>> it is really cool now. i like it. >> and the fact that you can see it over and over. >> a beautiful shot of santa cruz this morning. no fog there obviously. be careful on your way to work. gma starts good morning, america. the holiday storm threat right now as millions hit the roads and sky. two storms about to collide bringing heavy rain, fierce winds and flooding fears up and down the entire east coast on one of the busiest travel days of the year. chaos in the air as families try to get home. the major airport shut down this morning. police say drones were deliberately flown to disrupt flights. breaking overnight. republicans blasting president trump's decision to withdraw troops from syria calling it a, quote, costly mistake. this as the senate strikes a late-night deal to try and stop a government shutdown.

overnight, the major break in a nearly 40-year cold case. an 18-year-old killed in a mall parking lot. how dna evidence finally led police to a man who was hiding in plain sight. the star breaking her silence on that sexual harassment scandal at cbs, revealing what she says really happened on the set of one of tv's biggest hits. and outrage growing over this incident. caught on camera, a 5-year-old waking up on a school bus alone crying for help. now, overnight, news on the bus driver who left that child behind. and good morning, america. so great to have you with us on this thursday morning and the holiday rush is already getting under way. take a live look at the crowds at washington dulles airport. >> seems pretty calm thus far. meanwhile, let's take a look at the roads on the new jersey turnpike. more than 100 million people

expected to hit the roads over this holiday. >> all of this as those major storms get set to collide. they are moving up the east coast bringing heavy rain and possible floods. ginger starts us off. with the very latest. ginger, this looks like it's going to be a rough trip home for so many people. >> so many people and it already is. if you're driving in florida this morning, i-75 near tampa, heavy rain happening there. look at the pictures of colorado. interstate 70 was shut down for a time. gusts up to nearly 100 miles per hour. look what else. that tornado in washington state was an ef2. ends up that is the strongest tornado they've seen since 1986. i think that pictures like this could happen again today, and here's where we think it could happen, right in florida. if you're going to disney, you can see damaging winds later this afternoon or evening. tampa is included, miami, ft. lauderdale, lakeland, and up

across north carolina and south carolina the storm forecast is up. also, there's flash flooding which i'll tell you about in a little bit. a whole lot of fun going into the weekend, dan. >> timing deeply inconvenient. ginger, thank you. airports are bracing for that weather. as millions prepare to fly. this map shows the planes already in the sky and our senior transportation correspondent david kerley is right there at washington dulles airport. david, good morning and happy holidays. how are things looking so far? >> reporter: good morning, dan. so far, so good. this flight getting ready to head off to seattle. they're bringing the bags on to this aircraft going to atlanta. this is it. the two busiest days of this holiday season. airlines tell us they expect nearly 3 million travelers today and tomorrow, tomorrow will be the peak of folks traveling. live camera inside the terminal. tsa says they're adding officers to get everybody through the lines at security and the

airlines have added 150,000 seats. they do that by bringing aircraft out of maintenance to make sure they can fly during this holiday period. now, that storm is coming that was mentioned by ginger. it's supposed to hit the east coast tomorrow. the airlines tell us they can handle whatever it sends our way. amy. >> they're ready. but are all the passengers waiting in line? david, thank you. more than 100 million people expected to hop on the highway. today could be the toughest day for people in los angeles, d.c. and new york and that is where scott joins us. >> reporter: from los angeles, everybody knows we have some of the best weather in the nation. unfortunately, we pay for that with some of the worst traffic. take a look at the northbound side of the 5. everybody's trying to get a jump on some of the getaway travel before the holiday.

5.8 million people expected to be striving through or getting out, flying out of l.a.x. so, it's delightful outside. take a look at that sunrise, weatherwise, but certainly it's a struggle on our freeways. very tough commute. the worst of it from 2:30 to 3:30. >> scott, thank you. one good thing for folks on the road, those gas prices are falling. there is one good thing, gas prices are falling. aaa says 31 states have at least one station selling it for less than $2 a gallon. we'll take that, dan. >> absolutely. overseas to the chaos at a major airport on this busy day of trouble, gatwick closed after drones were spotted in the airfield. police are calling this, quote, a tlib rate about to disrupt the airport. james longman is there. james, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, dan. thousands of passengers are stranded here at this u.k.'s second biggest airport here as drones were spotted over the

