Today's Entertainment

March 6 - 12, 2023 Page 3 ACROSS 1. __ Cruz; "Chicago Fire" role 4. "The __ of Katie Elder"; John Wayne film 8. "What They __"; 2018 Hilary Swank movie 11. "__ Be Home for Christ- mas" 12. Woodwind instrument 13. __ Stabler; "Law & Or- der: Organized Crime" role 14. "So Help Me Todd" ac- tress (2) 17. End of every "Old Mac- Donald" verse 18. Lay down the lawn 19. Ms. Helgenberger 21. Charles & Romano 24. "Life __ Mars" (2008-09) 25. Initials for Dickens' waif 26. Nolte's initials 27. Undergrad degree 28. __ Whistler; "NCIS: Ha- wai'i" role 30. "What Not to __" 32. "Clifford the Big __ Dog" 34. Forbid entry to 35. Actress on "East New York" (2) 41. "Young Rock" network 42. Gregory Peck's "Moby Dick" role 43. University in Columbus 44. Bagpiper's denial 45. Gosselin, seen on "FBI: Most Wanted" 46. Mr. Goodman DOWN 1. Carrey or Nabors 2. Suffix for pay or schnozz 3. Firstborn of two 4. Han __; "Star Wars" character 5. Geisha's sash 6. Prefix for profit or fat 7. Chocolate candy store 8. __ Reed of "FBI: Inter- national" 9. Roker & Molinaro 10. "No Time to __"; 2021 action thriller 15. Number of kids for Kody on "Sister Wives" 16. "__ __ Z"; Brad Pitt film 19. Debra __ of "New Am- sterdam" 20. Actress Faris 22. Actor Malik 23. "__ Trek: The Next Generation" 29. "Without a __" (2002- 09) 31. __ Flynn 33. 6/6/44 (hyph.) 34. "Ali __ and the Forty Thieves" 35. Curry, for one 36. Advanced degree 37. __ moment; instant of realization 38. "Spider-Man: No __ Home"; 2021 film 39. 90 degrees from NNE 40. "The Flying __" Solution is on page 2. CoverStory By Jay Bobbin As her celebrated ca- reer in music continues, Jennifer Nettles has been building another one in unscripted television. A winner of many awards (including Gram- mys) as a member of country music's Sugar- land, Nettles also is a solo artist, and she has extended her brand by serving as a judge on the series "Duets" and "Go- Big Show." She potentially expands her reach again by playing host as four ru- ral men seek mates from city-based prospects in a Fox revival of "Farmer Wants a Wife," premiering Wednesday, March 8. Originated in England, "Farmer Wants a Wife" has yielded a number of international versions, the first U.S. one having aired on The CW in 2008. The friendly Nettles admits that reality television is "not my favorite genre, so I'm super-selective about the projects I choose. This one really stood out to me because it's so different. Everyone who's involved gets a chance to really look at everyone else, so it's authentic, and that's what I appreciate." Deeming herself a "sto- ryteller" no matter which aspect of her work she focuses on, Nettles be- lieves that "Farmer Wants a Wife" also fulfills that designation for her. She calls it "a television fairy tale. It's really heartwarm- ing to see these folks who are out there looking for love ... and who doesn't love a love story? That's what really drew me to it, to see that take place in real time, and for people who are in it for the right reasons." Explaining that she's much more involved di- rectly with the farmers on the show than with the women who are can- didates to become their wives, Nettles likens her "Farmer Wants a Wife" role to that of "a fairy godmother, in a 'mentor' sort of way, to help them through this process. It is quite intimidating, I think, for them to take on a task like opening up their hearts and making them- selves vulnerable — and doing it while cameras are around." Also an actress, having starred on Broadway in "Chicago" and "Waitress" and having made a couple of Dolly Parton-inspired NBC holiday movies, Net- tles maintains that music remains the strongest part of her professional mix. Her most recent solo album was the 2021 cover-version collection "Always Like New," and she maintains that she isn't certain when she might reteam with Sugar- land partner Kristian Bush again. Nettles is down on the farms in reality-show 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 "Extrapolations: Season 1" (Apple TV+ — series premiere, March 17) From writer, director and executive producer Scott Z. Burns ("Contagion," "An Inconvenient Truth") comes this original anthology series that tells interconnected stories of how the upcoming changes to our planet will affect love, faith, work and family on a personal and human scale. The all-star cast includes Meryl Streep, Sienna Miller, Kit Harington, Daveed Diggs, Edward Nor- ton, Diane Lane and Forest Whitaker

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