Rudy Giuliani has tested positive for COVID-19, according to Donald Trump, who announced the diagnosis on Twitter.

"@RudyGiuliani, by far the greatest mayor in the history of NYC, and who has been working tirelessly exposing the most corrupt election (by far!) in the history of the USA, has tested positive for the China Virus. Get better soon Rudy, we will carry on," Trump shared on Sunday.

The president refers to COVID-19 as the "China virus" because the first identified case of infection was reported in the city of Wuhan. Trump has been criticized for his continued use of the xenophobic term, which has led to racist attacks against the Asian American community.

Both Trump, who had COVID-19 in October, and his attorney Giuliani have opted not to wear masks on several occasions. The former Mayor of New York most recently appeared in Michigan during his quest to turn over election results that saw Joe Biden defeat Trump, without a mask. He sat closely nearby multiple people including Melissa Carone, the Dominion Voting Systems employee, whose appearance was mocked this weekend on Saturday Night Live.

The details of Giuliani's condition are not known at is this time. EW has reached out for comment.

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This story originally appeared on: EW - Author:Rosy Cordero

Viggo Mortensen is revisiting criticism of Green Book, the Academy Award-winning film about a Black concert pianist (played by Mahershala Ali) and his Italian-American driver (Mortensen) that was heavily lampooned for its white savior narrative.

“Much of the criticism that was leveled at that movie was not only unreasonable, but it was inaccurate, mendacious, and irresponsible,” Mortensen said in a new interview with the Independent. “It’s based on a load of bulls--- and an axe to grind and little else. Does it affect what I’m doing, or how people perceive me as an actor? Maybe it does. But I can’t really do anything about that.”

He added, “It’s become a cliché to say, ‘Is this movie going to be the Green Book of this year?’ Green Book has become a pejorative.” 

Mortensen is currently promoting Falling, a project he wrote, directed scored, and starred in, about a middle-aged gay man (Mortensen), who cares for his homophobic father (Lance Henriksen) as he battles dementia. The drama is forcing the filmmaker to address comments about why, as a straight man, he didn't hire someone from the LGBTQ community to play the role of John Peterson.

He told the outlet he "wouldn’t think of asking someone what their sexual orientation or identification was. Neither do I assume that actors who identify as being homosexual only want to play homosexual roles. I wasn’t intending to play John, but I ended up playing him, because I had a high enough profile, and I also didn’t have to pay the actor."

In a later interview with The Times, Mortensen suggests people shouldn't assume they know about his personal life.

"And how do you know what my life is? You’re assuming that I’m completely straight. Maybe I am, maybe I’m not. And it’s frankly none of your business,” he said. “I want my movie to work, and I want the character of John to be effective. So if I didn’t think it was a good idea, I wouldn’t do it.”

Falling has already been released in the U.K. with no release date set for the U.S. of yet.

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• Viggo Mortensen 'was worried about doing a caricature' in Green Book
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This story originally appeared on: EW - Author:Rosy Cordero

Morgan Wallen made his Saturday Night Live debut and poked fun at the cancelation of his planned October appearance on the show after he broke COVID-19 protocols.

The country star spoofed the viral videos showing him partying without a mask and failing to social distance, shortly before his scheduled appearance.

In the sketch, Wallen is at an Alabama bar where he's met by two future versions of himself (played by host Jason Bateman and Bowen Yang), who warn him that the events of that night will affect his future. Pete Davidson also appears as a pot-smoking bar goer.

During the sketch, Bateman's character places the blame on NBC executives for the decision to not have Wallen appear earlier this fall.

"Once people hear about the party, you're in big trouble man. You're going to get kicked off Saturday Night Live," Bateman says. Wallen responds, "Nah, nah, nah. [Creator] Lorne [Michaels] would never do that. Bateman agree Michael's "would never do that" but adds, "the execs at NBC, they're going to force his hand, bro."

Watch the video in full above.

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This story originally appeared on: EW - Author:Rosy Cordero

The highly anticipated new series following the early years of Selena Quintanilla Perez was released on Friday, and series creator Moisés Zamora has the answers to all your burning questions.

For nine episodes, Selena: The Series Part 1 gives viewers a look at the singer's family life, what it was like for her growing up as part of a Mexican-American family, and the duality of living between Spanish and English language worlds. The series has also earned criticism for centering on Selena's father, Abraham Quintanilla (Ricardo Chavirra), in early episodes and not on the icon whose name the show bears.

No matter which side of the coin you land on, the series is a win for Latinx Hollywood, which continues to suffer from lack of representation. The production was shot fully in Mexico with a largely Latino cast and crew, which mirrored credited producers, costume and makeup, and a fully Latinx writers room.

Zamora addresses all that and more in an exclusive conversation with EW.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Can you recall the first moment you saw series star Christian Serratos and knew she was your Selena?

MOISES ZAMORA: Yes! It was during one of her auditions when she was fully dressed and made up like Selena. She was wearing a bustier and she sang “Amor Prohibido.” Oh my God, it was so exhilarating! At this point, we still hadn’t decided on who we were casting in the role, but she really embodied the character. What I noticed about her during this specific performance were her eyes. Selena’s eyes are so important. I feel like Christian’s eyes matched hers and there was something about her gaze that immediately captivated me. Her performance of the song was also beautiful. She had another session which was a more emotional scene and that’s when everyone watching teared up that really sealed the deal for us.

The costumers worked hard to recreate many iconic outfits from Selena's life. But did anything that belonged to Selena make a sneaky appearance?

We visited with the family during our planning phase and they gave us access to a huge archive from Selena's life, much of which had never been seen by the public. As you can imagine, all of those artifacts are protected and we did not bring anything with us outside of very documented photographs. So, no. Nothing that I know of made it on set, unless someone snuck something on and didn't tell me!

There has been criticism about Selena: The Series focusing so heavy on her father for the first 4-5 episodes. Why did you go in that direction?

The episodes focus largely on Abraham because he made choices for the family and Selena that led to her stardom. Abraham reminds me of my grandfather, stern yet loving. What he represents for me, it's this rare depiction of a Mexican-American father who believes in his children's musical potential so much. Here we have a Latino dad who not only sees this incredible raw talent in his little girl, Selena, but also in his other little girl, Suzette, who is talented in her own right. He believes, in his own Mexican way, in his children. It's vital to tell this part of the story through Abraham's POV. He made those decisions, he understood it's about them and you can see that drive and love when he speaks to his brother Hector about trying to chase their musical dream. Without her family, we don't have Selena. So in part 1, we focused on the birth of Selena and Los Dinos through her family's point of view and Part Two, which has already been shot, is the rise of Selena the superstar.

