Zack Morris who? Mark-Paul Gosselaar is suiting up for Pitch. And by suiting up we mean he grew a big ol" bushy beard, packed on some weight and threw on the baseball cleats to play Mike Lawson, the catcher for the San Diego Padres on the Fox series. Yeah, it"s a far-cry from the blonde days of Saved By the bell.
"The script was a scriptthat I just couldn"t put down," Gosselaar told E! News" Carissa Culner at the Pitch premiere. "I just knew that the team, no pun intended, was one that could make this a special project."
Pitch tells the story of San Diego Padre"s pitcher Ginny Baker (Kylie Bunbury), the first female to play in Major League Baseball, and her teammates who all have their own thing going on.
"I can relate more to this character. Zack Morris to me was a true character that I played with the fake blonde hair. Zack Morris is what I wanted to be in high school "cause I was not that kid in high school. I was the kid that was on the steps doing other thing besides schoolwork and I saw the cool kids acting like Zack Morris," Gosselaar said. "Mike Lawson, the character that I play now, is probably how I would conduct myself now if I were a professional ballplayer."
Despite the intense training Gosselaar"s gone through to play a convincing baseball player, don"t expect him to trade professions anytime soon.
"h**l noit"s a lot harder than they make it look," he said about giving baseball a try for real. "On television they make it look like it"s a graceful slow sportthese guys are getting beaten upit"s a brutal sport."
Pitch premieres Thursday, Sept. 22 at 9 p.m. on Fox.
Blac Youngsta COPS HALF A MILLION DOLLAR CAR!! Shawty Lo Candle Light and more!! Rappers Mourn Shawty Lo: See Tributes From Gucci Mane, 50 Cent & More - Hollywood Life
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So devastating! Legendary Atlanta rapper Shawty Lo was killed in a tragic crash in his native city early on Sept. 21, and the rap world is in total mourning. The star and record label chief was absolutely beloved by his peers who are reeling at his sudden passing. Keep reading for the heartfelt tributes from Gucci Mane, Future, 50 Cent and more.
The rap world is united in stunned sadness over the sudden passing of Shawty Lo, 40, real name Carlos Walker. The King of Bankhead star was driving on a freeway outside his hometown when he was hit by another car, causing his vehicle to careen over the guardrail and into some trees, killing him instantly. He leaves behind 11 kids nine daughters and two sons by ten moms so theres a lot of sadness in his own large family, as well as his among peers.
The4DL record label founder had so much love and respect, and the Westside Atlanta rap/hip hop community is bonding together to remember the talented rapper and businessman. The likes of fellow ATL rappers Gucci Mane, Future,T.I., Lil Yachty,ILoveMakonnen, Ludacris, and more have been posting moving tributes to social media about his untimely passing.
HollywoodLifers, share your thoughts on Shawty Los tragic passing in the comments.
The relationship between Taraji P. Henson and her Empire persona of Cookie is a complicated one if only because while Henson has been nominated three times for her work as Best Actress in a Drama, she feels like her best skills lie in comedy.
READ MORE:Taraji P. Hensons Empire Highlight Reel Has to Be Seen to Be Believed
I come to drama from a comedy background, she told IndieWire during the Television Critics Association press tour. And from her point of view, thats what not only fuels her, but many other comedians as well as they explore the boundary between laughter and pain.
Its a boundary that Henson has explored a great deal thanks to the Empire sets openness to ad-libbing which shes been able to keep going on other projects, such as the upcoming awards season contender Hidden Figures, in which she plays a 1960s mathematician, a role that she found to be the polar opposite of Cookie.
Of course, the power of Cookie cannot be denied even if Season 2 skimped on the hats. Dont worry. Below, Henson promises to fix that.
From the beginning of the series, I was a huge fan of Cookies hats
She hasnt been doing many hats! The second season I had that Le Snob hat, and I had a face veil.
That was cool.
But I dont think I tried on one hat this year. Hey, you know what, Ill bring that up to [costume designerPaolo Nieddu]. More hats.
As a character detail, what does a great accessory like that give you?
It helps with my character. I mean I lovewhenPaulothrows meprops. I love to work with props. Ive never been afraid to work with props. I was Prop Mistress in college.
[Nieddu]gave me those Le Snob glasses that flip up and down were such a great tag team because h**l give me something: Honey, I know youll work it into the scene. So h**l give me like a fabulousJudithLeiberbagand Ill like fiercely put it downwith a nail, or,you know, flip the glasses down, or walk in with the shades and take them.
Taraji P. Henson in Empire.
Chuck Hodes/FOX
I know there are some actors who cant stand watching themselves on camera.
I used to be like that. I cant watch myself during the process, but its easier to do now with social media, because its like youre watching with the audience, you know? So its not me sitting there like oh G*d, why did you turn this way? Why did you do your eyes like that? Why did you say it like that? You know what I mean? So I have the distraction of the real world to go, okay, you did hit that beat, theyre picking it up, I see theyre tweeting that line, oh my G*d that ad-lib worked. It gets me out of my head, to watch it with an unbiased audience.
