SMALL SCREEN BIG NEWS
Viewers who’re missing Y&R (1975-current) since it was dropped by e.tv in July this year are in for some good news: Greg Rikaart, who plays Kevin Fisher, is joining Days Of Our Lives (1965-current; see p29). While his role is still under wraps, it’s going to be a wait for local fans as Days in SA is almost three years behind the US, so we’ll only see Greg in 2020.
Disney is continuing its reboot trend, this time with a muchloved ’90s cartoon. DuckTales (2017- current) follows the adventures of megawealthy Scrooge McDuck and his grandnephews Huey, Dewey and Louie, with Uncle Donald Duck popping in now and then. Disney has also brought in some big talent to voice the characters, including David Tenant (Dr Who, 2005-2013) as Scrooge, Danny Pudi (Abed in Community, 2009-2015) as Huey, and Ben Schwartz (Jean-Ralphio Saperstein in Parks & Recreation, 2010-2015) as Dewey. Nigerian actress Toks Olagundoye (Jackie in The Neighbors, 2012-2014) will voice stern Mrs Beakley, the triplets’ nanny.
While fans are waiting patiently to hear when season 14 of medical drama Grey’s Anatomy (2005-current) will air in SA, we’ve got a spoiler: the show has added six new characters already in the US. So far they’re mostly newbie actors who’re working as interns at Sloan Memorial hospital, but we do know Alex Blue Davis, who has had a few cameos as Vernon Palumbo on NCIS (2003-current).
Robert Kirkman, the creator of apocalyptic sci-fi show The Walking Dead (2010-current) and prequel series Fear The Walking Dead (2015- current), let slip at a New York comic-con discussion that there will be a crossover episode “in the very near future – 2018”. He wouldn’t reveal much more, except that fans can expect a character from one show to appear in the other. It’s rumoured to be a move to boost Fear The Walking Dead’s ratings after they slumped a bit in current season 3.
Connie Britton could soon be returning to screens outside the country-music world of Nashville (2012-current). She’s landed a role in upcoming drama series 9-1-1 that will fictionalise the high-pressure world of police, paramedics and firefighters. “I’m really excited about this because it’s nothing like I’ve done before,” says Connie, who earned an Emmy nomination for her role as Rayna and performs her own songs.
Hollywood star Idris Elba (Nelson Mandela in 2013 biopic Long Walk To Freedom) is turning his attention to TV comedy with upcoming series The Long Run. It’s set in ’80s London around a family from Sierra Leone, with Idris adding, “I’m slightly nervous because I’m not a comedy guy, but I’m happy about bringing laughs to a world that needs some joy”.
Tough-guy actor Sylvester Stallone will cameo in season 2 of dramedy series This Is Us (2016-current). While filming, the show’s stars like Milo Ventimiglia (Jack) admitted to being starstruck. “It’s Rocky, come on! I fluffed my lines trying to impress this A-lister,” Milo says sheepishly.
Animated Disney movie Frozen (2013) is officially getting a sequel and it has snapped up Kristen Bell (Eleanor in comedy series The Good Place, 2016- current) to voice Anna again. She also did the voicework in two Frozen short films but producers worried that she wouldn’t be available thanks to her new sitcom role.
Movie super-producer Steven Spielberg and Bryan Fuller are working together on a reboot of Steven’s horror sci-fi series Amazing Stories (1985-1987). They have teamed up with tech giant Apple and Steven’s production company Amblin Entertainment will produce it.