The Academy Award for Best Actress has been handed out every year since 1929 — it was initially awarded to star Janet Gaynor for her roles in 7th Heaven, Street Angel, and Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans — and in the near-century since, it's been presented 97 times to 79 actresses. Winning that coveted statuette is unsurprisingly a dream come true for many a big-screen performer, but the award does come with added attention on the actress's next projects. Will whatever they work on next be as critically acclaimed or commercially successful? Here are 32 films that Oscar-winning actresses did after taking home the Academy Award, and how they were received.

Emma Stone

The whole La La Land Oscars brouhaha at the 2018 ceremony was quite memorable, but clearly so was star Emma Stone's performance as aspiring actress Mia Dolen opposite Ryan Gosling's jazz pianist Seb Wilder. One of Stone's best movies, the role earned the star her first Best Actress win (she would strike gold yet again with her 2024 victory for Poor Things). Her next performance also stirred up awards buzz: she was nominated for a Golden Globe and a Critics Choice Award for portraying tennis legend Billie Jean King in the sports drama Battle of the Sexes.

Meryl Streep

Meryl Streep's history with the Academy Awards is long and legendary: over her decades-spanning career, she's been nominated for a record 21 Oscar nominations, winning thrice. After taking home the Supporting Actress statuette for Kramer vs. Kramer, Streep got her first big Best Actress win for one of her most iconic performances: as the titular character of the devastating 1982 drama Sophie's Choice. Her next role was just as haunting: as Karen Silkwood in the 1983 thriller Silkwood, for which she earned yet another Best Actress nod.

Michelle Yeoh

Along with kicking major butt, Michelle Yeoh made history with her starring role as Evelyn Quan Wang in the 2022 action-dramedy Everything Everywhere All at Once, for she became the first Asian performer to win the Academy Award for Best Actress. Following that notable win in 2023, the Wicked star lent her voice to the sci-fi flick Transformers: Rise of the Beasts as Airazor, a Maximal warrior who transforms into a peregrine falcon. That title earned largely mixed reviews, and it currently sports a 51% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Jessica Chastain

After losing out on the Oscar for Zero Dark Thirty, Jessica Chastain took the Best Actress trophy home for her transformative role as televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker in the 2022 bio-drama The Eyes of Tammy Faye. Her next project was far less successful with awards bodies — the action-spy thriller The 355 was both a critical and commercial bomb, reportedly losing Universal an estimated $93 million. Robbie Collin of The Daily Telegraph wrote: "Despite the strong cast, this is the film equivalent of a corn-syrup-based fizzy drink being passed off as chic in taller, slimmer cans."

Frances McDormand

Three-time Best Actress winner Frances McDormand took home her first Oscar in 1997 for her instantly iconic performance as Minnesota police chief Marge Gunderson in the classic Coen Brothers dark comedy Fargo. Later that year, the acclaimed performer joined a heavyweight lineup of actresses — including Glenn Close, Cate Blanchett and Jennifer Ehle — in the World War II drama Paradise Road. However, despite that acting clout, the film received mixed reviews, with its approval rating at a lowly 43% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Brie Larson

Child actor turned Marvel superhero Brie Larson took her career to a whole new level with her performance as kidnapping victim Joy "Ma" Newsome in the 2015 survival drama Room, for which she swept the subsequent awards season and took home the Best Actress Oscar. In 2016, the Lessons in Chemistry lead starred in another survival drama, this time the Ben Wheatley-directed action-comedy Free Fire. CinemaBlend's own Gregory Wakeman wrote of the film: "Free Fire has enough gun blasts and violence to entertain, but ultimately lacks the requisite surprises or savvy to be anything more than a frivolous diversion."

Olivia Colman

Olivia Colman's Best Actress win for her portrayal of Queen Anne in the black-comedy period piece The Favourite was a deserved yet delightfully shocking moment at the 2019 Oscars. Her next role was equally strange, but less acclaimed: she appeared alongside Kaitlyn Dever, Jim Gaffigan and Walton Goggins as snake-handling fundamentalists in the horror mystery Them That Follow. Though it was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, it earned mixed reviews from critics.

Cate Blanchett

One of the most versatile actors in the industry — she's played Queen Elizabeth I and Bob Dylan, for crying out loud! — eight-time Oscar nominee Cate Blanchett secured her first Best Actress win in 2014 playing a neurotic former socialite in the Woody Allen-directed dramedy Blue Jasmine. And speaking of versatility, the Aussie star followed that awards win with a voice role in the animated fantasy sequel How to Train Your Dragon 2, which got its own Oscar nod for Best Animated Feature.

Sandra Bullock

Rom-com queen Sandra Bullock received her first Best Actress nomination and win in 2010 for her portrayal of Leigh Anne Tuohy in the biographical football drama The Blind Side. Her next film credit was the Stephen Daldry-directed 2011 drama Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, which did manage to score a Best Picture nod but not without controversy. Chris Krapek of The Huffington Post called the film "not only the worst reviewed Best Picture nominee of the last 10 years, [but] easily the worst film of 2011."

Katharine Hepburn

Hollywood icon Katherine Hepburn earned four Academy Awards for Best Actress out of 12 nominations across her illustrious film career—a record for any performer. The leading lady's first Oscar win was in 1934 for the Pre-Code drama Morning Glory (the rest would come later in the star's life), which she followed up with John Cromwell's Spitfire. Some viewers found Hepburn miscast as "hillbilly" faith healer Trigger Hicks — the film has a 35% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Nicole Kidman

Nicole Kidman didn't win the Best Actress Oscar for one of her most beloved performances, as cabaret star Satine in Moulin Rouge! but she instead secured the big win only a year later for playing English writer Virginia Woolf in The Hours. The Babygirl star's first post-award project was the 2003 avant-garde thriller Dogville, written and directed by Lars von Trier. Though the film prompted quite a polarizing response from critics at the time of release, it did end up on several best-of-the-decade roundups, including The Guardian and Paste.

Jennifer Lawrence

If they didn't already love her from her work in the David O. Russell dramedy Silver Linings Playbook, the world certainly fell for Jennifer Lawrence when she charmingly tripped up the stairs to accept her Best Actress statuette in 2013. That fall, she would reprise her role as Katniss Everdeen in the second Mockingjay movie, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, which is widely considered the best installment of The Hunger Games film series (it's got a solid 90% Rotten Tomatoes rating) and earned Lawrence a Critics' Choice nod.

Helen Mirren

Dame Helen Mirren is a regal onscreen presence no matter what the role, but her performance as Queen Elizabeth II in the 2006 docudrama The Queen welcomed her among the Hollywood royalty known as Oscar winners. However, despite the film title, she didn't strike gold with her next project: the Nicolas Cage-led adventure flick National Treasure: Book of Secrets, alongside Jon Voight, Harvey Keitel, Ed Harris and Diane Kruger. Per Rotten Tomatoes, critic consensus said of the 35% "Rotten" movie: "A talented cast goes to waste in the improbable National Treasure: Book of Secrets."

Jodie Foster

One of Hollywood's most acclaimed child stars — she was only 12 years old when she starred opposite Robert De Niro in the Martin Scorsese masterpiece Taxi Driver, earning her first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress — Jodie Foster successfully segued into more adult fare with the 1988 legal drama The Accused. As an assault survivor Sarah Tobias, Foster received a Best Actress win—it wouldn't be her last, with the star winning the same award for her next film release, one of the greatest horror movies of all time, The Silence of the Lambs.

Halle Berry

Halle Berry made Oscar history when she became the first African-American woman ever to win the Academy Award for Best Actress, for her performance as a struggling widow in 2001's Monster's Ball. After becoming an Oscar winner, Berry became a Bond Girl — bikini-sporting NSA agent Jinx, to be exact — in the 2002 spy flick Die Another Day, opposite Pierce Brosnan as 007. However, the latter is widely considered to be the worst entry in James Bond's canon.

Julie Andrews

A legendary performer across both screen and stage, Julie Andrews won her Best Actress Oscar in 1964 for a truly iconic role: as the titular nanny extraordinaire in Mary Poppins. And she didn't stop there — the very next year, she would get yet another Academy Award nomination for an equally beloved character, as The Sound of Music's Maria, the sweet, singing governess to the Von Trapp family. Talk about an epic filmography!

Kathy Bates

One of the best Kathy Bates performances, as obsessive superfan Annie Wilkes in the 1990 Stephen King thriller Misery, earned the talented actress her first Academy Award nomination and win. (She would have three more Oscar nods across her decades-spanning career.) Bates' next film role was in the South African drama The Road to Mecca, based on the Athol Fugard play of the same name — the performer was praised for both her acting and her accent work.

Hilary Swank

Before there were transgender characters like Emilia Pérez (Emilia Pérez), Sin-Dee Rella (Tangerine), or Raymond Rayon (Dallas Buyers Club), there was Brandon Teena, the real-life trans man at the center of the 1999 drama Boys Don't Cry. Hilary Swank's harrowing, career-making performance as Teena earned the star her first Best Actress award, with critics like Entertainment Weekly's Owen Gleiberman calling the actress a "revelation" in the film. Reactions to her next movie, the 2000 supernatural thriller The Gift, were far more mixed. A. O. Scott of The New York Times wrote: "The picture is saved from mediocrity by [director Sam] Raimi's smooth competence, and by the unusually high quality of the acting."

Renée Zellweger

After prior Best Actress nominations for two of her best movies, Bridget Jones' Diary and Chicago — plus a Best Supporting Actress win for Cold Mountain — Renée Zellweger finally got her big Best Actress win for her portrayal of Judy Garland in Rupert Goold's Judy. After taking a multi-year break from acting, Zellweger's much-anticipated next film credit will be a return to a beloved role, in Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy.

Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman was so convincing as a troubled ballerina in the 2010 psychological thriller Black Swan that she thought the film was a docudrama while making it. So, it's no surprise, then, that her tour-de-force performance garnered the star an Academy Award for Best Actress. Ever one to keep you guessing genre-wise, Portman's next role was in the 2011 stoner fantasy-comedy Your Highness, which sadly was a box office bomb and received largely negative reviews from critics.

Cher

The "Goddess of Pop" Cher officially added the title of "Oscar winner" to her already legendary showbiz career with her 1988 Best Actress triumph for one of her best movies, the acclaimed rom-com Moonstruck. Her next movie role came two years later as Rachel Flax, the saucy single mom to young Winona Ryder and Christina Ricci in the 1990 dramedy Mermaids. The heartfelt title has been dubbed an "underappreciated 1990s coming-of-age gem" by The Guardian, which singled out Cher's performance as "nothing short of magical."

Kate Winslet

One of the greatest performers of her generation, it took Kate Winslet a whopping six Oscar nominations before she finally took home the Academy Award for Best Actress, for playing a former Nazi camp guard in 2008's The Reader. Her next onscreen role was in the 2011 black comedy Carnage, by disgraced director Roman Polanski. The film received positive reviews, with critics praising the performances of the cast, including Winslet's — she earned a Golden Globe nod for Best Actress in a Motional Picture Musical or Comedy.

Julia Roberts

After a decade that solidified her as rom-com royalty, Julia Roberts proved her dramatic bonafides by winning the Best Actress Oscar for playing the title role in the 2000 legal drama Erin Brockovich, one of her best movies. America's Sweetheart returned to her romantic comedy roots with her next film, fittingly entitled America's Sweethearts, though critics weren't too sweet on the movie. It only holds a 33% approval rating at Rotten Tomatoes, with the site's consensus reading: "Despite its famous cast, the movie lacks sympathetic characters and is only funny in spurts."

Susan Sarandon

After Oscar nominations for Atlantic City, Thelma & Louise, Lorenzo's Oil and The Client, Susan Sarandon was finally named Best Actress by the Academy for playing Sister Helen Prejean in 1995's Dead Man Walking. Her next film was the decidedly lighter kids' flick James and the Giant Peach, in which Sarandon voiced the character of Miss Spider. The film received generally positive reviews from critics, with Randy Newman's score earning an Oscar nod; however, the film was a box office failure, grossing $300,000 less than its budget.

Marion Cotillard

French movie star Marion Cotillard became the first actor to win an Academy Award for a French-language performance for her transformative turn as legendary singer Édith Piaf in the 2007 music biopic La Vie en Rose. Her next film credit was another biographical drama — this time, the Michael Mann-directed gangster film Public Enemies, alongside Johnny Depp and Christian Bale. Though many critics praised the leading performances, reviews were mixed, with the title holding a 68% Rotten Tomatoes rating.

Marlee Matlin

Marlee Matlin's acting debut in 1986's Children of a Lesser God saw the actress making Oscar history not once but twice: she became the first deaf performer to ever win an Academy Award, as well as the youngest winner in the Best Actress category. The CODA star followed up that momentous victory with the 1987 Western Walker, starring Ed Harris, Richard Masur and Peter Boyle. The historical drama was nominated for the Golden Bear at the 38th Berlin International Film Festival but received very polarized reviews and was a failure at the box office.

Gwyneth Paltrow

Fun fact: Gwyneth Paltrow wasn't initially supposed to star as Viola de Lesseps in the 1998 Bard-inspired romantic comedy Shakespeare in Love — Julia Roberts was. But Gwyn is no doubt grateful the latter ultimately left the production, as the role won her a Best Actress Oscar. Her next project was equally acclaimed: 1999's Anthony Minghella-helmed thriller The Talented Mr. Ripley scored five Academy Award nominations.

Audrey Hepburn

Screen legend Audrey Hepburn won her first Oscar in 1953 for her debut starring role, as Princess Ann in the classic black-and-white comedy Roman Holiday. The British beauty would later be nominated four more times for films like her first post-award project, the 1954 Billy Wilder-directed dramedy Sabrina, as well as The Nun's Story, Breakfast at Tiffany's and Wait Until Dark.

Sally Field

The Academy likes her, they really like her — yes, Sally Field has won not one but two Best Actress statuettes, the first being for her inspiring performance in 1979's Norma Rae and the second five years later for another one of her best films, Places in the Heart. Following her first win, Field reprised her role as Carrie, or "Frog," in 1980's Smoky and the Bandit II opposite her real-life love Burt Reynolds. Though the sequel was a box office success, prompting a third film, it received almost entirely negative reviews from critics.

Charlize Theron

One of the best Charlize Theron roles was also the star's most remarkably unrecognizable: the South African-born actress earned a Best Actress Oscar for her portrayal of real-life prostitute and serial killer Aileen Wuornos in the 2003 crime drama Monster. Her next big-screen performance was the 2004 war drama Head in the Clouds, which saw Theron acting opposite her then-romantic partner Stuart Townsend. The film was a critical and box office failure; in the San Francisco Chronicle, Walter Addiego wrote: "If not for the presence of Charlize Theron, it's hard to imagine this film would have attracted anywhere near the kind of attention it's gotten."

Reese Witherspoon

Reese Witherspoon proved she was more than just a musical sidekick with her Oscar-winning performance as June Carter Cash in the 2005 Johnny Cash biopic Walk the Line. The Legally Blonde star was next seen in the harrowing 2007 political thriller Rendition opposite Jake Gyllenhaal, Meryl Streep and Peter Sarsgaard. However, "the impressive cast cannot rescue Rendition, which explores complex issues in woefully simplified terms," reads the critics' consensus on Rotten Tomatoes, with the film at a paltry 47% approval rating.

Elizabeth Taylor

Through much of the mid-20th century, celluloid icon Elizabeth Taylor was one of MGM's most bankable stars. In fact, her final film for the studio — 1960's Butterfield 8, playing glamorous call girl Gloria Wandrous — earned the movie star her first Academy Award for Best Actress. Her next performance was just as iconic: as the titular Egyptian queen in the 1963 historical epic Cleopatra, which received nine Oscar nominations and four wins, though, alas, none for Taylor specifically.

