‘The Last of Us’ Episode 8 Hits Series High of 8.1 Million Viewers, Up 74% From Season Premiere

Katy Perry was called out by "American Idol" contestant Sara Beth Liebe who said that she was "hurt" and "embarrassed" after the judge made a "mom-shaming" joke during her audition earlier this month. At the beginning of her audition, Liebe surprised Perry and fellow judges Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan when she said she was 25 as they all commented that she looked much younger.The trio appeared even more stunned when Liebe revealed she was a mother of three, with Perry standing up and pretending to faint backward on the table.

Lea Michele apologized to fans on Wednesday, explaining she would be missing two "Funny Girl" Broadway performances because of her 2-year-old son’s "scary health issue."  "I'm so sorry but unfortunately I will be out of @FunnyGirlBwy today," the "Glee" star, who has been starring in the Broadway revival of the 1964 musical, wrote on her Instagram stories Wednesday. "We are at the hospital with our son dealing with a scary health issue that I need to be here for."  She added, "I'm so sorry.

Florence Pugh was all over New York City on Wednesday (March 22) promoting her brand new movie, A Good Person.

The Masked Singer is back for season nine!

Delilah Belle Hamlin is ready to make her mark on the music world.

The BAFTAs are having a real #OscarsSoWhite year…

Bryan Kohberger is facing four charges of first-degree murder for the brutal stabbing deaths of University of Idaho students Maddie Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin. It’s shaping up to be one of the most intensely watched trials of the decade — and maybe the biggest in Idaho’s history.

Doja Cat is resting up after going under the knife recently!

Former NFL player Rob Gronkowski has joked he and girlfriend Camille Kostek are "ready for a kid" after welcoming their French Bulldog Ralphie into their life two years ago. The four-time Super Bowl champion and Camille, who have been dating since 2015, have "definitely learned many things about ourselves" in the years since welcoming the pup, Gronk told HELLO! in an interview Wednesday March 22,Camille is "a loving dog mother, she just does such a great job," said Gronk, who played Tight End position for the New England Patriots and the Tampa Buccaneers.

Kelly Ripa and her husband Mark Consuelos recently opened up about their marriage, including a surprising deal breaker, on Kelly's new podcast, Let's Talk Off Camera with Kelly Ripa. The couple, who have been together for nearly 30 years, candidly discussed their sex life and how they navigated long periods of separation during Mark’s time filming Riverdale in 2020.Mark revealed that the one "potential deal-breaker" in their marriage would be if Kelly "cut [him] off sexually," unless it was due to a medical condition.WATCH: Mark Consuelos makes his debut as Live! hostThe couple also touched on the topic of menopause and how it affected their intimacy. Mark admitted he "didn't give [Kelly] a break" during that time, emphasizing that there had "never been months [without sex] unless I was in another country".Interestingly, Mark confessed that he had only recently learned the distinction between sex and intimacy. He blamed his extensive traveling, explaining that he wanted to "get intimacy in and the sex in" during the limited time he had at home, causing the two to become "one and the same".

, has died, according to a statement provided by his family. Per the statement, the late screenwriter died March 15 at his Hudson Valley home in upstate New York. He was 83.Born in Brooklyn, New York, and a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh law school, Steinberg turned to comedy writing after life as an attorney did not turn out how he had imagined it would.

Jennifer Aniston's, for example, included frequently hanging out at Cher's lavish abode.The star sat down for a chat on on Wednesday and explained how she got the chance to spend so much time at the Oscar-winner's home before Aniston was ever famous herself.«Well I went to high school with Chaz [Bono] and amongst our group of, our gaggle, we would always go to her house because it was nice. It was Cher!» said Aniston, referring to the singer's son, whose father is the late singer Sonny Bono.

he skidded on a wet road and crashed his car into a gate in Malibu.Paramedics treated the veteran actor, who sustained a potential concussion and a bloody mouth and nose, at the scene. While drugs and alcohol are not believed to be involved, the officers reportedly requested that Van Dyke retake his driving test with the California Department of Motor Vehicles.When he was spotted paying a visit to his favorite nonprofit organization and giving out money to the homeless in October, he was pictured in the very same car that was involved in this month’s accident.The Post has reached out to Van Dyke’s representatives for comment.His latest bump in the road, however, seems minor compared to a large car fire Van Dyke was involved in a decade ago.

