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The new Shondaland murder mystery series “The Residence” shares some DNA with another Netflix whodunit: Rian Johnson’s “Knives Out” film.

“It resuscitated the genre,” showrunner Paul William Davies told Variety at “The Residence” premiere in Los Angeles on Wednesday, revealing that Johnson’s film was a “hugely important” guidepost for his show in the way that it drew inspiration from 1970s whodunits.

“He played around with the history,” Davies explained. “That really opened the door for a lot of us to be like, ‘Oh, yeah, we can do that again.'”

“The Residence,” which is now streaming on Netflix, stars Uzo Aduba as the wildly eccentric detective (and legendary birder) Cordelia Cupp, who is tasked with solving a murder that takes place during a White House state dinner. In creating the screwball comedy — which features a sprawling cast that includes Susan Kelechi Watson, Randall Park and Ken Marino — Davies...

There can often be a significant challenge in adapting a stage play to the big screen, as the two mediums require completely different production values and styles of performances. Many of the best productions of all-time succeeded because of the intimacy and authenticity that came with seeing the performances live, which is inherently impossible for a cinematic vehicle. At the same time, films that try too hard to replicate the stripped-down, sparse production of a stage play may feel cinematically uninteresting as a result. Peter Bogdanovichwas a veteran of both mediums, and managed to avoid many of these common issues when he crafted his adaptation of the popular stage play Noises Off. A witty tale about the eccentric personalities involved in theater, Noises Off is a hilarious satire of show business that features great comedic performances from Michael Caine and Christopher Reeve.

The American Theatre Wing will soon be announcing the Tonys' Lifetime Achievement Award recipient. It traditionally goes to veteran stage performers, directors, choreographers, playwrights, songwriters, producers, and designers. In some years there are multiple honorees. Last year's recipients were directors Jack O'Brien and George C. Wolfe.

Several living male Broadway vets have already received this award: Paul Gemignani, Alan Ayckbourn, Athol Fugard, Tommy Tune, Marshall W. Mason, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Harold Wheeler, Joel Grey, and John Kander. Here are 10 possibilities, all accomplished men over the age of 65. Vote in our poll below to let us know who you’d like to see honored.

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John Caird

Two-time Tony-winning director for The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby (1982) and Les Misérables (1987). Additional nominations for helming Stanley (1997) and cowriting Jane Eyre the Musical (2001).

Tim Curry

Three-time Tony-nominated actor for Amadeus (1981), My Favorite Year...

Annika Noelle has established herself as a leading lady on The Bold and the Beautiful. Although she’s now a famous soap star, she hasn’t forgotten her humble beginnings.

Theater Roots

Like many actresses starting on their journey, Noelle got her start in theater. The Boston native moved to Los Angeles and enrolled in UCLA’s School of Theater, Film and Television. During her time as a student, Noelle performed at the University’s famous theater, the Geffen Playhouse.

Although the theater is mostly for UCLA students, celebrities, including Martin Short and Bryan Cranston have performed at the venue. Noelle is one of the lucky few, who worked at the iconic theater. It was a memorable experience for the actress, who returned to her old stomping grounds this past weekend.

On her Instagram stories, Noelle attended the production of Noises Off at the Geffen Playhouse. The actress was joined...

Christopher Reeve's portrayal of Superman will forever remain a benchmark for superhero films. His iconic ability to balance Clark Kent's quiet demeanor with larger-than-life heroism set a new standard for the genre, earning his outings' place among the best Superman movies. Reeve's performances resonate harder decades later, showcasing a deep depth and charisma that has permeated for years and will continue to endure for years to come. It's no surprise every good Superman movie stars Reeve as his forever-lasting legacy in cinema ultimately defined what it means to be a hero.

While he is synonymous with Superman, Reeve's talent extends far beyond the cape. Some of the best Christopher Reeve roles don't even depict him as Superman, although plenty of them do involve him in a cape. This versatility defines the actor's legacy, with Reeve's ability to connect with audiences existing as a testament to his sincerity and depth.