Celebrities owning restaurants is an old tradition in Hollywood. Sometimes, like Mark Wahlberg, it's a simple burger chain, other times, it's a classy hotel where you can have an elegant meal, like Richard Gere. Everything from tacos to sushi to fried chicken and everything in between. 

Just like people love watching scenes in movies about food, people love to rub elbows with the elite in some of these establishments. Here are 32 actors who own restaurants all over the country. 

Mark Wahlberg - Wahlburgers

The first Wahlburgers opened in Hingham, Massachusetts in 2011. The chain has since grown to dozens of stores all over the country and was the subject of a reality show for 10 seasons on A&E. The chain is collectively owned by three Wahlbergs, including Mark and Donnie, along with their chef brother, Paul. 

Ryan Gosling - Tagline

Ryan Gosling has become one of the biggest stars in Hollywood, and so it makes sense he would open a restaurant in Beverly Hills. Co-owned by the Barbie star and Chef Ben Benameur, the Moroccan joint serves up delicious food in a cozy atmosphere.

Lady Gaga - Joanne Trattoria

Joanne Germanotta was a beloved aunt to Lady Gaga (whose real name is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta). Not only did Gaga name a 2016 album after her, but the family has also opened Joanne Trattoria on the Upper West Side in Manhattan. In true Gaga style, the restaurant is not only a great place for Italian food, but it supports local artists, hosts regular drag shows, and has regular performances by local musicians. 

Robert De Niro - Nobu

Robert De Niro first became a regular at chef Nobu Matsuhisa's LA sushi joint Nobu way back in the 1980s. In the mid-90s, De Niro approached Matsuhisa about opening a New York spot. Nobu opened in 1994 in Tribeca and the company has since become a powerhouse in the hospitality industry, with dozens of restaurants and hotels all over the world. 

Michael Imperioli - Scarlet

White Lotus star Michael Imperioli has dabbled in the restaurant industry for a long time. In the mid-'90s Imperioli and his wife opened a speakeasy-style bar called Ciel Rouge, in Tribeca. Almost 30 years later, and 20 after Ciel Rouge closed in 2005, the couple opened Scarlet on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It sticks with the classy, chill speakeasy vibe that made their first venture successful. 

Sandra Bullock - Walton's Fancy & Staple

Walton's Fancy & Staple in Austin, TX, is pretty much exactly what you would expect from Sandra Bullock. It's an upscale neighborhood place with hearty food and a cheery atmosphere. Walton's is the Speed star's second restaurant in her adopted hometown. The first, Bess Bistro, closed in 2016 after a successful 10-year run. Walton's opened in 2009. 

Ludacris - Chicken And Beer

Is there anything better than good fried chicken and great beer to wash it down? If you're in Atlanta and don't check out Ludacris' place, simply named Chicken and Beer, you're missing out on those two wonderful things that pair so well together.

Norman Reedus - Nic & Norman's

Norman Reedus is famous for playing rough-around-the-edges characters like Daryl in The Walking Dead, but his restaurant is not. Nic & Norman's, which has locations across the Southeast is rustic, but it's not rough in any way. The upscale but relaxed gastropubs are sure to satisfy anyone. 

Susan Sarandon - SPiN

When Susan Sarandon and her fellow investors opened SPiN in 2009, there was a surge in the popularity of table tennis (or ping pong). The fad was pretty short-lived, but the table tennis-focused restaurants have remained successful with multiple locations around the country. 

Dan Aykroyd - House Of Blues

One of Dan Aykroyd's most beloved SNL characters, Elwood Blues of The Blues Brothers, has proven to be more than just a role for the actor. On Thanksgiving Day 1992, Aykroyd and his partner Isaac Tigrett (who founded the Hard Rock Cafe), opened the first House of Blues in Cambridge, MA. It has since grown into one of the largest chains of live music venues in the world, and serves some pretty delicious food, too. 

Eva Longoria - Beso

Eva Longoria can do no wrong on the big and small screens, but she didn't have much luck in the restaurant industry. Her steakhouse in LA, Beso, ran into multiple problems in its short run, though none were the fault of the actress. 

Kevin Hart - Hart House

Kevin Hart's LA chain Hart House was ambitious. He wanted to create an affordable vegan chain, and despite rave reviews, it just couldn't make it in the market. The company closed all of its locations in 2024 after initially finding success. 

Issa Rae - Hilltop Coffee And Kitchen

Issa Rae is a true force of nature both in front of and behind the camera. She's also found success in the food industry. Hilltop Coffee And Kitchen brings high-end coffee vibes to historical Black neighborhoods in LA, like Inglewood and View Park. 

Danny Trejo - Trejo's Tacos

Everyone loves tacos and every loves Danny Trejo. So of course a concept like Trejo's Tacos is sure to work and it has succeeded greatly. The chain has multiple locations across LA and has even spawned a second concept: Trejo's Donuts which also opened to rave reviews. 

Channing Tatum - Saints And Sinners

Saints And Sinners, a bar on Bourbon Street in New Orleans co-owned by Channing Tatum was a wild success... at least for a time. The industry is notoriously fickle and Tatum and his partners learned that the hard way when the bar closed in the summer of 2024 after 12 great years. 

Justin Timberlake - The Twelve Thirty Club

Justin Timberlake first dabbled in the food industry in the early teens when he helped design a Memphis-style BBQ joint in New York City called Southern Hospitality. Though he wasn't an owner, he was involved in the concept phase of the place and was a regular there. More recently, he has teamed up with restauranteur Sam Fox to open The Twelve Thirty Club in Nashville. 

Nicholas Braun - Jac’s On Bond

Cousin Greg may not always get the most respect on Succession, but the actor who plays him, Nicholas Braun, sure gets respect in the hospitality industry. Braun is an investor in multiple restaurants in New York City, including a chill bar and restaurant called Jac's on Bond Street in the trendy NoHo neighborhood. 

Zach Braff - Mermaid Oyster Bar

MacDougal Street in New York's Greenwich Village is home to some great restaurants, like the legendary Caffe Reggio and Mamoun's Falafels. It's also where you can find Zach Braff's more upscale, but still laid-back seafood spot appropriately called Mermaid Oyster Bar. 

Anthony Mackie - NoBar

Like others on this list (and in the world), Anthony Mackie has had mixed results as a bar/restaurant owner. His most famous spot, NoBar, opened in Brooklyn in 2011, followed by a second Booklyn location in 2013. Sadly both closed in 2015. 

Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis - Planet Hollywood

The granddaddy of all actor-owned restaurants has to be Planet Hollywood. The first Planet Hollywood opened in New York City in 1991. Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Bruce Willis, among others, were all investors in the concept and, at least at first, the restaurant was a huge success, opening additional locations across the globe. At its peak, there were upwards of 60 locations in the late '90s, but the fun didn't last. Things started to unravel and the stars started to jump shit and most of the locations, other than their most successful ones, closed. 

Richard Gere - Bedford Post Inn

Legendary actor Richard Gere doesn't just own a restaurant, he owns an 8-room bed and breakfast called the Bedford Post Inn in... appropriately, Bedford, NY. The stylish and quaint inn does include a spot to eat, the Bedford Post Tavern, and the inn and the restaurant both draw all kinds of celebrities for a restful stay or a delicious dinner. 

Robert Redford - Zoom

It shouldn't come as any surprise to learn that Robert Redford's former restaurant in Park City, UT was home to a lot of home to a lot powerbrokers during the Sundance Film Festival for many years. Prior to closing in 2016, the hot spot was where the elite met to eat and strike deals during one of the biggest film festivals in the world. 

Hugh Jackman - Laughing Man Coffee

The origin story for Hugh Jackman's Laughing Man Coffee is one of the best on this list. The Aussie actor and his wife took a trip to Ethiopia to learn more about coffee and how the beans were grown. There, according to the coffee shop's website, Jackman met a coffee farmer named Dukale. Dukale gave Jackman a real hands-on experience and after the trip, he and some partners opened Laughing Man Coffee with the goal of working directly with farmers around the world to bring their coffee to New Yorkers. 

Jon Bon Jovi - Soul Kitchen And JBJ's

Jon Bon Jovi may be most famous for being the voice of the band named after him, but he's dabbled a lot in acting, and a little in the hospitality biz. His first venture was started by his foundation and called Soul Kitchen. The restaurant, located in Red Bank, NJ, sells food for whatever hungry customers can afford. Bon Jovi has also opened a spot on the famous Broadway strip in Nashville called JBJ's which features live music and a full menu, in addition to beer and booze, of course.

Piper Perabo - Jack's Wife Freda

Piper Perabo got her big break playing a bartender in Coyote Ugly and while the New York City chain she's an investor in, called Jack's Wife Frida, doesn't feature half-dressed women dancing on the bar, it's got something even better: delicious Mediterranean food. With five locations across the city, you can always find what you're craving, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 

Jessica Biel - Au Fudge

Au Fudge, which closed its doors in 2018, was something unique in the celebrity restaurant world - a kid's restaurant. As the name implies, Jessica Biel's spot was all about dessert and candy. It also had all the stuff kids love, like chicken fingers, on the menu. The world needs more of these, right parents?

Debi Mazar - The Tuscan Gun

Debi Mazar and her chef husband's love of food was first shown through a cooking show on the Cooking Channel. They spun that into a Tuscany-themed New York restaurant called The Tuscan Gun. Using chef Mazar's husband Gabriele Corcos' recipes, the Italian joint brought the best of Italy to Williamsburg. 

Quentin Tarantino - Do Hwa

For years, Quentin Tarantino's Korean restaurant Do Hwa brought the delicious flavors of East Asia to the West Village in New York. While very few people would call Tarantino "understated," his restaurant was, in all the best ways. It was cozy and delicious before it closed in 2018.

Jerry Ferrara - Fat Sal's

A sandwich joint called Fat Sal's is just perfect for Entourage star Jerry Ferrara. It sounds exactly like something Turtle would open on the show. Fat Sal's has multiple locations around LA and is a great spot if you want traditional deli sandwiches sold by a guy you can be sure loves them as much as you do. 

Justin Theroux - Ray's

Justin Theroux is a jack of all trades. He's an actor, a writer, and an ex-husband to Jennifer Aniston. He's also a bar owner, along with partner Nicolaus Braun with Ray's on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. The dive bar is everything you could ever want in an unpretentious local water hole, which is no surprise, coming from Theroux. 

Ashton Kutcher - Dolce Enoteca E Ristorante

Ashton Kutcher has never been afraid to make risky investments. Some have paid off handsomely, like his early investments in Spotify and Uber. Others haven't worked out so well, like his short-lived Italian spot, Dolce Enoteca E Ristorante. The hot spot worked for a while but it closed in 2020, like so many other restaurants. 

Ty Burrell - The Eating Establishment

Modern Family star Ty Burrell took a slightly different route to restaurant ownership than most of the other actors on his list. Instead of starting a new spot, he bought an old one. The Eating Establishment, which dates back to 1970, was purchased by Burrell and other investors in 2016 and they've continued to run the popular Park City, UT restaurant ever since. 

Eminem - Mom's Spaghetti

Mom's Spaghetti is the perfect kind of place for Eminem to own, right? The Detroit, Michigan-based eatery has name that perfectly describes the food you can get there, and it's taken straight from an Eminem lyric in "Lose Yourself."

Jon Huertas - Clutch

Jon Huertas, best known for playing Brad Alcerro in Sabrina The Teenage Witch, is the proud owner of Clutch Roadhouse in Culver City, CA. Clutch is known for its great food and charitable works, both very important to the This Is Us star. 

With the NFL’s return merging with the final month of regular season MLB, this is a magical time of year for sports fans, though there are more than enough great sports movies to keep that magic going throughout the whole year. One such baseball-focused classic film is Ron Shelton’s Bull Durham, whose stars Susan Sarandon and Kevin Costner just reunited 36 years after it hit theater screens.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the two Hollywood icons didn’t cross paths for anything related to America’s greatest pastime, but rather for a good cause related to the cinema-driven nonprofit Better World Fund. The organization held an event timed with the Venice Film Festival, with both Sarandon and Costner serving as the guests of honor, and it looks like they were able to share at least a few moments catching up, on top of all the photo ops and further publicity.

Susan Sarandon shared her appreciation for the nonprofit on Instagram while also voicing her appreciation to talk to her Bull Durham co-star. As she put it:

Like a champ, the Oscar-winning actress didn’t even namecheck their 1988 rom-com when tagging Costner, but instead referenced the world premiere of his western Horizon: An American Saga’s second chapter, which lost its release date in the aftermath of the first film’s low-faring box office debut. (And he’s still gung ho about the next two planned films.)

On the flip side, we’ll probably never see an expanded Bull Durham universe with multiple sequels, as interesting as it might be to catch up with these characters. So for now, fans will just need to rewatch Crash Davis and Annie Savoy's romantic entagnlements to keep the drive alive.

Kevin Costner also shared a pic on his Instagram page from his reunion with Sarandon (as well as a shot from their Bull Durham days), saying this in his caption:

Better World Fund and Studio Mao also shared a video from the event, as seen below.

It's a wonder why fans haven't been able to see the two living legends sharing the screen again in the decades since Bull Durham. Sarandon's series Monarch seemed overtly inspired by the success of Costner's Yellowstone, but her show was canceled, and he's not part of that franchise anymore, so maybe their paths will cross once more on the big or small screen.

Bull Durham is one of many great movies streaming on Pluto TV, Tubi, and MGM+, and Costner’s excellence in it almost kept him from starring in Field of Dreams. But that’s another story.

Whenever we talk about the best ‘90s movies, it doesn’t take long before the conversation turns to the most iconic actors of the final decade of the 20th century and their most beloved performances. But what are Will Smith’s, Julia Roberts’, or Keanu Reeves’ best movies for the unforgettable and transformative 10-year stretch? 

We’re being totally subjective here (Because why not?), but here are the best ‘90s movies for these 32 actors. Best Picture winners, a handful of the best action movies of all time, and other films that turned up-and-comers into overnight megastars can all be found below.

Will Smith (Independence Day)

Will Smith was already a household name by the time Independence Day was released and became the biggest movie of 1996, but this massive sci-fi flick took him to new heights. Electric, magnetic, and charismatic beyond belief, the Fresh Prince became the King of the summer blockbuster with his portrayal of Captain Steven Hiller.

Leonardo DiCaprio (Titanic)

Is there a bigger ‘90s movie than Titanic, both in terms of financial returns and cultural prominence? Yeah, James Cameron’s story of the ill-fated ship, his special effects, and the rest of the cast made this 1997 disaster movie a must-see, but Leonardo DiCaprio, with his “King of the World” moment, made this an all-timer. 

Tom Cruise (Jerry Maguire)

Picking the best ‘90s movie for Tom Cruise is no easy task, considering some of the actor’s best performances took place that decade. However, despite Magnolia and Mission: Impossible being great in their own ways, this has to go to Cruise’s dynamic portrayal of the struggling sports agent in Jerry Maguire. “Show me the money,” is a quote we keep in our repertoire nearly 30 years later. 

Sandra Bullock (Speed)

Sandra Bullock put herself on the map with her performance in Speed, one of the most iconic 1994 movies. Though she was great in Demolition Man the year before, Bullock’s take on Annie Porter made her an overnight sensation and quickly became one of her best roles to date, even outside the ‘90s.

Morgan Freeman (The Shawshank Redemption)

How Morgan Freeman didn’t win an Oscar for his performance in The Shawshank Redemption is one of the biggest mysteries, and travesties, in Hollywood history. His portrayal of Ellis "Red" Redding in this spectacular Stephen King adaptation is so strong and so believable that you don’t see him as an actor playing an inmate, but more like an aging prisoner trying to “get busy living or get busy dying.”

Samuel L. Jackson (Pulp Fiction)

As much as we would have loved to argue for Jurassic Park being Samuel L. Jackson’s best ‘90s movie, Ray Arnold has nothing on the bad mother [redacted] that was Jules Winnfield from Pulp Fiction. Easily Quentin Tarantino’s best movie, this 1994 classic is essentially a master class in dialogue and non-linear storytelling.

