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The Story Is with Elex Michaelson
Trump Hints At Diplomacy As He Weighs Venezuela Options; Jamaican Artist Spice Provides Aid After Hurricane Melissa; Interview With Jamaican Artist Grace "Spice" Hamilton; Third-Time Charm: "Now You See Me: Now You Don't"; New Netflix Documentary Shares Intimate Portrait Of Selena; Four-Time Nominee Tom Cruise Accepts Honorary Oscar; Bengals Star Ja'Marr Chase Docked One Game For Spitting; Tennis Legend Billie Jean King Discusses Her Life And Legacy. Aired 1-2a ET
Aired November 18, 2025 - 01:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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ELEX MICHAELSON, CNN HOST: Night Live as a musical guest for the first time in nearly four decades. The Oscar, Emmy and Grammy winner will perform on the December 20 episode hosted by "Wicked for Good" star Ariana Grande, who oftentimes does double duty on the show. Cher has made cameo appearances on the NBC sketch show over the years, but hasn't appeared as a musical guest since back in 1987.
That's it for this hour of The Story Is, but the next hour of The Story Is starts right now.
The Story Is the Epstein files, a major reversal for President Trump as Republicans prepare to vote en masse to release the files.
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REP. THOMAS MASSIE (R-KY): Well, he got tired of us winning and he decided to join us.
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MICHAELSON: The story is Jamaica recovering, musical artist Spice is with us to talk about her efforts to rebuild her home country.
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GRACE "SPICE" HAMILTON, GRAMMY-NOMINATED DANCEHALL ARTIST: We're building back Jamaica one house at a time.
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MICHAELSON: The Story Is back to school.
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BILLIE JEAN KING, AMERICAN TENNIS PLAYER: They're not giving me any breaks, I can tell you that.
(END VIDEO CLIP) MICHAELSON: We're one-on-one with sports legend Billie Jean King, who is now going back to college.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Live from Los Angeles, "The Story Is with Elex Michelson."
MICHAELSON: I'm Elex Michaelson. And The Story Is the vote to release the Jeffrey Epstein files. The House of Representatives will take up the measure and in the day ahead, with a vote expected sometime after 2:00 p.m. Eastern time, the measure will require 2/3 majority to pass. That's expected. Just last week, Republican leaders were bracing for mass defections. Now, with President Trump's blessing, the bill could receive almost unanimous support.
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DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Here's what I want, we have nothing to do with Epstein. The Democrats do. All of his friends were Democrats. You look at this, Reid Hoffman, you look at Larry Summers, Bill Clinton, they went to his island all the time, and many others, all Democrats. It's really a Democrat problem.
The Democrats were Epstein's friends, all of them. And it's a hoax. The whole thing is a hoax.
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MICHAELSON: Of course, Trump, who previously supported many Democrats, was also one of his friends. A White House official tells CNN that the president has not directed the Justice Department to stand in the way of turning over any files to Congress. But President Trump has asked the Justice Department to open a criminal investigation into various high profile Democrats connected to Epstein, which may keep the department from turning over the files because they usually do not hand over files if there's an ongoing criminal investigation. And now all of a sudden there's an ongoing criminal investigation. Meanwhile, Epstein's accusers have released a new video calling for the release of all the files.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was 14 years old.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was 16 years old.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sixteen.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Seventeen.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Fourteen years old.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is me.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This was me.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is me. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When I met Jeffrey Epstein.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is me when I met Jeffrey Epstein.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's time to bring the secrets out of the shadows. It's time to shine a light into the darkness.
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MICHAELSON: For months, Democrat Ro Khanna of California and Republican Thomas Massie of Kentucky have been leading the fight to get the Epstein files released. Massie spoke with CNN's Manu Raju about the impending House vote.
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MASSIE: The speaker, the attorney general, the FBI director, the president, and the vice president could have saved us all this time and an embarrassment, frankly, for our own party, if they'd just done the right thing four months ago.
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MICHAELSON: Meanwhile, President Trump could still release the whole files right now. Doesn't have to have a vote in the House, doesn't have to have a vote in the Senate, but he's choosing not to.
Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts is taking aim at one of the men with ties to Epstein. She says that Harvard University should sever ties with Professor Larry Summers. Recently released e- mails show years of correspondence between Summers and Epstein, including Summers making sexist comments. Summers says he plans to step back from public appearances, but could continue to teach at Harvard. He goes on to say, "I am deeply ashamed of my actions and recognize the pain they caused.
I take full responsibility for my misguided decision to continue communicating with Mr. Epstein." And a reminder that Summers was a top economic advisor to Presidents Clinton and Obama.
Well, last hour on The Story Is I spoke live with Epstein accuser Alicia Arden and her attorney, Gloria Allred, who represents numerous Epstein survivors. And I asked them why they want the files released and what they hope comes from it.
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ALICIA ARDEN, EPSTEIN ACCUSER: I've always wanted the truth, and I have always said that the time when I did file the police report, if it would have been more investigated, I feel that I could have saved the victims from going through what they went through. So now I want the files to be released because I think we all need saving, and it's the truth that has to come out.
[01:05:08] It's been going on too long. Everyone should be investigated, whether it's Democrat or Republican, like Reid, Summers, the Clintons and all of Morgan Stanley, everyone should be investigated. It doesn't matter what side you're on. Everyone should be investigated. How they knew Jeffrey Epstein and why did they go, and if they went to travel with him, and what were -- how were they friends with him?
GLORIA ALLRED, ATTORNEY FOR EPSTEIN ACCUSERS: And did any of them enable or assist or conspire with Jeffrey Epstein and or Ms. Maxwell to sexually abuse young girls, sex traffic them and so forth? These are very important questions.
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MICHAELSON: So as President Trump considers possible military action on the ground in Venezuela, he's lashing out at the country's president, Nicolas Maduro.
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TRUMP: He's done tremendous damage to our country, primarily because of drugs, but really because we have that problem with other countries, too. But more than any other country, the release of prisoners into our country has been a disaster. He's emptied his heels. Others have done that also. He has not been good to the United States.
So we'll see what happens. At a certain period of time I'll be talking to him.
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MICHAELSON: President Maduro responded on Monday suggesting he's open to face talks.
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NICOLAS MADURO, VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT (through translator): So this country is in peace. This country will continue to be at peace. And in the United States, anyone who wants to talk to Venezuela will talk. Face to face without any problem.
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MICHAELSON: Now, despite steps forward towards diplomacy, President Trump continues to express his readiness to use military force to target drug operations. He's even expanded the scope of the administration's cartel crackdown, floating the idea of strikes in other countries as well.
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TRUMP: Would I launch strikes in Mexico to stop drugs? It's OK with me. But whatever we have to do to stop drugs.
Colombia has cocaine factories where they make cocaine. Would I knock out those factories? I would be proud to do it, personally. I didn't say I'm doing it, but I would be proud to do it.
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MICHAELSON: Now, this all comes as America's biggest and most lethal aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald Ford, has arrived in the Caribbean. The U.S. is now believed to have about 15,000 military personnel stationed in the region. On Sunday, the U.S. State Department announced it will designate Venezuela's Cartel de los Soles as a foreign terrorist organization, which could allow for future U.S. strikes inside Venezuela. But Venezuela's government and analysts familiar with the country argue that cartel doesn't really exist.
Joining me now from New York is Alejandro Velasco. He's an associate dean for faculty and an associate professor at NYU. Thank you so much for being with us. Really appreciate it.
ALEJANDRO VELASCO, ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR FACULTY & ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, NYU: Thank you.
MICHAELSON: So there is a lot of bluster that we just saw going back and forth between the two sides. A lot of, you know, seems like puffing out the chest. What's really going on? What's really happening right now?
VELASCO: Well, what's really happening is a kind of use of the narcotics question and the issue of Venezuela standing within that larger hemispheric problem to satisfy what is, in fact, more of an ideological political end, primarily being driven by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who's long made no unclear message about wanting to oust the government in Venezuela in order to move on to oust the government in Cuba. He's Cuban-American and has long had animosity towards the government there.