Legen-(Wait-For-It)-Dary!

Courteney Cox took a leaf out of ‘neat freak’ Monica (the character she played in the famed sitcom “F.R.I.E.N.D.S”) and cleaned the Hollywood walk of fame stars on the Hollywood Blvd in Los Angeles.

Gemma Collins has revealed the biggest incentive that drove her to sign up to Celebrity Bake Off this year - and it was down to a longstanding crush. The 42 year old former TOWIE star took part in the celebrity special of The Great British Bake Off alongside a host of famous faces including Friends star David Schwimmer and ex-Little Mix singer Jesy Nelson to raise money for Stand Up 2 Cancer. But it was a certain judge that had Gemma blushing, as she admitted that she fancies Paul Hollywood, who weighed up the baking creations alongside Prue Leith.

Jordan Moreau The “Fury of the Gods” may not be all that furious. Warner Bros. and DC’s “Shazam” sequel is taking flight with $3.4 million at the domestic box office in Thursday previews, behind the original movie’s preview haul in 2019. The sequel to Zachary Levi’s superhero movie will land with a smaller opening than its predecessor. The first “Shazam” movie had $5.9 million in Thursday previews before opening with $53.5 million in April 2019. It went on to gross $140 million domestically and $366 million globally. However, “Shazam: Fury of the Gods” is only expected to bring in $35 million to $40 million. Each of the “Shazam” movies cost $100 million to produce, but that’s a significant drop from the original.

Brent Lang Executive Editor Warner Bros. Discovery U.S. Hispanic has partnered with GroupM and Cocina Media on “El Toque de Aarón.” The all-new original seriesfollows celebrity chef Aarón Sánchez and his team as they help Latino restaurants in the Los Angeles area reach new heights. Kimberly Clark’s VivaÒ Paper Towels Brand will be an integrated sponsor, with other GroupM clients featured throughout the series. Sánchez will also act as an executive producer. The six-part series unfolds in Latino restaurants with great potential, ready to seize the opportunity to optimize their business – from devising a more exciting menu to improving the overall aesthetics to streamlining their execution and raising their public profile. Sánchez will help reimagine these restaurants to bring out their true soul, with a revamped menu and a refreshed space. In each 30-minute episode, the culinary wizard will put his personal touch on each menu item, while mentoring each restaurant’s chef and sharing tips and tricks of the trade along the way. Helping to round out the renewals with much-needed renovations are designer Cris Mercado (“HGTV Star; Remodelaciones con Celebridades“) and project manager Ángel Riveros (“Hogar Star”). Complicating matters is the fact that they have only four days to achieve this mission. The clock is ticking.

EXCLUSIVE: Illumination/Universal/Nintendo’s Super Mario Bros Movie just landed on tracking this morning ahead of its Easter weekend release, and the animated film is shaping up to make at least $85M-$90M+ over its Wednesday through Sunday launch and that’s on the conservative side.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter “Shazam: Fury of the Gods” is expected to take the box office crown from “Scream VI” when the superhero sequel opens in theaters over the weekend. But don’t expect Billy Batson and company to break any DC franchise records. The “Shazam” sequel is aiming to collect a so-so $35 million to $40 million between Friday and Sunday, based on early estimates. Unless the Warner Bros. film seriously crushes expectations, inaugural ticket sales will fall significantly short of its pre-pandemic predecessor, 2019’s “Shazam.” The first film, which introduced the world to Zachary Levi’s comic book character who becomes a hero by saying the magic word “Shazam,” opened to $53.5 million and ended its box office run with $140 million domestically and $366 million globally.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent “The Last of Us” has become the most-viewed title ever on HBO’s subscription streaming service in Europe. Warner Bros. Discovery announced on Tuesday that the first season of the nine-episode apocalyptic-drama has smashed HBO’s SVOD European viewer ratings. This result comes after the season one finale set another ratings high in the U.S. on Sunday night, delivering 8.2 million viewers across HBO Max and linear telecasts, based on Nielsen and first party data. The series, which is based on the critically acclaimed video game of the same name developed by Naughty Dog for the PlayStation, has been a hit from the get go. “The Last of Us” is now averaging 30.4 million viewers in the U.S. across its first six episodes, according to HBO, with the first episode approaching 40 million viewers in the U.S. Outside of the U.S.. The show is now also the most-watched show ever on HBO Max in Latin America.

