Chris Noth Accused of Sexual Assault by Two Women

►Bombshell. Two women have accused Sex and the City star Chris Noth of sexual assault. THR editor-at-large Kim Masters' report details accusations from the women — Zoe, now 40, and Lily, now 31 — that Noth sexually assaulted them in separate incidents. 

The two women — who approached THR separately, months apart, and who do not know each other — said promotions and press reports of HBO Max’s SATC sequel series And Just Like That..., in which Noth reprises his role as Mr. Big, stirred painful memories of incidents they say occurred in Los Angeles in 2004 and in New York in 2015, respectively. 

In a statement to THR, Noth called the allegations "categorically false." The story.  

—"Every single sexual assault accusation must be taken seriously." Peloton has removed a viral ad starring Chris Noth from its social media accounts following sexual assault allegations made against the actor. The company took down the commercial from its official Twitter and Instagram and also removed it from its YouTube channel. The rapidly produced ad made headlines worldwide earlier this week for mocking the demise of Noth’s character Mr. Big on And Just Like That. The story. 

Oscars 2022: A Guide to the Top 30 Movies in the Race

►The runners and riders. From Belfast to Being the Ricardos, THR offers a rundown, as well as our review, of all the movies seeking Academy Awards glory this season. The list. 

—"SHO-NUFF." Spike Lee has inked a multi-year feature deal with Netflix, the studio behind his most recent feature Da 5 Bloods. Under the pact, Lee will direct and produce narrative films via his Forty Acres and a Mule Filmworks banner. The story.

—"Meta to a fault." The first reactions to The Matrix Resurrections hit Twitter and elsewhere as the social media embargo lifted Thursday night. With full reviews embargoed till Tuesday, journalists, bloggers and critics were allowed to give general thoughts on the fourth film in the Matrix franchise and the verdict so far varies wildly. The reaction.

—Jack is back. Following prolonged negotiations, Sam Waterston has closed a deal to return for NBC’s Law & Order revival. The casting means Waterston's Jack McCoy will appear in 17 of the show’s 21 seasons, as the revival is being billed as a continuation of the series that launched a multibillion-dollar franchise. The story. 

—Latest. The man suspected of fatally shooting Jacqueline Avant in her Beverly Hills home entered a plea of not guilty on Thursday. Aariel Maynor, 29, of Los Angeles, is charged with one count each of murder, attempted murder and felon with a firearm as well as two counts of residential burglary with person present. Maynor’s next court appearance is Jan. 19. The story.

—TPG IPO. The private equity firm TPG, the majority owner of talent agency CAA, has filed to go public and list on the Nasdaq. In addition to its CAA stake, the company has invested in other media and entertainment-related companies including Spotify, STX Entertainment, Vice Media, Fandom, Entertainment Partners and Cirque du Soleil. The story. 

—From London to New York. Many stages on both Broadway and the West End have been forced to go dark once more as the live theater community grapples with backstage outbreaks of the coronavirus and its variants, temporarily closing everything from London’s revival of Cabaret starring Eddie Redmayne to Hamilton in New York. The story. 

—"Clickbait headlines." Ben Affleck says that recent headlines about his comments on his divorce from Jennifer Garner, his alcoholism and their co-parenting are “wrong” and have been taken out of context. The Tender Bar star spoke about the recent news cycle dedicated to his personal life while appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Wednesday night. The story. 

Why Moviegoers Are Ready for Big, Walloping Performances Again

►The return of cinematic bigness. THR film critic Robyn Bahr writes that after almost two years of the pandemic, and the zenith of understandably downbeat and subtle movies, cinema is returning to joyous and melodramatic themes instead of naturalism and brutality, and how we desperately need it. The story. 

—"A clearer, deeper, more confident season two." THR TV critic Angie Han reviews the second season of Netflix's The Witcher. The big budget epic fantasy series picks up with Geralt (Henry Cavill), Ciri (Freya Allan) and Yennefer (Anya Chalotra) in the aftermath of battle. The review.

—"Sugary sweet." Angie also reviews Amazon’s With Love. Gloria Calderón Kellet's rom-com series unfolds over five significant holidays, chronicling the loves and heartbreaks of a tight-knit Mexican American family in Portland, Oregon. The review. 

—Angie's faves. It's a three-fer from Angie today, as she posts her 10 best TV shows of 2021, following on from Dan's best-of list yesterday. Highlights include a small-screen opus from Barry Jenkins, a comedy about British Muslim female punk rockers and dramas about faith and sports. The list. 

—Deal done. Spotify has acquired Whooshkaa, an Australian podcasting platform that allows radio broadcasters to turn their shows into monetizable podcasts. The story. 

