Mark Kennedy

Charles Gaines, author of Pumping Iron, died at 84 after a career that helped bring bodybuilding into mainstream attention. His work with George Butler produced the influential book and 1977 documentary that introduced Arnold Schwarzenegger to a wider audience. Schwarzenegger leveraged this visibility into a major film and political career. Gaines, a lifelong weightlifter and prolific writer, was remembered fondly by family and by Schwarzenegger for his adventurous spirit and broad curiosity. He is survived by his wife and three children.

Discovery Channel’s Shark Week launches a slate of new programs featuring singer Rei Ami, comedian Ken Jeong, high diver Molly Carlson and marine biologist Kendyl Berna. Rei Ami participates in shark dives near the Korean Peninsula and records a K-pop song inspired by the experience, while Jeong provides commentary from dry land. The programming combines dramatic entertainment with marine science, conservation messaging and practical advice about responding to shark encounters. Highlights include studies of great whites, bull sharks, hammerheads, reef sharks, thresher sharks and a potentially record-sized mako shark, with the broader aim of reducing misinformation and unnecessary fear about sharks.

Anya Taylor-Joy stars as Lucky, a con artist who is betrayed and forced to flee through the California desert while pursued by the FBI and a crime boss over $10 million. The seven-episode Apple TV+ series, adapted from Marissa Stapley’s novel, combines violent crime action with a family drama about whether Lucky can escape the criminal life taught to her by her imprisoned father. Annette Bening plays an abused and abusive mob leader, while Taylor-Joy also makes her executive-producing debut through Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine.

Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler has died unexpectedly at 75 in a Portuguese hospital while being treated for an illness. Best known for the 1983 power ballad “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” Tyler earned Grammy nominations, solders? and maintained a long career that included “It’s a Heartache,” “Holding Out for a Hero,” Eurovision representation for the United Kingdom, film soundtrack work and later albums. The obituary recounts her working-class Welsh upbringing, throat surgery that contributed to her trademark raspy voice, collaborations with Jim Steinman and other artists, and her enduring cultural impact.

Tracee Ellis Ross is making her Broadway debut in the solo play Every Brilliant Thing, a 70-minute interactive production about depression and the simple joys of life. The role, previously performed by Daniel Radcliffe and Mariska Hargitay, was adapted to reflect Ross’s background and experiences. Ross describes the demanding performance, which includes audience participation and a lengthy monologue, as hopeful and deeply connective.

Tracee Ellis Ross is preparing to make her Broadway debut in Every Brilliant Thing, a 70-minute solo play about compiling a list of life’s pleasures to help a depressed parent see that life is worth living. The production relies heavily on audience participation, improvisation and a personalized script, with Ross memorizing a 40-page monologue in three weeks. Ross says the role has heightened her appreciation of ordinary experiences and reinforced the play’s message that hope and connection can provide a path through difficult emotions.

Tracee Ellis Ross is making her Broadway debut in Every Brilliant Thing, a 70-minute solo play about a narrator who creates a list of reasons life is worth living to help a depressed mother. The production involves audience participation, improvisation and a personalized script, requiring Ross to memorize a 40-page monologue during a three-week rehearsal period. Ross says the play’s hopeful treatment of depression and focus on everyday sources of happiness make it a meaningful addition to her long-held Broadway ambitions.

Victor Willis, co-founder and lead singer of the Village People, has died at 74 after a short, aggressive illness. The musician-actor helped create the group in 1977 with Jacques Morali and Henri Belolo and co-wrote its signature hits, including “Y.M.C.A.,” “Macho Man” and “In the Navy.” “Y.M.C.A.” became a widely enduring cultural phenomenon, entering the National Recording Registry in 2020 and the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2021. Willis also acted on Broadway and in the poorly received film “Can’t Stop the Music,” overcame drug-related difficulties, and won a 2015 ruling granting him 50% U.S. copyright ownership in 13 Village People songs. He remained active with the group and performed for Secretary of State Marco Rubio in India shortly before his death.

The identity of Charlie Brown’s mysterious pen pal is revealed as Mia, a confident South Asian wheelchair user from London, in the upcoming Apple TV animated film “Snoopy Unleashed,” scheduled for 2027. Mia’s visit forces Charlie Brown to confront the gap between his real self and the image created in his letters, while Snoopy runs away and the group pursues him through London. The filmmakers consulted disability organizations and cast wheelchair user Lara Mehmet to improve authenticity, using the story to explore friendship, self-presentation and the universal pressures of appearing better than one feels.

