Entertainment News

Entertainment Tonight asked legendary filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola about the "fake review" controversy that surrounded the trailer to his forthcoming epic, Megalopolis.

As reported, a now-deleted trailer seemed to spin the lukewarm reception the film got from critics at the Cannes Film Festival by trying to claim other critics years ago hated his classics like The Godfather and Apocalypse Now.

However, the apparently AI-generated quotes from real-life reviewers were fake, and the marketing company behind the campaign was dismissed by Lionsgate, which apologized.

For his part, Coppola alleges he had nothing to do with it. "You know, it was a mistake, an accident," he said. "I'm not sure what happened."

It's also open to interpretation what the filmmaker meant when he said, "I know there were bad reviews, I'm the one who said they were bad reviews." It's not clear if he meant he's his toughest critic, or if he's the one who flagged the phony blurbs.

Coppola also mentioned that the pet project — for which he gathered a who's who of stars, like Academy Award nominees Adam Driver, Shia LaBeouf and Laurence Fishburne, and Oscar winners Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffman — was finally a chance for him to make a film that was truly his.

Coppola sunk a fortune of his own money into the movie.

He expressed, "When I made John Grisham's The Rainmaker, I took off, and I quit. And I just said, 'I wanted to study, and ... to learn what my kind of film is, whatever that might be.' And after 14 years of that type of experimentation, I then came out and made a film that was my kind of film. So it's not like anything you've ever seen."

Megalopolis hits theaters Sept. 27.

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Prime Video just dropped an action-packed trailer to Citadel: Diana, the Italian-language spin-off of Joe and Anthony Russo's spy series. 

While the original series stars Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Richard Madden — and its second season will also star What We Do in the Shadows' Matt Berry — Diana stars Matilda De Angelis.

Citadel: Diana, like the Indian spin-off Citadel: Honey Bunny and the flagship show, centers on the titular spy agency, which was scattered by a rival one, Manticore. 

In Diana, De Angelis' title character, a former Citadel agent, "is alone trapped behind enemy lines as a mole in Manticore" and "finally sees a way out and the chance to disappear forever" — but she has to trust "an unlikely ally ... the heir of Manticore Italy and son of the head of the Italian organization."

Along the way, she'll hunt the people who murdered her family and tackle a multinational cabal of arms dealers developing bleeding-edge weapons of war. 

The actress goes full-on John Wick in the trailer, which features car chases, gunplay and a show-stopping chase using zip lines over European locations.

The show debuts on Prime Video on October 10.

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Bridgerton has found its newest leading lady in actress Yerin Ha.

Ha has been cast as Sophie Baek, the love interest of season 4 lead Benedict Bridgerton, played by Luke Thompson, Netflix announced Wednesday.

Ha is an Australian-born actress of Korean descent. She played Kwan Ha in Halo, the series based on the video game franchise of the same name, and can also be seen in the forthcoming Dune: Prophecy, a prequel series to the Dune films.

The streamer says Sophie Baek "has been forced to spend much of her life working as a maid for the most demanding employer in the ton. But the resourceful Sophie always finds a way to persevere through her circumstances — which will drastically change after she disguises herself to attend Violet Bridgerton's masquerade ball and meets Benedict Bridgerton."

"What drew me to Sophie was that she immediately has obstacles — something that she constantly has to overcome," Ha told Tudum, "whether it's this battle around social status or trying to hide her feelings from Benedict."

Fans of Julia Quinn's Bridgerton book series will notice the character's last name on the show is different from the page, changing from Sophie Beckett — a nod to Ha's background.

"A name is the first bit of identity that you share with the world, and that's why changing a name can be so powerful. To make Sophie's name fit someone who looks like me is really empowering," Ha said, crediting showrunner Jess Brownell for making the change.

She adds, "It's a really nice way for me to feel like the role is fit for me, rather than me having to fit a certain mold. ... So it means a lot that Jess did that for me."

No release date has yet been announced for the eight-episode fourth season of Bridgerton.

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Netflix has tapped a dyed-in-the-wool geek to host its annual tribute to all things nerdy, its Geeked Week live finale festivities.

Joe Manganiello, who lists playing Dungeons & Dragons and collecting comics among his pocket-protector pastimes, will headline the live event that will cap off the week, held in Atlanta on Sept. 19. 

Joining him will be Cobra Kai stars Jacob Bertrand and Xolo Maridueña, the latter of whom played the superhero Blue Beetle in 2023.

