Where Is the “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” Cast Now? Here's What Happened to the Stars Over 50 Years After Its Release

Where Is the "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" Cast Now? Here's What Happened to the Stars Over 50 Years After Its Release Julie TremaineJanuary 3, 2026 at 6:00 PM 0 Moviestore/Shutterstock;Brian To/FilmMagic Sally Ann Howes, Dick Van Dyke Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Just four years after Mary Poppins debuted in 1964, Hollywood legend Dick Van Dyke starred in another timeless children's classic, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. The 1968 film, based on Ian Fleming's book of the same name, stars the actor as Caractacus Potts, a quirky widowed inventor caring for his two children, Jeremy and Jemima.

- - Where Is the "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" Cast Now? Here's What Happened to the Stars Over 50 Years After Its Release

Julie TremaineJanuary 3, 2026 at 6:00 PM

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Moviestore/Shutterstock;Brian To/FilmMagic

Sally Ann Howes, Dick Van Dyke Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Just four years after Mary Poppins debuted in 1964, Hollywood legend Dick Van Dyke starred in another timeless children's classic, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

The 1968 film, based on Ian Fleming's book of the same name, stars the actor as Caractacus Potts, a quirky widowed inventor caring for his two children, Jeremy and Jemima. The kids persuade Potts to rescue an old racing car from the scrap yard, and he turns it into a vehicle that can transform into a boat and an airship, which they name "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" for the noises it makes.

In an attempt to steal the magical car, Baron Bomburst (Gert Fröbe) kidnaps Grandpa Potts (Lionel Jeffries) — so Potts, the kids and Truly Scrumptious (Sally Ann Howes), heir to the Scrumptious Candy Company fortune, embark on an adventure with Chitty to rescue him.

Van Dyke had a number of hilarious stunts in the movie, including one in which he strapped rockets to his back on a runway.

"I went to the dressing room, it had burned my socks off my feet. I didn't feel anything," he revealed during a Q&A at The Vandy High Tea in October 2025. "I took my shoes off, and my socks were gone, and I never felt a thing."

He added that despite all the "crazy" tricks he performed, he "never really had a bad accident."

Here's everything to know about where the cast of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is now.

01 of 08

Dick Van Dyke as Caractacus Potts

Moviestore/Shutterstock;Rodin Eckenroth/Getty

Dick Van Dyke in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang ; Dick Van Dyke at the 51st annual Daytime Emmys Awards at The Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites, Los Angeles on June 07, 2024

Having already starred in Mary Poppins, Bye Bye Birdie and The Dick Van Dyke Show, Van Dyke was a bonafide star when he filmed Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

The actor and singer is still performing at 100 years old, most recently appearing in Coldplay's "All My Love" video, which he produced with wife Arlene Silver in 2024. After Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Van Dyke went on to appear in movies like Dick Tracy and Night at the Museum, and in a murder mystery series, Diagnosis: Murder, with son Barry Van Dyke from 1993 to 2001.

At 97 years old, the performer became the oldest contestant on The Masked Singer and at 98, he took home a Daytime Emmy for a guest spot on Days of Our Lives.

Van Dyke has also been named a Disney Legend and a Kennedy Center honoree. "It was just a matter of enjoying myself," Van Dyke told Deadline in May 2024 of his long career. "I always loved what I was doing. If it had felt like work, I probably would have stopped it a long time ago."

In his personal life, Van Dyke has been married to his wife, Silver, since 2012.

02 of 08

Sally Ann Howes as Truly Scrumptious

Moviestore/Shutterstock ; John Lamparski/WireImage

Sally Ann Howes as Truly Scrumptious in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang ; Sally Ann Howes attends the Star Quality: The World of Noel Coward VIP reception on March 11, 2012 in New York City.

Howes appeared in the film as Truly Scrumptious, heir to the Scrumptious Candy Company, where Potts attempts to sell a whistling candy (another of his zany inventions) at the beginning of the movie. Eventually, she becomes Potts' love interest and joins the family on their adventure.

Howes appeared on Broadway — replacing Julie Andrews in My Fair Lady, among other productions — and in over 100 films, starting at age 12 in Thursday's Child. She also performed at the White House for Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson.

When auditioning for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Howes told the casting director she was a dancer, but she wasn't trained as one. When it came time to perform her big song and dance number in front of 150 extras, she was nervous.

"It was the most difficult thing in the world — it was mathematical to the nth degree," she said, according to The Times. "Everything's on a count. They put me up on this little box and off I went. I got it in one take, and I got a round of applause from all the extras."

After divorcing her first husband, Howes married composer and lyricist Richard Adler, and adopted his sons Christopher and Andrew. They later divorced, and she remarried twice after. Her fourth marriage was to literary agent Douglas Rae, and they were together from 1973 until his death in 2021. She died months later in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., at 91 years old.

03 of 08

Heather Ripley as Jemima Potts

Warfield/United Artists/Kobal/Shutterstock ; Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic

Heather Ripley in 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang' (1968) ; Heather Ripley during Opening Night for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang on Broadway in New York.

Heather Ripley was just 7 years old when she was cast in her acting debut as Jemima Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

"They thought I was perfect for the part, apart from the accent," she told The Guardian in 2002 of her Scottish accent. "But they said that wasn't a problem as they'd get rid of it. I thought that sounded a bit ominous. What did they mean? Brain surgery?"

