AT&T announced on Tuesday that it will bundle a free HBO subscription for all of its wireless customers on "unlimited" plans. 

In April, the company bundled free HBO service with its "Unlimited Plus" coverage, its most expensive data plan. The free HBO offer will now extend to current and existing customers on the company's "Unlimited Choice" plan, beginning on Friday, September 15. 

For current AT&T video service customers paying for an HBO subscription through one of their services, HBO will now be included free of charge. Those AT&T wireless customers who are not subscribed to an AT&T video service can also access HBO through the DirecTV Now or HBO Go apps, the company said in a blog post. 

AT&T is in the process of acquiring HBO's parent company Time Warner, pending a merger review by the U.S. Department of Justice. 

While AT&T is looking to bring in more wireless customers to their service through the HBO bundle, Randall Stephenson, AT&T's chairman and CEO, said on Tuesday that the company will also continue to pursue sales of HBO as a cable add-on. 

Similar bundle deals are becoming common among telecommunication companies. T-Mobile, for instance, announced earlier this month that it would include free Netflix service in its family plans. 

SEE ALSO: AT&T may be plotting to revolutionize TV advertising

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NOW WATCH: 6 details you might have missed on season 7 episode 6 of 'Game of Thrones'

Nintendo is bringing back the NES Classic Edition console, the $60 miniature version of the original Nintendo Entertainment System. The console was originally a limited time offering — it went on sale in late 2016, and was subsequently discontinued in April 2017.

Between the low price and the heavy draw of Nintendo nostalgia, the NES Classic Edition was a major hit. It was nearly impossible to find as a result. And now, Nintendo says it's bringing back the console in 2018.

"Next summer, Nintendo will also bring back the Nintendo Entertainment System: NES Classic Edition system with new shipments," the Japanese game company said in a statement on Tuesday morning. "More information about the timing of the return of NES Classic Edition will be announced in the future."

This is great news for anyone who missed out on a chance to buy the NES Classic Edition during its brief window of availability. The only other way to buy one at this point is to go through third-party re-sellers like eBay, where prices are often triple or more the original $60 cost of the console.

It sounds like the new production run of the NES Classic Edition will mirror the original run. "NES Classic Edition features 30 classic NES games such as the original 'Super Mario Bros.', 'The Legend of Zelda' and 'Donkey Kong'," Nintendo said in the release. In so many words, it sounds like the same thirty classic NES games that shipped with the first run of the NES Classic Edition will ship on the new production run as well. 

Here's the full list of games on the NES Classic Edition:

• "Balloon Fight"
• "Bubble Bobble"
• "Castlevania"
• "Castlevania II: Simon's Quest"
• "Donkey Kong"
• "Donkey Kong Jr."
• "Double Dragon II: The Revenge"
• "Dr. Mario"
• "Excitebike"
• "Final Fantasy"
• "Galaga"
• "Ghosts 'n Goblins"
• "Gradius"
• "Ice Climber"
• "Kid Icarus"
• "Kirby's Adventure"
• "Mario Bros."
  "Mega Man 2"
• "Metroid"
• "Ninja Gaiden"
• "Pac-Man"
• "Punch-Out!! Featuring Mr. Dream"
• "StarTropics"
• "Super C"
• "Super Mario Bros."
• "Super Mario Bros. 2"
• "Super Mario Bros. 3"
• "Tecmo Bowl"
• "The Legend of Zelda"
• "Zelda II: The Adventure of Link"

It's not clear exactly when the NES Classic Edition will re-launch (other than "summer 2018"), or if the new production run will be limited, or if pre-orders will be offered for the console. 

Check out a video of the NES Classic Edition in action right here:

SEE ALSO: 5 reasons Nintendo is discontinuing its ridiculously popular $60 game console, the NES Classic

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NOW WATCH: Unboxing the Nintendo NES Classic Edition everyone's going crazy for

On Saturday, actor-comedian-painter Jim Carrey gave a strange interview during a rare public appearance at, of all places, New York Fashion Week.

In the interview, Carrey told a reporter, "There's no meaning to any of this. I just wanted to find the most meaningless thing that I could come to and join, and here I am. You've got to admit, this is completely meaningless."

And now, at the Toronto Film Festival promoting his film "Jim & Andy," Carrey explained his comments to The Wrap.

“There is no me. There are just things happening,” Carrey said. “Here’s the thing. It’s not our world. We don’t matter. There’s the good news. As an actor you play characters, and if you go deep enough into those characters, you realize your own character is pretty thin to begin with. You suddenly have this separation and go, 'Who’s Jim Carrey? Oh, he doesn’t exist actually.' There’s just a relative manifestation of consciousness appearing, and someone gave him a name, a religion, a nationality, and he clustered those together into something that’s supposed to be a personality, and it doesn’t actually exist. None of that stuff, if you drill down, is real.”

