Saturday, June 06, 2020

Double Dare (A Franchise Retrospective) - Nick Knacks Episode #057

Double Dare (A Franchise Retrospective) - Nick Knacks Episode #057


Want to see this show as a book? The Nick Knacks book Kickstarter!: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/poparena/nick-knacks-the-book-a-show-by-show-history-of-nickelodeon

The year was 1986, and Gerry Laybourne had done a lot to clean up Nickelodeon's image, making it a fun place for kids. But Laybourne still lacked a career-defining hit show. So, she locked four people in an office and told them to make the best children's game show ever. This is the story of Double Dare, from it's humble beginnings filming in Philadelphia, to it's star role at Nickelodeon Studios, to its unloved revival, to it's second, much-more-well-loved revival. Over thirty years of questions, physical challenges, and obstacle courses where you pick a giant nose.

Featuring the voices of (in order):
ErynCerise
KaiserBeamz
Henry Gilbert
Going Rampant
Mike Westfall
Charlotte Townsend

0:00:00 - Prologue
0:06:06 - Part One: Dare
0:22:40 - Part Two: Double Dare
0:41:15 - Part Three: Super Sloppy Double Dare
0:52:51 - Part Four: Family Double Dare
1:08:20 - Part Five: Double Dare 2000
1:20:24 - Part Six: Double Dare 2018

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More Nick: Nickelodeon to Bring 'Rugrats' Back for the Next Generation of Kids with an All-New TV Series!

H/T: Anime Superhero.
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'44 Cats' Continues to Expand Its Reach in the U.S.; Bows on Netflix

Following its U.S. debut on Nickelodeon last year, Rainbow Group‘s 44 Cats is continuing to pick up steam in North America!


As the series continues to grow in popularity worldwide, new licensees, broadcasters, and streamers are getting on board. As of May 1, 44 Cats is streaming on Netflix. The series is supported with a robust licensing program developed and managed by The Joester Loria Group in the U.S. and Branding Streams in Canada.

Most recently, Forever Clever inked a deal to produce games and novelty toys in both markets. The range will include action, board, card, and memory games in addition to novelty toys and play tents.

Additional 44 Cats products hitting retail this year include offerings from Bandai, Harper Collins, Franco, Sakar, and Accessory Innovations.

The second season of the series debuted in Italy this spring and will expand globally later this year, including on Nickelodeon channels globally.

Produced by Rainbow in collaboration with Antoniano and Rai Ragazzi, the series is billed as a growing hit for ratings and web interactions, while making a significant impact on the licensing sector. Currently, more than 100 partners from across the world and a number of product categories have signed with 44 Cats, across both national and multi-territorial deals.

Set in the world of animals, 44 Cats follows the daily adventures of Lampo, Milady, Pilou and Meatball – four adorable kittens who are part of a music band named The Buffycats.

The protagonists live and play in the Clubhouse, a garage beside old Granny Pina’s house. Their adventures explore the themes of friendship and altruism: the four cats love helping others and always find creative solutions to everyday hitches and help other cats in need. The series promotes positive attitudes and conveys educational messages dealing with important themes such as tolerance, diversity and solidarity in a funny way.

Season two of 44 Cats will contain 52 x 13-minute episodes, bringing the number of episodes of the series up to 104 x 13 minute episodes.

44 Cats is currently on the air in more than 100 countries and in over 20 languages. The new season continues to follow the Buffycats in new cat-proof missions, with a soundtrack of original songs from Antoniano. The series combines great music and edutainment with high quality animation. The series also marks Rainbow’s (Winx Club, Regal Academy, Club 57, Mia and me, Maggie & Bianca Fashion Friends) inaugural foray into preschool programming.

Rainbow recently released a new 44 Cats mobile game titled 44 Cats and the Lost Instruments.

44 Cats is inspired by the very popular Italian kids song "44 Gatti", which, in 1968, won the 10th edition of the Zecchino d'Oro and has since entered the collective imagination of Italians.