After the movie, Ripley eventually left the film industry, settling back into a quieter life in Scotland. As an adult, she joined her family's optician business and became an activist, as well as a mother of two.

04 of 08

Adrian Hall as Jeremy Potts

Warfield/United Artists/Kobal/Shutterstock ; Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic

Adrian Hall in 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang' (1968) ; Adrian Hall during Opening Night for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang on Broadway in New York.

Adrian Hall was the same age as Ripley when he played her brother, Jeremy Potts. He went on to have a few more film roles throughout the '70s and '80s before retiring from acting.

Per Ripley's interview with The Guardian, Hall was a drama teacher as of 2002 and eventually became principal of the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts until 2020.

05 of 08

Lionel Jeffries as Grandpa Potts

Moviestore/Shutterstock

Lionel Jeffries in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Jeffries came up in West End theater productions and films in both England and Hollywood. In 1967, he was nominated for a Golden Globe for The Spy with a Cold Nose.

In Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, he played Grandpa Potts, the family patriarch who is kidnapped by the dastardly Baron Bomburst after being mistaken for his son Caractacus. In addition to acting, Jeffries was also a screenwriter and director of films like The Railway Children.

He was married to Eileen Walsh, and they had three children together. Jeffries died in 2010 at 83 years old.

06 of 08

Gert Fröbe as Baron Bomburst

Moviestore/Shutterstock; Helmut Reiss/United Archives/Getty

Gert Frobe in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang ; Gert Froebe at an evening event, Germany, circa 1985

Fröbe appeared in nearly 100 films, including 1964's Goldfinger, in which he played the titular villainous role.

Four years later, he starred as the kidnapping villain in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Both projects were based on work by Fleming, who also wrote the James Bond novels.

Fröbe was married five times and had two sons. He died in Germany in 1988 at 75 years old.

07 of 08

Anna Quayle as Baroness Bomburst

Moviestore/Shutterstock ; Michael Crabtree/PA Images/Getty

Anna Quayle in 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang' ; Anna Quayle arriving at the Tricycle Theatre in London

British actress Anna Quayle had already won a Tony for her performance in Stop the World — I Want to Get Off and appeared in the Beatles' film A Hard Day's Night when she was cast as the wife of Baron Bomburst.

The two had a duet, "Chu-Chi Face," a slapstick number where he keeps trying to comedically kill her while they're singing about their love for one another.

Quayle died in 2019 at 86 years old.

08 of 08

Benny Hill as Toymaker

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Benny Hill in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang ; Benny Hill attends the 17th annual International Emmy Awards in New York, November 20, 1989

British comedy legend Benny Hill hadn't yet risen to fame on his eponymous The Benny Hill Show when he landed the small role of Toymaker in the film.

But just after its 1968 release, Hill's show caught on in America, becoming one of the most popular shows of its time. Hill's 1992 obituary in The Telegraph described him as "the world's most popular comedian - the star of television shows which were screened in more than 100 countries and achieved audiences that even Charlie Chaplin never matched."

Hill died in 1992 at 67 years old.

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Where Is the “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” Cast Now? Here's What Happened to the Stars Over 50 Years After Its Release

Where Is the " Chitty Chitty Bang Bang " Cast Now? Here's What Happened to the Stars Over 50 Years Af...

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Community director says Chevy Chase had 'meltdown' after N-word incident leaked: 'My career is ru...

After the alleged incident, the director said Chase came back "storming onto the set, and he goes, 'Who fed me over?'&34; Community director says Chevy Chase had 'meltdown' after Nword incident leaked: 'My career is ruined!' After the alleged incident, the director said Chase came back "storming onto the set, and he goes, 'Who fed me over?'&34; By Lauren Huff :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/PXL202501060627063092a245c0a56a194868af7b6a47af56223c.

After the alleged incident, the director said Chase came back "storming onto the set, and he goes, 'Who f---ed me over?'"

Community director says Chevy Chase had 'meltdown' after N-word incident leaked: 'My career is ruined!'

After the alleged incident, the director said Chase came back "storming onto the set, and he goes, 'Who f---ed me over?'"

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Chevy Chase on 'Community'. Credit:

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Director Jay Chandrasekhar is opening up about his memories of, as he puts it, being "there, directing, the night that Chevy Chase got fired from *Community*."

In CNN Films' upcoming documentary, *I'm Chevy Chase and You're Not, *Chandrasekhar recalls the alleged 2012 on-set incident that led to a "full meltdown" of the former *Saturday Night Live* star.

Per the helmer, it all started with a "blackface hand puppet" storyline in the show written for Chase's "tone-deaf character," Pierce Hawthorne.

Chandrasekhar said he remembers Chase "said something" to his costar Yvette Nicole Brown, who is Black, though he didn't hear what it was at the time. "I know that there was a history between [Chevy and Yvette] around race, and she got up and stormed out of there," Chandrasekhar said. "Chevy storms off, so the producer is like, 'We need Yvette in the scene, right?' I'm like, 'Yeah, she's in the next scene.' And he goes, 'Well, she won't come out unless Chevy apologizes to her.'"

Donald Glover as Troy, Alison Brie, Gillian Jacobs, Yvette Nicole Brown, Danny Pudi, and Chevy Chase on 'Community'.

