Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, more to moderate Michelle Obama book tour
Michelle Obama’s blockbuster book launch has officially added some serious star power.
The former FLOTUS will be embarking on a nationwide tour this November to promote the publication of her memoir, Becoming, one of the year’s most anticipated titles. But she’s putting on the kinds of events more typical of A-list comedians and iconic musicians, taking over venues which hold tens of thousands of people, including the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, the final stop. Safe to say, the level of interest isn’t enough for your local Barnes & Noble to accommodate.
Tickets had already been selling out fast. And there’s no reason that trend won’t accelerate with the latest news. Live Nation, the company producing the tour on behalf of publisher Crown, announced Tuesday the list of moderators for the book tour’s events. The shortlist: Reese Witherspoon, Sarah Jessica Parker, Valerie Jarrett, poet Elizabeth Alexander, Phoebe Robinson, journalist Michele Norris, and Tracee Ellis Ross. Oh, and to kick things off at the United Center in Obama’s hometown of Chicago, none other than Oprah Winfrey will be seated across from the author.
While tickets are running north of $1,000, given the level of anticipation, “It is important to Mrs. Obama that her Becoming tour events are accessible to as many people as possible,” per Live Nation. Last week, it was announced that a selection of the local and community organizations would receive free admission to stops on the tour. In addition, 10 percent of ticket sales has been set aside for various organizations including, but not limited to, charities, schools, and community groups in each city the tour visits. And thousands of tickets will be given away.
See below for the full schedule of events — and which stars will be moderating them.
Nov. 13 at United Center, Chicago, IL: Moderated by Oprah Winfrey
Nov. 15 at The Forum, Los Angeles, CA: Moderated by Tracee Ellis Ross
Nov. 17 at Capital One Arena, Washington, DC: Moderated by Valerie Jarrett
Nov. 24 at TD Garden in Boston, MA: Moderated by Michele Norris
Nov. 25 at Capital One Arena, Washington, DC: Moderated by Elizabeth Alexander
Nov. 29 at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA: Moderated by Phoebe Robinson
Dec. 1 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY: Moderated by Elizabeth Alexander
Dec. 11 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, MI: Moderated by Phoebe Robinson Dec. 13 at Pepsi Center Arena in Denver, CO: Moderated by Reese Witherspoon
Dec. 14 at SAP Center in San Jose, CA: Moderated by Michele Norris
Dec. 17 at American Airlines Arena in Dallas, TX: Moderated by Valerie Jarrett
Dec. 19 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY: Moderated by Sarah Jessica Parker
Last week, Reese and Ava attended the LA Dance Project Gala in Los Angeles. The LA Dance Project is “a platform for the development, creation, support and presentation of world-class dance in Los Angeles”, and was created by dancer and choreographer Benjamin Millipied – who is also known for being Natalie Portman’s husband. The gala this year was co-chaired by Natalie and Reese. Reese wore an embellished black dress by Dundas, with Christian Louboutin ‘Uptown’ heels and ‘Vanite’ clutch. Over 90 beautiful HQ photos have been added to our Gallery for you!
Reese recently supported her jewellery-designer friend Jennifer Meyer at the opening of Jennifer’s boutique in Pacific Palisades in California. Reese wore a dress by Rebecca Taylor, and Jennifer Meyer jewellery.
Apple Morning-Show Drama Adds Nestor Carbonell, Mark Duplass
The cast of Apple’s drama about a TV morning show, already dotted with big names, has added two more recognizable stars.
Nestor Carbonell (Lost, Bates Motel) and Mark Duplass (Togetherness, The Mindy Project) have joined the series.
The show, which has a two-season, 20-episode order, was one of Apple’s first big gets as it mounts a push into TV. The untitled series is toplined by Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston, who will star and executive produce.
Carbonell will play Yanko Flores, the morning show’s weatherman. Charming and with an artist’s soul, he thinks of meteorology as poetry. Carbonell will reunite with showrunner Kerry Ehrin on the series after working with her on Bates Motel.
Duplass will play the show’s executive producer, Chip Black.
The cast also includes Steve Carell as a news anchor struggling to maintain relevance; Gugu Mbatha-Raw as the show’s head talent booker; and Billy Crudup as the head of the news division at the network.