Quick Links What is She's Funny That Way About? She's Funny That Way Has a Perfect Ensemble She's Funny That Way Isn't the Film's Real Title She's Funny That Way Failed to Connect With Critics and Fans

Long gone are the days of romantic comedy movies dominating the worldwide box office. The vast majority of romcoms are consigned to an eternity on the streaming services, with no hope of making a real cultural impact. While the '90s and 2000s had Sleepless in Seattle, Something About Mary, and 50 First Dates staking their claim as box office giants, fans of the 2010s and 2020s are forced to excavate gems from streaming services and struggling theaters. Certain gems like Anyone But You, Crazy Rich Asians, or Midnight in Paris manage to break free of the "chick flick" label, but, for whatever reason, they are a dime a dozen. Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris,...

Grey’s Anatomy’s T.R. Knight will appear in Stranger Things: The First Shadow on Broadway this spring.

Knight will play the character of Victor Creel alongside cast members Rosie Benton (Patriots) as Virginia Creel, Alex Breaux (who is set to appear in Stranger Things Season 5 on Netflix) as Dr. Brenner, Nicky Eldridge as Bob Newby, Andrew Hovelson (Lucky Guy) as Principal Newby, Alison Jaye (Shameless) as Joyce Maldonado, Gabrielle Nevaeh (Nickelodeon’s That Girl Lay Lay) as Patty Newby and Burke Swanson (Back to the Future: The Musical) as James Hopper, Jr.

They joined previously announced Louis McCartney, who will reprise his role as Henry Creel on Broadway, after originating the part in the West End. Additional casting will be announced in January.

The production begins performances at the Marquis Theatre March 28, 2025, ahead of an April 22 opening night.

The play is set up as a prequel to the events in...

Exclusive: Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends, the upcoming Broadway revue of the great composer’s classics starring the previously announced Bernadette Peters and Lea Salonga, will also feature cast members Jasmine Forsberg (Six), Kate Jennings Grant (Noises Off), David Harris (Moulin Rouge!), Bonnie Langford (London’s Old Friends), Beth Leavel, Gavin Lee, Ryan McCartan, Jason Pennycooke (Hamilton), Joanna Riding (Carousel), Jeremy Secomb (London’s Old Friends), Maria Wirries (Dear Evan Hansen), and Daniel Yearwood (Sweeney Todd).

The company will also include Kevin Earley, Paige Faure, Alexa Lopez, and Peter Neureuther. The final co-star will be announced soon.

Previews begin Tuesday, March 25, 2025, at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, with opening night set for April 8.

Producer Manhattan Theatre Club announced the cast additions today. Old Friends is a Cameron Mackintosh’s production presented by Mtc in association with Mackintosh and Daryl Roth.

The comedy genre has adapted, changed and evolved endlessly over the years. Comedy, more than any other genre, evolves as society's standards change. What people in the 1920s found funny is extremely different from what people in the 2020s find funny, and that is normal. To keep the genre fresh, the goal is always to subvert expectations, and as new voices infiltrate the Hollywood movie scene, viewers are bound to be duped in ways they've never imagined. From the screwball to the slapstick to the surreal, one filmmaker of the 20th century did it better than anyone.

Peter Bogdanovich is an Academy-Award-nominated screenwriter and director who has gained a rabid cult following since his death. He was able to walk the line between heart-wrenching drama and intense physical comedy flawlessly. He dabbled in all comedic styles, surprising audiences with every new release. Bogdanovich was known for squeezing the best performances out of his actors,...

Chicago – If you’ve never seen the farcical ensemble theater chestnut “Noises Off,” you will see no better version than on the Steppenwolf Theatre stage, now at their northside Chicago venue through November 3rd. For tickets and details for this riotous theater experience, click Noises Off.

Play Rating: 4.5/5.0

The story opens on the final dress rehearsal for a touring company of “Nothing On,” a supposed comedy about couples and misunderstandings in a country house. The actors in the play are horribly unprepared, much to the chagrin of director Lloyd (Rick Holmes), who is beside himself despite the best efforts of his assistant Poppy (Vaneh Assadourian) and Stage Manager Tim (Max Stewart). The actors include Dotty (Ora Jones), portraying centerpiece housekeeper Mrs. Clackett, Garry playing Roger (Andrew Leeds), Brooke portraying Vicki (Amanda Fink), Freddie playing Philip (James Vincent Meredith), Belinda portraying Flavia (Audrey Francis), and Selsdon playing The Burglar (Francis Guinan...

