Entertainment

Eric Dane opens up about ALS diagnosis: ‘I don’t think this is the end of my story’

ABC News

Former Grey’s Anatomy star Eric Dane is speaking out for the first time in a television interview about his battle with ALS, a degenerative neurological disorder.

“I wake up every day and I’m immediately reminded that this is happening,” Dane said of his ALS battle in an interview with Diane Sawyer airing Monday on ABC’s Good Morning America. “It’s not a dream.”

Dane, a father of two, first publicly revealed he had been diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, in April.

In his new interview with Sawyer, the actor said that despite his setbacks, he is focused on the future.

“I don’t think this is the end of my story,” he said. “I don’t feel like this is the end of me.”

ALS, short for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is a degenerative neurological disorder in which the symptoms worsen over time, according to the National Institutes of Health.

The NIH notes that ALS causes motor neurons, a type of nerve cell in the brain and spinal cord, to deteriorate. That causes the muscles to weaken and eventually leads to paralysis, taking away a person’s ability to move, speak or even breathe.

There is currently no known cure for ALS, but some treatments, including FDA-approved medications and physical and speech therapies, may slow down the progression of the disorder and improve an ALS patient’s quality of life.

Dane spent six seasons on the hit ABC drama Grey’s Anatomy, where he played Dr. Mark Sloan, affectionately known as “McSteamy.”

More recently, the longtime actor portrayed Cal Jacobs, the head of the Jacobs family, on Euphoria.

Tune into “Good Morning America” on Monday, June 16, from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. EDT, for more of Diane Sawyer’s interview with Eric Dane.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Entertainment

In brief: ‘The Diplomat’ season 3 teaser trailer and more

The trailer for season 3 of The Diplomat has arrived. Netflix also announced the show will debut its upcoming season in fall 2025. It’s a reunion of The West Wing as Bradley Whitford joins the cast to reunite with Allison Janney‘s President Grace Penn. This time around, the actors play spouses, with Whitford starring as first gentleman Todd Penn …

David Letterman is staying in business with Netflix. The host has received a two-season renewal for his series My Next Guest Needs No Introduction, according to The Hollywood Reporter. This will continue the show through season 7, with the sixth season set to debut later in 2025 …

Robert Eggers is looking to bring his signature filmmaking style to a classic Charles Dickens tale. The Nosferatu director will helm an adaptation of A Christmas Carol, Deadline reports. While deals have yet to be finalized, the outlet reports Eggers is writing the role of Ebenezer Scrooge for Willem Dafoe

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Entertainment

‘Jaws’ to air on NBC with Steven Spielberg introduction to celebrate 50th anniversary

NBCUniversal

Grab your biggest boat and get ready to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Jaws.

Steven Spielberg‘s classic film celebrates five decades this summer, and to commemorate the anniversary, the entire film franchise will be available to stream on Peacock on June 15.

Additionally, NBC is set to air the film on the network on June 20, the anniversary of the day it originally splashed into theaters. It will air as part of a three-hour telecast featuring a special introduction from Spielberg.

“Universal is home to the biggest movies in the world and it doesn’t get any bigger than Jaws,” Jenny Storms, chief marketing officer for NBCUniversal Television & Streaming, said. “We want to celebrate 50 years of this enduring film that has captured the public imagination for generations by bringing it to audiences at home in all the ways they love to watch.”

Jaws follows the seaside community of Amity, which finds itself under attack by a great white shark. It was released in 1975, changing the movie industry forever while ushering in a new era of summer blockbusters.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Entertainment

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s family supports him at ‘FUBAR’ premiere

Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix

The Hollywood premiere of FUBAR season 2 was a family affair for Arnold Schwarzenegger on Wednesday night.

The actor’s family came out to support him ahead of the release of the show’s second season on Netflix.

Arnold was all smiles as he posed for photos with his sons Christopher Schwarzenegger and Patrick Schwarzenegger, daughters Christina Schwarzenegger and Katherine Schwarzenegger, and son-in-law Chris Pratt.

Arnold shares Christopher, Patrick, Christina and Katherine with ex-wife Maria Shriver.

