Talent doesn’t always guarantee a gig in Tinseltown. 7 actors who lost roles for surprisingly odd reasons Talent doesn’t always guarantee a gig in Tinseltown. 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 on August 19, 2026 7:01 p.m. ET Leave a Comment :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/ActorsLostRoles0401263dad4861b36b47138e9b260d815bf0a3.

Talent doesn’t always guarantee a gig in Tinseltown.

7 actors who lost roles for surprisingly odd reasons

Talent doesn’t always guarantee a gig in Tinseltown.

By Allison DeGrushe

Allison DeGrushe

Allison DeGrushe is a timely SEO writer at **. She has been working at * *since 2025. Her work has previously appeared on Distractify.

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Dakota Johnson; Mindy Kaling; Elle Fanning. Credit:

Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty; Amy Sussman/Getty; Monica Schipper/Getty

Hollywood might look glamorous from the outside, but for actors actually walking into auditions, it can be downright ridiculous.

The truth is, landing a role isn’t always about talent — sometimes a handshake, social media following, or even being “too smart” can cost you that part. And yes, big-name stars like Dakota Johnson and Reese Witherspoon have been passed over for some truly outlandish reasons.

Below, check out eight actors who lost out on roles for the most bizarre reasons imaginable.

Dakota Johnson

Dakota Johnson attends the premiere of ‘Splitsville’ at AMC The Grove 14 on Aug. 19, 2025 in Los Angeles.

Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty

In a March 2026 interview on Hits Radio, Dakota Johnson shared one of the most absurd ways she ever lost a role: being too polite.

“I had an audition once, and it was a callback, and I went into the room, and I shook everyone’s hand and introduced myself. Then I did the scene, and I left,” the *Fifty Shades *actress said. “The feedback I got was that, because I had gone and introduced myself and shook everyone’s hand, I was pompous. That I was schmoozing, and I was full of myself.”

Johnson couldn’t believe it. “I was like: ‘What?’ I didn’t get the job because they said that I was being cocky,” she explained. “But I just had manners… It was pretty crazy.”

Chris Pine attends the 2024 iHeartPodcast Awards on March 11, 2024 in Austin.

Rick Kern/Getty

Believe it or not, Chris Pine lost the role of Ryan Atwood on *The O.C. *because of his acne. Casting director Patrick Rush recalled the audition in the 2023 book *Welcome to the O.C.: The Oral History*, saying Pine was “really good” — but in Rush’s words, the actor was “at the age where he was experiencing really bad skin problems. … it looked insurmountable.”

Pine opened up about it on the *Happy Sad Confused* podcast in May 2024. “I had awful skin as a teenager, and then … after college, my skin started breaking out again,” he said. “Look, I was going out for *The O.C.*, like a teenage melodrama. I can understand why they wanted to have pretty people doing pretty things. And bad acne is not a key to [success].”

The actor admitted losing the role hit him hard, and that he had “a little PTSD” from how brutal the audition process felt while dealing with his skin issues. “It’s no fun going to auditions when you have bad skin. It was one of the most traumatic points of my life, but it is my story.”

Elle Fanning

Elle Fanning attends the 97th Annual Oscars at Dolby Theatre on March 02, 2025 in Hollywood.

Monica Schipper/Getty

In May 2023, Elle Fanning said she lost a role in a major franchise film simply for not having enough Instagram followers.

“I didn’t get a part once for something big — and it might not have just been this reason, but this was all the feedback that I heard — because I didn’t have enough Instagram followers at the time,” Fanning revealed on the *Happy Sad Confused* podcast. “And so, that was a little like, ‘OK.’ I firmly don’t believe in not getting a part [because of my Instagram followers].”

Maya Hawke shared a similar experience on the *Happy Sad Confused *podcast in February 2025, explaining just how obsessed some producers are with follower counts.

“I’m talking about deleting my Instagram and [some directors are] like, ‘Just so you know when I’m casting a movie with some producers, they hand me a sheet with the amount of collective followers I have to get from the cast,’” Hawke said. “‘So if you delete your Instagram and I lose those followers, understand these are the kinds of people I need to cast around you.’”

Mindy Kaling

Mindy Kaling attends the 82nd Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton on Jan. 05, 2025 in Beverly Hills.

Amy Sussman/Getty

In 2014, Mindy Kaling told *The Guardian* she got rejected from a show that was literally *about her*. A network reached out and offered her her own sketch comedy series… then made her audition for the role of herself and ultimately rejected her.

“We were not considered attractive or funny enough to play ourselves,” Kaling said.

She called the whole thing “humiliating,” but hasn’t let it slow her down. “That network is no longer on the air, and *The Office* went on to be one of NBC’s most hit shows in years. I feel like karmically, I was vindicated, but at the time it felt terrible.”