And he didn't stop there. 

“I believe I got famous so I could let go of fame, and it’s still happening, but not with me,” Carrey said. “I’m not a part of it anymore. Dressing happens, doing hair happens, interviewing happens, but it happens without me, without the idea of a ‘me.’ You know what I’m saying? It’s a weird little semantic jump, and it’s not that far, but it’s a universe apart from where most people are.”

SEE ALSO: All the confirmed original shows coming to Netflix for the rest of 2017 — and their release dates

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J.J. Abrams is officially making a triumphant return to the "Star Wars" franchise after writing and directing 2015's "The Force Awakens."

Last week, Lucasfilm announced that Colin Trevorrow ("Jurassic World," "Safety Not Guaranteed"), was out as the director of "Episode IX," after mutally deciding to part ways. There was no word of who would replace him. 

On Tuesday, StarWars.com announced that J.J. Abrams will write and direct the third and final film in the sequel trilogy. Rian Johnson wrote and directed the second film, "The Last Jedi," which hits theaters December 16. According to Deadline, Johnson passed on replacing Trevorrow. 

“With 'The Force Awakens', J.J. delivered everything we could have possibly hoped for, and I am so excited that he is coming back to close out this trilogy,” said Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy.

SEE ALSO: Colin Trevorrow is out as director of 'Star Wars: Episode IX'

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Ed Skrein exited the "Hellboy" reboot in August following whitewashing backlash, and now Variety reports that Lionsgate is in talks with Daniel Dae Kim to replace him.

Shortly after it was announced that Skrein was cast to play Major Ben Daimio, a character of Japanese-American descent in the comics, outrage bubbled up on social media. The film was accused of whitewashing the character by hiring Skrein — a white actor.

Skrein chose to leave the film amidst the controversy, and penned a heartfelt letter to announce his departure.

Skrein wrote, "It is clear that representing this character in a culturally accurate way holds significance for people, and that to neglect this responsibility would continue a worrying tendency to obscure ethnic minority stories and voices in the Arts. I feel it is important to honour and respect that."

You can read Skrein's full letter here:

"Hellboy's" whitewashing controversy marks just one of several incidents this year where a white actor has been cast as a character originally portrayed by someone of Asian descent. "Ghost in the Shell," "The Great Wall," and "Doctor Strange," are just a couple recent examples of "whitewashing" in Hollywood.

Lionsgate, it appears, is working to distance itself from this by looking at Kim, a Korean-American actor, to play Daimio.

Kim recently left "Hawaii Five-O" in July due to a pay dispute with CBS, along with his costar Grace Park. Kim and Park sought equal pay with their white costars, but the studio was unwilling to alter their salaries enough, and gave them a final offer 10-15% less than their costars, according to Variety.

But, it looks like this could actually have ended up scoring Kim the role of Daimio, only a few months after leaving "Hawaii Five-O."

SEE ALSO: One of the stars of the new ‘Hellboy’ movie leaves 'so the role can be cast appropriately' following whitewashing controversy

SEE ALSO: A mom came up with an awesome response to Hollywood's whitewashing problem

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Stephen Colbert's "Late Show" has consistently earned the largest audience in late-night TV this year, in large part due to Colbert's incisive takedowns of the Trump administration in his nightly monologues. 

But in a new profile with Variety, the "Late Show" host put his impact as an anti-Trump voice into perspective. 

"Comedy will not stop him," Colbert said, referring to Trump. "The democratic process — that's it. The democratic process will stop this guy. It's the only way. That's it."

From Seth Meyers to Trevor Noah to "Saturday Night Live,"  late-night TV hosts and programs have made skewering of the Trump administration and its supporters a routine, but none have done it with the tenacity and headline-grabbing skill of Colbert's "Late Show." According to the profile, Colbert and the "Late Show" staff will often rewrite monologues at the last minute to address Trump's latest policy moves and antics.

Still, Colbert recognizes that even the most cutting satire can have no tangible effect on the political sphere. 

He told Variety that he is waiting "for the Republican Party to grow a pair," or for a potential shift of Congressional seats in the 2018 mid-term elections.

"Just drop a 'nad, and do what you know is right," Colbert said of the GOP. "And that won't happen until they lose the House or the Senate. And then, 'Katie bar the door.'"

Read his Variety profile here. 

