Fans 'Win' as ‘Greatest Living Actor’ Joins Iconic Movie Franchise

Fans 'Win' as 'Greatest Living Actor' Joins Iconic Movie Franchise

Fans 'Win' as 'Greatest Living Actor' Joins Iconic Movie Franchiseoriginally appeared onParade. It's finally happening!Denzel Washingtonis joining theMarvel Cinematic Universeas he's been cast forBlack Panther 3. It's a huge deal for MCU fans, who have waited a long time to see Washington take on a role within the franchise. It's also a big deal for directorRyan Coogler, who is just as excited as fans about this epic casting. Coogler confirmed Washington's upcoming role during a segment of "F--k With It or F--k Out of Here" onCarmelo Anthony's7 p.m. in Brooklynpodcast. "That's a big f--k with it," Coogler said when asked about casting Washington. 🎬SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox🎬 Coogler confirmed, "There's no fiction out there about that," and detailed how he's writing a role specifically for Washington in the upcoming superhero sequel. "Denzel is family at this point," Coogler said. "I've been trying to work with him since day one. I think he's the greatest living actor. In terms of what he means to our culture? Forget about it, man." Reaction to theBlack Panther 3casting news was quick, as fans have been calling forThe Equalizerstar to star in an MCU film for years. One fan took to X and wrote, "Idc what anybody says, Denzel Washington in theBlack Pantherfranchise is an absolute W." Idc what anybody says, Denzel Washington in the Black Panther franchise is an absolute Wpic.twitter.com/zFZfURCZV3 — Winston. (@ayeWinston)June 6, 2025 Another fan wrote what many were thinking with a meme and a message that said, "Denzel Washington climatic speech to Wakanda..." Denzel Washington climatic speech to Wakanda...pic.twitter.com/IrktZHSUSG — Xtina (@Charmqn2004)June 6, 2025 One fan even pointed out how this is a full circle moment: "This is dope because Denzel provided financial assistance to Chadwick during his college years. Denzel also came to the 2018 premiere!" Of course, there are the naysayers, with one unimpressed X user writing, "I didn't want aBlack Panther 2. I definitely don't want a 3rd. Should've left it at greatness with the first one." But that person is in the minority, as most are excited about Washington's new role, which is one of just a handful before the 70-year-old retires from acting, as one fan reminded, "And to know that it's one of the 5-6 movies he's penned for before his retirement. Yep! We WON big." Fans 'Win' as 'Greatest Living Actor' Joins Iconic Movie Franchisefirst appeared on Parade on Jun 6, 2025 This story was originally reported byParadeon Jun 6, 2025, where it first appeared.

byAlpha World

in

June 06, 2025

Fans 'Win' as ‘Greatest Living Actor’ Joins Iconic Movie Franchise

Fans 'Win' as 'Greatest Living Actor' Joins Iconic Movie Franchise Fans 'Win' as 'Greatest Living Actor' Joi...

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Desi Arnaz Jr. Speaks About Father's Alcoholism, Divorce from Lucille Ball in Rare Interview

Desi Arnaz Jr. Speaks About Father's Alcoholism, Divorce from Lucille Ball in Rare Interview

