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NBC Debuts First Look at Celina Smith as Annie in ‘Annie Live!’ (TV News Roundup)

Selome Hailu
·3 min read

NBC revealed a first look at Celina Smith as Annie in “Annie Live!,” which airs on Dec. 2 at 8 p.m.

The image sees Smith wearing the titular orphan’s famous white-collared red dress, “holding hands” with the dog who will play Sandy in the production. Smith, who is 12 years old, was cast after NBC’s nationwide search for a “future star” to take the iconic role. She’s most recently been seen as Rebecca in “Tyler Perry’s Young Dylan” on Nickelodeon and has also played Young Nala in the touring company of “The Lion King.”

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“Annie Live!” also stars Harry Connick Jr. as Daddy Warbucks, Taraji P. Henson as Miss Hannigan, Nicole Scherzinger as Grace Farrell, Tituss Burgess as Rooster Hannigan and Jane Krakowski as Lily St. Regis. Executive producers include Robert Greenblatt, Neil Meron and Alex Rudzinsky, with Lear deBessonet and Alex Rudzinski directing. Choreography will be led by Sergio Trujillo. Paul Tazewell will design costumes. Jason Sherwood will orchestrate production design. Stephen Oremus will oversee the music direction. The live event is being produced by Chloe Productions. See the first look image above.

Also in today’s TV news roundup:

CASTING

Starz announced that Nate Corddry, Amy Landecker, Lauren E. Banks, Ahna O’Reilly, Beth Hall and Bill Duke will guest star in “Gaslit,” which tells the story of Martha Mitchell’s role in exposing the Watergate scandal. Corddry will play Michael Deaver, a campaign official for then-governor Reagan; Landecker is Martha Mitchell’s old friend Lurleen Landry; Banks is Jet Magazine journalist Janelle Lewis; O’Reilly is Watergate co-conspirator Jeb Magruder’s wife Gail Magruder; Hall is White House press corps reporter Helen Thomas; and Duke is Watergate night security manager Charles Anderson. They join Julia Roberts and Sean Penn, who play Martha and John Mitchell, respectively, among other previously announced cast members. “Gaslit” is executive produced by creator Robbie Pickering, directors Sam Esmail and Chad Hamilton for Esmail Corp, Roberts for Red Om Films and Gabriel Roth and Josh Levin for Anonymous Content and Slate. UCP produces. Starz executive vice president of original programming Karen Bailey oversees.

FIRST LOOKS

Disney Plus debuted a trailer for Season 2 of “The World According to Jeff Goldblum,” which premieres with five episodes on Nov. 12. Five more episodes will premiere in early 2022. The series follows Goldblum as he explores secrets behind everything from magic to fireworks, monsters, dogs and dance. Season 2 features guests including magicians Penn and Teller, viral star Zach King, animator Phil Tippet, influencers Collab Crib and more. “The World According to Jeff Goldblum” is produced by Nutopia for National Geographic. Executive producers include Goldblum, Keith Addis, Jane Root, Sara Brailsford and Arif Nurmohamed for Nutopia, and Matt Renner and Chris L. Kugelman for National Geographic. John Hodgson co-executive produces for Nutopia. Watch the trailer below.

STREAMING

Tubi has added ABC News Live to its platform as a part of News on Tubi in addition to launching five local news channels from Tegna (WBNS Columbus, WFMY Greensboro, KSDK St. Louis, KUSA Denver and WXIA Atlanta) and 27 from Hearst across designated market areas in Boston, New Orlans, Orlando, Pittsburgh, Baltimore and more.

LATE NIGHT

Andie MacDowell and Lana Del Rey will appear on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.”

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