July 2021 Entertainment News Round-Up Super Quiz

Gal Gadot welcomed her third daughter with her husband, Yaron Varsano, in late June 2021. On June 30, she took to Instagram to announce the news.

Bonus Question: What did Gal Gadot name her three daughters?

Gadot and Varsano named their oldest daughter Alma (Hebrew for damsel), their middle child Maya, and their newborn Daniella.

Natasha Romanoff is the fictional character portrayed by Scarlett Johansson in the Marvel Universe film franchise — known by her alter ego, Black Widow.

Black Widow 2021

Directed by Cate Shortland, the 2021 film Black Widow sees Johansson's character return to Eastern Europe to reunite with former spies she believed were her relatives. The film opened in cinemas on July 7, 2021, and two days later on Disney+.

Elmo, Jesse, Grover, Rosita, and Abby Cadabby are among the most notable characters on “Sesame Street.” But wait, there’s more.

Sesame Street 2022

“Sesame Street” introduced a new character to the show — a white-and-brown puppy named Tango. Tango joins “Sesame Street’s” 52nd season as both an animated character and a live-action Muppet on HBO Max and streaming on PBS KIDS.

Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton are both coachers on the US version of The Voice.

Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton 2021 Fact

Popstar Stefani and country star Shelton celebrated their nuptials over the Fourth of July holiday during a weekend wedding in Oklahoma and posted photos of their wedding on Monday, July 5, 2021.

While viewers heard Adam Driver’s singing voice in one of 2013’s “Inside Llewyn Davis” movie songs, 2021’s Annette -  a fantastical musical starring Driver and Marion Cotillard - sees the actor in a full-fledged musical for the first time. Check out this official Annette movie clip - with Driver singing.

Annette News Fact

The 74th Cannes International Film Festival opened Tuesday, July 6, 2021, with “Annette” as the opening film. After the movie ended, the standing ovation went into its fifth minute, when Driver and his director, Leos Carax, both lit up cigarettes inside the theater, filled with maskless attendees. The 2020 Cannes Film Festival was canceled due to covid-19 restrictions.

Sacha Baron-Cohen declared in documents filed in U.S. District Court in Boston Monday, July 12, 2021, that he “never has used cannabis in his life. He never would participate in an advertising campaign for cannabis, for any amount of money.” Baron-Cohen is seeking $9 million in damages from a Massachusetts cannabis dispensary he says used an image of his character Borat on a billboard without his permission.

Sacha Baron-Cohen Bonus Court Fact:

On Tuesday, July 13, 2021, a US federal judge dismissed failed U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore’s $95-million-lawsuit against Sacha Baron-Cohen.  Moore complained Baron-Cohen tricked him into a “Who Is America?” interview, which parodied sexual misconduct accusations against him.

Mj Rodriguez of “Pose” is the first trans performer to be nominated in a lead acting category. The show also earned a best drama series nod. The series from Steven Canals and Ryan Murphy broke ground with the casting of transgender actors as trans characters.

Netflix has won no Emmy awards for Best Series since it started producing original content in 2013, until 2021.

The Crown’s 2021 Emmy facts:

Netflix’s “The Crown” received its fourth nomination for best series in 2021 and won the streaming service its first best drama series award alongside honors for acting, writing, and directing. Netflix won a leading total of 44 awards in the 2021 Emmys, equaling the record set back in 1974 by CBS.

Michael Winslow’s most memorable role is Larvell Jones, the sounds-making policeman from Police Academy. He also had roles on Spaceballs and The Gremlins.

Michael Winslow 2021 Fact

On July 13, 2021, 62-year-old Michael Winslow appeared on NBC’s America’s Got Talent and showed off his skills as a “voicestrumentalist.” He delivered a stand-up comedy routine that recreates the sound of airplanes and radios. Watch it here.

The 2021 film “Aline,” based on Celine Dion’s life, premiered at Cannes Film Festival on Tuesday, July 13. The film’s 57-year-old actress-director Valérie Lemercier portrays Celine Dion at every age of her life, including a 5-year-old child. And yes, it’s weird. Watch the trailer.

Aline Bonus Fact:

“Aline” begins with a disclaimer: “The life of Celine Dion inspires this film. It is, however, a work of fiction.” That’s why, even though the story follows nearly every element of Dion’s life, the main character is instead named Aline Dieu, and most of Dion’s best-known songs aren’t included due to rights issues.

In 1993 New Zealand's Jane Campion became the first woman to win the Palme d'Or for “The Piano.”

2021 Palm d’Or News Facts

On Saturday, July 18, 2021, the movie “Titane” by Director Julie Ducournau won the 2021 Palme d'Or - the top award at the Cannes Film Festival. The film tells the story of a young female killer who has sex with cars after surviving a childhood crash, and critics have described it as one of the most shocking films ever shown at the festival. Ducournau is the second woman to receive the Palme d'Or and the first female to win it alone. US director Spike Lee prematurely revealed the award at the beginning of the ceremony.

Kanye West has been living inside an Atlanta stadium while working on his 2021 album.

Kanye West News Fact

A representative for the Atlanta Mercedes-Benz stadium told AP Monday, Jul. 26, 2021, that West planned to remain inside the stadium while working on completing “Donda,” his 10th studio album, which was then due Aug. 6, 2021. It eventually started streaming on Aug. 29.

The 2021 movie Jungle Cruise is based on a Disneyland riverboat attraction that opened in 1955 and is now located at four Disney theme parks worldwide: Disneyland, Magic Kingdom, Tokyo Disneyland, and Hong Kong Disneyland. Starring Dwayne Johnson as a riverboat captain and Emily Blunt as a scientist, "Jungle Cruise" opened on July 30, 2021, simultaneously in theaters and Disney+.

Jungle Cruise Fun Fact

The Jungle Cruise attraction was inspired by a 1955 Disney documentary, "The African Lion," about a pride of lions, and the film The African Queen, which inspired the ride's vehicles.

In 1999, Mena Suvari played a choir girl in the teen sex comedy “American Pie” and a lusted-after high school cheerleader in “American Beauty.”

Mena Suvari News Fact

In her memoir, "The Great Peace: A Memoir," released Tuesday, July 27, 2021, 42-year-old Suvari recounts years of drug addiction and sexual abuse.

On Monday, July 26, 2021, Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger turned 78 and shared a photo of himself spending some time outdoors thanking his fans for their birthday wishes.