Selena's widower, Chris Perez, was not involved in the series. How did you handle telling his story?

It's a complicated topic because, of course, we wanted to have everyone be involved. We handled this by always staying focused on Selena's perspective and that of her family. Chris is a public figure and a lot has been reported about their relationship, especially their wedding. I think I have a copy of the original marriage certificate. We know all of those public elements and we can also imagine what it felt like for them to be getting married against your family's wishes. We did the best we could. We knew this was the love of her life. We know Chris is a great person, and we knew we wouldn't deviate from that. What was most important to us, in this context, is to show that Selena was really fighting for something that was really dear to her—the person that she loves.

Selena embraced her Mexican heritage in song, but was passionate about other artists like Jody Watley, Taylor Dayne, and Extreme. Explain the process behind weaving those two worlds in the series.

I think the soundtrack is one of those really important things that tell the complexities of her character. Yes, she was an American teen and she was obsessed with Jody Watley. You can see how Selena's music was influenced by Jody Watley, Paula Abdul, and other pop icons from the era. The song "More Than Words" from Extreme was widely reported — and Suzette did share with us — that it was thanks to that song that she and Chris fell in love. Music brought them together. Extreme was one of Chris' favorite bands at the time, apparently, and he was just sharing his favorite music with Selena. She loved that song so much too, so it eventually became their song. They listened to it so much that it would annoy everyone! It was through that song that they could express their feelings without arousing suspicion. They couldn't talk! What they felt for each other was more than words.

Can you share insight into the brief scene that shows Yolanda Saldivar (Natasha Perez)?

Her brief appearance felt innocuous, showing her as someone who at the beginning wanted to help out. She wanted to be part of this world so she volunteered to do whatever they needed help with. At the time, they were growing so fast and were faced with so many challenges. The fans meant so much to Selena and they needed someone to take the lead on that full time. Her part grew as she took on more responsibilities and we'll show that more in part 2, how essential she becomes to the workings of Selena and her brand.

There has been talk about how the series adds to the commercial exploitation of Selena. What is your response to that?

I think it’s an interesting conversation about the series being exploitative of Selena because I think it’s a catch 22. A lot of the efforts that a lot of people will enjoy learning about Selena are the family’s efforts. They have a museum and there’s so much about her available online. The fact is, with or without the “commercial exploitation” of Selena, she's an icon. She’s a Marilyn Monroe, she’s a Maria Felix. She’s up there with all the legends already, so it would impossible to protect the public’s relationship with her. I personally think there should be 100 more stories, like shows and films, about Selena. Just like there are 100 stories about Marilyn or Elvis, or any other American icon. That gives people the opportunity to express their relationship with an icon. So they can share their stories about someone that clearly represents a lot to people like Selena does for the Latino community. For me, telling this story is another opportunity to share a story that is important to the American canon. 

The interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.

Selena

• Movie

• Musical

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This story originally appeared on: EW - Author:Rosy Cordero

Christian Serratos began preparing for the role of Selena Quintanilla Perez ahead of the auditioning process with a haircut.

Serratos may have set off a chain of events that led to her being cast, as she snipped bangs into her own mane just as Selena often did. A year after her makeover, she landed the coveted lead in Netflix's Selena: The Series which is currently available to stream on Netflix.

The drama's costume designer Adela Cortazar, was one of Serratos' biggest allies on set as she and her team worked diligently to transform The Walking Dead star into the Queen of Tejano music.

"Adela is our costume designer and she was incredible! Not only is she passionate about what she does, but also Selena and her story," Serratos tells EW. "Everything we wore in the series was custom made. She and her team made sure everything was done to absolute perfection and identical to the originals or they procured items that were truly vintage. I worked very closely with Adela every day, she was my homie!"

Cortazar had access to a super archive collected for the writers room of photos, interviews, and dates that helped her and her team figure out timing and form for the costumes. Her investigation into decades of photos and documents led her to understand Selena's style and aesthetic, as well as that of her group Los Dinos.

She tells EW that her favorite part of the journey was playing in various decades like the '80s and '90s because of the nostalgia factor.

"What I love most about my job is dressing across time," Cortazar tells EW in Spanish from her home in Mexico City. "The challenge working on the series was finding Selena y Los Dinos in fashion magazines to become familiar with their style and what trends they followed, both individually and as a whole. This went beyond their clothing and into jewelry and accessories, too. All of which we either handmade ourselves or procured from vintage shops. The hope is that through our work, we are able to transport viewers to the past and remind those who grew up back then of those times."

Aside from the time that went into researching her subjects, Cortazar and her team invested love and care into the final product knowing dedicated Selena fans will be looking at the details.

"Every piece was created in a workshop made especially for this series, which I refer to as the place where all my dreams came true," she explains. "I had around 20 people working on this project while dancing and singing to Selena’s songs. They included talent, seamstresses, and tailors, the latter two of whom contributed with illustrations, cutting, sewing, and embroidery, through laughter and tears. We worked late into the night and morning on many occasions. After all was said and done, we had created around 600 accessories, and made all the costumes for every member of the cast from sun up to sundown. We were all very dedicated and passionate about bringing Selena's story to life."

Cortazar did face some challenges along the way, specifically when re-creating Selena's famous white ensemble from her performance at the Houston Astrodome in 1994.

"That white costume really made me suffer," she says. "It was going to be one of our first days filming and the outfit was white. Honest to God, white adds pounds and I have no idea why?! Selena often wore black, why did we start shooting with an all white look? Christian and I had just started working together and it took a little time for me to learn how the clothes would fit. I wasn't very confident that our first prototype of the pants were going to work but they did and I feel it's one of the pieces that fit her the best. The bra top we bought online from a place in the U.K. because when you're working with past eras, undergarments are of the utmost importance because they're not made the same today. To get the boots perfect, it required a lot of customization that wasn't successful at first. But when the director called 'Action!,' my Selena looked impeccable. The outfit looks simple but it was a challenge to recreate."

Cortazar teases fans have a lot to look forward to with the release of the show's second part, which was shot simultaneously as the first, which dives into more of Selena's most iconic looks. "All I can say is viewers can expect a lot of surprise," she added.

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This story originally appeared on: EW - Author:Rosy Cordero

When Natasha Perez first learned that Netflix was casting the role of Yolanda Saldivar for the streamer's Selena: The Series, she wasn't sure what to think initially.