Carol Burnett is an Emmy-winning actress and comedy icon who became a household name during the late 1960s with her infamous variety sketch comedy series, The Carol Burnett Show, making her one of the first women to host a show. Born in San Antonio, Texas, Burnett and her family eventually moved to Los Angeles, where she studied theater and musical comedy at UCLA. After establishing herself on the Broadway stage, she made her television debut on The Garry Moore Show as a series regular. While Burnett continued to dominate the world of television, she also appeared in various popular films, including The Front Page, Annie, and Noises Off...

Oh, Canada debuting this week on the Croisette is high time to see lesser-seen Schrader on the Criterion Channel, who’ll debut an 11-title series including the likes of Touch, The Canyons, and Patty Hearst, while Old Boyfriends (written with his brother Leonard) and his own “Adventures in Moviegoing” are also programmed. Five films by Jean Grémillon, a rather underappreciated figure of French cinema, will be showing

Series-wise, there’s an appreciation of the synth soundtrack stretching all the way back to 1956’s Forbidden Planet while, naturally, finding its glut of titles in the ’70s and ’80s––Argento and Carpenter, obviously, but also Tarkovsky and Peter Weir. A Prince and restorations of films by Bob Odenkirk, Obayashi, John Greyson, and Jacques Rivette (whose Duelle is a masterpiece of the highest order) make streaming debuts. I Am Cuba, Girlfight, The Royal Tenenbaums, and Dazed and Confused are June’s Criterion Editions.

Update, with GoFundMe info: The Broadway production of Illinoise has dedicated the entire run of the musical to production stage manager Thomas J. Gates, who was struck and killed by a New Jersey Transit train yesterday.

“With heavy hearts we mourn the passing of our Production Stage Manager, Thomas J. Gates,” the production posted on social media today. “Thom was the center of Illinoise on Broadway, a beloved friend and collaborator. We are devasted for his husband Rick, another member of the Illinoise community.

“These two amazing human beings led our company on our journey since the beginning. We dedicate the run of Illinoise to Thom and his loving memory.”

Last night’s performance of the Sufjan Stevens-Justin Peck-Jackie Sibblies Drury musical was canceled after the production received word of the tragic incident.

A resident of South Orange, New Jersey, Gates, 51, was struck and killed at 9:12 a.

One of Hollywood’s greatest living actors, Michael Caine, is sending his fans into a tizzy over a photo posted to his personal Twitter account. The image depicts an impressive stack of Caine’s films on DVD and Blu-ray, encapsulating the highs and lows of his storied career as an entertainer. While gems like Get Carter, The Last Valley, and Harry Brown adorn the pile, cinematic blights like On Deadly Ground, Jaws: The Revenge, and The Island sit among the crowd.

The variety of films in Caine’s collection speaks volumes about the actor’s sense of humor and accomplishment. While some actors tend to want to cast their cinematic sins to the fiery depths, Caine proudly displays several of his biggest box office bombs and critically panned misfires. For example, Peter Benchley’s The Island is an insane bit of cinema featuring Caine as a kidnap victim of inbred pirates.

The premise of the 1977 sitcom "Three's Company" -- adapted from the 1973 British series "Man About the House" -- would likely never fly in 2024. Roommates Janet (Joyce DeWitt) and Chrissy (Suzanne Somers) require a third roommate to pay rent in their expensive Santa Monica apartment. They stumble across Jack Tripper (John Ritter), an aspiring culinary student whom they get along with. It so happens, though, that the building's landlord, Mr. Roper (Normal Fell), is ultra-conservative and refuses to let unmarried men and women share his apartments. To get around this contrived contingency, Janet and Chrissy tell Mr. Roper that Jack is gay. This satisfies the landlord but opens Jack up to homophobic jibes.

Fell eventually left the series and was replaced by the high-strung Mr. Furley, played by Don Knotts. Mr. Furley, it seems, required the charade to continue. Somers also left the show in its last two seasons and was...

One of the most quoted pieces of Hollywood wisdom holds that 90 percent of directing is casting. You bring the right actors together, and you're off to the races. This is, of course, laughably simplistic. You could argue that 90 percent of directing is writing because there's no movie or show to make if there's nothing on the page. And many directors will tell you that their films don't truly come together until they're hunkered down with their editor in post-production.

