We were both influenced as storytellers by the original animated movie, so it's very exciting to collaborate together to honor the artistry of that timeless classic while also inspiring a whole new generation of creators, Jon M.
Chu, executive producer, via ABC News.
The role will make H.E.R.
The first Black and Filipina woman to play Belle on screen.
The world will see a Black and Filipino Belle!
I can't believe I get to be a part of the 'Beauty and the Beast' legacy, H.E.R., via ABC News.
I have always wanted to be a Disney princess, and I get to work with two wonderful directors, Hamish Hamilton and my favorite, Jon M.
Chu.
It is very surreal and I couldn’t be more grateful, H.E.R., via ABC News.
The two-hour special will be
taped in front of a live audience.
It will air on ABC on Dec.
15.
Disney+ subscribers will be
able to watch it the following day
Kiss Sells Catalog, , Brand Name and IP.
Pophouse Entertainment Group has bought the rock band's catalog, brand name and intellectual property in a deal worth over $300 million, ABC News reports. .
Björn Ulvaeus of ABBA co-founded Pophouse.
When Kiss played their last show in
December, they revealed digital avatars
of themselves, ABC News reports.
Pophouse partnered with
George Lucas' company, Industrial Light & Magic, to create the avatar technology.
The "ABBA Voyage" show in
London featured an entire performance
with the Swedish band's digital avatars.
ABC News reports that a biopic, documentary and "Kiss experience" are in the works, according to Pophouse CEO Per Sundin.
An avatar show is planned for the later part of 2027.
Gene Simmons said,
"I don't like the word acquisition.".
Collaboration is exactly what it’s
about. It would be remiss in our
inferred fiduciary duty — see what
I just did there? — to the thing
that we created to abandon it, Gene Simmons, to AP.
People might misunderstand and think,
‘OK, now Pophouse is doing that stuff
and we’re just in Beverly Hills twiddling
our thumbs.’ No, that’s not true. , Gene Simmons, to AP.
We’re in the trenches with them.
We talk all the time. We share ideas.
It’s a collaboration. Paul (Stanley) and
I especially, with the band, we’ll stay
committed to this. It’s our baby, Gene Simmons, to AP
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:30Published
Sam Bankman-Fried , Speaks Out After Sentencing.
The former FTX CEO was sentenced
to 25 years in prison on March 28.
He was previously convicted of fraud, conspiracy and money laundering.
In an exclusive interview with ABC News,
the 32-year-old exhibited remorse for his actions, saying, "It's most of what I think about each day.".
Bankman-Fried attributed FTX's downfall to many "bad decisions" made in 2022, ABC News reports. .
I never thought that what I was
doing was illegal. But I tried to hold
myself to a high standard, and I
certainly didn't meet that standard. , Sam Bankman-Fried, to ABC News.
I've heard and seen the despair,
frustration and sense of betrayal from
thousands of customers; they deserve
to be paid in full, at current price, Sam Bankman-Fried, to ABC News.
That could and should have
happened in November 2022,
and it could and should happen
today. It's excruciating to see
them waiting, day after day, Sam Bankman-Fried, to ABC News.
Bankman-Fried went on to say that he's "haunted, every day, by what was lost.".
I'd give anything to be able to help
repair even part of the damage.
I'm doing what I can from prison,
but it's deeply frustrating not
to be able to do more, Sam Bankman-Fried, to ABC News.
Bankman-Fried plans to
appeal based on trial testimony that
"greatly misstated what actually happened.".
I'd give anything to be out there, trying
to make a positive difference in the
world, but I know that's not going to
happen. I can't help from prison, Sam Bankman-Fried, via statement
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:31Published
Biden Cracks Down , on ‘Junk Insurance Plans’.
On March 28, President Joe Biden announced that
a new rule will limit short-term health insurance
plans to three months, ABC News reports. .
The plans can now only be renewed for up to
four months instead of three years that were permitted under former President Donald Trump. .
The plans can now only be renewed for up to
four months instead of three years that were permitted under former President Donald Trump. .
Additionally, short-term plan providers must
clearly explain benefit limitations to consumers. .
The president really believes
the American people do not want
to be taken for suckers and junk insurance takes them for suckers, Neera Tanden, Biden's domestic policy adviser, via statement.
Short-term insurance is intended to temporarily serve as a safety net for periods of transition,
such as switching jobs or prior to receiving Medicare.
However, critics call these plans
"junk insurance" because they're often misleading as far as what they actually cover.
ABC News reports that the plans aren't required to cover those with preexisting conditions or pay for prescription drugs.
In 2018, Trump expanded short-term plans and referred to them as "much less expensive health care at a much lower price.".
Neera Tanden, Biden's domestic policy adviser,
said that Trump undermined the Affordable Care Act
(ACA) when he allowed insurance companies to
sell inadequate short-term plans.
Neera Tanden, Biden's domestic policy adviser,
said that Trump undermined the Affordable Care Act
(ACA) when he allowed insurance companies to
sell inadequate short-term plans.
The short-term plan expansion was
upheld by an appeals court in 2020
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:31Published
Chick-fil-A Will Start Serving Chicken , Treated With Antibiotics.