Perez, an actress and comedian, had experience playing villains in previous projects but this would be different. Portraying the woman who killed the beloved Queen of Tejano music, Selena Quintanilla Perez (played by Christian Serratos), could be a dangerous career move. But from an actor's point of view, she was fascinated.

In part one of the series' nine episodes, currently available to stream in its entirety, the Saldivar is introduced for mere seconds in the finale. But it's an impactful scene for Selena fans who know what her presence means in her tragic story.

"I remember receiving this email from my agent and my manager [about the casting] with a photo of Yolanda Saldivar. I noticed in the photo she was wearing a vest similar to one I had just seen hanging in my mother's closet," Perez tells EW exclusively.

"I grabbed it, and I put it on and said, 'Oh, this actually looks like the photo. Interesting.' I had to play villains in theater before and a year prior to my being cast on the series, I played a villain in a film for the first time but it was a comedy. So I remember thinking I'd like to see what it's like playing an evil villain. It sounded fascinating from an actor's standpoint, to dissect what someone like that has going through their minds. I remember working with the director on the scene and she asked me how I was feeling. I told her I was feeling conflicted. The actress in me is fascinated by the journey of a complex character, but the human in me has all sorts of feelings. The actress in me is also worried for her safety. A lot of people take this very seriously and think that it's real, and in this case, the character is real but it's not me. I'm not her."

Perez was so convincing in costume that her colleagues on set failed to recognize her on multiple occasions. Once she removed her makeup and costume for the day, she caught many confused glances staring back.

"Who are you?" the Venezuelan actress was asked by fellow cast members and the crew. "It took them a few weeks to get used to the fact that I was the one they were seeing around set. I'm hoping that will happen in the real world too and that I'm not that recognizable out of my costume. Plus, Yolanda is 5'1" and I'm 5'7". While shooting scenes with Christian, she'd wear platforms and I had to kneel down to trick the cameras due to the height difference. There are a lot of differences between Yolanda and me, physical, definitely, and hopefully behaviorally too." [Laughs]

A lot of research went into becoming Saldivar since she wasn't a public figure. The real Saldivar is still alive and is serving a life sentence with the possibility of parole in Texas for the first-degree murder of her friend and business colleague, Quintanilla Perez, in 1995. Perez thought it would be beneficial for her to meet Saldivar to learn what she couldn't from newspaper cutouts.

"I did as much research as I could," she explained. "I was interested in meeting her even though I knew that the person I would be meeting would be a shell of the person who has been in prison and in solitary confinement for so many years. My interest was in seeing her mannerisms, and how she spoke. I requested permission to meet her, but to honor the family we decided it would be best for me not to. Instead, I spent so long scouring the internet finding anything I could about her. I also went to the library to try to see if I could get more information from Laredo, Tex., via microfiche."

Perez wants viewers to know that while Saldivar does appear in the series, the show is a "celebration of Selena's life and not about her death." She describes the feeling on set as "celebratory," and while her death will obviously be addressed, everything was done with the utmost care and respect.

"The series isn't about her death. Yolanda is there to add tension to what's going on, but what's going on is so beautiful because it's an artist finding herself, an artist emerging and finding her place within her family, and society. Everyone was very careful with how it was all handled. Unfortunately, Yolanda is a part of Selena's tragic story. But the beauty of it all is how her legacy continues until today through her music, her art, and really, her whole life. Thanks to her, we can have this conversation today and celebrate a show about a Latina, starring and written by Latinos. It's a beautiful thing."

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This story originally appeared on: EW - Author:Rosy Cordero

Selena Quintanilla Perez spent a large part of her short life in the spotlight, much of which was reenacted and shared with her mob of adoring fans in the 1997 drama Selena starring Jennifer Lopez. But there’s only so much a 127-minute film can cover (including her 1995 murder at the age of 23), which is where Netflix’s Selena: The Series steps in. Who was Selena before the fame, when she was simply a daughter, sister, and friend?

The Walking Dead star Christian Serratos will dance across that terrain on Dec. 4 — not an easy task when countless devotees have high expectations of what her portrayal of the Queen of Tejano Music should be.

“I still find it difficult to talk about,” Serratos tells EW about taking on the iconic role. “It’s so personal to me because I’m fully aware of how personal it is to all her fans. I feel this incredible sense of pressure, but good pressure, because if I needed any motivation to do my best in this role besides how much I love her, it’s because I don’t want to let anyone down. I know how deeply this woman resides in the hearts of so many.”

On the nine-episode series, which also includes her childhood (where she’s played by Madison Taylor Baez), fans will see Serratos re-create Selena’s 1994 Houston Astrodome concert and a performance of “Como la Flor,” where —as she does during all the musical moments on the series — Serratos performs in unison with the real Selena’s music and vocals. Behind-the-scenes observers — including Noemi Gonzalez, who plays Selena’s sister, Suzette Quintanilla (also a series EP) — became emotional.

“Having Suzette and the Quintanilla family on board was a huge gift,” Serratos says emphatically. “The series is going to be very eye-opening for people because we’re showing so much more of Selena’s life that we learned because of them. When I got the role, I was given her music from the show and there was this brief moment where I felt deceit. How am I such a huge fan and I hadn’t heard these songs? That’s why the series will be so great! We already know the iconic songs, but there’s so much more music to enjoy either again or for the first time.”

While he was developing the show, creator/executive producer Moisés Zamora met with the Quintanillas (portrayed by Desperate Housewives alum Ricardo Chavira as her father, Abraham, and Seidy López, as her mother, Marcella), who showed him never-before-seen memorabilia that inspired his storytelling.

“I spent about a week with the family in Corpus Christi [Tex.] interviewing them, collecting anecdotes and documents for my research,” says Zamora. “They gave me newspapers, home videos, journals, and family photos they’ve never shared publicly. They were instrumental in making this happen. I’m honored to be able to help share this story, which at its essence is about a hardworking Latino family who achieved the American dream with determination. It’s very inspiring. Behind all the glamorous costumes was a real human being full of dreams and aspirations whose life was sadly taken away too soon.”

A version of this story appears in the November issue of Entertainment Weekly, available here. Don't forget to subscribe for more exclusive interviews and photos, only in EW.

Selena

• Movie

• Musical

Related content:

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• Get a first look at Walking Dead star Christian Serratos in Netflix's Selena series

• Christian Serratos on playing Selena in new Netflix series: 'I don't want to let anyone down'
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This story originally appeared on: EW - Author:Rosy Cordero

Watch out, Kate Flannery! If she's planning to surprise her former The Office costar Craig Robinson by competing in The Masked Dancer, she might be in trouble.