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When Chase returned to set a little while later, he told the director he "didn't say anything" to Brown. "He goes, 'You know, me and Richard Pryor, I used to call Richard Pryor the N-word, and he used to call me the Honky, and we loved each other,'" Chandrasekhar recalled Chase saying, referring to the late stand-up comedian and actor. "And I'm like, 'I know, man, I love that bit.' I said, 'You know, can we just have a little apology?' He goes, 'For what?'"

But then, someone leaked to *The Hollywood Reporter*, as Chandrasekhar put it, about a "racial incident" that happened on set. Per the report, Chase was increasingly frustrated with the direction of his character and used the N-word "when questioning the dialogue." The outlet further clarified that while stars Brown and Donald Glover, who are both Black, were present for the incident, "The slur was not directed at them."

After the leak, the director said Chase came back "storming onto the set, and he goes, 'Who f---ed me over?' … 'My career is ruined! I'm ruined!' Like, it's a full meltdown. 'F--- all of you!'"

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"And I'm like, 'Alright, let's shoot the scene.' He never ended up coming back after that," added the director.

Following the incident, Chase reportedly apologized. He left the series after season 4, although he made a brief appearance in season 5.

** has reached out to Chase's representative for further comment. (Chase appears in the documentary but does not speak about the incident.)

***Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our EW Dispatch newsletter.***

*I'm Chevy Chase and You're Not* premieres on Jan. 1 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CNN.

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Stranger Things series finale trailer previews explosions, tragedy, and worlds colliding: 'Let's ...

As someone once said, we're in the endgame now. Stranger Things series finale trailer previews explosions, tragedy, and worlds colliding: 'Let's end this, kid' As someone once said, we're in the endgame now. By Nick Romano :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/NicholasRomanoauthorphotoadc9b60763e34711935cbf7b3d768d24.jpg) Nick Romano is a senior editor at with 15 years of journalism experience covering entertainment. His work previously appeared in Vanity Fair, Vulture, IGN, and more. EW's editorial guidelines on December 30, 2025 9:19 a.m.

As someone once said, we're in the endgame now.

Stranger Things series finale trailer previews explosions, tragedy, and worlds colliding: 'Let's end this, kid'

As someone once said, we're in the endgame now.

By Nick Romano

Nick Romano is a senior editor at ** with 15 years of journalism experience covering entertainment. His work previously appeared in *Vanity Fair*, Vulture, IGN, and more.

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on December 30, 2025 9:19 a.m. ET

David Harbour (Hopper) and Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven) in the 'Stranger Things' series finale. Credit:

This is it, folks. The end of *Stranger Things* (spinoffs aside).

Netflix released the trailer for the two-hour and eight-minute series finale, which drops in theaters and on the streamer New Year's Eve. It's a lot of dramatics, expectedly: one fiery explosion, a devastated Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) entering the tank in the Upside Down, and Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) colliding worlds.

"I need you to fight one last time," Hopper (David Harbour) tells Elle in a psych-up speech. "Life has been so unfair to you. Your childhood was taken from you. You've been attacked, manipulated by terrible people, but you never let it break you. Fight for the days on the other side of this. Fight for a world beyond Hawkins. Let's end this, kid."

The penultimate episode provided the setup. Team Hawkins will enter the Upside Down just as Vecna, powered by the kidnapped children, begins to merge the world of the Abyss with Earth. When the Abyss is close enough to reach in the Upside Down, Eleven will hack into Vecna's mind to fight on the psychic plane, while the others enter the gnarly dimension and rescue the children.

Oh! And before they head back to their own world, they plan to set off an explosion that destroys the Upside Down for good. Easy enough, right?

Millie Bobby Brown misses 'Stranger Things' finale watch party with costars due to injury

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Though there's not a whole of revealing footage, one particular scene in the trailer shows Elle, Max (Sadie Sink), and Kali (Linnea Berthelsen) seemingly in Vecna's mind, standing on a stage as the curtains close. So it's likely we'll be getting more material related to *Stranger Things: The First Shadow*, the prequel stage play focusing on a younger Henry Creel.

The production prominently features a play within the play where its tragic conclusion takes place.

The Hawkins gang enter the Upside Down in the 'Stranger Things' series finale.

Courtesy of Netflix

The shot of a waling Dustin, however, should have fans concerned. *Stranger Things* creators Matt and Ross Duffer previously teased the fate of Steve Harrington (Joe Keery), and now most are expecting something very bad to happen to him.

Matt Duffer told ** of the finale, "It's very large in scale, but I think it's more character-focused than any of the other episodes in the season. With the two-hour runtime, you're able to do both."

"What we really wanted to make sure we did this year with the penultimate episode was get the plan in motion so that episode 8 can start at a sprint as opposed to generally with our finales where they're building the plans and it's climaxing," Ross said. "This way, by just starting at a sprint, one, it's fun, but also it gave us more time on the backend to spend with these characters and wrap this up properly because we didn't wanna feel rushed at the end. We wanted to be able to take the time that we felt that these characters deserved."

Will (Noah Schnapp) and Joyce (Winona Ryder) in the 'Stranger Things' series finale.

***Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our EW Dispatch newsletter.***

The episode, "The Rightside Up," will simultaneously drop in select North American theaters and on the streaming platform starting Dec. 31 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. If you're hoping to score last-minute tickets to a theatrical screening, good luck.