Lin-Manuel Miranda and Eisa Davis are developing their 2024 concept album Warriors into a full Broadway musical, with previews expected to begin in March 2027 and an opening planned for April 2027 at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. Jenny Koons will direct, while Miranda and Davis will write the book; casting has not yet been announced. Based on the 1965 novel and 1979 cult film, the story follows the Warriors street gang traveling from the Bronx to Coney Island while pursued by rival gangs and police. The album reimagines the gang as all women and features a wide range of musical styles and guest performers.

Macy’s will mark the United States’ 250th birthday and the 50th edition of its Fourth of July fireworks celebration with a live New York City broadcast on NBC and Peacock. The event will feature performances by Post Malone, Blake Shelton, Salt-N-Pepa, Noah Kahan, Bebe Rexha, Shaboozey and The Voice season 29 winner Alexia Jayy, alongside 85,000 fireworks shells, a new Brooklyn Bridge laser show and Spanish-language coverage on Telemundo.

Paddington The Musical, which won seven Olivier Awards in London including Best New Musical, is set to transfer to Broadway at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre in March. Directed by Luke Sheppard and written by Jessica Swale and Tom Fletcher, the production adapts Michael Bond’s stories about the Peruvian bear who finds a home with a London family. Its themes of kindness, welcoming immigrants and accepting strangers are central to the show, which attracted many first-time theatergoers in London. The creative team plans to fine-tune the production for American audiences without fundamentally changing it.

Christopher Jackson will return to Broadway’s Richard Rodgers Theatre from September 8 through January 3 to reprise his Tony-nominated role as George Washington in Hamilton. The original cast member says reconnecting with fellow performers during the musical’s 10th-anniversary events motivated him to return. His comeback follows Leslie Odom Jr.’s successful return as Aaron Burr, which helped push Hamilton’s weekly box office above $4 million. Jackson, who left the production in 2016, says the role remains uniquely challenging and meaningful, while the engagement will also allow his now-grown children to see him perform it.

Gene Shalit, the distinctive movie critic and arts reporter who appeared on NBC's Today show for four decades, has died at 100, according to his family. He joined Today in 1970, became arts editor in 1973, and hosted the Critic's Corner segment until leaving in 2010. Known for his bushy hair, large handlebar mustache and pun-filled reviews, Shalit was credited with helping shift film criticism from newspapers and magazines toward nationally televised programs.

The Tony Awards will recognize 24 Broadway shows across 26 categories, with Pink hosting a ceremony featuring performances from nominated productions and anniversary tributes to shows including The Book of Mormon, Rent, Chicago and A Chorus Line. The best new musical race includes Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York), The Lost Boys, Schmigadoon! and Titanique, while Giant and Liberation lead the best-play discussion. Major revival contests include Death of a Salesman, Oedipus and Every Brilliant Thing for best play revival, and Cats: The Jellicle Ball, Ragtime and The Rocky Horror Show for best musical revival. June Squibb could become the oldest Tony winner at 96, while Nathan Lane could tie the record for most Tony wins by a male performer.

Apple TV+ is releasing a 10-part contemporary retelling of Cape Fear starring Javier Bardem as Max Cady, a convicted killer who infiltrates the lives of the lawyers whose family he blames for his imprisonment. Showrunner Nick Antosca aims to honor the 1962 and 1991 films while recasting their themes for 2026 through technology such as drones, artificial intelligence, cloned smartphones and invasive surveillance. The series expands the story beyond the films' concentrated terror to explore creeping paranoia, family breakdown and the universal fear of a household in turmoil, while reworking familiar scenes and retaining elements of the earlier adaptations.

Scary Movie 6 reunites the Wayans family after a 13-year hiatus and returns to the franchise’s chaotic blend of horror parody, topical references, profane humor and gross-out comedy. The film follows Ghostface pursuing the original Core Four while spoofing movies including Scream, Terrifier 3, Sinners and Weapons. Although several sequences, particularly a Final Destination-themed amusement park, land effectively, the film is criticized for uneven jokes, excessive homophobic and scatological humor, and weak references to films such as M3GAN, Get Out, Candyman and The Substance. It earns one and a half stars out of four.

Broadway choreographers Lauren Yalango-Grant and Christopher “Cree” Grant explain how they created safe, seemingly effortless flying sequences for the vampires in The Lost Boys. The production uses harnesses, light-absorbing wires, rigging by Flying by Foy, coordinated lighting and extensive rehearsal to let performers fly, fight and hang upside down 60 feet above the stage. Actors trained for months in strength, aerial movement and emergency quick-release procedures, while costume and stage teams designed around the equipment. The work earned the choreographers their first Tony Award nomination.