Robinson will make his debut as host of the new Fox competition series on Dec. 27, and he has no idea who will battle it out on the dance floor for the top prize. But there are a couple former coworkers he thinks he'd be able to recognize, starting with a certain Dancing With the Stars alum.

"Maybe Kate?" Robinson guessed when asked by EW which The Office star he'd recognize by their dancing skills alone during Fox's Winter Presentation. "I think I would recognize Meredith (Flannery) or Stanley (Leslie David Baker). But I'm not really sure."

Although executive producers Craig Plestis and James Breen wouldn't tease who would be competing, they shared insight into the type of celebrity contestant they were looking for.

"There's no set rules that we have, so anyone can be under the mask," Plestis explained. "We like to bring on fresh new faces, but anything can happen within the Mask universe."

Added panelist Paula Abdul, "There are even some known singers that wouldn't be on Masked Singer because their voice is identifiable but they can appear on Masked Dancer."

It won't be easy for anyone trying to confirm who competitors are due to security they have in place, which Plestis says "is the most important part of the show."

"There's two shows we tape. There's the actual show we tape and then there's this whole other infrastructure of security and personnel that makes sure there' are no cameras on set and security guards all over," Plestis said. "When people come to the show, they switch up cars two times and they have to wear full bodysuits. Secrecy is paramount because we want to keep America guessing. Although it takes extra work and money, it's worth it. And we've been lucky so far."

Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.

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This story originally appeared on: EW - Author:Rosy Cordero

Me-ow! Jim Parsons and Mayim Bialik are back working on a new TV series together, though fans will only see one of them in front of the cameras this time.

Bialik will debut in the Fox comedy Call Me Kat on Jan. 3, based on the hit British sitcom Miranda. She'll portray the titular Kat, a single lady who owns a cat café in Louisville, Ky., that she purchased using the money her mother (Swoosie Kurtz) set aside for her nuptials.

Parsons and his former onscreen wife from The Big Bang Theory are both serving as executive producers on the new series, alongside Miranda creator and star Miranda Hart, Darlene Hunt, Todd Spiewak, and Angie Stephenson.

Parsons and Bialik spoke about their time working on BBT and what it was like shifting into this new project at Fox's winter TCA presentation Wednesday.

"Big Bang Theory was a finely oiled machine when I got there, which was fantastic because there was less pressure on me," Bialik said. "They all already knew what they were doing. Essentially, I imitated Jim Parsons for the first couple of years, and that seemed to work. Now [on Call Me Kat] we get to build from the ground up… I've never had a job like this. My job on Big Bang Theory was fantastic and life-changing. And my time on Blossom was also fantastic and life-changing… This whole team has made this, for me, the greatest job I ever had."

Though Parsons wasn't forthcoming about whether he'd make a cameo in Call Me Kat, he couldn't help but boast about what he loves most about the project.

"I don't know about a cameo, but I'd say never say never," he said during the virtual panel. "But I do want to point out what makes someone so hungry to join a show like this is… it was interesting to hear Mayim talk about how Big Bang was such a well-oiled machine because similarly, when I watched the first run-through for this show, I felt similarly when I watched the first episode." He added, "This group of people makes it look really easy, and it's very difficult to make it look so easy. They're that good."

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This story originally appeared on: EW - Author:Rosy Cordero

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This story originally appeared on: EW - Author:Rosy Cordero

Melissa McCarthy and husband Ben Falcone are headed back to the small screen together.

The duo will star in and executive-produce the Netflix series God's Favorite Idiot, a workplace comedy about a mid-level tech support employee named Clark Thompson (Falcone), who falls in love with his co-worker Amily Luck (McCarthy) at the same time he becomes the unwitting messenger of God. There will also be roller skating, a lake of fire, and an impending apocalypse.

Netflix has ordered 16 episodes of the series.

McCarthy and Falcone, who produce under their On the Day banner, have collaborated on such films as Bridesmaids, Tammy, The Boss, Life of the Party, and Superintelligence. They also recently completed work on the upcoming Netflix movie Thunder Force.

On the TV front, the couple served as executive producers on Little Big Shots, a competition series hosted by McCarthy. And both executive-produced and appeared in the TV Land series Nobodies. Series collaborator Michael McDonald will executive-produce and direct God's Favorite Idiot.

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This story originally appeared on: EW - Author:Rosy Cordero

It's the most wonderful time of the year, and Netflix has a whole lot of content coming in December to enjoy — not all of it holiday-themed.

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, the final film of the late actor Chadwick Boseman, will debut Dec. 18. The drama, based on the play of the same name, tells the story of real-life blues legend Ma Rainey and the events that took place one afternoon at a recording studio in 1927 Chicago. Viola Davis plays the title character, known as the Mother of the Blues, who, while cramped in the studio, ends up in a battle of wits with her white manager (Jeremy Shamos) and an ambitious trumpet player (Boseman) who is there to shake things up.

Netflix is also tackling the story of another legendary singer, Selena Quintanilla Perez, in Selena: The Series, premiering Dec. 4. With Quintanilla-Perez's sister Suzette Quintanilla on board as executive producer, the series dives into what it was like growing up as part of the family and what Selena was like during her early years. Madison Taylor Baez plays young Selena, and Christian Serratos of The Walking Dead fame takes over the role from her teen years on up to when she became the Queen of Tejano music.

David Fincher's film Mank debuts the same day and will look into the life of screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz as he races to finish writing Citizen Kane. Gary Oldman plays Mankiewicz, while Tom Burke stars as Orson Wells, who co-wrote, directed, produced, and starred in the classic 1941 film, considered by many as the greatest movie ever made.

For anyone specifically excited about holiday content, select offerings include The Holiday Movies That Made Us (Dec. 1), Just Another Christmas (Dec. 3), Captain Underpants Mega Blissmas (Dec. 4), The Great British Baking Show: Holidays season 3 (Dec. 4), Super Monsters: Santa's Super Monster Helpers (Dec. 8), Ashley Garcia: Genius in Love: Christmas (Dec. 9), The Big Show Show: Christmas (Dec. 9), A California Christmas (Dec. 14), and How to Ruin Christmas: The Wedding (Dec. 16).

Notable series premieres include Big Mouth season 4 (Dec. 4), Pokemon: Journeys: The Series part 3 (Dec. 4), Mr. Iglesias part 3 (Dec. 8), Song Exploder volume 2 (Dec. 15), Bridgerton (Dec. 25), and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina part 4 (Dec. 31).

