Nickelodeon International To Premiere 'Rugrats (2021)' Season Three In June 2026

Hold on to your diapees, babies, as Nickelodeon International will be premiering the never-seen-before third season of Rugrats (2021) across its Nickelodeon Global Unlimited feed daily 23:45 CET starting Monday 1st June 2026!

The newly-formed Nickelodeon Global Unlimited feed is currently available in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), South Africa, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Portugal.

Produced by Nickelodeon Animation and originally debuted as a Paramount+ Original, Rugrats (2021) is a CG-animated reboot of Nickelodeon's much-loved '90s animated series, Rugrats. Much like the original series, Rugrats (2021) followed the adventures of Tommy, Chuckie, Angelica, Susie, Phil and Lil as they take on the world with their pint-sized perspectives and a diapie full of snacks.

The news follows Nickelodeon International premiering season two of Rugrats (2021), including never-before-aired episodes, in March. Unfortunately, Rugrats (2021) was canceled mid-way through its season two run in the U.S. eventually being removed from Nickelodeon and Paramount+ altogether.

Season three of Rugrats (2021) will see the babies travel to Area 54, Phil and Lil meet their "Howard", and Chas and Kira get married!

Monday 1st June 2026 - A Tiger's Tale / Grandchild of the Month: When Spike appears to have transformed into a wild tiger, Tommy tries to tame him so he can stay in the Pickles' house. // Angelica runs a campaign to be elected "Grandchild of the Month" at Grandpa Lou's senior center, with Begley as her advisor. (#301)

Didi books a doggie makeover for Spike that temporarily paints him to look like a tiger, and when the babies see him, they're convinced he's somehow been transformed into a real wild animal. Darsh and Nyra, who know a lot about tigers, explain to Tommy that Spike will have to leave the house and go live among other tigers, but Tommy is sure he can teach Spike how to overcome his new wild-animal instincts. The babies work together to help Spike learn, but the harder they try, the more difficult their job seems. // At the Senior Center, Angelica sees a framed photo of the "Grandchild of the Month" and learns the seniors will be awarding this title to a new grandchild today. With Begley immediately volunteering to be her campaign manager, Angelica runs an aggressive race, trying her best to woo seniors around the building. At first it seems like she's running unopposed, but her brash approach soon drives Begley to jump ship and support a new, popular challenger: Tommy! Who will be victorious in the end?

Tuesday 2nd June 2026 - Bookworm / The Cookie Test: Booky the Bookworm arrives at the library to read the kids a story, but Phil loses his pet worm Todd Jr. in the excitement. // Angelica tries to teach Chuckie and Kimi how to speak up for what they want, since they're going to be living together. (#302)

Kimi shows the babies around the library where Kira works, as everyone gathers for story time with special guest Booky the Bookworm. But when the babies all rush over to meet Booky, Phil is so excited that he forgets to bring Todd Jr., his worm friend who lives in his diaper. Upon returning to their seats, the babies realize Todd Jr. is missing. Now, they must search the entire library to find Todd Jr. before story time starts.// The friends are finally able to check out Chas's and Kira's new house, and the babies immediately explore upstairs to check out the bedrooms. Chuckie badly wants the "Bird Room," while Kimi prefers the "Clown Room," but they each assume the other shares their own preference. Both trying to be polite, Chuckie takes the "Clown Room," and Kimi takes the "Bird Room." Angelica warns each of them that continuing to act like a pushover will have dangerous consequences, and Chuckie and Kimi start to worry that their lives are doomed if they don't start speaking up about what they truly want.

Wednesday 3rd June 2026 - Mudville / Stepping Stone: Darsh shows Phil and Lil that they have individual talents and the twins soon question their entire dynamic as a duo. // Angelica's plan to befriend Nyra backfires when she accidentally gets herself labeled as Darsh's friend instead. (#303)

As the babies play at the park, Phil and Lil are in their usual twin mode, reading each other's minds and acting perfectly in step with each other. But when Darsh suggests a game of "Lizard Catcher" to Phil, Phil discovers it's kind of nice doing something without Lil. Soon, Darsh proposes a game of "Bug World Designer" to Lil, who undergoes a similar revelation. But by the time all the babies come together to build a giant "Mudville," Phil and Lil are no longer willing to work together at all. // When the Mehtas stop by Angelica's house, Angelica tries her best to impress Nyra, but Darsh is the only one who seems interested in befriending her. Angelica is thrilled when Nyra invites her to come along with the Mehtas for the day, but her excitement turns to mortification when it's specified that this would be a playdate with Darsh, not Nyra. The more Angelica tries to shake off Darsh, the more attached he grows, and the further away friendship with Nyra appears to drift.