From Toy World Magazine:

New licensed product and US streaming options announced for 44 Cats

Forever Clever is the latest name to join an expanding licensing programme for the popular pre-school brand.

After already naming Bandai, Harper Collins, Franco, Sakar and Accessory Innovations among its confirmed licensees, 44 Cats – produced by the Rainbow Group – now expands its licensing programme with Forever Clever for games and novelty toys in the US and Canada. The Forever Clever product range will include action games, board games, card games and memory games along with novelty toys and play tents.

Forever Clever joins an expanding licensing programme. Launched at the end of March, HarperCollins released two new titles; 44 Cats: Meet the Cats and 44 Cats: Cats Rock! at Target, Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Books-A-Million.

From 1st May 2020, the first season of 44 Cats became available on Netflix. The series, which debuted in November 2018, is enjoying popularity worldwide. In the US, 44 Cats premiered on Nickelodeon in June 2019. In March 2020, a second season of the show premiered in Italy and the show will land on free to air broadcasters worldwide later this year.

The 52 x 13’ series deals with edutainment themes such as tolerance, diversity and altruism, combining positive values, action and comedy in a sophisticated CGI production. The show, which appeals to pre-schoolers and children aged 4-7, follows the adventures of Lampo, Milady, Pilou and Meatball – four kittens who are part of a music band named The Buffycats.

The licensing programmes are managed by licensing agents The Joester Loria Group in the United States and Branding Streams in Canada.

###

More Nick: Nickelodeon International Acquires '44 Cats' Season 2!

Originally published: Thursday, May 28, 2020.

Original source: The Toy Book.
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United Way Partners with Nickelodeon to Offer Families Free 90-Day Subscriptions to Noggin

To support families during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, United Way has announced that the organiaztion is proud to unveil a new resource in partnership with the National Campaign for Grade-Level Reading and Nickelodeon called Noggin Cares, an educational online platform for parents with young children. Through this partnership, United Way is offering Noggin Cares at no cost to our community for 90 days.


"Here at Noggin, we understand the impact school closures have on kids, that's why we're proud to partner with United Way to help families learn and play together, at home," said Noggin. "Enjoy our full library of books, games, interactive episodes. and learning videos all for FREE."

Easy Access to Noggin:

The Noggin app is loaded with read-aloud e-books, learning games, songs, and other engaging content. It also provides ideas for off-screen family activities, and it provides special content to help young children cope during this time.

Noggin is now free to United Way families for 90 days, as part of Nickelodeon's #KidsTogether pro-social program. To start the 90-day subscription, families can sign up at https://www.noggin.com/noggin-cares-unitedway/?step=sign-up.

Families will not be asked to enter credit card information. You can learn more about the #KidsTogether initiative at https://www.noggin.com/kidstogether.

United Way is engaged in nearly 1,800 communities across more than 40 countries and territories worldwide. We are focused on creating community-based and community-led solutions that strengthen the cornerstones for a good quality of life: education, financial stability and health.

More Nick: Nickelodeon Launches #KidsTogether--A Global Prosocial Initiative to Help Kids and Families Stay Informed and Engaged With Activities; Noggin to be Offered Free to Kids in Need in Partnership with National Head Start Association and First Book
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National WIC Association Partners with Nickelodeon to Offer Families Free 90-Day Subscriptions to Noggin

The National WIC Association (NWA), the non-profit education arm and advocacy voice of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), has partnered with Noggin, Nickelodeon's learning service for children age 2 and above, to offer a free 90-day subscription to WIC families during the ongoing Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak.


The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) says that the partnership aims to promote learning and healthy development during the COVID-19 health emergency.

The Noggin app is loaded with read-aloud e-books, learning games, songs, and other engaging content. It also provides ideas for off-screen family activities, and it provides special content to help young children cope during this time.

Noggin is now free to WIC families for 90 days, as part of Nickelodeon's #KidsTogether pro-social program. To start the 90-day subscription, families can sign up at https://www.noggin.com/noggin-cares-nwa.