Check out the full list of movies and TV shows coming to Netflix in December below.

Dec. 1

Angela's Christmas Wish

The Holiday Movies That Made Us

Natalie Palamides: Nate — A One Man Show

3 Days to Kill

50 First Dates

A Thin Line Between Love & Hate

Angels & Demons

Are You The One: Seasons 1-2

Chef

The Da Vinci Code

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

Effie Gray

Gormiti: Season 1

The Happytime Murders

Ink Master: Seasons 1-2

Jurassic Park

Jurassic Park III

Kung Fu Panda 2

Little Nicky

The Lost World: Jurassic Park

Monster House

Peppermint

Quigley Down Under

Runaway Bride

Super Wings: Season 3

Stargate SG-1: Seasons 1-10

Transformers Rescue Bots Academy: Season 2

Tyler Perry's Madea's Big Happy Family

Why Did I Get Married?

Dec. 2

Alien Worlds

Ari Eldjárn: Pardon My Icelandic

Fierce

Hazel Brugger: Tropical

Dec. 3

Break

Chico Bon Bon and the Very Berry Holiday

Just Another Christmas (Tudo Bem No Natal Que Vem)

Dec. 4

Bhaag Beanie Bhaag

Big Mouth: Season 4

Bombay Rose

Captain Underpants Mega Blissmas

Christmas Crossfire (Wir Können Nicht Anders)

The Great British Baking Show: Holidays: Season 3

Kings of Joburg: Season 1

Leyla Everlasting

MANK

Pokémon Journeys: The Series: Part 3

Selena: The Series

Dec. 5

Detention

Mighty Express: A Mighty Christmas

Dec. 7

Ava (2020)

Manhunt: Deadly Games

Dec. 8

Bobbleheads The Movie (2020)

Emicida: AmarElo — É Tudo Para Ontem

Lovestruck in the City

Mr. Iglesias: Part 3

Spirit Riding Free: Ride Along Adventure

Super Monsters: Santa's Super Monster Helpers

Triple 9

Dec. 9

Ashley Garcia: Genius in Love: Christmas

The Big Show Show: Christmas

Rose Island (L'Incredibile storia dell'Isola Delle Rose)

The Surgeon's Cut

Dec. 10

Alice in Borderland

Dec. 11

A Trash Truck Christmas

Canvas

Giving Voice

The Mess You Leave Behind (El desorden que dejas)

The Prom

Dec. 14

A California Christmas

Hilda: Season 2

Tiny Pretty Things

Dec. 15

Black Ink Crew New York: Seasons 1-2

The Challenge: Seasons 10 and 13

Grizzlies (2020)

The Professor and the Madman (2019)

Pup Academy: Season 2

Song Exploder: Volume 2

Teen Mom 2: Seasons 1-2

Dec. 16

Anitta: Made In Honorio

BREAK IT ALL: The History of Rock in Latin America

How To Ruin Christmas: The Wedding

Lee Daniels' The Butler

Nocturnal Animals

The Ripper

Run On

Vir Das: Outside In — The Lockdown Special

Dec. 17

Braven

Dec. 18

Guest House

Home for Christmas: Season 2

Jeopardy! Champion Run V

Jeopardy! Champion Run VI

Jeopardy! Teacher's Tournament

Jeopardy! College Championship

Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom

Sweet Home

Dec. 20

Rhys Nicholson Live At The Athenaeum

Dec. 21

The Con Is On

Dec. 22

After We Collided

London Hughes: oo Catch a D*ck

Rhyme Time Town Singalongs

Shaun the Sheep: The Farmer's Llamas

Timmy Time: Season 2

Dec. 23

The Midnight Sky

Your Name Engraved Herein

Dec. 25

Bridgerton

Dec. 26

Asphalt Burning (Børning 3)

DNA

Fast & Furious Spy Racers: Season 3: "Sahara"

Go! Go! Cory Carson: Season 3

The Magic School Bus Rides Again In the Zone

Dec. 27

Sakho & Mangane: Season 1

Dec. 28

Cops and Robbers

Rango

Dec. 29

Dare Me: Season 1

Dec. 30

Best Leftovers Ever!

Equinox

Transformers: War For Cybertron Trilogy: Chapter 2: "Earthrise"

Dec. 31

Best of Stand-Up 2020

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina: Part 4

Related content:

• Chadwick Boseman and Viola Davis turn Ma Rainey's Black Bottom into an acting masterclass: Review
• Selena star Jennifer Lopez can't wait to see Christian Serratos portray the iconic singer
• How the Mank cast tackled the behind-the-scenes story of Citizen Kane

This story originally appeared on: EW - Author:Rosy Cordero

In a statement posted to her Instagram story, the "Without Me" singer says that while she "can't care about it anymore," she hopes to shed light on the matter for others like The Weeknd and Manic who "deserve better."

"I've been thinking and wanted to choose my words carefully because a lot of people have extended sympathy and apology to me since the Grammy nominations," Halsey wrote.

"The Grammys are an elusive process. It can often be about behind the scenes private performances, knowing the right people, campaigning through the grapevine, with the right handshakes and 'bribes' that can be just as ambiguous enough to pass as 'non-bribes.'"

The Recording Academy did not respond to EW's request for comment.

Halsey also alleges that artists hoping to score nominations need to "commit to exclusive TV performances" and "help the Academy make their millions in advertising on the night of the show."

According to the singer, "the music or quality or culture" doesn't always matter. Halsey has been nominated for two Grammy Awards, both in 2016, for songs she appeared on as a featured artist, including Album of the Year (for her song "Love Yourself" on Justin Bieber's album Purpose) and Best Pop Duo Group Performance for The Chainsmokers track, "Closer."

"Just wanted to get that off my chest," her statement concludes. "The Weeknd deserves better, and Manic did too. Perhaps it's unbecoming of me to say so but I can't care anymore. While I am THRILLED for my talented friends who were recognized this year, I am hoping for more transparency or reform. But I'm sure this post will blacklist me anyway."

This story originally appeared on: EW - Author:Rosy Cordero

The Black Panther star was 43 when he lost his battle against colon cancer on Aug. 28, leaving behind a collection of films fans can enjoy forever. Many of his costars joined Boseman's brother Kevin in celebrating the beloved actor on social media, including Lupita Nyong'o, Mark Ruffalo, Viola Davis, Common, Susan Kelechi Watson, and Josh Gad.

Although not mentioned by name, Kevin shared a photo on Instagram featuring a field of white flowers with the caption, "Today is a good day to give someone their flowers."

