after all – but the choice quotes still got me pretty excited. I love the 'all empires fall' and 'no one goes quietly' taglines, not to mention the one line delivered by Steve Buscemi's Nucky Thompson, because they all nicely sum up what should be a violent closing stretch for the often blood-soaked series. I'm still recovering from the loss of Jack Huston's Richard Harrow. Hell, I'm still recovering from the loss of Michael Pitt's Jimmy Darmody. To the lost!

As for the characters on Boardwalk Empire who managed to make it out of Seasons 1 through 4 alive, they will be put into the Great Depression with Season 5, set seven years after last year's finale. People will really need a drink. And Steve Buscemi's Nucky Thompson continues to be the man in Atlantic City to see about that, with prohibition still about two years from being repealed.

Sorry, too much of a history lesson can suddenly turn into spoilers. I will say that I'm surprised to see Terence Winter skip over the Atlantic City Conference, which saw Enoch 'Nucky' Johnson host a meeting of organized crime leaders in 1929. Perhaps, the writers will fudge the dates a little bit because it seems like too good of an opportunity to pass up. But I suppose that's what happens when you're suddenly faced with writing the final chapter of a long, true story.

And besides, Boardwalk's Nucky is always hosting the other crime heads anyway. There's even some footage of him at such a meeting in the new tease. The short HBO spot also shows off some of our other favorite characters – with quick shots of Vincent Piazza as Charles Luciano and Michael Shannon's Nelson Van Alden (aka George Mueller) and Stephen Graham's Al Capone – but 30 seconds isn't nearly enough time to properly preview the sprawling, period drama and its wonderful ensemble. It's just a taste of what's to come, and now I need the bottle.

Boardwalk Empire will return for its fifth and final season in September (Sundays at 9 p.m. ET) on HBO. Created by Terence Winter, the series stars Steve Buscemi, Kelly Macdonald, Michael Shannon, Shea Whigham, Vincent Piazza, Anatol Yusef and Michael Stuhlbarg.

Quentin Tarantino recently made news by putting prospective next picture The Hateful Eight out to pasture. His fans, which is to say a large percentage of both movie buffs and mainstream consumers, have to be bummed that we’re not getting another slice of QT goodness, and that we’re going to be robbed of seeing his fourth movie in an eight year span. The flutter of activity had more than made up for the six years in between Jackie Brown and Kill Bill that he spent popping up in Alias and Little Nicky and doing not much of anything else.

But that approach leaves out the early days, when Tarantino was still an eager beaver looking to impress with one of the greatest directorial debuts of all-time, Reservoir Dogs. In case you haven’t seen it (what’s wrong with you?) it serves as something of a Rosetta Stone for QT’s filmography, showcasing the before-and-after of a diamond heist gone wrong, as the criminals involved try to suss out who might have ratted them out. The cast is a dream collection of names, including Steve Buscemi, Harvey Keitel, Michael Madsen, Tim Roth, Lawrence Tierney and the late Chris Penn, some giving their all-time best performances.

The good folks at Screencrush uncovered a rarity on YouTube, posted above, that shows the early rehearsals for the film. Seen in the clip, a composite of three scenes from the film, are Buscemi and Tarantino, putting the material together before shooting. Tarantino is standing in here for Keitel, and he’s quite loose and intense in these brief snippets of the film. Buscemi, of course, already has the character down pat. The video was uploaded by a user named TheSheik1976, who is hosting a treasure trove of old independent film making-ofs at his user page. If you got the time, it’s well-worth falling down that rabbit hole.

Tarantino’s still selecting what his next project will be (maybe still a western!). Hopefully it won’t involve more dubious acting, though if seeing him onscreen means another Reservoir Dogs, who are we to complain? Relive the trailer underneath, and fall down the QT hole one more time.

Watching him as the star of Boardwalk Empire, it may be easy to forget that Steve Buscemi tends to pop up in Adam Sandler movies from time to time, the most recent of which would be Grown Ups 2. It appears the two funny men will be reuniting once again in Tom McCarthy’s upcoming film The Cobbler, in which Adam Sandler will star as a shoe repairman who integrates himself into the lives of the people whose shoes he fixes. Also joining the cast is Dustin Hoffman.