Meg Ryan (Sleepless In Seattle)

A few years after leading the best romantic comedy of all time with When Harry Met Sally, Meg Ryan teamed up with Nora Ephron (who was directing this time around) for Sleepless in Seattle in 1993. The chemistry between Ryan and Tom Hanks as Annie Reed and Sam Baldwin, is incredible, even if they only share a couple minutes of screentime.

Julia Roberts (Pretty Woman)

It’s hard to imagine what Julia Roberts’ career and Hollywood in general would be like if the actress didn’t play Vivian Ward in Pretty Woman. Sure, Roberts already had some hits and would have gone on to land big roles, but this 1990 rom-com instantly made her one of the brightest stars on the planet and showed off her dynamic range and impeccable comedic timing.

Angela Bassett (What's Love Got To Do With It)

Angela Bassett’s best movie, What’s Love Got to Do with It saw the celebrated actress take on the role of the legendary Tina Turner in this 1993 biopic about the late singer’s life, career, and toxic relationship with husband and music partner Ike Turner. Bassett had some pretty iconic ‘90s roles throughout the decade, but this is at the tippy top of the mountain.

Keanu Reeves (The Matrix)

Picking Keanu Reeves’ best movie of the 1990s is more difficult than you’d think. Point Break, My Private Idaho, and Speed are all contenders, but none come close to the heights of The Matrix and his performance as Neo, aka, the One. Watching Reeves’ character develop throughout this great ‘90s sci-fi film never gets old.

Robin Williams (Good Will Hunting)

Robin Williams had SO many good movies in the ‘90s, but Good Will Hunting was in a league of its own, at least in terms of performances by the late comedian. The richness, range, and emotion found in his portrayal of Sean Maguire is something to behold. No wonder he took home an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.

Bruce Willis (The Sixth Sense)

The ‘90s saw Bruce Willis play everything from his most iconic character in the second and third Die Hard movies to the leads in multiple blockbusters. However, none of those compare to his work in The Sixth Sense. There is just something so warm and refreshing about his portrayal of a child psychiatrist trying to help a young boy make sense of life and his strange gift.

Harrison Ford (The Fugitive)

Have you gone back and watched The Fugitive lately? If not, do so now. If you have, you’re all too familiar with Harrison Ford’s performance as Richard Kimble, the Chicago doctor trying to clear his name after being wrongfully convicted of murdering his wife. Air Force One and Clear and Present Danger are great, but this 1993 thriller is one of Ford’s career-best.

Frances McDormand (Fargo)

Frances McDormand’s portrayal of Marge Gunderson in the Coen Brothers' Fargo earned the actress the first of her three Academy Awards, and for good reason: she’s the heart and soul of the 1996 crime comedy.  

Gary Oldman (The Fifth Element)

Gary Oldman played some of the meanest ‘90s villains in movies like Air Force One, Leon: The Professional, and The Fifth Element, the latter of which features his best work of the decade. Jean-Baptiste Emanuel Zorg is one of those characters that you love to hate and enjoy watching as much as the 1997 sci-fi film’s hero, which is saying something.

Wesley Snipes (White Men Can't Jump)

In the years following his breakout performance in Major League, Wesley Snipes became one of the dependable faces in Hollywood thanks to unforgettable turns in New Jack City, Demolition Man, and Jungle Fever. But let’s be real, Snipes’ take on Syd Deane is one of the most iconic ‘90s characters and essentially carries this all-time great basketball movie.

Tom Hanks (Saving Private Ryan)

Tom Hanks dominated the ‘90s with Oscar-winning performances in Philadelphia and Forrest Gump as well as other decade-defining films like Toy Story and A League of Their Own. But in terms of the BEST movie, that has to go to Saving Private Ryan, Steven Spielberg’s harrowing World War II epic about heroism, survival, and the hope of a better tomorrow.

Robert De Niro (Cape Fear)

We could have listed Goodfellas, Heat, or even A Bronx Tale as Robert De Niro’s best movie from the ‘90s, but his performance as Max Cady in Cape Fear is on a whole other level. Easily one of the Oscar winner’s most menacing characters, the psychopathic ex-con with a bone to pick is a force of pure evil here.

Al Pacino (Heat)

After playing all-time great gangsters in the ‘70s and ‘80s, Al Pacino was on the other side of the law in Michael Mann’s 1995 crime epic, Heat. Sure, Scent of a Woman earned him that elusive Oscar for Best Actor, but his take on Lieutenant Vincent Hanna is the stuff of legend. Plus, we also got to see Pacino and Robert De Niro share a scene for the first time.

Anthony Hopkins (The Silence Of The Lambs)

Anthony Hopkins' portrayal of Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs is one of the greatest performances of all time. That said, it should be no surprise that this great horror film gets the call here. Though there was some stiff competition.

Philip Seymour Hoffman (Boogie Nights)

As much as we would love to break down all the awesome ways Philip Seymour Hoffman stole the show in Twister and My Boyfriend’s Back, the late actor really came into his own in Paul Thomas Anderson’s 1997 drama, Boogie Nights. Hoffman’s sympathetic take on Scotty J. was nothing short of brilliant and showed what was to come.

Jodie Foster (The Silence Of The Lambs)

If you were to break down Jodie Foster’s best performances, her portrayal of Clarice Starling would be at or near the top of that list. A movie that has been quoted or referenced countless times over the years, this 1991 thriller remains one of the best ever made.

Brad Pitt (Seven)

David Fincher’s Seven is Brad Pitt’s best movie from the ‘90s for a variety of reasons: 1) the movie about a serial killer taking lives based on the seven deadly sins is violently unique, 2) it was the start of a partnership between actor and director, and 3) Pitt showed he was more than a pretty face and really had what it took.

Arnold Schwarzenegger (T2: Judgment Day)

Terminator 2: Judgment Day is not only a decade-defining action movie or a landmark achievement in visual effects, it’s also Arnold Schwarzenegger’s best movie of the ‘90s and perhaps all time. James Cameron’s sequel is bigger and louder than its predecessor and epic beyond compare.

Whoopi Goldberg (Sister Act)

Whoopi Goldberg won her first Academy Award for her role as Oda Mae Brown in Ghost, a film that kicked off an impressive decade for the comedian and actor. Her spiritual guide for Patrick Swayze’s ghostly Sam Wheat in this supernatural thriller helped anchor the film and turn it into the biggest movie of 1990.

Matt Damon (Good Will Hunting)

Matt Damon went from a relatively unknown actor to one of the brightest faces (and voices) in Hollywood thanks to Good Will Hunting. His tortured performance as a young math prodigy in South Boston is still captivating more than 25 years later.

Eddie Murphy (The Nutty Professor)

Eddie Murphy did a little bit of everything in the ‘90s, but The Nutty Professor shows off some of the comedian’s best work. Playing multiple characters (heroes, villains, and in between) really showed off Murphy’s dynamic range and varied comedic styles.

Adam Sandler (Happy Gilmore)

Though Big Daddy proved that Adam Sandler could handle slightly more dramatic roles, there’s no denying the fact that Happy Gilmore is the former SNL star’s best ‘90s movie. His take on a failed hockey player finding new purpose (and fortune) in the world of golf was a game-changer and created one of the best sports characters of all time.

Denzel Washington (Malcolm X)

Denzel Washington is another actor who had more great roles in the ‘90s than we can count, but at the top of his “best” list is Spike Lee’s 1992 biopic, Malcolm X. The movie about the controversial civil rights icon was eye-opening, enchanting, and epic.

Joe Pesci (Goodfellas)

We could have talked about My Cousin Vinny, we could have talked about Home Alone, and we could have even made a case for Casino, but none of that is possible without Goodfellas. The movie, which introduced the world to Joe Pesci’s Tommy DeVito, is one of the greatest gangster movies of all time and an influential piece of cinema we still rave about 30-plus years later.

Susan Sarandon (Thelma & Louise)

Ridley Scott’s Thelma & Louise, a movie featuring one of the best female friendships with Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis’ titular characters, helped kickstart the decade back in 1990. Easily Sarandon’s best movie of the ‘90s, this crime drama about two friends on the run from the law is just so dang great.

Jim Carrey (Dumb & Dumber)

Jim Carrey absolutely dominated the ‘90s comedy scene, and the box office in general back in 1994. While Ace Ventura Pet Detective and The Mask both have their moments, we have to be real for a second and admit that Dumb and Dumber is some of Carrey’s best work.

Movie fans had lots to love in the '90s and these actors and their best movies of the decade will never be forgotten.

When you look at the landscape of Hollywood A-List actors, it’s hard to believe how many haven’t been nominated for an Oscar. Even crazier is looking back on previous nominees like Meryl Streep and Gary Oldman’s careers and seeing where their first brush with golden glory came from. That’s what we’re gathered together to do today, as we look back on a who’s who of acting talent, and those first projects that put them on The Academy’s map! 

Meryl Streep - The Deer Hunter

Where does one begin when talking about Meryl Streep’s own personal golden dynasty? Well, if you want to start at the beginning, you’d take it all the way back to 1978. That’s when Michael Cimino’s The Deer Hunter put Ms. Streep on the Academy’s radar for the first time. At the time of publication, Streep is the most nominated person at the Academy Awards, thanks to a whopping 21 nods.

Daniel Day-Lewis - My Left Foot

The year 1990 marked an important moment for iconic actor, and three-time Academy Award winner, Daniel Day-Lewis. The now-retired thespian found himself winning on his first time out, with his nomination for the role of Irish writer and painter Christy Brown in My Left Foot. His portrayal of Brown, who created art while living with Cerebral Palsy, was only the beginning of a legacy involving method acting, which led to several more nominations and wins in the process.

Amy Adams - Junebug

Let’s put aside the fact that Amy Adams and Arrival were failed by awards boards in the 2016- 2017 season. Outside of that grudge that some still hold dear, Adams has a total of six Oscar nominations to her credit. That’s pretty amazing, with the first nod coming from her performance in 2005’s Junebug. With that noted, we can go back to grousing about how she deserves to be at seven nods, thanks to Denis Villeneuve’s brain-breaking masterpiece.

Leonardo DiCaprio - What’s Eating Gilbert Grape

While Leonardo DiCaprio could finally call himself a winner as part of 2016’s Academy Award nominees, the path to that victory for The Revenant kicked off in 1994. A hot young talent, DiCaprio’s first nomination was for his role alongside Johnny Depp in the drama What’s Eating Gilbert Grape? Turns out, when it was winning time for Leo, the answer to that question was, “A bear.”

Sandra Bullock - The Blind Side

One of America’s sweethearts, Sandra Bullock can be counted as a member of the First Timer's Club. Her first nomination was also the one that won her the trophy, as the 2010 Academy Awards yielded a golden win for her role in The Blind Side. Despite the recent controversies and lawsuit from Michael Oher that have hit that film’s story about the football player and the Tuohys, this is a hard-earned win, and the first of two nominations so far for Ms. Bullock. 

Tom Hanks - Big

We all know that Tom Hanks is Academy Award-winning royalty, as America’s Dad has six nominations and two wins under his belt. Looking back at the fact that his first competition for Oscar glory came from 1988’s Big, it’s an impressive feat for happening so early in Hanks’ career as an actor. It’s even more stunning when you take into account that it was for a comedy performance, which isn’t as prevalent at the Oscars as one would hope.

Viola Davis - Doubt

Despite the title of the film she was first nominated for, there was absolutely no Doubt when it came to Viola Davis’ status as an Oscar contender. Her first round came in 2008, through that very film mentioned; and she would eventually be nominated three more times, at the time of this publication. Her first win came in 2016 after she starred with fellow Oscar titan Denzel Washington in the film adaptation of Fences. (It's also worth mentioning that this actress is also in the elite club of EGOT winners.)

Peter O’Toole - Lawrence Of Arabia

Tied with Glenn Close for the most Oscar nominations without a win, the late great Peter O’Toole banked his first Academy Awards nod with the movie you’d most expect. Thanks to the director David Lean’s 1962 epic Lawrence of Arabia, O’Toole began a dance with Academy voters that only saw him net a 2002 Honorary Academy Award. 

Jodie Foster - Taxi Driver

In the world of Disney actors turned Academy Award contenders, Jodie Foster will always be one of the most notable in that field. At the age of 15, Foster saw her first nomination through her only Best Supporting Actress nod to date. The eventual victor for films like The Accused and The Silence of the Lambs, Jodie first competed for Oscar glory through the role of child prostitute Iris Steensma in Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver. 

Morgan Freeman - Street Smart

Even movies with Oscar buzz can become buried in the sands of time. Just ask Morgan Freeman, who first saw himself nominated at the Academy Awards in 1987 for Street Smart. A crime drama starring Christopher Reeve as an ambitious reporter profiling Freeman’s pimp character Leo “Fast Black” Smalls Jr., it’s a movie that most wouldn’t remember; especially when compared to the other films the prestigious actor would be nominated for.

Cate Blanchett - Elizabeth

Playing royalty almost feels like a shortcut to winning big-time gold. However, Cate Blanchett is one of those exceptions that sets the rules. While she would later win trophies for The Aviator and Blue Jasmine, Blanchett’s first bid for an Academy Award came in 1999, thanks to the titular role in director Shekhar Kapur’s Elizabeth. 

Anthony Hopkins - The Silence Of The Lambs

Horror is one of those genres that doesn’t seem to get much love on the awards circuit. However, when the results are something as chilling as director Jonathan Demme’s adaptation of The Silence of the Lambs, containing Anthony Hopkins’ equally unsettling performance as Dr. Hannibal Lecter, it’s hard not to take notice. Score another First Timer’s Club victory, as Hopkins took home the gold his first time up.

Charlize Theron - Monster

Portraying the criminal mind provides such an allure for actors and auteurs alike. A case proving that point was Charlize Theron’s portrayal of convicted killer Aileen Wuornos in Patty Jenkins’ film Monster, her first nomination out of three at the time of this writing. Theron won the Best Actress trophy on the first try in 2004, all thanks to this tale of true crime. 

Christian Bale - The Fighter

Able to disappear completely in any character he plays, Academy Award winner Christian Bale has four nominations to his name. Equally split between Best Supporting Actor and Best Actor accolades, his first roll of the dice in 2011 landed him a win in the former category; thanks to David O. Russell’s The Fighter. 

Kate Winslet - Sense And Sensibility

The works of Jane Austen are another one of those sources that seem to periodically score nominations at the Oscars. Kate Winslet’s first is part of the proof, as the first of her current total of seven Academy Award nominations (and one win) came from 1995’s Sense and Sensibility. Ms. Winslet’s heart would go on to win Best Actress…in 2009, for Stephen Daldry’s The Reader.

Denzel Washington - Cry Freedom

Let’s see if King Kong knows this piece of movie trivia. Actor Denzel Washington has had 10 Oscar nominations, with two wins coming from that pool. While most would be tempted to cite his win for Glory as the first time he was nominated, that is incorrect. Washington’s first Academy Awards ceremony happened two years earlier in 1988, for his part in the film Cry Freedom. 

Kathy Bates - Misery

Frightening characters can make for the most golden of dreams, as was proven with 1991’s Academy Awards. Kathy Bates took home her first award on her first nomination, through the role of Anne Wilkes in Rob Reiner’s Misery. A “brilliant” adaptation of Stephen King’s novel, this fan favorite is one of many that’s seen the famed horror author’s work turning in some of the most well-regarded films and performances of all time.

George Clooney - Good Night, And Good Luck/Syriana

Here’s a wild story: George Clooney’s first Oscar nominations came from not one, but two films he was involved with. 2006’s Academy Awards saw the ER veteran land and win Best Supporting Actor for his role in Syriana, while one of CinemaBlend’s 100 best movies of the 2000s, Good Night, And Good Luck., netted him a Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay nod in that same contest.

