Archives: Episodes

Gugu Mbatha-Raw on the “juicy” twists and turns in Apple TV+'s 'Surface'

Apple TV+

Gugu Mbatha-Raw stars as Sophie, a woman who wakes up after a terrible accident with memory loss in Apple TV+’s new thriller series Surface.

However, as the show progresses, Sophie learns she has a whole lot of secrets and the “perfect life” she thought she had was anything but.

“Well, for me, I mean, there’s nothing juicy about having a secret, you know, as in life,” the Loki veteran explained to ABC Audio.

“But also as an actor, you know, it gives you attention. It gives you something to hide and conceal and wrestle with. It gives every scene a charge!”

As the series progresses, however, Sophie learns she wasn’t who those closest to her are telling her she was, either.

“I think initially, Sophie doesn’t know … because she’s lost her memory because of this accident. She’s looking to James, her husband, to create her reality for her. And she initially, obviously, of course, trusts him because why wouldn’t you? You know, he’s her husband. He cares about her. But obviously, as we get into it, you know, we see that there’s so much more to it than that.”

Oliver Jackson-Cohen plays her husband, James, and to say he’s got his own secrets is an understatement.

“I think that that’s always, for me, the interesting stuff to play and the fascinating stuff to watch because it keeps you guessing,” Mbatha-Raw says.

Surface, which also stars Stephan James and Marianne Jean-Baptiste, debuts Friday on Apple TV+.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

 

Bruno Mars to throw Labor Day pool party in the Bahamas

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for SelvaRey

Bruno Mars wants you to soak up the sun, splash in the pool and sip on a piña colada during his Labor Day weekend pool party in the Bahamas.

Us Weekly reports that the “Grenade” hitmaker has teamed with SLS Baha Mar for a four-day Pina Colada Pool Party. The celebration runs from September 1 through September 4.

Bruno will likely have his rum brand SelvaRey flowing since it does go by the tagline, “Vacation in a glass.”

Aside from some poolside fun and plenty of rum, an array of DJs will keep the music going. So far, DJ Stevie J, DJ Ignite and Osocity have signed on to keep the music thumping.

Bruno will close out the four-day bash by assuming hosting duties that Sunday; He will also kick off a seven-hour music performance with his Silk Sonic co-star Anderson .Paak. 

Tickets are now on sale via the venue’s website, as are special VIP experience packages.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

 

Drake unveils new NOCTA x Nike sportswear collection

Mark Brown/Getty Images

Drake has unveiled his latest capsule collection for NOCTA, his sportswear label in collaboration with Nike.

The basketball line features hoodies, t-shirts, fleece sweatpants, basketball jerseys, compression tights, headbands and more.

Drake touted the collection on social media and shouted out the Nike Elite Youth Basketball players, who modeled the new designs. “Sometimes You Sometimes Me Always Us…” he wrote, referencing the brand’s slogan. “The next generation of superstar athletes are family members already.”

Prices range from $12 to $120, and the collection is available on Nike.com and NOCTA.com.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

 

Brittney Griner set to testify in Russian court as US works to secure her release

Pavel Pavlov/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

(NEW YORK) — Brittney Griner is expected to testify on Wednesday in a Russian court more than five months after she was detained in the country and after the WNBA star’s legal team requested more time for her to prepare.

Griner, a 31-year-old Houston native who plays professional basketball for the Phoenix Mercury, was detained on Feb. 17 at Sheremetyevo International Airport in Khimki as she returned to Russia to play during the WNBA’s offseason after she was accused of having vape cartridges containing hashish oil, which is illegal in the country.

If convicted, she faces up to 10 years in prison and also has a right to an appeal.

Griner pleaded guilty to drug charges in court earlier this month, saying that the vape cartridges containing hashish oil were in her luggage mistakenly. She said she had no “intention” of breaking Russian law and did not mean to leave the cartridges in her bag.

Earlier this month, one of Griner’s attorneys presented a letter from an American doctor in court, giving her permission to use cannabis to reduce chronic pain.

Her legal team told ABC News in a statement earlier this month that her “guilty” plea was recommended by her Russian attorneys.

“Brittney sets an example of being brave. She decided to take full responsibility for her actions as she knows that she is a role model for many people,” the lawyers said in the statement. “Considering the nature of her case, the insignificant amount of the substance and BG’s personality and history of positive contributions to global and Russian sport, the defense hopes that the plea will be considered by the court as a mitigating factor and there will be no severe sentence.”

The WNBA star briefly spoke to ABC News during a break in Tuesday’s proceedings at a courthouse in the Moscow suburb of Khimki. When asked whether she has any complaints, she said: “No, no complaints. Just waiting patiently.”

She also shared with ABC News a message for her wife, Cherelle, who recently graduated from law school.

“Good luck on the bar exam,” Griner said.

Griner’s legal team continued to present evidence on Tuesday and called another witness to testify as pressure mounts on the United States to negotiate her release.

A Russian narcologist, Dr. Mikhail Tetyushkin, testified on Tuesday that cannabis is often used by professional athletes to treat sports injuries because of its therapeutic properties, including analgesic and anti-inflammatory. However, with constant use, it may impair motor coordination and reaction time, which is why athletes should not take it permanently, according to Tetyushkin. He also noted that there are no international standards to differentiate medical cannabis from a drug.

Since Griner’s trial began on July 1, several Russian individuals have testified in court as character witnesses about their experience with the Phoenix Mercury center, who also played in the WNBA offseason for UMMC, a Russian basketball club in the city of Yekaterinburg. Witnesses include Maxim Ryabkov, the director of UMMC; team doctor Anatoly Galabin, who said that Griner never tested positive for doping while playing for the team; and Evgenia Belyakova, one of Griner’s Russian teammates, who said that Griner was the leader of the team.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began one week after Griner was detained, and some officials have expressed concern that Americans jailed in Russia could be used as leverage in the ongoing conflict.

The U.S. Department of State classified Griner’s case on May 3 as “wrongfully detained.”

Calls to free Griner escalated following the May release of U.S. Marine veteran Trevor Reed, who was freed from a Russian prison as part of a prisoner exchange. Former Marine Paul Whelan has also been detained in Russia since 2019.

State Department spokesperson Ned Price said Tuesday afternoon that officials were with Griner in court on Tuesday, and confirmed that she was “doing OK,” and the department has “routinely conveyed those discussions” to Griner’s wife.

“I would say that we have made the case of Brittney Griner, we have made the case of Paul Whelan, an absolute priority and we are working actively, quietly, behind the scenes to do everything we can to see that their wrongful detentions come to an end as quickly as possible,” Price said.

Price added that the administration won’t be satisfied until Griner is back with her family.

“We don’t look at this in terms of satisfaction. We look at this through the lens of doing everything we possibly can to see to it that these individuals are reunited with their families as quickly as we can,” Price said.

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