Thursday 4th June 2026 - Scooped / Class Pet: Susie and her friends travel into the magical world of her grandfather's book to help Robby get to Ice Cream Mountain. // Kimi is thrilled to take home her preschool's bearded dragon, but soon learns that she doesn't enjoy the responsibility. (#304)

Friday 5th June 2026 - Desert Trip: Phil and Lil learn that they're meeting their "Howard" this weekend and when the dads take the babies on a camping trip out into the desert, the babies try to figure out who the twins' "Howard" really is... might he even be an alien from outer space? (#305)

As the dads prepare for a trip out to the desert with the babies, Angelica overhears Betty talking about Phil's and Lil's donor, Howard, explaining that the twins got certain traits from him (like their love of sour things and affinity for bugs). Betty mentions that Howard is coming to visit this weekend, information that Angelica passes along to the excited babies. During their trip, Phil and Lil devise tests to see if a couple men they meet along the way might be their Howard, but neither one seems to fit the description. However, Randy has secretly planned for their campsite to be right near Area 54, a top-secret government facility alleged to contain aliens, and this sparks the babies to wonder if Phil's and Lil's Howard might really be an alien-a theory that makes total sense to them. When Randy and Varun take the babies on a nighttime stroll to check out Area 54, the babies envision a fantasy in which this alien Howard beams them up onto his spaceship and introduces himself.

Saturday 6th June 2026 - Wild Doll / The Pest Plant: Angelica's parents give her and Cynthia a timeout for misbehaving but Cynthia refuses to accept her consequences and runs amok. // Tommy, jealous of the attention Dil is getting, wishes a Venus flytrap would eat his brother, but then regrets doing so (#306)

Sunday 7th June 2026 - Forest Friends / Castle Guy: Susie is embarrassed to be caught playing with Angelica, so she makes up a fake twin sister as a cover story // The babies investigate strange sounds coming from Darsh's closet and discover a hidden castle with an inhabitant who doesn't want to leave (#307)

Monday 8th June 2026 - Tricycle Kid / Simply Simon: Pierce and Tricycle Kid rave about a new toy to the other kids, but Tommy's not convinced by this supposed "right way to play. // When Angelica's uncle Simon returns and claims he's changed his bratty ways, Angelica tries to prove he's lying. (#308)

Tuesday 9th June 2026 - New Year on Ice: On New Year's Day, the group goes to a live performance of "Reptar in Space on Ice: The Musical Experience." Chuckie and Kimi worry that becoming one family means they can only do things one way, but they have different plans for how to help Reptar. (#309)

The morning of New Year's Day, Chuckie and Kimi discuss the different traditions each of their families has, worrying that their new blended family will be forced to choose ONE way of doing things from now on-whether that's how they celebrate the New Year, or how they do story time at night. Later, the friend group goes to see "Reptar in Space on Ice: The Musical Experience" together. While Angelica tries to bond with Nyra, who she learns is a huge Reptar fan, Kimi and the babies get caught up in the show's plot, watching in despair as Reptar's nemesis Arachno defeats him in a battle early on. Chuckie comes up with a plan to help Reptar recover and regroup, but Kimi disagrees, arguing that they should instead focus on stopping Arachno. Chuckie's and Kimi's inability to compromise leads to both of their plans failing, until Phil and Lil suggest they try working together. In doing so, Chuckie and Kimi learn that the Finster-Watanabe family will be able to keep their favorite traditions AND make new ones together.

Wednesday 10th June 2026 - Flower Girl / Flight of the Finster: Angelica, envious that Kimi gets to be a flower girl at Chas's and Kira's wedding, tries to figure out a way to be one, too.// Chuckie is happy to let his big sister Kimi be overprotective of him, but soon realizes that life on "easy mode" is no fun. (#310)

Angelica and the babies learn that Kimi is going to be a flower girl at her mama's wedding, and after hearing about the glory this job entails, Angelica grows determined to be one too. She tries to arrange a wedding between Fluffy and Spike, which fails miserably, and to her disappointment, none of the adults in her life seem like they might get married soon... except for Lou, who has a song performance with Celeste this evening. Unbeknownst to him, Angelica sees tonight as the perfect opportunity to strut her stuff as a flower girl. // The babies are excited for the Senior Center Carnival, where there will be an awesome airplane ride. To prepare, they set up a few "pilot training" tests, but when Kimi sees Chuckie participating, she worries that she's not doing enough as a big sister to protect him. Chuckie soon learns that if he plays into Kimi's concerns, she'll make everything easier for him, including all the games at the carnival. But when she forbids him from going on the airplane ride, he realizes he's gone too far.

