Yep, Sheryl Lee Ralph Improvised “Sweet Baby Jesus, And The Grown One Too” On ‘Abbott Elementary’ [Interview]

Marta Balaga Switzerland’s Locarno Film Festival has revealed the lineup for its 75th edition, sticking to its promise of discovering new talent.A slew of debuting filmmakers will showcase their works, from Italy’s Nicola Prosatore with “Piano Piano” to Caterina Mona, focusing in “Semret” on an Eritrean single mother working at a Zurich hospital and dreaming of becoming a midwife.Thomas Hardiman’s U.K.’s proposition “Medusa Deluxe,” a murder mystery set in a competitive hairdressing competition — boarded by New Europe Film Sales — is also bound to generate some excitement.“‘Medusa Deluxe’ is one of the coolest debuts of the year,” the company’s CEO Jan Naszewski enthused to Variety. “I’m sure it will rock the Piazza Grande and give the festival a great spark.”But Locarno will also bring in heavyweights, starting with a screening of the much-anticipated Brad Pitt vehicle “Bullet Train,” directed by “Atomic Blond” helmer David Leitch, and Olivia Newman’s “Where the Crawdads Sing” with Daisy Edgar-Jones and David Strathairn.Anna Gutto’s “Paradise Highway” packs star power as well, starring the likes of Morgan Freeman, “Captain America’s” Frank Grillo and Juliette Binoche, cast as a truck driver forced to smuggle illicit cargo to save her brother from a prison gang.In an interview with Variety earlier this year, the French actor described the role as a “worthwhile challenge.”“I never imagined I’d play a truck driver! I was drawn to incongruity and the prospect of embarking on a new adventure.

John Hopewell Chief International CorrespondentEnergetic Italian sales agent Open Reel has closed world sales rights to Valentin Merz’s “De noche los gatos son pardos,” which will world premiere in this year’s Locarno Festival International Competition. One of two first features in Locarno’s main competitive section, “De noche los gatos son pardos” (“At Night All Cats Are Black”) returns to Europe’s largest mid-Summer film event after winning the biggest prize last year at its First Look pix-in-post showcase focused on Swiss movies.That prize went to the section’s boldest entry, a genre mashup of film shoot drama and comedic procedural which proves an ode to sexuality in its multiple manifestations, as well as to love and filmmaking.  Shot through with a meta conscience, “De noche…” turns on a highly disparate crew and cast shooting a sexually-souped costume drama in wooded hills. Suddenly, its director, Valentin disappears.

Naman Ramachandran British comedian, actor and screenwriter Jamie Demetriou, winner of four BAFTAs for Channel 4/HBO Max sitcom “Stath Lets Flats,” has inked a creative partnership with BBC Studios. The multi-year agreement will see Demetriou co-develop and co-produce new projects through BBC Studios’ production scripted portfolio and his own People Day Limited.In “Stath Lets Flats,” written by and starring Demetriou, he plays a chaotic but well-meaning Greek-Cypriot lettings agent. BBC Studios is the international distributor of the show and has introduced it to audiences in markets like the U.S., Canada, Australia and Greece.Jonathan Blyth, director of commercial and partnerships for comedy at BBC Studios, said: “Jamie is one of the most gifted and sought after comics in the country.

K.J. Yossman Mona Hammond, a former “EastEnders” star and West End trailblazer, has died.

Emiliano De Pablos Brussels-based sales company Be For Films has picked up international sales rights to two world premiere titles at the upcoming 75th Locarno Film Festival: Delphine Lehericey’s Piazza Grande entry “Last Dance” and Julie Lerat-Gersant’s Cineasti del Presente player “Little Ones.”Lehericey’s third film, the dramedy “Last Dance,” is a Switzerland-Belgium co-production, teaming Lausanne-based Box Productions with Brussels’ Need Productions.The film follows Germain, an introspective retiree who abruptly becomes a widower at 75. Suddenly, he finds himself at the heart of a contemporary dance company’s newest work, honoring a promise he made to his departed wife.The film stars French actor François Berléand (“Les Choristes,” “Transporter”), Spanish-born choreographer, dancer and visual artist La Ribot, Kacey Mottet-Klein (“Sister,” “Home”), Jean-Benoît Ugeux (“I Feel Good,” “Paris Police 1900”) and Sabine Timoteo (“The Chronicles of Melanie,” “Driften”).

Apple iPhone is packed full of apps which are able to track your activity across not only the Internet, but other apps.By giving you a unique 'advertising ID', apps are able to keep an eye on your online movements and serve up personalised ads. They do this by building a picture of your personality, your lifestyle, what you spend money on, and even your political beliefs.READ NEXT: WhatsApp 'stealth mode' lets you use app and read messages without anyone knowingThere's a dark side to this, as many apps frequently sell this data on to other companies, meaning you lose out on privacy while big businesses profit.While Apple has attempted to limit websites from tracking its users' browser usage with a new Safari feature, apps are still able to keep tabs on you in this way.Fortunately, there's a hidden list on the iPhone that tells you exactly which apps are following you around the Internet—and gives you an option to block them from doing so.

Max Verstappen has agreed to end his boycott of the hit Netflix series Drive to Survive.The popular show, which provides a behind-the-scenes look at F1 and its stars, has been credited with boosting the sport’s profile, particularly in America. But one of F1’s biggest names has declined to take part since appearing in series one.