SEE ALSO: John Oliver says Trump uses one phrase when he has 'nothing' planned: 'People will be happy'

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Nintendo is dramatically increasing supply of its upcoming Super NES Classic Edition console, the $80 miniature version of the original Super Nintendo console that plays 21 built-in games. Moreover, the Japanese company is pushing back the Super NES Classic Edition production end date from 2017 to an unknown point in 2018.

The new supply plans were announced on Tuesday morning, and appear to be a direct response to the many issues people have had trying to pre-order the Super NES Classic Edition. 

"More units of Super NES Classic Edition will ship on its September 29 launch day in the US than were shipped of NES Classic Edition all last year, with subsequent shipments arriving in stores regularly," Nintendo said in a press release. "Fans have shown their unbridled enthusiasm for these Classic Edition systems, so Nintendo is working to put many more of them on store shelves."

The news came alongside the announcement that the NES Classic Edition — the $60 miniature Nintendo Entertainment System re-release that Nintendo made available for a limited time — will return to stores in summer 2018. The console was released in late 2016, and was subsequently discontinued in April 2017.

Perhaps most important of all from Tuesday's announcement is this short aside: "With subsequent shipments arriving in stores regularly." That means, beyond the initial shipments of the Super NES Classic Edition on September 29, an ongoing supply of the console will arrive in stores. Better yet: That supply will continue into 2018, past the holiday season.

It remains unlikely that it'll be easy to find the Super Nintendo this holiday, but it sounds like Nintendo is making a major effort to make it somewhat more doable. There's no indication that another pre-order opportunity will happen before September 29; a Nintendo representative didn't respond to a request for comment as of publishing.

SEE ALSO: Nintendo president on Super Nintendo fiasco: It was 'outside our control'

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NOW WATCH: Nintendo dropped another trailer for 'Super Mario Odyssey' — and it looks amazing

YouTube's biggest star, Felix "PewDiePie" Kjellberg, has apologized for using a racial slur during a livestream on Sunday.

"I'm really sorry if I offended, hurt, or disappointed anyone with all of this," he said in a video Tuesday morning. "Being in the position I'm in, I should know better."

During a live broadcast of a survival game, "PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds," on Sunday, Kjellberg said, ""What a f-----g n-----! Jeez! Oh my god! What the f---? Sorry, but what the f---?"

Though Kjellberg usually archives his livestreamed broadcasts on his YouTube channel following their broadcast, he didn't archive the Sunday video and didn't say anything on social media or on YouTube — his main form of communication — in the immediate wake of the uproar.

The video he released on Tuesday, titled, "My Response," is a brief clip — far shorter than his usual work at just one minute and 35 seconds. It doesn't feature any of his usual humor, instead focusing on his apology for using the word "n----r." 

"It's not that I think I can say or do whatever I want and get away with it. That's not it at all — I'm just an idiot," he says in the video. The full video is right here:

SEE ALSO: YouTube's biggest star, PewDiePie, used a racial slur in an expletive-laden outburst during a livestream

DON'T MISS: Why it matters that YouTube's biggest star just said the n-word during a livestream

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J.J. Abrams' return as writer-director isn't the only big change to "Star Wars: Episode IX."

The third and final film in the sequel trilogy was scheduled to hit theaters on May 24, 2019, but it's been pushed back to December 20, 2019.

In its place, Disney's live-action "Aladdin," directed by Guy Ritchie and starring Will Smith as the Genie, will take the May 24 release date.

The December release date will be a fitting end to the trilogy, as "The Force Awakens" came out in December 2015, and "The Last Jedi" hits theaters December 15 of this year. 

This news was expected following the exit of "Episode IX" director Colin Trevorrow, who left the project last week. Earlier today, it was announced that J.J. Abrams, who directed the first film in the sequel trilogy, "The Force Awakens," will return as writer and director for "Episode IX."

SEE ALSO: Why fans shouldn't be concerned about all the directors leaving 'Star Wars' movies — yet

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"Mr. Robot" star Rami Malek is portraying Freddie Mercury in an upcoming biopic, "Bohemian Rhapsody," about the late Queen singer, and new fan-shot footage finds Malek recreating the band's famous Live Aid performance from 1985. 

In the clip, Malek channels Mercury's stage presence, moving across the platform to a piano, where he sits down to perform "Bohemian Rhapsody."

Still in production, the film is directed by veteran "X-Men" director Bryan Singer and written by Anthony McCarten ("The Theory of Everything"). 

It will chronicle the trajectory of Queen's career through the 1970s to the aforementioned Live Aid performance in 1985. 

Entertainment Weekly debuted the first look at Malek's Mercury last week. 

"Bohemian Rhapsody" is set to hit theaters on December 25, 2018.