The question is whether or not Trump has or will sign on to what is a very uncertain, you know, scenario of troops either on the ground or via air in terms of achieving the end not only of ousting Maduro, but of changing the government in Venezuela under the pretext that this will somehow help alleviate the drug problem in the United States. There's zero evidence that correlating in any real way what is happening in Venezuela with the larger drug problem in the United States. And so, you know, in a way, what we're seeing is a kind of very mixed message that isn't quite aligning, is trying to fit a round peg into a square hole.
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MICHAELSON: And now they're talking about Colombia, where there is a real drug problem, right?
VELASCO: Yes. I mean, partly, you know, part of the tragedy of this situation right now is twofold. On the one hand, the more that there's escalation, military escalation, as you were talking about, the kind of bluster of bringing more and more troops and personnel and material into the -- into the region, the more there is a process pressure to actually use that material, right? And so that the stakes -- hiding the stakes, in some ways makes it more and more inevitable that something will need to happen.
But the other side of it too, of course, is that because of the framing of this as a narcotics operation, primarily, not a regime change operation, which it is, in fact what it is, then it means that you have to continue along that line as well. So you have to bring in Colombia, you're now bringing in Mexico to say, like, oh, no, no, it is a -- it is a question of drugs. And so that's why we know Colombia is a drug producing and exporting nation. We know Mexico is a drug exporting and producing nation. And so we're going to take out Venezuela.
We're also going to have to take out places in Colombia and Mexico.
MICHAELSON: And real quickly, President Trump has made a point of the fact that he's not into wars. He says, I'm the guy who ends wars. I'm not the guy that starts wars. So this seems to fly in the face of that, right?
VELASCO: It absolutely does. And I think this is partly what is driving some of the hesitation. If it had been up to Marco Rubio, Secretary of State, (inaudible), we would have seen intervention long ago. And so part of this is, I think, Trump, you know, trying to negotiate with himself. What is the actual likelihood of some kind of favorable outcome if order intervention in Venezuela?
And also weighing that against, you know, his base -- will the base -- will the Trump -- the MAGA base support this action given all the years he said that this is exactly what he would not do.
MICHAELSON: Yes. It'll be interesting to follow along. Alejandro Velasco, thank you for staying up late with us. Really appreciate it. Really interesting insights there.
Thank you so much.
VELASCO: Thank you. I appreciate it.
MICHAELSON: Time now for a quick look at some news around the world. The British government has announced sweeping reforms of its asylum system after months of protests and criticisms from voters. That plan involves increasing the amount of time it takes for refugees to settle permanently to 20 years, which would be the longest in all of Europe. It would also pressure home countries to accept the return of undocumented migrants.
Poland's prime minister says a key rail line used to move aid to Ukraine was damaged in a, quote, "unprecedented act of sabotage." An explosive device blew up part of the track between Warsaw and Lublin on Sunday and damage was found at another site along the track. No injuries have been reported and an investigation is now underway.
Bangladesh's ousted leader Sheikh Hasina has been sentenced to death in absentia for crimes against humanity. The 78-year-old former prime minister was found guilty in connection with the violent suppression of student protests last year. It's estimated that up to about 1,400 people were killed, according to the U.N.'s human rights office. Hasina fled to India, where she remains in self-exile.
President Trump says he plans to sell F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, calling the country a great ally. Experts say the move could disrupt the current balance of military might in the Middle East, with Israel worried about maintaining its aerial superiority. This comes as the White House prepares to welcome the Saudi crown prince on Tuesday. It's the first time that Mohammed bin Salman will visit Washington since the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The CIA believes the crown prince ordered that assassination, though he has repeatedly denied any involvement.
CNN Salma Abdelaziz has more on what to expect out of Tuesday's meeting.
