Behind the Scenes Buzz with Tim Burton and H.E.R.

JUSTIN HARTLEY SERIES GETS PILOT ORDER AT CBS: This Is Us star Justin Hartley is once step closer to having a new series at CBS.  According to Deadline, his drama series, The Never Game, has received a pilot order at the network. The series follows Hartley as a lone-wolf survivalist who roams the country as a “reward seeker.”

TIM BURTON TO RECIEVE LUMIERE AWARD: Tim Burton will receive France’s prestigious Lumiere Award at the 14th edition of the classic film-focused Lumiere Festival in Lyon this October.  Previous recipients include Jane Campion (2021), Francis Ford Coppola (2019), and Quentin Tarantino (2013).

H.E.R. TO STAR IN ‘BEAUTY AND THE BEAST’: ABC announced Wednesday (July 20th) that H.E.R. will play Belle in the upcoming Beauty and the Beast musical.  The Grammy Award-winning artist said in a statement, “I have always wanted to be a Disney princess, and I get to work with two wonderful directors Hamish Hamilton and my favorite, Jon M. Chu.  It is very surreal, and I couldn’t be more grateful.”  The musical, which will feature a blend of animated and live-action scenes, will air on December 15th.

TOM BERGERON CELEBRATES ALFONSO RIBERIO’S ‘DWTS’ GIG: Tom Bergeron is thrilled to hear that Alfonso Ribeiro will co-host Season 31 of Dancing With The Stars.  The former DWTS host wrote in a recent Instagram post, “Now, getting Conrad Green back as DWTS showrunner is only ONE of their smartest decisions.  Here’s the other one.  Congratulations, buddy.”