Thursday 11th June 2026 - The Toy Box / The Pit: The babies travel to Toyland and find their toys have come to life... but Tommy and Chuckie have been turned into toys themselves!//When Phil gets stuck in a pit, the babies wonder why Lil would rather chase a porcupine than help get her brother out. (#311)

Stu's latest invention, Tori the Talking Toy Box, encourages the babies to tidy up by depositing their toys in "Toyland." But when Tommy and Chuckie try to recover Mr. Tippy Cup (whom Chuckie regrets throwing in), all the babies are magically transported to Toyland as well. And even more shocking-Tommy and Chuckie have been transformed into toys themselves! As the two try to decide how they feel about this new way of life, all the babies come to discover that Toyland isn't quite as perfect as it seems.// While Uncle Jake and Trish show KlickKlack viewers how to forage for cooking ingredients, the babies forage as well, searching for ingredients to make forest brownies. However, Phil and Lil soon get sidetracked following a porcupine, until Phil suddenly falls into a pit. Lil alerts the other babies, but they're confused when she doesn't seem interested in helping them rescue Phil; she just remains focused on finding the porcupine. Oh, well-at least they have forest brownies to share with Phil in the meantime!

Friday 12th June 2026 - Dinner Guest / Bucket List: Susie hosts a dinner party for her friends, but her special guest Bonesy (a model skeleton from Randy's classroom) goes missing. // Darsh thinks he'll be starting preschool soon, so he tries to fit every activity into this final day with his friends. (#312)

As Randy and Lucy prep for their dinner party, Susie wonders how she can entertain her own guests, the other babies. Her answer? Bonesy, the model skeleton Randy brought home from school! Meanwhile, the adult guests grow convinced that Bonesy is part of some mystery game Lucy and Randy have planned. When Randy moves Bonesy to get him out of the way, Susie and her friends try to figure out where their new friend has disappeared to, while the grownups try to figure out what the party's mystery theme actually is. // Ms. Marjorie stops by the Mehtas' house to discuss a design opportunity at the Whole Child Center preschool, but Nyra misunderstands her visit as a sign that Darsh will be attending the school starting tomorrow. Faced with this ticking clock, Darsh endeavors to do everything he's ever wanted to do in this one day he has left before going off to preschool forever. His friends are supportive, of course, but they eventually realize that rushing through fun activities kind of takes away the "fun" part.

Saturday 13th June 2026 - Big Cake Day Part 1: When a broken vase threatens to ruin Chas and Kira's wedding, Angelica and an unseen Wise Fox lead the babies around the world to fix it. In the end, the babies and Angelica learn they need each other-Angelica's the glue that holds them all together. (#313)

Chas and Kira are getting married today, and their backyard has been transformed into a Japanese garden for the celebration. Angelica warns the babies that nothing better go wrong, otherwise no one will get to eat the big cake. Of course, as soon as she makes this announcement, a special Japanese vase sent by Kira's parents shatters into pieces. Angelica plans to travel quickly to Japan and acquire a replacement, but she soon learns from an unseen Wise Fox that there is no replacement; the babies must find the pieces of the broken vase, which have been scattered all over the world. And if that doesn't sound difficult enough, Angelica is tasked with helping make sure the babies succeed... but they're not allowed to know she's helping! The Wise Fox sends his raccoon-dog assistant with Angelica to make sure she follows the rules, as the babies (shadowed by Angelica) travel to a mountain, a desert, Antarctica, and the ocean to collect the pieces of the vase in time for Chuckie's daddy's wedding.

