Entertainment Tidbits

David Byrne, former Talking Heads frontman, subtly revealed his engagement to Mala Gaonkar, 55, during an interview with The Times. Byrne, 73, referred to Gaonkar as his “fiancée” while discussing his upcoming album. The couple resides in New York and has collaborated on various projects in the past. Both Byrne and Gaonkar have been previously married. (Story URL)

Michelle Williams expressed gratitude towards her surrogate for helping her and husband Thomas Kail welcome their fourth child, a baby girl, earlier this year. The couple, who keep their family life private, now have three children under five years old. Williams, 44, shared her appreciation for the surrogate named Christine during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live. (Story URL)

Annabelle, the possessed doll from The Conjuring film franchise, inspired a new popcorn bucket released by Cinemark to coincide with the upcoming film The Conjuring: Last Rites. The design of the bucket, with popcorn stored in a hole at the back of the doll, has led to humorous comments online. Some are uneasy at the idea of having the cursed doll as a collector’s item. (Story URL)

Hulu has secured the development of The Summer Of Songbirds, a drama series based on Kristy Woodson Harvey’s bestselling novel. The series follows three childhood friends in their 30s as they navigate adulthood while confronting past secrets and betrayals that challenge their close bond. Harvey’s other novels have also been previously optioned for film and TV. (Story URL)

Netflix’s hit series Wednesday maintained its popularity, garnering 29.1 million views in its second week of streaming, making it the most-watched title on the platform from Aug. 11-17. This marks a 42% decrease from its debut week, where it achieved 50 million views. Notably, Season 2 has had a slower start compared to Season 1, likely due to differing release strategies. (Story URL)

Dr. Phil’s company, Merit Street Media, and its partner Trinity Broadcasting are embroiled in a lawsuit over a $500 million, ten-year deal. Trinity alleges that Dr. Phil failed to deliver any episodes of his talk show as promised. The lawsuit accuses Dr. Phil of fraud and breach of contract. Merit Street, in turn, claims that Trinity Broadcasting did not fulfill their joint venture terms. (Story URL)

The upcoming HBO Harry Potter series has announced the casting of additional Weasley children. Tristan Harland will portray Fred Weasley, Gabriel Harland as George Weasley, Ruari Spooner as Percy Weasley, and Gracie Cochrane as Ginny Weasley. Notably, the father Arthur Weasley and brother Charlie have yet to be cast. The series is scheduled for a 2027 release. (Story URL)