When we learned back in September that Sandler was in the process of signing on for The Cobbler, The Wrap was calling it an indie drama, noting that Sandler was ready to get serious again, however this week, when The Wrap shared news of Hoffman and Buscemi’s casting, they specifically describe the film as a character-driven comedy. So it seems there’s been an update there. While comedy does tend to be Sandler’s cup of tea, he’s dabbled in drama before, and given the more recent casting additions, which — in addition to Hoffman and Buscemi — include Downton Abbey’s Dan Stevens, it would be just as easy to assume the film might be a drama by its cast. Of course, all the mentioned names have comedic experience too, including Stevens, who appeared in Amy Heckerling’s Vamps, and has a role lined up for the third Night at the Museum film.

It’s also entirely possible this indie film will fall somewhere between genres, as director Tom McCarthy’s credits include Win Win and The Station Agent.

Whether it’s a comedy or drama, The Cobbler is certainly lining up a top notch cast. Dustin Hoffman is already linked to Tom McCarthy through Little Fockers, in which McCarthy is credited for playing the role of Dr. Bob, and Hoffman played Bernie Focker. Best known for roles in The Graduate, Tootsie and Rain Man, among other films, Hoffman’s been keeping busy in recent years with voice-roles in the Kung Fu Panda movies, and up until last year, a starring role in HBO’s horse racing drama Luck.

Buscemi’s had better luck at HBO -- likely due, at least in part, to far fewer horse injuries than Luck -- with the more successful drama Boardwalk Empire, in which he stars as Nucky Thompson. The series is about to wrap up its fourth season this Sunday.

The Wrap doesn’t have any details on either Hoffman’s or Buscemi’s roles, other than to note that Buscemi’s character’s name is Manny. As mentioned, Buscemi’s no stranger to films starring Adam Sandler, having played small roles in various Happy Madison films — The Cobbler is being produced by Voltage Pictures — including Big Daddy and The Wedding Singer…

The Wrap notes that The Cobbler is a rare move to indie films for Adam Sandler. The film has already begun production and is currently shooting in New York City.

The Sundance Channel has been featuring original programming from the more recent Iconoclasts to the veteran Anatomy of a Scene for more than a decade. However, it was only in 2010 that the Sundance Channel incorporated scripted programming into the network via Carlos. Slowly but surely, more scripted programming has become a staple on the network, and now the channel wants to spend more time focusing on drama projects. Five dramas are currently in development for the 2013-2014 season.

The only tie seemingly binding these projects is that they will all have a dramatic edge. Otherwise, the projects all feature very different plotlines and characters, producers and writers, and source material. Robert Redford, Sarah Condon, Stanley Tucci, Steve Buscemi, and Ira Glass are all around producing one series or another—but we’ll have to wait and see whether Valentines, Behind the Sun, The Descendants, T, or Death in the Modern Age have an easier time of finding an audience.

Until then, fans of the Sundance Channel can get a taste of Sundance’s original programming via Restless, a miniseries on the network starring Downton Abbey’s Michelle Dockery, Never Let Me Go’s Charlotte Rampling, and Captain America’s Hayley Atwell. Restless will air on December 7 and December 14 at 9 p.m. ET. Additionally, the Sundance channel has two other series slated for midseason, Rectify and Top of the Lake are set to appear. If none of that suits your fancy, you can check out more about the network’s upcoming fodder, below.

What can you expect from Sony Pictures Animation’s Hotel Transylvania? Candy eyeballs, gummy worm-topped cakes and fogging drinks, of course! Okay, you probably shouldn’t have your hopes up for all of that, but come September 28th, Hotel Transylvania should offer up all the fun you’d hope for in a comedy packed with animated versions of your favorite mythical monsters.