Helen Mirren - The Madness Of King George

Did you know that half of Helen Mirren’s four Oscar nominations came from playing royalty? Surely most know of Mirren’s win in 2007 as Queen Elizabeth II in The Queen. But, dear readers, another queen marked the start of Dame Helen’s Academy Awards history. Her Best Supporting Actress nod in 1995 for The Madness of King George would be her initial foray into this circuit, playing Queen Charlotte to Nigel Hawthorne’s titular monarch.

Judi Dench - Mrs. Brown

Dame Judi Dench is another regal figure that practically screams “Oscar” when you see her. Another member of the club of actors winning as royalty, Dench would win in 1999 for her as Queen Elizabeth I in Shakespeare in Love. That was only on her second try, because in 1998 Dame Judi received her first nomination, playing Queen Victoria in the film Mrs. Brown.

Dustin Hoffman - The Graduate

And here’s to you, Mr. Hoffman; Oscar came a’calling very young. At 30 years old, Dustin Hoffman saw his first Academy Award nomination through starring in 1967’s The Graduate. What may be more surprising than the actual 6-year age gap between himself and co-star Anne Bancroft is that his first Oscar win would take place 12 years later, with 1980’s Kramer vs. Kramer.

Susan Sarandon - Atlantic City

Five nominations and one win are actor Susan Sarandon’s Academy Award legacy, at the time of this writing. But her first nomination was from an Oscar-buzzed title that most folks may not remember: 1981’s Atlantic City. With nominations in “The Big Five” categories, Sarandon and the film at large walked away empty-handed that year.

Russell Crowe - The Insider

Before his name was Maximus Decimus Meridius, Russell Crowe found himself heading to the Oscars under a different moniker: Jeffrey Wigand. Nominated for the first time in 2000, Crowe’s role in Michael Mann’s whistleblower drama The Insider gave the Australian actor his first golden thrill ride. One that he’d repeat in 2001, and win for through the strength and honor of Ridley Scott’s Gladiator.

Angela Bassett - What’s Love Got To Do With It

Surprisingly, Angela Bassett only received her second nomination as part of 2023's Academy Awards, thanks to Marvel Studio’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Bassett’s first nomination came from playing royalty of a different type, as her lead role in the Tina Turner biopic What’s Love Got To Do With It saw her walking the Oscar red carpet in 1994.

Gary Oldman - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Count this as another shocker in Oscar nominations history: Gary Oldman only received his first Academy Awards nomination in 2012. You’d think the Bram Stoker’s Dracula actor would have had more than the three nods and one win he currently holds. However, his dreams of golden splendor only started after he played George Smiley in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. 

Julia Roberts - Steel Magnolias

With three nominations and one win, Julia Roberts’ odds of firing you up or making you cry with her Academy Award-nominated projects are officially even. Her first time in the race came in 1990, in the dramedy classic Steel Magnolias. For those of you who haven’t seen the film, we’ll leave it to you to find out which bucket this particular nom falls into on your own time.

Al Pacino - The Godfather

Some roles are such an indelible part of an actor’s career, they just had to land an Oscar nomination for it. Al Pacino is certainly one of those cases, as he would turn his first Best Supporting Actor nomination for The Godfather into a Best Actor nod in The Godfather Part II. Both stem from his portrayal of Michael Corleone, the favorite son who descended into darkness and power.

Anne Hathaway - Rachel Getting Married

“It came true.” Those three words marked the end of Anne Hathaway’s journey to Oscar gold, with her second nomination and first win for Best Supporting Actress in Les Miserables. But the beginning of Ms. Hathaway’s Academy Awards journey was in 2009, when she was nominated for Best Actress in Rachel Getting Married. 

Matt Damon - Good Will Hunting

Matt Damon and Ben Affleck both won their first Oscars for Best Original Screenplay, thanks to 1998’s Good Will Hunting. But much like other members of the First Timers Club in this list, Damon’s first victory was also his first time at the dance. How ‘bout dem apples indeed.

Jennifer Lawrence - Winter’s Bone

The second time was the charm for Jennifer Lawrence, as her role in Silver Linings Playbook made her a winner in 2013. That wasn’t too long after her initial foray into Oscar victory, which came in 2011 thanks to her lead role in the neo-noir gem Winter’s Bone. Who’d expect any less from the eventual "girl on fire" that would lead The Hunger Games to box office domination?

Ben Affleck - Good Will Hunting

Sailing on the same current as his writing partner and longtime buddy Matt Damon, Ben Affleck’s first Oscar nomination came from his co-authoring of Good Will Hunting. And to think, if Damon and Affleck’s hijinks involving the script hadn’t worked, we may never have seen either contributor go on to the storied careers they enjoy today.

Samuel L. Jackson - Pulp Fiction

Fans of Samuel L. Jackson are about to engage in some harsh language, as the current MCU star only has one Academy Award nomination. While it’s rightful for his Best Supporting Actor-worthy role in Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction, the man’s gone on to deliver several other powerhouse performances worth at least a nod or two. This is something that not even the tastiest beverage could wash away.

As an actor, you never know where that first win or nomination is going to come from. And when you're an A-lister as iconic as the people we've just discussed, those initial impressions are all the more interesting to look at as time goes on. Who knows where these blockbuster draws will find their next brush with golden glory, and how it will compare to these humble beginnings? 

The opportunity to grace the stage at Studio 8H as a headliner for NBC’s premier sketch comedy series is a surefire sign that a celebrity has truly made it. However, the 32 A-listers we have named below stand out as an exception to the rule, having never hosted an episode of Saturday Night Live before.

Beyoncé

The pop superstar (an understatement here, really) has proven herself as a worthy actor and even showed solid comedic chops in her two SNL cameos, but Beyoncé Knowles-Carter has never headlined an episode before. Maybe, if and when she returns for her fifth musical guest appearance, she could do double-duty as host – for which an appearance alongside her frequent impersonator, Maya Rudolph, would be a necessity.

Angela Bassett

Thanks to her stint as a frequent American Horror Story cast member and her Academy Award nomination for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Angela Bassett is bigger than ever these days. Therefore, it would certainly be about time for the showbiz vet to finally grace the stage at studio 8H.

Johnny Depp

Johnny Depp is one of the most recognizable and critically acclaimed celebrities of his time, if not all time. Considering that and his decades in the industry – including the Pirates of the Caribbean movies – it’s surprising that he hasn’t ever hosted the long-running sketch comedy series. 

Angelina Jolie

Some might swear that they have seen Angelina Jolie on SNL before, but that could have been Abby Elliot’s pretty convincing impersonation. The Academy Award winner – last seen in Marvel’s Eternals cast – has never hosted the show, nor made any brief appearances.

James Marsden

With his charming wit and a successful career that includes blockbusters like the X-Men movies and the iconic romance drama, The Notebook, you would think James Marsden would have been on SNL by now, but not yet. Maybe his funny, self-effacive performance on the reality prank show, Jury Duty, will convince Lorne and co. he could lead a good show.

Zendaya

With her dual Emmy wins for leading HBO’s Euphoria cast and major roles in blockbusters like the Spider-Man movies and the Denis Villeneuve's Dune films, Zendaya is on top of the world and an established resident of it for sometime now. Maybe she has just been too busy to make time for an SNL hosting gig or her invitation got lost in the shuffle of her many other invitations to special events or casting calls.

Mark Hamill

Even though he was the top-billed star of one of the biggest movie franchises in the world, Mark Hamill's only appearance on SNL so far is a cameo in a sketch about a Star Wars-themed home shopping network program. The Luke Skywalker actor recently told Esquire that he suspects he has never been asked to host because he agreed to host an episode of rival sketch comedy series, Friday, in 1981.

Christian Bale

One of the few great live-action Batman actors to never host a Saturday Night Live episode is Christian Bale, who has worked with former series writer Adam McKay on acclaimed satirical films The Big Short and Vice, however. Intriguingly, the Academy Award winner was once impersonated on the show by his future American Hustle co-star, Bradley Cooper.

Sandra Bullock

Oscar winner Sandra Bullock has brought her killer acting skills and sharp sense of humor to many of her best movies, such as Miss Congeniality, or, more recently, The Lost City. However, she still has yet to utilize her comedic talents on an SNL episode, but did make headlines when former cast member Pete Davidson crashed a party of hers with her Bird Box co-star, Colson “Machine Gun Kelly” Baker, as the actor and musician revealed on The Tonight Show in 2022.

Carol Burnett

Few people are more beloved and influential in the world of sketch comedy as Carol Burnett, which is why it is shocking that none of the many great performances she has given in her long career include an SNL gig. That is, until you learn that the prospect of hosting the show she is said to have paved the way for does not interest her, as she told Fox News in April 2023.

Tom Cruise

As the lead of monster hits like the Mission: Impossible movies, among others, Tom Cruise is practically synonymous with the term “movie star,” but has never lit up Studio 8H. The closest we may ever get to seeing him in such a light is his bombastic performance as Les Grossman in Tropic Thunder alongside SNL vets Bill Hader and Ben Stiller — the latter of which also impersonated the Top Gun: Maverick star in a funny Celebrity Jeopardy! sketch in 1998.

Leonardo DiCaprio

Perhaps the reason behind Oscar winner Leonardo DiCaprio’s lack of hosting gigs is due to a lack of comedy for much of his career, unless you count The Wolf of Wall Street or Don’t Look Up. However, when his co-star from both of those films, Jonah Hill, hosted in 2017, DiCaprio made one of the most surprising SNL cameos in the monologue, in which they recreated a famous scene from Titanic.

Vin Diesel

Many Fast and Furious actors — including Dwayne Johnson and Gal Gadot — have hosted Saturday Night Live, but the franchise’s leading star, Vin Diesel, is not one of them. Yet, he has been impersonated on the show to hilarious effect a number of times, such as by Taran Killam in one of the most popular videos on SNL’s YouTube channel, which reimagines Bambi as an action movie.

Chris Evans

Out of the many actors who have poked fun at their own Marvel movies in great superhero sketches when hosting SNL — such as Scarlett Johansson and Chris Hemsworth — Chris Evans is not one of them. This is particularly surprising since the MCU’s former Captain America has proven his comedic chops plenty of times, such as in the underrated Not Another Teen Movie and, more recently, Apple TV+’s action-packed rom-com, Ghosted.

Morgan Freeman

Morgan Freeman appeared on a 2010 edition of “What Up With That?” as himself, being interrupted by Diondre Cole (Kenan Thompson) as he dishes on what modern education is lacking. That marks the renowned Academy Award winner’s sole SNL appearance so far, having never been on the show as a host.

Harrison Ford

Saturday Night Live might really benefit from having someone known for such remarkable, dry wit as Harrison Ford on as a host. However, the closest we have seen to the star of the Indiana Jones movies and Star Wars’ original Han Solo actor making an appearance was an impersonation by Fred Armisen in a fake movie trailer.

Al Pacino

One of cinema’s all-time greatest living legends, Al Pacino, has been impersonated several times on SNL and by multiple actors — including Bill Hader and Alec Baldwin. Yet, the Academy Award-winning star of The Godfather and Heat has never hosted the show, let alone made an appearance of his own.

Jordan Peele

Keegan-Michael Key hosted a great SNL episode in 2021, but fellow sketch comedy performer Jordan Peele — whom he met as part of the MADtv cast before starting their own hit series together — cannot say the same. However, according to THR, the Academy Award-winning horror movie maestro could have been a cast member if MADtv had relieved him of his contract and allowed him the opportunity.

Michelle Pfeiffer

Kate McKinnon dressed in Michelle Pfeiffer’s Catwoman suit alongside Zoë Kravitz when The Batman’s Selena Kyle actor hosted Saturday Night Live in 2022. However, the real star of Batman Returns and countless other classics throughout the decades has never set foot on Studio 8H's stage.

Brad Pitt

Brad Pitt has appeared in two SNL cold opens: first in 1998 as David Spade’s therapist when the former cast member came back to host, and secondly as Dr. Anthony Fauci in a pre-taped, Covid-era show. The Oscar-winning star of Fight Club and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood even introduced that latter episode’s musical performance by Miley Cyrus, but that still does not count as an official hosting gig.

Keanu Reeves

I think it would be hilarious to see Keanu Reeves cameo as himself going John Wick on the SNL cast out of revenge for the show’s many unflattering impersonations of him over the years. That would make up for the fact that we have never seen the beloved action movie star host an episode.

Julia Roberts

In an interview with Mario Lopez for Extra, Julia Roberts revealed that she once turned down the chance to host SNL out of fear that she would “blow it.” However, she later told Jess Cagle that she would do it if Alec Baldwin was involved.

Mark Ruffalo

Idris Elba once starred in an SNL sketch called “The Impossible Hulk,” in which his anger transforms him into an entitled white lady. How much funnier might that sketch have been if it was the MCU’s Bruce Banner himself, Mark Ruffalo, in the role? Hopefully, the Oscar nominee gets the chance to poke fun at his own superhero character as a host one day.

Zoe Saldaña

We know that Zoe Saldaña is funny from her roles in comedies like Guess Who and 2010’s Death at a Funeral, but hosting SNL would be the ultimate chance to prove her chops to the world. At least she can say that she is one of the top 10 highest grossing actors of all time with blockbuster credits like the Avatar movies and several MCU titles.

Susan Sarandon

Academy Award winner Susan Sarandon has been a movie star for as long as Saturday Night Live has been around, having made her breakthrough in 1975 with the musical horror comedy movie, The Rocky Horror Picture Show. However, her only contribution to the series so far is starring in Andy Samberg and Justin Timberlake’s follow-up to “Dick in a Box,” called “Motherlover.”

Arnold Schwarzenegger

After years of being imitated and idolized by Kevin Nealon and Dana Carvey as Hans and Franz, Arnold Schwarzenegger would appear alongside the fictional Austrian bodybuilders in a couple of iconic SNL cameos. That is the extent of appearances by the Terminator movies star for now. 

Will Smith

It is surprising that a performer of such radiant fame as Will Smith has never hosted SNL, nor made a cameo appearance a single time during his remarkable, versatile career, but it looks like he will never get the chance. According to RadarOnline, the Men in Black star was reportedly banned from the show after slapping series veteran Chris Rock for a joke he made at the Oscars on the same night Smith won his Academy Award for King Richard.

Meryl Streep

For someone like me, it is a real “Sophie’s Choice” to decide which is the greater honor in pop culture: winning an Oscar or hosting Saturday Night Live. Well, at the moment, Meryl Streep has three of the former (for Kramer vs. Kramer, Sophie’s Choice, and The Iron Lady), but zero of the latter.

Stanley Tucci

In 2018, SNL paid tribute to Stanley Tucci with a rap parody called “Tucci Gang,” performed by Pete Davidson and featuring host Sam Rockwell impersonating the actor, whom he worked with in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. However, while the Oscar nominee and restaurateur also made a brief cameo in the video himself, it remains his only appearance on the show to date.

Mark Wahlberg

Two weeks after Andy Samberg played Mark Wahlberg in a sketch called “Mark Wahlberg Talks to Animals,” the actor himself appeared on the show in a cameo-heavy episode pretending to be very unamused by the imitation. Because of this, I would love to see the one-time rapper and Oscar nominee host an SNL episode of his own.

Denzel Washington

Former SNL cast member Jay Pharaoh does an impression of Denzel Washington so spot-on that you might be easily convinced that you have seen him on the show before. In reality, the Oscar-winning star of Glory and Training Day has never even made a cameo, let alone appeared as a host.

Michelle Yeoh

Only a handful of Asian actors have hosted SNL (such as Jackie Chan, Awkwafina, and Simu Liu, for instance), but it is hard to believe that Michelle Yeoh is not included in that bunch, given her exceptional action star reputation over the last few decades. Perhaps her recent boost in popularity following her historic Oscar win for Everything Everywhere All At Once could change that.