Nyong'o, who costarred alongside Boseman in Black Panther, wrote, "Deeply loved, sorely missed."

Boseman's Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: End Game costar Ruffalo said, "Thinking of your passion, love, and your light today, @chadwickboseman. Happy Birthday. Wishing we could time travel back to this moment."

Davis, who will appear opposite Boseman in Netflix's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, remembered him with a special Instagram tribute.

"Happy birthday in Heaven, Chadwick! You are still so alive to me!! I love you," she said.

Selma costar Common also celebrated Boseman's birthday with a sweet tribute to his friend.

"Chadwick Boseman would have turned 44 years old today. Happy Birthday King. God Bless You Brother. Thank you for using your gift to bring light to this world. RIP."

 More tributes to Boseman can be found below.

This story originally appeared on: EW - Author:Rosy Cordero

On what would've been Chadwick Boseman's 44th birthday, Marvel is celebrating his life in a special way.

Boseman, who died from colon cancer in August, was honored on Sunday with a redesigned intro sequence in Disney+'s Black Panther. After the traditional comic book flash before the film plays, images of the actor flash on screen from the various films he portrayed T'Challa, King of Wakanda, including Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: End Game, and Captain America: Civil War.

Bob Iger, executive chairman of The Walt Disney Company, teased on Saturday night that fans should watch the film on Disney+ for a special surprise.

"To all fans of #BlackPanther: watch the film on #DisneyPlus late tonight, for a special tribute to someone that was and will always be near and dear to our hearts," he posted on Twitter.

Boseman died on August 28 at his home in Los Angeles from multiple organ failure, after a private, four-year battle with stage III colon cancer. A post from his family confirming his passing shed light on his life following his 2016 diagnosis.

"A true fighter, Chadwick persevered through it all and brought you many of the films you have come to love so much," the statement posted to Twitter read. "From Marshall to Da 5 Bloods, August Wilson's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom and several more, all were filmed during and between countless surgeries and chemotherapy."

His decision to keep the news of his health struggles a secret, even from top collaborators Ryan Coogler and Spike Lee, was thanks, in part, to his mother, Carolyn. Boseman's agent, Michael Green, said, "[She] always taught him not to have people fuss over him."

Boseman's final project Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is set to debut on Netflix Dec. 18.

Related content:

• Chadwick Boseman and Viola Davis turn Ma Rainey's Black Bottom into an acting masterclass: Review
• Netflix submits Chadwick Boseman's Ma Rainey performance for lead actor award consideration
• Chadwick Boseman's wife Simone Ledward files probate case as actor died without will

This story originally appeared on: EW - Author:Rosy Cordero

Saved by the Bell (revival)

• TV Show

• Peacock

• Sitcom

It's been 30 years since Saved by the Bell went off the air and former high school sweethearts, Jessie Spano (Elizabeth Berkley Lauren) and A.C. Slater (Mario Lopez), still don't have their relationship figured out.

In Peacock's 10 episode revival of the same name, currently available to stream in its entirety, Dr. Spano and Slater are working together at their alma mater, Bayside High, and let's just say it's complicated.

"When we see Jessie and Slater again, they're in very different places of their lives," series executive producer and showrunner Tracey Wigfield tells EW. "Jessie had some success; she wrote a bunch of books and got a bunch of degrees before she went back to work at Bayside. And she went back to help students there and to be close to her son, Jamie (Belmont Cameli), who is a student there. Then with Slater, we see him go back as the athletic coach not so long after we see him in The College Years and he's sort of been stuck there and a little less happy with the way his life turned out.

"But Jessie is married. So she and Slater have this friendship but they still have this contentious relationship. Will they or won't they?"

Berkley Lauren is fully aware how much fans of the original want a relationship to flourish between Jessie and Slater — and it sounds like she's shipping them too.

"How can there not be?! We can't be disappointing the fans!" Berkley Lauren says when asked if there still could be something between them. "Just as things start crumbling in Jessie's personal life in the revival, she's just come back to Bayside and there are flickers, and of course, the dynamic is still there. Listen, what I love is that I got to act with the people that I love the most from my childhood. When we shot the original, we really were like 15 years old when we first started. Working with Mario and our wonderful chemistry and dynamic was such an incredible thing to jump back into. He and I have maintained a friendship throughout the years and we've worked together. To be able to drop back into those roles and still have that crackle in the way we interact, and the rhythm and the banter is all still there."

Lopez says everything with Slater was on the up-and-up because he knows Jessie is going through some personal things. But he is confident that no matter what, Jessie will always be able to count on Slater as a friend.

"When we see Jessie in the revival, she's married," he explains. "They've always been friends and she knows she will always be able to count on him. He cares about her and they have a lot of history. We'll have to wait and see what happens."

Related content:

• Saved by the Bell cast: Where are they now?
• Meet the new Saved by the Bell revival cast members
• Everything you need to know about the Saved by the Bell revival
• Meet Saved by the Bell's Haskiri Velazquez, Bayside High's new Zack Morris

Saved by the Bell (revival)

• What's up with Jessie and Slater on the new Saved by the Bell? 'There are flickers'
• Alycia Pascual-Peña is Saved by the Bell's newest football star — and she's ready to smash the patriarchy
• Christina Aguilera's Burlesque almost had a different ending
• How Saved by the Bell’s Mitchell Hoog and Belmont Cameli forged their own path in revival

This story originally appeared on: EW - Author:Rosy Cordero

Saved by the Bell (revival)

• TV Show

• Peacock

• Sitcom

Alycia Pascual-Peña was only 3 years old when she started working in the entertainment industry, and she couldn't be more proud of all she has accomplished.

Especially now, as she looks back at it all while celebrating the release of the Saved by the Bell revival, currently available to stream via Peacock. In the comedy, the now 21-year-old portrays Aisha Garcia, who, along with her best friend Daisy Jimenez (Haskiri Velazquez), is now a freshly minted Bayside Tiger after transferring due to the controversial closure of high schools in working-class neighborhoods by Governor Zack Morris (Mark-Paul Gosselaar).

Pascual-Peña beams with pride when talking about Aisha, an Afro-Latina, budding football star who is everything she wishes she could've seen in characters when she was growing up. But it's never too late and she's ready to change the game for future generations.