Sunday 14th June 2026 - Big Cake Day Part 2: When a broken vase threatens to ruin Chas and Kira's wedding, Angelica and an unseen Wise Fox lead the babies around the world to fix it. In the end, the babies and Angelica learn they need each other-Angelica's the glue that holds them all together. (#314; series finale)

Chas and Kira are getting married today, and their backyard has been transformed into a Japanese garden for the celebration. Angelica warns the babies that nothing better go wrong, otherwise no one will get to eat the big cake. Of course, as soon as she makes this announcement, a special Japanese vase sent by Kira's parents shatters into pieces. Angelica plans to travel quickly to Japan and acquire a replacement, but she soon learns from an unseen Wise Fox that there is no replacement; the babies must find the pieces of the broken vase, which have been scattered all over the world. And if that doesn't sound difficult enough, Angelica is tasked with helping make sure the babies succeed... but they're not allowed to know she's helping! The Wise Fox sends his raccoon-dog assistant with Angelica to make sure she follows the rules, as the babies (shadowed by Angelica) travel to a mountain, a desert, Antarctica, and the ocean to collect the pieces of the vase in time for Chuckie's daddy's wedding.

The series stars EG Daily (Tommy Pickles), Nancy Cartwright (Chuckie Finster), Cheryl Chase (Angelica Pickles), Cree Summer (Susie Carmichael) and Kath Soucie (Phil and Lil DeVille), all of whom are reprising their iconic roles in this new series.

Returning to the playpen is Tommy’s beloved little brother, Dil, voiced by Tara Strong (The Fairly OddParents, Teen Titans Go!) who is reprising her role in this new series. Also joining the series this season are guest stars Yvette Nicole Brown (Drake & Josh, Community) as Miss Mellie, the friendly and silly tour guide at re-created Old West town Tot Springs; Wendie Malick (The Owl House) as Judith, Charlotte’s glamorous yet often condescending mother; Sarah Niles (Ted Lasso) as Nanny Pip, a proficient and encouraging robotic nanny who watches Angelica; and Alia Shawkat (Severance) as Trish, Betty’s new girlfriend who is eager to make friends with everyone.

The original adventurous babies’ voice cast is joined by new voices, including Ashley Rae Spillers and Tommy Dewey (Tommy’s parents, Didi and Stu Pickles); Tony Hale (Chuckie’s father, Chas Finster); Natalie Morales (Phil and Lil’s mother, Betty DeVille); Anna Chlumsky and Timothy Simons (Angelica’s parents, Charlotte and Drew Pickles); Nicole Byer and Omar Miller (Susie’s parents, Lucy and Randy Carmichael); Michael McKean (Grandpa Lou Pickles); Charlet Chung (Kimi); and Grey Delisle (Begley). Also returning as guest stars in season two are Henry Winkler (Boris); Swoosie Kurtz (Minka); Telma Hopkins (Celeste); Raini Rodriguez (Gabi); Keith Carradine (Bob Brine); and Richard Ayoade (Duffy).

Produced by Nickelodeon Animation, the all-new RUGRATS is based on the series created by Arlene Klasky, Gabor Csupo, and Paul Germain. Kate Boutilier (Rugrats) and Casey Leonard (“Breadwinners”) are executive producers and Dave Pressler (Robot and Monster) and Rachel Lipman (Rugrats) serve as co-executive producers, with Kellie Smith (The Fairly OddParents) as line producer on season two. Charlie Adler (Rugrats) serves as the voice director. Production is overseen by Mollie Freilich, director of current series animation at Nickelodeon.

The original RUGRATS series launched August 11, 1991, and instantly became a groundbreaking phenomenon, spawning consumer products and three hit theatrical releases, cementing its place in pop culture history through its iconic characters, storytelling and unique visual style. RUGRATS was in production for nine seasons over the course of 13 years. The series earned four Daytime Emmy Awards, six Kids’ Choice Awards and its own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Article was originally published on NickALive!

SpongeBob Ahoy! | Pilot | Nickelodeon

SpongeBoy, Ahoy! (or simply SpongeBoy) is a Columbian animated comedy television series created in 1996 by marine science educator and animator Stephen Hillenburg for Nickelodeon. It chronicles the adventures of the title character and his aquatic friends in the fictional underwater city of Bikini Bottom.


SpongeBoy began life as The Intertidal Zone, an educational comic Hillenburg created for his marine biology class. Hillenburg joined Nickelodeon in 1992, where he worked as an artist on Rocko's Modern Life. After the end of Rocko, Hillenburg began developing SpongeBoy. In 1995, a seven-minute pilot was pitched to Nickelodeon, who greenlit the series.


Spongeboy debuted on May 1, 1996, gaining enormous popularity by its second season. The show lasted two seasons for a total of 50 episodes, ending on June 10, 2001. The show would inspire a 2004 feature film and has a continued presence in merchandise and other media. Re-runs of the show have aired on Nick PT and in syndication, and the show continues to be aired.

