Could one of boxing's all-time greats finally meet his match in a controversial YouTuber nearly 20 years his junior?

We'll apparently find out soon, as the undefeated Floyd Mayweather squares off against Logan Paul in an exhibition match on Feb. 20, 2021. Fans can already buy tickets to the face-off, which will be live-streamed on Fanmio Boxing.

The two have been setting up for a showdown, already sparring with their words on social media.

"These YouTube girls better find some Barbie dolls to play with cause I’m not the one for the kid games," Mayweather tweeted in November. "3 years ago a fighter from the UF said my name and I had to put a muzzle on that b—h. @loganpaul can get the same treatment before I go conquer Japan again."

In response, Paul called the boxer's words "big tweet from a little man."

Now retired, Mayweather has a 50-0 record. His last win came in 2017 against Conor McGregor, whom he referenced in the above tweet. He also won against Japanese fighter Tenshin Nasukawa (also alluded to above) in a 2018 exhibition match.

Paul has much less experience than his soon-to-be opponent, having fought fellow YouTuber KSI twice, first to a draw, and later losing in a 2019 rematch. His younger brother Jake, also a YouTube star, knocked out former NBA player Nate Robinson last month.

Related content:

• Controversial YouTuber Logan Paul sparks outrage after saying he will 'go gay' for 1 month
• YouTube was 'upset' by controversial Logan Paul video
• Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor: A guide to the big fight

This story originally appeared on: EW - Author:Rachel Yang

Ryan Gallagher, a former contestant on the current season of The Voice, is denying he was kicked off the show for violating its COVID-19 protocols.

“Last Sunday, my client Ryan Gallagher, who was a leading contender as part of Kelly Clarkson’s team on the current season of NBC-TV’s The Voice, was dismissed by NBC and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios for an alleged violation of the show’s Covid 19 protocol," Michael Catalano, the singer’s manager, told EW in a statement. People was first to report.

Catalano continued, "In my opinion, nothing could be further from the truth."

In response to Catalano and Gallagher's claims, NBC and MGM shared a joint statement with EW.

"Ryan is a talented artist, however, The Voice has strict Covid protocols in place to secure a safe set for our crew, coaches, and contestants. We were made aware of a breach in those protocols, and after examining the situation, and out of an abundance of caution, we determined that Ryan could not participate in our Monday night show without potentially putting others at risk. Therefore, we made the difficult decision to remove Ryan from the competition," NBC and MGM said.

In his statement, Catalano said Gallagher, 32, "understands all too well how serious the Covid 19 pandemic is in this country and around the world. In fact, recently Ryan's mother in Michigan was hospitalized with Covid 19 and was in ICU for three weeks. It was a scary time for Ryan and his family and he certainly would not knowingly put anyone at risk by not adhering to the show’s Covid 19 policy.

"As you can imagine, there is more to the story here than the show has announced and at an appropriate time and place of our choosing, Ryan will respond to these damaging allegations,” the singer’s manager added. "Ryan, whose performing career began at age 15 as a backup singer for Josh Groban in Michigan, has been devastated by the show’s dismissal. A career as a singer/performer has been his life-long dream."

Catalano concluded, "Ryan is so touched by the massive outpouring of support he has received from thousands of viewers who were hugely disappointed by the show’s actions and are vowing to support him in his future endeavors. He remains very, very appreciative. Thank you for your continued support of Ryan Gallagher during this difficult time.”

Gallagher was recruited by Clarkson in week 2 of blind auditions and later, the opera singer went up against other contestants during the Four-Way Knockouts on the Nov. 24 episode. At the top of the live playoffs on Nov. 30, host Carson Daly announced Gallagher had to "exit the competition" but did not explain why.

That same day, Gallagher alluded to the situation on his Instagram Story.

"Thank you for your concern for my family, however, everybody is fine," he said in a short video. "That's not the cause of what happened tonight on The Voice. I didn't drop out of the show. Details are still to come." Shortly after, Gallagher uploaded a cryptic photo of himself with the caption, "2020 you are an interesting one."

On Dec. 4, Gallagher wrote in a post that "it’s been a weird/stressful week. I am grateful to each and every one of you for your continued support and love throughout this new development. Standby for more facts!"

While on the show, Gallagher told the celebrity coaches that his mom was hospitalized with coronavirus. In an Instagram video from Nov. 16, Gallagher said he had recently traveled back home to Michigan from Los Angeles to see his family.

Related content:

• The Voice contestant Ryan Gallagher kicked off show for breaking COVID protocols
• The Voice recap: The Top 17 sing live!
• The Voice recap: Kelly's out to block Blake tonight

This story originally appeared on: EW - Author:Rachel Yang

Tiger King

• TV Show

• Netflix

• True Crime

It looks like aspiring Joe Exotics might have to let their cats out of the bag cage.

By a 272-114 vote on Thursday, the House of Representatives passed a bill that would ban private ownership of big cats. The legislation, formally called the Big Cat Safety Act, was discussed in Netflix's hit docuseries Tiger King.

The hit series follows controversial and eccentric former zookeeper Joe Exotic, who's currently serving a 22-year sentence for a murder-for-hire plot to kill his nemesis, Carole Baskin. Animal activists like Baskin have been trying to push the bill through for years, and the successful House effort is no doubt thanks in part to Netflix's spotlight on the topic and public backlash against Exotic.