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James McAvoy

James McAvoy attends the 2025 EE BAFTA Film Awards at The Royal Festival Hall on Feb. 16, 2025 in London.

In 2019, James McAvoy confessed that his height has cost him jobs in Hollywood.

“As a shorter man, I sometimes get told I’m too short for a role,” the *Split *actor told the *Telegraph*. “Or even when I get a role, I’m made to feel like, well, of course, we’re going to have to do something about that.”

He also mentioned how much looks come into play, saying, “Sometimes you’re made to feel like you’re not good-looking enough to get a role. I was told once by an actress that it was an interesting choice, my casting, because nobody would usually believe that I would be with somebody like her. That was a kick in the nuts!”

Reese Witherspoon

Reese Witherspoon attends the ‘You’re Cordially Invited’ screening at Jazz at Lincoln Center on Jan. 28, 2025 in New York City.

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty

Even award-winning actress and producer Reese Witherspoon has been turned down for roles over some pretty baffling reasons, including for reportedly being “too smart” for a part.

“Over the years, I lost as many parts as I got,” she wrote in a since-deleted Instagram post (per *Harper’s Bazaar*). “I was always considered TOO something. Too short. Too feisty. Too energetic. I once got told I seemed too smart to play a young female character. 😳”

The *Big Little Lies *star admitted rejection really got to her at the time, but she’s since changed her perspective. “Sometimes the universe is protecting you from a bad job or a toxic relationship. So remember next time you fail at something or someone leaves you heartbroken... let yourself be sad, grieve what didn’t happen for a minute but move ON. Better things are waiting for you.”

Robert Redford

Robert Redford attends the ‘The Old Man & The Gun’ premiere during 2018 Toronto International Film Festival at The Elgin.

Michael Loccisano/Getty

The late Robert Redford actually auditioned to play Benjamin Braddock, Dustin Hoffman’s character in *The Graduate*, but he didn’t get the part because he reportedly never “struck out with a girl.”

Director Mike Nichols, who had just worked with Redford on *Barefoot in the Park* on Broadway, said Redford was “eager” to land the role. But in the end, Nichols told him he wasn’t a good fit.

“I interviewed hundreds, maybe thousands, of men,” Nichols said at a 2003 screening of *The Graduate*, per *Vanity Fair*. “I said, ‘You can’t play it. You can never play a loser.’ And Redford said, ‘What do you mean? Of course I can play a loser.’ And I said, ‘O.K., have you ever struck out with a girl?’ and he said, ‘What do you mean?’ And he wasn’t joking.”

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

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- Entertainment Industry Roles

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Kilmer was cast in the film before his death, but production was delayed due to the pandemic and his diagnosis with throat cancer. See Val Kilmer brought back to life by AI in extended clip from posthumous film Kilmer was cast in the film before his death, but production was delayed due to the pandemic and his diagnosis with throat cancer. By Marina Watts Marina Watts Marina Watts is a news writer for with seven years experience covering entertainment, pop culture and celebrity news. Her previous work appears in PEOPLE, Bustle and Newsweek. EW's editorial guidelines August 19, 2026 5:47 p.m.

Kilmer was cast in the film before his death, but production was delayed due to the pandemic and his diagnosis with throat cancer.

See Val Kilmer brought back to life by AI in extended clip from posthumous film

Kilmer was cast in the film before his death, but production was delayed due to the pandemic and his diagnosis with throat cancer.

By Marina Watts

Marina Watts

Marina Watts is a news writer for with seven years experience covering entertainment, pop culture and celebrity news. Her previous work appears in PEOPLE, Bustle and Newsweek.

EW's editorial guidelines

August 19, 2026 5:47 p.m. ET

An AI-generated Val Kilmer in ‘As Deep as the Grave’. Credit:

FirstLineFilms/YouTube

- The first look of an AI-generated Val Kilmer is here, with the late actor starring in the posthumous film *As Deep as the Grave*.

- Kilmer was originally cast in the film before his death, but the shooting schedule was delayed due to the pandemic and his diagnosis with throat cancer.

- *As Deep as the Grave *has yet to announce a release date.

Val Kilmer has been resurrected in the upcoming film *As Deep as the Grave*.

The actor, who died in 2025 of pneumonia at 65, has returned to the silver screen, thanks to AI technology. The seven-minute footage released Wednesday shows a young Kilmer as a Catholic priest conflicted with the mission of founding a new church while respecting the Navajo people and their culture.

Per IndieWire, Kilmer is expected to appear in a third of the screen time for the film, which is currently set at a three-hour runtime. Kilmer was cast in the film prior to his death, though the shooting schedule was delayed due to the pandemic and his diagnosis with throat cancer.

An AI-generated Val Kilmer in ‘As Deep as the Grave’.

