Celebrity Extra: Shawnee Smith
By Dana Jackson
Q: Whatever happened to actress Shawnee Smith from the Ted Danson show “Becker?” Is she still acting? -- M.M.
A: Yes, Shawnee Smith is still active in show business. She played the memorable ditzy office aide Linda on the sitcom "Becker" until 2004, but is known to horror fans for her role in the "Saw" movies. She also played Charlie Sheen's ex-wife in the series "Anger Management." Next up for Smith are two more projects that fall within the horror genre: "Slay" and "Psychopomp."
Actress Shawnee Smith in "Saw X" (2023). Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate
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Q: I saw a headline that Billie Eilish's mom was once on "Friends." Who did she play? -- S.I.
A: Nine-time Grammy-Award-winning recording artist Billie Eilish grew up homeschooled with her aspiring actor parents and her future musical collaborator brother, Finneas. Her mom, Maggie Baird, and dad, Patrick O'Connell, both struggled as actors but made their kids their top priority. Baird performed and also taught improv comedy to future stars like Melissa McCarthy. Eilish calls her dad "the best actor I've ever seen" and says that her mom "can do all these voices and characters."
Despite their talent, Baird and O'Connell mostly guest-starred on various primetime series and movies. O'Connell played a reporter in Marvel's "Iron Man" and a bartender on "The West Wing," while Baird played a casting director to an auditioning Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc) in an episode of "Friends," titled "The One Where Joey Loses His Insurance." She's also appeared on "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "Bones," and "Six Feet Under."
Eilish still lived with her parents in their two-bedroom home in Los Angeles up until 2023. She actually bought a $2.3-million home when she was 17, but didn't officially move into it until she was 21.
The proud parents attended the Academy Awards ceremony this past year to see their kids not only perform and receive a standing ovation, but also win an Oscar for their song "What Was I Made For?" from the movie "Barbie."
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Q: When is the final season of "Stranger Things" coming out? Also, how will they explain the actors being so much older since the last time they filmed? Is it set in the future? -- L.J.
A: As far as a premiere date for the fifth and final season of the hit streaming series "Stranger Things," it's said to be out on Netflix sometime in 2025. The good news is that the show has been in production since January after it was delayed an extra seven months due to the writers' and actors' strikes.
Ross Duffer, one of the show's creators, told TVLine that there will be a time jump in the story. In addition, the episodes will be lengthy, like "basically eight movies," according to Maya Hawke, who plays Robin in the show. "Terminator" star Linda Hamilton has also joined the cast in an undisclosed role.
Producer Shawn Levy acknowledges the fast-growing cast, but says that along with the hair and makeup teams, "the '80s are also our friends in returning these young adult actors to their iconic Hawkins characters."
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