The legislation would also make it illegal for someone to breed or own big cats without an animal exhibition license from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Current owners would be able to keep their animals if they register with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and follow federal regulations, but the law would restrict most contact between the public and the animals.

As shown in the doc, Exotic was forced to sell his zoo to Jeff Lowe. This summer, a judge handed control of the property to Baskin and her husband's Big Cat Rescue Corp, and later Lowe announced the old zoo would be closing to become a Tiger King-related film set.

The bill still has to head to the Senate, and with two weeks left in session and other big issues on the docket, its future is still uncertain.

Baskin said she was "thrilled" about the bill's passage, saying it was part of a "decades-long effort," USA Today reported. EW has reached out to Baskin for further comment.

Related content:

• Tiger King zoo is closing, will become film set dedicated to 'TV content'
• The Tiger King craze continues: Surviving Joe Exotic documentary set at Animal Planet
• Carole Baskin wins control of Tiger King star Joe Exotic's former zoo

This story originally appeared on: EW - Author:Rachel Yang

In a clip teasing the Jason Bateman-hosted show this weekend, cast member Heidi Gardner confuses the actor for the Dark Knight.

"Wait, Batman? You're Jason Batman?" she asks excitedly.

"No no, you missed the 'E,' it's Bate-man," explains the Ozark star, before deciding to roll with it. "I'll get the cape," he says.

Earlier in the video, Bateman and musical guest Morgan Wallen talk about their Christmas wishes, which include world peace after some pressure from Gardner.

Bateman will be taking the Studio 8H stage for the second time on Dec. 5, with Wallen as musical guest. The country singer is getting a second shot at the gig after he was dropped from appearing in Bill Burr's October episode due to ignoring COVID-19 protocols. He later apologized for the mistake on Instagram.

Timothée Chalamet is also slated to make his SNL hosting debut on Dec. 12, accompanied by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. Following him on Dec. 19 will be SNL legend Kristen Wiig, who will be fronting the sketch show for the fourth time, alongside musical guest Dua Lipa.

Related content:

• Timothée Chalamet, Kristen Wiig, and Jason Bateman set to host Saturday Night Live in December
• SNL star Julia Sweeney still feels terrible about breaking character in iconic Chris Farley sketch
• Saturday Night Live ratings soar to 3-year high after election with host Dave Chappelle

This story originally appeared on: EW - Author:Rachel Yang

Sun has treated us to some great shows this season, from her showstopping cover of Lizzo's "Cuz I Love You" to nailing Kesha's emotional song "Praying." But to take a page from the dramatic panelists, we think the star just delivered the most beautiful performance in the history of The Masked Singer.

On Wednesday's semi-finals, Sun made the bold choice to sing Billie Eilish's melancholic "When the Party's Over" a cappella style to show off her incomparable pipes, before subtle instrumentals joined in at the end. It was a risky move that a lesser singer couldn't have pulled off — especially those high notes — but Sun proved she wasn't only a fantastic vocalist, but also a seasoned performer who knows how to put on a damn show. The bare stage decoration and rain effects only added to the haunting, emotional atmosphere, without distracting us from her pure talent.

And we weren't the only ones who thought it was incredible. All the panelists gave Sun a standing ovation, except guest Craig Robinson, who sat in his chair in disbelief over the incredible performance.

"All my life I've felt the heat of the sun, I had never heard the voice of the sun until now," an emotional Robinson said.

He wasn't alone. All the panelists looked visibly moved. Jenny McCarthy stood up on her chair, which somehow made her look shorter, and Nicole Scherzinger ended up in full tears.

We make fun of the Pussycat Doll singer a lot for crying every show (a feat only rivaled by The Real Housewives of Potomac's Candiace Dillard Bassett), but we feel her this time.

"You have such a gift. Just listening to you, all I could do is just exhale and breathe," Scherzinger told Sun. "I could listen to you forever. You have a voice of the heavens. That was flawless, you are flawless."

Scherzinger was also on the same page with EW when it comes to the celebrity under Sun's costume. The panelist picked up on the blue wings and blue butterflies from the contestant's clue packages, leading her to guess it is LeAnn Rimes, who shot to fame at age 13 with the song "Blue."

Things got a little difficult because of Sun's onstage clue about meeting Scherzinger once in the bathroom, as the judge said it fits for both Rimes and her other prediction, Brandi Carlile.

"I actually think I've met both of them in the bathroom," Scherzinger said, laughing. "That's where girls bond."

After defeating Popcorn in the semi-finals, Sun will finally reveal her identity on Dec. 16's two-hour finale, when we'll also find out if she, Mushroom, or Crocodile wins season 4's Golden Mask Trophy.

Related content:

• Who is Sun on The Masked Singer? All the clues it's this Grammy-winning country icon
• The best performances from The Masked Singer season 4
• The Masked Singer: The complete list of clues for every season 4 contestant

This story originally appeared on: EW - Author:Rachel Yang

Buckle in folks, because the Masked Singer Super Six semi-finals was a LOT. The good news is that there were many amazing performances, but I have a feeling fans will find the format and eliminations controversial.

The six remaining singers were paired up and whoever wasn't sent through to the finals in each face-off was eliminated without the opportunity for a Smackdown round. At the end, fan-favorite Seahorse, Jellyfish, and Popcorn were sent home, with all three competitors unmasked at the end of the episode.