FirstLineFilms/YouTube

The late actor’s estate granted writer-director Coerte Voorhees permission to use Kilmer’s likeness for the film. The production adhered to SAG guidelines and compensated Kilmer’s estate for the AI appearance.

To bring Kilmer back to life, old images from his family archive and later footage of the “Top Gun” star have been used, along with recordings of his voice from before he underwent a tracheotomy, which affected his vocal cords.

AI Kilmer’s appearance resembles his likeness during his 90s film run, with the director having studied *Batman Forever*, *Tombstone*, and *Heat*, according to IndieWire.

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Voorhees told *Variety* how passionate Kilmer was about the film. “He really thought it was an important story that he wanted his name on. It was that support that gave me the confidence to say, ‘Okay let’s do this.’ Despite the fact some people might call it controversial, this is what Val wanted.”

His daughter Mercedes also spoke out in favor of the film in a statement shared with *Variety** *in March. “My father was a deeply spiritual man and this story of discovery and enlightenment in the American Southwest and his unique role in it really resonated with him,” she said at the time.

“He always looked at emerging technologies with optimism as a tool to expand the possibilities of storytelling,” Mercedes added. “This spirit is something that we are all honoring within this specific film, of which he was an integral part.”

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

A month later, she appeared on *Today** *explaining that using the technology originally provided a way for Kilmer to “overcome the limitation of his illness” and “evolved into something that he really was like, ‘Oh, wait. I have a chance to actually set a precedent.’”

Mercedes noted that “people that maybe have a more precarious position in the industry and are worried and see AI as a threat — which is absolutely valid.”

Later, she argued that “we have to contend with this technology one way or the other. And avoiding it, it’s not necessarily the way. It’s much easier to structure the rights if you proactively license something.”

An AI-generated Val Kilmer in ‘As Deep as the Grave’.

FirstLineFilms/YouTube

“We do love people from the past, and we want to stay connected to them,” the director’s brother and co-producer, John Voorhees, told *IndieWire*. “But it has to be done with consent and compensation. It has to be done right.”

Joining Kilmer in this film are Abigail Lawrie, Tom Felton, Wes Studi, and Abigail Breslin.

*As Deep as the Grave *has yet to announce a release date. See the AI-generated Kilmer in in the clip above.

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The “Thunderbolts” star hinted at a potential revelation involving Robert Downey Jr.’s character. Did David Harbour just drop a major Avengers: Doomsday spoiler? The “Thunderbolts” star hinted at a potential revelation involving Robert Downey Jr.’s character. By Wesley Stenzel :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/WesleyStenzelauthorphoto32b61793a2784639af623f2ae091477e.jpg) Wesley Stenzel Wesley Stenzel is a news writer at . He began writing for EW in 2022. EW's editorial guidelines August 19, 2026 6:57 p.m.

The “Thunderbolts” star hinted at a potential revelation involving Robert Downey Jr.’s character.

Did David Harbour just drop a major Avengers: Doomsday spoiler?

The “Thunderbolts” star hinted at a potential revelation involving Robert Downey Jr.’s character.

By Wesley Stenzel

Wesley Stenzel

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

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David Harbour in ‘Thunderbolts’. Credit:

Chuck Zlotnick/Marvel

- David Harbour was recently asked to share a line from *Avengers: Doomsday* out of context.

- The response he gave hints at what could be a key moment involving Robert Downey Jr.’s character.

- *Avengers: Doomsday* hits theaters Dec. 18.

David Harbour might have just spoiled a big moment in *Avengers: Doomsday*.

The *Stranger Things* star has remained tight-lipped when discussing the upcoming Marvel crossover movie, which will see him reprise his role as Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian from *Black Widow* and *Thunderbolts*.

However, during a wide-ranging interview with *Variety*, the outlet asked Harbour to deliver a line from the movie out of context. He responded, “*You*… are Tony Stark” in a Russian accent (presumably aligned with Alexei’s usual voice) while pointing.

While it’s entirely possible that Harbour was trolling and invented a line out of thin air, if he’s telling the truth, then he could have revealed a pretty significant moment from the film for one of two reasons.

The first, more likely possibility is that Red Guardian says, “*You*… are Tony Stark,” in a scene where Doctor Doom removes his mask.

Doctor Doom in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’.

The supervillain, typically associated with the Fantastic Four, is played by Robert Downey Jr. in *Doomsday*. Downey, of course, previously portrayed Tony Stark/Iron Man in no fewer than 10 Marvel Cinematic Universe movies.

Downey’s casting in *Doomsday* was surprising because his time in the MCU ended with 2019’s *Avengers: Endgame*, and audiences didn’t expect him to return to the franchise any time soon. There’s also no precedent for any of Marvel’s major stars to join a new MCU project as a different character than the one they originally played, and Doctor Doom has no strong connection to Tony Stark in the comics that would warrant casting the same actor as both characters.

‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ post-credits scene explained

Robert Downey Jr. reacts to Ryan Gosling joining the MCU (exclusive)

Since Doctor Doom almost never removes his mask in the comics, fans have wondered whether Downey’s face will ever be fully visible in *Doomsday*. If Harbour is to be believed, then it sounds like the *Sherlock Holmes* star will eventually unmask in front of some combination of the heroes (including Red Guardian), and that they will recognize him as a dead ringer for Tony.

And, if Tony and Victor Von Doom canonically have the same face, then it’s possible that the latter character will be contextualized as a parallel-universe variant of Iron Man. Other Marvel projects, like *Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness* and *Loki*, have depicted various characters’ multiversal variants, who are sometimes portrayed by the same actors as their usual MCU counterparts and sometimes portrayed by different performers. And we know that Doctor Doom hails from the Fantastic Four’s Earth-828, a parallel universe introduced in *The Fantastic Four: First Steps*, which has yet to acknowledge the existence of its own Tony Stark… so it’s possible that Victor Von Doom is that universe’s version of Tony, hence the resemblance.

Robert Downey Jr. at CinemaCon 2026.

Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty

The other possible context for Harbour’s purported line is an even bigger potential spoiler: the return of Tony Stark. There’s little expectation that Downey will come back as Iron Man in *Doomsday*, as the character died at the conclusion of *Endgame*.

However, we know that *Doomsday* will center on the convergence of multiple parallel universes, as the Fantastic Four will cross paths with the mainline Avengers *and* the Fox X-Men, who come from their own separate universe. Since there are so many distinct universes at play in the film, it’s possible that another version of Tony Stark (who isn’t Doctor Doom) could factor into the story. Maybe the X-Men universe has its own Tony Stark, who knows?

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*Avengers: Doomsday* hits theaters Dec. 18.

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Luka Doncic Spent Nearly $500K to Fly Lakers Teammates on Private Jet to Slovenia: Report

Luka Doncic Spent Nearly $500K to Fly Lakers Teammates on Private Jet to Slovenia: Report OK! Staff Fri, August 21, 2026 at 7:09 PM UTC 0 Luka Doncic reportedly spent nearly $500,000 to fly his Lakers teammates to Slovenia on a private jet.MEGA Luka Doncic reportedly spent nearly $500,000 to fly his Los Angeles Lakers teammates to Slovenia on a private jet this summer. Doncic invited the entire roster to his home country as the team prepared to spend several days together away from the basketball court, per Slovenian outlet Zurnal24.si.

Luka Doncic Spent Nearly $500K to Fly Lakers Teammates on Private Jet to Slovenia: Report

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Luka Doncic reportedly spent nearly $500,000 to fly his Lakers teammates to Slovenia on a private jet.MEGA

Luka Doncic reportedly spent nearly $500,000 to fly his Los Angeles Lakers teammates to Slovenia on a private jet this summer.

Doncic invited the entire roster to his home country as the team prepared to spend several days together away from the basketball court, per Slovenian outlet Zurnal24.si.

Luka Doncic covered the cost of a luxurious private jet that flew his Lakers teammates from Los Angeles to Slovenia.MEGA

"Doncic covered all the costs of a several-day trip, during which basketball players from the most famous NBA franchise will get to know some of the beauties of Slovenia," the statement said.

"For transportation from the United States, Doncic rented a private jet of a prestigious brand. The aircraft is a Global 8000 from the Canadian manufacturer Bombardier… The Bombardier Global 8000 accommodates 20 passengers in its luxurious interior," it continued.

The report also provided an estimate of what the charter could have cost for the trip.

"The plane costs around $75 million, and renting it isn't cheap either. The cheapest rental rate is $18,000 per hour, but that's only for those who book at least 25 hours of flight time per year," the statement added.

"If we take into account the length of the flight from Los Angeles to Slovenia, we can conclude that Doncic paid around a quarter of a million dollars for the one-way air transportation of his teammates," it concluded.

Lakers Players Arrived in Slovenia for Team Bonding

Luka Doncic's Slovenia trip brought much of the Lakers roster together for several days of team activities.MEGA

The Lakers' Slovenia trip brought much of the roster together ahead of the upcoming season, with the team scheduled to remain there from August 20 through August 24.

Based on videos circulating via X, Austin Reaves, Walker Kessler, and Bronny Jameswere among the Lakers players seen arriving at Ljubljana airport, where fans gathered to welcome the team.

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The trip was expected to center largely on activities designed to help the players get to know one another away from the court. Golfing, touring, and a visit to Lake Bled were among the activities reportedly planned during the stay.