Bettmann/Getty Desi Arnaz Jr. spoke to biographer Todd S. Purdum for a new book about his father, Desi Arnaz In the book, Desi and his sister Lucie detail their adolescence and the fallout from their parents' marriage The book also delves into Desi's alcoholism and how his son ultimately helped him seek treatment Desi Arnaz Jr. is opening up about his father,Desi Arnaz, and offering a rare look at a man who lived to entertain — but wrestled with his demons behind the scenes. In his new bookDesi Arnaz: The Man Who Invented Television, biographer Todd S. Purdum delves deep into the life of the man most know as Ricky Ricardo — or, perhaps, as Mr.Lucille Ball. In interviews with the couple's children — Desi Jr. and daughter Lucie — Purdum offers glimpses into the behind-the-scenes life of Arnaz and the tumultuous relationship of theI Love Lucystars, who divorced in 1960, after 20 years of marriage. The book offers a rare look at Desi Jr., who was — at the time of his birth in January 1953 — arguably the most famous baby in America. Desi Jr.'s birth was even incorporated into the show, and while he had his own foray into showbiz early on, he later retreated from the public eye and now rarely speaks to the press. While audiences were delighted by his parents' relationship, Desi Jr. told Purdum that behind the scenes, Lucy and Desi were incredibly argumentative "It wasn't good for anyone," Desi Jr. told the author in the book. "And we'll always remember when they sat us down and said, 'Look, you know, things aren't working.' I mean, I remember word for word." CBS Photo Archive/Archive Photos/Getty In interviews with the author, the now-adult children explained how different their parents were. Lucie recalled how her mother "took it personally" when one of the children would disappoint her. Desi, by contrast, "was not like that," she described. "He would get really angry and blow his stack, and be loud, but then he'd be done and it would be like it never happened," Lucie said. "Like a storm just passed. The storm never said, 'I'm sorry,' the storm never left a note saying, 'I'm sorry, that wasn't your fault.' But it stopped, right? My mother would get personally offended by childhood behavior or what you said, because you should have known not to say that somehow, even though no one's taught you what to say. And she would emotionally separate from you for however long she wanted to. And it would be sometimes days, sometimes weeks." J. Wilds/Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty When the children were involved in their parents' work, by attending weekly shootings ofI Love Lucy, they weren't always happy. Speaking to the author, Lucie detailed how she would "hide under the bleacher" when her mother introduced her to the audience. Desi Jr., meanwhile, "was very much embracing the whole thing," he said. Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. But theirs was not a normal life, instead hallmarked by the stardom of their parents and the strange upbringing that comes with being born to fame. In one pivotal moment in the book, Johnny Aitchison, Desi's secretary, described how strange it was to see a young Lucie and Desi playing with paper dolls of their own parents. "And it was the most natural thing in the world to watch these kids playing with that, just your normal kids having a good time, but playing with paper dolls of their parents." Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Of course, the highs of their star power were at times eclipsed by the lows, with the book detailing Desi's descent into alcoholism. It was his son, Desi Jr. — who himself had struggled with addiction and was thrust into the spotlight as a teen amid well-publicized romances with Patty Duke and Liza Minnelli — who helped him seek treatment. Four years after Desi Jr.sought treatment(in 1981 at the Scripps Clinic near San Diego), his father came to him for advice. In 1985, Desi himself entered an alcohol rehabilitation program at the Scripps McDonald Center in La Jolla, where he registered under the name "Bill Sanchez" to protect his privacy. "It was really nice," Desi Jr. said, "because whatever I was going through, it was paying off. I said, 'I can't do anything for you, but there's a place that can.' He understood that." As Desi Jr. explained to the author, it was in fame where his father felt the most lonely: "That's when he realized the emptiness—at the crest of his success. He didn't stop drinking. He didn't know what the real poison was. This is a temporary life." Desi Arnaz: The Man Who Invented Television(Simon & Schuster) is now available. Read the original article onPeople

byAlpha World

in

June 06, 2025

Desi Arnaz Jr. Speaks About Father's Alcoholism, Divorce from Lucille Ball in Rare Interview

Desi Arnaz Jr. Speaks About Father's Alcoholism, Divorce from Lucille Ball in Rare Interview Bettmann/Getty Desi Arnaz Jr. spoke to biog...

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Trump can bar AP from some White House events for now, US appeals court says