Watch the clip below:

SEE ALSO: The 5 best new songs you can stream right now

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NOW WATCH: 6 details you might have missed on the season 7 finale of 'Game of Thrones'

Actor James Woods tweeted a snide remark about the age disparity between the romantic leads in Armie Hammer's new film, "Call Me by Your Name" — and celebrities are calling him out for it.

Woods tweeted, "As they quietly chip away the last barriers of decency. #NAM BLA,” Sunday. The acronym NAMBLA stands for, "the controversial North American Man/Boy Love Association, which is a pedophilia advocacy organization," according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Woods' remarks were made in response to writer Chad Felix Greene's tweet that expressed his dismay over the age difference between the film's love interests. Hammer's character in the film is 24, and has an affair with a 17 year old. Greene tweeted, "24 year old man. 17 year old boy. Stop."

It is worth mentioning that while 17 is below the age of consent in most US states, the age of consent in Italy (where the film takes place) is 14.

Hammer responded to Woods' criticisms Monday by suggesting that Woods was being hypocritical, tweeting, "Didn't you date a 19 year old when you were 60.......?"

Woods dated Ashley Madison when she was 19 and he was 60, and the actor also dated 20-year-old Kristen Bauguess when he was 66.

Actress Amber Tamblyn also chimed in, and alleged that Woods once tried to pick her up when she was 16 years old.

Woods tweeted that Amber's story was a "lie." Woods also dismissed further criticisms, and said that "troll traffic was up," while simultaneously complimenting Hammer's acting.

Tamblyn fired back with a screenshot of a text between her and her friend "Billy," referring to the alleged time that Woods hit on them when they were underage. Tamblyn also tweeted, "Life comes at you fast, James."

Woods has yet to respond to Tamblyn's latest tweet, but a number of celebrities (including Don Cheedle, Tamblyn's husband David Cross, and Lena Dunham) have come out to support Tamblyn, and challenge Woods' remarks. 

No response yet from Woods regarding the tweets in defense of Tamblyn, but in a cryptic tweet Tuesday, Tamblyn said, "This is now far from over." 

We expect we'll be hearing more from Woods shortly. 

SEE ALSO: Actor James Woods is suing a Twitter user for $10 million for calling him a cocaine addict

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NOW WATCH: 6 details you might have missed on season 7 episode 5 of 'Game of Thrones'

England's greatest rock band holds the top spot on the all-time ranking of best-selling artists by album sales, and it looks untouchable on a bizarre list filled with a number of surprising appearances.

It's somewhat shocking to find out, for instance, that smooth-jazz saxophonist Kenny G has sold more albums than Eminem, and that Garth Brooks has sold more than Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson. 

We compiled this list by ranking the most successful acts in music history according to their total certified album units sold in the US, as provided by the RIAA. 

Check out the 50 best-selling music artists of all time by album sales: 

SEE ALSO: The 20 most ridiculous things superstar musicians have demanded at their concerts

50. Dave Matthews Band — 33.5 million units

49. Phil Collins — 33.5 million units

48. Britney Spears — 34 million units

With 13 Emmy nominations, "The Handmaid's Tale" proves that Hulu is a major player in original programming.

Not only did the show get a lot of nominations, it also deserves to win most (if not all) of them, especially its performances.

"The Handmaid's Tale" is an adaptation of the dystopian Margaret Atwood novel of the same name, and stars Elisabeth Moss, Samira Wiley, Ann Dowd, Joseph Fiennes, and more. 

Business Insider recently talked to the show's Emmy-nominated casting directors, Sharon Bialy and Sherry Thomas, who also worked on a little show you might have heard of called "Breaking Bad."

One actor Bialy and Thomas fought to get into "The Handmaid's Tale" was Yvonne Strahovski, in the role of Serena Joy, The Commander's wife. And Strahovski fought for the part as well. 

Bialy told Business Insider that she saw Strahovski in a play that she hated. But she loved her performance so much that she wanted to cast her as Serena Joy. 

"When you feel strongly about someone, if you could articulate why you felt that person was a match, Hulu really respected that," Bialy said. "They wanted to make sure their show stood out, so initially — like many networks — they were interested in some main actors. And I give them so much credit because when we were passionate about the right actor they gave their blessing. So often we have very creative disagreements. That never happens on this show. Yvonne Strahovski . . . people knew her from other work ["Chuck," "Dexter"], and might not have seen her in this role. I had just seen her in a play in New York, and I remembered telling Hulu I really didn't like the play, and they asked me why I loved her. Our job as casting directors is never to suppress somebody's work so that when somebody says, 'I didn't like them in such and such,' we can say, ‘Well you need to see this, this, and this.’ Or, we say we saw them in a play, where we truly get to see an actor's work. And I think that’s when Hulu was really amenable to listening."