The Terminator star also shared a moment with his son Joseph Baena, his son with Mildred Baena.

“Go watch my dad do what he does best,” Baena wrote in the caption of an Instagram post Thursday, alongside a photo of him and his father.

Arnold’s current partner, Heather Milligan, was also in attendance at the event. The actor previously opened up about his relationship with Milligan in a 2023 interview with People.

The star-studded event was also attended by the FUBAR cast, including Monica Barbaro, Milan Carter, Fortune Feimster, Travis Van Winkle, Fabiana Udenio, Aparna Brielle, Guy Burnett, Carrie-Anne Moss and Barbara Eve Harris.

According to a logline for the series, FUBAR follows Luke Brunner (Arnold), a veteran CIA operative who was on the verge of retirement.

“After his last mission in saving another operative — who just so happened to be his daughter — he’s back and face to face with new villains,” the logline continues. “This is an old flame from Luke’s past who threatens to destroy the world…if she doesn’t destroy his life first.”

FUBAR season 2 is available to stream now on Netflix.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Entertainment

New ‘Spaceballs’ film announced in video with Mel Brooks

Presley Ann/Getty Images for TCM

A new Spaceballs film is coming, with Mel Brooks slated to return in his iconic role as Yogurt, Amazon MGM Studios announced on Thursday.

While details about the film’s plot and cast are being kept under wraps, it is being described as “A Non-Prequel Non-Reboot Sequel Part Two but with Reboot Elements Franchise Expansion Film.”

Josh Greenbaum, known for directing Will & Harper, Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar and more, is slated to direct.

A video shared by Amazon MGM Studios on Thursday also teased the news with an appearance by Brooks.

It opens with onscreen text in the iconic Star Wars-style crawl, which reads, “Thirty-eight years ago, there was only one Star Wars trilogy. But since then, there have been … a prequel trilogy, a sequel trilogy, a sequel to the prequel, a prequel to the sequel, countless TV spinoffs, a movie spinoff of the TV spinoff, which is both a prequel and a sequel.”

The crawl continues, noting the release of two Dune films, seven Jurassic Park films, multiple past and upcoming Avatar films and more, adding, “But in thirty-eight years, there has only ever been one … SPACEBALLS. Until now.”

Brooks, also the director of the original 1987 Spaceballs film, then appears onscreen, saying, “After 40 years, we asked, ‘What do the fans want?’ But instead, we’re making this movie.”

The video cuts to an image of Lord Dark Helmet with text that reads, “The Schwartz Awakens in 2027.”

“May the Schwartz be with you,” Brooks adds.

The legendary filmmaker also took to social platform X to share the announcement in a post, writing, “I told you we’d be back.”

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Entertainment

Judge declares mistrial on rape count in Harvey Weinstein’s sex crimes retrial after jury chaos

Michael Nagle-Pool/Getty Images

A New York judge has declared a mistrial on the third-degree rape count in Harvey Weinstein‘s sex crimes retrial on Thursday, after the jury foreman refused to return to deliberate.

The foreman had told Judge Curtis Farber on Wednesday that he was afraid to be in the same room with fellow jurors after he claimed they yelled at him to try to change his mind.

Asked if he would be willing to go back to the deliberation room Thursday, the foreman said, “No, I’m sorry.” Farber then dismissed the remaining jurors.

The former movie mogul was accused of sexually assaulting three women over a decade ago in New York City.

The mistrial comes a day after the jury convicted Weinstein on one count of criminal sex act involving Mimi Haley and acquitted him of another count of criminal sex act involving Kaja Sokola.

The third count related to an alleged assault on aspiring actress Jessica Mann in 2013.

All three women have publicly come forward and testified during the trial.

Farber said he spoke to the remaining jurors, who told him they were “disappointed” they did not get to render a verdict on the third count.

“I will say they were extremely disappointed that deliberations ended before they reached a verdict,” Farber said.

The judge also said the remaining jurors did not describe anything like the discord and threats recounted by the foreman.

“They all thought they were involved in a normal discourse, and they don’t understand why the foreperson bowed out,” Farber said.

The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office immediately signaled it is ready to try Weinstein again on the rape count.

