For the Culture
{{current_date_full}}
This Week is Bananas
Dear {{first_name | Reader}},
You'd think the week before the 4th of July would be chill.
Nope!
We've got the World Cup, heatwaves that are actively trying to end us, and, oh, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce allegedly tying the knot at Madison Square Garden this weekend (as one does).
But I've got you covered anyway, because that's just who I am.
This week: a chat with the Young Washington cast (the perfect watch for the holiday), my Parting Shot Podcast breakdown with Anna Roisman on the Kudrow vs. Smart Emmy showdown, Mike Myers AND Jim Carrey both returning to our childhoods (Austin Powers, The Grinch, take your pick), and Madonna somehow landing on Season 2 of The Studio.
It's a lot. And the Emmy noms drop next week too. I guess I'll just sleep in 2027.
H. Alan Scott is Newsweek’s Senior Editor for Entertainment, host of the celebrity interview podcast ‘The Parting Shot’, and author of the entertainment newsletter For The Culture. Follow H. Alan Scott on Twitter and Instagram at @HAlanScott.
Father of a Nation
Okay, I need you to see Young Washington.
We all think we know George Washington, but this film digs into the part of his life nobody talks about: the young guy who failed, struggled and clawed his way toward becoming, well, George Washington.
Director Jon Erwin told me on the Parting Shot Podcast that he was obsessed with finding "this unlikely miracle" of a story, and it shows. William Franklyn-Miller plays young George with real vulnerability (his first major role, no pressure, right?), and he's flanked by Sir Ben Kingsley and Kelsey Grammer, who both bring serious gravitas. Kingsley's take on Washington stuck with me: "he was one of us." Just in time for the 250th, too!
This chat I had with William Franklyn-Miller, Kelsey Grammer, Sir Ben Kingsley and director Jon Erwin is the perfect way to get ready for the 4th of July.
Featured Video
Resurrecting Madonna's Failed Biopic
Madonna's biopic wasn't exactly a ray of light for Universal Pictures, but she has turned it into a holiday for Apple TV. The much-hyped journey, and downfall, of her shelved film is becoming a storyline in season 2 of Seth Rogen's The Studio. Madonna is onboard, and so is Julia Garner, who was previously attached to play the pop icon herself. It's shaping up to be a Material Girl moment of reclamation. I had to chat about this one. Watch on YouTube or listen on the podcast!
Kudrow v. Smart: Emmys Showdown
Emmy nominations drop July 8th, but let's be honest, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy is already a two-woman race: Lisa Kudrow (The Comeback) versus Jean Smart (Hacks). Both shows ended beloved runs, both women are TV legends, and if either gets snubbed, expect riots (led by me). Smart's got four consecutive wins for Hacks. Kudrow's never won for Valerie Cherish, one of comedy's most fearless performances. My gut says Kudrow, she's campaigning like she means it. I got into all of it with Anna Roisman on this week's Parting Shot Podcast, watch on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts.
Austin Powers AND The Grinch Return
Millennial movie lovers, this is our moment.
Mike Myers just confirmed a fourth Austin Powers is happening, and Jim Carrey is reuniting with Ron Howard for a Grinch sequel. It's giving early Christmas and shagadelic birthday energy simultaneously.
Look, nostalgia is basically a millennial religion at this point, and Hollywood knows it works (see: Scream's comeback, Mario's box office domination). But honestly? I'm not even mad. These aren't cash grabs, they're cultural touchstones getting a second life. More Austin Powers, more Grinch? To quote the man himself: it's groovy, baby.
I chatted about this with Anna Roisman on the Parting Shot Podcast. You can watch on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.
The Register
PRODUCTION BUMP | Anne Hathaway went viral after announcing she’s pregnant with her third child. In an Instagram post, she stepped into frame and turned ever so slightly to reveal her baby bump. (The fact that no one has recreated this with “me after a buffet” is a massive internet failure.) The timing is fitting... and exhausting: Hathaway has five films set to come out this year, so consider this her biggest production of 2026.
GOING GREEK | It’s a tough time to be an AMC A-List and book club member! Save the romantasy for spring break: this year’s biggest beach read feels syllabus heavy. With Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey coming mid-July, everyone is lugging copies of Homer’s classic on their summer vacation. Students and cinephiles alike are suffering through 500 pages of ancient Greek translation in preparation for Matt Damon in IMAX 70mm. For those heading to Europe, sailing around the Ionian islands is as good as any SparkNotes summary.
ALL DRESSED UP | For spectators enjoying World Cup matches and the splendors of American culture, nothing screams “USA!” like a side of ranch with literally anything. International fans love the condiment so much that TSA had to remind travelers that 16-ounce ranch dressing bottles don’t belong in carry-ons. But no need to chug bottles at security! Kraft turned an Instagram gag into a genius innovation: travel-sized ranch packets for fans worldwide to enjoy “in-flight and overseas.”
Newsweek is part of the Trust Project, which focuses on honesty, accuracy and fairness in journalism. Read more about our best practices. To get in touch with our newsroom with suggestions on how to point out possible errors, please contact us at [email protected].