—Boost for theatrical. Warner Bros. and DC Film’s Blue Beetle is moving from streaming to movie theaters. The superhero project was originally developed for HBO Max, but the studio now says that the feature will get a theatrical release on Aug. 18, 2023. Blue Beetle is DC’s first film to center on a Latino superhero, starring Cobra Kai's Xolo Maridueña. The story. 

—Breakout hit. Showtime's Yellowjackets will return for a second season after the cable network formally renewed the drama. The psychological horror/coming-of-age series from married creators Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson has become a breakout for Showtime and currently has a rare 100 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The story. 

—Search warrant. The Santa Fe Sheriff’s Office has issued a warrant to search Alec Baldwin’s cellphone amid the ongoing investigation into the fatal shooting of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in October. The story. 

Thank Pod It's Friday

►All the latest content from THR's podcast studio.

—TV's Top 5. Lesley Goldberg and Dan Fienberg break down the latest TV news. This week the guys discuss the biggest TV stories of 2021 as well as the shows, stars and showrunners they loved this year. Hailee Steinfeld is the first of two guests, the Dickinson and Hawkeye star talks about her stellar year. The other guest is the man of the moment, Succession creator and showrunner (and genius behind Peep Show , go watch it!) Jesse Armstrong. They wrap things up with Dan's review corner. Listen here.

—Awards Chatter. Awards analyst Scott Feinberg talks to the great and the good of Hollywood. In this episode, Scott speaks to Billie Eilish and Finneas. The Grammy-winning siblings reflect on their relationship, their different approaches to songwriting and why a Bond song was always on their bucket list: "It was almost the most we've ever wanted to do anything," says Eilish. Listen here.

—Behind the Screen. Tech editor Carolyn Giardina's podcast focuses on the filmmaking crafts. In this episode, Carolyn speaks to Bono and writer-director Garth Jennings who discuss Universal and Illumination Entertainment’s upcoming animated feature Sing 2 and the power of music. Listen here. 

In other news... 

—The Offer showrunner Nikki Toscano inks Paramount overall deal

—Megan Thee Stallion makes major Netflix deal

—Harvey Weinstein threatened to replace Peter Jackson with Quentin Tarantino on Lord of the Rings

—Survivor attorney has his nearly $500k win wiped out

—Jon Hamm to return as Archangel Gabriel in season 2 of Good Omens

—South Park movie mocks NFTs as nonsensical investments

—Ryan Seacrest extends tenure as New Year’s Rockin’ Eve host and EP

—Nicolas Cage, Guillermo del Toro to receive honors from Hollywood Critics Association

—Chuck Todd producing presidential assassin anthology for Peacock 

—African warrior queen drama in the works at Starz

—Danny Elfman, Tim Burton reteam for Netflix’s Wednesday Addams series

—Carole Baskin drops Netflix Tiger King 2 lawsuit, swipes at “poor reviews”

—Spotify to add user ratings to podcasts

—Jennifer Davidson named The Academy’s chief communications officer

—Former WarnerMedia exec joins esports and gaming brand Evil Geniuses

—L.A. performances of Christmas Carol canceled due to “breakthrough COVID-19 cases” amongst cast

What else we're reading...

—In His Films, Big Roles Go to Passers-by and Professionals Alike [New York Times]

—CNN to Move Hit Shows to Its New App in Bet on Star Power [Bloomberg]

—"Am I Fucked Up?": Maggie Gyllenhaal Asks the Dangerous Questions With The Lost Daughter [Daily Beast]

—“Epstein Had a Precise Plan”: How the Only Known Photo of Prince Andrew and the Pedophile Happened [Vanity Fair]

—Toss a Coin (and Your Respect) to The Witcher [The Ringer]

Today... 

... in 2004, Miramax unveiled Martin Scorsese’s The Aviator in theaters, where it would go on to gross $213 million worldwide. The film earned 11 Oscar nominations at the 77th Academy Awards, winning five honors including cinematography, art direction and best-supporting actress for Cate Blanchett. The original review. 

Today's birthdays: Sarah Paulson (47), Katheryn Winnick (44), Milla Jovovich (46), Claire Forlani (50), Laurie Holden (52), Shannon Woodward (37), Emma Bell (35), Kiersey Clemons (28), Marissa Ribisi (47), Giovanni Ribisi (47), Rian Johnson (48), Bill Pullman (68), Ernie Hudson (76), Eugene Levy (75), Nat Wolff (27), Wes Studi (74), Peter Farrelly (65), John Abraham (49)