David Schwimmer reveals tentative plans to film ‘Friends’ reunion in quarantine

LOS ANGELES » HBO Max is pivoting its production plans for the “Friends” reunion amid the COVID-19 pandemic, according to David Schwimmer.

The “Intelligence” actor, who played Ross in the hit ’90s sitcom, revealed on “The Tonight Show” that tentative plans have been made to film the highly anticipated special in quarantine.

The entire “Friends” squad, including Schwimmer, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matthew Perry and Matt LeBlanc, was originally scheduled to shoot in March, but the public health emergency shut down production on all film and TV projects.

“It’s supposed to happen maybe in August, the middle of August,” Schwimmer told host Jimmy Fallon. “But honestly, we’re gonna wait and see another week or two if we all determine it’s really safe enough to do. And if not, then we’ll wait until it’s safe.”

HBO to adapt Coates’ ‘Between the World and Me’

NEW YORK » A stage production of TaNehisi Coates’ “Between the World and Me,” his prize-winning book about racism and police violence, is being adapted by HBO for a special this fall.

HBO announced that the program will feature readings from “Between the World and Me” and will be directed by Apollo Theater Executive Producer Kamilah Forbes, who handled the stage show in 2018 at the celebrated performance center in Harlem.

“I’ve been working with Kamilah for almost as long as I’ve been a writer,” Coates said in a statement. “I can think of no one better to put ‘Between the World and Me’ on screen and no better home for it than HBO.”

Coates’ book, published in 2015, is structured as an open letter to his adolescent son about what to expect as a Black person living in the United States.