Luka Doncic Prioritized Lakers Chemistry

Luka Doncic hosted his Lakers teammates in Slovenia, giving the revamped roster a chance to bond away from the basketball court.MEGA

Doncic's decision to host his teammates came as the Lakers continued shaping a revamped roster around their superstar.

Cameron Carr was the only Lakers player expected to miss the trip because of rookie orientation commitments.

Luka Doncic's Lakers teammates took part in their first practice in Slovenia on August 21, completing a two-hour workout at Stozice Arena led by assistant coach Greg St. Jean.MEGA

Doncic's offseason minicamp with the Los Angeles Lakers shifted from team bonding to basketball on Friday, August 21.

According to BasketNews, after spending their first day in Ljubljana settling into their hotel, getting acquainted with new teammates, and attending a team dinner, the players took the court for a two-hour workout at Stozice Arena.

Per Ekipa, Lakers assistant coach Greg St. Jean led the session.

St. Jean, one of head coach JJ Redick's assistants, also had ties to Slovenian basketball after working with the country's national team at FIBA EuroBasket 2025.

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Luka Doncic Spent Nearly $500K to Fly Lakers Teammates on Private Jet to Slovenia: Report

Luka Doncic Spent Nearly $500K to Fly Lakers Teammates on Private Jet to Slovenia: Report OK! Staff Fri, August 21, 2026 at 7:09...

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Chris Hansen says he did not watch Primetime because he didn’t want to ‘sign away my rights’ at s...

The veteran journalist is portrayed by Robert Pattinson in the upcoming film. A source disputes he was asked to sign away his rights. Chris Hansen says he did not watch Primetime because he didn’t want to ‘sign away my rights’ at screening The veteran journalist is portrayed by Robert Pattinson in the upcoming film. A source disputes he was asked to sign away his rights. By Marina Watts Marina Watts Marina Watts is a news writer for with seven years experience covering entertainment, pop culture and celebrity news. Her previous work appears in PEOPLE, Bustle and Newsweek.

The veteran journalist is portrayed by Robert Pattinson in the upcoming film. A source disputes he was asked to sign away his rights.

Chris Hansen says he did not watch* Primetime *because he didn’t want to ‘sign away my rights’ at screening

The veteran journalist is portrayed by Robert Pattinson in the upcoming film. A source disputes he was asked to sign away his rights.

By Marina Watts

Marina Watts

Marina Watts is a news writer for with seven years experience covering entertainment, pop culture and celebrity news. Her previous work appears in PEOPLE, Bustle and Newsweek.

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August 21, 2026 12:32 p.m. ET

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Chris Hansen; Robert Pattinson in ‘Primetime’. Credit:

Mireya Acierto/FilmMagic; A24

- Chris Hansen alleged that A24, the studio behind *Primetime*, “wanted me to sign away my rights to my name, image, and brand” along with any “potential legal rights that would come out of the movie.”

- The movie stars Robert Pattinson as the veteran journalist during his years hosting *To Catch a Predator*.

- *Primetime *hits theaters on Sept. 25.

Chris Hansen made a surprising claim about why he wouldn’t watch an early screening of *Primetime**.*

The upcoming A24 film starring Robert Pattinson as Hansen and directed by Lance Oppenheim depicts the veteran journalist during his run on the 2000s program *To Catch a Predator*. Earlier this week, Hansen said he was going to see the movie at a private screening. However, on Thursday’s episode of Fox News’ *Jesse Watters Primetime*, Hansen shared that he did not see the film that morning, and revealed why.

“The lawyers at A24 wanted me to sign away my rights to my name, image, and brand, essentially, as well as any potential legal rights that would come out of the movie,” Hansen claimed on the show. A source disputes his account.

The *Dateline** *journalist added, “I couldn’t sign that, so they didn’t show me the film. I went all the way over there. … But who’s going to sign something like that?”

Desiree Navarro/WireImage

Hansen claimed it was a “very restrictive agreement,” adding that he “had never seen anything quite like it.” He also noted that his “lawyers had already seen” the NDA before he went to the screening at A24’s office.

Asked what A24 would be worried about, Hansen said, “I don’t know.”

“If you look at the trailer, obviously it’s a very dramatized version. They had told me that it’s fictionalized in many aspects. I know other people have seen it who didn’t sign an NDA, and yet they wanted me to sign it,” concluded Hansen.

Chris Hansen offers cryptic response to Robert Pattinson playing him in new movie

'To Catch a Predator' decoy wanted to warn would-be pedophiles about hidden cameras: 'Go home'

A source told ** that Hansen was asked to sign an NDA a week in advance that all preview audiences are required to sign ahead of screening an unreleased film. These standard NDAs are mostly to prevent spoilers and protect the studio’s IP.