I wonder if we will ever see any of these celebs finally get the call from Lorne Michaels (or agree to it) and, perhaps, go on to earn a spot among the greatest SNL hosts of all time or join the Five-Timers Club, even. I mean, considering all the non-actors who have made great hosts on Saturday Night Live, these high-profile performers could absolutely rock 30 Rock to its core.  

In recent months, there’s been a lot of discussion regarding how many actors working in Hollywood right now are actually the children of other famous people. Among the nepo babies who’ve spoken to this conversation is Eva Amurri, the daughter of Susan Sarandon and Italian filmmaker Franco Amurri. After Eva dished about her “disorienting” upbringing, Sarandon was asked about the comments. And no, the Thelma & Louise actress is not going to apologize for parenting whilst being a Hollywood star. The actress also explained her reasoning for taking that stance.

The 76-year-old Oscar winner is the mother of three children, with Eva Amurri being her eldest. Following her 37-year-old daughter sharing her feelings about growing up as the child of two celebrity parents, Susan Sarandon had an honest take. In making her point, she also continued to use the "circus" metaphor:

It was Entertainment Tonight with whom Susan Sarandon shared these views on her children’s upbringing. And while she agrees that her three kids Eva, Jack and Miles -- who are all in their thirties now -- had an unusual upbringing, she is also happy that she was able to expose them to a lot and give them experiences that few other kids get to have. The actress also said this: 

Eva Amurri made her comments when taking to TikTok early this month to open up a little bit about what it was like for her to grow up as the child of a major celebrity. Check out her post below:  

Eva Amurri was honest about people who grew up in the industry and likened the experience to “growing up in a circus,” because she’d spend periods of time getting close with other kids, whose famous parents were working on a certain project at the time. Afterwards, they'd go their separate ways, as their parents finished up work and went on to the next project. Amurri called it “really sad sometimes” yet overall quite “unique.” 

The daughter of Susan Sarandon is one of many nepo babies who have joined the larger conversation that has been going around recently. Though her comments are more about actually growing up in the industry, whereas a substantial amount of the debate has been about stars' various takes on earning or being handed down their opportunities. 

Recently, supermodel Kaia Gerber, the daughter of Cindy Crawford, added to the discussion, saying she “won’t deny” her privilege whereas daughter of Brian Williams, M3GAN’s Allison Williams straight-up called out the unfairness that comes with being a nepo baby and having access to certain resources in comparison to people with zero connections. It would seem that Eva Amurri is also well aware of her situation and the eclectic upbringing that came with it. Her youth surely had its ups and downs but, if you ask her famous mother, she's all the better for having had it.

Ea Amurri and Susan Sarandon recently worked together on the shocking Monarch series, with her daughter playing a younger version of herself. Sarandon’s latest project is Maybe I Do, also starring Richard Gere, Emma Roberts and William H. Macy, and the 2023 movie release is now playing in theaters. 

There’s been a lot of focus in recent months on the children of Hollywood’s biggest stars and the unique experience that comes with that. Much of the attention has been around the opportunities that the “nepo babies” are afforded if they want to follow their parents into the entertainment business, but being raised amongst celebrities and accompanying your parents to wherever their next project was filming is a wholly different upbringing than most of us experienced. Eva Amurri, daughter of Susan Sarandon, recently let her followers in on what it was like growing up on movie sets and her relationships with other A-listers’ children.

Eva Amurri, who was part of the cast of Fox musical drama Monarch with her mom Susan Sarandon, said some people compare the experience of growing up in Hollywood to being raised “in the circus,” and she confirmed on TikTok that she grew up around the children of not just her parents’ co-stars, but those of the directors and other crew members as well. She said: 

That does sound like a pretty unique experience — and a jarring one — to form bonds with other children who understand the situation you’re in, only to lose contact with that found family altogether once a movie or TV show is finished. 

I’d have to imagine that’s different today, with the availability of social media, but back then, Eva Amurri — whose father is Italian director Franco Amurri but was raised by her mother’s longtime partner Tim Robbins — said she and her family were able to keep in touch with some families more than others. She continued: 

It’s easy to see how children who grow up under such circumstances would become fast friends with others who understand that lifestyle, or, as Eva Amurri said, always feel a common thread with other so-called nepo babies. 

Eva Amurri appeared in the movie Saved! in 2009 and played Jackie in Californication Season 3. She also had a guest role on Friends alongside her mother. You can see her portraying a younger version of Susan Sarandon’s character Dottie on Monarch, whose lone season is available to stream with a Hulu subscription. You can also keep an eye out for Sarandon on the 2023 Movie Release Schedule, as she was announced to be joining the DC Extended Universe film Blue Beetle set for release later this year. 

Warning! The following contains spoilers for the latest episode of Monarch, "There Can Be Only One Queen." Read at your own risk!

If you tuned into Monarch to see Susan Sarandon play a veteran country music star, chances are that the premiere had you worried. After the latest episode, the bigger question might be whether Fox's latest new drama pulled the wool over the eyes of viewers by promising a huge star whose character was officially dead by Episode 2. Understandably, some might be wondering if we've seen the last of Sarandon's Dottie, or if there's a chance she somehow is still alive and ready to jump back in with the talented cast in Episode 3. 

Well, the bad news is that she's definitely dead. The good news is that Monarch showrunner Jon Feldman spoke to TVLine about the big reveal, and after confirming that Dottie is indeed dead, he added that Susan Sarandon will remain with the show in future episodes (so killing her off probably wasn't because of money). Feldman explained how that will work: 

It didn't take long for Monarch to bring Dottie back to life... sort of. As Dottie's sister Nellie performed a tribute during the funeral, the crowd gasped as a hologram of Dottie appeared to sing the song alongside her (I almost thought I was watching Alter Ego for a second). The audience was shocked, but her children were relatively unfazed, knowing that their mother had a flair for doing things big. 

Monarch will move on without Susan Sarandon's character in its present timeline, but the Roman family has a lot of secrets to hide and skeletons in its closet. (Trace Adkins' Albie looks like a dangerous man despite all those photos of Blake Shelton kissing him.) Surely there will be opportunities for Dottie to be in the story via flashbacks, which pull back the curtain on some of the secrets the family has hidden. This show definitely evokes some strong Empire vibes, so I'm already hoping for more twists and a bonkers finale. 

Of course, there are also likely to be some flashback scenes in Monarch that will feature Dottie's children reflecting on their own past with their mother. Not all the children are aware of the circumstances of Dottie's death, and that her daughter Nicky agreed to help her end her life via assisted suicide after a battle with cancer. 

Obviously, others like Luke and Gigi are already getting a sense that the timing and circumstances of their mother's sudden death are suspicious. Gigi noted that their mother's goodbye letters given to them read more like greeting cards, and Luke realized right at the episode's end that the handwriting in the letter matched their sister Nicky's. Beyond all that, there are undoubtedly even more dramatic events to unfold, in light of some things Dottie confessed on her eventual deathbed that may later come to light. 

Monarch airs on Fox on Tuesdays at 9:00 p.m. ET. The fall television season is underway, so keep an eye on the 2022 television schedule to see what shows are premiering and returning in the coming months. 

For anyone who has been suffering withdrawals since Empire had its final curtain call in 2020, but has also wanted to see something that explores the country music industry in the same vein, Fox’s new series Monarch might be what you have been looking for. Even if this style of twangy, Southern-fried music is not your preference, creator Melissa London Hilfers' drama chronicling the dysfunctional (and sometimes deadly) dynamic of the “First Family in County Music” boasts a stellar ensemble that might be enough to pique your interest in checking out its Sunday, September 11, premiere alone. With its arrival among the new TV dramas on the 2022 fall TV schedule, take a look at who plays who on the Monarch cast — starting with this Academy Award-winning, living legend. 

Susan Sarandon (Dottie Cantrell Roman)

As country music icon and head of the Roman Dynasty, Dottie Cantrell Roman, we have Susan Sarandon, who once showed off some exceptional singing talent in 1974’s The Rocky Horror Picture Show and also played a ruthless queen in Disney’s 2007 musical fantasy Enchanted years after playing an unwittingly magical woman in George Miller’s The Witches of Eastwick. 

The Bull Durham star has been nominated for five Oscars — including ones for Thelma & Louise from 1991, the 1994 legal drama The Client, and director Tim Robbins’ Dead Man Walking the following year — the last of which saw her take home the gold. Sarandon has also received much praise for movies like 1994’s Little Women or 1998’s Stepmom, as well as on the small screen — most notably as Bette Davis on FX’s Feud or her more recent recurring role on the Ray Donovan cast.

Anna Friel (Nicolette Roman)

Playing Dottie’s daughter, “Nicky,” is Anna Friel, whose big screen career highlights include a 1999 adaptation of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the medieval history/sci-fi thriller Timeline from director Richard Donner, and the 2005 soccer drama Goal!: The Dream Begins and its 2007 sequel. One of her most iconic roles is the resurrected Charlotte “Chuck” Charles on the short-lived (but much-loved) romantic series Pushing Daisies, which led to more big screen roles like Holly in 2009’s Land of the Lost with Will Ferrell and Danny McBride or Limitless with Bradley Cooper. 

Friel’s other notable TV credits include Starz TV series spin-off of Steven Soderbergh’s The Girlfriend Experience, the title role of U.K. cop drama Marcella, and Clive Barker’s Hulu original anthology horror movie, Books of Blood. 

Trace Adkins (Albie Roman)

Playing Dottie’s husband, Albie, is Trace Adkins, who already knows quite a bit about the world of country music being one of the genre’s most successful artists. In fact, he earned first screen credit playing a “Bayou Band Member” in 1987’s Square Dance before really getting into acting in the early 2000s with guest spots on the likes of Yes, Dear as an inmate (along with fellow musician Travis Tritt), King of the Hill in the recurring role of Elvin Mackleston, and the My Name is Earl pilot as himself. He also had notable parts in acclaimed movies 2011’s The Lincoln Lawyer with Matthew McConaughey, Deepwater Horizon with Mark Wahlberg from 2016, and I Can Only Imagine, which tells the story behind a popular Christian music song of the same name, in 2018.

Joshua Sasse (Luke Roman)

Dottie and Albie’s son and CEO of their family business, Luke, is played by Joshua Sasse, who previously demonstrated his musical talent as the title role of ABC’s medieval musical comedy series Galavant from 2015-2016. He made his acting debut in 2010 with the U.K. action thriller The Big I Am, which was followed up with 2013’s Frankenstein’s Army and a recurring role on the short-lived sci-fi sitcom The Neighbors while he was starring on the Canadian crime drama Rogue. The British actor later played the male lead of the romantic comedy series No Tomorrow on The CW before starring in a Hallmark movie called Her Pen Pal in 2021.

Beth Ditto (Gigi)

Another musical artist on the Monarch cast (as Gigi, the Romans’ youngest daughter) is Beth Ditto, who was the lead singer of the indie rock band Gossip until she went solo in 2016. That same year she, technically, earned her first screen credit as a voice on a TV in Nocturnal Animals, but would not make her official on-camera acting debut until 2018 in director Gus van Sant’s Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot. The next year, Ditto landed a starring role on the Kirsten Dunst-led Showtime comedy On Becoming a God in Central Florida and, in 2021, appeared on an episode of AppleTV+’s biographical drama, Dickinson. 

Meagan Holder (Kayla)

As Gigi’s wife, Kayla, we have Meagan Holder, who made her debut on The CW’s 90210 in 2009 — the same year she made her feature-length debut with a straight-to-video Bring it On sequel subtitled Fight to the Finish before making her official big screen debut with 2010’s You Again. Following smaller roles on TV shows like Make It or Break It or Ringer with Sarah Michelle Gellar, she would appear in Clint Eastwood’s 2014 adaptation of Broadway’s Jersey Boys and appear opposite Matthew McConaughey in Ghost of Girlfriends Past in 2016. That same year, she became a series regular on short-lived sports drama, Pitch, and would later land a recurring role on FX’s Dave — another show about the music industry — and most recently starred in the 2022 crime thriller One Way.

Inigo Pascual (Ace Grayson)

Nicky’s teenage son, Ace Grayson, who was adopted from an orphanage and is described as talented and sensitive. Ace is played by Inigo Pascual. The young Filipino musician and actor is making his English-language acting debut on the Monarch cast. His previous credits from the Philippines include the film Crazy Beautiful You from 2015 and 2020’s Boyette more recently.

Martha Higareda (Catt Phoenix)

As the Roman’s rival, Catt Phoenix, we have Martha Higareda, who made her English-language debut in the 2007 horror flick Borderlands and appeared in Street Kings with Keanu Reeves the following year. After landing a recurring role on USA’s Royal Pains, she starred in the Kevin Costner-led sports flick McFarland, USA in 2015, leant her voice to an episode of Steven Universe in 2017, and appeared on Alice Braga’s crime drama Queen of the South. After playing the lead of 2019’s Culture Shock — the tenth installment of Blumhouse and Hulu’s monthly horror showcase, Into the Dark — Higareda joined the cast of the Netflix original sci-fi TV show, Altered Carbon. 

Emma Milana (Ana Phoenix)

As Catt’s 17-year-old daughter and aspiring  singer, Ana, we have Emma Milana. Monarch is the young actor’s latest major role on a series following the Snapchat original Solve, of which she appeared on five episodes in 2020. She made her feature-length debut with the Lifetime original crime drama Dying to Be a Cheerleader after appearing in a couple of short films and the music video for Johnny Orlando and Mackenzie Ziegler’s “What If.”

Sing, dance, and be thrilled with the Monarch cast when the drama premieres on Fox on Sunday, September 11. The series will then air on Tuesday nights, beginning September 20. 

Welp, folks, there’s been a shakeup in the Blue Beetle cast. A few weeks ago, it was reported that Sharon Stone was being lined up to play the upcoming DC movie’s main villain, Victoria Kord. Evidently thing didn’t end up working out with the Basic Instinct actress though, as she’s no longer attached to Blue Beetle. Not to worry though, as another actress has already been tapped for the Victoria Kord role.

That honor goes to Susan Sarandon, per an update from The Wrap. As mentioned when Sharon Stone was initially attached to play Victoria Kord, this is a new character created specifically for the Blue Beetle movie. That said, she shares the same last name as Ted Kord, who held the Blue Beetle mantle in the comics for decades before Jaime Reyes hit the scene. Cobra Kai star Xolo Maridueña is bringing Jaime to life in Blue Beetle, and we got our first look at the young hero in his armored-up form at the last DC FanDome.

Unlike Sharon Stone, who previously starred in 2004’s Catwoman, Blue Beetle will mark Susan Sarandon’s first time working in the superhero movie space. That said, Sarandon does have some experience acting in fantastical stories, such as Speed Racer and Cloud Atlas. Along with winning the Best Actress Oscar for her performance in Dead Man Walking, Sarandon’s other prominent credits include The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Bull Durham, Thelma & Louise and Enchanted. She also scored an Emmy nomination in 2017 for her turn as Bette Davis in the FX series Feud: Betty and Joan.

Back when Sharon Stone was in talks for Blue Beetle, it was reported that Victoria Kord is supposedly Ted Kord’s wife, resulting in two questions being posed. First, does Victoria’s presence mean that we’ll see Ted in Blue Beetle? Second, assuming Ted is in the movie, is he involved with Victoria’s nefarious scheme, or is he against whatever she’s plotting. Given Ted’s years of heroism within the DC Comics pages, it’s difficult to imagine the creative minds shining an antagonistic light on Ted, but anything is possible, I suppose.

While we’re still in the dark on specific Blue Beetle plot details, casting for the movie has been a relatively open book. Susan Sarandon’s Victoria Kord will be joined in the baddie corner by Mayans M.C. star Raoul Max Trujillo, who’s reportedly playing Carapax the Indestructible Man, and Bruna Marquezine will play Penny, Jaime Reyes’ love interest. We’ll also meet many members of Jaime’s family, including Belissa Escobedo as his sister Milagro, George Lopez as Uncle Rudy, Adriana Barraza as Nana, Elpidia Carrillo as Rocio and Damián Alcázar as Alberto. So far the only announced actor whose role hasn’t been revealed yet is What We Do in the Shadows’ Harvey Guillén.