BBC First To Rebrand As BBC Belgium In May

BBC Studios is to rebrand its premium drama channel BBC First as BBC Belgium, marking a localisation push in the Flemish market.

The change will take effect from May 5, 2026, with the channel continuing to target audiences in Flanders with a curated slate of British drama and light crime programming, fully localised with Dutch subtitles.

BBC Studios said the rebrand is designed to strengthen the channel’s connection with Belgian viewers while maintaining its established programming strategy.

Bram Husken, SVP and general manager Benelux and Nordics at BBC Studios, said the move would better reflect the channel’s audience and reinforce its commitment to bringing British storytelling to the region.

The rebranded channel will launch with a refreshed identity and a line-up of returning and new titles, including Wild Cherry, The Marlow Murder Club S3, Call the Midwife S15, Lynley, Foyle’s War S6 and Miss Scarlet S6.

BBC First has operated in Belgium for more than a decade as a premium drama service, distributed via local pay-TV platforms. The transition to BBC Belgium follows a broader trend by BBC Studios to localise its international channel brands, as seen with the launch of BBC NL in the Netherlands.

The company said BBC Belgium will continue to offer a mix of high-end drama and crime series tailored to Flemish audiences, with the rebrand intended to deepen engagement in the market.


Reminder: Mysteries Unearthed Returns For Season 2 On History Channel Across Africa, The Lost Secrets Of Jesus Also Added To The Lineup

Mysteries Unearthed With Danny Trejo season 2
18 April

Saturdays 19:25

Mysteries UnEarthed with Danny Trejo season 2 examines the fascinating stories surrounding buried arti facts and lost civilizations, offering new insight and information, on various mysteries of the past and present. Anchored by Danny Trejo’s affinity for history and his natural curiosity into exploring the unknown, the show also includes captivating archival material, expert interviews, and compelling recreations. The series seeks to unearth what the human eye cannot easily detect.

 

The Lost Secrets of Jesus
19 April

Sunday 20:15

The Lost Secrets of Jesus peels back the layers of centuries old tradition and artistic interpretation to reveal the real historical and archaeological evidence behind the life of Jesus. Taking viewers on a captivating journey from the ruins of Bethlehem to the heart of Roman politics, this special uncovers the lost cities, astonishing discoveries, and hidden truths that shaped the world of Jesus. This documentary is a deep dive into the historical context and tangible evidence of Jesus’ time. Through expert insights and new findings, The Lost Secrets of Jesus challenges what we think we know, offering a fresh perspective on the man who changed the course of history. By exploring the past, we gain a richer understanding of Jesus and the world he lived in, making this special an unforgettable exploration of one of history’s most influential figures.

 

Ontwikkelingswaarskuwing: Lente Na Die Storm Maak Sy Lineêre Debuut Op eExtra, Maanligsprokie En Uzozisola - Regrets Volg Op e.tv

Nádat dit verlede jaar op eVOD uitgesaai is, sal Lente Na Die Storm nou vanaf Sondag 24 Mei op eExtra uitgesaai word. Die maatskappy het onlangs sy graderingskaart gepubliseer waarin besonderhede van potensiële nuwe programme bekend gemaak is.

Ook deel van die nuwe lyn sal wees die nuut bygevoegde Maanligsprokie van eVOD, saam met Uzozisola - Regrets, wat albei op e.tv beplan word. Uzozisola - Regrets sal ook oor die volgende paar weke op eExtra terugkeer.

’n Heruitsending van Chrysalis S3 sal ook op e.tv weeksdae om 09:30 uitgesaai word.

Dit moet daarop gelet word dat eMedia Investments nog geen uitsaaidatums vir enige van die programme op e.tv verskaf het nie, maar hierdie programme verskyn op hul graderingskaart, elk met ’n tydgleuf ingevoeg. Ons kan net aanneem dat dit tussen April en Mei in werking sal tree.

Sinopsis vir Lente Na Die Storm

Dit volg die dramatiese reis van ’n toegewyde huisvrou wat haar selfwaarde herontdek nadat ’n mediese noodgeval haar dwing om haar lewe te her-evalueer. Bahar het 20 jaar gelede van mediese skool gegradueer, maar haar loopbaan opgeoffer om ’n toegewyde vrou en ma te wees.

Sy is getroud met Timur Yavuzoglu, ’n suksesvolle en hoogs gerespekteerde chirurg. Van buite af lyk dit of hulle ’n gelukkige en gemaklike lewe het. Bahar se wêreld word egter verpletter toe sy skielik inmekaarsak en gediagnoseer word met ’n ernstige lewersiekte.