Because Hansen didn’t sign the release form, he could not see the film, per the source.

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

*To Catch a Predator*, which is dramatized in the upcoming thriller film, started out as a *Dateline *sting segment and ran as a wildly popular program from 2003 to 2007 on NBC.

The series was controversial for how it captured alleged pedophiles, using a hidden camera and adults posing as teenagers online to lure the suspected predators into a sting house, where they would be captured on the spot. It blurred the line between entertainment and reporting the news, raising questions over the program’s ethics.

Hansen previously told Annie Elise on the *Serialously* podcast that he was familiar with Pattinson and Oppenheim, but questioned *Primetime*’s motives. “I know that he’s a very popular actor. I know that the director is a popular guy,” he said. “But I also have some questions: what’s Hollywood’s motive here? We don’t know, but I’ll find out, and I promise I’ll let you know.”

‘Primetime’ poster.

Besides Pattinson, *Primetime* stars Merritt Wever, Skyler Gisondo, Matthew Maher, Anna Faris, Phoebe Bridgers, Alex Winter, Creed Bratton, and Bokeem Woodbine.

*Primetime *will make its world premiere at the Venice International Film Festival before hitting theaters on Sept. 25.

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Michael Douglas’ privates are visible for ‘one frame’ of Fatal Attraction, director Adrian Lyne r...

The groundbreaking 1987 erotic thriller costarred Glenn Close and was nominated for six Academy Awards. Michael Douglas’ privates are visible for ‘one frame’ of Fatal Attraction, director Adrian Lyne reveals The groundbreaking 1987 erotic thriller costarred Glenn Close and was nominated for six Academy Awards. By Rance Collins August 20, 2026 11:03 p.m. ET :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/FatalAttractionGlennCloseMichaelDouglas0820262ba47e52d9cf4096ba87a08312e8a7ce.jpg) Glenn Close and Michael Douglas in ‘Fatal Attraction’ (1987).

The groundbreaking 1987 erotic thriller costarred Glenn Close and was nominated for six Academy Awards.

Michael Douglas’ privates are visible for ‘one frame’ of *Fatal Attraction, *director Adrian Lyne reveals

The groundbreaking 1987 erotic thriller costarred Glenn Close and was nominated for six Academy Awards.

By Rance Collins

August 20, 2026 11:03 p.m. ET

Glenn Close and Michael Douglas in ‘Fatal Attraction’ (1987). Credit:

Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection

- Director Adrian Lyne’s *Fatal Attraction*’s first big sex scene includes a humorous moment involving a Michael Douglas’ pants.

- The moment includes, the filmmaker claims, a single frame “of his balls.”

- Douglas has previously discussed his own contributions to the iconic sequence from the groundbreaking erotic thriller.

For Michael Douglas, *Fatal Attraction* showed off far more than his acting chops.

At a screening of *Unfaithful* at the Academy Museum on Aug. 14, the film’s director Adrian Lyne also discussed his seminal erotic thriller, the genre-changing *Fatal Attraction*, which starred Douglas and Glenn Close. The film, which had shown at the same venue the previous night, is famed for its sexually charged story in which Douglas’ Dan Gallagher is trapped in a steamy affair with the increasingly unstable Alex Forrest, played by Close.

The movie’s first sex scene occurs in an atypical location: Alex’s kitchen.

“I try and avoid the bed because it’s a little bit boring,” Lyne explained. “It was over a sink, and what’s nice then is you think, *Well, oh so there’ll be crockery in there or plates or something, and they clank around, you know, and that’s funny, potentially funny. And there could be water in the sink.* It’s nice the way you sort of build on it and build on it ... so she could put a hand in [the water] and she could slosh it around on her breasts.”

Michael Douglas in ‘Fatal Attraction’.

This humor, Lyne said, is essentially for steamy scenes, because it allows the audience to have places to laugh.

“I think there always has to be humor. I think that’s really important, because people — especially in England and America, I think — sort of are a little bit embarrassed. So if you don’t give them something to laugh at, they’ll laugh at you, and then you’re screwed,” he continued.

Douglas, Lyne said, is especially good at playing these comedic beats.

Director Adrian Lyne in April 2017 in Los Angeles.

Todd Williamson/Getty

“He’s got a lovely sense of humor, Michael,” Lyne said. “He’s very good with comedy, and when he was trying to get out of his pants at the end, and he couldn’t, and she was sort of laughing. And before we did the scene, he said, ‘Are you sure you want to shoot it this way?’”

Lyne explained to Douglas that he did, though Douglas did not “have any underwear on,” the director recalled, since in the scene, his underwear is around his feet.

“There’s one frame, one frame only, of his balls,” Lyne revealed.