On Instagram, Ross posted, "Over 1.1 million of you have already RSVPed to the finale screenings on NYE and New Year's Day, and more than 3,500 showtimes across 620+ theaters are already completely full."

Watch the trailer above.

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Stranger Things series finale trailer previews explosions, tragedy, and worlds colliding: 'Let's ...

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The streamer is packed with options to help you star the new year right. 6 shows coming to Netflix in January 2026 that you'll want to binge all month long The streamer is packed with options to help you star the new year right. By Allison DeGrushe :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/allisondegrusheEWbiophotoe5f8e89253c84b7085a43c502a3051a4.jpg) Allison DeGrushe Allison DeGrushe is a timely SEO writer at . She has been working at since 2025. Her work has previously appeared on Distractify. EW's editorial guidelines December 30, 2025 11:00 a.m.

The streamer is packed with options to help you star the new year right.

6 shows coming to Netflix in January 2026 that you'll want to binge all month long

The streamer is packed with options to help you star the new year right.

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Kevin Bacon on 'The Following'; James Franco on '11.22.63'; Kristen Bell on 'Veronica Mars'. Credit:

Barbara Nitke/Fox Broadcasting Co; Russ Martin/Hulu; Scott Humbert/The CW

Netflix is ringing in 2026 with a fresh batch of TV shows arriving in January, giving viewers plenty to binge watch as the new year begins.

If you're in the mood for a violent thriller with twists that keep you guessing, *The Following* delivers it all. Looking for a witty mystery that blends high school drama with detective work? *Veronica Mars *has you covered. Or maybe you're craving street-level drama that throws you into the raw intensity of city life — that's *Southland.*

Whether you're revisiting old favorites or discovering them for the first time, here's your guide to six TV series arriving on Netflix this January.

Falling Skies (2011–2015)

Moon Bloodgood as Anne Glass-Mason, Will Patton as Dan Weaver, and Noah Wyle as Tom Mason on 'Falling Skies'. James Dittiger/TNT

**Available to stream: January 1**

From executive producer Steven Spielberg comes *Falling Skies*, a sci-fi series that drops audiences into a world wrecked by an alien invasion. Humanity is barely hanging on, and staying alive means sticking together and fighting back however you can. At the center is Tom Mason (Noah Wyle), a former history professor who's thrust into a leadership role as part of a small resistance group trying to survive.

The show blends big, old-school action with grounded human stories — and as* *'s critic put it, "it's the spectacle of humans versus aliens that draws you in."

**Creator: **Robert Rodat

**Cast:** Noah Wyle, Seychelle Gabriel, Maxim Knight, Will Patton, Sarah Carter, Moon Bloodgood, Drew Roy, Colin Cunningham, Connor Jessup, Mpho Koaho,, Ryan Robbins, Peter Shinkoda, Brad Kelly

Found (2023–2025)

Shanola Hampton as Gabi Mosely on 'Found'.

Matt Miller/NBC

**Available to stream: January 2**

NBC's crime drama *Found*, which ended *way* too soon, is finding new life on Netflix. Shanola Hampton stars as Gabi Mosely, a PR and crisis manager who runs a firm that finds missing people no one else seems to remember or care about.

To the public, Gabi is a hero for her work — but she's hiding a dark and dangerous secret: She's holding a man captive in her own home. Who he is and how he's connected to her past comes as a major twist, and their tense, complicated dynamic is one of the most gripping elements of the series.

**Creator: **Nkechi Okoro Carroll

**Cast:** Shanola Hampton, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Kelli Williams, Gabrielle Walsh, Brett Dalton, Karan Oberoi. Arlen Escarpeta

The Following (2013–2015)

Kevin Bacon as Ryan Hardy on 'The Following'.

Barbara Nitke/Fox Broadcasting Co.

**Available to stream: January 3**

Nearly a decade after it was removed from Netflix, the hit Fox crime thriller *The Following *is heading back to the streamer. The show centers on serial killer Joe Carroll (James Purefoy), a charming former professor who has a cult following ready to do his bidding.

To stop him, the FBI calls in Ryan Hardy (Kevin Bacon), the broken agent who caught Joe years ago. What unfolds is a violent chase full of sickening twists and life-or-death stakes.

**Creator: **Kevin Williamson

**Cast:** Kevin Bacon, James Purefoy, Shawn Ashmore, Natalie Zea, Valorie Curry, Jessica Stroup, Nico Tortorella, Sam Underwood, Connie Nielsen, Kyle Catlett, Annie Parisse

James Franco as Jake Epping on '11.22.63'.

Russ Martin/Hulu

**Available to stream: January 7**

Hulu's limited series *11.22.63* turns Stephen King's bestselling sci-fi novel into an eight-episode thriller. James Franco plays Jake Epping, an English teacher who discovers a way to travel back to 1960 and takes on the impossible task of trying to stop John F. Kennedy's assassination.

**Creator: **Bridget Carpenter

**Cast:** James Franco, Chris Cooper, Sarah Gadon, Cherry Jones, George MacKay, Lucy Fry, Josh Duhamel

Veronica Mars (2004–2007)

Kristen Bell as Veronica Mars on 'Veronica Mars'.

Scott Garfield/UPN

**Available to stream: January 14**

Kristen Bell stars as the title character on *Veronica Mars*, a once-popular high school student who balances homework with solving crimes after hours. The show only lasted three seasons before getting the axe, but fans never let it fade away; in fact, the devotion stuck around long enough to bring Veronica back years later with a surprise fourth-season revival.