On its website, the fast food chain said that
"serving quality food has always been our priority," .
but beginning in spring 2024, the company will
"shift from No Antibiotics Ever (NAE) to No Antibiotics Important To Human Medicine (NAIHM).".
NAIHM restricts the use of those
antibiotics that are important to human
medicine and commonly used to treat
people, and allows use of animal
antibiotics only if the animal and
those around it were to become sick, Chick-fil-A, via statement.
Chick-fil-A previously pledged
"no antibiotics ever" for
more than a decade. .
The change in policy comes amid projected supply shortages, ABC News reports. .
Chick-fil-A highlighted its pledge
to use high-quality chicken.
saying that it only uses "real, white
breast meat with no added fillers, artificial
preservatives, steroids -- and no added hormones.".
saying that it only uses "real, white
breast meat with no added fillers, artificial
preservatives, steroids -- and no added hormones.".
We established an Animal
Wellbeing Council of outside
experts, which provides feedback
on our policies and practices, Chick-fil-A, via statement.
With their input, we are constantly
evaluating our approach to animal
wellbeing to ensure it is consistent
with or exceeds industry standards, Chick-fil-A, via statement
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:30Published
Billie Eilish , Is Now the
Youngest Person , to Win 2 Oscars.
Eilish and her brother, Finneas O'Connell, won
an Oscar for best original song on March 10.
The award for "What Was I Made For?" from 'Barbie' cements a place in history for 22-year-old Eilish. .
She is now the youngest person ever
to win two Oscars, ABC News reports. .
Eilish previously told 'GMA3' that "What Was I Made For?" was greatly influenced by 'Barbie.'.
If we hadn’t been shown the movie
and talked to Greta about it, we
would not have made that song, Billie Eilish, to 'GMA3'.
We wouldn’t have known the movie
had that gut-wrenching aspect to it, Billie Eilish, to 'GMA3'.
Watching it and seeing what it
was about and that scene of Barbie
sitting at the bus stop and there’s
that old woman sitting next to her – , Billie Eilish, to 'GMA3'.
... that scene just really got me and
it made me [go,] ‘Oh, this is so
much more than we all think.’, Billie Eilish, to 'GMA3'.
Eilish and Finneas also performed their hit song at the Oscars before Ryan Gosling took to the stage to sing another song from 'Barbie,' "I'm Just Ken.".
Eilish and Finneas also performed their hit song at the Oscars before Ryan Gosling took to the stage to sing another song from 'Barbie,' "I'm Just Ken.".
The siblings were awarded their first Oscar
as a duo in 2022 for "No Time to Die."
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:31Published
Jaleel White says he feels blessed over his child stardom after watching 'Quiet on Set' ... admitting he felt safe and well-protected while filming for his show... TMZ.com
Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist calling it quits on their 3-month marriage won't stop the show from going on -- that show being "Celebrity Family Feud," which they.. TMZ.com
Beloved 'Golden Bachelor' couple Gerry Turner and Teresa Nist are sadly calling it quits. Just three months after tying the knot in an ABC special in January, the couple, whose engagement was revealed in Nov, announced they are getting a divorce. They sat down with 'Good Morning America' to reveal their decision but offered little to an audience that will want to know what happened after witnessing their inspiring later-in-life love story unfold.
Credit: The Hollywood Reporter Duration: 02:04Published
Ford Orders Recall , Over Potential SUV Gas Leak.
ABC reports that Ford has ordered
a recall for almost 43,000 small SUVs
due to a potential risk of fire. .
The recall impacts some Bronco
Sport SUVs from 2022 and 2023,
as well as 2022's Escape SUVs. .
According to Ford, gasoline can leak from
fuel injectors near or onto hot engine surfaces,
which increases the risk of starting fires.
The recall does not reportedly include repairing
any potential fuel leak, which the company
claims only impacts about 1% of their SUVs.
ABC reports that Michael Brooks, executive director
of the nonprofit Center for Auto Safety,
has called Ford's decision a "Band-aid type recall.".
Brooks claims that even a 1% failure
rate is high and places drivers
at potential risk for a crash.
The NHTSA said that it lacks legal
authority to pre-approve recall fixes. .
The agency added that it would, "closely track their performance using field data.".
However, Brooks suggests that Congress
needs to change laws so that the NHTSA can , "require something more than the rubber
stamp that NHTSA is currently deploying.”.
That is a post-remedy inquiry
that won't make the fixes better,
and further stretches out the process
and leaves consumers in limbo. , Michael Brooks, executive director of the
nonprofit Center for Auto Safety, via ABC
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:30Published
US Life Expectancy on the Rise , Following Pandemic Decline, CDC Report Says.
According to the latest federal
mortality data, life expectancy in
the United States increased in 2022. .
The report published by the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health
Statistics (NCHS) raised life expectancy to 77.5 years.
The report published by the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health
Statistics (NCHS) raised life expectancy to 77.5 years.
The positive change comes after two
years of decline following the pandemic.
The positive change comes after two
years of decline following the pandemic.