An attorney for Weinstein, Arthur Aidala, said they plan to appeal the conviction in the retrial.

“We have very powerful evidence that there was gross juror misconduct at this trial,” Aidala told reporters outside the courthouse. “None of us have ever heard of that where a jury is so intimidated a grown man who was in good physical shape in his late 30s saying, I’m afraid to go back into the deliberating room.”

“If that doesn’t cast doubt on the verdicts here, I don’t know what would. This is not over,” he said.

Aidala further alleged jury misconduct, saying they found out that jurors were considering evidence not admitted at trial.

The foreperson told the judge on Monday that jurors were discussing Weinstein’s past, according to a transcript of the closed encounter in the judge’s chambers. When the judge summoned the entire jury that day, he reminded them to discuss only the evidence presented at trial and to be cordial.

Weinstein was being retried for sexually assaulting Haley and Mann after his earlier conviction was overturned on appeal. He was also charged with sexually assaulting Sokola, who was not part of the first trial.

Prosecutors said Weinstein “preyed” on the three women as “he held unfettered power for over 30 years” in Hollywood, while the defense countered the producer did not coerce the women and claimed they were using him for his connections.

Weinstein, 73, pleaded not guilty and has said his sexual encounters were consensual. He did not testify during the trial.

If you are affected by abuse and needing support, or know someone who is, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). You can also chat online at thehotline.org or online.rainn.org, respectively.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Entertainment

Belly wants to marry Jeremiah in ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ season 3 official trailer

Erika Doss/Prime

Belly is looking toward the future in The Summer I Turned Pretty official season 3 trailer.

In the new trailer, Belly (Lola Tung) and her boyfriend, Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno), announce their plans to get married.

“First loves are important. But they’re not as important as lasts,” Belly says in her signature voice-over. Talking about her relationship with Conrad (Christopher Briney), Belly then says, “I loved him in a way that you can only really do the first time around. But that’s the past. Jeremiah — he is my future.”

Season 3 starts with a time jump. Belly is about to finish her junior year of college, and she’s excited about spending another summer in Cousins Beach with Jeremiah.

“Her future seems set, until some core-shaking events bring her first love Conrad back into her life,” according to the season’s official synopsis.

Belly’s mom, Laurel (Jackie Chung), does not seem to approve of her plans to get married so young.

“You two aren’t ready for a commitment like this. You’re talking about a lifetime,” she tells the couple in the trailer.

“Laur, I want to be with Belly for a lifetime. I can commit to that easy,” Jeremiah responds.

The first half of the trailer is set to Taylor Swift‘s Lover track “Daylight.” As the trailer goes on, we see moments with Belly and Conrad reconnecting and flashbacks to their previous relationship. That part is set to Swift’s song “Red.”

The third and final season of The Summer I Turned Pretty premieres on July 16.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Entertainment

Former MTV VJ and talk show host Ananda Lewis dies at 52

Paul Archuleta/Getty Images

Former television host Ananda Lewis has died, her sister Lakshmi Emory shared in a Facebook post on Wednesday. Lewis was 52.

Lewis, who was known for her role as an MTV VJ and host of Teen Summit, was battling Stage 4 breast cancer.

“She’s free, and in His heavenly arms,” Emory wrote on Facebook. “Lord, rest her soul.”

Lewis first revealed she was diagnosed with breast cancer in October 2020, via an Instagram video that included her hope to encourage other women to get a mammogram. Lewis was battling Stage 3 cancer at the time.

“I have been fighting to get cancer out of my body for almost two years,” she said at the time. “For a really long time, I have refused mammograms, and that was a mistake.”

Lewis admitted that she refused regular mammograms because of her fear of being exposed to radiation.

People with an average risk of breast cancer are recommended to start mammogram screening starting at age 40 and even younger for those with higher than average risk. Mammograms are considered safe. They emit a very small amount of radiation, but less than a standard X-ray.

“I need you to get your mammograms,” she implored, sharing that she had to adjust her diet and lifestyle. “I still have a lot of work to do. … I wish I could go back. I have a 9-year-old I need to be here for.”

