Brazil’s telenovela industry is the secret agent behind powerful films at the OscarsSince at least the 1960s, the telenovelas, Latin American TV series often compared to soap operas, produced by Brazil’s leading broadcaster TV Globo have evolved from simple daily dramas into a multi-million-dollar industry with 13 studios, three set towns, 122 edit bays and reaching up to 60 million of Brazil’s 213 million people every week.
"Globo’s telenovelas are key for Brazil’s audiovisual production,” said Amauri Soares, director of TV Globo and Globo Studios, hailing them as "a continuous platform of creation and production of content. [Best Picture nominee] The Secret Agent has actors and staffers who worked at Globo, who will work at Globo again and the film itself has Globo investment despite being independent."
TV Globo broadcasts three telenovelas simultaneously from early evening to prime-time. They are produced at studios in Rio de Janeiro and often run for six months from Mondays to Saturdays, involving more than 1,000 people. A finale can turn into a national viewing event, with bars, restaurants and gyms airing main episodes. With some episodes written only days in advance based on audience ratings, telenovelas allow viewers to indirectly co-create the narrative. And their economic impact is powerful: a remake of the hit Vale Tudo (Anything Goes) reportedly generated over 200 million reais ($38 million) in advertising — four times the global box office of The Secret Agent.
Sarah Michelle Gellar says Buffy The Vampire Slayer reboot is canceled
A reboot of Buffy the Vampire Slayer is no longer in the works, Sarah Michelle Gellar said Saturday in a video posted on Instagram. "So, I am really sad to have to share this, but I wanted you all to hear it from me," the actor, who former All My Children actress was slated to reprise her eponymous role as Buffy Summers.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: New Sunnydale was slated to air on Hulu and serve as a sequel to the original ’90s supernatural drama. In her video, Gellar said the streaming service had "decided not to move forward" with the series.
BET+ to be folded into Paramount+ as Tyler Perry's stake is acquired by Paramount
Paramount, which three years ago had three SVOD platforms available in the U.S., will soon have only one. Paramount+ will absorb BET+ at the beginning of June, when more than 1,000 hours of BET+ content – originals, movies, and specials – will migrate to the flagship streamer. The news was shared internally by BET Networks President Louis Carr in a memo, a copy of which was provided to Deadline by a Paramount spokesperson.
The consolidation – part of the new Paramount leadership’s effort to gain scale and improve economics in the streaming space – became possible after Paramount bought out Tyler Perry Studios’ ownership in BET+, believed to be 25%. Financial details have not been revealed, but Perry's stake had been valued at tens of millions of dollars.
Transferring to Paramount+ will be all content currently on BET+ – original and acquired – subject to rights restrictions and license expirations. That includes the extensive Tyler Perry library of film, TV, and stage works.
Days of our Lives is recasting Rachel, againLorelei Olivia Mote (pictured) makes her debut as the new Rachel on Days in the Tuesday, March 17, episode. She will be stepping into the shoes of Alice Halsey, who played the role of Brady (Eric Martsolf) and Kristen's (Stacy Haiduk) daughter from April 2025 until March 2026.
Daytime Soap Opera Ratings: Young And The Restless & Bold And The Beautiful tie for No. 1 in Women 18-49 demo
Y&R and B&B tied for No. 1 among soaps in Women 18-49, each with a 0.28 rating, during the week of March 2-6, 2026. Beyond the Gates scored a 0.18 rating with General Hospital coming in at 0.17. Season-to-date, Y&R and B&B are now tied for No. 1 among soaps in Women 18-49, each with a 0.22 rating.
Say goodbye to Prime Video Ad Free as Amazon officially announces phaseout
On March 13, Prime Video started sending subscribers a notice that "Prime Video Ad Free will become Prime Video Ultra." Prime Video Ad Free will be replaced by Prime Video Ultra on April 10. The new service includes enhanced viewing features and is priced at $4.99/month. The Amazon platform offers an annual plan, as well, which will come with 23% savings annually, and an overall price of $45.99.
While HBO Max is the latest service to take its password-sharing crackdown global, starting in 2026, Prime Video isn't doing that. The new Prime Video Ultra plan will increase its concurrent streams from three devices to five, which makes it perfect for larger households.
General Hospital's Nancy Lee Grahn Wants Last Week Tonight's John Oliver Cast as Alexis' "Hot Love Interest"
Earlier this week, Last Week Tonight host John Oliver delivered a ten-minute segment on daytime soap operas and how he would love to play a part on one. He cited how ESPN Sports personality Stephen A. Smith recurs as Brick on General Hospital, and even showcased how he would act in a soap with a reenactment of the a scene from the ABC soap opera. Oliver is now offering himself to any soap opera who will write a part for him. In the segment, he shared to the cameras, "To all the soap operas out there, let me say this: I am officially offering myself to you. Write me a role, and I’ll be on your set so fast, it'll make your head spin. I only have a few conditions: First, I don't want to play myself, I want to be a character. And I want his name to be ridiculous. Also, I want to do something juicy — like murder or slapping or being slapped or being someone’s long-lost something — and, ideally, I’d like a dramatic closeup of my face. But in return, trust me, I will give my all to this performance."
In a whimsical post on Threads, actress Nancy Lee Grahn responded to Oliver wanting a role written for him on a soap opera. "I want him," she wrote. "Alexis needs a hot love interest and it will be short termed without a lasting commitment since all her lovers eventually become psychopaths and die. #JohnOliver would make a perfect psychopath. It’ll write itself." She later added, "How about John Oliver plays an immigrant that Alexis hides from ICE in her basement. There’s already a bed down there….and a ball gag!"
The Young and the Restless star Peter Bergman on Jack & Patty: "There Will Be Scars"
As unpleasant a sight as Patty was for Jack’s sore eyes, Bergman was thrilled to encounter Haiduk again backstage at Y&R. "We saw each other in the makeup room, and it was like I saw her last week," he recalls. Haiduk hasn’t been on Y&R since 2016, so she and Bergman hadn’t worked together in many years. But stepping back onto set, Bergman says he found it "very easy" to fall right back into a rhythm as performers. “’And there are some physical things in these scenes that might be awkward to do with some actresses," he admits. "Not with Stacy. Stacy Haiduk throws her whole body into a scene, and so it made it easier for me."
DAYTIME SOAP OPERAS