The Tony Awards will be broadcast live from Radio City Music Hall on June 7, with Pink hosting and additional performances from nominated productions and the original cast of The Book of Mormon. The Lost Boys and Schmigadoon! lead the nominations with 12 each, followed by Ragtime with 11 and Death of a Salesman with nine. June Squibb could become the oldest Tony winner, while Nathan Lane could tie the record for most Tony Awards won by a male performer. Broadway reported record revenue for the 2025–2026 season, but attendance declined and average ticket prices continued to rise.

Stephen Colbert’s The Late Show is ending after 11 seasons, bringing CBS’s 33-year late-night franchise to a close. CBS cited economic reasons despite the program’s leadership in late-night ratings, while Colbert and others suspect political pressure linked to Paramount’s $16 million settlement with Donald Trump and its pending sale approval. Comics Unleashed, hosted by Byron Allen, is expected to take over the time slot with less political content.

Neil deGrasse Tyson’s book Take Me to Your Leader explores how humanity might respond to first contact with extraterrestrial life. Tyson argues that any visiting aliens would probably be vastly more advanced than humans, advises against assuming familiar greetings or behaviors, and suggests using scientific principles such as physical constants and the laws of nature to communicate. He also discusses the physical limits governing alien biology and spacecraft, while blending astrophysics with pop culture and humor. The book was inspired partly by renewed public and congressional interest in UFOs and is the first release from Simon & Schuster’s Simon Six imprint.

Freddie Hendricks, a Georgia middle school theater teacher and founder of the Youth Ensemble of Atlanta, has won the Tony Awards and Carnegie Mellon University’s Excellence in Theatre Education Award. With more than 30 years of teaching experience, he emphasizes self-acceptance, collaboration and storytelling, encouraging students to create performances about issues including poverty, gun violence, teen pregnancy, apartheid and AIDS. Dozens of his former students have pursued Broadway and entertainment careers, including Justin Ellington, Saycon Sengbloh and Kenan Thompson. The award provides $10,000 for Utopian Academy for the Arts, Tony ceremony tickets and a Carnegie Mellon master class for Hendricks’ students.

Hamlet is experiencing a renewed cultural presence through theatre productions, films, touring adaptations, celebrity performances and social-media reinterpretations. Contemporary versions place the play in settings including London nightlife, South Asian communities and neurodiverse performance spaces, while TikTok and other platforms use familiar pop-culture formats to make Shakespeare more accessible. Artists and scholars argue that the play endures because its themes of grief, anxiety, identity and existential uncertainty can be continually transformed for new audiences.

Daniel Dae Kim hosts CNN's “K-Everything: The Global Rise of Korean Culture,” a series examining the worldwide influence of South Korean food, film, music and beauty. The program follows Kim through experiences including a kimchi festival, K-beauty treatments and visits with Korean performers and creators. Born in South Korea and raised largely in the United States, Kim presents the series as a personal journey and hopes it will deepen global understanding of Korean culture and help counter anti-Asian racism.

A star-studded Broadway cruise is scheduled to sail from Miami to Mexico and the Bahamas from 15–20 April 2027. The lineup includes Tony Award winners Patti LuPone, Darren Criss, Norbert Leo Butz and Adrienne Warren, alongside other performers, composer Marc Shaiman and director Jerry Mitchell. Programming will include performances, Q&As, workshops and dance classes, with a full performance of “Mama I’m a Big Girl Now!” reuniting original Hairspray cast members Marissa Jaret Winokur, Laura Bell Bundy and Kerry Butler.

The Broadway Cruise will sail round-trip from Miami aboard Norwegian Gem from 15–20 April 2027, stopping in Cozumel and Great Stirrup Cay. The lineup includes Patti LuPone, Darren Criss, Norbert Leo Butz, Adrienne Warren and other Tony Award winners and nominees. Programming will feature performances, Q&As, workshops, discussions, dance classes and a Hairspray reunion performance of “Mama I’m a Big Girl Now!” Composer Marc Shaiman and director-choreographer Jerry Mitchell will also participate. The voyage is the fourth edition of the Sixthman-produced themed cruise.