Families will not be asked to enter credit card information. You can learn more about the #KidsTogether initiative at https://www.noggin.com/kidstogether.

More Nick: Nickelodeon Launches #KidsTogether--A Global Prosocial Initiative to Help Kids and Families Stay Informed and Engaged With Activities; Noggin to be Offered Free to Kids in Need in Partnership with National Head Start Association and First Book

Original source: WLTX 19.
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Rugrats Comic Strip for Saturday, June 6, 2020 | NickRewind

Rugrats Comic Strip for Saturday, June 6, 2020 | NickRewind


Rugrats, provided to Creators Syndicate by Nickelodeon, based off the popular animated television series has been created for children and family's to laugh and enjoy together.

Follow these comics and their take on real episodes of the show and their own spin on hilarious adventures.

Read more Rugrats comic strips!: https://www.creators.com/features/rugrats

More Nick: Nickelodeon and Paramount to Bring 'Rugrats' Back for the Next Generation of Kids!
Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for the latest Classic Nickelodeon and Rugrats News and Highlights!

Nickelodeon South East Asia to Premiere New Episodes of 'The Loud House' from Monday 8th June 2020

Things are going to get LOUD when Nickelodeon South East Asia starts to premiere more brand new episodes of The Loud House weekdays at 5:30pm on Nickelodeon Malaysia (MY) and Nickelodeon Philippines (PH) and at 4:30pm on Nickelodeon Indonesia (WIB) between Monday 8th - Friday 12th June 2020!


More Nick: 'Nickelodeon Pixel Town' Launches in Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia!
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Top “WHAT THE HECK” Moments From Loud House & Casagrandes 😱

Top “WHAT THE HECK” Moments From Loud House & Casagrandes 😱


The families from The Loud House and The Casagrandes are always up to some wacky, head-scratching activities. Here are the top 18 most “What the heck” moments!

Watch The Loud House & The Casagrandes on Nickelodeon!

Subscribe to the official The Loud House & The Casagrandes YouTube channel!: https://at.nick.com/LoudCasaSubscribe

More Nick: Nickelodeon Releases The Loud House “Really Loud Music” Digital Album!
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Katara & Aang vs. Azula & Zuko in The Crossroads of Destiny! | Uncut Battles | Avatar: The Last Airbender

Katara & Aang vs. Azula & Zuko in The Crossroads of Destiny! | Uncut Battles | Avatar: The Last Airbender


For many, this is one of the most iconic and shocking moments in Avatar: The Last Airbender featuring Aang, Azula, and a deadly lightning strike. For others, this is the origin of the Zutara ship for Zuko and Katara. However, for all, it is a memorable finale with an amazing battle sequence!

#Avatar #AvatarTheLastAirbender #Nickelodeon

Subscribe to the NEW official Avatar: The Last Airbender YouTube channel!: https://at.nick.com/AvatarSubscribe

Watch Avatar: The Last Airbender on Netflix and The Legend of Korra on CBS All Access and NickHits on Amazon Prime!

More Nick: Netflix to Host Open Casting Call for Live-Action 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' Series!
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Henry and Charlotte Through The Years #Chenry + Henry Danger’s Final Episodes In 5 Minutes Livestream

Henry and Charlotte Through The Years #Chenry | Henry Danger


Best friends are people who have been through thick and thin and come out on the other end stronger. That is most definitely true for Henry (Jace Norman) and Charlotte (Riele Downs). Here is Henry and Charlotte’s friendship timeline through the years!

🔴 Henry Danger’s Final Episodes In 5 Minutes! | Henry Danger Livestream


LIVE: Henry Danger's final season has come and gone but that doesn't mean we can't go back and enjoy the amazing videos! Let's take a look at Henry Danger's final season in 5 minute snippets from each episode and even the final 5 minutes of Henry Danger's finale!

Watch Henry Danger and Danger Force on Nickelodeon and on demand!