However, it’s not September 28th just yet, so in an effort to get us in the Hotel Transylvania spirit, just like in the movie, the folks behind the film planned a 118th birthday party for Mavis, Dracula’s daughter and the character voiced by Selena Gomez. There were party hats, appropriately themed treats, the opportunity to take a photo with Dracula’s hotel in the backdrop and more. As much fun as the party portion of the event was, it was easy to leave behind as a sneak peek of the film awaited us in the theater.

Producer Michelle Murdocca was on hand to introduce us to Genndy Tartakovsky, the creator of the TV shows Dexter’s Laboratory, Sym-Bionic Titan and Samurai Jack, and now the director of Hotel Transylvania. Tartakovsky showed off his star-studded voice cast, which includes Adam Sandler as Dracula, Gomez as Mavis, Andy Samberg as Jonathan, Kevin James as Frankenstein, Fran Drescher as his wife Eunice, Steve Buscemi as Wayne the werewolf, Molly Shannon as Wayne’s wife Wanda, David Spade as the Invisible Man, Cee-Lo Green as Murray the Mummy and Jon Lovitz as the evil chef Quasimodo.

Working in television, Tartakovsky is used to recording his entire voice cast simultaneously and while he didn’t have that luxury the entire time on Hotel Transylvania, he did make that a priority as often as he could. “We actually got to do a few sessions and for one of our first sessions we had Kevin James, Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg, Molly Shannon, David Spade and it was great.” Tartakovsky continued, “Everybody playing off each other, adlibbing, and it brought this great energy.”

Tartakovsky describes the film as having “a broad comedy tone with a strong emotional heart.” Of course something like that would arise through the script, but it’s also heavily connected to the style of animation. Tartakovsky set out to take the traditional principles of feature animation and push them in a way to end up with something notably expressive and caricatured using strong silhouettes and very lively faces.

Before jumping into the clips, Tartakovsky set the stage. “Dracula builds this hotel for his daughter to keep her safe, away from humans and being a teenager, she, of course, doesn’t listen to dad and she wants to find out how the world is outside the hotel for herself.” After quite a bit of nagging, Dracula strikes a deal; on Mavis’ 118th birthday, she can go out and check out the world for herself. In the first clip of the presentation we find Mavis in her room, sure her father will go back on his word, but to her surprise, he actually gives her permission. Within seconds Mavis is packed and ready to go, transforms into a bat and prepares to take flight, but that’s when Dracula can’t help but to put his foot down, claiming so many people have come to attend her birthday party; she can’t leave just yet. When Mavis’ gives him a wildly adorable “pouty bat face,” Dracula attempts to strike another deal; for now, she can visit the human village just outside the hotel. The thing is, there’s no human village around the corner. Tartakovsky explained, “He builds a fake human village and puts all the zombie staff and dresses them up as humans to scare her.”

The plan works and Mavis is back at the hotel, safe and sound, but soon thereafter, Dracula must deal with another issue – a human at the hotel. We roll into a clip showing what happens when Jonathan first enters Hotel Transylvania. The lobby is bustling with activity, but Dracula is the only one to notice the unwelcomed visitor. He tries to conceal a naive Jonathan’s identity by dressing him up as a monster, but when Jonathan realizes all of the guests aren’t playing dress-up and are the real deal, he freaks out, bumping into one creature after the next before coming face to face with Mavis. The two share a moment involving glistening pink sparkles in their eyes before Dracula plays the overprotective father and puts an end to it.

But now Dracula can’t just give Jonathan-turned-Johnnystein the boot so he spins a lie, dubbing Jonathan the new party planner. “Dracula’s world is unraveling right before him,” Tartakovsky explained. “All the little events, Jonathan has an effect on and people are actually starting to have fun.” Sure Dracula wants his guests to have a good time, but only if it means having fun while playing by his own rules. When Dracula’s had enough of Jonathan’s games, he forces him to leave, bringing us to scene three, a moment between Jonathan and Dracula in the cemetery. Dracula attempts to wipe Jonathan’s memory before sending him on his way, but when it doesn’t work, Jonathan suggests it might be because of his contact lenses and we get an amusing moment during which Jonathan creeps Dracula out by continuously jabbing at his own eye, trying to grab his lens. After reverting to simply threating to suck all of Jonathan’s blood until he looks like “a deflate whoopee cushion,” Dracula leaves him only for Jonathan to be escorted back inside by Mavis.