Terwyl sy ’n lewe-of-dood-situasie in die gesig staar, ontdek Bahar dat haar man, Timur, en sy ma ’n verskriklike geheim vir haar weggesteek het. Bahar kom ook agter dat Timur al vir baie jare ’n affair met sy kollega, Rengin, het.

’n Leweroorplanting is haar enigste hoop vir oorlewing, en toetse wys dat Timur ’n versoenbare skenker is. Hy is egter onwillig om sy lewer te skenk en probeer Bahar se dokter oortuig om haar te laat sterf.

Nádat sy oorleef het, besluit Bahar dat sy nie langer ’n slagoffer sal wees nie. Sy keer terug na die hospitaal om haar mediese residensie te voltooi. Sy moet die uitdagings navigeer om saam met haar vervreemde man, hul residensie-seun, en Timur se affair-vennoot, Rengin, te werk.

Wizards Beyond Waverly Place Renewed For A Third And Final Season On Disney Channel

The Russos are coming back for one last spell: "Wizards Beyond Waverly Place" has been renewed for a four-episode third (and final!) season dropping on Disney+ this summer.

So, what can fans expect from this farewell event? "Billie, still reeling from losing Alex at the end of Season 2, discovers that the only way to rescue her mother is to reunite with her long-lost father," reads the official logline. "As her family bands together to find Alex, Billie realizes that their combined power is the only way the Russos can defeat the evil plaguing them."

In addition to guest-starring in several Season 3 episodes, executive producer Selena Gomez will  also make her directorial debut with the premiere. Production on the final season begins next week.

A continuation of Disney Channel's "Wizards of Waverly Place," which originally aired from 2007 to 2012, "Beyond" follows a grown-up Justin Russo (David Henrie) as he schools a new generation of spellcasters on the ways of wizardry. This new generation includes Justin's sons Roman (Alkaio Thiele) and Milo (Max Matenko), as well as Billie (Janice LeAnn Brown), a young wizard with a mysterious past — and an even more mysterious destiny — who comes to live with the Russos at the behest of Justin's sister Alex (Gomez).

Additional characters include Justin's wife Giada (Mimi Gianopulos) and Billie's bestie Winter (Taylor Cora), two mortals who regularly find themselves caught up in the family's magical shenanigans.

11 Actors That Were Only Cast In The Friends TV Show

As Mark Darcy from Bridget Jones would say, you like Friends just the way it is. Despite some of the inconsistencies, plot holes and storylines that keep you up at night, it’s perfect just as it is – and you’d be horrified to see anything change.

But it wasn’t always meant to be the way it turned out: actually, at the very beginning, Friends creators David Crane and Marta Kauffman wanted to cast different actors as Ross Geller, Rachel Green, Monica Geller, Chandler Bing, Phoebe Buffay and Joey Tribbiani. Here’s the most famous 11.

1. Eric McCormack – Ross Geller

Before he hit the big time in Will & Grace, Eric McCormack auditioned to play Ross Geller – but later revealed he thought the part was written with David Schwimmer in mind.

“I needed to start pulling at this other sort of funnier, lighter side. So I auditioned for everything,” he told Huff Post. “I auditioned for Friends even. I auditioned for Schwimmer’s part.

“Years later, I told Jimmy Burrows, who directed all of Will & Grace and Friends too [that] I was up for Schwimmer’s part. He said, ‘Oh, honey, you’re wasting your time. They wrote the part for him.’”

2. Nancy McKeon – Monica Geller


“Nancy McKeon also read for Courteney’s part. She gave a terrific performance,” Lori Openden, head of casting for NBC at the time, said. “Warren [Littlefield, the then NBC president] let Marta [Kauffman] and David [Crane] make the call. They went off for a walk and came back and said Courteney.”

3. Jane Krakowski – Rachel Green


Before starring in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Jane auditioned for the role of Rachel – and joked in an interview with Giuliana Rancic on the 2015 Emmys red carpet that her “business manager is very sad” she didn’t get a call back.

She revealed, “Well, I, like almost every actor in the world, auditioned for Friends. I wish I had gotten that one. I actually auditioned for Rachel, and I didn’t go very far.”

4. Jon Cryer – Chandler Bing


Two and a Half Men‘s Jon Cryer explained on The Late Late Show With James Corden, ‘I was working in the UK and got a call from [Friends executive producer] Marta Kauffman, and she had a script called ‘Six of One’.