The Lost Boys and Schmigadoon! lead the 2026 Tony Awards nominations with 12 each. June Squibb, aged 96, became the oldest Tony-nominated actor in history, while Danny Burstein set a record for the most Tony nominations by a male actor. Ragtime received 11 nominations and Death of a Salesman, starring Nathan Lane, received nine. Daniel Radcliffe and Rose Byrne were among the notable acting nominees, with Byrne becoming the 22nd actor to earn Oscar and Tony nominations in the same year. The ceremony is scheduled for 7 June at Radio City Music Hall, hosted by Pink and broadcast on CBS and Paramount+.

The Tony Award nominations face an unusually open field, with 30 eligible shows and no clear consensus among the best new musicals or plays. Likely musical contenders include Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York), The Lost Boys, Schmigadoon!, Titanique and Beaches, while Giant, Liberation and The Balusters lead the new-play discussion. John Lithgow and Joshua Henry are viewed as especially likely nominees, alongside performers such as Daniel Radcliffe, Adrien Brody, Laurie Metcalf and several prominent musical-theater actors. Revival categories are also crowded, with Ragtime considered a virtual lock. The nominations are to be announced in 26 categories, followed by a month of campaigning before the Tony Awards are presented at Radio City Music Hall.

Netflix’s four-part adaptation of William Golding’s Lord of the Flies follows British schoolboys stranded on a tropical island as cooperation gives way to rivalry, tyranny and violence. Adapted by Jack Thorne and directed by Marc Munden, the series foregrounds different characters across its episodes and emphasizes themes of democratic fragility, groupthink, populism and the persistence of darker human impulses. Filming in Malaysia involved difficult tropical conditions and strict limits for the young cast, while psychologists, tutors and chaperones provided support. Despite the story’s horror, the actors describe the five-month production as a joyful bonding experience, with many remaining close after filming.

Rachel Zegler will bring her acclaimed portrayal of Eva Perón in Jamie Lloyd’s revival of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Evita to Broadway in spring 2027, with the Shubert theater venue still to be announced. Zegler’s London performance, including singing “Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina” from an exterior balcony, drew large crowds and earned her the Olivier Award for best actress in a musical. The production follows Broadway stagings in 1979 and 2012.

Nedra Talley Ross, the last surviving member of the Ronettes, has died at 80 at her home, according to her daughter and the group's official Instagram account. Alongside cousins Ronnie and Estelle Bennett, Ross helped create the influential girl group's signature sound and recorded hits including “Be My Baby,” “Baby I Love You” and “Walking in the Rain.” The Ronettes toured England with the Rolling Stones, were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and continued to influence film and television soundtracks. After the group split around 1967, Ross pursued Christian music. She and the other Ronettes spent years unsuccessfully pursuing royalties from producer Phil Spector; her death leaves no surviving original member of the trio.

Ken Ard, an original cast member of the 1980s Broadway musical Cats, has returned to Broadway in Cats: The Jellicle Ball after a 25-year absence. Ard says PTSD following the September 11 attacks damaged his confidence and career, but the new production helped him reconnect with both the show and New York. Directed by Zhailon Livingston and Bill Rauch, with choreography by Omari Wiles and Arturo Lyons, the revival relocates Cats into Harlem's Black and Latino queer ballroom scene while retaining Andrew Lloyd Webber's music. Ard performs as DJ Griddlebone and views the production as a joyful, inclusive reinvention that could introduce a new generation to Cats and musical theater.

Billy Crystal will return to Broadway this fall with “860,” an intimate one-man show about the Los Angeles home he and his family occupied for 46 years before it was destroyed in the 2025 Palisades fires. Crystal wrote and will perform the show, which will be directed by Scott Ellis and explore family memories, grief and resilience. The production follows his 2022 musical “Mr. Saturday Night” and builds on the success of his earlier solo show “700 Sundays.”

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s 2026 class will include Phil Collins, Iron Maiden, Wu-Tang Clan, Billy Idol, Queen Latifah, Sade, Joy Division/New Order, Oasis and the late Luther Vandross. Additional awards will recognize Celia Cruz, Fela Kuti, MC Lyte, Gram Parsons, Linda Creed, Arif Mardin, Jimmy Miller, Rick Rubin and Ed Sullivan. The induction ceremony is scheduled for 14 November at Los Angeles’s Peacock Theatre, with a December broadcast on ABC and Disney+, while several prominent nominees, including Mariah Carey, Lauryn Hill and Shakira, were not selected.

Pink will host the 2026 Tony Awards on June 7 at Radio City Music Hall, marking her first time serving as master of ceremonies. The Grammy-winning singer, known for her acrobatic and high-energy performances, said Broadway has influenced her own shows and that she looks forward to celebrating the theatre community. The ceremony will air live on CBS and stream on Paramount+, following a 2025 broadcast that attracted 4.85 million viewers, its largest CBS audience in six years.