Originally intended to join Batgirl as an HBO Max exclusive offering, Blue Beetle is now poised to hit theaters on August 18, 2023. Keep visiting CinemaBlend to learn more updates on its progress.

While DC Comics characters like Wonder Woman and Aquaman ended up making their live-action theatrical debuts decades after being introduced in the comics, the Jaime Reyes version of Blue Beetle won’t have to wait nearly as long. Introduced in 2006 as the third person to hold the Blue Beetle mantle in DC Comics lore, Jaime has assembled an impressive fanbase and appeared in projects like Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Young Justice, Smallville, three movies from the DC Animated Movie Universe, and several video games. Now the time has come for him to lead his own upcoming DC movie, .

Originally intended to be an HBO Max exclusive like the now-scrapped Batgirl, Blue Beetle was changed to a theatrical release that will come out in the summer of 2023. Charm City Kings’ Angel Manuel Soto is directing the superhero movie, and Miss Bala’s Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer wrote the screenplay. As far as the Blue Beetle cast goes, there’s a solid lineup of talent assembled, including Cobra Kai star Xolo Maridueña and comedy icon George Lopez. So, let’s talk about who’s showing up in this highly anticipated new superhero movie!

Xolo Maridueña (Jaime Reyes)

The actor bringing Jamie Reyes to life in Blue Beetle is Xolo Maridueña, whom some may remember as Victor Graham in the NBC series Parenthood or more recently as Miguel Diaz in the Cobra Kai cast on YouTube Red, originally, before it was acquired by Netflix. Like his comic book counterpart, Maridueña’s Jaime will be bonded to a powerful, artificially intelligent scarab that forms armor around him capable of boosting his strength, manipulating energy, and reconfiguring into various weapons, among other abilities. Concept art of the armored Blue Beetle was shown off at the second DC FanDome, but it was the trailer that came out in April 2023 that gave us our first taste of the character in action.

Bruna Marquezine (Jenny Kord)

The role of Jenny, the movie’s female lead and Jaime Reyes’ love interest, will be played by Bruna Marquezine. Most of Marquezine’s resume is made up of Brazilian projects, including TV shows like Helena’s Shadow, I Love Paraisópolis, and God Save the King, so Blue Beetle will mark her big American debut. Jenny's last name is Kord, meaning she's related to a character we'll talk about later, and as seen in the trailer, she's the one who gives Jaime the scarab that turns him into Blue Beetle.

Belissa Escobedo (Milagro Reyes)

Like his comic book counterpart, Xolo Maridueña’s Jaime Reyes is a teenager, so we’ll be spending a lot of time with his family. The first of that group is Milagro, Jaime’s younger sister, played by Belissa Escobedo, who has starred in the TV shows The Baker and the Beauty, Don’t Look Deeper, and the American Horror Stories anthology series from FX on Hulu. Prior to Blue Beetle, Escobedo’s biggest movie role came when she joined Disney+’s Hocus Pocus 2 cast as Izzy.

Harvey Guillén (Dr. Sanchez)

As confirmed by an EW exclusive, Kord Industries employee Dr. Sanchez is played in Blue Beetle by Harvey Guillén, who last starred in a DC adaptation when he voiced Nightwing on Harley Quinn. While he’s best known for playing Guillermo in FX’s What We Do in the Shadows, his notable TV credits also include The Magicians, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, and the first season of Amazon’s hit action drama, Reacher. He previously lent his voice to the Puss in Boots: The Last Wish cast as Perrito and, as mentioned in a recent EW profile story about him, is apparently playing a furry animal in 2023 as well in Strays.

George Lopez (Rudy Reyes)

One of the biggest names attached to the Blue Beetle cast – in the role of Jaime’s uncle, Rudy – is George Lopez, who also leant his voice to Harley Quinn as himself once and played opposite superheroes as the villainous Mr. Electric in Robert Rodriguez’s family-friendly spectacle, The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl. The actor has proved himself to be a comedy powerhouse time after time, from his standup routines to his extensive work on TV – including the self-named sitcom he led from 2002 to 2007 – and film – like writer, director, and star Charlie Day’s comedy, Fool’s Paradise, more recently.

Adriana Barraza (Nana Reyes)

Playing Jaime Reyes’ grandmother, Nana, is Adriana Barraza, who was nominated for an Academy Award in 2000 for her performance as the mother of Gael Garcia’s character in Amores Perros, which itself was nominated for Best Foreign Film. You may have also seen her in Rambo: Last Blood, Penny Dreadful: City of Angels, and Netflix’s follow-up to Sharkboy and Lavagirl, We Can Be Heroes, to name a few projects. Blue Beetle is, technically, Barazza’s second comic book movie, having previously played Isabela Álvarez in a few deleted scenes from Thor.

Elpidia Carrillo (Rocio Reyes)

Jaime’s mother, Rocio, is played byElpidia Carrillo, who last worked with George Lopez in David Ayer’s The Tax Collector, but is arguably best known from the first two Predator movies for playing Anna Gonsalves. She has also popped up in Nine Lives, Seven Pounds, FX’s Mayans M.C., and alongside the Euphoria cast on HBO.

Damián Alcázar (Alberto Reyes)

As Jaime’s father, Alberto, we have Damián Alcázar, who is well known to American moviegoers for playing Lord Sopespian in The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, but he more recently appeared in the previously mentioned Gina Rodriguez-led action movie, Miss Bala. That being said, Alcázar’s biggest claim to fame is, arguably, starring in the Netflix series Narcos as Gilberto Rodríguez Orejuela – a role he also reprised in the spin-off, Narcos: Mexico.

Susan Sarandon (Victoria Kord)

Originally, Sharon Stone was cast in Blue Beetle as a new, villainous, character who, according to CBR, recently made her DC Comics debut named Victoria Kord – who shares a last name with the second Blue Beetle, Ted Kord – before Susan Sarandon assumed the role. The actor, who broke out as Janet in 1975’s quintessential horror comedy musical, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, has been nominated for five Academy Awards – for Atlantic City, Thelma & Louise, Lorenozo’s Oil, The Client, and Dead Man Walking – the last of which finally earned her the statuette in 1996. While this new DC flick is Sarandon’s first superhero movie, it is not her first comic book character role, having voiced Black Widow on the dramatic podcast, Marvel’s Wastelanders.

Raoul Max Trujillo (Carapax)

Yet another Mayans M.C. veteran on the Blue Beetle cast is Raoul Max Trujillo, who will play a new version of Conrad Carapax – a minor archaeological rival to Dan Garrett, the first Blue Beetle, who became a supervillain called the Indestructible Man after his mind was transferred into a robotic body. Trujillo previously contributed to superhero fiction when he voiced Namor on the early 2000s animated series, Avengers: United They Stand, but is better known as Zero World in 2006’s Apocalypto, Lockspur from the third installment of the Riddick franchise, and Rafael in Sicario and its prequel, Day of the Soldado.  

Becky G (Khaji-Da)

In June 2023, THR reported that Becky G had joined the Blue Beetle cast as Khaji-Da – a disembodied voice that controls the Scarab attached to Jaime. While best known as the Grammy-nominated pop singer behind hits like “Shower” and “Becky from the Block,” she has also earned a reputation for acting in with a guest spot on Empire, as well as playing the Yellow Ranger (and the franchise’s first LGBTQIA+ character) in 2017’s Power Rangers, and starring opposite Machine Gun Kelly in Good Mourning, to name a few.

See the Blue Beetle cast in action when the adventurous, coming-of-age 2023 movie comes out on August 18th.

Moviemaking is an amazing thing, especially when trying to make a film like director Trent O’Donnell’s Ride The Eagle during the COVID-19 pandemic. Written by and starring New Girl and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse star Jake Johnson, this story of a man trying to live the life his mother would have wanted him to have is a wide open affair, with nature playing a huge part in the tale. It was apparently so wide open that not only was it safe to film during 2020’s unpredictable events, Jake Johnson and most of his co-stars, including on-screen mother Susan Sarandon, never even met each other.

Our own Jeff McCobb sat down with chat with Jake Johnson on behalf of the press day for Ride The Eagle. Sure enough, the star-studded cast became a talking point, as in addition to Susan Sarandon, there’s also stars like Commissioner Gordon himself, J.K. Simmons, and The Good Place’s D’Arcy Carden included in the mix. With an impressive roster like that, it’s even more amazing that only some of them actually got to meet with Johnson. However, that meant that an important collaborator had to step in and bridge the chemistry gap between the film’s cast:

In the case of Susan Sarandon’s character Honey, it kind of made sense. As she appears to her son Leif (Jake Johnson) in a series of videotaped instructions, Ride The Eagle’s distance between Johnson and Sarandon only enhances the moment. However, when it came to the plotline involving Leif reconnecting with ex-girlfriend Audrey (D’Arcy Carden), Trent O’Donnell’s role as in-between presented some challenges.

Perhaps the largest obstacle was the fact that there’s a phone sex scene in Ride The Eagle, and Jake Johnson had no one to act against except his own director. Normally, as Johson himself pointed out, you’d have a chance for leads like himself and D’Arcy Carden to sort of build chemistry while in the moment. But since this was a more compartmentalized, pandemic-fueled production, situations such as the following arose:

If Jake Johnson was still slated to appear in Jurassic World: Dominion, which sadly isn’t the case, he could have put those skills to the test with all of the digital dinosaurs that will be added to the final product. But at least Ride The Eagle has prepared him for even more encounters with roles that see him using his imagination. Though maybe he’ll still get to meet Susan Sarandon someday, if only to have a talk about how they did on their cinematic family ties.

Ride The Eagle is in limited theatrical release, but can also be rented through VOD. If you’re looking for more films like this one, 2021’s release schedule should be your next stop as something charming and heartwarming awaits at a theater near you.

Brad Pitt has played a number of iconic roles over the course of his illustrious career, from Interview with the Vampire’s Louis de Pointe du Lac to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’s Cliff Booth Another one of Pitt’s many roles that’s likely to stand out is his performance as charming drifter J.D. from Ridley Scott’s Thelma & Louise. Fans likely remember the actor’s cool and shady demeanor, as well as his pristine bod. Well, it turns out Scott went to great lengths to make sure the actor’s physique was glowing, as the director actually spritzed Pitt down with water himself while on the set.

Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis recently reunited to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Thelma & Louise. During a recent chat, the iconic actresses discussed numerous aspects of the film, including Brad Pitt’s performance. The two stars are more than aware that he’s considered to be the “eye candy” of the movie, and both explained that Ridley Scott did whatever it took to get every ounce of “hotness” out of his star:

Ridley Scott is one of the greatest directors of our time, and it’s mostly because of his intense commitment to his craft. Sometimes that can mean workshopping actors to help them better understand their characters or doing countless takes of a scene in order to get it just right. And in other situations, dedication to your work can also mean spraying down one of your actors with water so that his body shines just right on camera.

Brad Pitt may have given viewers a few thrills with his good looks, but his body is far from the only reason that his role in Thelma & Louise works so well. Susan Sarandon continued to tell ET that once she saw him in the finished movie, she could tell the young actor would be around for a while:

Considering the work Brad Pitt has put in over the last several decades, you can’t help but agree with Susan Sarandon’s sentiments. Like Sarandon and Geena Davis, Pitt just has “it,” and it’s no wonder at all that the young (and spritzed) actor from Thelma & Louise went on to become an Oscar-winning actor and producer.

Those who’d like to revisit Brad Pitt as J.D. or check out the performance for the first time can stream Thelma & Louise on Amazon Prime.

Susan Sarandon has had an impressive career in film, and she's been on a hot streak with her recent television roles. While some audiences were watching her light up their screens with her portrayal of Bette Davis in FX's Feud, premium cable subscribers got to see her join the cast of Showtime's Ray Donovan in Season 5. Season 6 of the series will see Sarandon back in action as her character Sam Winslow, and fans will get to see a lot more of her as the actress has been upgraded to a series regular.

Sam Winslow will be one of Ray's few clients left, as Ray Donovan heads from L.A. to New York City for Season 6. Susan Sarandon's return is not a surprise given her character's status with Donovan at the end of Season 5, but THR's reporting she will become a series regular is a pleasant surprise. Sarandon's upgraded status surely means Winslow will play a big role in the upcoming season, which makes sense considering she did a pretty big favor for Ray and will no doubt need something in return.

Whether Ray is prepared to handle whatever Sam Winslow has in store for him is a different story. Season 5 of Ray Donovan saw the stone-cold Ray cracked after a really rough string of episodes, and the finale closed with Ray throwing himself into the river. Obviously, he made it out of that situation physically ok considering the show is rolling out Season 6, but the action itself really makes one wonder what the character's headspace is going into the new season. Will he be the fixer Sam needs, or will he get cold feet and back away from the hard tasks he's asked to perform?

Hopefully, the latter doesn't happen, as that sounds like a fast track to making an enemy out of Sam Winslow. Last season of Ray Donovan showed Sam enlisting Ray's help out of fear her original fixers know too much about her. If she gets the sense that Ray doesn't approve of the things she's asking him to do in Season 6, it's possible he could find himself branded as one of her enemies and have another fixer gunning after him. That probably wouldn't be the best move for Sam to make, but with Ray clearly looking damaged at the end of Season 5, is he even equipped to handle such a betrayal?

Ray Donovan just started production on Season 6, which is scheduled to air on Showtime sometime in 2018. For more on other upcoming programming coming in 2018 be sure to visit our midseason premiere guide and summer premiere guide. For more on Ray Donovan, listen to Liev Schreiber talk about the major mistake the crew made when making the show.

Paul Newman may have one of the best reputations of any actor who has ever worked in Hollywood. Everybody seems to love him. Susan Sarandon has given us all an entirely new reason to adore the actor. In a recent interview, while talking about the discrepancies of pay that tend to occur between actors and actresses, Sarandon reveals that she once received parity with her co-star Paul Newman, but only because he gave her part of his salary. According to Sarandon...

The film that Susan Sarandon mentions to BBC 5 (via BBC.com) appears to be the 1998 film Twilight, not to be confused with the teen vampire movie, which starred Paul Newman as a private detective hired to find the runaway daughter of a pair of former movie stars, played by Gene Hackman and Sarandon.

Susan Sarandon says that she brought up the pay disparity but was told the reason for it was "favored nations" clauses in contracts with Paul Newman and Gene Hackman. Favored nations clauses dictate that nobody else on a production will get paid more than the person who has that clause in their contract. While it's entirely possible these clauses did exist, the fact that Newman was apparently more than willing to help Sarandon out shows that he certainly didn't have an issue with the actress making an amount equal to what he made, which makes the explanation seem dubious to Sarandon.

This isn't the first time that we've heard of actors taking pay cuts in order to help bolster their female co-stars. Emma Stone has said she's worked with her male co-stars in the past to do the same thing. Pay in Hollywood is frequently based on quotes, where what an actor is offered is in part based on what they have previously received, so by getting the pay boost in the past, it helps actors get more in the future.

The fact that Paul Newman was willing to do this 20 years ago, when gender pay disparity, while obviously an issue, wasn't treated as the problem that it is today, shows just how important he thought the problem was, and that he was willing to take steps to do something about it. The fact that we didn't even know about it for 20 years shows that it was just about doing the right thing. It's a classy move from somebody who was already viewed as one of the most classy people in the history of Hollywood.

Spoilers ahead for A Bad Moms Christmas.

While comic book franchises are a dime a dozen lately, it's more difficult to craft a comedic movie with the legs for multiple sequels. But they seem to have done just that with the Bad Moms franchise. The original film debuted last year to massive box office performance, and a holiday themed sequel arrived this week with A Bad Moms Christmas. Starring the original trio of leading actresses, A Bad Moms Christmas changes the formula by bringing in each of the leads' mothers (played by Christine Baranksi, Susan Sarandon, and Cheryl Hines) -- adding family drama to the menu for dramatic purposes. The ending of the film seems to point to a potential spinoff for the Bad Grandmas, and CinemaBlend got to ask the cast about just that.