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SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Don't expect any signs of a rupture during the Saudi crown prince's first visit to the White House in more than seven years. While the crown prince all the trappings of a state visit are planned for Mohammed bin Salman, a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office and a black tie dinner with some of America's most powerful executives. At the top of President Donald Trump's agenda will be the Abraham Accords. He wants to see Saudi Arabia join this set of agreements that normalizes relations with Israel. It would amount to immediately advancement of his signature policy in the region.
Saudi Arabia said it has set a, quote, "credible and irreversible" pathway to Palestinian statehood as a precondition, which the ceasefire President Trump brokered stops short of providing. Another major issue on the agenda will be money, money, money. Before Trump's first state visit of his second term to Saudi Arabia, Riyadh promised to invest $600 billion in the U.S., a good chunk is set to go to major new purchases of American made fighter jets and weapons, the U.S. official said.
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Trump and the crown prince are also expected to sign a defense cooperation agreement, though a formal treaty would require congressional approval. Unlikely to be a topic of discussion is the kingdom's human rights record and the murder in 2018 of prominent journalist Jamal Khashoggi, which caused a schism in U.S. Saudi relations. A CIA assessment later found the prince had likely ordered the assassination, although he has long denied any involvement. Critics accused the Trump administration of forgoing human rights concerns for weapons and trade. But Trump has long cultivated a close relationship with the kingdom's de facto ruler and this visit is set to only deepen their alliance.
Samal Abdelaziz, CNN, London.
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MICHAELSON: CNN spoke with the widow of Jamal Khashoggi ahead of the crown prince's U.S. visit. In her conversation with Jim Sciutto, she said she hopes the U.S. will uphold its role as a leader for human rights and she wishes her husband could have had the chance to share his ideas for Saudi Arabia with the crown prince before the journalist was killed.
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HANAN ELATR KHASHOGGI, WIDOW OF JAMAL KHASHOGGI: It is very painful for me, it's very painful for me. It will better if Jamal was here and receiving the crown prince by himself and meet with him and share with him his vision and mission and all of his idea because this is what Jamal wished during last visit of the crown prince in the beginning of 2018. Jamal actually was waiting for an invitation from the crown prince and wished to have the space to be heard by the crown prince because only he have a good idea for his country.
I hope they look at the American value for a human right and democratic besides economic ties and selling weapon or any kind of deal. It has to be also there is something missing there which is looking for the real justice under applying the human rights and the value of the U.S. We look at U.S. like the leader of these great values.
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MICHAELSON: The United Nations is giving the green light to President Trump's 20 point plan that aims to implement a more sustainable peace in Gaza. On Monday, the U.N. Security Council passed the U.S. backed resolution that includes the establishment of a Board of Peace as a transitional authority. President Trump placed the vote on social media and said the members of the board will be announced in the coming weeks. Hamas though pushing back on the resolution, the militant group says that giving any stabilization force, quote, "tasks and roles inside the Gaza Strip including disarming the resistance strips it of its neutrality and turns it into a party to the conflict."
Other news now the cost to rebuild Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge has more than doubled, with estimates as high as $5.2 billion. That overpass collapsed back in 2024 after a cargo ship hit one of its pillars, killing six construction workers and crippling the city's port. The bridge is not expected to reopen until late 2030, two years later than initial estimates. City officials say the price tag has jumped due to economic conditions and higher material costs, but that they're working with the Trump administration to try to speed up that rebuild.
When we come back, Jamaican dance hall legend Spice opens up to me about seeing her beloved island devastated by Hurricane Melissa and what she's doing about it. Stay with us. Plus, like magic, a popular film franchise reappears at the top of the box office. Stay with us.
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(SINGING) MICHAELSON: That is the music of Grammy award nominated Spice. The Jamaican born artist is known around the world as the queen of dancehall and her songs have been streamed hundreds of millions of times. She's got millions of followers on social media after her home country got walloped by hurricane Melissa last month. Spice organized relief efforts through her Grace Hamilton Foundation, giving people care packages and clothing. She also rented 10 trucks filled with materials to help rebuild dozens of homes in the hardest hit areas.
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HAMILTON: One of the trucks that you see with the block, the cement, the steel, the zinc, the tool before the plyboard to stop by their foundation. So let them see, show them where the empty lot was, where the -- where the house was. So this is what is left from hurricane Melissa and it's a large family that used to be here that lost their home.