“She said, ‘the part I want you for is named Chandler Bing. I had to audition the next morning with the casting director who was in the UK. So I went in, I did my best… she packaged up the tape of me doing my best Chandler Bing, sent it to LA, and it got stuck at customs.”

5. Vince Vaughn – Joey Tribbiani


Friends casting director Ellie Kanner told Huffington Post that when Vince Vaughn auditioned to play Joey, though he was “handsome and tall” and a “good actor”, he just didn’t fit the part as well as Matt Le Blanc did.

“It’s just a matter of putting the pieces of the puzzle together”, she added. “That would have been a little different”.

6. Hank Azaria – Joey Tribbiani


Er, so this one isn’t so much as a nearly played him, but rather really wanted to.

“That’s the only job I ever auditioned for twice,” Azaria told HuffPost Live in 2014. “I thought it was so good — they had rejected me once — I said, ‘I’m going back, I’m gonna do it again, I’m gonna try it again’.”

Still, he got a cameo as Phoebe’s Science Guy, so all’s well that end’s well. Sort of.

7. Janeane Garofalo – Monica Geller


You might not believe it, but Friends creator David Crane revealed he initially wrote the role of Monica with Reality Bites‘ Janeane Garofalo in mind – it was only when Courtney Cox nailed the audition that they changed the character a bit.

“When we originally wrote the role, we had Janeane Garofalo’s voice in our head”, he told Vanity Fair. “Darker and edgier and snarkier, and Courteney brought a whole bunch of other colours to it. We decided that, week after week, that would be a lovelier place to go to.”

8. Craig Bierko – Chandler Bing


In the same Vanity Fair interview, Warren Littlefield, the former president of NBC Entertainment, explained that because Matthew Perry was initially tied into a pilot for Fox, he couldn’t commit to the role of Chandler – so he trained actor Craig Bierko up for the role instead.

“There was something Snidely Whiplash about Craig Bierko. He seemed to have a lot of anger underneath, more of a guy you love to hate. The attractive leading man who you love and can do comedy is very rare.”

9. Courtney Cox – Rachel Green


Yep, the casting directors actually wanted Courtney to play Rachel, not Monica – but it was only when she auditioned as Monica and “brought a whole bunch of other colours to the role”, that she got it.

“We originally offered Rachel to Courteney Cox,” says creator Kauffman, “but she said she wanted to do Monica, not Rachel”.

10. Leah Remini – Monica


The King Of Queens actress made it through the studio audition and to the network, where it was narrowed down to her and one other actress (side note – maybe Nancy McKeon?! See point one). But instead of picking, the casing directors asked them both to leave because they had someone else to see. 

“We walked out of the building and into the completely empty parking lot,” she wrote in her biography. “We chatted on the way to our cars, wishing each other the best, and then we saw Courteney Cox walking toward us, then past us and right into the building. Motherf*cker! We both knew it right away: she had the part of Monica.”

She does feature in ‘The One With the Birth’, though.

11. Kathy Griffin – Phoebe


Kathy Griffin revealed during a chat with Huff Post Live that both she and Jane Lynch (who went on to play Sue Sylvester in Glee) auditioned to be Phoebe.

Speaking about their friendship, she commented, “I’ve known Jane since we were both auditioning — I think we were auditioning for Phoebe on Friends like all my other girlfriends did…”

Article originally published by Cosmopolitan 

Maanligsprokie, Nuwe Turkse Drama – Vanaf 13 April Op eVOD

eVOD, ’n Suid-Afrikaanse stromingsdiens wat ’n verskeidenheid plaaslik vervaardigde en internasionale inhoud bied, het die toevoeging van Maanligsprokie aangekondig. Die Turkse drama sal vanaf Maandag 13 April op die platform stroom.


Bekend in Turkye as Bir Gece Masali, het dit Burak Deniz as Mahir Yılmaz, Su Burcu Yazgı Coşkun as Canfeza Kilimci, Gürkan Uygun as Kürşat Kilimci, Mesut Akusta as Raşit Kara, Özlem Türkad as Süreyya Yılmaz, Eren Vurdem as Selim Allame en İrem Altuğ as Sevde Yılmaz in die hoofrolle gehad.


Die reeks het op ATV afgesluit met 35 episodes, elk ongeveer 2 uur lank. Dit het erkenning ontvang by die Current Knowledge Awards, waar dit as “Beste Televisiereeks van die Jaar” bekroon is, terwyl die hoofakteurs die toekenning vir **“Spesiale Jurie-toekenning vir Beste Reekspaartjie” gewen het.


