Press "Enter" to skip to content

Posts tagged as “Fox”

Michael Strahan to Join ABC’s "Good Morning America"

Michael Strahan
Michael Strahan is in negotiations to join ABC’s Good Morning America. Strahan will remain cohost with Kelly Ripa of Live with Kelly and Michael, the Disney-distributed syndicated morning show. He’s expected to join the GMA ensemble in the studio a couple of times a week.
Strahan, a former NFL player, is also an analyst on Fox’s NFL Sunday. He was a surprise choice to fill Regis Philbin’s shoes opposite Ripa on Live in the fall of 2012. Since then, he’s been widely praised for his warmth and versatility on-air. The Disney parentage of Live and ABC makes it feasible for him to shuttle between the two morning shows.
Sources said GMA’s discussions with Strahan have been going on for months and are not tied to Josh Elliott’s recent departure for NBC Sports.
article via Variety.com

Malik Yoba Joins Fox Drama Pilot "Empire"

yobaMalik Yoba is set to co-star opposite Terrence Howard in Fox’s hip-hop industry drama pilot Empire, from Lee Daniels, Danny Strong and Brian Grazer. It centers on Lucious Lyon (Howard), a charismatic, savvy music superstar who is about to take his company, Empire Entertainment, public. Yoba, repped by Innovative and the Arlook Group, will play Vernon Turner, Lucious’s longtime friend from the streets and business associate who is now the chairman of the board of Empire Entertainment.
article by Nellie Andreeva via Deadline.com

Tonight, President Obama Introduces the Premiere Episode of Fox’s "Cosmos"

neil degrasse tyson
Astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson

Earlier we told you about the reboot of Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey hosted by astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson, which begins airing tonight at 9p/8c on Fox and other Fox Networks Group channels including National Geographic, FX and Nat Geo Mundo.
President Obama will help launch the show with a video message at the beginning of the first broadcast tonight.  The president, according to a release, will be inviting “a new generation to embrace the spirit of discovery and inspires viewers to explore new frontiers and imagine limitless possibilities for the future.”
A screening of the series was held on February 28 at the White House as part of the first-ever White House Student Film Festival.
The launch of Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey, a reboot of Carl Sagan’s is the first multi-network effort for Fox Networks Group, which includes Fox International Channels and National Geographic Channels International, which means that the President’s introduction and the series premiere will be available on 220 channels in 181 countries, which is more than half a billion homes, reports TheWrap.
Viewers have a second chance to catch each episode at 10pm Monday on National Geographic, with added behind-the-scenes and other bonus footage.
article via eurweb.com

Timbaland to Produce Music for Lee Daniels’ Hip-Hop Pilot

Timbaland Empire Lee Daniels Fox

Grammy Award-winner Tim “Timbaland” Mosley has signed on to write and produce the music for the Fox pilot, Empire.  The family drama, which is written by Daniels and Danny Strong and directed by Daniels, is set in the world of the hip-hop industry and stars Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson. It’s executive-produced by Daniels, Strong, Brian Grazer and Francie Calfo. It will feature original and current music.
This world is something Mosley understands well. In 2013 alone, the sought-after producer, songwriter and rapper produced and co-wrote multiple tracks on four of the year’s biggest selling multi-platinum-albums: Magna Carta Holy Grail, The 20/20 Experience Part I and Part II, and Beyoncé. While he has worked with movie productions before, this endeavor marks the first time Mosley has worked so closely on a drama pilot.
article by Whitney Frielander via Variety.com

Jada Pinkett Smith to Star in Fox’s Batman Prequel "Gotham"

Jada Pinkett Smith Gotham
(Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic)

Fox’s Batman prequel has found another villain: Jada Pinkett Smith has been tapped to play Gotham’s Fish Mooney, a sadistic gangster with street smarts and a short temper.  Based on the DC Comics characters and written by The Mentalist’s Bruno Heller, the one-hour drama series from Warner Bros. TV focuses on a younger version of Batman ally James Gordon (Ben McKenzie). Other cast members include Donal Logue as Detective Harvey Bullock, Zabryna Guevara as Captain Essen, Erin Richards as Barbara Kean, Sean Pertwee as Alfred Pennyworth and Robin Lord Taylor as Oswald Cobblepot (better known as the Penguin). Heller is executive producing with director Danny Cannon (CSI).  Smith, who starred in TNT’s HawthoRNe  and executive produces The Queen Latifah Show, is represented by Paradigm, Overbrook Entertainment and Tencer & Associates PR.

article by Whitney Friedlander via Variety.com

Prince to Guest Star on Fox's "New Girl" After Superbowl

prince-2012-australian-tour-announced_hAccording to E! News, Prince will be cast on New Girl, because he is a “huge fan.”  The ever enigmatic 58-year-old will appear in post Superbowl episode, which came about when he personally contacted the producers.  “He knows everything about the show. He contacted Zooey [Deschanel] and Hannah [Simone] directly and asked to do [it],” executive producer Brett Baer said. “He’s a Nick and Jess shipper!”