Luckily, what would've been kind of a bummer of an episode was saved by the amazing Craig Robinson, who channeled his mysterious, singing Doug Judy role on Brooklyn Nine-Nine. The comedian and soon-to-be Masked Dancer host showed off his own vocal chops with the most fun guest entrance ever on this show, complete with fireworks.

He was joined by Robin Thicke, Ken Jeong, Nicole Scherzinger, Jenny McCarthy, and host Nick Cannon, who must've been in a festive mood because his suit looked like fancy gift wrap.

Robinson was all of us viewers when we watched the show for the first time.

"Seahorse, Popcorn ... this feels like what a conversation on acid is like," he joked.

Ahead of his introduction, the contestants got together for a group performance of a-ha's "Take On Me," with each masked singer getting an onstage clue.

The first pairing was Seahorse, a contestant favored by many fans to win the whole competition, vs. Crocodile. However, as we know, emotional ballads are often more successful on this show than boppier tunes. Croc's rendition of Aerosmith's "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" triumphed over Seahorse's cover of Bruno Mars' "That's What I Like" and he earned a spot in the final three.

Robinson certainly approved of Croc's powerful performance.

“Dude, I want to wrestle somebody," he quipped.

I honestly feel like I blacked out for the next few minutes of the show, because the next thing I knew Jeong was popping and locking while Robinson sat across from him stone faced. Whatever that was, a video of it belongs in the Louvre.

Next was Mushroom up against Jellyfish. This didn't feel like a fair fight as the fungi is a vocal wizard who can switch up his voice in virtually any direction, and of course he stunned with Amy Winehouse's "Valerie." But Jellyfish put up a valiant effort with a lovely performance of Rihanna and Mikky Ekko's "Stay."

Unfortunately, Jellyfish's rendition wasn't enough to get her to stay another time over Mushroom.

Finally, it was the battle between two killer vocalists: Popcorn vs. Sun. The buttery belter performed Tina Turner's "Better Be Good To Me," perhaps as a nod to all the guesses saying she's the Queen of Rock 'n' Roll underneath.

Popcorn did a spectacular job but Sun, as it's wont to do, outshined the rest with the most gorgeous and boldest performance of the season — and quite possibly the entire series. She made the bold choice of singing Billie Eilish's "When the Party's Over" a cappella for the most part, before the backing music came in. It was stunning, y'all. This only makes EW's (and Scherzinger's) case for LeAnn Rimes as Sun more convincing, because who else has the pipes and showmanship like her?

This season is basically Sun's to lose, so while Popcorn put up a great fight, she couldn't beat Sun for a spot in the final three. Popcorn was last to be eliminated, but first to be revealed. The panelists divulged their first impression guesses and every one of them except Scherzinger put down Turner as their initial prediction, and both Thicke and Jeong stuck with it. McCarthy changed her mind to Taylor Dayne, as did Scherzinger, who originally guessed Popcorn was Diana Ross.

Popcorn was then unmasked and revealed to be ... Taylor Dayne!

EW was right — there were tons of New York-related clues that pointed to the '80s star, who hails from the city, but there were a few hints that couldn't have fit anybody else. The snake, half-eaten apple, and meatloaf images in Popcorn's first clue package were definitely about Meat Loaf's cover of Dayne's "Original Sin," and the "mysterious illness" from her youth in her second package pointed to Dayne undergoing ureteral reimplantation surgery when she was 5, which led to treatments until she was 18.

Jellyfish was the second to be revealed, and the panelists' guesses were all over the place. Thicke went from TikTok star Addison Rae as his first impression guess to Gabby Douglas, McCarthy hopped from Daisy Ridley to McKayla Maroney, Scherzinger changed from Sofia Richie to Grimes, and Jeong went from Yara Shahidi to Chloe Kim as his final guess.  

The singing sea creature was revealed to be ... Olympic snow boarder Chloe Kim!

All the clues about snow and winter rang true for Kim, as well as her cameo in the Charlie's Angels movie, but paying attention to the overall contestant credentials really came in handy for Jellyfish. Kim appeared on Time's list of 100 most influential people and has an Olympic gold medal, as TMS teased before the season began.

As a sports fan, Jeong has correctly guessed other athletes before (Lonzo Ball most recently), but he especially rooted for Kim, a fellow Korean American he previously called a "pioneer for Asian Americans."

"Thank you for being an inspiration to my daughters — my daughters are 13, in middle school, you’re a huge name in our household and you inspire us all. Thank you and I wish you continued success," Jeong said after she was revealed.

After the break came the bittersweet reveal for Seahorse, who Jeong said "easily could have won this" season. As for first impressions, he initially thought she was Fergie but inexplicably changed his answer to Christina Aguilera. McCarthy maintained Seahorse was her initial guess Halsey, while Thicke and Scherzinger both changed their respective predictions to Tori Kelly. Robinson was just there to have good time and copy some answers, which we respect. 

Seahorse was revealed to be ... Tori Kelly!

There were nods to Kelly's time on American Idol, while the crossed-out broken smile from Seahorse's second clue package could only be about Kelly's album Unbreakable Smile.

“I thought it’d just be fun to come out here and show a whole other side of myself, be a little more sassy, show some choreo," Kelly said about why she went on the show.

The panelists were sad to see Kelly go, especially Scherzinger, who said she was "gutted." We certainly thought top three would be Sun, Seahorse, and Croc or Mushroom, so this episode was a game changer going into the finals.