The streamer's Geeked Week kicks off on Sept. 16, offering sneak peeks of a host of forthcoming projects, including the final season of Stranger Things and a new season of Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Manganiello's Atlanta show will boast a bevy of talent, including Rebel Moon and Twilight of the Gods director Zack Snyder; Black Mirror's Charlie Brooker; Dallas Liu from Airbender; Finn Wittrock from Don't Move; Jeff Ward and Matt Owens from One Piece; and Tom Sturridge and Kirby from The Sandman.

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Max's forthcoming small-screen spin-off of the hit Dune movie franchise will be invading New York Comic Con in October. 

The streamer has announced the interactive Dune: Prophecy Experience will be unveiled at the annual event on Oct. 17 and run through Oct. 20.

The attraction "will transport participants to the mysterious world of Wallach IX, where The Voice will command them to undergo a series of trials reflecting the Sisterhood's rigorous training methods." 

The ad copy teases, "Those who heed the commands of the Sisterhood and successfully complete the challenges will be rewarded with exclusive NYCC swag."
 

On that same day, at the Empire Stage at the convention center, there will be a panel discussion and the debut of a new trailer to the anticipated series. Taking part will be cast members Emily Watson, Olivia Williams, Travis Fimmel, Sarah-Sofie Boussnina, Josh Heuston, Chloe Lea and Jessica Barden, as well as showrunner and executive producer Alison Schapker, and executive producer Jordan Goldberg.  

As reported, the series takes place 10,000 years before the ascension of Timothée Chalamet's Paul Atreides.

The series will serve as the origin story of the powerful sect known as the Bene Gesserit "during one of the most turbulent and pivotal turning points in the Dune universe's history."

Dune: Prophecy debuts on Max in November.

Pia Barlow, HBO and Max's executive vice president of originals marketing, enthused, "By offering interactive experiences, panels, and special screenings, we’re bringing the epic story of the Sisterhood to life, allowing fans to connect with the series in a whole new way before its premiere this November."

She adds, "We can't wait for fans to dive into the world of Dune: Prophecy."

 

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The first official trailer for the upcoming Donald Trump biopic, The Apprentice, has been revealed. The film chronicles "A young Donald Trump (Sebastian Stan), eager to make his name as a hungry second son of a wealthy family in 1970s New York" as he "comes under the spell of Roy Cohn (Jeremy Strong), the cutthroat attorney who would help create the Donald Trump we know today," according to the film's official synopsis. The Apprentice opens Oct. 11 ...

Saturday Night Live has added three new cast members to the NBC late night show for its 50th season: Ashley Padilla, a member of the Los Angeles sketch comedy and improvisational troupe The Groundlings; stand-up comic Emil Wakim; and Jane Wickline, part of the ensemble for the popular TikTok sketch show Stapleview. Chloe Troast, a featured player last season, is leaving, along with Punkie Johnson and Molly Kearney. Saturday Night Live returns Sept. 28 ...

HBO has picked up an as-yet-untitled comedy series from Bottoms star Rachel Sennott, the premium cable channel announced Tuesday. The series follows a codependent group of friends who reunite, "navigating how the time apart, ambition, and new relationships have changed them." Sennott will next be seen in Jason Reitman’s Saturday Night, hitting theaters on Oct. 11 ...

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Netflix has dropped the official trailer for Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, the second installment in Ryan Murphy's Monsters series.

The series, per Netflix, "explores the complex dynamics within the Menendez family, and whether the brothers were troubled individuals acting out of fear and desperation due to years of abuse, or calculating killers driven by financial gain and greed."

In one scene, Javier Bardem’s José Menendez uses the example of a dog leash with a spiked collar to explain to his son Lyle, played by Nicholas Chavez, how pain can be used to teach it how to obey.

"Some people think those collars are cruel. But I think it's the other collars that are cruel, 'cause they create dogs that misbehave," he says. "I think I didn't hit you hard enough."

Later, Kitty Menendez, portrayed by Chloë Sevigny, reveals, “I hate my kids.” She claims they’ve turned her and her husband into parasites, and even goes as far as expressing that hatred to their faces.

“I regret having you," she snaps. "I could have been a movie star like Kim Novak. And you’re what I got?”

Lyle and his brother, Erik — played by Cooper Koch — were convicted in 1996 of murdering José and Kitty.

Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story debuts Sept. 19 on Netflix.

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An ongoing dispute between ABC News' parent company, Disney, and DirecTV will apparently leave millions of customers in the dark for Tuesday night's presidential debate on ABC. 

Disney had announced it would allow viewers to watch the face-off between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris via "a three-hour feed of ABC News coverage to all impacted DirecTV customers at no cost," adding, "[W]e want all Americans to be able to view tonight’s debate at this important moment in our history."

Disney-owned networks, including ABC, Freeform and ESPN, have been dark for more than 11 million DirecTV customers since Sept. 1. 

However, The Hollywood Reporter said Tuesday afternoon that DirecTV rejected Disney's offer, after countering the provider wanted all channels returned through Sept. 16.

Disney reportedly refused.

"Unfortunately, returning only Disney's ABC stations from the entire portfolio of channels for a limited 3-hour window will cause customer confusion among those who would briefly see the debate only to lose the channel again shortly after," DirecTV's statement said, according to the trade.

At issue is a dispute over the two companies' so-called "carriage agreement" — the fee the satellite TV service pays Disney for access to its programming. Disney is seeking a higher fee, but DirecTV claims in a complaint to the FCC filed recently that Disney is negotiating in "bad faith." 

The presidential debate airs Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.

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An ongoing dispute between ABC News' parent company, Disney, and DirecTV had threatened to leave millions of customers in the dark for Tuesday night's presidential debate on ABC. 

However, Disney has announced it is allowing the viewers to watch the face-off between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.

Disney-owned networks, including ABC, Freeform and ESPN, have been dark for more than 11 million DirecTV customers since Sept. 1. 

A rep for Disney stated, "Although we have yet to reach an agreement, we are providing a three-hour feed of ABC News coverage to all impacted DirecTV customers at no cost because we want all Americans to be able to view tonight’s debate at this important moment in our history."

The company adds, "We remain at the table negotiating with DirecTV and the restoration of our programming to their subscribers is completely within their control."

At issue is a dispute over the two companies' so-called "carriage agreement" — the fee the satellite TV service pays Disney for access to its programming. Disney is seeking a higher fee, but DirecTV claims in a complaint to the FCC filed recently that Disney is negotiating in "bad faith." 

The presidential debate airs Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.

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Recording artist and actor Bad Bunny has taken the Bullet Train to work with Adam Sandler. 

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the star will join Sandler for the anticipated follow-up, but his role is still unknown. 

For that matter, nothing really is known about the project, save original stars Julie Bowen — now an alumna of Modern Family — and Christopher McDonald will both return from the 1996 original with Sandler.

Bowen played Virginia Venit, Happy's love interest in the film, while the latter played Shooter McGavin, the pro golf player who was the hockey player-turned-golf pro's nemesis in the original. 

Also, as reported, Sandler confirmed that Happy Gilmore superfan Travis Kelce will be in the movie, but again, it's not known who he'll be playing.

Bad Bunny last appeared in film opposite Brad Pitt in director David Leitch's 2022 action comedy Bullet Train. 

Earlier this year, he bowed out of a Sony Pictures plan to play the Marvel Comics luchador superhero El Muerto on the big screen.

Happy Gilmore 2 premieres in 2025 on Netflix.

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Larry David was called a "walking f****** virus" on his show Curb Your Enthusiasm, and now it seems that he's spreading.

His A Conversation with Larry David shows, which began with a pair of shows in the spring, will expand to 10 new cities.

Aside from a previously announced Sept. 20 gig at Denver's Paramount Theatre, it has just been revealed that the tour will continue with stops in Seattle, San Fransisco, Philadelphia, Atlanta and Chicago, before ending Dec. 5 in the Hollywood, Florida, Hard Rock Live venue.

David mentioned the update on Instagram. Well, he wasn't really that specific, to be honest.

"So listen, there are some tickets going on sale for this thing I'm doing," LD began. "It's really nothing. It'll be a total waste of your time. There's not that many things to do at night. So, I guess if you have nothing to do — but, you could consider bowling."

"It's not a terrible idea," he continued. "I haven't done it in about 50 years, but now that I mention it, I think I might hit the lanes soon."

If bowling isn't your thing, head over to LarryDavidTour.com for more information. Tickets will be available for presale starting Thursday at 10 a.m. local time with the code "PRETTYGOOD"; general sales start on Friday at 10 a.m. local time.

