Today's Entertainment

March 7 - 13, 2022 Page 3 ACROSS 1. Actor Howard 4. Number of seasons for "The Good Place" 8. Welling of "Smallville" 11. Actress Ortiz 12. "The __ Breed"; 1966 James Stewart film 13. Sara of "B Positive" 14. "FBI: International" role (2) 17. "This Is the __"; 2013 James Franco movie 18. __ and yang; opposite elements 19. Skelton & Buttons 21. Mr. Redding 24. "This Is __" 25. Esther, to John Walton 26. "Breakfast __ Tiffany's" 27. Initials for "Mr. Candid Camera" 28. Goldie __ 30. 1982-87 series set at a high school 32. "Blood & __"; 2015 Don Johnson series 34. One of the Gosselins 35. Series for Jocko Sims (2) 41. "__ Tree Hill" 42. Space Shuttle agency 43. Pre-surgical scan, for short 44. "Chicago __" 45. "The __"; 1976 Gregory Peck film 46. "Say __ to the Dress" DOWN 1. Role on "The Big Bang Theory" 2. "Love __ __ Rooftop" (1966-67) 3. "A Streetcar __ Desire" 4. Role on "I Love Lucy" 5. Furniture wood 6. Suffix for cult or forfeit 7. __ on; have confidence in 8. Dad on "7 Little John- stons" 9. "__ of Practice" 10. "How I __ Your Mother" 15. 2002 Al Pacino/Robin Williams film 16. "__ __ Lambs"; Cruise/ Streep movie 19. Daniela of "NCIS: Los Angeles" 20. Spanish word for "this" 22. Mosque leader 23. Umpire's cry 29. Floored 31. "For Me __ __ Gal"; Judy Garland film 33. Center of the alphabet 34. Stapleton or Smart 35. __ de plume; pen name 36. 90 degrees from NNW 37. Actor Waterston 38. Poet Eliot's monogram 39. "The Kids __ Alright" 40. Prefix for place or print Solution is on page 2. CoverStory By Jay Bobbin Renee Zellweger has immersed herself in roles many times, but even she admits her latest one takes that to a new extent. The two-time Oscar winner (for "Cold Moun- tain" and "Judy") makes an exceedingly rare televi- sion appearance in NBC's limited series "The Thing About Pam," a true-crime story premiering Tuesday, March 8. Based on a case that inspired multiple "Dateline NBC" episodes and a popular podcast, the tale — which strikes a balance between hard fact and offbeat whimsy — also stars Glenn Flesh- ler ("Billions") as a man convicted of killing his wife (Katy Mixon, "Mike & Mol- ly"), though he maintained his innocence and was eventually exonerated. However, also involved was a friend of the victim, quirky Pam Hupp (Zell- weger). The nature of the connection between the two women became of great interest to investiga- tors and the two attorneys (played by Josh Duhamel and Judy Greer) who were on opposing sides of the husband's legal situation. Almost all of Zellwe- ger's previous TV work came before her star-mak- ing turn in "Jerry Maguire." She says that in returning to the medium, "I enjoyed it a lot. I think it suits me. I like the pace. I love that it's quick, and you have to think fast on your feet ... not so different from making independent films. You've got to make the most of the little bit of time that you have." Still, for Zellweger, "The Thing About Pam" involved a makeup and prosthetics job that start- ed at four hours daily. (It eventually was whittled down to just over half of that.) "That's part of your tool kit that makes it easier to achieve what it is that you're trying to do," Zellweger reasons, "in terms of telling some- one else's story. And the further you are away from yourself, the safer you feel to explore." "The Thing About Pam" marks a collaboration of somewhat unlikely part- ners, NBC News Studios and Blumhouse, the pro- duction company known for low-budget, high-profit horror films. "When a two- time Oscar winner calls and says, 'I'm obsessed with this story, and I want to play Pam, and I want to produce' ... I mean, you say, 'Yes, yes, yes and yes,' " muses Blumhouse chief Chris McCumber. "Our job, at that point, is to provide Renee and the rest of the cast with all the tools that they need to embody these characters." Renee Zellweger knows 'The Thing About Pam' in NBC limited series The identity of the featured celebrity is found within the answers in the puzzle. In order to take the TV Challenge, unscramble the letters noted with asterisks within the puzzle. InFocus "Welcome to Flatch" (Fox — series premiere, March 17) This new comedy from Paul Feig ("The Office") and Jenny Bicks ("Sex and the City") follows a documentary crew as it seeks to study the dreams and concerns of residents in a small American town: Flatch, a Midwestern community teeming with eccentric personalities. The ensemble cast is led by newcomer Chelsea Holmes and Sam Straley ("The Kids Are Alright") as two of the locals, cousins and best friends Kelly and Lloyd "Shrub" Mallet; Seann William Scott, Aya Cash and Taylor Ortega also star.

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