**Creator: **Rob Thomas

**Cast:** Kristen Bell, Ryan Hansen, Julie Gonzalo, Michael Muhney, Tessa Thompson, Enrico Colantoni, Percy Daggs III, Kyle Gallner, Chris Lowell, Tina Majorino, Jason Dohring, Francis Capra, Sydney Tamiia Poitier, Teddy Dunn

Southland (2009–2013)

Ben McKenzie as Ben Sherman and Shawn Hatosy as Sammy Bryant on 'Southland'. TNT

**Available to stream: January 16**

*Southland *flew under the radar, but the fans it did have were fiercely loyal. Created by Ann Biderman, the crime drama dropped viewers straight into the day-to-day grind of life as an LAPD officer.

Across five seasons, it focused on the toll the job took on people, highlighting frayed relationships, morally gray areas and the small moments of hope that pop up in an otherwise brutal environment. The series stuck with viewers, not because it was showy, but because it felt authentic.

**Creator: **Ann Biderman

**Cast:** Michael Cudlitz, Regina King, Tom Everett Scott, Shawn Hatosy, Michael McGrady, Kevin Alejandro, Ben McKenzie, Arija Bareikis

***Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our EW Dispatch newsletter.*****

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Jacob Elordi, Michael B. Jordan, Amy Madigan, Cynthia Erivo, and more — every 2026 Oscars episode...

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Jacob Elordi, Michael B. Jordan, Amy Madigan, Cynthia Erivo, and more — every 2026 Oscars episode of The Awardist podcast

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By Gerrad Hall

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Amy Madigan; Michael B. Jordan; Jacob Elordi. Credit:

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After a Fall Festival circuit that launched the campaigns for *Hamnet*, *Bugonia*, *Frankenstein*, *The Smashing Machine*, *The Testament of Ann Lee*, *The Secret Agent*, and more, we were off to the races. But *Sinners* emerged as the year's first true Oscar contender in April, both a box office and critical success. From the Cannes Film Festival, *Sentimental Value* emerged as a favorite, and it continued to build momentum during the fall. And then there was this summer's surprise hit, *Weapons*. Then came *One Battle After Another* and *Marty Supreme*.

The 2026 Oscars race has given us no shortage of topics to analyze, and the acting categories have been more in flux than in past years — we've been breaking it all down on *The Awardist* podcast. Plus, stars and directors of this year's contenders have joined me to discuss their films and look back on their careers, including *KPop Demon Hunters* voice stars Arden Cho and May Hong; *Weapons* star Amy Madigan; *Frankenstein*'s Creature, Jacob Elordi; *Sinners* writer-director Ryan Coogler and star Michael B. Jordan; *Wicked: For Good* star Cynthia Erivo, and *One Battle After Another* stars Chase Infiniti and Regina Hall.

Below, you can listen to each episode of the 2026 Oscars season of *The Awardist* podcast. And be sure to check back as new episodes go live every Thursday.*******Check out more from EW's *The Awardist*, featuring exclusive interviews, analysis, and our podcast diving into all the highlights from the year's best in TV, movies, and more.***

Sizing up One Battle After Another, Hamnet, and other early 2026 Oscar frontrunners — and can KPop Demon Hunters get a Best Picture nomination?

A new season of *The Awardist* kicks off with host Gerrad Hall, EW Sr. Writer Joey Nolfi, and Sr. Editor Joyce Eng breaking down all of the early action on the road to the 2026 Oscars. We're talking about early frontrunners — including Paul Thomas Anderson's *One Battle After Another*, led by Leonardo DiCaprio, to Chloé Zhao's *Hamnet* starring the one-to-beat Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal — the movies that gained the most out of the fall festival circuit, the big contenders still to come, and who might be a dark horse, including *KPop Demon Hunters*.**

*The Lost Bus *star America Ferrera, Timothée Chalamet's big boost for Marty Supreme

Timothée Chalamet's *Marty Supreme* has a surprise world premiere this week at the New York Film Festival — is the reaction what he needed to boost his lead in the Best Actor race? *Awardist* host Gerrad Hall, EW Sr. Writer Joey Nolfi, and Sr. Editor Joyce Eng break down early chatter about his performance and what it'll mean for his chances. Plus, thoughts on *One Battle After Another* star Chase Infiniti leaping into the Best Actress category, and we dive into the Golden Globes' short list for Best Podcast, which includes some controversial political voices. And Gerrad chats with *The Lost Bus* star America Ferrera about the harrowing true story, about the bus driver and teacher who were trapped with 22 students during California's devastating 2018 Camp Fire.**

KPop Demon Hunters stars Arden Cho & May Hong, and remembering Diane Keaton

After becoming the biggest pop culture phenomenon of the year, breaking records on Netflix, and taking the Billboard charts by storm with the soundtrack, including the No. 1 hit "Golden," *KPop Demon Hunters* stars Arden Cho ('Rumi') and May Hong ('Mira') are looking back on their very first auditions for the movie, how they related to their demon-hunting/KPop girl-group characters, the movie's enormous success, what they hope to see from a sequel, and more. Plus, *Awardist* host Gerrad Hall and EW. Sr. Editor Joyce Eng chat about the shift in categories for *One Battle After Another* star Chase Infiniti, and we're celebrating the legacy of Hollywood legend Diane Keaton.**