As was the case with the previous shows, a moderator will join David at each stop — although it has been revealed that NFL great Peyton Manning will join Larry at Denver's date on Sept. 20.

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Shailene Woodley is set to star as rocker Janis Joplin in a new biopic funded by the California Film Commission’s Film and Television Tax Credit Program. The film is one of 15 independent projects to receive funding from the commission.

“California meant so much to Janis Joplin – from the stoops of San Francisco to the wooden walls of Sunset Sound, the state became the stage upon which she explored not just the world of music, but the world of her vibrant humanity,” Woodley, who is also producing the film, shares. “I have a feeling Janis would be smiling ear to ear zipping down the PCH in her psychedelic Porsche knowing her story is bringing opportunities and funding to the city and people that held so much significance to her.” 

Woodley adds that she and the other producers on the project believe “California is the only place to film a slice of Janis’s life with authenticity and truth – and we are so grateful to have received the green light to do so!”

This isn’t the first attempt at making a Janis Joplin biopic. In fact, back in May The Hollywood Reporter ran a piece about the many failed attempts at making one. Among those who were at one time attached to play Joplin on screen were Amy Adams, Melissa Etheridge, Brittany Murphy, Renée Zellweger, Zooey Deschanel and Pink.

Joplin gained fame as one of the most electrifying performers of her era, thanks to appearances at the Monterey Pop Festival as lead singer of Big Brother and the Holding Company and later as a solo artist at Woodstock. She died Oct. 4, 1970, at the age of 27. At the time she was recording her second solo album, Pearl, which was released after her death and spent nine weeks at #1.

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Lacey Chabert's Mean Girls character, Gretchen Wieners, will forever be tied to the word "fetch," and apparently so is the actress. 

The star explained to Today on Monday that the word — and the diss that followed, "Stop trying to make 'fetch' happen" — follows her everywhere in real life, to the apparent confusion of her now-8-year-old daughter, Julia.

"When she was younger ... she was like, 'What's "fetch," why does everyone say that to you?'"

Chabert added, "And she asked me a couple years ago, she goes, 'Mom, do other people watch those movies that you make?' And I was like, 'Yes, baby, they're not just for you.'"

Chabert did not appear in the recent Mean Girls musical movie, reportedly because of scheduling conflicts, but she did reprise her role in 2023, in a Walmart Black Friday commercial, along with her fellow "Plastics" of a certain age, Lindsay Lohan and Amanda Seyfried. 

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Destin Daniel Cretton, who directed the 2021 Marvel Cinematic Universe entry Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and is developing the Disney+ Marvel Studios series Wonder Man, might just swing into the director's chair on Tom Holland's fourth Spider-Man movie.

That's according to The Hollywood Reporter, which says Cretton is in talks to become the fourth director to tackle the web-slinging hero. He would follow Sam Raimi, who directed Tobey Maguire as Spidey in three films; Marc Webb, who helmed two with Andrew Garfield; and Jon Watts, who directed Holland in three Spider-Man blockbusters.

Officially, Marvel Studios is characteristically mum, but according to THR, getting Holland in the mask again is a priority for Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios, which share the rights to the hero — and if Cretton locks in, cameras could roll early next year.

Marvel Studios is owned by Disney, the parent company of ABC News.

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Ryan Seacrest has kicked off a new era of Wheel of Fortune with his co-host, Vanna White.

Seacrest made his debut Monday for season 42 of the iconic game show and began the show by walking out on the new set with White.

"So happy to be here with you," Seacrest told White. "Let's have fun."

Seacrest received a warm greeting from the contestants before welcoming the in-studio audience and those watching at home to Wheel of Fortune.

"I still can't believe my luck being here with you tonight to continue this legacy of this incredible show with all of you and of course my good friend Vanna White," he said. "Thank you for the very warm welcome."

"Hosting Wheel of Fortune is a dream job," he continued. "I have been a fan of this show since I was a kid watching in Atlanta with my family and I know how special it is that Wheel has been in your living rooms for the past 40 years. And I'm just so grateful to be invited in."

"I also know I've got some very big shoes to fill," he said before beginning the game.

Seacrest was announced as the new Wheel of Fortune host in June 2023 shortly after longtime host Pat Sajak announced that he would be stepping down from the role.

Sajak officially said goodbye to the show on June 7 after 43 years as host.

