Dame Maggie Smith, ‘Harry Potter’ and ‘Downton Abbey’ star, dies at 89
David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images
Maggie Smith, the venerable British actress whose career on stage, film and television spanned more than 60 years, has died. She was 89.
Her sons, Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens, confirmed she had died in a statement to the Press Association.
Having appeared in more than 50 films, Smith was considered one of Britain’s best-known actresses and was beloved by recent generations for her roles as Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter films and the Dowager Countess of Grantham on television’s Downton Abbey.
In addition to winning two Academy Awards, Smith earned five BAFTA Awards, three Emmy Awards, three Golden Globes, three Screen Actors Guild Awards and a Tony Award. In 1990, she was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
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The recent trend that started with Dune Part 2‘s popcorn bucket, which was spoofed by Saturday Night Live and Deadpool & Wolverine‘s cheeky AMC offerings, continues with the forthcoming releases of Wicked and Gladiator II.
Regal Cinemas has revealed it is offering a soda conveyance shaped like a pointy witch hat and a glowing lantern to hold your popcorn. The latter shows Ariana Grande‘s Glinda and Cynthia Erivo‘s Elphaba walking the Yellow Brick Road hand in hand. There are also other pieces in the collection, like change purses and clutches.
Incidentally, Regal will also offer themed merch for Gladiator II, with a popcorn bucket shaped like the helmet first worn by Russell Crowe‘s Maximus in the original. In the sequel, Paul Mescal plays his son Lucius, who eventually dons his father’s armor.
The folks at ABC’s Abbott Elementary have teamed up with education company Lakeshore Learning for a sweepstakes benefiting teachers nationwide.
Four educators will score a grand prize of a full classroom makeover courtesy of the company. The Classroom Makeover Sweepstakes is giving away a total of $100,000 worth of prizes, including $500 Lakeshore Learning e-gift cards.
The sweepstakes is open to all K-8 teachers in public and private schools in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.
Full details and how to enter can be found here — but hurry up, because the sweepstakes ends Sunday at 2:59 p.m. ET.
Abbott Elementary airs Wednesdays at 9:30 p.m. ET on ABC, with new episodes streaming the next day on Hulu.
Reynolds and Tatum in 2015 – Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images
As a guy who spent years trying to get Deadpool off the ground, Ryan Reynolds says he feels for his pal Channing Tatum, who never got the chance to play the X-Men hero Gambit onscreen — until Ryan brought him into Deadpool & Wolverine, that is.
Tatum tried to get a Gambit project off the ground before Disney acquired 20th Century Fox, but his hopes were dashed when that deal went through.
After the blockbuster success of D&W, however, it seems there’s renewed hope for Tatum’s Cajun, card-slinging, mealy mouthed mutant.
“I honestly don’t know what goes on behind closed doors in the bookkeeping sessions at Marvel, but I do know that they’re obsessed with him in that role,” Reynolds tells Entertainment Weekly‘s Awardist podcast.
Reynolds compared Tatum’s journey to his own, when the success of leaked test footage of him playing Deadpool convinced Fox to greenlight the 2016 smash hit original.
“It’s kind of like the same situation I went through,” Ryan says. “Once you show that it works well, that’s really what they need. Sometimes they just need to see it in action. And Channing is so singular in how he plays that character. But also he’s so beautiful physically, the way he moves and the way he can pick up steps.”
As reported, Tatum remained optimistic — but realistic — regarding his future in the role. He told Collider some months back, “You never know. I mean, literally, I could never be in another Marvel movie again, and it wouldn’t surprise me because I’ve had it in my hand before, and it’s gone away.” He added, “I’m always grain-of-salting it, but I’m hoping that [Marvel Studios president] Kevin [Feige] will allow me in.”
