What’s Up Archives

Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes is returning to television with the period drama, The Gilded Age, which has been picked up to series by NBC and is slated for a 2019 debut. The network has ordered 10 episodes. Fellowes is re-teaming with Downton Abbey executive producer Gareth Neame for the series, which takes place in the glittering world of the wealthiest families in 19th-century New York. Jennifer Salke, president of NBC Entertainment said in a statement: “We’re thrilled that NBC and Universal Television will bring you Julian Fellowes delicious new take on both the emerging rich and the working class who were intricately entwined in opulent New York in 1882. It’s an addictive new universe of fabulous people with the same signature style, wit and emotional resonance for which Julian is famous.”

Three months after production was shut down in the wake of sexual assault and harassment allegations against star Kevin Spacey, “House of Cards” has resumed production on its sixth and final season, according to an official release from Netflix. Netflix also announced Wednesday that Oscar-nominated actors Greg Kinnear and Diane Lane have joined the cast, which will now focus on it’s star Robin Wright. The final season will feature eight episodes, and it is reported that Kinnear and Lane will play siblings. “House of Cards,” launched in 2013 and has received 53 Emmy nods over the years, with seven wins. No plot details have been released about the final season, though Wright’s Claire Underwood was sworn in as president toward the end of last season with Spacey’s character pushed out of office.

Tom Hanks is set to play Mr. Rogers in a biopic film about the children’s show host. TriStar pictures announced it has acquired the worldwide rights to the film Monday. It’s chosen Hanks to play Fred Rogers in the biopic, and filmmaker Marielle Helle will be the film’s director. The film, called “You Are My Friend,” is expected to focus of the friendship between Mr. Rogers and journalist Tom Juno who wrote a profile on Rogers that he said “transformed” his perspective on life. Rogers passed away in 2003 at the age of 74.  Production for “You Are My Friend” will start in September of this year, with the film expected to be released sometime in 2019.

Glee alum Mark Salling died Tuesday from an apparent suicide at the age of 35. Salling’s death by suicide was confirmed by the Los Angeles Police Department. The actor’s body was found near a riverbed in the Sunland-Turjunga neighborhood of Los Angeles, the area where he lived. “I can confirm that Mark Salling passed away early this morning” his attorney, Michael Proctor said. Salling was awaiting sentencing after he pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography in October. He faced four to seven years in prison as part of a plea bargain. He pleaded guilty to “one felony count of possession of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor” and also faced 20 years of supervised release, $50,000 in restitution pay to each of his victims and to register as a sex offender. Salling appeared on Glee as Noah “Puck” Puckerman between 2009 and 2015. 

Actress Nicole Eggert has accused her former “Charles in Charge” costar, Scott Baio, of molesting her when she was underage. Baio responded by accusing Eggert of making up claims about him. The controversy began over the weekend when Eggert, 46, called Baio a “creep” on Twitter, tweeting to another user to ask him “what happened in his garage at his house when I was a minor. Another tweet from the “Baywatch” actress, which has since been deleted, alleged that Baio began behaving inappropriately when she was 14.  Baio, 57, himself tweeted that Eggert’s allegations are “100% lies,” before elaborating in a 16-minute Facebook Live video on Saturday. Though he did concede to having sex with Eggert, it happened long after “Charles in Charge” went off the air and when she was an adult, Baio said.