For KING + COUNTRY’s Joel Smallbone to co-direct, star in ‘Drummer Boy’ movie musical
Joel Smallbone attends Lionsgate’s ‘The Unbreakable Boy’ New York premiere at AMC Lincoln Square Theater on Feb. 19, 2025, in New York City. (Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)
A version of “The Little Drummer Boy” by the Australian duo for KING + COUNTRY has been returning to the charts every holiday season for the past few years. Now it seems the song has inspired a movie.
Joel Smallbone will co-direct and star in the film, Drummer Boy, set to hit theaters Nov. 6. A press release describes it as a “Christmas musical about two brothers who find themselves on opposite sides of the American Revolutionary War.”
Joel’s co-director is his brother Ben Smallbone; there are seven Smallbone siblings in all, including Joel’s bandmate Luke Smallbone. Joel and Ben say in a statement that the “fabric of the film” is “a nation built on 250 years of independence” and “a Christmas story that began over 2,000 years ago.”
They go on to say that Drummer Boy is a movie “created by brothers, about brothers,” adding, “We’re humbled beyond words to bring it to life.”
Joel also has a role in Young Washington, a film about George Washington’s early years. It stars Ben Kingsley, Kelsey Grammer, Mary-Louise Parker and Andy Serkis, and will hit theaters on Independence Day weekend.
Ciara Miller, Amanda Batula and West Wilson from ‘Summer House.’ (Bravo)
Andy Cohen is addressing the Summer House fandom after audio from the season 10 reunion leaked online.
The Bravo producer took to Threads on Friday to respond to the fact that audio from the season 10 reunion taping, which occurred on Thursday, has leaked and spread widely online. Specifically, the audio features Summer House cast members West Wilson, Ciara Miller and Amanda Batula in a heated exchange.
“People laid their souls out emotionally for ten hours yesterday and it’s disgusting and illegal for someone to leak or distribute this,” Cohen wrote. “It’s disrespectful to the work and tears the cast put in yesterday. Let the season play out. You will see it all in due time.”
Bravo posted a statement to its Instagram saying the network has launched a full investigation into how exactly the audio was leaked.
“The Summer House Reunion audio leak represents a serious breach of trust and a clear lack of respect for the cast, crew and the integrity of the production process,” the statement reads. “We take this matter very seriously and have launched a full investigation and we will take appropriate action based on our findings.”
The currently airing 10th season of Summer House has captured the zeitgeist due to a scandal that has been given the colloquial name “Scamanda.”
After months of rumors, Batula and Wilson confirmed they are in a relationship in posts made to Instagram on March 31. Batula is married to Summer House cast member Kyle Cooke, although they are divorcing. Wilson is Miller’s ex-boyfriend, and Batula was considered one of Miller’s close friends.
The Summer House season 10 reunion will air May 26 on Bravo and stream the next day on Peacock.
Taylor Frankie Paul and 18 other former leads of ‘The Bachelorette’ in ‘The Bachelorette: Before the First Rose.’ (John Fleenor/ Disney)
Bachelor Nation, get ready to welcome a brand-new Bachelorette to the franchise.
ABC has announced that a special preview of Taylor Frankie Paul‘s upcoming season of The Bachelorette is coming very soon. The special, which is called The Bachelorette: Before the First Rose, will debut on ABC and Hulu immediately after the Oscars live telecast on March 15.
The new special will find 18 former Bachelorettes gathered together to look back on all of their respective journeys and offer advice to the newest leading lady, Paul.
Former Bachelorettes who will be featured on the special event are Trista Sutter, Meredith Phillips, DeAnnaPappas, Ali Fedotowsky-Manno, Ashley Hebert-Rosenbaum, Emily Maynard-Johnson, Desiree Siegfried, Andi Dorfman-Hart, Kaitlyn Bristowe, JoJo Fletcher, Rachel Lindsay, Becca Kufrin, HannahBrown-Woolard, Tayshia Adams, Katie Thurston, Rachel Recchia, Charity Lawson and Joan Vassos, who is the franchise’s first-ever Golden Bachelorette.
“Consider this our first date. Watch The Bachelorette: Before the First Rose, a special preview of Taylor’s season following the live telecast of The Oscars March 15,” the official Bachelorette account posted to Instagram on Wednesday.
The Bachelorette‘s new season premieres March 22 on ABC and streams the next day on Hulu.
Daniel Radcliffe, Luke Evans, Nathan Lane and Rose Byrne are among the nominees for the 79th Tony Awards.
Nominations were announced Tuesday, with the awards ceremony set to take place Sunday, June 7, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.
Radcliffe and Lane are nominated for best performance by an actor in a leading role in a play, along with John Lithgow, Mark Strong and Will Harrison.
Evans is nominated for best performance by an actor in a leading role in a musical alongside Nicholas Christopher, Joshua Henry, Sam Tutty and Brandon Uranowitz.
Byrne, who was also an Oscar nominee this year for her role in If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, was nominated for best performance by an actress in a leading role in a play alongside her Fallen Angels costar Kelli O’Hara, who is now a nine-time Tony nominee.
Other nominees in the category include Carrie Coon, Susannah Flood and Lesley Manville.
Everything Everywhere All at Once star Stephanie Hsu, meanwhile, is nominated for best performance by an actress in a leading role in a musical along with Sara Chase, Caissie Levy, Marla Mindelle and Christiani Pitts.
Music superstar Pink will host the 2026 Tony Awards for the first time on June 7.
Here are the nominees in the major categories:
Best performance by an actor in a leading role in a musical Nicholas Christopher, Chess Luke Evans, The Rocky Horror Show Joshua Henry, Ragtime Sam Tutty, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) Brandon Uranowitz, Ragtime
Best performance by an actress in a leading role in a musical Sarah Chase, Schmigadoon! Stephanie Hsu, The Rocky Horror Show Caissie Levy, Ragtime Marla Mindelle, Titaníque Christiani Pitts, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)
Best performance by an actor in a leading role in a play Will Harrison, Punch Nathan Lane, Death of a Salesman John Lithgow, Giant Daniel Radcliffe, Every Brilliant Thing Mark Strong, Oedipus
Best performance by an actress in a leading role in a play Rose Byrne, Fallen Angels Carrie Coon, Bug Susannah Flood, Liberation Lesley Manville, Oedipus Kelli O’Hara, Fallen Angels
Best play The Balusters Giant Liberation Little Bear Ridge Road
Best musical The Lost Boys Schmigadoon! Titaníque Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)
Best revival of a play Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman Becky Shaw Every Brilliant Thing Fallen Angels Oedipus
Best revival of a musical Cats: The Jellicle Ball Ragtime Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show