Make sure to subscribe to the brand-new Henry Danger/Danger Force YouTube channel! Up the (You)Tube!: https://at.nick.com/HenryDangerYouTube

More Nick: Nickelodeon Greenlights 'Group Chat: The Show' and 'Game Face'; To Premiere Summer 2020!
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EVERY Marie Kiddo Sketch Compilation! | All That

EVERY Marie Kiddo Sketch Compilation! | All That


Is your space too cluttered and messy? If so, you NEED Marie Kiddo’s (Kate Godfrey) expertise. Let’s declutter and DESTROY what you don’t need in this every Marie Kiddo sketch compilation!

Watch All That on Nickelodeon!

Subscribe to the official All That YouTube channel!: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6UzskfVDPkJ5aSe755ZGgQ

More Nick: Nickelodeon's 'All That' Reunites Jamie Lynn Spears with the Cast of 'Zoey 101' in All-New Version of “Thelma Stump”!
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Blaze and Roxy's EPIC BATTLES | Power Rangers Beast Morphers Episodes

Blaze and Roxy's EPIC BATTLES | Power Rangers Beast Morphers Episodes


Join Blaze (Colby Strong) and Roxy (Liana Ramirez) in their EPIC battles in Power Rangers Beast Morphers.

All-new episodes of Power Rangers Beast Morphers air on Nickelodeon.

Connect with Power Rangers: powerrangers.com | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube

More Nick: 'Power Rangers' Season 28 to be Titled 'Power Rangers Dino Fury'; To Premiere on Nickelodeon in 2021!
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Calvin and Kaison's Play Power | Birthday Diver | Nick Jr. UK

Calvin and Kaison's Play Power | Birthday Diver | Nick Jr. UK


Calvin has lost his box of favourite things, including Robo G's birthday present. Will he be able to find all his favourite things and Robo G's present?

Watch Calvin and Kaison’s Play Power! on Nick Jr.!

More Nick: Nick Jr. UK Premieres 'Calvin and Kaison’s Play Power!'!
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Peppa Pig | Butterflies Clip | Treehouse

Peppa Pig | Butterflies Clip | Treehouse


Doctor Hamster comes to school to talk about butterflies. The children paint caterpillars, make butterfly wings and even dance the life cycle of a butterfly.

You can catch Peppa Pig on Nick Jr. channel and the Nick Jr. Play app worldwide, as well as on Treehouse and on the Treehouse app in Canada!

More Nick: Nickelodeon Upfront 2020 Roundup!
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ViacomCBS Commits $5 Million To Social Justice Groups, Sets Virtual Community Day for June 18


ViacomCBS has committed $5 million to social justice causes, set a virtual community day for Thursday, June 18 and is preparing to announce new members of its combined global inclusion advisory committee, said CEO Bob Bakish in a memo to employees Friday, June 5.


Media and entertainment companies have contributed money and also taken a series of measures over the past ten days to honor George Floyd, who was tragically killed by police in Minneapolis last week, sparking of a wave of national outrage and protests. Nickelodeon and other ViacomCBS cable channels went dark for a period earlier this week, with ViacomCBS' social media channels and website following suit, along with much of the industry on Black Tuesday, to honor Floyd. That day, ViacomCBS offered online counseling sessions for staffers. Bakish said in today’s memo that the company had donated $12 million over the past two years to organizations promoting racial equality as part of an effort to create “a more equitable company, communities and countries. But we must do more and do better.”

In coming weeks, he said, ViacomCBS will be announcing new appointees to the Global Inclusion Advisory Committee that guides and oversee companywide diveristy and inclusion initiatives. It is developing dashboards to provide an overview of new hires, promotions and terminations through the lens of gender and ethnicity, which will be reviewed every quarter. It will share diversity and inclusion metrics publicly.

The $5 million will go to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Equal Justice Initiative, Amnesty International, National Bail Out, The Bail ProjectT, Community Coalition.