runway. two devices seen at various times throughout the night and into this morning. police ruling out terrorism but can't shoot the drones down because of the fear of stray bullets. of course, we are right in the middle of the christmas season, 760 flights due to leave this airport today, 110,000 passengers, many going to and from the u.s. and you can only imagine the mayhem this is causing. they're being diverted to places like paris and amsterdam and the hunt is on for trying to find those responsible for possibly ruining the plans for many this christmas. cecilia. >> not a good day for it to happen. james, thank you. we turn now to that surprise decision by president trump to withdraw all u.s. troops from syria. this morning there is growing outrage even from the president's own allies. overnight, republican senators including lindsey graham and marco rubio calling it a, quote, premature and costly mistake. about 2,000 service members are currently there helping in the

fight against isis and president trump said that is over but that is not what his own advisers say. our global affairs correspondent martha raddatz has the latest from washington. martha, the president is defending the move on twitter this morning, but he seems to be ignoring the advice of so many. >> reporter: exactly, cecilia. despite outrage from prominent members of congress, the pentagon has started the process of withdrawing u.s. troops from syria, and in just 30 days, there will be no american troops left in that war-torn country. the decision was stunningly swift with a hastily prepared video announcement from president trump claiming victory was absolute. >> we've beaten them and we've beaten them badly and we've taken back the land and now it's time for our troops to come back home. so, our boys, men, our young women, they're all coming back and they're coming back now. we won and that's the way we

want it. >> reporter: the statement coming just days after trump's senior advisers said the job in syria was not finished. >> with regard to stabilization we still have a long way to go. >> if we've learned one thing over the years, during defeat of a group like this, it means you can't just defeat their physical space and then leave. you have to make sure internal security forces are in place to ensure security concerns are enduring. >> reporter: saw that when isis blew into iraq after president obama withdrew all american troops in 2011, something for which trump has long been critical. >> he got us out the wrong way and isis formed. great job, president obama. great job. >> reporter: now trump facing similar criticism over his own rapid withdrawal from syria, including from some members of his own party. >> if this decision is a withdrawal of all of our forces in syria now, we're dramatically less safe. this is an obama-like move.

>> isis is not defeated. >> reporter: the president this morning re-tweeting those who do support him and also tweeting that getting out of syria was no surprise since he had campaigned on it for years, but it was a surprise how rapidly he is doing this, dan. >> martha, thank you. the other big story out of the washington. another big development. the senate passing a stopgap spending bill that will avert a government shutdown. now that bill is heading to the house but there's a huge question hanging over all of this. will president trump sign this bill without any extra spending for his border wall? mary bruce is right there in capitol hill. mary, good morning to you. >> reporter: dan, good morning. with less than 48 hours to go, capitol hill is now acting on a short-term fix desperate to avoid a shutdown. overnight, the senate passed this plan to keep the government open through early february but

it did not include any funding for the president's border wall. this is a blow to trump who had demanded any plan include $5 billion for a wall and now some on the right are criticizing him for retreating and rush limbaugh says the president got, quote, nothing in this deal and fox news is declaring that the president lost. >> it's worth amplifying this point. the wall was as we all know the signature campaign promise for donald trump which he chanted at all of his rallies. so in the end here, do we think he'll get on board with this spending bill and sign it if it doesn't include any money for the wall? >> reporter: well, dan, the white house says the president is now willing to consider this short-term solution but he has not yet committed to signing this. here this morning on the hill, some conservative members are launching a last-ditch effort to try and change the president's mind about this but the political reality is there is very little appetite here, even from the president's own party, to fund the wall. with democrats about to be in control over in the house, the chance that the president is going to get billions for his wall are about to get even more

unlikely. >> yet another tough situation for the president. thank you very much. amy, over to you. now to what will be a critical day for the disgraced movie mogul harvey weinstein as he asks a manhattan judge to dismiss all the remaining criminal sexual assault charges against him. one count was thrown out and linsey davis is at the courthouse with more. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, amy, it was a brief hearing. the case against harvey weinstein can and will move forward. initially, weinstein faced six counts stemming from three women including rape and criminal sexual act charges. one of those charges had been dropped. relating to inconsistencies in the testimony. the remaining five counts on the

indictment to be dropped. victim advocates had suggested that in no way disprove the allegations. again the judge ruling today that he doesn't dismiss the indictment. weinstein didn't have any particular reaction in court. but his attorneys saying he's very disappointed. amy. >> linsey, thank you. this coming as actress eliza dushku breaks her silence in the sexual harassment she says she faced from one of cbs' top stars, michael weatherly. in a new op-ed dushku blasts what she calls a boys' club that remains in effect. abc's janai norman is here with more. there are reports dushku received a pretty big playout to settle her harassment claims. >> absolutely. about $9.5 million and she planned to keep quiet to honor the terms of that settlement but decided to break the