Ive heard you speak before about how you really value the ability to be able to ad-lib, and you said that it comes from being in a safe environment. Was that something that happened right away, or did the world of Empire start feeling safe over a period of time?
It felt that way from the beginning. It felt that way when I went to read with Terrence for Lee and Danny. It just, thats how it started. They just let me go. I mean, thats how Boo Boo Kitty was born. That was in the pilot. That was like one of the first scenes we shot and it just came out and they were like, Were gonna keep it! Were gonna keep it! So the more they kept saying, Were gonna keep it, I was like, You wanna keep this too? You know? Its just good to play. I dont do it a lot, I only do it when its called for, because you dont want to have a scene full of ad-libs then wheres the scene going? It has to be its like comedic, the timing has to be right and if youre not feeling it, chances are you shouldnt ad-lib. [laughs]
Do you feel like youve gotten to do a lot of comedy?
Thats my strongest talent. I did a lot of musical theater in college, and thats a lot of comedy, a lot of timing. And thats really my strong suit I think. But also, in having said that, Ive noticed growing up in my life Ive watched a lot of comedians and they were able to transition into dramatic roles gracefully. Because comedians deal with pain thats why theyre so cynical, thats why they can laugh at each other. At themselves. Because the world has been throwing rocks at them all their lives, so now theyve turned those rocks into something funny, you know? So their pain is layered. When they play these dramatic roles, they can bring you those highs and lows because theyve had that comedic timing.
And to me they make better dramatic actors, so, I come [at]drama from a comedy background. Not that I did standup a lot, I was just great and gifted in the comedic timing. Just in life. Just the way I tell stories with friends, you know? So I think thats really where my talent lies. I have yet to be able to really do a comedy butwell get to it.
What kind of comedy would you like to do?
I mean, not the comedy where youre like HERE COMES THE JOKE! YOU READY? CATCH IT! More like situational things. Just comedy happening out of real life situations. Like the Judd Apatow films, you know its not really setting up the jokes, its just out of these circumstances you laugh. I try to bring a lot of the comedy elements to Cookie. I want to make her a multi-dimensional character, as we all are as humans. Were not one dimension. There are layers, we keep pulling back the onion. The layers of the onion, you know.
Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson in Empire.
Chuck Hodes/FOX
I feel like a lot of time, actors talk about characters coming from themselves as a person. Do you feel that Cookie is a separate entity from yourself?
Oh, absolutely. Like, I mean, I grew up in the hood, I didnt sell drugs. You know, I chose another path. I chose education, you know, working. I see the pitfalls, I can understand why her back, her and Lucius, their backs was against the wall. They were young parents, you know it happened. Um they had no education, you know, they made the best they could with the cards dealt to them, you know? And coming from the hood I remember when crack got dropped off I remember entire families being destroyed. I grew up in a broken home. And now Im looking at my friend who had both parents at home now crack is here, theyre divorced, and living in the street. Yall are homeless what? I remember that era, so things like that I was able to pull and draw from to make her real. But shes totally different from me. I cant go around flying off the handles saying what I want to say, I would get railed for it (laughs). So shes actually my Sasha Fierce, my alter ego.
At some point, one presumes, Empire will end. Do you feel like it will be hard to transition from this to a completely different character?
No. Ive been doing it. I have a movie coming out [Hidden Figures] its very important for me because Im an artist, Im a character actor, so its very important for me to keep my instrument working. Lubed up, if you will. And so whenever Im not doing Cookie, I race to something thats the polar opposite of her, and I couldnt get more polar opposite than a mathematician. I mean shes literally glassesshe doesnt say muchhappy about her math, you know?
Was there room for ad-libbing on that side?
Its a different way of ad-libbing. Its not boisterous and loud. Theres one part that I saw of the trailer, a scene with myself, Janelle Monae and Octavia Spencer, where my characters first meeting her next husband to be. Theyre being introduced for the first time and we ad-libbed this whole thing about Oh my G*d, whys he looking, whys he coming over here? And shes like, Im gonna go get some pie, and I said, You already have pie, Dorothy. It was cute little moments like that, but they allowed for it.
Empire Season 3 premieres Wednesday at 9pm on Fox.
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Ukraine: Over 1,000 march in Kiev on International Peace Day
In 2001, painter Eric Waugh broke the world record for the largest painting by a single artist. His stunning 41,400-square-foot painting, entitled Hero,was revealed on World AIDS Day. Now, in honor of the 45th anniversary of John Lennons song Imagine, Waugh has created a 2500-square-foot painting of the musician thatwillbe displayed today in New York City to commemoratethe United NationsInternational Day of Peace.
It is my hope that people surround the painting and pay tribute to John and his dream for a world without strife, war, and conflict, Waugh wrote on his website. Recent events, at home and abroad, show that Johns vision remains as important as ever. The painting,created at his warehouse in Austin, Texas,is five stories highand took more than a month to complete.