Prince’s role in the show will be “right in the middle of trying to help [Nick and Jess] work through some stuff.” Apparently, “his thing was all about getting to Jess and trying to bring out this inner part of her that hadn’t been brought to the forefront.”
article by Lauren Duca via huffingtonpost.com

Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson to Lead Viewers on "Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey"

Neil Degrasse Tyson
NEW YORK — Bringing a long list of prepared questions to an interview with Neil deGrasse Tyson is a fool’s errand. That’s not to say a conversation with the director of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History isn’t illuminating — quite the opposite.  It’s just that the gregarious astrophysicist can’t help but find science lurking in every corner, turning even the most banal transaction into a teaching moment. An offer of bottled water, for instance, unexpectedly turns into a lengthy digression about the difficulty of freezing distilled water and the origins of Gatorade.

Tyson’s zeal for knowledge is intoxicating and irresistible, even if it means less time for the ostensible topic of the conversation — his starring role in the documentary series Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey, premiering on Fox and National Geographic in March.  “I see myself as a servant of the public appetite for the universe,” says Tyson, seated in his office overlooking the giant white sphere of the Hayden Planetarium.
Scattered among hundreds of astronomy books are, among other things, a vanity plate reading “COZMIC,” a life-sized bust of Sir Isaac Newton, a half-dozen or so globes, a quill pen collection, a can of Dole pineapples in “cosmic fun shapes” and a pink boa.
Tyson’s combination of humor, intelligence and accessibility have made him one of the most recognizable scientists in the country and put him atop many fantasy dinner-party guest lists. The author or editor of 10 books, he maintains an active social media presence (1.5 million Twitter followers) and produces a radio show and podcast, “StarTalk Radio.” He’s also become a late-night TV regular, through frequent visits to The Daily ShowThe Colbert Report and Real Time With Bill Maher.
Now he’s moving into prime time with Cosmos, a follow-up to Carl Sagan’s groundbreaking 1980 PBS series, Cosmos: A Personal Voyage. In what may seem like an odd pairing, Seth MacFarlane serves as executive producer on the series. Tyson first met the Family Guy creator at a gathering of the Science and Entertainment Exchange in Los Angeles several years ago and later pitched him about getting involved in a Cosmos reboot.

TV One Lands Rights to Broadcast NAACP Awards For Next Five Years

naacp-image-award__131007152952-275x479The NAACP and TV One network have inked a five-year agreement for the NAACP Image Awards, beginning with the live airing of the 45th NAACP Image Awards in February 2014. The Image Awards had long been a staple on broadcast TV. They aired on NBC for nine years before moving to Fox. NBC took over as a network home for the last two editions of the awards show, which honors “the accomplishments of people of color in the fields of television, music, literature and film and also honors individuals or groups who promote social justice through creative endeavors.”
TV One said it will air live broadcasts of the Image Awards and red carpet arrivals in 2014. In addition, the network will provide promotional support on TV One, Radio One and Reach Media, Interactive One, and via a multi-platform marketing campaign.
article by Nellie Andreeva via deadline.com

Damon Wayans Jr. Sells Comedy Pilot to Fox Network

Damon Wayans Jr
Damon Wayans Jr. (Tommaso Boddi/WireImage)

Fox has landed “Man/Child,” a project from Damon Wayans Jr. with a pilot production commitment.  Comedy centers on two single dads who move in together and struggle to find the balance between being responsible parents and debaucherous bachelor.  “Wilfred” showrunners Reed Agnew and Eli Jorne will pen and executive produce “Man/Child,” with Wayans Jr. also executive producing.  “Modern Family” director Jason Winer will direct “Man/Child” and also receive an executive producer credit.  20th Century Fox TV and Small Dog Picture Company will produce the pilot.
“Man/Child” marks one of Wayans Jr.’s first forays behind the camera. The thesp, who hails from the comedic powerhouse Wayans family, appeared in Fox’s “New Girl” pilot before ankling the show and taking on a lead character on ABC’s “Happy Endings.” “Happy Endings” was cancelled after three seasons by ABC earlier this year.
article by AJ Marechal via Variety.com

Fik-Shun Voted Favorite Male Dancer in "So You Think You Can Dance" Season 10 Finale

i-xZTv5Pg-M-1
Eighteen year-old hip-hop dancer and Las Vegas street performer Du-Shant Stegall, better known as Fik-Shun, took the top male spot in last night’s So You Think You Can Dance finale on FOX.  Fik-Shun beat out tapper Aaron Turner, and shares the Favorite Dancer title with jazz dancer Amy Yakima (pictured above with Fik-Shun), who beat out contemporary dancer Jasmine Harper for the top female spot.  Fik-Shun and Amy each won $100,000 and will be featured on the cover of an upcoming issue of Dance Spirit Magazine.  This was the 10th season of So You Think You Can Dance, which was renewed for an 11th season according to producer and head judge Nigel Lythgoe.
Check out one of Fik-Shun’s mind-blowing hip-hop solos that helped earn him his Favorite Dancer crown below:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMY8YTVip1E&w=420&h=315]
article by Lori Lakin Hutcherson