Speaking of the finale, we'll have to wait until Dec. 16 to find out whether Sun, Croc, or Mushroom wins the Golden Mask Trophy. Next week, the holiday sing-a-long episode won't have any eliminations but will feature performances from the final three and the unmasked celebrities so far from season 4. 

This story originally appeared on: EW - Author:Rachel Yang

Gallagher was absent from Monday's live playoffs. At the time, host Carson Daly said the opera singer had to "exit the competition" but did not explain why.

Gallagher, who was on Kelly Clarkson's team, went up against Team Blake's Taryn Papa, Team Legend's Julia Cooper, and Team Gwen's Larriah Jackson for a spot in the top 17 on the Nov. 24 episode. At the top of Monday's live episode, fans found out Papa scored enough votes to advance.

Gallagher alluded to the situation Monday on his Instagram Story.

"Thank you for your concern for my family, however, everybody is fine," he said in a short video. "That's not the cause of what happened tonight on The Voice. I didn't drop out of the show. Details are still to come." Shortly after, Gallagher uploaded a cryptic a photo of himself and the caption "2020 you are an interesting one."

The same day, Gallagher had asked fans to choose which suit he should wear on the Voice stage.

Hailing from Ada, Mich., Gallagher sang Andrea Bocelli and Celine Dion's "The Prayer" during week 2 of blind auditions and was selected by Clarkson.

This story originally appeared on: EW - Author:Rachel Yang

It all started when politician and Buffy fan Stacey Abrams weighed in on the popular debate, tweeting Spike (James Marsters) was ultimately the right guy for the titular heroine (played by Sarah Michelle Gellar) over David Boreanaz's Angel.

"To be fair, Angel was the right boyfriend for Buffy coming into her power. Spike was the right man to be with as she became the power," Abrams tweeted on Nov. 9.

Hannigan, who portrayed Buffy's best friend Willow, sided with Abrams at first, responding, "I'll vote yes to that!" before revealing her own hot take: "Actually Buffy should have dated Willow."

In a new interview, Boreanaz made his stance clear and unsurprisingly chose his own character as Buffy's "true love."

“All I’ll say is this, man: True love is first love and first love is true love. Drop the mic. End of story," the actor told The Wrap. “I don’t think we need to continue. I mean, it’s pretty simple, right? Let’s think about that for really a second. Your first love is your true love, your true love is your first love. End of story.”

He continued, “All due respect Stacey Abrams, I disagree. But you know, hey, you’re coming from the character’s mouth here. I think I’ll be the final word on it.”

Boreanaz might be in the minority though, at least among his Buffy crew. Even creator Joss Whedon sided with Abrams, tweeting, "I AGREE! (during squee)"

In the show, which ran from 1997 to 2001, Buffy dated Angel in the first three seasons, before Boreanaz departed to star in its spinoff series, Angel. Later on, Buffy's romance with Spike develops in the supernatural drama.

Neither Gellar nor Marsters has weighed in on the debate, but both expressed their admiration of Abrams, whose efforts helped Georgia turn blue in the recent presidential election.

"@staceyabrams you are a national treasure, and you have very good taste in television!" Marsters tweeted.

On her Instagram Story, Gellar shared Abrams' tweet and commented that she was a "verified fangirl" of the Democrat.

This story originally appeared on: EW - Author:Rachel Yang

The Orange Is the New Black actress recounted the event on her Instagram, saying it began when a man came up to them and "aggressively asked for the time" while they were out walking in Los Angeles.

"The friend that I’m with looks at his watch and tells him the time, and then the guy who asked for the time says to my friend: ‘Guy or girl?'” Cox said, implying that the man was referring to her. "My friend says, ‘F--- off'... then all of a sudden, the guy was attacking my friend."

She continued, “I look back and I’m like, ‘What is happening?’ The guy is like hitting my friend ... I pull out my phone and I call to dial 911, and all of a sudden it’s over and the guy is gone.”

After Cox and her friend processed what happened, they both agreed the attacker was aggressive from the get-go and likely wanted her to answer his question in order to "spook whether I'm trans or not."

"I don’t know why it matters. At the end of the day, it’s like who cares?" she said in the video. "I’m in a hoodie and yoga pants, I’m completely covered up, I’ve got my mask on — who cares if I’m trans? ... How does this affect your life?”

Unfortunately, Cox said it's nothing new for trans people to face discrimination and violence for existing in public.

“It’s not safe in the world. And I don’t like to think about that a lot, but it is the truth,” she said. “It’s the truth and it’s not safe if you’re a trans person. Obviously, I know this well. It’s just really sad.”

According to the National Center for Transgender Equality, in just seven months of 2020, at least 28 trans people were murdered, surpassing the total for all of 2019. LGBTQ activists and allies recently honored those lives lost on Nov. 20, the Transgender Day of Remembrance.

Cox said that although she's faced transphobic incidents before, she was still stunned by the recent event.

"Obviously, this is my life. I've dealt with this a lot, but it never fails to be shocking," she said. "It doesn't matter who you are. You can be, like, Laverne Cox, whatever that means. If you're trans, you're going to experience stuff like this."

Luckily, she and her friend are safe and doing fine, and Cox reminded her followers not to blame themselves if similar things happen to them.

"When these things happen, it’s not your fault. It’s not your fault that people are not cool with you existing in the world," she said. "We have a right to walk in the park."

