Celebrity Extra: Ariana Grande
By Dana Jackson
Q: When is the movie “Wicked” coming out? Will it be one of those live musicals on TV like they did with “The Sound of Music”? -- H.G.
A: "Wicked," a prequel to the classic 1939 film "The Wizard of Oz," is a musical, but it won't air live on television. It will be released in movie theaters as a two-part film series -- the first releasing on Nov. 27, 2024 and the second a year later. It's a film adaptation of the Tony-Award-winning Broadway musical, which was based on the novel written by Gregory Maguire.
Ariana Grande (Upcoming in "Wicked"). Photo Credit: Depositphotos
"Wicked" the motion picture will star Ariana Grande as Glinda Upland, otherwise known as Glinda the Good Witch, and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, aka the Wicked Witch. The film adaptation appears to be in good hands with director Jon M. Chu at the helm. He's also directed the hit film "Crazy Rich Asians" and the well-received musical film "In the Heights."
Chu recently thanked his cast and crew on social media, stating it was "the most ambitious cinematic production I have ever been a part of, or, frankly, ever witnessed."
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Q: What can I look forward to seeing Tom Ellis in now that "Lucifer" has ended? Does he have another series lined up? -- D.L.
A: British actor Tom Ellis gained fame here in the United States for his portrayal of the DC Comics character Lucifer Morningstar. Netflix aired "Lucifer" after Fox chose not to renew it for a fourth season, and it continued on the streaming giant for a total of six seasons.
Next up for Ellis is a new series called "Second Wife," that he's co-producing with his wife, Meaghan Oppenheimer, for Hulu. It stars Ellis and Emma Roberts ("American Horror Story") as a couple who spontaneously marry after meeting in London. The half-hour dramedy doesn't have a premiere date yet, but it's expected sometime in 2024.
If you can't wait to see more of Ellis, you can catch him in the upcoming Netflix film "Players" with Gina Rodriguez ("Jane the Virgin") this Valentine's Day. You can also see him in the limited series "Washington Black," based on the best-selling novel by Esi Edugyan. It co-stars Sterling K. Brown ("This Is Us") and can be streamed later this year on Hulu.
So, it looks like you won't be experiencing a dearth of Tom Ellis projects for much longer!
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Q: Why isn't Maksim Chmerkovskiy on "Dancing with the Stars" anymore? He was my favorite pro on the show. -- A.C.
A: Maksim "Maks" Chmerkovskiy hasn't been part of the ABC dance competition show since 2017, but has been sorely missed by his fans. His wife, Peta Murgatroyd, and his brother, Val, are still pros on "Dancing with the Stars," but Maks has been busy with other projects. He'll be a judge on the upcoming season of Fox's "So You Think You Can Dance," and he's a celebrity contestant on the current season of "The Traitors" on Peacock.
Send me your questions at NewCelebrityExtra@gmail.com, or write me at KFWS, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803.
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