The truth, obviously, is that film and television production is a collaborative process that requires numerous people with expertise in different disciplines to do what they do at the highest level possible. And when it comes to casting, there is absolutely an art to finding, after untold hours of reels and cold reads, the ideal actor for each role — especially if you're trying to launch a successful television series. Because no...

Michael Blakemore, the only director in Tony Award history to win twice in one year, died Sunday, Dec. 10, following a short illness. He was 95.

His death was announced by the London-based United Agents literary and talent agency.

An acclaimed director of both West End and Broadway productions – his formidable credits include A Day in the Death of Joe Egg (1968), Noises Off (1983), City of Angels (1989), Lettice & Lovage (1990) and The Life (1997), among many others – secured his place in the Tony Award record books by becoming the first, and to date only, director to win twice in one year: In 2000, he won the award for Best Director of a Play for Copenhagen and Best Director of a Musical for the revival of Kiss Me Kate.

Born June 18, 1928, in Sydney, Australia, Blakemore made his directing debut in 1966 at the Glasgow Citizens’ Theatre, where he served as Artistic Director. His international breakthrough came in 1967 when...

Warning! This article contains Spoilers for Secret Invasion episode 2.Secret Invasion episode 2 introduced a mysterious new villain, so who is Rosa Dalton and what impact could she have on the McU's latest Disney+ story? Midway through the episode, G'iah began questioning Gravik's motives and figured out that her fearless leader was not being entirely truthful with her. This led to her following another Skrull henchman of Gravik to a secret lab, where he began speaking to a scientist.

It was later revealed that this scientist, Rosa Dalton, is working with her husband on a covert mission for Gravik. Rosa was tasked with researching various DNA samples as Gravik searched for something known only as the Harvest. While it is unclear what the Harvest is, G'iah's investigation into Rosa Dalton's work for Gravik toward Secret Invasion episode 2's ending revealed some interesting information that could hint at a big future for Gravik's Skrull experiments.

Paxton Whitehead, the prolific and acclaimed actor whose career stretched from 17 Broadway productions, a recurring role on the hit 1990s sitcom Mad About You and a memorable turn as a snooty professor who takes an instant disliking to Rodney Dangerfield’s crude self-made man in 1986’s Back to School, died June 16 at a hospital in Arlington, Va. He was 85.

His death has been confirmed by his son Charles Whitehead, with many friends and colleagues sharing their memories on social media.

Actor Dana Ivey wrote: “We first worked together in My Fair Lady in 1964, and the last time was in Importance of Being Earnest in 2010 — friends for 59 years. I loved him so. Heartbroken.”

Tony-nominated for his performance as Pellinore in the 1980 revival of Camelot, Paxton, born in English village of East Malling, made his Broadway debut in a short-lived production of Ronald Millar’s The Affair. His next Broadway show — Beyond the Fringe...

Paxton Whitehead, the distinguished English actor and theater mainstay known for playing stuffy types in films and TV shows including Back to School, Mad About You and Friends, has died. He was 85.

Whitehead died Friday at a hospital in Arlington, Virginia, his son, Charles Whitehead, told The Hollywood Reporter.

Whitehead earned a Tony nomination for his turn as Pellinore in a 1980 revival of Lerner & Loewe’s Camelot opposite Richard Burton and appeared 16 other times on Broadway from 1962-2018.

Notably, he starred as Sherlock Holmes in 1978-79’s The Crucifer of Blood, which ran for 236 performances at the Helen Hayes Theatre, co-starred Glenn Close and was nominated for four Tonys, winning one.

He also was in Broadway productions of My Fair Lady with Richard Chamberlain, Lettice and Lovage, Noises Off and The Importance of Being Earnest.

After years on the stage, Whitehead made his movie debut in Back to School (1986), in which he portrayed Dr.

This week, Larissa FastHorse became the first Native American woman to have a play produced on Broadway. "The Thanksgiving Play," which is now showing at the Hayes Theater, stars D'Arcy Carden, Katie Finneran ("Noises Off"), Scott Foley, and Chris Sullivan ("This Is Us") as four white actors who try to put together a culturally sensitive Thanksgiving school play - and fail miserably.