Samevatting vir Maanligsprokie


Mahir is ’n suksesvolle polisie-kommissaris. Ná sy pa se dood volg hy in sy pa se voetspore en word ’n suksesvolle polisie-kommissaris om die skuldiges te vind wat sy pa vermoor het.


Twintig jaar later keer Mahir terug na die stad waar sy pa vermoor is. Hy is vasbeslote om wraak te neem op die persoon wat verantwoordelik is vir sy pa se dood.


Kürşat Kilimci is ’n welgestelde sakeman wat jare gelede Mahir se pa vermoor het. Agter die identiteit van ’n sakeman doen hy onwettige dinge. Hy doen enigiets om sy status te beskerm en sy mag te behou.


Die lewens van Mahir en Kürşat Kilimci kruis twintig jaar later.


Die oomblik toe Mahir sy voet in die stad sit, word hy betower deur ’n beeldskone meisie wat hy op ’n misterieuse manier ontmoet. Omdat hy nie haar regte naam ken nie, noem hy haar **Şehrazade**. Mahir raak op die eerste oogopslag verlief op hierdie meisie, al weet hy niks van haar af nie.


Die meisie op wie Mahir verlief raak, is Canfeza. Sy is die dogter van Kürşat Kilimci.


Canfeza is ’n jong meisie wat op dieselfde dag gebore is as toe Mahir se pa vermoor is. Op daardie dag is Canfeza se ma ook oorlede tydens die geboorte. Sedertdien dra Canfeza die skuld van haar pa op haar skouers.


Canfeza het ’n droom waarin sy die ster en sekelmaan in haar hande sien met bloed. Haar ouma sê dat die ster en sekelmaan haar lot verteenwoordig en die bloed haar pa se skuld. Sy glo dat sy met ’n man sal trou wat ’n ster en sekelmaan het. Maar sy moet eers ontslae raak van haar pa se skuld wat met haar lot verweef is.



WBD Acquisition Is Near Completion As Paramount Secures Funds From Gulf State

David Ellison’s Paramount Skydance has secured funding commitments from three Gulf nation sovereign wealth funds to back its proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, Deadline has confirmed.

A Wall Street Journal report on Sunday said the financing agreements were near to being finalized.

It was not a surprise as the proposed mega-deal had always included a big chunk of Middle East funding from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Abu Dhabi. Now it’s been nailed down. In response to pressure from WBD, the merger agreement calls for billionaire Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison to backstop any equity shortfall to assure the deal would close.

The signed equity commitments of close to $24 billion include $10 million from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund flanked by the Qatar Investment Authority and Abu Dhabi’s L’imad Holding.

Paramount Skydance declined to comment.

The move comes after Democratic lawmakers expressed national security concerns related to foreign ownership and backing of the merger. Last month, a group of senators called on FCC chairman Brendan Carr to conduct a “full and independent” review of Paramount‘s proposed deal, with an equity value of $81 billion, due to Arab state investment. At the same time, Carr has said the agency would have minimal oversight over the transaction, as it does not involve the transfer of ownership of broadcast stations.

In its open letter, Democratic leadership cited a provision of the Communications Act, which dictates that foreign entities may not hold more than 25% of the equity or voting interest in a U.S. company that holds a license without the commission’s approval. Meanwhile, Paramount has maintained that the transaction does not require oversight by the Committee on Foreign Investment as the Gulf bodies will not have governance over the corporation.An earlier version of Paramount’s hostile bid included financial backing from Chinese tech conglomerate Tencent and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner’s private equity firm Affinity Partners. Both are no longer involved, and the former had earlier withdrawn from the transaction amid concerns that its interest would trigger Foreign Investment review.

Gulf investors’ seemingly imminent backing will supplement costs faced by Paramount Skydance chair and CEO David Ellison and his billionaire father, Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison. Additional backers are RedBird Capital Partners, Bank of America, Citigroup and asset management firm Apollo Global Management.

News of the near-to-closing talks also comes as the region faces continuing turmoil and instability with the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.

Meanwhile, WBD has set an April 23 special meeting of shareholders to vote on the media giant’s sale to freshly merged entity Paramount Skydance, constituting a key step forward in the process. The deal is also pending regulatory review in Europe, and WSJ reports Paramount execs have told employees to prepare for potential close by the end of July.