Month: March 2024

Mattel announced in a press release that they will release eight new ‘Role Model’ Barbie dolls inspired by a vast array of famous women in honor of International Women’s Day. The role model dolls “recognize women worldwide who embody the brand’s mission to inspire stories to shape the future.” Mattel also announced an anniversary collection featuring Barbie Career 65th Anniversary dolls, a new doll inspired by the original 1959 Barbie doll, and 2024 Fashionistas dolls paying homage to Barbie fashion through the years.

Mattel unveiled the dolls ahead of Barbie’s 65th anniversary this Saturday, which includes Oscar-winning actress Viola Davis, Grammy-winning singer Shania Twain, actress Helen Mirren and singer Kylie Minogue, as well as content creator Maira Gomez, writer and director Lila Avilés, model Nicole Fujita and comedian Enissa Amani. Dame Helen Mirren said in a statement that she is “blown away” by the doll: “It’s a very special thing, and something I can add to my list of my favorite achievements; becoming a Dame of the British Empire, having an Oscar, having a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame – and having my own Barbie.”

Barbie SVP Krista Berger said in a press release: “Barbie’s story has never been just about her. It’s about the countless young kids she’s inspired and the millions of stories she helped them imagine along the way. For the past 65 years, Barbie has used her global platform to empower girls to dream big, explore their limitless potential, and direct their own narrative to shape their future. As we celebrate this milestone anniversary, we recognize over six decades of stories Barbie has helped write and and the doll that continues to give everyone the opportunity to dream — and dream big.”

Editorial credit: Adryan Samuel Hutagalung / Shutterstock.com

Jake Paul and Mike Tyson will fight in a live boxing match on Netflix. The streaming service announced in a press release Thursday that it has partnered with Paul’s ‘Most Valuable Promotions (MVP)’ for the match. For the opportunity to sign up for presale tickets, click here.

The former YouTuber and Tyson will meet in a “boxing mega-event” that will stream live exclusively on Netflix on July 20, taking place at AT&T Stadium, an 80,000-seat capacity venue in Arlington, Texas, and the home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys. The match will mark Paul’s most-anticipated fight to date and his second fight of 2024, following his knockout against professional boxer Ryan Bourland on March 2.

Paul, 27, said in a statement: “It’s crazy to think that in my second pro fight, I went viral for knocking out Nate Robinson on Mike Tyson’s undercard. Now, less than four years later, I’m stepping up to face Tyson myself to see if I have what it takes to beat one of boxing’s most notorious fighters and biggest icons … Whether you’re tuning in on Netflix or showing out in person, whether you’re team Paul or team Tyson, or whether you’re a lifelong boxing fan or watching your first fight, you’re not going to want to miss this event … My sights are set on becoming a world champion, and now I have a chance to prove myself against the greatest heavyweight champion ever, the baddest man on the planet and the most dangerous boxer of all time. This will be the fight of a lifetime.”

The 57-year-old Tyson is the former undisputed world heavyweight champion, said he’s “very much looking forward to stepping into the ring” with Paul, adding that “he’s [Paul] grown significantly as a boxer over the years, so it will be a lot of fun to see what the will and ambition of a ‘kid’ can do with the experience and aptitude of a GOAT. It’s a full circle moment that will be beyond thrilling to watch; as I started him off on his boxing journey on the undercard of my fight with Roy Jones and now I plan to finish him.”

Tyson (50-6, 44 KOs) has not fought in an official pro match since 2005, and lost his final two matches. He reigned as the undisputed heavyweight champion from 1987 to 1990, and regaining two title belts in 1996.

Editorial credit: Leonard Zhukovsky / Shutterstock.com

Former Nickelodeon star Drake Bell has alleged he was sexually abused at the age of 15 by a Nickelodeon dialogue coach. Appearing on the forthcoming ‘Investigation Discovery’ series Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV, Bell says that he was a victim of abuse at the hands of actor Brian Peck, who worked as a dialogue coach on Nickelodeon’s ‘All That’ and ‘The Amanda Show’. Bell starred in The Amanda Show from 1999 to 2002 before going on to take the lead role in his own Nickelodeon series in 2004, Drake & Josh.

Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV is a four-part docuseries investigating the toxic work conditions at children’s shows in the 1990s and early 2000s, airing on March 17-18. The docuseries will reportedly include interviews with several other former child stars and crew members. A trailer teasing Bell’s appearance in Quiet on Set was released, along with a press release from ‘Investigation Discovery’ stating: “The clip reveals that former Nickelodeon star Drake Bell will be sharing publicly, for the first time, the story of the abuse he suffered at the hands of Brian Peck, his former dialogue coach who was convicted in 2004 for his crimes against Drake and ordered to register as a sex offender.”

In 2003, Peck was arrested and pleaded no contest to performing a lewd act against a 14- or 15-year-old and oral copulation with a minor under the age 16. Peck was ultimately convicted, sentenced to 16 months in prison, and ordered to register as a sex offender in 2004. Bell has had a tumultuous last few years — in 2021, a judge ordered him to serve two years of probation and 200 hours of community service after pleading guilty to charges of attempted child endangerment and sending inappropriate messages to a 15-year-old girl. He had at that point recently completed a two-year probation sentence, after he pled guilty to child endangerment in June 2021. He was also briefly reported missing by Florida Police in 2023, with the Daytona Beach Police Department posting an alert on their Facebook saying Bell was “considered missing and endangered”. After he was found safely, Bell announced shortly thereafter that his wife, Janet Von Schmeling, had filed for divorce.

Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

Blackpink member Lisa has joined the cast of Season 3 of HBO’s “The White Lotus”. Lisa will be credited under her given name, Lalisa Manobal, in her acting debut for the third season of the hit HBO series. As with all castings for the third season, Lisa’s role is being kept under wraps.

HBO confirmed Lisa’s casting, and added that actors Scott Glenn and Julian Kostov will also join Season 3, posting on X: ‘The trip of a lifetime awaits. Lalisa Manobal, Scott Glenn, and Julian Kostov will join the cast for Season 3 of HBO Original series #TheWhiteLotus on Max.’  The network previously announced Walton Goggins, Sarah Catherine Hook, Sam Nivola, Patrick Schwarzenegger and Aimee Lou Wood were joining the cast this season, quirk the cast also including Leslie Bibb, Jason Isaacs, Michelle Monaghan, Carrie Coon, Parker Posey, Dom Hetrakul and Tayme Thapthimthong – along with Season 1 actress Natasha Rothwell.

The White Lotus is created, written, directed and executive produced by Mike White. Each season follows the staff and guests at a different location of the fictional ‘White Lotus’ chain of luxury resorts. Season 3 will take place in Thailand, with prodution to begin this month in and around Koh Samui, Phuket, and Bangkok.

Editorial credit: JuliaDorian / Shutterstock.com

Netflix has shared a clip of Season 3 of Bridgerton, posting on social media with the caption: “New looks at Bridgerton Season 3 — where all eyes are on a certain author.”

Bridgerton, based on the Julia Quinn book series, follows the Bridgerton family of eight siblings living in Regency-era London. Season 3 will focus on the romance between longtime friends Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) and Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan). The cast also includes Adjoa Andoh, Julie Andrews, Jonathan Bailey, Ruth Gemmell, Florence Hunt, Claudia Jessie, Golda Rosheuvel and Simone Ashley.

The teaser clip shows Colin (Newton) question why Penelope (Coughlan) didn’t respond to his letters over the summer and tell her he misses her; Penelope later confronts Colin about how she overheard him saying he would never court her.

Netflix announced that Season 3 will be split into two parts — Part 1 will premiere May 16, and Part 2 will follow June 13. Take a look at the teaser clip for Season 3 of ‘Bridgerton’ – here.

Editorial credit: JOCA_PH / Shutterstock.com