Many other actors, including Robin Thede and Nicole Maines, rallied around Cox in the comments.

"Glad you’re both okay," Maines replied. "Never ceases to amaze me how offensive our daring to exist in public is to people like that, and how personally they take it. Why can’t people just let people be happy?"

Earlier this year, Cox was an executive producer on and one of many trans performers who appeared in the Netflix documentary Disclosure, which talks about trans representation in media.

"I think, for a very long time, the ways in which trans people have been represented on screen have suggested that we're not real, have suggested that we're mentally ill, that we don't exist," Cox said in the doc. "And yet here I am, yet here we are, and we've always been here."

This story originally appeared on: EW - Author:Rachel Yang

She warned Adam Sandler in 50 First Dates, told off Jerry Stiller on Seinfeld, played Margaret Cho’s grandma on All-American Girl, and a whole lot more in her 35-year-plus career in film and television.

You’ve probably seen Amy Hill in many of your favorite shows and movies over the years, and maybe even remarked, “Hey, I know her from something!” It’s a testament to the actress’s chameleon-like versatility that some audiences can’t pinpoint her background or realize she’s of Asian descent. 

As the veteran performer tells EW, even other fellow Asian Americans have thought she was Korean, like her All-American Girl character, or were so convinced by her Filipino accent on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend that they assumed she had to be Pinay. 

In reality, the South Dakota-born, Seattle-bred actress is half Japanese and half Finnish. Speaking by phone from Hawaii, where she’s shooting another season of Magnum, P.I., Hill says she takes assumptions as a sign she’s done her job well. Her home in the state is also where she filmed an appearance in Searching for Anna May Wong, a new documentary about the first Chinese American Hollywood movie star. 

Below, the characteristically optimistic actress chats openly with EW about her longevity in Hollywood, Asian American representation, and her hopes for the future.

Most memorable projects

While Hill calls working on the rom-com 50 First Dates "a really wonderful experience," and Drew Barrymore (whose Santa Clarita Diet she later appeared on) a "lovely person," the actress says her proudest project and “one of the most joyful” experiences she had was on ABC’s All-American Girl, which ran for one season between 1994-1995.

Starring Cho and featuring Hill as her oddball grandma, it was the first primetime sitcom to focus on an Asian American family. Despite backlash for its stereotypical portrayal of the characters, the comedy was still influential and set the stage for future shows like Fresh Off The Boat. 

She says many of the problems on the series stemmed from higher-ups’ interference, but she's proud of what the cast was able to accomplish in the face of those challenges. 

“They were not comfortable with me because I wasn't old enough to be the grandma. I got the part because Margaret was so supportive of me,” Hill reveals. “During the pilot, the director would literally come up to me at least once a day and say, ‘You're on probation. This is not a given that you're going to be able to stay in this part if it gets picked up.’”

Rather than be scared off, Hill says the warnings only emboldened her.

“I felt like I had freedom. When somebody tells me you're going to fail, you feel like, ‘Well what the hell, I'll do what I want then,'’’ she explains. “The pilot got picked up because people liked the show. But in particular, people loved my character, which was a shock for them.”

While acknowledging the series’ divisive legacy, Hill says she was proud she got to honor her Japanese mother through her role, which in turn resonated with audiences from different backgrounds.

“I was able to embody a real, authentic person in that character and celebrate the quirkiness of my mother. And I know Margaret's mother and grandmother are both kind of quirky,” she says. “African American women would come up and say, ‘Oh that was my grandmother,’ Jewish women would say, ‘That’s my grandmother.’ It was so sweet and wonderful because when you are specific it becomes universal.”

Asian accents 

While the subject of fake accents is touchy for some, given the tokenization of characters like Long Duk Dong in Sixteen Candles, Hill believes there is a way to put on accents respectfully. If the character is interesting, like on All-American Girl, she’ll do her research, but she’s turned down roles before that were basically “an accent gag.”

“I have a personal need to be authentic with all the characters that I'm portraying,” Hill says. “If you do like a serious, serious Filipino accent, half the world won't understand anything you're saying. So you have to walk that line of enough Filipino to make it Filipino, but understandable. So that's also the thing with all the accents. You don't want the accent to be the joke. You want the person to be funny, not the accent.”

The CEG joke below, for instance, is about Filipinos' affinity for karaoke in even the most unlikely scenarios, and not Lourdes' accent:

Representation

Growing up, Hill felt that as a Hapa (mixed ethnicity or part Asian, depending on the definition), “you’re not Asian enough. You're not white enough.” She looked up to the rare Hapa stars like France Nuyen and Nancy Kwan, but catching glimpses of Asians on screen was so uncommon that “you’d call people, ‘Hey! Turn on the TV. There’s an Asian!’” 

But thanks to monumental films, from The Joy Luck Club to Crazy Rich Asians, Hill says she’s seen a huge shift in representation. What strikes her too is the increased encouragement Asian American performers have for one another.

“We really support each other so much more now than before. There was a time when Asian Americans somehow wanted to blend in,” Hill recalls. “So they didn't want to go help out the other Asian Americans that were coming. They were like, ‘There's not enough room for all of us. You gotta make it on your own.’ And now, we've realized that helping other Asian American actors, giving them a hand up, only increases our power. So when somebody works, I feel like, ‘Oh, that's great!’” 