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At the *Fatal Attraction *screening on Aug. 13, Lyne added of the secret frame, “We left it in. It’s so quick you didn’t see it,” according to Gold Derby.

Douglas has previously talked about the sex scenes from the movie, including in an interview for *EW Reunites *in 2017.

“Sex in movies is always a delicate line. Glenn was raring to go,” Douglas shared. “We got up there on the kitchen table, and she came up with this great idea with the sink, with the water running and making herself wet, which is always good.”

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While Douglas echoed Lyne’s sentiments on the scene’s laugh breaks, he did take credit for the pants moment, contrasting with Lyne’s recent description of Douglas’ hesitation.

“The only thing I threw in, I remember, was this moment where we were going at it, [and since] I like comic relief, I think you need a second [of it], and there’s a second where I had my pants down [while] carrying Glenn, then tripping, and then having to make this run for the bed ... It kind of let the audience relax for a second.”

Future screenings and events at the Academy Museum include a series presenting films shot in VistaVision presented in the original horizontally projected format. Movies in the series include *The Ten Commandments*, *North by Northwest*, *White Christmas*, and *One Battle After Another*.

- Thriller & Mystery Movies

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Michael Douglas’ privates are visible for ‘one frame’ of Fatal Attraction, director Adrian Lyne r...

The groundbreaking 1987 erotic thriller costarred Glenn Close and was nominated for six Academy Awards. Michael Douglas’ privates are ...

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Diane Warren Adopts Pig Seen Running Loose in West Hollywood, Vows to Give It a ‘Really Good Home’

Diane Warren Adopts Pig Seen Running Loose in West Hollywood, Vows to Give It a ‘Really Good Home’ Angel SaundersFri, August 21, 2026 at 2:40 AM UTC 0 Diane Warren attends the 33rd Annual Race to Erase MS Gala in Los Angeles on June 5, 2026Credit: LISA O'CONNOR / AFP via Getty Diane Warren adopted a pig named Wilbur after he went viral for running loose in West Hollywood Warren has a history of rescuing animals, including a cow that escaped a slaughterhouse in 2021 “Get the pig.

Diane Warren Adopts Pig Seen Running Loose in West Hollywood, Vows to Give It a ‘Really Good Home’

Angel SaundersFri, August 21, 2026 at 2:40 AM UTC

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Diane Warren attends the 33rd Annual Race to Erase MS Gala in Los Angeles on June 5, 2026Credit: LISA O'CONNOR / AFP via Getty -

Diane Warren adopted a pig named Wilbur after he went viral for running loose in West Hollywood

Warren has a history of rescuing animals, including a cow that escaped a slaughterhouse in 2021

“Get the pig. Save the pig,’” the songwriter said after seeing Wilbur on the news

It’s “Times Like This” we all remember why we love Diane Warren.

On Thursday, Aug. 20, the Oscar-nominated songwriter, 69, met a pig named Wilbur face-to-face for the first time since the animal went viral after being seen running through the streets of West Hollywood over the weekend.

As Warren arrived at the West L.A. Animal Shelter, ABC 7 had the cameras rolling.

“Oh my God. You’re so cute,” the musician told the piglet, who got his moniker from the children’s book Charlotte’s Web, as she approached his cage.

“Look, you’re gonna have a really good home,” she added. “What are you doing running around Hollywood like that?”

Because Wilbur became an overnight sensation after the farm animal was seen running the big city streets, there was lots of interest from residents wanting to adopt him. To help find his new family, the animal shelter he was taken to held a silent auction.

Marcia Zwilling, managing director of the Diane Warren Foundation, placed the winning bid for the Grammy winner.

“Diane saw the news clips and saw the little pig running in West Hollywood, and she just called me and said, ‘Please get the pig, get the pig!’ ” Zwilling told the news outlet in an on-camera interview.

“‘Get the pig. Save the pig,’ ” she recalled Warren telling her.

Wilbur’s new home will be a seven-acre animal sanctuary in Malibu, and the pig may even be getting a new name since Warren already owns a “Wilbur.” And it’s not the first time she’s rescued an animal in need.

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In 2021, the “Superwoman” artist saved another summer runaway — a cow that made headlines for escaping from a Southern California slaughterhouse.

Diane Warren adopts pig seen running loose through West HollywoodCredit: ABC7/YouTube

After contacting the city of Pico Rivera, Warren arranged to have the cow sent to Farm Sanctuary — a nonprofit animal welfare organization with a location in Acton, Calif., — she and city manager Steve Carmona told the at the time.

Warren told the outlet that when she saw the animal on the news, “crying out” as wranglers tried to catch her, that she “couldn’t unsee that.”

“This isn’t my first cow I’ve saved,” she told the AP. “But this feels like a special cow. Because this was that one. So it’s almost like she represents all cows wanting to be free.”

— sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Warren’s affinity for animals doesn’t stop at those typically found on farms.

In June, Taylor Dayne spoke exclusively to PEOPLE about Warren’s quirky habit of showing up with a bird on her shoulder.

“I’m like, ‘Who the F shows up with a bird on their shoulder constantly?’” Dayne, 64, told PEOPLE of Warren’s love of birds. “I’m like, ‘How do you go to lunch with that?’ She goes, ‘Shut up, Taylor.’ Like, ‘I’m going to lunch with the bird.’ Animals always came first with Diane, so I kind of got it. And then she would never clean up her studio.”

“There’s a million stories about Diane, but her humanity is always animals first and humans later. And therapy,” she added.

on People

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Diane Warren Adopts Pig Seen Running Loose in West Hollywood, Vows to Give It a ‘Really Good Home’

Diane Warren Adopts Pig Seen Running Loose in West Hollywood, Vows to Give It a ‘Really Good Home’ Angel SaundersFri, August 2...

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Mariska Hargitay reveals future with 'SVU': 'Do I want to quit now?'

Mariska Hargitay reveals future with &x27;SVU&x27;: &x27;Do I want to quit now?&x27; Saman Shafiq, USA TODAYFri, August 21, 2026 at 1:17 PM UTC 5 Mariska Hargitay is not stepping away from the "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" anytime soon. The actor, 62, in a recent interview with Variety, said she&x27;s not hanging up her detective hat, despite feeling she wasn&x27;t serving other interests and people around her telling her to expand her mediums and explore other genres. “Do I want to quit now? No. Why? I made a movie while shooting; I did a play for six weeks on hiatus.

Mariska Hargitay reveals future with 'SVU': 'Do I want to quit now?'

Saman Shafiq, USA TODAYFri, August 21, 2026 at 1:17 PM UTC

5

Mariska Hargitay is not stepping away from the "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" anytime soon.

The actor, 62, in a recent interview with Variety, said she's not hanging up her detective hat, despite feeling she wasn't serving other interests and people around her telling her to expand her mediums and explore other genres.

“Do I want to quit now? No. Why? I made a movie while shooting; I did a play for six weeks on hiatus. I’m hosting the Emmys," Hargitay said. “Next summer, if I don’t make another movie, I’ll probably do another play. And I love it!”

Hargitay said she realized she didn't need to give up the show that gives her purpose to diversify herself and try new things. The actor earned eight Emmy nominations for outstanding lead actress in a drama series for her portrayal of Detective Olivia Benson on NBC’s long-running crime procedural, which premiered in 1999, and won a statuette in 2006.

She added that after she made her film, “it was unleashed. Something got unleashed, or broken open, or freed.”

“The comedy thing was painful to me, because I felt like I was only exercising one part of myself," Hargitay told the publication. "People would say, ‘You need to get off that show and do comedy. You need to get off that show and have a talk show.’”

That said, Hargitay revealed she did consider leaving her role around the Season 25 mark and discussed it with fellow actor Julianna Margulies, who had previously attempted to redefine her career by leaving “ER” in 2000 at its peak.

“I said, ‘I’ve got to leave the show too. I don’t want people to think I’m a one-trick pony.’ And she goes, ‘Sweetheart, that ship’s sailed,’” Hargitay said.

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Hargitay said when she first discussed leaving "SVU" with Margulies, she wasn't exactly "ready to leave, because I loved it. And then I got to do all this other stuff, and that’s why I don’t think about leaving right now.”

More news: 2026 Emmy nominations – The biggest records and milestones to know

Mariska Hargitay to host this year's Emmys

NBC has tapped Hargitay to serve as emcee during TV's biggest night this year.

"It's my great honor to host the 78th Emmy Awards – in the 100th birthday year of my beloved NBC – and celebrate this extraordinary community of storytellers," the "SVU" star said in the announcement. "Whether it's an actor or a director, a costumer or a sound designer, we are all so privileged to take part in creating television that unites us. Regardless of how, where or when we watch, we are together in our laughter, our tears, our love of stories – and our delighted anticipation to see what happens next."

Hargitay is also nominated at the awards for directing and producing “My Mom Jayne,” the HBO documentary about the complicated legacy of Hargitay’s late mother, actress Jayne Mansfield. Hargitay began shooting her film in 2023 while “SVU” was in production. “I don’t even know how I did it,” she said.

Contributing: Erin Jensen, USA TODAY

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@usatodayco.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mariska Hargitay reveals future with 'SVU': 'Do I want to quit now?'

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Mariska Hargitay reveals future with 'SVU': 'Do I want to quit now?'

Mariska Hargitay reveals future with &x27;SVU&x27;: &x27;Do I want to quit now?&x27; Saman Shafiq, USA TODAYFri, ...

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