NEW YORK (AP) – Have you avoided going to see a movie because it’s too expensive? On Sunday, tickets are $4. More than 3,000 theaters across the country will participate in National Cinema Day on Sunday. On that day, all showings and all formats will be $4 in participating theaters, which includes the big chains AMC and Regal. Last year was the first time National Cinema Day was held, and it was the highest-attended movie day of the year. The movie industry benefits by luring the casual moviegoer into a theater, boosting attendance during a quiet time of the year, and taking advantage of the opportunity to show previews for the fall releases before each screening.
REDMOND, Wash. (AP) — The voice of Mario is stepping down. Charles Martinet (mar-tin-AY’), who has voiced Mario in Nintendo games since the 1990s, has a new role as “Mario Ambassador,” according to Nintendo of America. He will travel around the world promoting Mario. Martinet is also the voice of Luigi, Wario and Walugi. He was the voice of Mario’s dad in “The Super Mario Brothers Movie.” Nintendo did not say why Martinet will stop doing voices for the games, nor did Nintendo say who will be his replacement.
NEW YORK (AP) – Matt Damon, Orlando Bloom and Ashley Judd will take part in the Clinton Global Initiative, a meeting of leaders from around the world next month. Supermodel Karlie Kloss and TV host Padma Lakshmi also will participate, as will Bahamas Prime Minister Philip E. Davis, World Bank President Ajay Banga and several governors. Damon will discuss issues on behalf of his foundation Water.org, which helps people in Africa, Asia and Latin America get access to clean water. Former President Bill Clinton says the initiative will seek commitments on issues like climate change, health care, gender-based violence and the war in Ukraine. The meeting will be held in New York on Sept. 18 and 19.
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Sterling K. Brown says fellow actor Ron Cephas Jones was “one of the most wonderful people the world has ever seen." Jones has died at the age of 66, according to his representative. Jones played William “Shakespeare” Hill on “This is Us,” the father of Brown’s character, Randall Pearson. Brown says the “world is a little less bright” with Jones’ death.
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Director Josh Greenbaum has a souvenir, of sorts, from the movie “Strays.” He has Reggie the dog. Greenbaum says at the end of filming, the puppy who played Reggie and was voiced by Will Ferrell did not have a home. Even though Greenbaum’s family already had a dog, his wife and twin daughters agreed that Reggie could live with them. Greenbaum says he now has Will Ferrell running around his house. The R-rated comedy “Strays” is in theaters now.