After seeing her on stage, Bialy and Thomas asked Strahovski to read for the part. 

According to Thomas, Strahovski fell in love with the script immediately. "She had the adage of, ‘I will do whatever you need to get this part,’ and we all responded to that," Thomas said. "She's that level of actor that she really has no ego. She waited a long time while the decision was made, while the pieces of the puzzle were coming together, and you know it was the right move to make."

Strahovski's incredible performance was not nominated for an Emmy for outstanding supporting actress in a drama, although her co-stars Ann Dowd and Samira Wiley are up for the award at Sunday night's ceremony. Joseph Fiennes, who plays Serena Joy's husband, is up for outstanding supporting actor, Elisabeth Moss is up for outstanding actress in a leading role, and Alexis Bledel already won a Creative Arts Emmy for outstanding guest actress.

Bialy and Thomas were nominated for a Creative Arts Emmy for casting, but lost the award to "Stranger Things."

SEE ALSO: Here are all the 2017 Emmy nominees — Netflix, HBO, and 'SNL' lead the way

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On Tuesday at Apple's iPhone launch extravaganza, the company also announced a new Apple TV that supports 4K and HDR (High Dynamic Resolution), both of which are upgrades of picture quality.

And the biggest winner from the new Apple TV will likely be Netflix, analysts from Bank of America Merrill Lynch wrote in a note Wednesday. Netflix has a pretty robust selection of TV shows and movies that take advantage of those features, but the real boon for Netflix is that getting access to titles in 4K requires its expensive plan.

"Overall, we see Netflix as the biggest beneficiary in our coverage from Apple TV as it could help increase 4K TV demand and potentially move subscribers to higher priced ($11.99) 4K subscription plans," the analysts wrote. The most common Netflix plan — which includes HD (but not 4K) — costs $9.99 a month, while the lowest priced plan costs $7.99 a month.

Getting subscribers to voluntarily switch to a more premium plan because they are excited to watch 4K movies and TV shows would be great for Netflix. That's especially true because Netflix subscribers have a tendency to freak out when the company tries to raise prices.

In 2016, Netflix tried to spin a price hike with the term "un-grandfathering," but people still canceled their accounts to a degree that led the company to blame its earnings miss on media coverage of the price increases. No doubt Netflix would like to avoid having to do that again.

But Netflix has said it will spend $7 billion on programming next year, so any bump in those monthly fees would help take some pressure off the bottom line.

SEE ALSO: CEO Jeff Bezos has ordered big changes at Amazon's TV division — but he gave a sign he disagreed with its strategy months ago

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• People are abandoning cable TV faster than previously thought, and that's having a negative effect on TV ad spending.
• According to eMarketer's latest figures, TV ad spending in 2017 will total $71.65 billion, a year-over-year increase but down from the $72.72 billion predicted earlier.

• People are also spending less time in front of the TV, with the average time among US adults dropping to three hours, 58 minutes a day this year, the first time it has dropped below four hours.

TV ad spending will be lower than anticipated this year, according to eMarketer, because people are cord-cutting at a faster clip than previously expected.

According to the market-research company, TV ad spending in 2017 will expand just 0.5% to $71.65 billion, down from the $72.72 billion predicted in its first-quarter forecast for 2017. Further, it said, TV's share of total media ad spending in the US will drop to 34.9% and is expected to fall below 30% by 2021.

"eMarketer expected a slowdown this year in TV ad sales, after 2016 benefited from both the Olympics and US presidential election,” said Monica Peart, eMarketer’s senior forecasting director. “However, traditional TV advertising is slowing even more than expected, as viewers switch their time and attention to the growing list of live streaming and over-the-top [OTT] platforms."

Cord-cutters, or consumers who are opting for getting their TV via the internet rather than traditional pay TV services, are a major factor behind tempered TV ad spending. As the phenomenon gains momentum, traditional pay TV operators like Dish Network are developing their own streaming platforms such as Sling TV, networks such as HBO and ESPN are launching or planning their own standalone digital subscription services, and digital players like Hulu and YouTube are delivering live TV channels over the web at lower prices.

In fact, cord-cutting has become so prevalent that even telecommunication companies like AT&T and T-Mobile have jumped in on the action in recent weeks, offering customers bundle deals with access to streaming services like Netflix and HBO.

eMarketer has also increased its estimates for the growth in cord-cutters substantially for 2017 through 2021, saying that by 2021 the number of cord-cutters will nearly equal the number of people who have never had traditional pay TV, or "cord-nevers."

