celebrity extra
Q: Where can I see the new “Road House” movie? It’s not playing in local theaters, as far as I can tell. The original movie with Patrick Swayze is one of my favorites. -- D.D.
A:The remake of the 1989 cult classic isn’t at your local movie theater. Instead, it’s available now exclusively through Amazon’s Prime Video streaming app. The new “Road House” stars Jake Gyllenhaal (“Brokeback Mountain”) as a former UFC fighter working as a bouncer at a bar in the Florida Keys. There is also a romance (just like there was with Patrick Swayze and Kelly Lynch in the original), this time with a nurse played by Daniela Melchior (“Fast X”). There are also plenty of fights -lots and lots of fights. Gyllenhaal sports abs of steel as he faces off against real-life UFC pro Conor McGregor, who plays a mouthy hitman in the film. Keep an eye out for another celebrity-turned-actor -- Post Malone -- as well as familiar actors like Lukas Gage (“The White Lotus”), Billy Magnussen (“No Time to Die”) and Jessica Williams (“Shrinking”). According to an article on IndieWire, Amazon gave the filmmakers and Gyllenhaal a choice between a $60 million budget and a bigscreen release or an $85 million budget and a streaming-only release. They chose the latter, which “typically means a larger upfront payday for the filmmaker and their star(s).”
Q: I saw the actress who played Blair on “The Facts of Life” recently, and she hasn’t aged a bit. Is she still acting? -- C.S.
A:Lisa Whelchel is best known for her role as snooty Blair Warner on the ‘80s sitcom “The Facts of Life.” She actually debuted the role on an episode of “Diff’rent Strokes,” but before this, she was a Mouseketeer on “The New Mickey Mouse Club,” a series which ran in 1977.
Her acting career stalled for a while once “Facts” ended, but she had a resurgence about a decade ago with roles in several Christmas movies. Also, in 2012, she appeared as a contestant on the competitive reality show “Survivor: Philippines,” and she currently hosts “Collector’s Call” on the MeTV channel. The new season about “surprising collections, fascinating collectors and exciting trades” premieres on Sunday, April 7.