Weapons star Amy Madigan on bringing Aunt Gladys to life, Miley Cyrus gets in the Oscar race

Could Amy Madigan go back to the Oscars 40 years after her first nomination, this time for playing the mysterious and kooky Aunt Gladys in the horror mystery *Weapons*? It's very possible! The actress joins *Awardist* host Gerrad Hall to look back on her experience in Zach Cregger's latest thriller and her career. Plus, Gerrad and EW Sr. Editor Joyce Eng chat about the Best Song race, including new contender Miley Cyrus, who has co-written and will perform the end credits song for *Avatar: Fire and Ash*.**

First Wicked: For Good reactions, If I Had Legs I'd Kick You star Rose Byrne

Rose Byrne plays a mother on the verge of a breakdown in *If I Had Legs I'd Kick You* — she breaks down her performance in the psychological dramedy, which is already picking up a lot of honors this awards season. Plus, *Awardist* host Gerrad Hall and EW senior editor Joyce Eng break down the Gotham Awards nominations, where *One Battle After Another* leads all nominees with six; we also analyze that movie's switch to the comedy/musical category at the Golden Globes and what it means for movies including *Wicked: For Good*. And Gerrad shares his reaction to that movie and whether stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande can go the distance at the Oscars.**

Frankenstein star Jacob Elordi, sizing up the Supporting Actor race

He's unrecognizable in *Frankenstein*, covered in prosthetics to play the Creature, but Jacob Elordi steals the show with his heartbreaking performance. He joins *Awardist* host Gerrad Hall to discuss what he considers his most personal work yet, teases *Euphoria* season 3, and looks back on the *Kissing Booth* movies and *Saltburn*. Plus, Gerrad shares a portion of his Q&A with *Frankenstein* star Oscar Isaac at the SCAD Savannah Film Festival. Elsewhere, Gerrad, EW Sr. Writer Joey Nolfi, and Sr. Editor Joyce Eng analyze the Supporting Actor category.**

*Die My Love *stars Jennifer Lawrence & Robert Pattinson, why Sydney Sweeney's Christy flopped

After starring in their own huge franchises — *The Hunger Games* and *Twilight* — Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson now join forces to play a couple in the drama *Die My Love*. The two chat with *Awardist* host Gerrad Hall about the movie's love story and dark elements, and look back on those early blockbusters. Plus, Gerrad, EW Sr. Writer Joey Nolfi, and Sr. Editor Joyce Eng break down the poor box office performance of Sydney Sweeney's *Christy*, and discuss Tom Cruise's career and potential future Oscar chances ahead of receiving an honorary Oscar at the Governors Awards.**

The Smashing Machine stars Dwayne Johnson & Emily Blunt, inside the Governors Awards

Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt do a deep dive with *Awardist* host Gerrad Hall on their new drama, *The Smashing Machine*, from his transformation into UFC pioneer Mark Kerr and his concerns about still being seen as the Rock to his character realizing he needed to go to rehab for his drug addiction and the personal place Johnson went for that scene, and Blunt's character Dawn trying to escape torment and their toxic relationship. The lively conversation also includes a look back at their first movie together, *Jungle Cruise*, Johnson revealing who he wanted to play in *The Devil Wears Prada 2*, and more. Plus, Gerrad, EW Sr. Writer Joey Nolfi, and Sr. Editor Joyce Eng discuss the new name for the SAG Awards, the Actor Awards, and Gerrad debriefs on the Governors Awards.**

Bugonia star Jesse Plemons and director Yorgos Lanthimos, Wicked: For Good dominates box office

*Bugonia* star Jesse Plemons does a deep dive on his conspiracy-theorist character and going toe-to-toe with Emma Stone, and director Yorgos Lanthimos explains what made this movie more complicated than his other recent projects. Plus, *Awardist* host Gerrad Hall and EW Sr. Editor Joyce Eng break down the huge opening weekend for *Wicked: For Good* and discuss the career of Eddie Murphy, who will be AFI's latest Life Achievement Award winner.**

Sinners star Michael B. Jordan and director Ryan Coogler, first reaction to Avatar: Fire and Ash

It was the first Oscar hopeful to debut in 2025 — *Sinners* is still a favorite and a strong contender for Best Picture, Director, and Actor nominations. Ryan Coogler and star Michael B. Jordan join *Awardist* host Gerrad Hall to chat about their fifth movie together, how Jordan playing twins complicated their process, what Coogler discovered about the movie by filming the end-credits scene on day one, and more. Plus, Gerrad and EW Sr. Editor Joyce Eng break down all of the latest awards action, from the Gothams and National Board of Review winners to the Spirit Award nominations. Plus, they reveal their thoughts on *Avatar: Fire and Ash*, and Miley Cyrus shares insight into how she wrote her original song for the movie.**

One Battle After Another stars Chase Infiniti & Regina Hall, Golden Globes snubs and surprises

Golden Globes voters have spoken — and now, so are we, breaking down the top film nominations, and especially the biggest snubs and surprises, from *Wicked: For Good* to Jacob Elordi. Plus, *One Battle After Another* star Chase Infiniti joins *Awardist* host Gerrad Hall to discuss her long audition process and having to shave Leonardo DiCaprio to help win the role, that scene with Sean Penn, and more, and then Gerrad chats with her costar Regina Hall about her incredible career and role in Paul Thomas Anderson's latest movie. **

