December 05, 2021

Here's the Scoop...

Star Alec Baldwin and a lawyer for an assistant director on the film Rust told ABC News that Baldwin did not pull the trigger in an accidental shooting on the set that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

In an interview that aired Thursday on Good Morning America, attorney Lisa Torraco said assistant director Dave Halls has maintained from the start that Baldwin's finger was "never in the trigger guard" when Hutchins was killed and director Joel Souza was wounded on the New Mexico set.

"The entire time, Baldwin had his finger outside the trigger guard, parallel to the barrel. [Halls] told me since day one that he thought it was a misfire," Torraco said.

Baldwin told ABC's George Stephanopoulos the same thing during aninterview that aired Thursday.

"The trigger wasn't pulled. I didn't pull the trigger," Baldwin said in an excerpt released by the network of the emotional interview in which the actor is seen breaking down in tears.

Baldwin said he had no idea how a live bullet got onto the set and that he would never point a gun at anyone and pull a trigger.

"Someone put a live bullet in a gun, a bullet that wasn't even supposed to be on the property," Baldwin said.

The accident occurred Oct. 21. Baldwin was holding an antique revolver at the Bonanza Creek Ranch when the firearm discharged a live round, striking Hutchins in the chest. The same bullet also hit Souza in the shoulder, according to the Santa Fe County Sheriff's office.

Baldwin, who is also a producer on the film, is facing several lawsuits, including one filed by Rust crew member Serge Svetnoy, the chief lighting technician, who alleges members of the cast and crew failed to properly inspect the revolver to ensure it did not contain live ammunition before handing it to the actor.

Baldwin is also being sued by the script supervisor, Mamie Mitchell, for intentional infliction of emotional distress. She said Baldwin was not required to discharge the firearm.

On Tuesday, a New Mexico judge authorized investigators to search an Albuquerque prop firm.

Be Well,
Steve

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'American Idol,' 'Jeopardy!' college tournament coming to ABC in February

American Idol and a new Jeopardy! National College Championship are coming to ABC in February 2022.

ABC said Thursday that American Idol will return for a fifth season Feb. 27 at 8 p.m. EST.

The new season will be hosted by Ryan Seacrest and feature Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie as judges. The season is the show's fifth on ABC and its 20th season overall.

Live, virtual auditions for the season started in August.

The new Jeopardy! National College Championship will be hosted by actress Mayim Bialik. Bialik and former Jeopardy! champion Ken Jennings have been hosting the game show since September.

The college tournament will feature contestants from 36 U.S. colleges and universities. The event will take place Feb. 8-11 and 15-18, with the ninth night set for Feb. 22.

Bialik and Jennings are set to host Jeopardy! through the end of the year. Longtime executive producer Mike Richards stepped down as host in August following controversy over his past comments.

Alex Trebek, who hosted Jeopardy! for 37 seasons, died at age 80 in November 2020.

Cobie Smulders to reprise Maria Hill in Marvel's 'Secret Invasion'

Cobie Smulders will return as Maria Hill in the new series Secret Invasion.

Deadline reported Wednesday that Hill, 39, will play the Marvel character in the upcoming Disney+ series.

Variety confirmed Smulders' casting.

Smulders joins previously announced stars Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Olivia Colman and Emilia Clarke.

Secret Invasion centers on S.H.I.E.L.D. head Nick Fury (Jackson), the Skrull Talos (Mendelsohn) and a faction of shape-shifting Skrulls who have been infiltrating Earth for years.

Smulders has portrayed Hill in several Marvel projects, including the ABC series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the films Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Avengers: Age of Ultron. She has previously worked with Jackson.

Secret Invasion will air as a miniseries on Disney+. The streaming service is home to several other Marvel series, including Hawkeye, Loki and the upcoming WandaVision spinoff Agatha: House of Harkness.

Cara Delevingne to star in 'Only Murders in the Building' Season 2

Cara Delevingne has joined the cast of the Hulu series Only Murders in the Building.

Deadline reported Wednesday that Delevingne, 29, will star in Season 2 of the mystery-comedy series.

The Hollywood Reporter confirmed Delevingne's casting. The model and actress will play Alice, a sophisticated art world insider who becomes involved in the mystery.

Delevingne joins returning stars Steve Martin, Martin Short, Selena Gomez, Aaron Dominguez and Amy Ryan.

Only Murders in the Building is created by Martin and John Hoffman. The show follows Mabel (Gomez), Charles (Martin) and Oliver (Short), three true crime podcast fans who investigate a murder in their apartment building.

The series premiered in August and was renewed for a second season in September.

"To feel we've connected with our audience and hit the mark enough already to have the chance to continue -- and to carry on our show's wild ride of a mystery-comedy-empathy -- is too exciting for words," Hoffman said at the time. "So I'll shut up now -- and just say a huge thanks to all and I can't wait for more!"

Delevingne is known for the films Suicide Squad and Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets. She plays Vignette on the Amazon Prime Video fantasy series Carnival Row.

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Eddie Mekka, who starred as Carmine on 'Laverne & Shirley,' dies at 69

Eddie Mekka, who gained fame in his role as Carmine Ragusa, "The Big Ragu," on Laverne & Shirley, has died at age 69.

Mekka was found dead at his home in Newhall, Calif., on Saturday after neighbors became concerned when they hadn't heard from him in a few days and called police to check on him, according to TMZ.

His brother Warren Mekjian told TMZ he had been recently hospitalized for blood clots and could barely walk.

A cause of death has not been given, according to the actor's official Facebook page, The Hollywood Reporter noted.

Mekka joined the show as Shirley's (Cindy Williams) boyfriend in 1976 and continued in the role throughout the series' eight-season run on ABC.

"My darling Eddie," Williams tweeted.

"I love you dearly. I'll miss you so much. But oh the marvelous memories," Williams added with a link to some clips with him from the show.

Mekka also worked with Williams in a touring production of Grease and with Penny Marshall in A League of Their Own.

"I do a great jitterbug number with Madonna in A League of Their Own," he told The Boston Globe in a 2014 interview. "And on Laverne & Shirley, because I love to sing Tony Bennett, we worked in a recurring bit where, whenever Laverne [Marshall] is mad at Carmine, all he has to do is sing the line from the Tony Bennett song, 'You know I'd go from rags to riches...' and she forgives him."

Mekka was also a Tony award nominee for his role in the 1975 rock opera The Lieutenant, where he made his Broadway debut, and also earned a Drama Desk Award nod for the role.

He also starred as a club manager in Dreamgirls; in TV series 24, ER, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia; and in soap operas The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful. He also starred in guest roles on hit shows, Fantasy Island, The Love Boat, and Family Matters.

Mekka was born in Worcester, Mass., and and headed the Worcester County Light Opera in his hometown before making his Broadway debut.

Mekka is survived by his one daughter Mia, and wife Yvonne Marie Grace.