Kara Swisher’s six-part CNN docuseries examines the science, technology and commercial claims surrounding longer life. It investigates wellness treatments and longevity entrepreneurs, including Bryan Johnson, while questioning products such as collagen supplements and vibration plates where evidence is weak. The series also explores more promising developments, including gene editing, GLP-1 drugs, cancer screening by AI, exoskeletons and Stanford’s injectable millibots. Swisher connects the subject to her father’s early death and argues that the United States should prioritize preventive health rather than primarily treating costly illness after it begins. South Korea’s nutrition and universal healthcare system is presented as a contrasting model, while AI companions and a digital clone of Swisher illustrate possible future approaches to aging and identity.

Hulu is premiering a four-part revival of Malcolm in the Middle titled Life’s Still Unfair, set 20 years after the original series. Frankie Muniz returns as Malcolm, now a father trying to protect his teenage daughter Leah from his chaotic family, alongside several original cast members. The story centers on the family reuniting for Malcolm’s parents’ 40th wedding anniversary, while the revival’s creators focus on new family dynamics and Malcolm’s experience as a parent.

Hulu’s four-part revival, Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair, reunites Frankie Muniz, Bryan Cranston, Jane Kaczmarek and other original cast members nearly 20 years after the sitcom ended. The story follows an adult Malcolm, now a father, as he tries to protect his daughter from the chaotic family dynamics he grew up with, only to be drawn back for his parents’ 40th wedding anniversary. Series creators Linwood Boomer and Tracy Katsky Boomer say the revival explores inherited behavior, parental trauma and the ways family patterns persist, while retaining the show’s high-energy comedy. No further episodes are currently planned, though Boomer has not ruled out another return.

Bruce Hornsby's new album, “Indigo Park,” reflects on his childhood, aging and the experiences that shaped him while combining melodic simplicity with dissonance, complex rhythms and unusual language. The 10-song collection features Ezra Koenig, Bonnie Raitt and Bob Weir, and draws on influences ranging from literary fiction and classical music to basketball chants. Hornsby embraces the album’s challenging and unconventional moments as part of his continuing effort to create sounds he has not heard before, while longtime collaborator Gibb Droll describes the record as an unusually personal glimpse into the musician’s inner life.

Iris Rainer Dart is bringing Beaches to Broadway as a musical more than three decades after her novel became a film starring Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey. Inspired by Dart’s close friendship with her cousin Sandy, the story follows Cee Cee Bloom and Bertie White through decades of love, family upheaval, illness and personal change. Dart co-wrote the musical’s story with Thom Thomas and contributed lyrics to music by Mike Stoller; Lonny Price directs, with Kelli Barrett and Jessica Vosk starring. After more than 10 years of development, the production opens April 22 and retains the signature song “The Wind Beneath My Wings.”

The 30th Webby Awards have nominated Cardi B, Steph Curry, Dwayne Johnson, Justin Bieber and Sydney Sweeney’s bathwater-inspired soap campaign, alongside a wide range of digital creators, brands, entertainers and political social-media teams. Google leads the organizations with 46 nominations, followed by PBS, Apple, Disney, NBCUniversal and Netflix. Notable nominees include campaigns by Duolingo, Kendall Jenner, Netflix’s Stranger Things, Bad Bunny, Lady Gaga, MrBeast and Cardi B. Winners will be announced April 21, with the ceremony scheduled for May 11 in New York; fan voting for the Webby People’s Voice Award remains open until April 16.

Tony-nominated Broadway and film actor Mary Beth Hurt has died at 79 in New Jersey after living with Alzheimer's disease since 2015. Her career included three Tony-nominated performances, major film roles, and collaborations with Glenn Close, Paul Schrader and Woody Allen. Hurt was married to filmmaker Paul Schrader and previously to actor William Hurt, and is survived by her daughter Molly Schrader and son Sam.

John Eric Parker remains the only original cast member still performing in The Book of Mormon 15 years after its Broadway debut. He credits the show's continuing artistic vitality and his enduring enjoyment of the role, while producer Anne Garefino praises his talent and steady presence. Parker joined the musical after appearing in Memphis, making him part of casts that won Tony Awards for best new musical in consecutive years. Although he took breaks for family loss, marriage and other projects, the long-running engagement gave him greater freedom to pursue community work and serve on nonprofit boards. He says the show's meaning and audience reactions have evolved alongside cultural shifts including the #MeToo and Black Lives Matter movements.