Bob Bakish memo:

Team,

The past few weeks have raised to the surface the longstanding pain of racism and inequality that so many people in our communities endure each day. The fact is the world has missed the mark on fighting for social justice and equality and we need to do more, now.

Our efforts to amplify the voices of Black communities, condemn systemic racism, and honor George Floyd and other victims of racial injustice are only a handful of the actions we’re taking to stand up for what’s right – and it’s so important our company has responded and rallied over the past two weeks.

And this work didn’t start last week. It builds on a legacy of working to ensure we create a more equitable company, communities and countries. But we must do more and do better. I truly believe that action is more important than ever, and I want to make sure you know some of the many initiatives already underway across the company, many of which will be accelerated and expanded.

Since the merger a few months ago, Marva Smalls and the Office of Global Inclusion have been hard at work integrating our Diversity & Inclusion teams, setting the shared inclusion agenda for the company, and launching new and scaling existing initiatives, with collaboration across the company. These efforts include:

  • Global Inclusion Advisory Committee (GIAC) – Comprised of leaders from across the company, GIAC helps to guide and oversee our companywide D&I initiatives in partnership with the Global Inclusion team. We will be announcing the new appointees from our combined companies in the coming weeks. Thanks again to the senior leaders who have agreed to serve.
  • Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)– Our ERGs embody the spirit of diversity and inclusion by providing a forum for employees to flourish personally and professionally while offering direct business support to all our brands. Our ERGs hold over 200 events globally every year, and more than 50% of our workforce are members of these employee-led groups, including AMP (Asian American Media Professionals); CBS RAD (Respect, Appreciation and Development); The BEAT (Black Employee Resource Team); SOMOS, which centers on the LatinX/Hispanic experience; Fusion, celebrating cultural diversity across our international offices; Emerge & CBS Pride, which focus on the LGBTQ+ community; CBS’ Veterans group; as well as HERE and the Women’s Networking Group.
  • Trainings – Unconscious bias and inclusive leadership training programs will continue across the company, along with other next practice initiatives.
  • Data + Metrics – Building on work done at legacy Viacom, we are in the process of developing dashboards to provide an overview of new hires, promotions and terminations through the lens of gender and ethnicity, which will be reviewed every quarter; in addition, we will be sharing our diversity and inclusion metrics publicly in the coming months.
  • Global Inclusion Week – Launched last year, the week of interactive, immersive and informative sessions will return in September to advance important discussions on bias and actions we can all take.

We also have a variety of programs to help ensure representation in front of and behind the camera, as well as through our partnerships and supply chain. This includes our ViewFinder Emerging Directors Program, Nickelodeon Writing and Artist Programs, CBS Showcase, CBS ON TOUR, CBS Writers Mentoring Program & Directing Initiative and the ViacomCBS Supplier Diversity Program, among others.

In addition, over the past two years, we have given over $12 million to organizations that support and impact communities of color, and we are committing an additional $5 million today to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Equal Justice Initiative, Amnesty International, National Bail Out, The Bail Project, Community Coalition and others in support of their tireless work to ensure equality and justice. I’d also remind you of our employee donation matching program – which has seen record levels of engagement over the past two weeks – as an important outlet for contributing to these efforts. And our brands will continue to dedicate and donate a significant amount of air time to these very important causes, as they’ve done so powerfully over the past week.

Our annual day of service will be another important outlet for action. On Thursday, June 18th, Virtual Community Day will allow us to come together across ViacomCBS to make an impact in this time of need. To express. To act. To do some good. Even while we’re at home.

Early next week, our Corporate Social Responsibility team will share more information about the virtual volunteer opportunities they’re curating – including opportunities to connect and engage around social justice and other ongoing community needs. We also strongly encourage you to personalize the day and will provide resources to inspire you to create your own experiences and actions. I urge all of you to take as much time as you’re able and participate in any way you choose.

Most importantly, I want all of you to understand this is a sustained, ongoing commitment from our company that won’t end when the current outrage and news cycle inevitably does. We fundamentally believe that a more diverse and inclusive company – that does business with equally diverse and inclusive partners and talent – is good for business, and our communities.