Directed by Tony Award winner Rachel Chavkin ("Hadestown"), "The Thanksgiving Play" is only the second play by a Native American playwright - and the first by a Native American woman - to appear on Broadway. In anticipation of opening night, FastHorse, who is Sicangu Lakota, sat down with Popsugar to talk about comedy and satire, Native representation in theater, and holding the door open for the next generation of Native playwrights.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Popsugar: I thought I might start by asking...

It looks like the play’s the (stranger) thing!

London’s Phoenix Theatre is planning to turn things Upside Down when it debuts “Stranger Things: The First Shadow,” a prequel theatrical experience tied to the runaway Netflix hit. The fifth and final season of the series begins production this May, and the new play will be up “later this year.”

The author is Kate Trefry, a staff writer, story editor, and co-executive producer on the series, credited as writer on three teleplays, one from the second, third, and fourth seasons. The prequel play is based on a story from Trefry and “Stranger Things” creators Matt and Ross Duffer, as well as Jack Thorne. Thorne is the writer behind Netflix’s hit “Enola Holmes,” but, more relevant to this endeavor, he is the author of “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” the two-part theatrical experience/license to print money with productions in London,...

Broadway’s upcoming production of Larissa FastHorse’s The Thanksgiving Play will star D’Arcy Carden (The Good Place), two-time Tony Award-winner Katie Finneran, Scott Foley (Scandal) and Chris Sullivan.

The castings were announced today by Second Stage Theater.

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This new production, directed by Tony Award-winner Rachel Chavkin, will begin previews March 25 at Second Stage’s Hayes Theater, with an official opening on April 20.

The satirical play follows a troupe of well-meaning theater artists who attempt to put on a culturally sensitive Thanksgiving school pageant. The play, producers say, “skewers everything right, wrong, and woke in America.

Megan Hilty, the actress and singer known for starring in Wicked and Smash, shared that her past days have been “the worst of our lives,” because of the death of her pregnant sister and her sister’s family in a floatplane crash.

In Memoriam 2022: 100 Great Celebrities Who Died This Year!

“On Sunday afternoon, a small float plane crashed into Puget Sound off the coast of Whidbey Island,” Hilty wrote in an Instagram post along with a photo of her sister Lauren, her brother-in-law Ross and young sun Luca, who all passed away in the incident.

“To make this news even more devastating my sister was eight months pregnant and we were expecting to welcome baby boy Luca into the world next month,” Hilty also added. The one relief from this awful situation is that one of her sister’s daughters was not on the plane and survived, though it...

Megan Hilty‘s family is coping with a devastating loss as her sister, brother-in-law and their child were killed in a plane crash on Sunday.

The U.S. Coast Guard confirms to Et that Lauren Hilty, Ross Mickel and their child, Remy Mickel, were among the passengers and crew onboard a sea plane that crashed into the waters of Mutiny Bay off Whidbey Island. So far, one deceased individual has been recovered from the water and was transferred to the Island County coroner. That individual has not yet been positively identified.

According to a statement from the family, as published by Seattle NBC affiliate King 5, Hilty’s sister, Lauren, was pregnant with a baby boy at the time of the crash.

“We are deeply saddened and beyond devastated at the loss of our beloved Ross Mickel, Lauren Hilty, Remy and their unborn baby boy, Luca. Our collective grief is unimaginable.

Editor’s note: This review was originally published at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival. Kino Lorber releases the film in theaters on Friday, July 14.

In these turbulent years for cinema, when film festivals can often seem like memorial services for the movies themselves, it doesn’t feel entirely accidental that the most prestigious of them all has developed a recent tendency for opening with movies about the deceased or undead. That none of those movies have been particularly full of life is much harder to explain. The trend began when Cannes 2017 kicked off with Arnaud Desplechin’s evocative but exasperating “Ismael’s Ghosts,” and it continued two years later with the world premiere of Jim Jarmusch’s deader-than-deadpan zombie comedy “The Dead Don’t Die.”

Now, at a moment when cinema seems poised to crawl out of the crypt where it’s been laid to rest in the public imagination — a moment when,...