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As soon as news broke that legendary actor and voice over artist James Earl Jones died Monday at 93, Hollywood took to social media to mourn.

Jones, who famously voiced Darth Vader in the Star Wars franchise and Mufasa in the 1994 and 2019 Lion King films, died on Monday morning at his home in Dutchess County, New York, surrounded by his family, his rep confirmed to ABC News.

Here are just some of those tributes from his famous friends/fans:

His Star Wars co-star Mark Hamill posted in part "#RIP dad 💔." In the films, Hamill played Luke Skywalker, son of Darth Vader.

Kevin Costner, who starred with Jones in Field of Dreams, took to Instagram to share, "If you’ve seen it, you know that this movie wouldn't be the same with anyone else in his role. Only he could bring that kind of magic to a movie about baseball and a corn field in Iowa."

"Rest in peace, friend," Costner concluded.

Rob Minkoff: Minkoff, the director of the 1994 Lion King film, shared, "His portrayal of Mufasa was perfection. What a powerful man and actor. Gone but will never be forgotten. Rest in power."

Octavia Spencer: The Oscar winner Instagrammed she is "incredibly saddened" by the news, adding, "Legendary doesn't even begin to describe his iconic roles and impact on cinema forever." She added, "His voice and talent will be remembered always. Sending love to his family, friends and countless fans in all galaxies, far, far away. 🤍🕊️"

LeVar Burton: Burton, who starred in the 1980 film, Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones with Jones, posted, "There will never be another of his particular combination of graces."

Colman Domingo: "Rest. Thank you for everything. Everything. Everything," the Rustin Oscar nominee wrote on Instagram. "We all looked to you. Thank you King James Earl Jones. Rest well."

Yvette Nicole Brown: "Besides #StarWars, the first film I remember ever seeing was #Claudine," Brown said in an Instagram post. "#JamesEarlJones is a part of my cinematic DNA. Heartbroken doesn't begin to cover it."

Bob Iger: The CEO of ABC News' parent company Disney highlighted Jones' career in a moving tribute shared on Disney's Instagram page, saying in part, "From the gentle wisdom of Mufasa to the menacing threat of Darth Vader, James Earl Jones gave voice to some of the greatest characters in cinema history."

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Deadline reports Michael McKean, of This is Spinal Tap fame, is joining his Better Call Saul co-star Bob Odenkirk, Succession's Kieran Culkin and comedian Bill Burr in the upcoming Broadway revival of David Mamet’s Glengarry Glen Ross. McKean will play George Aaronow, the timid real estate salesman portrayed by Mike Nussbaum on Broadway in 1984 and Alan Arkin in the 1993 film adaptation. The revival is set to open in the spring of 2025 ...

Brendan Gleeson has been tapped to star alongside Nicolas Cage in the upcoming MGM+ and Prime Video live-action series Spider-Man Noir, according to Variety. The series, based on the Marvel comic Spider-Man Noir, follows Cage as "an aging and down on his luck private investigator in 1930s New York, who is forced to grapple with his past life as the city’s one and only superhero," per the outlet. A premiere date has yet to be announced ...

Floriana Lima has been addd to the season 21 cast of ABC's Grey's Anatomy in a recurring role, according to The Hollywood Reporter. She’ll play Nora, a childhood friend of Owen and Megan Hunt — played respectively by Kevin McKidd and Abigail Spencer — who comes to Grey Sloan due to serious complications arising from a routine operation mishandled by another hospital. Grey's Anatomy returns Sept. 26, with Lima's first appearance coming in the second episode ...

Alan Cumming, host of the Peacock reality competition series The Traitors, will return as host of AARP’s annual Movies for Grownups Awards on Jan. 11, the organization has announced. The star-studded ceremony recognizes the best TV, films and filmmakers of 2024, along with the Career Achievement Honor, to be announced at a later date. Past recipients include Jamie Lee Curtis, George Clooney, Helen Mirren, Michael Douglas, Shirley MacLaine, Morgan Freeman, Kevin Costner, Susan Sarandon, Robert Redford, Sharon Stone and Robert De Niro ...

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Kathy Bates is set to play the titular character in CBS' upcoming Matlock reboot, and that may be the last we see of her.

The 76-year-old actress told The New York Times in a recent interview that she's looking to retire after the series ends, saying, "This is my last dance."

Adds Bates, "It becomes my life. Sometimes I get jealous of having this talent, because I can’t hold it back, and I just want my life.”