Mark Ballas is returning to Broadway as lawyer Billy Flynn in Chicago beginning April 6, reuniting with Whitney Leavitt, his former Dancing with the Stars partner, who will play Roxie. The role marks a full-circle moment for Ballas, who auditioned unsuccessfully for Chicago in London at 18 and has since appeared in Jersey Boys and Kinky Boots. He discusses his preparation, lifelong affection for the musical, admiration for choreographer Bob Fosse, and early experience as an extra in the first three Harry Potter films.

Founding members Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings will take The Guess Who on more than 20 US dates beginning June 25 in Minneapolis, following a Canadian tour. It will be the band's first official US tour under the name since 2001, after a trademark dispute with former bandmates was settled in September 2024 in Bachman and Cummings' favor. The summer setlist will feature roughly 20 classic hits, including “American Woman” and “These Eyes,” performed as they appeared on the original recordings.

Christina Applegate’s memoir, You with the Sad Eyes, recounts her childhood in an abusive and impoverished household, domestic violence, body-image struggles, motherhood, breast cancer and life with multiple sclerosis. The actor describes abandoning the polished “warrior” persona she adopted after her double mastectomy in favor of openly acknowledging pain and disability. The book also reflects on her major roles in television and Broadway, embarrassing personal episodes and the process of transforming years of diaries and recorded reflections into an intentionally unvarnished account. Applegate and her editor hope that its honesty will encourage others to share their own experiences.

Romantic comedies are experiencing a resurgence across streaming television, film and Broadway, led by hits such as Heated Rivalry, Nobody Wants This and People We Meet on Vacation. The new Broadway musical Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) follows the familiar opposites-attract formula while centering ordinary working people and playfully questioning genre stereotypes. Psychologist Paul Eastwick and director Brett Haley argue that audiences still value well-crafted romances, even though critics often dismiss the genre, particularly during a period when viewers are seeking optimism and emotional escape.

Oasis, Phil Collins, Shakira and 14 other acts have been nominated for induction into the 2026 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Ten nominees are appearing on the ballot for the first time, while Billy Idol and Joy Division/New Order return; Oasis’s nomination follows the Gallagher brothers’ 2025 reunion tour. More than 1,200 artists and music-industry professionals will select the inductees, who are due to be announced in April, with eligibility requiring a first commercial recording released at least 25 years ago.

Oasis, Phil Collins, Shakira and 14 other performers have been nominated for induction into the 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The diverse ballot spans rock, Britpop, metal, hip-hop, R&B, blues rock and pop, and includes first-time nominees such as Lauryn Hill, Mariah Carey, Iron Maiden, Pink, Sade and the Wu-Tang Clan, alongside returning nominees Billy Idol and Joy Division/New Order. The 2026 inductees will be announced in April after voting by more than 1,200 artists, historians and music-industry professionals. Eligibility requires an artist’s first commercial recording to have been released at least 25 years earlier.

The Scrubs revival brings back Zach Braff’s J.D. and Donald Faison’s Turk as middle-aged mentors to a new generation of doctors. The series aims to restore the grounded mix of comedy and drama associated with its early seasons while addressing how medical workplaces have changed, including the rejection of Dr. Cox’s abusive management style. Creator Bill Lawrence also revisits the characters’ lives beyond the original finale, exploring setbacks, changing relationships and the challenges of the second stage of adulthood. The enduring friendship between J.D. and Turk remains central, now framed through contemporary concerns about male loneliness and the value of non-romantic friendships.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame will open “Paul McCartney and Wings” in Cleveland on May 15, featuring instruments, outfits, handwritten lyrics, photographs and tour memorabilia from McCartney’s personal archive and from band members and associates. The exhibition will cover McCartney’s career from his 1970 solo debut through Wings’ formation in 1971 and breakup in 1981. It coincides with renewed interest in McCartney’s career, including Sam Mendes’ Beatles biopics and the upcoming Amazon Prime Video documentary “Man on the Run.”

Broadway performers Rodney Ingram and his wife Sonia are appearing together in Disney’s Aladdin, where Ingram has recently become the permanent title performer. A few blocks away, married actors Mduduzi Madela and Nteliseng Nkhela are both part of The Lion King, with Madela set to take over permanently as Simba. The couples met through productions in Mexico City and South Africa, respectively, and their shared Broadway careers have allowed them to perform alongside one another while raising families and pursuing long-held theatrical ambitions.