In addition to Witherspoon, Aniston and Ehrin, executive producers are Kristin Hahn, Lauren Levy Neustadter, Michael Ellenberg and Mimi Leder, who’s also directing. Brian Stelter’s book Top of the Morning serves as background for the series, and he is a consultant on the show.
Production on the show is set to begin next week.
The morning-show series is one of more than 15 scripted projects Apple has in development. The tech giant has yet to say how or when it will start bringing shows to viewers.
Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Billy Crudup Join Apple Morning-Show Drama
Apple continues to add to its star-studded morning-show drama.
Gugu Mbatha-Raw (Black Mirror) and Billy Crudup (Gypsy, Almost Famous) have joined the cast of the untitled series starring Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon and Steve Carell.
Picked up with a two-season, 20-episode order, the project will offer an inside look at the lives of the people who help America wake up in the morning. Brian Stelter’s book Top of the Morning: Inside the Cutthroat World of Morning TV serves as background for the series, which is based on an original concept by Michael Ellenberg.
Mbatha-Raw will take on the series-regular role as Hannah Shoenfeld, the whip-smart and charming head booker of talent. Tony-winner Crudup will play Cory Ellison, the forward-thinking president of the news division at the network. Carell, for whom the role marks his TV return following The Office, will play Mitch Kessler, a morning-show anchor struggling to maintain relevance in a changing media landscape.
Production is set to begin next week in Los Angeles.
Aniston — for whom the Apple series marks her TV return following Friends — and her Echo Films partner, Kristin Hahn, are exec producing alongside Witherspoon and her Hello Sunshine topper, Lauren Levy Neustadter. Ellenberg’s Media Res serves as the studio on the series. Mimi Leder (ER) will exec produce and direct. Kerry Ehrin (Bates Motel, Friday Night Lights) exec produces and serves as showrunner on the series. Stelter serves as a consultant. Echo’s Amanda Anka is a co-producer.
Mbatha-Raw, who counts Touch, Undercovers and A Wrinkle in Time among her credits, is repped by CAA and Hansen Jacobson. Crudup, fresh off Netflix’s one-and-done drama Gypsy, is with CAA and Lighthouse Management + Media.
Still to be determined is how — and when — Apple will release its scripted original programming.
Steve Carell Joins Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston in Apple Morning Show Drama
Steve Carell is set to join Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston the cast of Apple’s upcoming morning-show drama. The role will be Carell’s first as a series regular since he left “The Office,” the NBC single-camera comedy that elevated him to stardom.
In the still;-untitled Apple series, Carell will play play Mitch Kessler, a morning show anchor who is struggling to maintain relevance in a changing media landscape.
Announced last year, the project was the first drama series to be ordered by Apple as the tech giant began to execute on its designs to into the television-series space. The drama hails from Michael Ellenberg’s Media Res studio. It is exec produced by Ellenberg; Aniston and Kristin Hahn through Echo Films; and Witherspoon and Lauren Levy Neustadter through Hello Sunshine. The starry project was highly sought after by a number of outlets and landed a two-season order (10 episodes per season) from Apple. Media Res, Aniston and Witherspoon are the principle owners of the show.
The series is based on an idea from Ellenberg and will draw background material from CNN senior media correspondent Brian Stelter’s 2013 book “Top of the Morning,” which recounted the recent rivalry between NBC’s “Today” and ABC’s “Good Morning America.” In April, Jay Carson departed the project as showrunner, replaced by Kerry Ehrin.
Here’s Reese on Aussie news show Sunrise earlier this month, promoting ‘Whiskey In A Teacup’. She also mentions Big Little Lies, cooking for her BLL co-stars, her Australian friends Nicole Kidman, Naomi Watts & Isla Fisher, and Ava’s ‘win’ on the night Reese won her Oscar!
The Morning Show (2019) Seasons 1 & 2 available now on AppleTV+
Season 3 coming in 2023 Role: Bradley Jackson Genre: Apple TV+ Series - Drama News / Info / Photos / Official Site
Your Place Or Mine (2023) On Netflix now Role: Debbie Genre: Romantic comedy News / Info / Photos / Official Site
Legally Blonde 3 (202?) In production Role: Elle Woods Genre: Comedy News / Info / Photos / Official Site
Glamour Reese Witherspoon is an unofficial fansite dedicated to supporting and promoting the career of Reese Witherspoon. We have no contact with Ms Witherspoon or her family or management. No copyright infringement is intended through the use of content within this website ...