Looking ahead

Hill says her best, juiciest parts have come in the last five to 10 years. Embodying the warden of hell on AMC’s Preacher, for example, pushed Hill so far out of her comfort zone that she wasn’t sure she was up to the task. 

“The character was like a Pol Pot or somebody like Hitler, all these horrible historical figures that enjoyed torturing people, killing them. And then they thought, ‘Amy, she'd be good for this,’” Hill says with a laugh. “Every time I'd do a take, I would think, ‘Was that evil enough? Is that good?’ I’d look at the director and [go] ‘Any notes?’ That was a challenge … I like the ability to be different people who don't seem at all similar to each other in any way. So it's been a fun ride.”

Hill is happy to see more diversity in the writers’ room these days, but she says some shows have a long way to go, including the Jay Hernandez-led Magnum, P.I. reboot, in which she stars as Teuila "Kumu" Tuileta. She says the drama's writers’ room, which has previously come under fire for its diversity oversight and allegations of toxic behavior from its now-ousted showrunner, needs to reflect the reality of a show set in Hawaii. 

“I love this show but the writing room is really pretty white, old white guys. So it's really weird to have a show set in Hawaii, and my character is from the Hawaiian culture — it feels like we need to swap it up a little bit with more Asians,” she says. “And there's an African American character on the show, it would be nice to have maybe an African American writer.”

(While the current makeup of the writers’ is unknown, Magnum, P.I. has previously had at least one Afro-Latinx writer. EW has reached out to representatives for CBS for comment.)

Overall, Hill wants to see more people of color working behind the scenes as writers, producers, and directors. Like in her own career, the roadmap she sees ahead for Hollywood is one that walks a fine line of allowing artists of color to reach beyond culturally specific stories while still honoring experiences particular to them. 

“In order to bring more Asian American actors in front of the camera, it’d be nice to have stories that reflected their experiences so that we would have that to do too,” she stresses. “In the old days, we would all hope that we would get hired for the parts that were written for white people. And I'm like, ‘That's not something you really want to aspire to.’ I think you want to have parts that were written for anybody, and you make it what you want it to be. But I don't want immigrants, especially like my mother, to disappear. I don't want to whitewash our world.”

Related content:

• PBS' Asian Americans will show how Anna May Wong, Bruce Lee, and others impacted our country
• Daniel Dae Kim and Randall Park teaming for heist movie with Asian-American ensemble
• Daniel Dae Kim running fundraiser to get actor James Hong a star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

Author:Rachel Yang - Source: EW

The Masked Singer

• TV Show

• Fox

• Reality

Streaming Options

Masked Singer season 4 has been a wild ride so far, with a self-eliminating Gremlin, a cackling Lips, and an indecipherable Mushroom — and we haven't even reached the finale yet! With the holiday season around the corner, the wacky singing competition is shifting its schedule a bit and also adding in some special episodes. For the curious or confused, EW has the rundown on what the timeline for the rest of season 4 will look like.

Wednesday, Nov. 25:
No new episode tonight. Fox will broadcast a rerun of episode 2, the Group B Premiere, which originally aired Sept. 30.

Thursday, Nov. 26:
Special Thanksgiving Day episode: In a treat for the whole family, Jay Pharoah will serve as guest panelist for the Group C Finals on a brand new night. Out of Broccoli, Jellyfish, and Mushroom, two will go through to the Super Six while one is eliminated and unmasked.

Wednesday, Dec. 2:
Super Six semi-finals: In this two-hour episode, Craig Robinson joins the panelists’ desk as the top two contestants from each group come together for the first time to compete. Half of the Super Six will be eliminated and revealed, leaving three finalists. We'll have to wait for Group C to finalize the Super Six on Thanksgiving, but so far Sun, Seahorse, Popcorn, and Crocodile have made it through from the other teams.

Wednesday, Dec. 9:
Holiday sing-a-long episode: No eliminations tonight! The final three singers perform a never-been-heard holiday song, and the unmasked celebrities so far from season 4 will get together to perform some holiday jingles. The episode will also feature sing-a-longs to some of the best performances from the season.

Wednesday, Dec. 16:
Holiday-themed season 4 finale: The three finalists take the stage together for “Baby, Please Come Home” during the two-hour finale. All will be unmasked, but only one will take home the Golden Mask Trophy. And for the first time, one of the panelists will win the new Golden Ear Trophy (we know it won't be Ken Jeong).

Now that you're caught up on the rest of season 4, make your final guesses before some huge reveals happen soon. Check out EW's full prediction breakdowns for each of the remaining contestants (Mushroom, we're coming for you!): Sun, Seahorse, Popcorn, Croc, Jellyfish, and Broccoli.

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Episode Recaps

The Masked Singer

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Author:Rachel Yang - Source: EW

Ed Murray, Bill Murray's eldest brother and an inspiration for the movie Caddyshack, has died.

"It’s with the heaviest of hearts that we announce the passing of the legend Ed Murray," the Instagram for his family's apparel company William Murray Golf posted.

"Named after the family patriarch, it was Ed who introduced the Murray family to this wonderful game of golf — by way of caddying at Indian Hills Country Club — at the age of 10, no less. (They don’t make ‘em like that anymore.)" the announcement read. "Ed was the recipient of the Evans Scholarship back in 1963 while attending Northwestern University — a scholarship awarded to golf caddies — a family storyline which served as inspiration for the Danny Noonan character in Caddyshack when Brian Doyle-Murray co-wrote that iconic screenplay.