Peacock’s eight-episode horror-comedy series “The ’Burbs,” inspired by the 1989 Tom Hanks film, follows new mother and newlywed Samira, played by Keke Palmer, as she moves into a predominantly white suburb and investigates a decades-old disappearance with eccentric neighbors. Creator Celeste Hughey uses comedy, mystery and horror to explore microaggressions, racial profiling, bullying and childhood trauma without making the social commentary overly heavy-handed. The series also pays tribute to the original through returning actor Wendy Schaal, references to Carrie Fisher and other details from the film.

Puppy Bowl XXII will feature 150 dogs from 72 shelters across the United States, Puerto Rico and the British Virgin Islands, including a halftime matchup between senior dogs on Team Oldies and younger dogs on Team Goldies. The event airs Sunday at 2 p.m. Eastern and streams on HBO Max and discovery+. Organizers and rescue advocates say the program raises awareness of shelter animals, especially older dogs, whose calm temperaments, training and capacity to learn are often overlooked. Rescue groups also report that adoptions have declined as families face economic pressures, making the show's exposure particularly valuable.

Woodie King Jr., the actor, director and producer who founded New Federal Theatre in 1970 to provide opportunities for Black theater artists, has died at 88 from complications following emergency heart surgery in New York City. The company became a major off-Broadway platform for works by writers including Ntozake Shange, Ed Bullins, J.E. Franklin, Charles Fuller and David Henry Hwang, while helping launch or advance the careers of performers such as Morgan Freeman, Denzel Washington and Chadwick Boseman. King was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame in 2012 and received a Tony Honor in 2020. He is survived by his wife, three children and five grandchildren.

Bad Bunny made Grammy history when Debí Tirar Más Fotos became the first Spanish-language album to win album of the year. The telecast also featured high-energy performances from Bruno Mars and Rosé, Lady Gaga, Sabrina Carpenter, the best new artist nominees, and a stark, stripped-down set from Justin Bieber. Major highlights included tributes to Ozzy Osbourne, D’Angelo, Roberta Flack and other recently deceased music figures, with Chappell Roan passing the best new artist mantle to Olivia Dean.

The 2025 Tony Awards will be held June 7 at Radio City Music Hall in New York, with nominations announced May 5 and the host to be revealed later. The ceremony will air on CBS and stream on Paramount+, following a previous broadcast that attracted 4.85 million viewers, CBS’s largest Tony Awards audience in six years. The awards are presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing.

Marc Shaiman’s memoir, “Never Mind the Happy: Showbiz Stories from a Sore Winner,” uses pessimistic humor to recount his rise from Bette Midler’s musical director to an award-winning composer and lyricist for Broadway and Hollywood. He recalls collaborations and conflicts involving figures such as Stephen Sondheim, Meryl Streep and Billy Crystal, while candidly discussing drug use, professional anxieties and personal mistakes. Shaiman’s central advice to aspiring artists is to keep showing up and accept opportunities. Despite major success, including the Tony-winning “Hairspray,” he remains uneasy about Broadway’s high costs and fickle audiences after recent shows closed early, and is considering retirement with characteristic skepticism.

Channing Tatum is bringing Magic Mike Live to a specially designed 425-seat venue at New York City's former Copacabana nightclub, opening October 8. The immersive production features male dancers, a female host, dance, aerial acrobatics, comedy, music, drinks and optional audience participation. Tatum and the creative team describe it as a sex-positive alternative to misogynistic traditional male revues, with a nightclub-theater hybrid setting and a New York-specific adaptation of the show. The production originated in Las Vegas in 2017 and has since expanded to London, Berlin and Australia.

The 2026 Golden Globes featured major wins for Brazil, with Wagner Moura taking best lead actor in a movie drama and The Secret Agent winning best non-English film. Seth Rogen won his first Globe after satirizing the ceremony in The Studio, while Amy Poehler’s Good Hang became the inaugural podcast award winner. KPop Demon Hunters won for best animated film and original song, and Adolescence took four awards. The ceremony also included humorous and emotional moments involving several actors, along with messages about perseverance, generational trauma, hope and rejecting hate.

A federal judge dismissed Salt-N-Pepa’s lawsuit seeking to reclaim ownership of their master recordings from Universal Music Group. Judge Denise Cote ruled that the duo had not shown they previously owned or transferred the copyrights, accepting UMG’s argument that the recordings were works made for hire and therefore could not be reclaimed under the 1976 Copyright Act’s 35-year termination provision. UMG said it remained willing to resolve the dispute, while representatives for Salt-N-Pepa did not immediately comment.