Following Morgan Freeman’s onstage appearance at the 2023 Oscars, viewers took to Twitter sharing messages of concern over the actor’s glove worn on his left hand.

The Last of Us” closed its first season with yet another triumph. With an audience of 8.2 million people for Episode 9, the series broke its own viewership record — a significant feat, considering that the finale was released during ABC’s telecast of the Oscars. Provided by Warner Bros. Discovery, this number accounts for those who tuned into the Sunday night airing on HBO’s cable channel as well as streams on HBO Max through the night. This isn’t the first time that “The Last of Us” has outdone itself while competing with a major awards show. Episode 4, titled “Please Hold to My Hand,” brought in 7.5 million viewers when it aired at the same time as the Grammys, which was then a series high: When “The Last of Us” debuted in January, it trailed “House of the Dragon” to become the second-most watched HBO premiere in over a decade with 4.7 million viewers. Episode 2 marked HBO’s biggest ever increase between a series’ first and second episode with 5.7 million viewers. The series then brought in 6.4 million viewers with Episode 3.

The 60th annual ICG Publicists Awards Luncheon is underway at the Beverly Hilton, and Deadline is posting the winners as they’re announced. Check out the list below. 

EXCLUSIVE: Fox is moving forward with The Flintstones spinoff series Bedrock.

Last year, as the industry was looking to lift itself out the pandemic’s purgatory at the box office, SXSW lit the wick on A24’s Everything Everywhere All at Once, which wound up dynamiting the 18-34 hipster moviegoer set in what became the highest-grossing indie film of 2022, the best ever for the New York-based distributor, and now a potential Oscar Best Picture winner.

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer J.J. Abrams and Matt Reeves’ animated series “Batman: Caped Crusader” has been picked up at Amazon after being scrapped at HBO Max, Variety has confirmed. The streamer has placed a two-season order for the cartoon, which is described as “a reimagining of the Batman mythology through the visionary lens” of executive producers Abrams, Reeves and Bruce Timm. “Batman: Caped Crusader” was ordered to series at HBO Max in May 2021. In August 2022, the show was scrapped along with five other upcoming animated series set up at the Warner Bros. Discovery-owned streamer, including “Merry Little Batman,” “The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie,” “Bye Bye Bunny: A Looney Tunes Musical,” “Did I Do That to the Holidays: A Steve Urkel Story” and “The Amazing World of Gumball: The Movie.”

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Hasan Minhaj’s Riddler is coming back to your earbuds. The comedian-actor made a virtual appearance at Spotify’s Stream On event Wednesday, announcing “The Riddler: Secrets in the Dark,” the next podcast series from Spotify, DC and Warner Bros. under their exclusive multiyear partnership. Minhaj had voiced The Riddler in 2022 hit Spotify podcast “Batman Unburied,” which starred Winston Duke in the title role. “Audiences are going to travel back to Gotham City with me in a story that leaves clues, puzzles and shines a spotlight on my personal favorite character, The Riddler,” Minhaj said in the video (watch the clip below).

David Chase has set his next series at FX with Hannah Fidell with Chase and Fidell attached as creators and co-writers.The series, which is in development with a pilot commitment, is based on a previously unproduced script by “The Sopranos” director featuring a contemporary take by Fidell.Fidell is set to direct the pilot with FX Productions producing the pilot. Chase, Fidell and Chase Films’ Nicole Lambert will serve as executive producers.In addition to creating HBO drama series “The Sopranos,” which collected 21 Emmys through its time on air, Chase also created “Rockford Files” and “Kolchak: The Night Stalker” and made his feature film debut with “Not Fade Away.” “The Many Saints of Newark,” the feature film prequel to “The Sopranos” was released in 2021 by Warner Bros.Currently under a first look film and television deal with Warner Bros.