To that end, we will be circling back with additional commitments the company is making in the coming days and months, including specific goals on how we will quantify and hold ourselves accountable for progress.

Best,
Bob

--Ends--

Original source: Deadline.

Rugrats Comic Strip for Friday, June 5, 2020 | NickRewind

Rugrats Comic Strip for Friday, June 5, 2020 | NickRewind


Rugrats, provided to Creators Syndicate by Nickelodeon, based off the popular animated television series has been created for children and family's to laugh and enjoy together.

Follow these comics and their take on real episodes of the show and their own spin on hilarious adventures.

Read more Rugrats comic strips!: https://www.creators.com/features/rugrats

More Nick: Nickelodeon and Paramount to Bring 'Rugrats' Back for the Next Generation of Kids!
Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for the latest Classic Nickelodeon and Rugrats News and Highlights!

Rugrats Comic Strip for Thursday, June 4, 2020 | NickRewind

Rugrats Comic Strip for Thursday, June 4, 2020 | NickRewind


Rugrats, provided to Creators Syndicate by Nickelodeon, based off the popular animated television series has been created for children and family's to laugh and enjoy together.

Follow these comics and their take on real episodes of the show and their own spin on hilarious adventures.

Read more Rugrats comic strips!: https://www.creators.com/features/rugrats

More Nick: Nickelodeon and Paramount to Bring 'Rugrats' Back for the Next Generation of Kids!
Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for the latest Classic Nickelodeon and Rugrats News and Highlights!

What Did You Think of New 'The Stars of SpongeBob Fan Favorites Special'? | Nickelodeon Fan Poll

What did you think of The Stars of SpongeBob Fan Favorites Special? Vote in the poll and sound off in the comments below!

Blast Off: Young Actor Kayden Grace Swan to Launch Career on Nickelodeon's 'The Astronauts'

Kayden Grace Swan is already considered a pro in the TV and movie industry.


Moorpark resident Kayden Grace Swan, 12, recently earned a lead role on Nickelodeon’s and Imagine Kids+Family’s “The Astronauts,” a live action series premiering this fall. Credit: Kayden Grace Swan

The 12-year-old Moorpark, CA resident estimates she has auditioned for more than 500 roles and played dozens of different characters over the past three years.

“I just love to be on set,” Kayden told the Moorpark Acorn.

The thing she loves most about acting is delving into scripts and discovering what makes the characters she’s playing tick. The effort takes hard work, but for Kayden, it’s always worth it.

“I really like the process of getting into character and digging deeper into the character to find out more about them,” she said.

The sixth grader’s latest role, though, doesn’t require much research. That’s because her character on the upcoming series The Astronauts is nearly identical to her personality in real life.

“I can see who she is: She’s me,” Kayden said of her character, Doria Taylor. “She and I are so relatable. I don’t think they could have cast anyone better for the role since me and her have the same personality, the same attitude, the same ideas and mindset and the same fashion sense.”


BLAST OFF—”The Astronauts” follows five tweens as they are mistakenly launched into space after sneaking onto the Odyssey II spaceship. The group has to work together to operate the space ship and find their way back home. Credit: Nickelodeon.

The Astronauts is a live-action series slated to premiere this fall on Nickelodeon. It’s the first joint venture between the kids network and Ron Howard’s Imagine Kids+Family production company.

In the show, Kayden and her four co-stars embark on the adventure of a lifetime when they are mistakenly launched into space after sneaking aboard a spaceship. Without any proper training, the kids have to work together to operate the craft and find a way back to Earth.

“It’s like The Goonies in space,” Kayden said.

For Kayden, the opportunity to play a central character on a high-profile show is a dream come true. It’s a goal she’s been working toward since she was a student at Walnut Canyon, an arts and technology magnet elementary school.

“When I did a one-woman show at my performing arts school, my mom knew that I could really act,” Kayden said. “Right after that I got my agent and started going out for a lot of auditions.”