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MICHAELSON: Spice joins me now from Miami, Florida. Spice, whose real name is Grace Hamilton. That's where the Grace Hamilton Foundation comes from. First off, thank you so much for all that you've done on the ground.
HAMILTON: Thank you so much for having me. It's my pleasure.
MICHAELSON: So for people that haven't been there, describe what it's like right now on the streets of Jamaica.
HAMILTON: It's devastating for me. The first time I went to Jamaica, I cried just knowing the lush greenery that used to be home, the tropical beaches, the trees that is now falling to the ground, the light poles. Like half of the island is still without electricity.
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And just to explain to you, Jamaicans are a group of people that they're very prideful. So when I went especially to the country areas and I was giving out the relief packages to see how they were eager to just get food and water, it broke me into a million pieces just to see my home country in such a devastating state. So for me, I feel like one of the driving past, I kept asking, why are the trees like that? Who cut the trees? Because it's like the trees were just broken, torn up.
It's really bad. People are homeless right now. A lot of people lost their home. Like, people are just sleeping outside. It's really hard to witness my people going through what they're going through right now.
It's extremely bad.
MICHAELSON: So talk about your decision to step up and some of what you've done now on the ground. HAMILTON: Most people know me, I have a foundation called the Grace Hamilton Woman Empowerment Foundation, I started that in 2018. I, too, was once homeless, and so my slogan is from homeless to greatness. So because I know what it feels like to not have anywhere to sleep, I really just jumped at the thought of, OK, it's OK to give food and everything, but there's children right now that is homeless. So the first I came together with my team, and I wanted to donate building supplies so that people who lost their homes can start a foundation just to restore their home. Because a lot of these back families have built their homes for years.
It took them years to really accomplish these homes. And so I know for a fact that a lot of people just feel hopeless. So I wanted us to give them back hope. And so I went down -- I rented, like, 10 trucks, and I brought, like, building supplies with blocks and steel and cements and zinc and anything that I could find that would give them hope that they could build back their house and start. So I have this thing right now with my foundation where I'm saying we're building back Jamaica one house at a time.
MICHAELSON: We've been looking at some video of people's just giant smiles when you arrive and giant hugs for you. Talk about what it feels like to feel that love back and to watch people feel hope for the first time in a long time.
HAMILTON: Well, you know, think about these people who got cut off from society. A lot of them couldn't talk to their family. The trees blocked the roads. You know, most of the supermarket that he had with food and stuff was shattered. The hospitals are damaged, the airport, most of the places.
And so they haven't seen people, you know, for a while. So when a lot of artists just like myself, you know, started to come together and push through, to go up there to see them, that's the joy that they feel like. You know, we remember them, we are here with them. It's just telling them that, listen, together we're stronger. We're going to do this together.
We're going to build back Jamaica, you know. So it was just that rush of hope, a sense of hope. And just to see someone of my caliber coming to them, just to hug them. Sometimes a hug goes a long way. So to everyone that has been praying for my country, I really appreciate it a lot and I would encourage people -- encourage to continue to help Jamaica.
There's so many different links, so many people have stepped up to help. So I feel like that just gives them hope and put a smile on their face because they know that we're in this together.
MICHAELSON: And they feel seen, you can see it on their faces that they feel seen by you.
HAMILTON: Absolutely.
MICHAELSON: So people that are watching this right now from all over the world that say, I want to help, what's the best thing they can do to help? Where's the greatest need?
HAMILTON: The best thing they can do to help, in Jamaica, we have a term that say every mickle mek a muckle and one one coco full basket. So it doesn't matter how small it is, even if it's just a prayer, Jamaica needs it. But if they have food supplies, if they have tarpaulin, if they have clothing, because, you know, a lot of these people, they don't have nothing. So think about someone who literally have nothing. You can donate as little bit as just, you know, food supplies, clothes.