"Playing Aisha is one of the biggest moments in my career because of what she will mean to so many young Afro-Latinas, who, like me, grew up with nearly no representation in media," she tells EW. "I know what dealing with erasure feels like when people refuse to make space for you. I always knew I wanted to be a performer, so I could improve upon the stories that were being told about our communities. For too long, Latino and Black communities grew accustomed to seeing stories about us that didn't celebrate us or uplift us. I pray I do the character of Aisha justice and people feel motivated and inspired after watching the show."

With Aisha leading the boy's football team, Pascual-Peña worked closely with Saved by the Bell OG, Mario Lopez, who is now the school's football coach. Already a fan of his work thanks to reruns of the original, she credits both Lopez and his costar Lark Voorhies for inspiring her.

"Mario was one of the most notable representations of the Latino community on a show that large," she explains. "I grew up watching him on reruns and I gravitated towards Slater and Lisa Turtle because they looked like me and they sounded like me. I knew that they came from families like me. Finding out that I was going to be on a show with them was an honor. Especially with Mario playing my coach, and getting to work so closely with him. We're two Latinos who look so different but come from similar heritages and we talk about it all the time."

When Aisha first arrives at Bayside, she meets her Bayside Buddy, Jamie Spano (Belmont Cameli), and crushes hard. The two go on to have a relationship that falls apart after Jamie proposes after he and his friends serenade her with Another Bad Creation's hit, "Iesha." Natch.

They break up and before the season is over, Aisha spots him kissing another girl. She looks heartbroken at the time, but does she have any regrets now?

"Aisha went on quite a journey at this new school, a lot of things were happening for her at once," Pascual-Peña says. "For many people going through the high school experience, they have romantic relationships. Not me personally, but a lot of people do. I think through that relationship, she learned a lot about herself. She knew she wasn't ready for what he wants and she remains true to herself. She learned about the implicit biases she has because of his higher socioeconomic status."

She adds, "As far as regrets are concerned regarding their breakup, I think she is feeling it to a certain extent. She's questioning herself and learning how to navigate interpersonal relationships in her life. She knows she cares about Jamie in a way she doesn't care about her other peers and she's trying to figure it all out now. It's also complex because he's a teammate and she wants to be a successful athlete. I have to mention that shooting that proposal scene was so much fun! It was just full of the wackiness and the ridiculousness that makes this show such a success. Even when that camera wasn't shooting, I was dancing by myself."

Related content:

• Everything you need to know about the Saved by the Bell revival
• Meet Saved by the Bell's Haskiri Velazquez, Bayside High's new Zack Morris
• Saved by the Bell revival explains where Screech has been

Saved by the Bell (revival)

• Alycia Pascual-Peña is Saved by the Bell's newest football star — and she's ready to smash the patriarchy
• Christina Aguilera's Burlesque almost had a different ending
• How Saved by the Bell’s Mitchell Hoog and Belmont Cameli forged their own path in revival
• Jaden Smith and Cara Delevingne on how Life in a Year shows 'what real love means'

Author:Rosy Cordero - Source: EW

Saved by the Bell (revival)

• TV Show

• Peacock

• Sitcom

It's been 30 years since the original Saved by the Bell wrapped production, and a new Peacock revival is expanding that universe with a mix of new and returning cast members filling the halls of Bayside High.

Yes, fans of the original learn the fates of Zach Morris (Mark-Paul Gosselaar), Kelly Kapowski (Tiffani Thiessen), A.C. Slater (Mario Lopez), Jessie Spano (Elizabeth Berkley Lauren), and Lisa Turtle (Lark Voorhies), but there's also a whole heap of new Bayside Tigers to meet.

The series opens as Governor Zack Morris has controversially shut down high schools in working-class neighborhoods, agreeing to send students from shuttered Douglas High to his alma mater to save face. The privileged student body at Bayside — including Morris' own son Mac (Mitchell Hoog) and Dr. Spano's son Jamie (Belmont Cameli) — are met by teens from Douglas who are not as financially blessed nor as connected as they are.

Principal Ronald Toddman (John Michael Higgins) is the man in the middle of all the transitions, keeping everyone cool while trying to work out issues with his own personal life.

"Playing Ron Toddman has been a lot of fun for me because I work with a whole bunch of young, very talented actors," Higgins tells EW. "It gives me a lot of life at this point in my career when I show up on the set and I have all this young energy around me."

He adds, "I'm definitely a figure who gets pranked and who doesn't get a lot of respect. But actually, it turns out I have a lot of good dramatic arcs on the show just because I have to integrate these two populations, the Bayside kids and students being brought to Bayside from more underserved communities. They don't have as much money as these Bayside kids, and I'm the one who has to bridge them. It shows a lot of abilities that Toddman didn't even know he had because he's been so beat up by the kids at Bayside that he hasn't really had a chance to shine. When the new students arrive, he feels like he has something in common with them. He feels like an outsider at his own school and now he's fighting for them."

But there's also noticeable tension between students from Douglas who are adjusting to a new world and figuring out where they fit in. While Aisha Garcia (Alycia Pascual-Peña) is thriving on the football field, she is quick to admonish classmate Devante (Dexter Darden) to gain points with the Bayside students.

"That's one of the most important episodes to me because the original really set the foundation for having conversations and the importance of diversity," Pascual-Peña explains. "But our show is able to really expand upon that narrative. And that's why this specific episode speaks to the importance of lifting up people of color and marginalized communities but also understanding there's still so much work that needs to be done internally. Specifically for me as an Afro-Latina and being part of the Latinx community, I have dealt with seeing internalized racism and seeing our own implicit biases. The episode does a beautiful job in progressing that conversation. Even though I am a Black woman at this new school, Devante is a friend from the old school and I sell him out, essentially. The message that kept running through my mind that whole episode was, not all skinfolk are kinfolk."

Darden is excited he'll be able to represent the Black community on a series that's breathing life back into one of his old favorites. He can't help but boast about how much Voorhies inspired him as one of the first Black stars not playing a secondary or stereotypical role on TV.

"Growing up and having Lark be the only African American representation on the show —and also being beautiful and smart and having an interest in fashion — she was someone I grew up having a crush on for sure," says the actor. "So being at Bayside and having Devante reimplement himself as the first African American presence that we really see on Saved by the Bell, I look to Lark for so much inspiration in the sense of carrying that torch but now from the male perspective. We also have Afro Latina representation with Alycia and Latina representation from Haskiri. It's a really diverse opportunity for us to show so many layers of so many different cultures some people aren't privy to."

Devante keeps a low-key profile around Bayside, though that begins to change when he meets Lexi (Josie Totah). Coach Slater (Lopez) tries to recruit him for the football team, but Devante feels more at home in theater.