Cynthia Littleton Business Editor Paramount Global is unveiling today a corporate image campaign that builds on the sentiment of a popular self-help affirmation: You are loved, and you are enough. Just in time for media upfront season, the company’s “Popular is Paramount” marketing push is designed to burnish its image within Hollywood and on Wall Street. Paramount Global CEO Bob Bakish wants the town and the Street to know that the company is fielding a new generation of hits – from “Top Gun: Maverick” to “Yellowstone” to “Paw Patrol” — and is not intimidated by having to compete against larger rivals such as Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery and Comcast. The campaign will include with outdoor advertising in highly trafficked corridors of New York and Los Angeles, as well as on digital and TV platforms, both on and off Paramount’s own air.

EXCLUSIVE: After launching the first original court show on streaming with Judy Justice on Amazon Freevee, Judy Sheindlin could make history again with the first streaming show to sell in broadcast syndication. Former CBS executive Scott Koondel’s Sox Entertainment, which distributes Judy Justice, is actively exploring selling the show’s library — approximate 260 episodes — to TV stations for fall 2023 or fall 2024, sources tell Deadline. Additionally, cable syndication also is a possibility, I hear.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter After better-than-expected starts at the domestic and international box office, “Creed III” has already surpassed the $100 million mark globally. Directed by Michael B. Jordan in his feature filmmaking debut, the latest “Creed” movie has collected $58.7 million in North America and $41.8 million overseas to land the biggest opening worldwide in the trilogy. The $75 million-budgeted “Creed III” is the most expensive film in the trilogy (its predecessors cost $35 million and $50 million, respectively), but it already appears to be well-positioned in its theatrical run.

Ellise Shafer HBO Max will host its own coffeehouse at SXSW this year, featuring events centered around the streamer’s popular titles like “The Last of Us” and “The White Lotus.” The two-day activation is presented by HBO Max’s Human by Orientation and Pa’lante initiatives, which are designed to “elevate and celebrate the LGBTQIA+ and Latinx communities,” according to a press release. The coffeehouse will be open to the public on March 11 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and on March 12 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The coffeehouse will host both invite-only and public events, including a HBO documentary filmmaker roundtable, “The Last of Us” fireside chat with Gabriel Luna and Variety‘s Selome Hailu, an acoustic performance by Ambar Lucid, a queer cocktail party and “The White Lotus” discussion with writer Evan Ross Katz and Variety‘s Adam B. Vary.

BreAnna Bell Doug Bradley (“Hellraiser”) has been added to the cast of The CW’s “Gotham Knights” series, the network announced on Wednesday. Bradley will appear in Episode 6 of Gotham Knights as Joe Chill, one of DC Comics’ most notorious villains known for cruelly killing Bruce Wayne’s parents. After fifty years of rotting on death row, Joe Chill is scheduled to be executed. However, Gotham’s infamous “Patron Saint of Bad Guys” isn’t about to let his secrets die with him. “When casting the iconic role of Joe Chill, arguably the man who created Batman, there was only one name we considered – Doug Bradley. We needed an actor with the kind of gravitas that would do justice to such a seminal character in DC Comics canon,” said series co-creators Chad Fiveash, James Stoteraux and Natalie Abrams in a statement. “And who better to embody the role of the classic Gotham fiend than the man whose legendary portrayal of another classic fiend – Pinhead in the Hellraiser franchise — continues to terrify generations of horror fans?”

Netflix and The Pokémon Company announced on Monday that the two are teaming up for a new stop-motion animated series called “Pokémon Concierge,” revealing a short teaser for the new show.Expanding the Pokémon world, the story follows Haru, a concierge at the ‘Pokémon Resort,’ and her interactions with Pokémon and their owners who visit as guests. You can see her hanging with Psyduck in the first teaser video above.The ambitious project is a collaboration between Netflix, The Pokémon Company and dwarf studios, which is handling production.“Netflix is looking forward to delighting fans in Japan and around the world with ‘Pokémon Concierge,’ an entirely new visual and storytelling experience featuring ground-breaking stop-motion animation set in the Pokémon world in close collaboration with The Pokémon Company,” Minyoung Kim, Vice President of Netflix Content in Asia, said in a statement.

Top Gun: Maverick, Elvis and Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio were among the big film winners at the Motion Picture Sound Editors’ 70th Golden Reel Awards, which were handed out Sunday night at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles. See the full list below.