My foundation is donating buildings because again, I know that these people need the houses. And if they want to donate, my foundation is the Grace Hamilton Foundation. They can follow us on social media. The information is there on my page at Spice Official, which is my page. I keep posting ways that they can donate.
[01:29:47]
The government in Jamaica also have a website if they want to go through the government websites official. So many other artists and people have so many ways to donate in Jamaica. But what I can tell you, if you want to help as little as it is, Jamaica, they will really appreciate it. You can help in whatever way you can.
MICHAELSON: Well, Spice, I got to say, I love the beats of your music. It's so fun to dance to and as great as you are as an artist, you're clearly even better as a human being.
Thank you for stepping up when people really need you.
HAMILTON: Thank you so much, I respect that. Thank you so much. I'm humbled.
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MICHAELSON: We'll be -- we'll be right back with more of THE STORY IS. Stay with us.
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GLEN POWELL, ACTOR: I'm going to come back here and burn this building down. I promise.
JOSH BROLIN, ACTOR: That's the spirit.
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MICHAELSON: "The Running Man" debuted at the U.S. box office this weekend. It's the second adaptation of the same Stephen King story. This one stars Glen Powell as human prey in a twisted TV game show. The first starred Arnold Schwarzenegger back in 1987. This version took $17 million on opening weekend, which is above
average for Stephen King's story, but not enough money to get them even close to breaking even on this one.
Even better, at over $21 million was part three of a popular film franchise. Twists, turns and exotic locations brought moviegoers into theaters for "Now You See Me: Now You Don't". It's the third installment about the now familiar group of mysterious magicians, The Four Horsemen.
CNN's Eleni Giokos has more from Abu Dhabi.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In the world of magic, everything that disappears reappears.
ELENI GIOKOS, CNN ANCHOR: A little bit of magic is coming to Abu Dhabi.
WOODY HARRELSON, AMERICAN ACTOR: Open sesame.
GIOKOS: Do you guys believe in magic?
ISLA FISHER, AUSTRALIAN ACTRESS: Absolutely. I gave birth to three magical human beings, and it was a magical experience. And I believe in the magic of our movie.
JESSE EISENBERG, ACTOR: Being on the other side of magic now I see, like, the amount of time and effort it takes to do the -- some of these tricks.
FISHER: Yes.
EISENBERG: And that, to me, is like more magical than actually something, you know, appearing out of thin air.
GIOKOS: The Four Horsemen magicians are back, along with a new generation of illusionists, attempting to pull off the biggest heist in history.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What's the trick?
GIOKOS: Stealing a priceless diamond with some mind-blowing twists and turns.
EISENBERG: It is very good to be back.
GIOKOS: Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco, and Isla Fisher are reprising their roles for the third installment of Lionsgate's "Now You See Me" film franchise, along with fan favorite Morgan Freeman.
MORGAN FREEMAN, AMERICAN ACTOR AND PRODUCER: My horsemen.
FISHER: Yes. The way that the horsemen get brought together again, particularly in this installment, is just -- it's so exciting. And it's -- there is such an amazing twist at the end that no one will see coming.
It's the kind of film you want to see, like, a couple of times to, like, put the pieces together. And Henley is really kind of front and center to one of the major stunts.
GIOKOS: In this worldwide magic chase, the horsemen find themselves in Abu Dhabi. Parts of the film, "Now You See Me: Now You Don't" were filmed in the United Arab Emirates' capital. From a fast-racing car chase in Yas Island, to dazzling sequence at the Louvre Abu Dhabi on Saadiyat Island. And breathtaking leeward desert landscapes for the film's explosive finale.
FISHER: It's fabulous to be back with people I like, on working on a story I believe in, and shooting in locations that are really exotic, that I probably wouldn't get to fortunate enough to travel to in my everyday life.
GIOKOS: Justice Smith, Dominic Sessa, and Ariana Greenblatt join the franchise, combining forces with their horsemen idols.
DOMINIC SESSA, ACTOR: It's such an honor to be acting with all these incredible people, talented actors. And I would love any other opportunity to be around this cast.