Waugh will unveil and display the painting today in the heart of New York Citys Central Park, directly in front of the Naumburg Bandshell amphitheater. The bandshell is located near the Strawberry Fieldsmemorial to Lennonand across the street from The Dakota, the apartment complex where Lennon was assassinated in 1980. According to Waugh, its the perfect location to imagine again.
Anthony Weiner Has Allegedly Been Sexting a 15-Year-Old
Anthony Weiner, the Congressman who resigned from office after pursuing women on Twitter and sending lewd photographs of himself, is in the spotlight again for all the wrong reasons. USA TODAY
Anthony Weiner, theCongressman who resigned from office after pursuing women on Twitter and sending lewd photographs of himself, is in the spotlight again for all the wrong reasons.
While his wife, Huma Abedin, is off campaigning for former secretary of State Hillary Clinton, theNew York Postreported Weiner has been sexting another woman at one point posting a raunchy selfie with his 4-year-old son in the background.
The Postpublished the selfie, which shows Weiner wearing only white boxer briefs. His son is lying next to him in a green blanket. The tabloid also shared screenshots of the pair"s exchanges,which began in late January 2015 after Weiner direct messaged her on Twitter. Their conversations continued through earlier this month.
Here"s how the "cringe-inducing" image of him next to his son came to fruition, according toThe Post.
Weiner was clearly aroused by his conversation with the 40-something divorcee when he abruptly changed the subject.
Someone just climbed into my bed, Weiner wrote.
Really? she responded.
Weiner then hit send on the cringe-inducing image, which shows a bulge in his white, Jockey-brand boxer briefs and his son cuddled up to his left, wrapped in a light-green blanket.
You do realize you can see you[r] Weiner in that pic?? the woman wrote.
Moments after forwarding the photo, Weiner freaked out over the possibility he had accidentally posted it publicly just as he did during the infamous episode that forced him to resign from Congress in 2011.
In case you forgot, the picture that circulated in 2011 was one of the then-Congressman"s boxer briefs . Weiner denied sending the photo and claimed his Twitter account had been hacked before ultimately admitting totexting lewd pictures of himself to multiple women.
Despite claims that he had gone to a therapist, it became clear during the 2014 New York City mayoral race that the sexting scandals were not behind him.
Reports surfaced about other messages Weiner sent women even after his resignation from Congress. He acknowledged the messages but stayed in the race before conceding that September.
This time, Weiner didn"t deny the relationship with the woman. Instead, he admitted they have been friends for some time. Weiner told The Post, she has asked me not to comment except to say that our conversations were private, often included pictures of her nieces and nephews and my son and were always appropriate."
R.I.P Shawty Lo 9/21/2016 3:13 PM PDT BY TMZ STAFF
EXCLUSIVE
A tributeconcert Shawty Loplanned for his recently deceased father, will now be his own memorial ... TMZ has learned.
Shawty"s dad died Sept. 6 of a sudden heart attack, and the rapper canceled live gigs while he was grieving -- but he intended to return to the stage this Thursday in Baltimore at Club Oxygen withHot Boy Turk.
Shawty"s manager, Johnnie Cabbell, says Shawty was going to perform the new track he wrote for his dad, called "Letter To My Father" ... aka "L2MF."
As we reported, Shawtydied early Wednesday morning when his car hit 2 trees in Atlanta.
The manager says the tribute show is still on, but now it"s dedicated to Shawty instead and Beanie Sigelwill be onstage too.
Destiny"s Child - Survivor (Official Video) ft. Da Brat
Survivor has pitted members of two frequently sparring generations against each other for its landmark 33rd seasonMillenials and Gen Xers are facing off in the Vanua and Talaki tribesbut they had to come together in the premiere when everyone from the cast was evacuated from Fiji due to a dangerous cyclone that was heading straight toward the camps on just the second day of competition.
Obviously evacuating the teams is the last resort, so before the tribes had to leave their camps, host Jeff Probst and the producers sent each of them a tarp.
"This is an unusually powerful storm and it"s going to last a bit longer. I know you haven"t had enough time to build a shelter, so as a gesture of goodwill I"m offering this tarp as protection until you can build your own. When the weather clears, bring it back to me," read the tree mail note.
Some of the smarter contestants could tell that the tarp meant something horrible, and sure enough, Probst himself paid a visit to both camps just a few hours later.
"The storm is getting worse so we sent the tarp over this morning; thought maybe that would help you guys weather it, but in the last few hours it"s been upgraded again. It is now a cyclone and the prediction is tonight it"s going to be much harder than last week. So, for the first time in 33 seasons of Survivor, we are going to evacuate," he told the Vanua tribe.
Naturally, production still got artsy shots of the Millenials evacuating, but the Gen Xers didn"t have enough time for those before nature took its course.
The next morning, both tribes returned to destructionand a large tree had fallen on the shelter wehre the Talaki tribe had intended to sleep.
"That was definitely a saving grace that Jeff made that decision to do that," praised one of the evacuees.
Watch the scary moment above! Survivor airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on CBS.