However, Matlock, a reworking of the legal drama that ran from 1986 to 1995 and starred the late Andy Griffith, was too tempting for her to turn down.

“Everything I’ve prayed for, worked for, clawed my way up for, I am suddenly able to be asked to use all of it,” Bates noted. “It’s exhausting.”

Matlock, also starring Beau Bridges, Jason Ritter, Skye P. Marshall, David Del Rio and Leah Lewis, premieres Sept. 22 on CBS.

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Legendary actor James Earl Jones, best known for his innumerable movie roles and the booming voice of the character of Darth Vader in the Star Wars franchise, has died, his representative confirmed to ABC News.

He was 93 years old.

Jones died on Monday morning at his home in Dutchess County, New York, surrounded by his family, according to longtime agent Barry McPherson.

The thespian, whose powerful, deep voice brought to life the iconic villain, acted for more than six decades. In the 1950s and '60s, Jones was a Broadway staple. From On Golden Pond to The Best Man, his work earned four Tony nominations, winning for The Great White Hope in 1969 and Fences in 1987.

Almost simultaneously, he was garnering acclaim on TV, as well. The eventual two-time Emmy Award winner earned his first nod in the 1960s for his work on East Side/West Side.

He picked up both his Primetime Emmy wins in 1991, for best supporting actor in the miniseries Heat Wave and best actor for the series Gabriel's Fire. He also won a Daytime Emmy for the children's special Summer's End in 2000. 

Jones later earned his first Oscar nod, adapting The Great White Hope to the silver screen in 1970, playing boxer Jack Jefferson. Jones was just the second Black actor after Sidney Poitier — who was nominated in 1958 and 1963 — to be recognized by the academy with a nomination.

For the better part of the 1970s, Jones continued to juggle his work on stage, TV and film. Then, in 1977, he was cast as the voice of a new villain, Darth Vader, in the space saga Star Wars: A New Hope.

While bodybuilder David Prowse would be the figure behind the black mask of the Sith lord, Jones was the voice that uttered so many iconic lines in the film and its sequels — including "I find your lack of faith disturbing," and then, of course, to Luke Skywalker in 1980's The Empire Strikes Back, his big reveal, "No, I am your father."

From 1977 to 1983, the three original Star Wars films would become some of the most revered and original movies of their time, not just for special effects, but also for the shocking plot and themes.

After Star Wars, Jones made memorable appearances in Eddie Murphy's 1988 film Coming to America, then starred opposite Kevin Costner in Field of Dreams in 1989. A few years later, he once again lent his voice to a famous character, starring in the Disney animated feature The Lion King as Mufasa.

Jones had almost 200 credits to his name, according to IMDB, as he stayed active for more than 60 years.

In 2011, Jones was given an honorary Academy Award for the breadth of his acclaimed work and in March 2022, it was announced that Broadway's Cort Theatre would be renamed the James Earl Jones Theatre.

Jones married twice. His second wife, Cecilia Hart, died in 2016 after 34 years of marriage. The couple is survived by their son, Flynn Earl Jones.

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Edie Falco and her former co-star Drea de Matteo can be seen in the HBO documentary Wise Guy: David Chase and The Sopranos, and The Wrap says that in the second installment Falco takes issue with the modern addition of "trigger warnings" to violent content.

"The show was always shocking somebody about something," Falco says.

"You could push the envelope and let people be uncomfortable — forgive me, but without a trigger warning. The whole point is you want to surprise people and give them feelings that maybe are uncomfortable and have them learn to deal with them. That, my friend, is life."

For her part, de Matteo says, "Like the episode where the stripper gets killed. It tells a story of Meadow in college against this young girl who would be the same age."

Falco added that in life, "You're not going to be given trigger warnings when terrible things happen."

Matt Smith, the star of another HBO hit, House of the Dragon, recently lamented to The Sunday Times, "I'm not sure about trigger warnings. Isn’t being shocked the point?"

Smith said they're proof "[e]verything's being dialed and dumbed down."

The English actor said, "We should be telling morally difficult stories, nowadays in particular. It's OK to feel uncomfortable or provoked while looking at a painting or watching a play."

He added, "We’re telling audiences they’re going to be scared before they’ve watched something. Isn't being shocked, surprised, stirred the point?" The actor bemoaned "[t]oo much policing of stories," adding, "being afraid to bring them out because a climate is a certain way is a shame."

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