Celebrity Extra: Jennifer Tilly
By Dana Jackson
Q: My husband and I have been eagerly awaiting for our "Chicago" shows to return. Is there a definitive premiere date yet? -- K.H.
A: Yes, now that the strikes in Hollywood have ended, cast members have returned to their sets for filming. NBC has even started airing commercials officially announcing that "Chicago Med," "Chicago Fire" and Chicago P.D." will begin airing new episodes, starting at 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Jan. 17, in the above order.
Also on NBC, another popular trio of shows -- "Law & Order," "Law & Order: SVU" and "Law & Order: Organized Crime" -- will debut their new seasons on Thursday, Jan. 18, beginning at 8 p.m. ET.
Just because these long-running series are returning in January doesn't mean that every TV network is ready. According to Variety, "the well-established machinery of the 'One Chicago' and 'Law & Order' franchises allows them to get back into the swing of things rather quickly."
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Q: Is it true that there's going to be another "Frozen" movie? When is it coming out? -- O.P.
A: A decade after Disney's wildly successful musical movie "Frozen" premiered in theaters, a third one is in development -- and possibly a fourth. It was initially conceived as a hand-drawn animated film back in 1937 based on Hans Christian Andersen's "The Snow Queen" before it made its way to the big screen in the 21st century.
Stars Idina Menzel and Kristen Bell had originally auditioned for "Tangled" years earlier, both going for the role that Mandy Moore eventually lent her voice to. The wait was worth it, however, because "Frozen" would become the highest-grossing animated film of its time ... that is, until its sequel, "Frozen II," surpassed it.
As for the "Frozen III" premiere date, online publications are guessing anywhere from 2024 to 2027. What matters, though, is what Disney says, and so far, an official release date hasn't been set. However, Jennifer Lee, Disney's animation chief creative officer, has stated that a fourth film might be necessary because "they have a lot of story to tell."
Two recent animated Disney movies -- "Elemental" and "Strange World" -- didn't fare so well at the box office, and both were each based on original ideas. So, returning to a preexisting franchise like "Frozen" will be a guaranteed home run.
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Q: I occasionally see actress Jennifer Tilly on “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” because she's friends with Sutton Stracke. Is she still acting? -- K.J.
A: Yes, Jennifer Tilly is still acting, and she's also best friends with "RHOBH" cast member Sutton Stracke. She's currently starring in the "Chucky" series streaming on Peacock. She also voices the character of Bonnie on the long-running animated series "Family Guy." Tilly can also add being Oscar-nominated to her list of achievements for her supporting role in 1994's "Bullets Over Broadway."
If she has any reality show career aspirations, she hasn't made it known, but she occasionally appears on "RHOBH" due to her friendship with Stracke. On the show, the two ladies recently greeted Stracke's beautiful horse, Santos, whom Stracke had purchased overseas.
Send me your questions at NewCelebrityExtra@gmail.com, or write me at KFWS, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803.
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