Stars on Screen
‘Station Eleven’: After inspiring last fall’s #DeborahCoxChallenge on social media, Canadian R&B artist/actor Deborah Cox (“The First Wives Club”) is set to release a seventh studio album this year. But that’s not her only project in 2021. Cox has also landed a recurring role in a new postapocalyptic series from HBO Max.
“Station Eleven” is based on Emily St. John Mandel’s (also a Canadian) 2014 bestselling novel, which has now been adapted into a 10-episode drama. Like the novel, the series spans multiple timelines and tells the stories of those who survived a devastating flu as they attempt to rebuild and reimagine the world anew while holding on to the best of what’s been lost.
Cox will play the role of Wendy, a musician “looking for more” as part of The Traveling Symphony, a band of Shakepeare performers who survived the Georgia flu. It’s a fitting role for the Grammy-nominated performer, who first came to prominence in the 1990s with singles such as “Sentimental,” “Who Do U Love” and her biggest hit, “Nobody’s Supposed to Be Here.” Since then, Cox has played the lead role in a touring musical adaptation of the 1992 film “The Bodyguard.” She also starred in the 2020 BET+ movie “Influence,” and most recently in Lifetime’s “V.C. Andrews’ Ruby” (2021).
With “Station Eleven,” Cox joins a cast led by Mackenzie Davis (“Halt and Catch Fire”) and Himesh Patel (“Yesterday,” 2019), who play the two main characters. Other recurring cast members include Gael García Bernal (“Mozart in the Jungle”), Lori Petty (“A League of Their Own,” 1992), Daniel Zovatto (“Penny Dreadful: City of Angels”), Andy McQueen (“The Coroner”), David Cross (“Arrested Development”), Enrico Colantoni (“Veronica Mars”) and Julian Obradors (“Mayans M.C.”).
Song and dance:
CBS’s “Come Dance With Me” has tapped music producer/songwriter Philip Lawrence to host the dance competition series, which has also found one of its judges.
From executive producers (and “NCIS: Los Angeles” stars) L.L. Cool J and Chris O’Donnell, “Come Dance With Me” will showcase young dancers from across the country. These talented performers will invite one inspirational family member — or another adult who has supported their dance dreams — to become their dance partner for a shot at a grand prize. Each week, these kids will share their love of dance with their untrained partners as they learn to perform challenging routines (with the help of professional choreographers) before competing against other dancing duos.
Lawrence recently starred in Netflix’s “Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey” (2020) and voiced Felipe the Scarlet Macaw in “Rio 2” (2014), but he is best known for his Grammywinning work as a songwriter and record producer. He had a hand in such hits as Mark Ronson’s “Uptown Funk,” CeeLo Green’s “F*You” and FloRida’s “Right ‘Round.” He’s also Bruno Mars’ longtime collaborator — Lawrence performed alongside him at the Super Bowl halftime show and is credited as co-writer and co-producer on many of Mars’ songs, including “Grenade” and “Locked Out Of Heaven,” as well as the 2016 album “24K Magic.”
Lawrence isn’t the only famous name attached to “Come Dance With Me.” “Step Up” (2006) star Jenna Dewan will reportedly serve as one of the judges for the series. A former backup dancer for Janet Jackson, Dewan previously hosted the first two seasons of NBC’s “World of Dance” and served as a guest mentor in Season 3 of the show. She also hosted “Flirty Dancing,” Fox’s adaptation of a British dancing dating show.
“Come Dance With Me” is set to begin filming this month in Australia.