GIOKOS: Did you guys have to practice quite a bit? I mean, are your family completely sick of you trying to do some of these tricks and have some of them stuck? is it like what you're doing at parties right now?
SESSA: Yes, I think I have -- I have definitely abused this new skill that I have from doing this film.
FISHER: What was great about this particular movie is that Reuben Fleischer, our director, wanted all the magic to be, you know, practically able to be done and not to be CGI, you know, computer- animated tricks, or generated tricks, rather.
I did hours and hours on my one little like trick that it was just like making something disappear. And you would not believe. I know magicians spend years doing this, but it felt like it took me that long too.
My kids loved it, though. When I nailed it, they were so proud.
EISENBERG: We were spending, like, weeks and weeks on tiny little moves. I have a thing where, like, I make a diamond appear, you know, just out of my hand. And it took weeks and weeks, you know, to just perfect this one little move.
Diamonds are forever.
GIOKOS: Eleni Giokos, CNN, Abu Dhabi.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you enjoying the show?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Shall we get on with it?
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MICHAELSON: Looks good.
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MICHAELSON: A new documentary that debuted on Netflix Monday night about the late Latin musician Selena is giving fans an intimate look at the star through footage captured by her sister.
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SELENA QUINANILLA, SINGER: You have to sacrifice something in life in order to get ahead.
No one in our family has a job. We make a living off of it. And that's why it means so much to us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAELSON: The film, produced by her siblings, features never before seen home videos, letters and candid moments recorded during her rise in the 80s and 90s.
Family members, friends and bandmates share memories that highlight the woman behind the music, her roots, as well as her impact on the rise of Latin music in the U.S.
Selena was shot and killed in 1995 by her fan club president, who was denied parole earlier this year.
Well, Tom Cruise can now add honorary Oscar winner to his long list of accomplishments. The actor was one of four honorees picked by the Academy's Board of Governors to receive awards. Cruise shared with the audience how much working in film means to him.
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TOM CRUISE, ACTOR: No matter where we come from, in that theater we laugh together, we feel together, we hope together, we dream together. And that is the power of this art form.
And that's why it matters. That is why it matters to me. So making films is not what I do. It is who I am.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAELSON: It's the first honor for Cruise, who has been nominated four times across his career.
You are watching THE STORY IS. For our international viewers, WORLDSPORT is next. For our viewers in North America, I'll be right back with more. We go to break with a live look from here at our bureau. That is the
Warner Brothers iconic tower.
It's been a rainy night for much of us in Los Angeles. More after this.
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MICHAELSON: One of the NFL's biggest stars will have to sit out his team's next game for spitting on another player. Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Jamarr Chase has been suspended for one game without pay after video showed that he spat on Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Jalen Ramsey on Sunday.
Ramsey then grabbed Chase by the face mask, punched him, which led to Ramsey getting ejected.
Chase initially denied spitting until that video came out that showed him spitting. He's expected to be docked nearly $450,000 due to the suspension. By the way, that's his pay for one week -- $450,000.
Youtuber turned boxer Jake Paul will fight former Unified Heavyweight Champion Anthony Joshua next month in Miami. The eight-round professional heavyweight bout will be streamed live on Netflix on December 19th.
Joshua may be the toughest opponent Paul has faced in his career. He's a 2012 Olympic gold medalist and two-time Unified World Champion with a (INAUDIBLE) record that includes 25 knockouts.
Last year, Paul won his match against then 58-year-old Mike Tyson nearly two decades after Tyson's official retirement. But everybody was a winner because they made a whole lot of money.
She is one of the most influential figures in sports, and at 81, tennis legend Billie Jean King is still pushing for equality opportunity in what she calls unfinished business.
CNN's Don Riddell sat down with her to talk purpose, progress and legacy.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Billie Jean King.
DON RIDDELL, CNN WORLDSPORT: You'd never guess it, but the tennis icon, Billie Jean King, is now 81. And she's not slowing down just yet.
BILLIE JEAN KING, TENNIS LEGEND: I feel fantastic. And the reason I feel great is because I hit tennis balls all the time. That really makes a big difference.