"I think Lexi is a wonderful representation of so much, [like] the affluent and the ignorant people in America that just don't know any better. Well, sometimes I think there are no excuses for not knowing any better but for [Lexi], it's the bubble she's grown up in her entire life," Totah shares. "I think the beautiful relationship between Devante and Lexi [blossoms] because they learn so much from each other because of Lexi's privilege. She has this innate confidence in her that I feel she teaches Devante about. And Devante gives Lexi a better understanding of what it's like being a young Black man going through high school and everything that he goes through. It really educates her and gives her a new perspective. Devante is one of the sole vehicles that drive her evolvement throughout the season."

Related content:

Saved by the Bell (revival)

• Meet your maker: Uncle Frank director Alan Ball on his biggest influences
• First trailer for Disney+ ballet docuseries On Pointe is like a real-life Center Stage
• Meet the new Saved by the Bell revival cast members roaming the halls of Bayside High
• Meet Saved by the Bell's Haskiri Velazquez, Bayside High's new Zack Morris

Author:Rosy Cordero - Source: EW

One Day at a Time (2017)

• TV Show

• Netflix
• Pop TV

• Sitcom

Streaming Options

One Day at a Time has been canceled by ViacomCBS, leaving a fifth season of the comedy in limbo.

The show about a Cuban-American family, which launched in 2017 and is based on the Norman Lear sitcom of the same name, originated on Netflix but was canceled two years later and picked up by PopTV. Now that PopTV no longer works on scripted projects, One Day found a temporary home at CBS, which recently aired the show's truncated fourth season (which was shortened due to the coronavirus pandemic).

Sony Pictures Television is searching for a new home for the series, and executive producer Gloria Calderón Kellett encouraged fans via social media not to be discouraged yet.

"Sadly, the news is out," Calderón Kellett tweeted Tuesday. "I'm not sad just yet, y'all. We still have some hope for new homes. Hang tight, my loves. You know that if I go down, I will go down swinging for this show (& cast & crew) I love. @OneDayAtATime #MoreODAAT #RepresentationMatters."

Fellow executive producer Mike Royce tweeted, "Much has changed at Viacom in the last year and unfortunately we won't be on Pop anymore. Thanks to everybody over there for the opportunity to do season 4. And guess what? We're still trying for season 5. What if #ODAAT was the first show ever on 3 networks?"

According to The Hollywood Reporter, CBS All Access had been in talks to pick up a fifth season of One Day at a Time, but the show's original deal with Netflix precluded a rival streaming service from reviving it until 2022.

Series stars Justina Machado, Rita Moreno, Marcel Ruiz, Isabella Gomez, Todd Grinnell, and Stephen Tobolowsky have yet to comment on the cancelation.

Related content:

One Day at a Time (2017)

Streaming Options

Author:Rosy Cordero - Source: EW

Saved by the Bell (revival)

• TV Show

• Peacock

• Sitcom

Hey preppies! There's a new Zack Morris at Bayside High and she's a Latina teen.

Haskiri Velazquez is taking over Zack's power to freeze time and break the fourth wall as the character Daisy Jimenez on Peacock's Saved by the Bell revival (out Wednesday). And although Velazquez says she and Mark-Paul Gosselaar, who played Zack in the original series, didn't spend much time together, she's elated about what the character will mean to young Latinas.

"I grew up in New York's Washington Heights, where my community was very diverse. But when I turned on the TV, the only person I saw that I could relate to was Jennifer Lopez," Velazquez tells EW. "I really clung to her for inspiration, to the point that my family called me Baby JLo. And even though there wasn't a lot of diversity on TV, my parents taught me that anything is possible. When I went to my first audition for Saved by the Bell and I broke the fourth wall, I almost cried! The fact that they created a role for a Latina to take Zack's powers was overwhelming. When Latinas watch this show and meet Daisy and her best friend Aisha [Alycia Pascual-Pena], they'll dream even bigger because we're living proof that anything is possible."

But there's so much more to Daisy than all that. While working hard to succeed at a new school, Daisy's single mom (played by Orange Is the New Black star Selenis Leyva) depends on her to help with the care of her younger brother. This puts pressure and limitations on Daisy, who like her counselor, Dr. Jessie Spano (Elizabeth Berkley Lauren), is an overachiever.

"Daisy is passionate and caring," the budding actress, who is of Puerto Rican and Dominican descent, explains. "I really connected with her story because I have experienced a lot of what she has. I grew up in a low income household, and while I did grow up with both of my parents, I have two brothers who needed me to shift my priorities to take responsibility for them. When you grow-up in households like mine and Daisy's, you sometimes have to step-up and do what needs to be done. There's an episode where we talk about Daisy's quinceañera on the show and she says she doesn't want one, knowing deep down inside she does. But she saw her mom was drowning in bills and she didn't want to add to that. Something similar happened to me when it was time for my Sweet 16 and my parents put happy faces on display knowing they were counting quarters. I think a lot of viewers will be able to connect to Daisy on different levels and hopefully feel more confident to talk about their feelings. The writers bring it up in a light and fun way, which I hope helps make these tough conversations more approachable."

Although Velazquez had very few scenes with Gosselaar, she's hopeful that could expand if the show gets another season. When asked if she'd like to see them both call a time out simultaneously and see what it does the universe's axis, she was all in.

"You know, I might have to pitch that scenario to [showrunner] Tracy [Wigfield]," she exclaimed. "How cool would that be for fans of the original and all the new fans to see happen?! Maybe we do a side-by-side timeout then everyone but us freezes and we see what happens? I need everyone to support the show so we can come back and hopefully make something like this happen."

When the original NBC series ran from 1989-1993, one of the few examples of Latino representation on TV was Mario Lopez, who brings back his character A.C. Slater in the revival. Velazquez explains how his support on set meant so much to her as a rising BIPOC actress.

"The moment I first met Mario, I felt I had known him all my life," she says. "I feel like that's a very Latino thing because I remember growing up and going to my friend's homes and their families taking me in like one of their own. That's what meeting Mario felt like, he's like a tio to me now. [Laughs] From the beginning he was very welcoming and let us know if we needed anything that he was there to guide us. He's also very funny and loud! What I really appreciated from him is that he never made us feel like we had to live up to anything, he encouraged us create our own narratives. All of the original cast members were like that really. They encouraged us to just have fun with it all and they cheered for us along the way. Wow, now I feel like singing "Friends Forever." [Laughs] I haven't been able to get that song out of my head!"

This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.

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Saved by the Bell (revival)

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Author:Rosy Cordero - Source: EW