The company forecasts that there will be 22.2 million cord-cutters over the age of 18 this year, more than the 15.4 million the company had previously predicted. This figure is up 33.2% over 2016. The number of US adult cord-nevers is expected to grow 5.8% this year to 34.4 million.

"Younger audiences continue to switch to either exclusively watching OTT video or watching them in combination with free TV options," said Chris Bendtsen, the senior forecasting analyst at eMarketer. "Last year, even the Olympics and presidential elections could not prevent younger audiences from abandoning pay TV."

While eMarketer predicts that 196.3 million US adults will still watch traditional pay TV, including cable, satellite, or telco, this year, that number would be down 2.4% from 2016. By 2021, the company thinks, that total will have fallen nearly 10% compared with 2016.

US adults who watch TV are spending less time in front of the screen as well. The average time spent watching TV among US adults this year will drop 3.1% to three hours, 58 minutes a day this year, according to eMarketer, the first time it has dropped below four hours.

In contrast, digital video consumption continues to rise. US adults will consume one hour, 17 minutes of digital video this year, the company said, up 9.3% over 2016.

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Starting with his role in 2008's "Taken," actor Liam Neeson became a standard leading man in a number of action films with a similar dynamic: one man, his character, against the world. 

But now that he's halfway through his sixties, Neeson says he's ready to stop fighting mobs of faceless assailants and focus on more serious roles, according to a Sky News report on the Toronto International Film Festival.

"They're still throwing serious money at me to do that stuff," Neeson said of potential action roles. "I'm like: 'Guys, I'm sixty-f---ing-five.' Audiences are eventually going to go: 'Come on.'"

The Irish actor, who earned an Oscar nomination for his role in the 1993 film "Schindler's List," said his late-career turn toward becoming an action star was "all a pure accident."

Two of Neeson's upcoming films, "Hard Powder" and "The Commuter," are both action thrillers, but it looks like they will be his last. 

Watch the trailer for "The Commuter" below:

SEE ALSO: RANKED: Netflix's 5 original Marvel superhero shows, from worst to best

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German actress Diane Kruger has built an impressive career, but after working steadily for 16 years, her new movie is getting her recognition she never thought she’d ever receive.

“In the Fade,” from German filmmaker Fatih Akin, offers Kruger the chance to prove she can carry a movie — and she does just that. Kruger gives a tour-de-force performance playing Katja Sekerci, whose life collapses when her husband and son are victims of a terrorist bombing. In the midst of taking illegal drugs to numb the pain, Katja learns two suspects, who turn out to be Neo-Nazis, are going to trial for the bombing. And that’s when things get even more intense for Katja.

Business Insider sat down with Kruger at the Toronto International Film Festival, and she didn’t hold back when talking about the pain she dealt with to pull off this gut-wrenching performance, which won her the best actress prize at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, and garnered her instant Oscar buzz. 

Jason Guerrasio: How did you connect with Fatih Akin, did you know him?

Diane Kruger: No. I was just a fan. He's a big director in Germany, I grew up with his films. So when I became an actress and I left Germany 25 years ago, I always waited for this part to come out of Germany. I mean, I don't have an agent there so I never get any offers from there. Five years ago I was a jury member at Cannes and he had a documentary playing there, so I went to his party to meet him. I told him I loved his work and if he ever wanted to make a movie with me that would be amazing. So years later he remembered and called me.

Guerrasio: Did he talk to you over the phone about the part or did he ask if he could send the script over?

Kruger: He kind of told me what it was about and then he said he didn't want to send me the script, he wanted to come and meet me. So he came to Paris to meet me. And I was really nervous because I didn't think upon meeting me that he would think that I'm right for this part. This isn't typically the part I get offered. [Laughs] And just judging from his voice over the phone I don't think he was 100 percent sure I could do it either. So he came to my house and I wore no makeup and I really tried to dress down, and be as raw as possible, and we just had this amazing talk. And I told him I was really, really scared of this part. I told him I wasn't sure I could do it.

Guerrasio: But at the same time was this a role you had been wishing for? Something to show your range?

Kruger: I just knew something felt right. I was really scared. Fatih told me I couldn't take another role until we shot this because he wanted me to prep for it. I mean, he is known for casting unknowns in his movies, so I think he got a lot of backlash at first for casting me. But I jumped off that cliff with him. It was a lonely time prepping for the movie. I didn't do anything else. I was living in Germany, meeting with victims of families that weren't necessarily suffering from terrorist attacks, but murder and other brutal things, and I just allowed myself to be overcome by the grief that I felt.

Guerrasio: And this is the first German-produced movie you've ever starred in?

Kruger: That's right.

Guerrasio: That's surprising. Was that because you got into modeling so early in your life?