Marina Zenovich’s documentary I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not examines the comedian’s childhood, rise through Saturday Night Live and Hollywood, and troubled tenure on Community. It presents Chase as a gifted physical comedian whose abrasive behavior and public feuds alienated colleagues, while suggesting that childhood abuse and drug use contributed to his darker tendencies. Chase participates candidly, approves of the film, acknowledges mistakes such as leaving SNL, and appears vulnerable over being excluded from its 50th-anniversary celebration. Zenovich concludes that he may have broken a cycle of generational trauma.

John Skelley’s long association with Harry Potter began when he was hired as a Broadway understudy in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. After leading the San Francisco production, appearing in the show’s national tour and performing in multiple cities, he has returned to Broadway as the official Harry Potter. The role transformed his career and helped support his family during a difficult period, while his wife, Maren Searle, also joined the company. Director John Tiffany praises Skelley’s vulnerability and professionalism, and Skelley hopes the production will encourage audiences to support live theater more broadly.

Tramell Tillman is profiled after a breakout 2025 marked by a prominent second season of Severance, an Emmy win as the first Black man to receive the supporting actor in a drama series award, a Golden Globe nomination and a role opposite Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning. Tillman discusses the personal experiences that shaped Seth Milchick, his collaboration with Dan Erickson and Ben Stiller, and the shared sense of duty between his Severance character and his submarine captain. With several upcoming film projects, including Good Sex and Spider-Man: Brand New Day, he says he hopes to pursue versatility and tell underrepresented stories while relying on friends to navigate newfound fame.

The Academy Awards will introduce a casting achievement prize at the 98th ceremony in 2026, giving greater visibility to a profession whose work often takes place before most production begins. Casting directors Bernard Telsey and Destiny Lilly describe the role as a combination of industry knowledge, creative judgment, networking and risk-taking. Telsey discusses casting the Wicked films and other major productions, while Lilly highlights Bill Burr’s successful stage debut in Glengarry Glen Ross. The article also examines how casting has evolved across film, television and theater as actors move between mediums, auditions shift online and productions become more global, even as tighter budgets and shorter timelines increase pressure on casting teams.

Diana Ross will headline ABC’s “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve,” performing a medley including “I’m Coming Out” and “Upside Down” from Times Square as the broadcast welcomes 2026. The December 31 special will feature 39 artists across New York City, Las Vegas, Chicago, and Puerto Rico, with Ryan Seacrest and Rita Ora hosting from Times Square and additional presenters and anchors in other locations. The event will air live on ABC and stream on Hulu the following day, while the public Times Square ball-drop gathering will remain free and open without tickets.

Ada Boni’s 1929 Italian cookbook The Talisman of Happiness is receiving its first complete English edition, containing nearly 1,700 recipes. Voracious publisher Michael Szczerban spent 12 years locating the rights and arranging the translation, using the 1959 Italian edition as a model and preserving Boni’s practical, flexible approach while removing only outdated or unusable material. The book is presented as both a foundational guide to regional Italian cooking and a reflection of Italy’s cultural heritage.

The Golden Globes nominated six podcasts for its inaugural best podcast award, including Armchair Expert, Call Her Daddy, Good Hang with Amy Poehler, The Mel Robbins Podcast, SmartLess and NPR’s Up First. Major conservative shows such as The Joe Rogan Experience, The Ben Shapiro Show and The Megyn Kelly Show, along with the liberal Pod Save America, were excluded, prompting questions about whether the Globes deliberately avoided political controversy. Critics also questioned the selection criteria and the use of Luminate Data, which is owned by the same company as the Globes. Podcast experts welcomed the new recognition but said the process lacked transparency and nuance, while noting that the award reflects podcasting’s growing mainstream status.

PlayStation’s 30th anniversary is presented as a milestone for a brand that helped move video games from children’s bedrooms into mainstream living rooms and popular culture. Sony’s early emphasis on developers, a $299 launch price and CD-ROM technology helped the original console challenge Nintendo and Sega, while the PlayStation 2’s built-in DVD player drove further mass adoption. Although the expensive PS3 and a damaging 2011 network hack created setbacks, the PS4 restored momentum and the PS5 continued the focus on advanced technology and immersive play. PlayStation franchises have since expanded into films, television, fashion and footwear, reflecting Sony’s broader ambition to position the brand as a major entertainment property rather than merely a gaming platform.