Jane Fonda to star in film adaptation of ‘The Correspondent’
Jane Fonda attends the 2026 Vanity Fair Oscar party hosted by Mark Guiducci at Los Angeles County Museum of Art on March 15, 2026, in Los Angeles, California. (Jamie McCarthy/WireImage)
Jane Fonda is set to star in a film adaptation of the bestselling book The Correspondent.
Lionsgate made the announcement to its social media on Wednesday. The studio shared a screenshot of Deadline‘s article on the subject.
“#TheCorrespondent – based on the best-selling novel by @virginia.l.evans. Coming soon,” Lionsgate’s caption reads.
In addition to starring, Fonda will produce the film alongside Todd Lieberman for his company Hidden Pictures. Cat Vasko will write the film’s script and executive produce the movie.
The Correspondent is the debut novel by Virginia Evans. It was published in April 2025 and has since sold over 1 million copies. Evans will also executive produce the film.
The novel’s plot follows an opinionated, retired lawyer named Sybil Van Antwerp who writes letters every single day to a litany of different people in her life. When she one day receives letters from someone in her past, she’s forced to examine one of the most difficult times in her life.
Cobie Smulders and Jason Segel in ‘Shrinking’ season 3. (Apple TV)
Jason Segel worked with Cobie Smulders for nine years on How I Met Your Mother. Now, the pair star together in season 3 of the Apple TV comedy Shrinking. Smulders made her season 3 debut in Wednesday’s episode, where her character, Sofi, shared flirtatious banter with Segel’s Jimmy.
Segel spoke to ABC Audio about how working with Smulders on Shrinking is both the same and different to working with her on How I Met Your Mother, where they played friends Marshall and Robin.
“The way it is the same is that Cobie Smulders is like the nicest human being on Earth. And not just cause she’s Canadian. She is just like to the core, a wonderful human being,” Segel said. “We didn’t have much overlap on How I Met Your Mother despite working together for almost a decade because our storylines were always — Marshall was usually paired with Lily.”
Segel said that what’s special about doing Shrinking with Smulders now is that they have shared history.
“We’ve known each other for 20 years, 25 years, maybe something like that. Both been through a bunch of life stuff and the twisty-turny road that being in this business is about … and we’ve stayed in touch that whole time,” Segel said.
This, Segel said, helps the audience feel that Jimmy and Sofi have a real connection.
“I think when these two characters look at each other, it seems like they’ve known each other forever. Even though story-wise, they’ve only known each for a little bit,” Segel said. “It reads like soulmate because of that. That’s sort of like what a soulmate is supposed to feel like. Like, you’ve only just met, but you’ve known other forever. So I think that that was the magic trick of the casting.”
New episodes of Shrinking release every Wednesday on Apple TV.
Mia Mckenna-Bruce attends the “The Fence” screening during the 69th BFI London Film Festival at the Vue West End on October 18, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images for BFI)
Actress Mia McKenna-Bruce is set to play Ringo Starr’s late wife Maureen Starkey in Sam Mendes’ The Beatles — A Four-Film Cinematic Event, and she certainly sounds excited by the project.
She tells Variety that her experience on the project so far has been “absolutely next level,” noting that a read through with the cast was “really emotional, because the scripts are so beautiful.”
The films star Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney, Harris Dickinson as John Lennon, Joseph Quinn as George Harrison and Barry Keoghan as Ringo. McKenna-Bruce says the first time she saw them in their roles she didn’t recognize them, noting, “it was phenomenal.”
“They’ve done it beautifully in getting it bang on for the Beatles, but still holding on to the essences of the boys themselves as well. They’re all genius,” she continues. “And the boys have gone tenfold into playing these roles and know them inside out and back to front — they will question everything in the scripts to make sure it tells the right story. And Sam knows everything there is to know about the Beatles.”
As for what she’s learned about her character, McKenna-Bruce says Maureen was “loved by all the Beatles boys.”
“If she went into a room or party, she’d be the person that would go over to whoever was sat on their own — she wanted to make everyone felt included and was just a really good human,” she says. She adds that Maureen preferred to stay at home and “stayed out of the Beatlemania.”
And while McKenna-Bruce isn’t allowed to say much more about the films, due out in April 2028, she wishes she could.
“I just cannot wait for people to see this, because I really need to scream about it,” she says.
Savannah Guthrie and mother Nancy Guthrie on Thursday, June 15, 2023. (Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images)
Today show host Savannah Guthrie and her siblings made an emotional plea for the return of their mother, who remains missing days after police believe she was abducted from her home in Arizona.
“Everyone is looking for you, Mommy, everywhere,” Savannah Guthrie said in a video message posted on Wednesday alongside her sister and brother. “We will not rest. Your children will not rest until we are together again.”
Savannah Guthrie made an urgent plea for her mother’s return, citing the 84-year-old’s fragile health.
“Our mom is our heart and our home,” Savannah said. “She is 84 years old, her health, her heart is fragile. She lives in constant pain. She is without any medicine. She needs it to survive. She needs it not to suffer.”
No suspect or person of interest has been identified in the case, the sheriff’s department said on Wednesday.
The sheriff’s department said it is reviewing possible ransom notes as part of the investigation. ABC Tucson affiliate KGUN said it received one of the letters, which it forwarded to law enforcement. Officials say they are investigating if any of these letters are legitimate.
Addressing reports of a ransom letter, Savannah Guthrie said Wednesday, “As a family, we are doing everything that we can. We are ready to talk. However, we live in a world where voices and images are easily manipulated. We need to know without a doubt that she is alive and that you have her. We want to hear from you and we are ready to listen. Please reach out to us.”
Nancy Guthrie was last seen at her home near Tucson on Saturday night, according to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department.
Investigators do not believe Nancy Guthrie left her home willingly and said it appears she was abducted in her sleep early Sunday morning, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department told ABC News.
Nancy Guthrie’s family reported her missing on Sunday around noon local time, authorities said.
The FBI is sending additional agents and experts to Pima County, Arizona, to help reinforce efforts on the ground and to aid local investigators in the case, sources told ABC News on Wednesday.