Kruger: I left when I was 16 and I wasn't an actress then.

Guerrasio: So was there a feeling with this movie that you wanted to be a part of something to show your talents to your home country?

Kruger: Yes and no. I wanted to do a German film that felt really German, but also had an international presence. And Fatih, who is German but of Turkish descent, he himself has an international flavor. And this movie has such a universal feel. The focus is Neo-Nazis, but it could have been Jihadis, just some crazy person, whatever.

Guerrasio: I think Americans will certainly relate to this movie. The grieving mother is universal.

Kruger: Exactly.

Guerrasio: What did you want to get out of meeting victims? Did you take notes? Did you just want to interact with them?

Kruger: I guess the one thing I will never forget is that energy. More than individual stories there was this energy that mothers especially having lost children had that I wasn't quite prepared to really take on. It was a wall of blackness. And that's regardless how long ago it happened or how much or how little they talked to me about it, that energy was there. And it got more intense as time went on and the more people I met.

Guerrasio: How long were you talking to victims?

Kruger: I started six months before shooting started.

Guerrasio: Wow. Did it get to a point where you felt you had enough and just wanted to get started with shooting?

Kruger: Yeah. There definitely came a point where I was like, “I can't take it anymore.” And, unfortunately, when we started to film my stepdad passed away, so honestly it was probably the darkest time in my life. Having to play that much grief and then coming home and feeling that on a personal level. It's a personal film because of that. We also shot in order, so you can imagine the first three weeks were just awful. There were scenes when I didn't even feel like I was acting. There were moments when I felt this movie is going to break me. I couldn't work for six months afterwards. I can still feel it.

Guerrasio: So you haven't been able to kick this character yet?

Kruger: I still dream about it. I feel like a little bit is always going to be with me. What I take away most of it is this connection with people talking about loss. The empathy I felt, and maybe because we live in a time where these stories have become so common, but I'm reminded of how many Katjas every week are being created. I sometimes just sit in front of the TV and I just sob uncontrollably.

Guerrasio: Has doing a role like this changed the parts you want to take on going forward in your career?

Kruger: To be honest, the two films I'm working on right now I signed on before “In The Fade” came out and I haven't taken anything since. I'm sort of debating what I want to do next.

Guerrasio: Is it hard to promote this film, seeing you have to continue talking about the process of creating this character, which obviously wasn't pleasant?

Kruger: No. I want to. I think it's a very important film in my life. I feel it's my baby. I've never been invested in anything like this. I think it's an inspiring movie. In Cannes, which was the first time I saw it with an audience, I was so taken aback by the reaction. There must be pictures of me just looking shocked. It's weird because in the past people have come up to me and said they love my work, like for “Inglourious Basterds,” but I feel this is my first big starring role.

"In the Fade" opens in select theaters later this year.

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Following the incredible opening weekend at the box office for "It" — the adaptation of the classic Stephen King book which took in over $123.4 million last weekend (the biggest opening ever for the month of September) — everyone can't wait for the sequel to get here.

And though Warner Bros. hasn't officially pulled the trigger on a sequel (at least publicly), it's a foregone conclusion that it's going to happen That's especially true since at the end of the movie, the "It" title comes up on the screen, followed by "Chapter One."

Always intended to be two movies, the first looks at the Losers Club as kids when they first encounter Pennywise. The second will then jump to present day when the losers are adults and must return to Derry to take on Pennywise one last time. This mirrors the structure King did with the book. 

"It" director Andres Muschietti revealed some plans he has for the sequel to Entertainment Weekly.

Below is everything we know that will happen in the sequel:

Warning: Spoilers coming!

SEE ALSO: 15 things Netflix's "Stranger Things" took from Stephen King's "It"

We'll still see the kid version of The Losers Club.

Despite the movie taking place 27 years after the events in the first "It" movie, Muschietti said there will be a place for the younger version of the losers as they will appear in flashbacks. 

This will continue on one of the best elements of the first movie: the wickedly fun interactions between all the friends. But also flashing back brings more depth and understanding in the internal fears each loser still struggles with as an adult.

Will the adult losers be known actors or unknowns?

Almost instantly people took to social media after seeing "It" to throw out names of actors who could play the adult version of the Losers Club (Jessica Chastain as the fiery Bev? Chris Pratt as the once chubby Ben?). And though Muschietti admits he and his producers have been thinking about what do to since filming wrapped on the movie, there's still no official decision on how they will handle the casting.

The 1990 "It" TV movie was prominently made up of character actors (John Ritter was the only recognizable name), but times have changed, and with the success of the first movie there may be pressure to get at least a few stars in the club.

The one who stays in Derry becomes a librarian junkie.