I recently had the privilege to speak with the cast of A Bad Moms Christmas, where I asked Cheryl Hines and Susan Sarandon if they're interested in a spinoff for their characters. They answered with a resounding:

Well, it looks like the cast is ready for a Bad Grandmas spinoff. Now we'll just have to see how A Bad Mom Christmas performs at the box office, and what the studio decides for the franchise's future.

Toward the end of A Bad Moms Christmas, we saw the trio of grandmothers finally connect a bit more. Ruth, Sandy, and Isis end up hitting it off about as well as their daughter did in the first film, and they soon decide to go off and have their own adventure. Rather than staying for the full holiday with their respective families, the trio of ladies decide to take a spontaneous trip to Las Vegas, which was a major goal for Sandy (Cheryl Hines). This seems like the perfect set up for a spinoff, as watching the three of their personalities clash in a place like Vegas sounds like comedy cold.

The addition of the grandmothers really changed the dynamic of A Bad Moms Christmas, and helped it from becoming a rehash of the original film. Having this familial conflict also gave the sequel heart in a way that perhaps the first film was lacking. And the casting of Cheryl Hines, Susan Sarandon, and Christine Baranski was a stroke of genius. Those three actresses are some of the best in the business, and giving them room to lead a spinoff would be exciting for their generations of fans. Plus, who doesn't want to see Susan Sarandon play a boozy Isis again?

You can see my conversation with Cheryl Hines and Susan Sarandon below.

A possible Bad Grandmas film isn't the first spinoff that's been developed by the folks behind Bad Moms. About a year ago, news broke that a Bad Dads film was being crafted. We haven't seen this actual come to fruition, but perhaps the studio is waiting to judge by the performance of A Bad Moms Christmas. The sequel has some fierce competition this weekend, with Thor: Ragnarok opening domestically at the same time.

A Bad Moms Christmas is in theaters now. Check out our 2018 release list to plan your trips to the movies in the New Year.

If there's one new comedy franchise that has some serious legs, it's Bad Moms. The first film was met with critical acclaim and made a ton of money last year, and a holiday themed sequel is just a few days away (in addition to the Bad Dads spinoff that is in development). A Bad Moms Christmas brings back the three titular Moms, who decide to do Christmas their own way this year, rather than the stress and craziness that's usually expected of them. But a wrench get thrown into their plan when each of their respective mothers showed up for the Holiday, and bring a new set of issues and hijinks. One of the newcomers is none other than Susan Sarandon, who plays the mother of Carla (Kathryn Hahn). But what inspired the Oscar winning actress to join the wild sequel?

We recently had the chance to ask Susan Sarandon just that. At the recent press junket for A Bad Moms Christmas in Chicago, she opened up about what inspired her to get involved in the budding franchise.

It turns out that Kathryn Hahn was at least partly responsible for scooping up Susan Sarandon to play Carla's mother. Sarandon's apparent love for Hahn's sense of humor also seems to be translating into A Bad Moms Christmas. The duo plays the most unconventional characters in the ensemble, with foul-mouthed jokes and a penchant for stealing groceries.

But Susan Sarandon's involvement in A Bad Moms Christmas is also explained by how fun the franchise is for both the audience and cast. Both Bad Moms movies manage to find the crudeness and shock humor in relatable themes like parenthood and family. Additionally, the franchise seems to be a place for improvisation, in addition to the hilarious lines that are on the page. Sarandon wanted to have some fun, and playing Carla's mother sounds like just that, especially alongside other Bad Grandmas Christine Baranski and Cheryl Hines.

You can check out my conversation with Susan Sarandon about A Bad Moms Christmas below.

A Bad Moms Christmas is in theaters now. Be sure to check out our 2018 release list to plan your trips to the movies in the New Year.

If you watch one anime this year, make it Jaden Smith's Netflix Show Neo Yokio. The series, which was created by Vampire Weekend frontman Ezra Koenig, stars Smith as a wealthy teen who can expel possessed spirits, as well as distinguish the difference between the color black and the darkest shade of midnight blue. If THAT statement doesn't convince a lot of wary audiences, perhaps these next few highlights of the series will:

The Jaden Smith-isms Are Top Notch

Those who watch Neo Yokio expecting Jaden Smith to say some off the wall shit will not be disappointed. Jaden's weird lines in this show might just be because he's playing a character trapped in a fashion-obsessed supernatural blending of Tokyo and New York City, or it could just be because he's a weird kid. Regardless of which is true, Smith's Kaz Kaan goes from episode to episode discussing his existential dread or the importance of fashion all whilst slaying demons or attending a fancy party in the Hamptons.To be quite honest, he still sounds just as goofy as he is in real life, but at least his character is living in a world that somewhat justifies his pseudo-intellectual teenage philosophies.

The Voice Acting Cast Is Phenomenal

For what Neo Yokio may lack in big-name anime voice actors from the industry, they more than make up for it with Hollywood star power. Susan Sarandon voices Kaz Kaan's aunt Agatha, Jude Law his mechanized butler Charles, and Jason Schwartzman is the obnoxious but hilarious rival Arcangelo Corelli. Even on the lesser side of characters, we have the hosts of Desus & Mero playing Kaan's best friends, and Steve Buscemi in a small but worthwhile role. Suffice to say, Neo Yokio's voice acting cast is phenomenal, and it's truly a treat to hear all this talent come together for a genre few would've ever expected any of them doing.

The Focus On Style And High Society Living Is Insane

A large part of Neo Yokio's story is based on a portion of the city's obsession with style and high society living to the point of insanity. Brand names like Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and Giorgio Armani are name-dropped early and often, as Jaden Smith's Kaz Kaan strives to become the top bachelor of Neo Yokio. There's even a point where Smith's character interrupts an old man spraying his wife's favorite perfume on her grave to engage in a lengthy discussion about the importance of scents and the transition of women's interests in perfumes throughout the decades. It's truly bonkers, but when real life brands and art like Damien Hirst's "For The Love Of God" (pictured above) find their way into the show and fit seamlessly, it almost feels like an exposé on the way we live.

Neo _Yokio_ is currently streaming on Netflix. For more on Jaden Smith and his odd behavior, be sure to check out this bizarre Batman music video he did a while ago, or how there was once a point where people didn't associate him with the word "weird." For a look at other new shows that are returning or making their debut this fall season, visit our fall premiere guide.

Showtime is already packing them in thanks to the Twin Peaks revival, but now the network is getting a bit more stacked with a new season of its hit drama, Ray Donovan. Season 4 ended with the Donovan family on top of the world, but if this trailer is any proof, it's that there's always going to be a problem that needs some fixing. Check out the first trailer for Season 5 of Ray Donovan, with lots of Susan Sarandon thrown in for good measure.

In Season 5, Ray Donovan is turning his sights back to being the best fixer in Los Angeles, after taking a little detour to deal with some pesky Russians. However, any good will that the Donovan's felt won't last long, as Season 5 throws them right back into the thick of it. In the new trailer for Season 5, we find out that Ray has once again surrounded himself in problems. In addition to learning that his father and brother have been hospitalized under mysterious circumstances, Ray is now working for Samantha Winslow, the head of a movie studio played by Susan Sarandon. Sarandon joins the show in a season-long recurring role, so get used to seeing more of her in the Showtime series.

Susan Sarandon's character hires Ray to deal with a problem revolving around star Natalie James (Lili Simmons). Natalie James is causing some "big fucking problems" after walking off the set of a $3 billion franchise. Sarandon's movie studio head hired Ray because he's "discreet" and she's willing to pay any fee to make her problem go away. What exactly that means will have to wait until Season 5 airs later this summer.

Ray Donovan stars Liev Schreiber as the title character and Los Angeles' best fixer. Originally from South Boston, Ray now works in California as a fixer for the rich and powerful. Whenever someone needs someone else bribed, paid off, or threatened, they turn to Ray to make it happen. Though Ray is a great fixer, he can never quite seem to solve the problems with his family. The series also stars Paula Malcomson, Eddie Marsan, Dash Mihok, Pooch Hall, and Jon Voight.

Ray Donovan returns Sunday, August 6, 2017 on Showtime. There are bound to be a few more updates on the hit series, so make sure to stick with CinemaBlend for all your TV news. To plan out the rest of your summer, head on over to our summer TV premiere guide. If you want to keep up to date with what's happening to all your favorite shows, then make sure to visit our canceled/renewed guide for all broadcast and streaming/cable networks.

After grossing $184 million at the box office last summer, it was little surprise when a Bad Moms sequel was greenlighted. Bad Moms Christmas isn't just going to give the film a festive tinge but it is actually going to introduce us to a whole host of new characters, primarily Amy, Kiki, and Carla's very own mothers. We now know exactly who is going to be playing these women, too, and the film has knocked it out of the park with its casting because Christine Baranski, Cheryl Hines, and Susan Sarandon have all been added to its cast.

STXfilms have confirmed that Christine Baranski will play the mother of Mila Kunis' Amy, Cheryl Hines will be mother to Kristen Bell's Kiki, while, most tantalising of all, Susan Sarandon will be the mother of Kathryn Hahn's Carla Dunkler. The latest press release regarding Bad Moms Christmas not only celebrated the fact that production has now begun on the film in Atlanta, Georgia, but it also revealed that Amy, Kiki, and Carla each receive a holiday visit from their own mothers, which is obviously going to lead to increased hijinks.

Bad Moms proved to be one of the surprise hits of the summer. Released towards the end of July, it provided a welcome relief to the cavalcade of blockbusters that had been populating cinemas around that time. While it was roundly acknowledged that the film didn't quite get the full potential out its cast, it was agreed that Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, and Kathryn Hahn made a superb comedic trifecta, which is something that Bad Moms Christmas will hopeful take more advantage of. The addition of Susan Sarandon to the cast makes that seem more and more likely, too, as the 70-year-old actress has more than proven her own comedic worth over the years, most recently in the criminally overlooked comedy The Meddler from 2015.

The decision to add Christine Baranski and Cheryl Hines to the cast is just as impressive, too, as between them they boast the likes of The Big Bang Theory, The Birdcage, Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas, The Good Wife, and Curb Your Enthusiasm, Son Of Zorn, and Wilson as credits. But considering just how much Kathryn Hahn stole the original film, and just how delightful Susan Sarandon is onscreen, it's their combined presence that has made me take immediate further interest in Bad Moms Christmas.

It's not just Susan Sarandon, Christine Baranski, and Cheryl Hines that have joined Bad Moms Christmas, as Peter Gallagher and This is Us'Justin Hartley have also been added to the cast, while Jay Hernandez, David Walton, and Wanda Sykes are each returning, as are the original writer and directing team of Jon Lucas and Scott Moore. The crew is going to be hard at work over the next few months, because Bad Moms Christmas will hit cinemas on November 3 of this year. Take a look at what else is coming with our full schedule.

Nearly twenty years ago now, Stepmom was released into theaters. Starring Julia Roberts and Susan Sarandon, the movie took a look at the changing nature of families and also what happens to families as they go through a tough time. The movie was a modest hit, but it is remembered just as much for a perceived feud between Julia Roberts and Susan Sarandon as it is for being a box office winner. Recently, Susan Sarandon finally revealed what actually went down with those Stepmom rumors and her answer may be a bit surprising. Apparently, Sarandon's own publicist was involved. Here's what the actress noted:

Celebrities have to deal with a lot of nonsense simply for being famous. Among this is speculation about who they may or may not be dating, rumors about problems on sets and plenty more personal life nonsense. Sometimes there are grains of truth to those rumors; other times there are none. However, I don't think most celebrities are anticipating their PR person is behind a bunch of rumors that crop up related to a movie. Susan Sarandon took too Twitter recently to clear up any misconceptions about Stepmom, and her wording is interesting, as it seems she also found out after the fact that her PR person was responsible for all the rumors related to the 1998 flick.

At the time that both Julia Roberts and Susan Sarandon were busy promoting the movie, they did address the rumors, calling them "boring." Sarandon even went so far as to note female actresses often get accused of fucking their male co-stars and of fighting with their lady co-stars, so it's a lose-lose situation. Although they denied the rumors, that didn't stop them from persisting, and now that Susan Sarandon is promoting her FX series Feud, which in fact follows a famous feud between actresses Joan Crawford and Bette Davis, she's nodding back at the days when she heard about her own perceived feud.

It's fascinating how rumors can persist in Hollywood even when the actresses themselves deny there is a problem. It's not as if the Stepmom feud rumors were so volatile we are still talking about them all the time today, but there are doubtless fans of the movie who remember these rumors when they first came out. Susan Sarandon stays classy and doesn't expressly out the public relations person, here, but she really did cause a lot of trouble over a whole lot of fluff, provided there really was absolutely no truth to those rumors.

Stepmom will be turning 20 soon. If you haven't caught the movie in a while, give it a watch, but be sure to keep a box of tissues handy. Doubtless you'll need them.

Several times a year, it feels like someone brings up the fact that Hollywood often pays its leading men more than its leading ladies. Sometimes these conversations focus on the pay gap and others focus on experience and branding. As it turns out, acting veteran Susan Sarandon has some thoughts on the matter, and she recently shared them. Here's why Susan Sarandon never complains about how much she is paid to act.

According to what Susan Sarandon told the Guardian, she's more grateful for the roles she's been able to take on and the money she's been able to earn, than she's mad about making less money than her male co-stars in some of her films or than getting paid. And why should she be mad? Her estimated net worth is in the tens of millions. She's gotten to do Broadway work and has appeared in movies like The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Thelma and Louise and Dead Man Walking. She's been nominated for 5 Best Actress Academy Awards, and won once. She's had a rockin' career.

Susan Sarandon's years in Hollywood have been long and storied and it's marked that she is one of a small pool of actresses who manage to fight and stay in the business well into retirement age. Susan Sarandon turned 70 a few months ago, and she's currently the star of FX's Ryan Murphy production Feud, where she plays Bette Davis. She also has a slew of film projects in the works, including Butterfly in the Typewriter and The Death and Life of John F. Donovan. Sure, maybe she's not getting paid as much as Jennifer Lawrence did for the Hunger Games movies, but Lawrence took a chance by signing on for those films. (In addition, Sarandon's not having to run around and stick with an insane diet and training schedule, either.) Big budget movies can be a big payoff but they can also keep you from taking on other rewarding projects, as Chris Evans has been vocal about during his tenure with Marvel. Life is often a series of tradeoffs.

At the end of the day, Susan Sarandon is not interested in looking back at her career and complaining about what is and isn't fair. Life is a series of ups and downs, and taking things in stride rather than become embittered usually results in a whole lot more happiness. You can watch Feud when it airs on FX on Sundays at 10 p.m. ET and catch what is coming up in the movies world with our full schedule.

Thelma & Louise, played by Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon in the 1991 movie, went out with a bang. Spoiler alert if you haven’t seen the film, but it ends with these two best friends driving over a cliff and plummeting into a canyon rather than getting taken in by the police. It’s one of those classic movie endings, but thanks to Sarandon and James Corden, there are a couple more alternate endings.

Sarandon reprises her famous role of Louise, while the Late Late Show host takes over for Davis as Thelma. If you’ve been dying to know what was going through their minds when these characters drove off the cliff and headed straight for a rocky grave, these new sketches answer that for you. Apparently, there’s a range of alternate endings, from a misunderstanding to an Ed’s Muffler & Brakes promo, that didn’t make the cut.