At my age, you have to do something to keep moving. RIDDELL: King has seen and done it all. And yet, she says there is still some unfinished business.
After a hiatus of six decades, she's back at Cal State University, hoping to graduate in May.
KING: Lately, in the last few years, I'm going, you know what? I should finish. And I was a history major. Of course, in those days, women didn't have very many opportunities on what to major in. But I do love history.
I think that's how you help shape the future.
RIDDELL: How do you think it feels for your professors to be teaching someone who themselves has contributed so much towards the history that I guess they're now teaching?
KING: I don't know what they think, to be honest. They're being very strict. They're not giving me any breaks, I can tell you that, which is good.
RIDDELL: Thirty-nine grand slam titles across singles, doubles, and mixed doubles ranks Billie Jean King as one of the best ever tennis players.
But it was her creation of the Women's Tennis Association and her fight for equality that saw her transcend the game.
However, King says her academic resume isn't the only work in progress.
KING: I've come a long way, but we have a long way to go. We still have so far to go. I mean, we -- we haven't even had a woman president in the United States yet. I mean, that's pathetic.
RIDDELL: Now, in her ninth decade, the fire inside of her is as ferocious as ever.
KING: I don't think you can understand inclusion, really, until you've been excluded.
RIDDELL: Her partnership with the Elf Beauty Cosmetics brand is focusing on opportunity and equality, just as many women's sports are now exploding in popularity.
KING: I've given a (EXPLETIVE DELETED) about the women on the field and in the boardroom.
RIDDELL: In addition to her investment in the back-to-back World Series champions' the L.A. Dodgers, Billie Jean King Enterprises own stakes in Angel City F.C. and the L.A. Sparks.
And last year, she was instrumental in launching the Professional Women's Hockey League.
When people talk about you, it's about your legacy, and you are so revered. How does it feel to kind of walk in your shoes knowing that that is how people have regarded you for such a long time?
KING: I feel gratitude and I feel responsibility. I care about grassroots with the Women's Sports Foundation which I started in 1974. We have done so much. We have given over $100 million to help girls get started.
And it's really about every girl. It's not just about the top athletes, but the top athletes are very involved and really wonderful to us.
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KING: So, it's -- I just am very thankful every single day and very grateful that I've had this life. I'm really -- I know I'm one of the luckiest ones in the world.
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MICHAELSON: We are so grateful for Billie Jean King. Our thanks to Don.
Still ahead, a special tribute to Queen frontman and rock 'n' roll icon Freddie Mercury. We're getting a first look at a collectible coin.
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MICHAELSON: Well, London's favorite quirky rom-com heroine is back in statue form.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Three, two, one.
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MICHAELSON: Kind of perfect that it wasn't quite perfect, right? Actress Renee Zellweger on hand for the unveiling of the Bridget Jones statue, now permanently located in Leicester Square.
Zellweger first brought the book's character to life on screen in the early 2000s. Renee was joined at the statue unveiling by her costars from the fourth Bridget Jones installment, "Mad About The Boy".
The theme for the 2026 Met Gala will be costume art. Organizers are hoping to join the dots between fashion and art. A corresponding exhibition will open at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in May.
Britain's royal mint has unveiled a special 2-pound coin to honor the late British singer and Queen frontman Freddie Mercury.
The coin depicts Mercury in one of his most identifiable poses, taken from Queen's 1986 performance at Wembley Stadium. Mercury's signatures also inscribed alongside his portrait. This year marks the 40th anniversary of Queen's 1985 Live Aid performance, which included their quintessential hit, "Bohemian Rhapsody".
And on a personal note, I was honored to emcee the ALS Network's Walk and Roll for a Cure this weekend here in southern California. It's my 15th year hosting and I am so proud and inspired by the fighting spirit of that incredible crowd. Thanks to everybody who came out and everybody who donated as well.
Tomorrow I'll be at USCS Warshaw Conference for Politics. We'll have some of that right here on THE STORY IS.
I'm Elex Michaelson. Thank you so much for watching. We'll see you tomorrow.
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