38 May 30 • 2019 jn 38 May 30 • 2019 jn DEADWOOD RETURNS The Western series Deadwood was set in the 1870s in the famous South Dakota town. It ran on HBO for three years (2004-06) before being abruptly can- celed despite getting great reviews (ratings were so-so and it was a costly program to produce). Right after the cancellation, HBO and show creator David Milch, now 74, had talks about winding up the plot lines via two tele- films, but they never could come to a solid agreement. The successful re-booting of many TV shows led to renewed talks and, on May 31, HBO will premiere a two-hour Deadwood movie that advance reviews say is a great wind-up of a very good show. All the still-living stars of the original series returned, including Robin Weigert, 49, as Calamity Jane; Timothy Olymphant as (real) lawman Seth Bullock; and John Hawkes as Sol Star (1840-1917), a real Jewish Deadwood mer- chant who was Bullock’ s best friend. Star served as Deadwood’ s mayor in the 1880s. Sadly, this movie marks the end of Milch’ s creative life. In 2015, he was diag- nosed with Alzheimer’ s and there’ s a great article in the May 27 issue of the New Yorker (also online) about how he is coping with the disease. It seems like his family is his anchor. His wife, Rita Stern, has stood by him through his drug addiction and an incredibly bad gambling addiction that wiped them out financially. His daughter, Olivia Milch, 24, who co-wrote Ocean’ s 8, helped her father with the Deadwood movie script. Ask Dr. Ruth, a documentary about the famous sex and relationship counselor, will premiere on Hulu on June 1. Dr. Ruth Westheimer, 90, talks candidly about her whole life, including surviving the Holocaust, and fighting and getting wounded in Israel’ s War of Independence. The film got very good reviews when it played many recent film festivals, includ- ing Sundance. The film is full of interesting details, like her original name, Karola Ruth Siegel, and her height (4 foot-7 inches). But the most interesting thing, to me, is how she just shines with an infectious joy of life. PLATT ALL OVER THE PLACE Broadway star Ben Platt, 25, who won the Tony in 2017 for best actor in a musical (Dear Evan Hansen), is now on a limited tour in which he is promoting his debut solo album, Sing to Me. He was in Detroit May 4. The album consists of 12 original songs, all written by Platt. Many of the tunes are soulful pop ballads detailing Platt’ s journey as an openly gay man searching for love. Platt came out publicly this year. He came out as gay to his parents when he was 12. He told a recent concert crowd he told his parents, on the phone, when he was in Israel and they were home in Los Angeles. Last February, it was announced that Platt would co-star in The Politician, an upcoming Netflix series. It’ s described as a “music-driv- en” satirical comedy about a wealthy politician from Santa Barbara. The series is being produced by the same three guys who produced the hit musical series Glee. One of those producers is Brad Falchuk, 48, who married Gwyneth Paltrow, 46, last year. Paltrow is reportedly in talks to be in the show. Barbra Streisand, 77, is also reportedly consid- ering appearing in The Politician. ■ NATE BLOOM COLUMNIST David Milch Robin Weigert Dr. Ruth Westheimer Gwyneth Paltrow celebrity jews arts&life FACEBOOK FACEBOOK FACEBOOK FACEBOOK Check out the first two episodes of “ Sissy’ s Kitchen, ” where you’ ll learn how to make Matzah Lasagna and Black and White Macarons; watch them on YouTube by searching “ Sissy’ s Kitchen” or view them on our website, thejewishnews. com. Kitchen Sissy’s thejewishnews. com: https://thejewishnews. com/2019/04/18/sissys- kitchen-black-and-white-macarons-recipe/ https://thejewishnews. com/2019/04/11/sissys- kitchen-matzah-lasagna-recipe/ The DJN teamed up with local Chef Sissy Yellen to create two kosher for Passover recipes you can serve all year round!