Kayden’s been so busy that she had to leave Walnut Canyon and begin taking classes online and on the set.

She’s done guest spots on the HBO series A Black Lady Sketch Show and the Oprah Winfrey-produced family drama Queen Sugar. She played a young Nicki Minaj in the music video for “Bigger Than You” featuring 2 Chainz and Degrassi alum Drake.

Trying out for the role of Doria on The Astronauts, though, was her most nerve-wracking experience yet. She went through 10 rounds of auditions to get the part, according to her mom, Kelly Charity.

“After she found out she booked it, they told us they did a nationwide and (international) search for this role and had auditioned over 30,000 girls,” Charity said.

The casting director said Kayden was a perfect fit for the show and that the writers began adapting her character to be more like the 12-year-old.

“There were things that Kayden was bringing to the audition that they loved so much that they ended up rewriting who her character was,” Charity said. “They started to write the character really based on a lot of Kayden’s characteristics.”

The Astronauts began filming in February in Vancouver, Canada. Four episodes were shot before production was shut down in March due to COVID-19 (coronavirus). The cast and crew hope to be back on set in July.

In The Astronauts, the group traveling together through space are: Samantha “Samy” Sawyer-Wei, played by Miya Cech (Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Always Be My Maybe); Elliott Combs, played by Bryce Gheisar (Wonder, A Dog’s Purpose); Martin Taylor, played by Keith L. Williams (Good Boys, The Last Man on Earth); Doria Taylor, played by Kayden Grace Swan (A Black Lady Sketch Show); and Will Rivers, played by Ben Daon (Child’s Play). Matilda, the ship’s onboard AI system is voiced by Paige Howard (The Employer, Adventureland).

More Nick: Nickelodeon Upfront 2020 Roundup!
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ViacomCBS Networks UK Promotes Gemma Hewlett and Anna-Belen Dunlop to New Positions

ViacomCBS Networks UK (VCN UK) has promoted Gemma Hewlett to the role of Vice President (VP) of digital channels and Anna-Belen Dunlop to Senior Director of acquisitions with immediate effect.


LR: Gemma Hewlett and Anna-Belen Dunlop

In her elevated position, Hewlett will now be responsible for leading on content strategy for ViacomCBS’s digital channel portfolio, which includes 5STAR, 5USA, 5SELECT, Paramount Network, MTV, MTV Music Pack, Comedy Central, Comedy Central Extra and BET. She will oversee all content, planning and scheduling and is tasked with optimising share of viewing across the UK portfolio.

Hewlett first joined ViacomCBS in 2009, most recently serving as director of VCN UK’s digital channels 5Star and 5Spike. Prior to this, she was channel manager for 5STAR and has also held various positions in scheduling across MTV channels.

As senior director of acquisitions, Dunlop will be tasked with leading the cross-portfolio acquisitions strategy for all ViacomCBS brands in the UK. Her expanded remit will see pay-TV channels MTV and Comedy Central added to her existing portfolio, which spans all free-to-air channels, including Channel 5.

Dunlop has been with ViacomCBS since 2015. In her previous roles as acquisitions director and acquisitions and channel manager, she was responsible for leading the Channel 5 acquisitions team, defining and shaping the acquisitions strategy. Before joining ViacomCBS, Dunlop served as acquisitions and programming manager at Channel 4 and was manager for pay-per-view (PPV) content at Sky Box Office.

Both Hewlett and Dunlop will report to Ben Frow, VCN UK’s Director of Programmes. Frow was last year promoted to oversee the operations of Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon and Paramount Network in addition to Channel 5. He commented: “Gemma and Anna-Belen are proven driving forces within our business and I’m delighted with their highly deserved promotions.

“These are two pivotal roles supporting my expanded brief across the entire UK portfolio and I look forward to working with them even more closely to shape a cohesive programme strategy for VCN UK.”

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Sources: Digital TV Europe, RealScreen.
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