Trump can bar AP from some White House events for now, US appeals court says

By Jack Queen and Mike Scarcella (Reuters) -President Donald Trump is free to bar the Associated Press from some White House media events for now, after a U.S. appeals court on Friday paused a lower court ruling mandating that AP journalists be given access. The divided ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit temporarily blocks an order by U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden, who ruled on April 8 that the Trump administration must allow AP journalists access to the Oval Office, Air Force One and White House events while the news agency's lawsuit moves forward. The 2-1 ruling was written by U.S. Circuit Judge Neomi Rao, joined by fellow Trump appointee U.S. Circuit Judge Gregory Katsas. Rao wrote that the lower court injunction "impinges on the President's independence and control over his private workspaces" and that the White House was likely to ultimately defeat the Associated Press' lawsuit. The Associated Press in a statement said it was disappointed by the decision and weighing its options. Trump in a statement on his social media platform Truth Social called the D.C. Circuit order a "Big WIN over AP today." White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt in a statement on X said the Associated Press "is not guaranteed special access to cover President Trump in the Oval Office, aboard Air Force One, and in other sensitive locations." She said the White House "will continue to expand access to new media." In a dissent, Circuit Judge Cornelia Pillard, an appointee of President Barack Obama, said her two colleagues' ruling cannot be squared with "any sensible understanding of the role of a free press in our constitutional democracy." The AP sued in February after the White House restricted the news outlet's access over its decision to continue referring to the Gulf of Mexico in its coverage despite Trump renaming the body of water the Gulf of America. The AP's lawyers argued the new policy violated the First Amendment of the Constitution, which protects free speech rights. McFadden, who was appointed by Trump during his first term, said in his ruling that if the White House opens its doors to some journalists it cannot exclude others based on their viewpoints. Trump administration lawyers said the president has absolute discretion over media access to the White House and that McFadden's ruling infringed on his ability to decide whom to admit to sensitive spaces. "The Constitution does not prohibit the President from considering a journalist's prior coverage in evaluating how much access he will grant that journalist," lawyers for the administration said in a court filing. On April 16, the AP accused the Trump administration of defying the court order by continuing to exclude its journalists from some events and then limiting access to Trump for all news wires, including Reuters and Bloomberg. Reuters and the AP both issued statements denouncing the new policy, which puts wire services in a larger rotation with about 30 other newspaper and print outlets. Other media customers, including local news organizations that have no presence in Washington, rely on the wire services' real-time reports of presidential statements as do global financial markets. The AP says in its stylebook that the Gulf of Mexico has carried that name for more than 400 years and, as a global news agency, the AP will refer to it by its original name while acknowledging the new name Trump has chosen. (Reporting by Jack Queen in New York and Mike Scarcella in Washington; Editing by Amy Stevens, Bill Berkrot, David Gregorio and Diane Craft)

byAlpha World

in

June 06, 2025

Trump can bar AP from some White House events for now, US appeals court says

Trump can bar AP from some White House events for now, US appeals court says By Jack Queen and Mike Scarcella (Reuters) -President Donald Tr...

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'Mass shooting' thwarted at Michigan high school graduation; 2 suspects arrested, officials say

'Mass shooting' thwarted at Michigan high school graduation; 2 suspects arrested, officials say

What began as a fist fight at a high school graduation in Michigan on Tuesday could have become a mass shooting, officials said. Oakland County authorities now have two suspects in custody in connection with the attempt at the Arts and Technology Academy of Pontiac (ATAP) graduation, officials said on Friday. Sheriff Michael Bouchard announced in a press conference Friday afternoon authorities were searching for 20-year-old Jamarion Jaryante Hardiman, who is currently on probation for a weapons offense. Hardiman has since been located. Another 19-year-old suspect is in custody, whose identity is not being released until charges are filed. Bouchard said the 19-year-old suspect also has a criminal history involving weapons. Neither suspect has been charged yet. Oakland County Sheriff deputies were initially dispatched at 6:40 p.m. to the graduation held at the United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM) sports complex for a fight. A person approached deputies at the scene and informed them a family member had seen a threat posted on Snapchat to shoot up the ceremony, Bouchard said. Authorities are not sure of the post's specific wording, as it has been taken down, but witnesses said it was along the lines of "was going to shoot up the crowd," Bouchard said. The two suspects, both Pontiac residents, were identified as individuals who were part of the fight and had been seen putting packages under cars in the parking lot when authorities arrived, according to Bouchard. Working with the UWM security team and their camera system, officials recovered two fully-loaded weapons at the scene. Each weapon had a 40-round magazine. "So just those two weapons without changing magazines, had 80 rounds of potential firepower," Bouchard said. "Shooting into a graduation, you can only imagine the outcome of that." One of the suspects, who Bouchard did not specify, was carrying a pink, AR-style pistol with the loaded magazine in a backpack that was stashed under a vehicle when officers arrived. The other weapon recovered was a Glock semi-automatic handgun with a 40-round stick magazine. It is unknown if the suspects once attended the charter school, but Bouchard said they did have friends and relatives at the graduation and "ongoing disputes with individuals in the community." The sheriff said the motive behind the attempted shooting is unclear. The other parties involved in the disputes are not cooperating with authorities, according to Bouchard. "While a brief physical altercation did take place inside the venue, it was quickly handled by staff and security, and those involved were promptly removed," the school wrote in asocial media post. "Thankfully, no one within the ceremony was harmed, and we were able to continue and complete our beautiful commencement celebration without further disruption."

byAlpha World

in

June 06, 2025

'Mass shooting' thwarted at Michigan high school graduation; 2 suspects arrested, officials say

'Mass shooting' thwarted at Michigan high school graduation; 2 suspects arrested, officials say What began as a fist fight at a high...