Corden is not afraid to crossdress for his art, and he’s spectacular as Thelma, flaunting that endearing Southern charm. Overall, he has been killing it as Late Late Show host, and we can probably attribute that to his years as a Tony-winning Broadway star. Audiences saw him recently in the movie version of Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods as the simple baker trying to break a witch’s curse. Since taking over for Craig Ferguson, he hasn’t stopped performing in sketches alongside his star-studded guests. Some of his killer bits include the Basic Instinct remake, where he took over for Sharon Stone opposite Michael Douglas; reenacting all of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s films with the Terminator himself; Carpool Karaoke installments with Jennifer Hudson and Mariah Carey; and that jaw-dropping underwear ad with David Beckham. These Thelma & Louise alternate endings are more astounding work to add to his resume.

Here's the original ending scene for comparison.

The original Thelma & Louise was directed by Ridley Scott. Thelma, a housewife bored with her average life, goes on a fishing trip with her best friend Louise, a diner waitress. After a fun road trip in a convertible, some dancing at bars and a couple of Wild Turkeys, Louise fatally shoot a man who tries to rape Thelma. Their venture quickly turns into a cat-and-mouse game with the cops. As it turns out, the ending was almost different. Sarandon and Davis reunited for an issue of The Hollywood Reporter to reflect on the film. According to Sarandon,

While that would've been cool to see, Susan Sarandon's alternate endings with James Corden are still Oscar worthy, in my book.

Ah, this sort of explains what happened on Tammy. Everyone on the set was totally high, so they thought all the jokes were hysterical. Only, when the movie opened, no one was laughing.

That’s the new theory born of Kathy Bates’ confession that the actresses in Tammy shared "some good shit" while filming the comedy… even if they might not have inhaled. (Wink, wink.) The pot-smoking-gun was dropped during a "Plead the Fifth" segment on Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live, hosted by Andy Cohen. The host asked Kathy Bates who was the bigger pothead: Matthew McConaughey, who she acted alongside in Failure to Launch; or Susan Sarandon, whom she starred with in Tammy. And Bates shed her Misery by revealing that there was plenty of outstanding wacky tobacky on the Tammy set. She shared:

Drugs? In Hollywood?! Well, I never.

OK, fine. Yes. There was Requiem for a Dream. But that was the only movie I can think of that…

Forget it. Point made. Drugs and Hollywood go hand in hand. Especially when it comes to comedies, from the stoner epics centered around Harold and Kumar, to the vintage adventures of Cheech and Chong. I didn’t peg Melissa McCarthy’s Tammy as a stoner comedy. Then again, the entire marketing campaign did involve McCarthy’s character breaking into a fast food joint and robbing them of cash and goodies. So I guess the clues were on the table the whole time.

Tammy earned $84 million at the domestic box office. We’re not sure how much of that profit was spent on munchies.

Uh-oh! Thelma and Louise together again? Well, in selfie-form anyway. Susan Sarandon Tweeted the above photo, which shows her and her Thelma & Louise co-star Geena Davis posed side-by-side and looking gorgeous together, beneath the photo of their Thelma & Louise characters. It's been more than twenty years since the film released, but you'd barely know it to look at the updated versions of these two beautiful actors.

Did Thelma Dickinson and Louise Sawyer invent the selfie? Ok, probably not but you have to admit, the photo of these two characters as they're about to embark on what should have been a two-day girls-only getaway goes down in movie history as one of the classic selfie photos in film, doesn't it? Especially when we consider how happy and mostly carefree Thelma and Louise were when they snapped this photo. Sure, Thelma was a bit concerned about how Darryl (Christopher McDonald) would react when he found out she skipped town for a road trip with Louise, but neither woman could have predicted what was in store for them after that photo was taken.

Directed by Ridley Scott and written by Callie Khouri (who won an Oscar for the screenplay), Thelma & Louise released in 1991 and centers on two friends who go away for a weekend that's meant to be a fun vacation but turns into a crime spree. While there are certainly some dark moments in this story, to put it mildly, including the sexual assault that served as a catalyst for the weekend-gone-wrong, there are some lighter moments too, particularly in the way Davis' Thelma finally lets her hair down and cut loose. There was also Brad Pitt's young, cowboy-hat-wearing drifter character to stir the pot (and other things). Let's just pause for a minute and appreciate...

Ah, the memories.

Back to the photo (vague spoiler ahead!), let's just say that this iconic selfie is revisited again at the very end of the movie...

It's a mark of how much things can change in just a couple of days.

These days, it looks like both Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis are both keeping busy. While Sarandon has Jason Stone's thriller The Calling coming up, Davis is credited for Max Landis' comedy Me Him Her.

It feels like there was no time at all between the release of Bridesmaids and the news about Melissa McCarthy's passion project, Tammy. Co-written by the Oscar nominee and her husband Ben Falcone, the raunchy comedy tells the story of a woman who loses her job and discovers her husband cheating, and decides to go on a long road trip with her alcoholic, foul-mouthed diabetic grandmother. But as much as that sounds like a winning plot, the film has had a hard time actually getting made. The Help's Tate Taylor was attached to direct at one point before dropping it, and then the same wound up happening with 30 Rock/Modern Family filmmaker Beth McCarthy.

But Tammy has found its second wind in recent weeks. Taking a do-it-yourself attitude, McCarthy and Falcone announced that they would be making their co-directorial debut with the film, in addition to serving as producers and having McCarthy star, and today arrives news that they have found their actress to play grandma, as well as another actor to play a key supporting role

Susan Sarandon, most recently seen alongside Dwayne Johnson in the thriller Snitch, and Kathy Bates are both now in talks to co-star with McCarthy in the new comedy, according to The Hollywood Reporter. While Sarandon will be playing the role of McCarthy's granny, Bates' role is described as being "the grandmother’s lesbian friend who saves the duo from some bad spots." According to the trade, there was once a time where Shirley MacLaine was in discussions about taking on Sarandon's potential part, but a deal could not be reached.

The project is set up at New Line with Will Ferrell and Adam McKay also serving as producers on the movie. We still don't know when production is scheduled to start, but if casting is getting this serious then it probably won't be too long from now.

Kevin Kline and Susan Sarandon have signed on to star in a new film about one of Hollywood’s original legends. Killer Films is developing a new indie film titled The Last of Robin Hood, and Kline will be playing the part of an aging Errol Flynn.

Directed by Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland (Quinceanera), the film will center on the final days of Flynn’s life – before he died at age 50 from a heart attack – and the relationship he had with 17-year-old actress Beverly Aadland. It has been said that Flynn began pursuing the girl from when she was 15 and that the two had a loving relationship. Sarandon, according to Variety, will play Florence Aadland, Beverly’s stage mother who “wanted to be a star herself but ended up living vicariously through her daughter.”

The real Florence Aadland previously published a book about Flynn’s affair with her daughter called “The Big Love,” which was performed as a play by Tracey Ullman (who starred as the mother). The trade report doesn’t say if they will be using Aadland’s book for the film.

The next key step is to find an actress to play Beverly Aadland, but that shouldn’t be too hard given the two stars they’ve already managed to snag. Production on The Last of Robin Hood is aiming to begin in January.

Susan Sarandon, who has been just about everywhere in 2012, will next be seen playing multiple roles in the Wachowski Starship/Tom Tykwer epic Cloud Atlas. Kline will next be seen in the comedy Last Vegas with Robert De Niro, Michael Douglas and Morgan Freeman and is attached to Charlie Kaufman’s Frank or Francis.

We’ve been covering Nicholas Jarecki’s Arbitrage -- and Richard Gere’s mesmerizing performance in the drama – since it made its debut at the Sundance Film Festival. Now that Roadside Attractions has circled a September release date for the possible awards-bait feature, the promotional campaign can ramp up, starting with this new trailer. We have it below:

In the contemporary thriller, Gere plays Robert Miller, a crooked hedge fund magnate who makes one false move and must ally himself with an unlikely partner to save his skin. Arbitrage is the financial practice of buying stocks at a low cost and selling once they go high. It’s a high-risk, high-reward way of operating, and as you can see in the trailer above, when it backfires, it can be deadly.

This is Jarecki’s feature-film directorial debut, after helming a short titled The Weight and a documentary titled The Outsider. His film built serious buzz coming out of Sundance, with much of the impact swirling around Gere’s powerful turn. Expect Roadside to test the Oscar waters for its leading man, though we may see multiple campaigns form around the Arbitrage cast if the film gains any traction. Gere’s surrounded by heavy hitters, sharing scenes with Susan Sarandon, Tim Roth and indie darling Brit Marling. This is Gere’s show, though, and most will be grabbing tickets to see what he can bring to the screen. Arbitrage will be in theaters and available on iTunes beginning Sept. 14. Does this trailer make you interested in checking it out?

Christina Ricci's work of late seems to have the common thread of being period pieces, with her starring role in ABC's Pan Am and a part starring alongside Robert Pattinson, Uma Thurman and Kristin Scott Thomas in Bel Ami. With Pan Am grounded after one season, that should leave her schedule open for feature roles, among which will be a part in Mother's Day.

From Welch writer/director Paul Duddridge, the film will look at the relationships between various mothers and daughters. According to Deadline, Ricci has been cast in the movie, joining Susan Sarandon and her real life daughter Eva Amurri Martino. At this point, it looks like that's it for the announced cast, though it seems likely that we'll hear of more casting soon enough. There's no word on whether Ricci will be playing the mother-side or the daughter-side of a duo, assuming it's one or the other (or both).

Mother's Day is described as a drama, and seems to bear no relation to other recent "Day" movies (Valentine's Day, New Years Day), with Duddridge's past credits appearing to be focused mainly on television. But it looks like the movie is already having some success bringing in notable names. Sarandon's recent work has her playing Joy in Showtime's underrated drama series The Big C, and she has a number of movies in the works, including the feature adaptation of Cloud Atlas. Meanwhile, Ricci's recent roles include Pan Am and Bel Ami, and she's also set to lend her voice to the Smurfs sequel. It'll be interesting to see who else joins Mother's Day.

Could this be the Balls of Fury sequel no one was clamoring for? Unlikely, though Deadline does say that Oscar-winner Susan Sarandon will be involved with Ping-Pong Summer, a feature Michael Tully plans to direct from his own script.

It’s being described as a coming-of-stage story of a New Jersey teen with a passion for table tennis and hip-hop music who embarks on a family vacation in the summer of 1985 and contends with his entire life changing before his very eyes. Get me a young John Cusack on the phone! Let’s hope Sarandon doesn’t play a seasoned beach comber who helps trigger a sexual awakening in the young protagonist in Tully’s screenplay. Will this be The Wackness, or One Crazy Summer? We’ll find out as more details emerge.

If you think it’s strange that Sarandon would commit to a ping-pong-themed project, you don’t know her interests. She’s a rabid ping-pong enthusiast, and has gone so far as to launch an initiative – SpiN – that provides games of ping-pong to inner city schools that can benefit from after-school activities. The program has begun in New York City, and Sarandon has said she plans on franchising it to other cities in the future. Perhaps as part of the Ping-Pong Summer press tour?

Until Sarandon swings a paddle in Summer, you’ll be able to see her in Jeff, Who Lives at Home -- which is still playing in a few theaters – and That’s My Boy, a summer comedy with Adam Sandler and Andy Samberg, which opens on June 15.

Some good news for those eagerly anticipating Tom Tykwer and the Wachowski’s adaptation of David Mitchell’s award-winning novel Cloud Atlas. The production has picked up an additional $1.35 million in funding from the German Federal Film Board, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Now, that sounds like a drop in the bucket for a film that stars the likes of Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Susan Sarandon and Hugo Weaving, and is supposed to span six storylines set in six locations during six different eras. But it’s worth noting the addition of funds because the film’s budget, over the course of its lengthy pre-production, primarily has been adjusted and slashed. Last we heard, the budget for the independently financed feature was going to be much lower than the announced $120 million.

Tykwer’s X Filme is picking up producing credits on Cloud. Shooting still is scheduled to begin in September at Studio Babelsberg outside of Berlin, with Tykwer and the Wachowskis co-directing from the screenplay they co-wrote. I’d love to know where the final budget stands, because it could take expensive resources to bring Mitchell’s intertwined story, long considered impossible to film, to the big screen. These newly acquired funds join $3 million the production has received from Germany’s various film subsidy bodies, as well as an additional $8 million in tax credits from Germany’s production tax break plan.

Cloud Atlas isn’t the only film benefitting from newfound German monies from the country’s film board. THR adds that a 3D, animated version of the Tarzan legend will receive funds, allowing director Reinhard Kloss to begin production.

There has been a flurry of activity in the casting department for the cleverly titled independent drama Robot and Frank, which Jake Schreier will direct from an original screenplay by Christopher Ford.

Earlier in the week, Variety reported that Liev Schreiber, Jeremy Strong and Liv Tyler had been cast in a picture that already had lured two heavy hitters in Frank Langella and Susan Sarandon. Next, the trade added that James Marsden has agreed to join the ensemble, and would be playing the role of one of Langella’s sons. (Unfortunately, unlike in Richard Kelly's The Box, it’s unlikely Langella will once again present Marsden’s character with a box, a button, and a life-changing offer.)

A press release distributed by the newly formed Park Pictures Features decribes Robot as a family comedy set in the future that follows a curmedgeonly old loner named Frank (Langella) whose daily routine involves visiting his lone friend, a librarian (Sarandon). Tired of seeing their father all alone, though, Frank's children (Tyler, Marsden) set him up with a caretaker robot (voiced by Schreiber), and an unlikely friendship between man and machine eventually forms.

That's an admirable ensemble for a family film, and if anyone can sell the emotional bond between a lonely soul and a soulless machine, it's Langella. Park Pictures also confirmed that Frank is the first of several planned features on the narrative feature company's to-do list, which also includes a new project from British director Ringan Ledwidge, an adaptation of Sam Lipsyte's best-selling novel The Ask, and an adaptation of David Foster Wallace's short story, Little Expressionless Animals.

Michael Lander's Peacock promises to be an interesting piece. Cillian Murphy plays John Skillpa, a quiet bank clerk living in the town of Peacock, Nebraska, and after a train crashes in his backyard, he can no longer hide the secret of his multiple personality, Emma, who takes care of him. If that's not weird enough, after he reveals his secret to the town, he has to convince them that his personalities are husband and wife. What?!

The movie is slated as a psychological thriller, and after that description the most intriguing part of the film seems like it would be just how they make that synopsis taught and suspenseful. The tag line is “If he only knew what she was doing,” so one might surmise that “she” starts doing a little murdering along with his laundry.

The first images from the film dropped today over at Shock Till You Drop and at least one will turn a few heads. We're getting not only our first look at the cast, but our first look at Emma, which turns out to be the Scarecrow in full drag. It's not RuPaul drag, he's just dressed as a nice lady you might see about town. It's an interesting look to be sure.

The cast is chock full of greats starting with Cillian Murphy, followed by Susan Sarandon, Ellen Page, Bill Pullman and Josh Lucas. This whole idea sounds like it's going to be incredibly fascinating whether it's a thriller or not. We'll be keeping a close look out for more information as well as a trailer which can't bee too far behind.

John Goodman and Susan Sarandon have been enlisted to help Dr. Kevorkian kill again! Or help the elderly achieve death with dignity again, depending on your point of view. Death with dignity again just doesn’t have quite the same ring.

THR says they’ve joined the cast of You Don’t Know Jack, an HBO Films biopic which stars Al Pacino as Jack Kevorkian. Picture Al Pacino without his hair and you’ll instantly realize why that’s perfect casting. As for Goodman and Sarandon, they’ll play two of Dr. Death’s cohorts. Goodman is Nicol, a co-worker of Kevorkian’s who puts his medical training to use in assisting him. Sarandon is Janet Good, an activist with the Hemlock Society who eventually becomes one of his terminal patients.

The Barry Levinson directed movie will focus primarily on the most controversial period of Kevorkian’s life, when he builds his mercy machine and starts performing assisted suicides. Sorry, no Dr. Death: The Early Years in which we follow Jack Kevorkian’s adventures as a precocious pre-teen with a mysterious after school activity.