READ MORE: Football ultras storm managerial unveiling of ex-Liverpool star in support of former bossUnfortunately for Benedetto, his anguish didn't end there. Corinthians wasted no time in rubbing salt in the veteran's wounds online, with a brutal social media post poking fun at his contribution to their victory.The club's official tweet account shared a post with an image of a mocked up club membership card with Benedetto's face and details on with a simple but effective caption of "GRACIAS".Unsurprisingly, Corinthians fans absolutely lapped up the brutal tweet and were quick to conjure up their own mischievous tweets and images to cap a miserable night for Benedetto and Boca Juniors, who were left to lick their wounds after the gut-wrenching defeat.Can you think of a better football wind-up than this attempt by Corinthians? Let us know in the comments section below.Despite Benedetto's double miss, Boca Juniors boss Sebastián Battaglia refused to blame the striker for the defeat, insisting that his side "deserved" to go through and were simply unfortunate.He said: "The rival went to tie and look for penalties, which is what happened.

Ukraine to take on Vladimir Putin with the help of a pretty blonde translator he is "hanging out with" .Former US Army staff sergeant James Vasquez, 47, sold everything he owned and returned to the war-torn country after finding out his wife had left him. He originally arrived in Ukraine in early April to fight against Putin's invaders.READ MORE: US veteran who fought in Ukraine left by wife and vows to sell house and return to warVasquez was vocal on Twitter throughout his time in Ukraine, and after he returned he often stated that he felt bad about leaving his unit on the frontline.Late last month Vasquez, who served two tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan, revealed he would sell everything and return to the action, but after a personal loss."I know I’ve been radio silent for a while, mostly because we have had big losses in the past week and I feel helpless being home.

dating apps are looking to bag younger men, new statistics have revealed.It seems age is truly just a number in 2022, as ladies looking for love seem to be interested in bagging a toy boy.According to Tinder, the world’s most popular app for meeting new people, nearly half (45%) of female Tinder members have matched with a younger man in the past month.READ MORE: Biggest Tinder turn-offs revealed –from cringey emojis to group picturesIt's been revealed that 45.18% of female Tinder members globally matched with at least one younger man between May and June this year. Tinder members have revealed they are seeking a youthful match as mentions of "younger man" have also increased by a whooping 70%.This figure has been based on a year-on-year increase of bio mentions between May 2021 and May 2022.

Ed Balls and Susanna Reid quickly stopped busting some moves live on Good Morning Britain when they realised exactly what the song was saying. The pair were back fronting the ITV news programme on Wednesday (July 6) but there was a bit of a change.

Ulrika Jonsson has shown off her sexy side once again as she posed braless in a photo on Monday morning, days after stripping completely naked in her garden. The 54-year-old model confidently showed off her body in the racy photo, which she shared on her Instagram stories.

A driver has been filmed speeding down the wrong side of a Scots motorway in heart-stopping footage captured by another motorist.

Police have released another CCTV image after a man was left fighting for his life following a brutal attack in the Northern Quarter.

An extra £40m is being sought by Bolton-headquartered AO after its share price slumped over the last two days.

Tuesday night's episode of Love Island saw Luca Bish and Jacques O'Neill predict that Dami Hope is going to couple up with Casa Amor girl Summer Botwe. Since the original girls left for Casa Amor, the Islanders have been exploring new connections with the addition of six new boys and six new girls. Whilst the girls have been getting to know the new boys, many of the original guys have certainly been getting even closer to the new girls, especially Dami Hope who enjoyed a kiss on the terrace with Summer.

Love Island fans have shared their confusion at the apparent disappearance of one of the girls who entered the main villa as part of the Casa Amor twist. Just hours after getting acquainted with the Love Island boys, newcomer Jazmine Nichol hasn't enjoyed much screen time, leaving many viewers questioning if the 21 year old was even still on the set of the ITV2 dating show.

Emmerdale fans have predicted there is something sinister about Marcus after "creepy" scenes with Charles in Tuesday night's episode. Marcus was seen trying to help his boyfriend Ethan and his dad Charles find their long-lost sister and daughter Naomi, who they only found out existed last year.

This week we’ve been enjoying the return of the annual Casa Amor antics after our Love Island couples were split up and a whole new set of girls and boys joined the respective villas. As is tradition. While the girls have been over at Casa Amor getting to know the new guys, bombshells have also hit the main villa to test the original boys – including Coco Lodge, who has been getting very cosy with Andrew Le Page.

With wedding season finally upon us, many Brits face the dilemma of how much to spend on a gift to mark the special occasion. Planning a wedding can be expensive, but even attending as a guest can be costly.

Sheryl Lee Ralph has been a staple of Black Hollywood since her breakthrough role as Deena Jones in the Broadway musical The 65-year-old actress scored a Tony nomination for the musical and captured the hearts of millions, which became the norm with her every role over the last five decades.So it's no surprise that her portrayal as the velvety-voiced, no-nonsense, God-fearing Barbara Howard on ABC's mega-hit TV show, , has become a viral sensation. And while there have been a lot of memorable roles throughout Ralph's nearly 50-year career, it all started with .«You know, just like doing  when I was doing , I knew we were doing something very special. I knew in my heart,» she told ET about playing the musical's first-ever Deena and becoming an icon of musical theater.