In October 2024, a year after her cancer had progressed to Stage 4, Lewis spoke with ABC News’ Kelley L. Carter to talk about her diagnosis and the treatment decisions she had to make, which included a refusal to undergo a medically recommended double mastectomy followed by rounds of chemotherapy.

“I couldn’t handle doing such a drastic surgery in my life at that time,” she said. “I was a stay-at-home mom, homeschooling my son. Cancer doesn’t come and replace all the other stuff you have to do. Cancer happens on top of your life, and for me, it was just too overwhelming in the beginning.”

Lewis said at the time that she had opted for homeopathic treatment, including a change in her diet and fractionated chemotherapy, which is not recommended by doctors as effective.

Since she revealed her cancer diagnosis, Lewis faced criticism from others for her decision to not have surgery years earlier.

“None of those people know me and they don’t know the details of my situation,” she said. “I’m not gonna sit here and battle people about their opinions. That has no bearing on my life. It’s a waste of my time. And I don’t have time to waste.”

“Life owes me nothing,” she added. “Every day I get, I’m grateful for. What I do is focus on what I can fix. And what I can control.”

Lewis, who was born March 21, 1973, in Los Angeles, began her career on BET when she landed a role as host of Teen Summit in 1993, a talk show program that focused on issues faced by Black teens. It also included live performances.

In 2001, she had her own talk show called The Ananda Lewis Show.

The role that many know Lewis for was as an MTV VJ. She hosted a variety of shows including Total Request Live and Hot Zone.

She was a correspondent on The Insider from 2004 to 2017.

In her 2024 interview with Carter, when asked  how she wanted people to remember her, Lewis said, “That I loved hard and lived loud and didn’t back away from problems and loved this life. And was O.K. with letting it go too.”

“It’s a temporary situation, so do your best,” she added. “That’s all we’re all doing is our best.”

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Entertainment

In brief: Jack Black to receive King of Comedy award at 2025 Kids Choice Awards and more

Jack Black is set to receive the King of Comedy award at the 2025 Kids Choice Awards. The actor will receive the special silver blimp onstage before he is doused in the iconic green Nickelodeon slime. Tyla is hosting the awards show, which airs on June 21 …

A24 has greenlit a movie to be directed by the youngest person to ever helm a film for the studio. The 19-year-old director, Kane Parsons, is set to make the upcoming science-fiction horror film The Backrooms, according to Variety. Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve will star in the film, which is based on the world Parsons created in his YouTube horror series …

A sequel to Steven Universe is in the works. Deadline reports that Steven Universe: Lars of the Stars is being developed for Prime Video. The show will explore the past, present and future of the universe starring Lars Barriga, the eternal teenager and space outlaw …

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Entertainment

Bryce Dallas Howard, Orlando Bloom on their action-comedy ‘Deep Cover’

Peter Mountain

Improv actors are brought in to work with dangerous criminals in the new movie Deep Cover.

The film, which made its international premiere at Tribeca Festival, drops Thursday on Prime Video. It stars Bryce Dallas Howard as an improv comedy teacher with Orlando Bloom and Nick Mohammed as two of her students.

All three actors had minimal improv experience before the movie. They told ABC Audio if they had to pick between getting involved with dangerous criminals or bombing onstage during an improv performance, they’d pick the dangerous criminals any day.

“I would trust the criminals more. I would feel safer with the criminals,” Howard said. “There’s kind of nothing scarier than that. Like, you go up to entertain and people are like, ‘You failed! We’re not entertained!’ That’s a nightmare.”

The film finds Bloom showing off his comedy skills. It also finds him wearing a wig that he says rivals the long blond hair of his The Lord of the Rings character, Legolas.

“It’s actually my wig, if you can believe it or not,” Bloom said. “It was made by Peter Owen and [Peter] King, who are amazing. And they actually made my wig for Lord of The Rings.”

Bloom said he had the wig sitting in his closet. It was made for the 2013 movie Zulu in which he acted in opposite Forest Whitaker.

When he read the Deep Cover script and saw his character needed a wig, he knew he had one that would work perfectly.

“I was like, well, this is a great wig,” Bloom said.

But how does his Deep Cover wig rank against his Legolas wig?

“I think it was right up there,” he said.

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