While life expectancy has yet to reach
pre-pandemic levels, 2022 showed
an increase of 1.1 years compared to 2021.
2022 ended up recording 3.27 million
deaths in the U.S., which was
184,374 fewer deaths than the year before.
According to the report, heart disease
and cancer remained the two most
prevalent causes of death in the U.S. .
According to the report, heart disease
and cancer remained the two most
prevalent causes of death in the U.S. .
COVID-19 dropped to fourth on
the list, and unintentional injuries
took over the number three spot.
COVID-19 dropped to fourth on
the list, and unintentional injuries
took over the number three spot.
ABC reports that both males and
females saw approximately the same
increase in life expectancy from 2021 to 2022.
Over the same period of time,
the death rate decreased
for nearly every age group. .
Another NCHS report found that rates of
drug overdose deaths from synthetic opioids
increased by 4.1% between 2021 and 2022.
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:30Published
Disney to Ban Visitors , Who Lie About Disabilities.
The Walt Disney Company says that there has
been an uptick in fraudulent disability claims at
its parks from people attempting to gain Disability Access Services (DAS), 'New York Post' reports. .
On April 15, the company said that anyone found to have lied about a disability to obtain these services will be banned from Disney parks permanently. .
If it is determined that any of the
statements a Guest made in the
process of obtaining DAS are not true,
the Guest will be permanently barred
from entering the Walt Disney World
Resort and the Disneyland Resort, The Walt Disney Company, via statement.
Any previously purchased Annual
Passes, Magic Key passes, tickets and
other park products and services...
will be forfeited and not refunded, The Walt Disney Company, via statement.
DAS allows people with disabilities
to skip waiting in lines.
The company's website previously indicated
that the service was for “guests who have
difficulty tolerating extended waits in a
conventional queue environment due to a disability.”.
The website has since been updated to read, , “DAS is intended to accommodate a small
percentage of Guests who, due to a developmental disability like autism or similar, are unable to wait in a conventional queue for an extended period or time.”.
At Walt Disney World, “in-person registration will no longer be available at theme park Guest Relations locations starting May 20, 2024,” Disney said.
Instead, DAS registrations will
take place via virtual video chat. .
However, at Disneyland, guests can
apply for DAS via either virtual chat or an
"accessibility services" window beginning June 18. .
Anyone who currently has DAS will be required to re-apply, 'New York Post' reports.
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:31Published
‘Let It Be’ Beatles Documentary , Heads to Disney+.
On April 16, Disney+ announced that a remastered version of Michael Lindsay-Hogg's 1970 documentary will stream on its platform beginning May 8, The Verge reports. .
On April 16, Disney+ announced that a remastered version of Michael Lindsay-Hogg's 1970 documentary will stream on its platform beginning May 8, The Verge reports. .
The film chronicles the Fab Four recording their album, 'Let It Be,' before breaking up soon after. .
Lindsay-Hogg said that when the band split,
it "very much darkened the perception of
the film" when it was originally released.
But when he saw Peter Jackson's work on
'The Beatles: Get Back,' he was motivated
to allow the re-release of his own film. .
Jackson's Park Road Post Production will remaster original footage for 'Let It Be' as well. .
AI tools will be used to remaster audio.
Jackson said that he is "absolutely thrilled" about the new project and considers 'Let It Be' and 'Get Back' to be "one epic story, finally completed after five decades.".
The two projects support
and enhance each other, Peter Jackson, via statement.
'Let It Be' is the climax of
'Get Back,' while 'Get Back' provides
a vital missing context for 'Let It Be.' , Peter Jackson, via statement.
'Let It Be' is the climax of
'Get Back,' while 'Get Back' provides
a vital missing context for 'Let It Be.' , Peter Jackson, via statement.
Michael Lindsay-Hogg was unfailingly
helpful and gracious while I made
'Get Back' and it’s only right that
his original movie has the last
word...looking and sounding
far better than it did in 1970, Peter Jackson, via statement
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:30Published
Disney has announced it is making changes to its policy that helps guests with disabilities avoid queuing after people who do not meet the criteria have been.. Sky News
Disney has officially set its release date for 'Toy Story 5.' Woody and Buzz are ready to grace your screens again as Pixar's 'Toy Story 5' is set to hit theaters June 19, 2026. Elsewhere on Disney's release calendar, the studio also pushing Dwayne Johnson's live-action remake of 'Moana' by a year to July 10, 2026 (it was previously slated for from June 27, 2025). The studio also confirmed that the 'Star Wars' feature 'The Mandalorian & Grogu' will bow on May 22, 2026.
Credit: The Hollywood Reporter Duration: 01:26Published
Turns out FX never intended to unleash that season 3 clip of 'The Bear.' A clip from the upcoming season of the FX drama made the rounds on Wednesday. However, FX ordered media outlets to take down the clip as it was illicitly taken during a Disney corporate event. The scene featured star Jeremy Allen White’s perfectionist chef Carmy characteristically under pressure during a rocky opening night of his revamped restaurant.
Credit: The Hollywood Reporter Duration: 01:12Published