When Dracula catches Jonathan back in the hotel, he isn’t happy, but figures he might as well put him back to work, instructing Jonathan to arrange the ballroom for the party. The fourth scene of the presentation showcases an action-packed table chase sequence with Jonathan and Dracula. Yes, a table chase sequence. Dracula makes Jonathan’s first duty to arrange the tables. When Jonathan resorts to pushing them around the room, Dracula opts to show him how it’s done, calling the tables by number, waking them up and telling them where to place themselves. Eventually Jonathan catches on, but rather than order the tables as instructed, he takes them for a ride. Ultimately we end up with a room full of tables floating in the air, Dracula and Jonathan bouncing from one to the next, zipping around on a few before coming to a crashing halt upon which Dracula recognizes the fact that Jonathan helped him have some fun.

To wrap up, Tartakovsky and Murdocca fielded some questions, Murdocca pointing out that they’re going to work with Mark Mothersbaugh on the music in about two weeks and Tartakovsky addressing the amount of adlibbing done on the project. “They’re kind of like slaves to their jokes, so if they wrote a joke they really like, they actually don’t want to adlib.” Tartakovsky added, “We thought they would do a lot more adlibbing. There was definitely some, but if they liked a joke, they will work at it and work at it and work on the timing of the line until they get a laugh from it.” Murdocca pointed out that it came down to adding lines more so than adlibbing material. “Adam did some of the writing and when he writes a joke, he likes that joke.”

After being asked to address the choice of Gomez’s casting Murdocca explained, “She played really well against Adam and Andy and so she sounded like she’s young enough to be Dracula’s daughter and old enough to play against Andy as a love interest.” Tartakovsky also pointed out, “Rather than getting another comedian, it’s almost nice that she was almost the straight man in this crazy comedian cast.” Another plus to working with Gomez? Her singing talents came in handy during the film’s musical numbers.

To wrap up, Murdocca had a rather interesting answer to a question about monster rights. “There were no rights issues about using the characters, but there are certain things that we weren’t able to do.” For example, the inside of Dracula’s cape couldn’t be red, he couldn’t have a true widow’s peak and Eunice’s hair couldn’t have the exact same stripe. Murdocca added, “Frankenstein’s bolts, we weren’t allowed to do that. And believe me, we tried many different iterations of Frankenstein’s bolts on his temples, on his head, everywhere, and we couldn’t get any of them passed.”

Hotel Transylvania is on its way to a September 28, 2012 release, so keep any eye out for more on the Sony Pictures Animation production in the coming months.

Recently we told you that Tron Legacy beauty Olivia Wilde sat atop a short list of actresses contending to play the female interest in Burt Wonderstone, a comedy about feuding Las Vegas magicians starring Steve Carell and Jim Carrey. Today we’re learning she got the role.

Wilde, seen over the summer in Cowboys & Aliens and The Change Up, has been cast as Carell’s love interest, his former assistant who eventually goes to work for Carrey’s up-and-coming illusionist, according to The Hollywood Reporter. But she’s not the only casting note. THR says James Gandolfini is in negotiations to play a casino owner, while Steve Buscemi has joined the ensemble as Carell’s longtime friend and partner who has quit the magic business. I hope he dies on screen so we can add that clip to his death reel.

People are going to come to Wonderstone to see Carell play off of Carrey, but it’s encouraging that director Don Scardino is going out of his way to surround the comedians with solid character actors and eye candy (I mean Buscemi, of course). Tyler Mitchell came up with the story, though the Wonderstone screenplay is credited to John Francis Daley and Jonathan M. Goldstein. Carell has a pretty solid track list of picking above-average scripts recently, from Crazy Stupid Love to Date Night, which Carrey could use a shot in the arm after Yes Man, Mr. Popper’s Penguins and The Number 23. We’ll see where Wonderstone falls in 2013.