"Ed and all five Murray brothers are members of the Caddie Hall of Fame, as well — something all the boys take pride in, as this game helped shape their lives," the post continued. "It was an honor for all of us to get to know Ed and to spend time with him over the past half-decade as we’ve built this brand with the Murray family — and his loss is a hole that will never be filled.

"Rest in paradise, to a true family man and a gentle, sweet soul. May we honor your memory from this day forward," it concluded.

As one of nine kids in his family, the Ghostbusters star followed in his brothers' footsteps by caddying at the Indian Hill Golf Club in Winnetka, Ill., as a teenager. Their experience informed much of the events in Caddyshack, which was co-written by Bill's brother and costar Brian Doyle-Murray. Director and co-writer Harold Ramis had also worked as a caddy as a teen.

In Cinderella Story: My Life in Golf, Bill wrote, "The film is the gripping tale of the Murray brothers' first experiments with employment ... [Brian] wrote the events of his and my brother Ed's caddie life in a way that showed he'd paid attention."

According to his page on the William Murray Golf site, Ed was even an extra on Caddyshack.

"Over the years, I’ve told people that I was the real Danny Noonan, up to the point where he got laid by the waitress. That didn’t happen. But, I was the oldest of nine, won the caddie championship, and got the caddie scholarship," he wrote. "Many of the events in Caddyshack I experienced during the many years I served as a caddy at Indian Hill Club. I did have a small part in the movie in my five days as an extra. I also got to take director Harold Ramis and producer Doug Kenny out to Indian Hill Club and show them the course and the caddyshack and introduce them to the pro. They ended up giving me 'a special thanks' in the movie’s credits."

Author:Rachel Yang - Source: EW

Grammy Awards

• TV Show

From The Daily Show to music's biggest night! Trevor Noah has been tapped to host the 63rd Grammy Awards on Jan. 31, marking his debut as the ceremony's emcee. The Recording Academy and CBS revealed the news Tuesday morning, hours before the nominees are set to be announced.

"Despite the fact that I am extremely disappointed that the Grammys have refused to have me sing or be nominated for best pop album, I am thrilled to be hosting this auspicious event," Trevor said in a statement. "I think as a one-time Grammy nominee, I am the best person to provide a shoulder to all the amazing artists who do not win on the night because I too know the pain of not winning the award! (This is a metaphorical shoulder, I'm not trying to catch corona). See you at the 63rd Grammys!"

Noah will be following in the footsteps of Alicia Keys, who hosted the last two ceremonies. And while the comedian may seem like an unexpected choice, his Daily Show predecessor Jon Stewart emceed the awards show back in 2001 and 2002. Noah was also nominated for Best Comedy Album at this year's Grammys but lost out to Dave Chappelle's Sticks & Stones.

Dua Lipa, Lauren Daigle, Gayle King, and more will help announce the Grammy nominees today, with the livestream beginning at 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT. The ceremony will be broadcast on CBS on Sunday, Jan. 31 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

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Grammy Awards

Author:Rachel Yang - Source: EW

Black Lightning

• TV Show

• The CW

• Superhero

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China Anne McClain was planning on leaving Black Lightning before the CW show was canceled on Friday.

The actress, who plays Jennifer Pierce/Lightning on the superhero show, shared the news in an emotional video posted to her Instagram on Saturday. She also said she didn't know about the cancellation beforehand and "found out with everybody else."

“What I did know and have known along with the rest of the cast since before we even started shooting this season is that I am leaving the show and was leaving the show," McClain added. "This was going to be my last season, regardless of if it went on or not. For different reasons, that, to be honest, I don't want to go into. I just want y'all to trust me on it."

She also said she only signed on for a limited number of season 4 episodes, so audiences will see less of Lightning when the series returns Feb. 8. During the nearly 13-minute video, McClain also implied she was at her breaking point with Hollywood.

“There’s been a lot to happen over this quarantine, and I’m not talking about the PC side of it,” she said. “These people that are dying and the way of the world now. It's real. And all this is an illusion. This industry for what it is and everything that people look to and praise, it's not important."

McClain continued, saying she was "doing God’s work now, and I’m not doing anything else.”

She also clarified that her decision to leave was not due to tensions with the network or the show.

“I’m not leaving because I had a terrible time working at the CW,” she said, fighting back tears. “I like the CW. I like [CW network president] Mark Pedowitz, I like [Warner Bros. president] Peter Roth, [EP] Greg Berlanti, I love [showrunner] Salim [Akil], I always will. He gets it. And people that actually know me… they know why I make the decisions that I make.”

Near the end of the video, McClain congratulated Akil and costar Jordan Calloway, whose spinoff Painkiller is currently in development.

“Congratulations to Salim and Jordan, who just got a spinoff. Please support him in that. God did that for him and he’s going to do great, I know it,” McClain said.

Premiering in 2018, Black Lightning centered on Cress Williams' Jefferson Pierce, a teacher and retired superhero. In the pilot, he suited back up as Freeland's electricity-powered hero Black Lightning after his daughters Anissa (Nafessa Williams) and Jennifer (McClain) were kidnapped by a local gang. Eventually, his daughters started developing powers and joined the family business as Thunder and Lightning, respectively.

A reason for the show's cancellation wasn't given at the time of the announcement. Akil released a statement thanking the cast and crew, as well as the "Blerds and all comic book fans" for supporting the drama.