One knock on "It" is Mike doesn't get a lot of screen time compared to the other losers. But that will likely change in Chapter Two.

Mike is the one member who doesn't leave Derry. He stays to watch for the return of Pennywise while working as a librarian, and staying behind, he ends up taking the brunt of Pennywise's powers.

“My idea of Mike in the second movie is quite darker from the book,” Muschietti told EW. “I want to make his character the one pivotal character who brings them all together, but staying in Derry took a toll with him. I want him to be a junkie actually. A librarian junkie. When the second movie starts, he’s a wreck.”

Mike will also take part in a ritual that will bring him better understanding of the origins of the alien behind the Pennywise clown, and how the defeat it for good. This is a portion of the book that was cut out of the first movie, but will certainly be of importance in the sequel. 

Streaming services are growing fast. As Netflix and Hulu make more original shows, their recognition come awards season grows, too. And it's growing at a rapid rate. 

Netflix nearly doubled its Emmy nominations in 2017, with 91 compared to 2016's 54. Big competitors for Netflix in 2017 include "The Crown," "Master of None," and "Stranger Things."

Netflix's Emmy success this year is surely partly linked to its gargantuan budget: $6 billion for content in 2017, for reference. That compares to Amazon's estimated 2017 budget of $4.5 billion (according to JPMorgan), and HBO's budget of a "couple billion" — likely just above $2 billion.

But Netflix isn't the only streaming service on the rise.

Hulu, which had just 2 Emmy nominations last year, had a much better turnout with 18 nominations this year thanks to the critical darling "The Handmaid's Tale."

Even without "Game of Thrones" in the running this year, HBO got more nominations than last year from hits like "Westworld," "Big Little Lies," and "The Night Of." With streaming and cable shows coming up, the basic networks which once dominated are getting less shows nominated at the Emmys. But in 2017, NBC got a major boost from the critical and fan hit "This Is Us," with 11 nominations. 

Check out this graph to see how all the networks compare when it comes to Emmy nominations:

SEE ALSO: Here are the biggest Emmy snubs of 2017 — from Justin Theroux to Winona Ryder

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TMZ founder Harvey Levin said that Mark Cuban talked to him openly about his presidential ambitions and teased what party he'd join if he decided to run against President Donald Trump in 2020.

Cuban is slated to appear later this year on Levin's new Sunday Fox News show "OBJECTified," an hour-long interview show in which Levin interviews celebrities and political figures about their biographies. 

In an interview with Business Insider on Tuesday, Levin said that the billionaire business mogul seemed interested in a future presidential bid. 

"I definitely think there's a chance he's going to run for president," Levin said in a telephone interview. "I think he would be a fascinating candidate."

The founder of the celebrity news site hinted that Cuban announced on his show what his party affiliation will be if he does decide to run. 

"I'm not going to give the show away, but he does tell me," Levin said. "And he's very open about it too, I mean he was very open about what he may or may not do."

A longtime political independent, Cuban has previously said that he would prefer to be a small-government Republican, but that he does not agree with the party on social issues. He has praised the Affordable Care Act and other Democratic priorities.

And though he once largely avoided discussing political topics, the 2016 election marked a political turning point for the Dallas Mavericks owner, who was highly critical of Trump and stumped for his opponent, Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.

Cuban has discussed his political future with his family and has been fairly open about his presidential aspirations, appearing on political talk shows, debating public education with former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush in Manhattan earlier this year, and speculating about his proposed policy solutions "if I ran."

For his part, since the "OBJECTified" special first aired on Fox last year, Levin has been a source of criticism, particularly over his alleged coziness with the current administration. 

Former communications director Anthony Scaramucci is set to host "TMZ Live" for a day later this month, and Think Progress reported earlier this year that Levin is personally involved in stories that cast Trump in a sympathetic light. Levin reportedly talks to the president regularly.

Levin dismissed critics of his reporting and interviewing style, and said he doesn't think he's spoken with Trump since their March meeting at the White House.

"People will criticize all sorts of things," Levin said. "I don’t see us as pro-Trump at all. If you watch TMZ at all, there is a chorus of people who are not happy with him and voice it. And I've got huge issues myself with some of the things that have happened over the last six months or nine months."

"I don't have an agenda to keep somebody in office or to kill them," he added. "That’s just not the mission statement here."

Others have been satisfied with Levin's performance.

In an email with Business Insider, Cuban himself teased his interview with the TMZ founder, and praised Levin's interview style. 

"Harvey does a great job," Cuban said to Business Insider in an email. "The questions weren't the same old same old. He offered insights that led to some great conversation."

SEE ALSO: Recently ousted Fox News host's son found dead

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