Wicked: For Good star Cynthia Erivo, Oscar shortlists, remembering Rob Reiner

Golden Globe nominee Cynthia Erivo joins *Awardist* host Gerrad Hall to chat about her *Wicked: For Good *journey, whether she was really prepared for everything required of her physically for the role, filming the number "For Good" last-minute with Ariana Grande, the 'sex cardigan,' and more. Plus, Gerrad and EW Sr. Editor Joyce Eng analyze some of the Oscar shortlists, and we remember filmmaker and actor Rob Reiner, who died tragically over the weekend.**

Marty Supreme star Gwyneth Paltrow, thoughts on Oscars moving to YouTube

Gwyneth Paltrow hasn't made a movie in seven years, but she's back on the big screen in *Marty Supreme* — she tells *Awardist* host Gerrad Hall about how "petrified" she was, about building her character's backstory, what she loved about working with Timothée Chalamet, and more. Plus, we look back on her Oscar win for *Shakespeare in Love* and why it took her 25 years to come to terms with it, as well as *Glee*, and what she thinks Pepper Potts has been up to. And Gerrad and EW Sr. Editor Joyce Eng share their thoughts on the Academy's decision to move the Oscars from broadcast TV to YouTube starting in 2029, as well as Harrison Ford being announced as SAG-AFTRA's next Life Achievement Honoree.**

- Awards Shows & Events

- The Awardist Podcast Episodes

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Published: January 03, 2026 at 12:38PM on Source: RON MAG

#ShowBiz#Sports#Celebrities#Lifestyle

byKris Ronald

in Celebrities, Lifestyle, Politics, ShowBiz, Sports

January 03, 2026

Jacob Elordi, Michael B. Jordan, Amy Madigan, Cynthia Erivo, and more — every 2026 Oscars episode...

Jacob Elordi, Michael B. Jordan, Amy Madigan, Cynthia Erivo, and more — every 2026 Oscars episode of The Awardist podca...

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&34;But we're still smart enough to know how to get away with something,&34; Clooney says of the franchise's main crew. George Clooney gives hilarious update on Ocean's 14: 'We're too old to do what we used to do' &34;But we're still smart enough to know how to get away with something,&34; Clooney says of the franchise's main crew. By Sydney Bucksbaum :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/headshotb5dc24df8d5d43d1a16c9ce0e0383119.jpg) Sydney Bucksbaum Sydney Bucksbaum is a staff writer at . She has been working at EW since 2019 and is a published author.

"But we're still smart enough to know how to get away with something," Clooney says of the franchise's main crew.

George Clooney gives hilarious update on Ocean's 14: 'We're too old to do what we used to do'

"But we're still smart enough to know how to get away with something," Clooney says of the franchise's main crew.

By Sydney Bucksbaum

Sydney Bucksbaum

Sydney Bucksbaum is a staff writer at **. She has been working at EW since 2019 and is a published author. Her work has previously appeared in *TV Guide Magazine*, E! News/E! Online, *The Hollywood Reporter*, Mashable, Bustle, IGN, DCComics.com, Inverse, *The Daily Northwestern*, and more.

EW's editorial guidelines

December 30, 2025 8:50 p.m. ET

George Clooney in London on Nov. 21. Credit:

Joe Maher/Getty

Age is nothing but a number for George Clooney and the rest of the original *Ocean's Eleven* crew.

On Tuesday, the 64-year-old actor gave a hilarious update on the long-awaited sequel film *Ocean's 14,* the fourth in the franchise that reunites him with Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle, and more.

Since it's been so long since the first heist movie came out in 2001, Clooney revealed the upcoming film will definitely lean into that passage of time for the main characters.

Don Cheadle, Shaobo Qin, George Clooney, and Casey Affleck in 'Ocean's Eleven'.

Bob Marshak/Warner Bros.

"There was something about the idea that we're too old to do what we used to do, but we're still smart enough to know how to get away with something, that just appeals to me," Clooney told *Variety* in a cover story published online Tuesday.

The sequel, which hails from franchise creator and director Steven Soderbergh, features the *Jay Kelly* star once again as criminal mastermind Danny Ocean, along with Pitt as his best friend and right-hand man Rusty, Damon's younger pickpocket Linus, Cheadle's demolitions expert Basher, as well as Julia Roberts as Danny's love interest Tess.

Andy Garcia also reprises his role as slick businessman and casino owner Terry Benedict, though details are top-secret on whether he'll be friend or foe to the rest of the crew.

George Clooney says CBS and ABC should have told Trump 'go f--- yourself' instead of settling lawsuits

Andy Garcia reveals he will star in 'Ocean's 14'

"They've lost a step," Clooney said of the original crime crew in the upcoming sequel. "And they need to find a way to work around their limitations."

Clooney told the outlet that instead of reviving the franchise for nostalgia, he was inspired by Martin Brest's 1979 comedy movie *Going in Style* about a group of aging criminals. Audiences can expect to see more of an older but wiser crew in this *Ocean's* movie as a result.

He added that they are currently scouting locations for the film and hope to start shooting in October 2026.

***Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our EW Dispatch newsletter.***

The *Ocean's* movies — *Ocean's Eleven, Ocean's Twelve* (2004), and *Ocean's Thirteen* (2007) — were based on the original film from the '60s, featuring members of Frank Sinatra's Rat Pack. There was also an all-female 2018 spinoff *Ocean's 8, *starring Sandra Bullock as Danny's sister Debbie, along with Cate Blanchett, Rihanna, Helena Bonham Carter, Sarah Paulson, Awkwafina, Mindy Kaling, and Anne Hathaway.

In addition to *Ocean's 14*, a prequel movie is currently in development centered on Danny's parents, starring Margot Robbie as his mother. Bradley Cooper is reportedly in talks to join the *Barbie* star in the movie.**

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Source: "EW Movies"

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Source: Movies

Published: January 03, 2026 at 12:38PM on Source: RON MAG

#ShowBiz#Sports#Celebrities#Lifestyle

byKris Ronald

in Celebrities, Lifestyle, Politics, ShowBiz, Sports

January 03, 2026

George Clooney gives hilarious update on Ocean's 14: 'We're too old to do what we used to do'

&34;But we're still smart enough to know how to get away with something,&34; Clooney says of the franchise's ...

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&34;I'm so glad, that's such a relief,&34; Black said after spontaneously serenading Paul Rudd with the tune. Jack Black breaks into Nickelback's 'How You Remind Me' during Anaconda press interview &34;I'm so glad, that's such a relief,&34; Black said after spontaneously serenading Paul Rudd with the tune. By Wesley Stenzel :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/WesleyStenzelauthorphoto32b61793a2784639af623f2ae091477e.jpg) Wesley Stenzel is a news writer at . He began writing for EW in 2022. EW's editorial guidelines December 30, 2025 8:30 p.m.

"I'm so glad, that's such a relief," Black said after spontaneously serenading Paul Rudd with the tune.

Jack Black breaks into Nickelback's 'How You Remind Me' during Anaconda press interview

"I'm so glad, that's such a relief," Black said after spontaneously serenading Paul Rudd with the tune.

By Wesley Stenzel

Wesley Stenzel is a news writer at **. He began writing for EW in 2022.

EW's editorial guidelines

December 30, 2025 8:30 p.m. ET

Jack Black in Los Angeles on April 26; Nickelback's Chad Kroeger in New York City in 2022. Credit:

Jerod Harris/Getty; Santiago Felipe/Getty

Jack Black went back to Nickelback while promoting *Anaconda*.

While discussing his new comedy with Paul Rudd during an interview with IMDb, the *School of Rock* star asked, "What was Nickelback's biggest hit?"

After the interviewer and Rudd had moved onto the next question, Black stared into space for several seconds before belting: "This is how you remind me of what I really am."

Jack Black at an 'Anaconda' photocall in London on Dec. 19.

Jeff Spicer/Getty

Black went on to sing several more bars of the band's 2001 single "How You Remind Me," substituting numerous forgotten lines with gibberish and scatting. The *Kung Fu Panda* star held the final line of the chorus for longer than Nickelback vocalist Chad Kroeger did in the recording, prompting Rudd to exclaim, "He held that s---!"

Black was extremely satisfied that he was able to enter his mind palace and access the forgotten memory of the Nickelback track. "I went into a coma," he told Rudd of his pause before singing. "You were talking by yourself, looking to me for help. I was like, 'I can't. I'm trying to remember Nickelback.' I'm so glad, that's such a relief."

The *Minecraft Movie* star acknowledged that he totally derailed the flow of the interview.

Nickelback on 'Good Morning America' in 2023.

Paula Lobo/ABC via Getty

"He had moved on to the next question. But I went back to Nickelback!" he said.

"He'd moved onto the next *press junket*," Rudd joked.

Black also jokingly played up his lyrical recall skills.

"Amazingly, I got every lyric right," he said.

"How You Remind Me" was Nickelback's biggest hit. The single reached the No. 1 spot on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart, and Billboard later revealed that it was the No. 45 song of all time in the history of the Hot 100.

Jack Black and Paul Rudd fan Drew Barrymore after she experiences hot flash mid-interview

Jack Black has priceless reaction to Elle Fanning calling him the 'hottest man' she's ever seen

Black previously teased a standout scene from *Anaconda* in a behind-the-scenes clip provided exclusively to **.

"The boar on my back — I know it sounds ridiculous, but I'm telling you, it's magic," the actor said of a scene where a boar carcass is strapped to his back as bait for the titular reptile. "You know how they have the running of the bulls? This is like that, but it's the running of the snake."

***Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our EW Dispatch newsletter.***

Rudd also emphasized that that particular scene was a highlight of the production.

"It's always fun when you read a script, and there's some scene that is funny, or I'm really excited about doing, and then you do it, and it's not how you imagined it — it's better," the *Ant-Man* star said. "I'm watching him going, *Oh my God, I can't take my eyes off this*. *This is so funny*."

*Anaconda* is now playing in theaters.

- Celebrities & Creators

- Entertainment Industry Roles

Original Article on Source

Source: "EW Actors"

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Source: Actors

Published: January 03, 2026 at 12:38PM on Source: RON MAG

#ShowBiz#Sports#Celebrities#Lifestyle

byKris Ronald

in Celebrities, Lifestyle, Politics, ShowBiz, Sports

January 03, 2026

Jack Black breaks into Nickelback’s 'How You Remind Me' during Anaconda press interview

&34;I'm so glad, that's such a relief,&34; Black said after spontaneously serenading Paul Rudd with the tune....

Read More