"When we first started the Black Lighting journey, I knew that Jefferson Pierce and his family of powerful Black Women would be a unique addition to the superhero genre. The love that Blerds and all comic book fans around the globe have shown this series over the past three seasons proved what we imagined, Black People Want To See Themselves in all their complexities," Akil wrote. "Thank you to the phenomenal cast, writers, and crew without whom none of this would’ve been possible. I’m incredibly proud of the work we’ve been able to do and the moments we’ve been able to create in bringing DC’s first African American family of superheroes to life for the culture."

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Episode Recaps

Black Lightning

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Author:Rachel Yang - Source: EW

Since HBO Max was announced in 2019, we've heard lots of hype about the Friends cast reunion, its "10,000 hours of content," and other exciting promises. The streaming service, which launched in May, still might be a mystery to viewers who are wary of paying for yet another platform.

Below, EW breaks down what HBO Max is exactly, what shows and movies it offers, and how it stacks up against Netflix, Hulu, Apple TV+, and more.

What is HBO Max?

HBO Max has been touted as "where HBO meets so much more" (vague, we know). The service features HBO's existing programming along with content from networks (like Cinemax, TBS, and TNT) and third-party content owned by HBO's parent company, WarnerMedia.

What shows and movies are on the service?

You can catch all of HBO's current shows, like Euphoria and Succession; classic HBO series like The Sopranos, The Wire, and Sex and the City; plus Casablanca, the Lord of the Rings movies, the Matrix trilogy, and other Warner Bros. movies.

HBO Max also acquired a number of programs from outside networks like NBC, Comedy Central, and BBC, so you can watch all seasons of Friends, The West Wing, South Park, Doctor Who, and more. Other likely top draws for audiences include Seinfeld, The Big Bang Theory, Rick and Morty, and the Studio Ghibli collection.

What original programs does HBO Max offer? 

The service boasted a slate of original series at launch, such as Love Life with Anna Kendrick, Sesame Street Workshop's The Not Too Late Show With Elmo, ballroom competition show Legendary, documentary On the Record, Craftopia with YouTube sensation LaurDIY, and fresh Looney Tunes Cartoons.

Ridley Scott's Raised by Wolves premiered in September to solid reviews, as did Kaley Cuoco's drama series The Flight Attendant, which debuted in late November. Steven Soderbergh's star-studded film Let Them All Talk featuring Meryl Streep and Candice Bergen, out Dec. 10, has also scored critical praise.

Other HBO Max original series include DC's Doom Patrol, Search Party, the three-part Amy Schumer documentary Expecting Amy, adult animated comedy from Regular Show's J.G. Quintel titled Close Enough, and new Adventure Time episodes through Distant Lands.

The recent Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reunion was a hit, and the Friends reunion set to film in March 2021 will surely appeal to fans on the fence about HBO Max. The special, which has been teased for a while, didn't make it in time for the streamer's launch due to the pandemic. Similarly, because of COVID-19, the hyped Gossip Girl reboot won't arrive at the service until 2021. Also coming next year is Zack Snyder's fabled cut of Justice League.

What content has been announced to hit the streamer since it debuted? 

In December, Warner Bros. also announced it will be releasing Wonder Woman 1984, Dune, The Suicide Squad, and every one of its films slated for 2021 simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max. Godzilla vs. Kong, In The Heights, Space Jam: A New Legacy, and Matrix 4 are also among the lineup of 17 films. Good news for HBO Max subscribers, bad news for movie theaters.

Other news since the platform arrived in May: Chappelle's Show became available to stream on HBO Max beginning Nov. 1, and Conan O'Brien will end Conan in January 2021 and jump to the platform for his own weekly variety series.

How much does it cost? 

HBO Max costs $14.99 per month. For comparison, Netflix's rate ranges from $8.99 to $17.99, Hulu is $5.99 (with ads) and $11.99 (no ads), Disney+ is $6.99, and Apple TV+ costs $4.99 per month.

Additionally, if you're subscribed to HBO through providers like AT&T, Xfinity, Cox, and many more, you get access to HBO Max for free. This also applies to people subscribed to the HBO app (previously called the HBO Now app) through Google Play, Samsung TV, Apple, etc.

What devices can you watch HBO Max on?

You can find HBO Max on most major streaming devices including Amazon Fire devices, Android devices, iPhones, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One, and Samsung TV. The only big name it's not currently available on is Roku, but the company is reportedly nearing a deal with HBO Max for that to happen, so stay tuned.

What happened to HBO Now and HBO Go?

The two services initially existed alongside HBO Max, but were gradually rebranded or phased out. HBO Now was rebranded as the HBO app and existing subscribers can still access HBO. Most can also watch HBO Max with their account at no extra cost, as mentioned above. If you're deciding between the two, just buying HBO is an option, but there's virtually no reason to as HBO Max is the same price and has HBO's entire library plus more content.

HBO Go, which came with an HBO package through a TV provider, was discontinued July 31 and the app is no longer available on most devices. More info on the two services can be found here.

Related content:

• Warner Bros. to release every 2021 movie on HBO Max at same time as theaters
• By betting big on HBO Max, Warner Bros. has hastened the future of the movie business
• Gossip Girl reboot won't arrive until 2021 due to coronavirus

This story originally appeared on: EW - Author:Rachel Yang