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Jason Biggs Recalls Climbing Into Trash Can at 4 A.M. to Snort Cocaine amid Addiction: ‘Absolutely Insane’

Jason Biggs Recalls Climbing Into Trash Can at 4 A.M. to Snort Cocaine amid Addiction: 'Absolutely Insane'

Well with Arielle Lorre/Youtube Jason Biggs opened up about his struggle with drugs and alcohol during the height of his career while living in Los Angeles TheAmerican Piestar recalled climbing into the trash can to retrieve cocaine he had already thrown away He said he was able to get his health on track after moving to New York, and has been sober since 2017 Jason Biggsis sharing one of his "craziest stories" with addiction, and the moment he climbed into a trash can to snort cocaine. The 47-year-old actor appeared on the June 4 episode of theWell with Arielle Lorrepodcast and opened up about the height of his drug and alcohol addiction. Following the success ofAmerican Pieearly in his career, Biggs said that with fame, he "learned very quickly" how rare it was for people to say no to him while he was living in Los Angeles, which escalated his substance abuse. "Being 22 with money in the bank and coke in my pocket and no one saying no to me," he said. Biggs told Lorre that when he met and married his wifeJenny Mollen, he was using drugs and drinking alcohol much more than she knew. He was "blocking everything out with drugs and alcohol… and it just got worse and worse." TheOrange Is the New Blackactor then recalled one of the lowest points of his addiction. "I lived in the gray area, but I have 'snorting dust off the floor' stories or similar to that," he began. "One of my craziest stories was, I was doing cocaine by myself in my house, and I did what I said was the last line." Michael Loccisano/Getty Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Biggs said it was 4 a.m. and Mollen was asleep. In an attempt to stop himself and go back to bed, he threw the drugs into the trash can. "Within 15 minutes, as soon as my last bump is wearing off, I'm like, what am I doing? I go into my trash, and I take it out and I do a line," he said. In another attempt to stop, Biggs said he went outside and put the rest of the cocaine into the trash can in front of their house. "OK, I'm done," he told himself before going back inside and grabbing an Ambien to help him sleep. "Before I took the Ambien, I was like, 'One more,'" he said. "I went outside and I climbed into the trash bin and got the bag of coke and went upstairs and did another line. I was like, 'What the f— am I doing? This is absolutely insane.'" Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty The PEOPLE Appis now available in the Apple App Store! Download it now for the most binge-worthy celeb content, exclusive video clips, astrology updates and more! Biggs said that he constantly struggled with sobriety while living in Los Angeles. "I would find myself alone and isolating and I would find myself breaking whatever sobriety I had. It was incredibly fragile, obviously, in those early days," he said. Biggs explained that despite having met some great people in L.A., living there wasn't good for his health, and the environment made his drinking worse. He said moving to New York was life-changing and a "healthier place" for him to get his life on track. "There's something about the energy of New York that gives me something, that fills me in a way that Los Angeles couldn't. But I do believe coming to New York helped me. So, I did fall off the wagon here, but that was seven and a half years ago and it's been going well." Biggs has been sober since 2017 and shared his first anniversary of sobriety onInstagramin October 2018. "I first tried to get sober over 5 years ago, when the weight of my obsession with booze and drugs became too heavy for me to handle," he wrote alongside a photo of a silver coin that read, "To thine own self be true" and has the engraved words "unity, service, recovery." "Turns out this s--- is hard," he said at the time. "After some fits and starts, I've managed to put together one year of sobriety. I'm as proud of it as anything in my life." Biggs concluded by encouraging those who are also battling addiction not to give up. "If you're struggling, know there's help," the star wrote. "Don't be ashamed. We can do this. 💪🙏." If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP. Read the original article onPeople

byAlpha World

in

June 06, 2025

Jason Biggs Recalls Climbing Into Trash Can at 4 A.M. to Snort Cocaine amid Addiction: ‘Absolutely Insane’

Jason Biggs Recalls Climbing Into Trash Can at 4 A.M. to Snort Cocaine amid Addiction: 'Absolutely Insane' Well with Arielle Lorre/Y...

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