confidentiality clause after both commented in what she said was more deflection, denial and spin. >> we have a special friend joining us. >> reporter: eliza dushku going public with what she says are the gritty details about her $9.5 million sexual harassment settlement with cbs. >> what the hell just happened? >> you're asking me, i have no idea, but you won. >> reporter: in an op-ed published by "the boston globe" wednesday, the actress said she suffered relentless sexual harassment by michael weatherly while co-starring on the series "bull", saying that he regularly commented on my ravishing beauty following up with audible groans ooh'ing and ah'ing and the "bull" show runner even defending the weatherly remarks saying what does eliza expect, she was in "maxim." according to "the new york times," weatherly telling investigators the remark about spanking was meant as a joke. >> you got some quality rage going. it really gives you an edge. >> reporter: the former "buffy

the vampire slayer" star tweeting on wednesday, thank you for giving me my voice back. she joined the cast of "bull" in the first season with the intent of becoming a series regular for years to come on "bull," however confronting weatherly on his actions she claims she was written off the show. >> don't sit next to me in the truck. >> reporter: former stars coming out in support this week. before dushku's interview with "the globe, pauly perrette captioned, this man, i love, respect, trust. sasha alexander saying true friend and heart as big as they come. in a statement to the "times" weatherly said he now realizes what he said wasn't funny or appropriate and he's sorry for the pain it caused her. dushku says as part of the settlement cbs will be hiring a harassment monitor to keep an eye on weatherly. >> janai, thank you very much.

we're going to switch gears and talk about an arrest in a cold case thanks to cutting-edge dna technology. the arrest happening exactly 39 years to the day after 18-year-old michelle martinko was killed in a parking lot at a mall. the suspect is now expected in court today and abc's whitaker -- whit johnson is right here with more. good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you. this cold case murder haunted the community of cedar rapids for nearly four decades. the suspect identified use the same dna technology as the golden gate killer case. she was found brutally stabbed to death in her buick and she had gone to the mall after a choir banquet to buy a coat. >> her parents didn't get to see this day come and her sister is still alive and well. it's still great to finally hear

those words that we've been wanting to say for so long, that they caught him. >> reporter: dna discovered by investigators in 2006 went unmatched for nearly ten years until late last year when labs created 3-d models of the suspected killer's face and cops say was 64-year-old jerry lynn burns who was arrested on suspicion of murder thanks in part to that breakthrough. >> the police department later collected covert dna from a subject. the collected dna was a match. >> reporter: the lab says it also helped narrow down the pool of suspects by uploading his dna to a public genealogy database identifying distant relatives, a technique that led to a number technique that led to a number of high-profile arrests in just the past few months. >> this is a breakthrough in crime solving. with these techniques we can help eliminate a lot of that and allow law enforcement to focus in more quickly on the right people. >> reporter: police say the

suspect denied committing the alleged killing but was unable to offer an explanation for why his dna would have been found at the crime scene. >> fascinating story, whit. thank you very much. let's get it back to ginger now at the wall -- amy, sorry. you have something -- >> you were just trying to take it over. >> trying to steal your thunder. >> i was thinking how flawless whit is on air also. and then dan did that. >> i do love him, though. >> it's mutual. >> thank you. appreciate it. sorry, amy. >> how much time have you stolen now? kidding. we have last-minute deals for holiday shoppers. we're just five days away from christmas and there are still some big savings out there just in time and abc's rebecca jarvis at a target here in new york with all of those details. good morning, rebecca. >> reporter: good morning. yeah, that's right. here at target they have 1400 grab and go gifts under $15.

toys up to 50% off and last day for that free shipping deadline that ends tonight at 11:55 p.m. central time so pay attention. amazon, best buy, old navy has up to 75% off gifts on its website, so does kohl's. they have a deal running on their site where you spend $100 you get 20% off. i hope you were taking notes. >> as always, rebecca, thank you. head back over to ginger. >> now because of dan your local weather in 30 seconds.

and coming up, a murder mystery. a mother found dead after a car crash. her children in the car survived but now the new twist, she died from a gunshot wound. the search for her killer this morning. mystery, a mother found dead in a scar

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good morning. east bay. let's get up and get going. >> this is abc 7 mornings. good morning. i'm jessica castro from abc 7 mornings. transportation officials will consider proposals today that could increase the toll for the golden gate bridge to $10 over the next five years. board directors say they need the money to pay for ferries and buses and also to maintain the bridge. all right. and taking a look at the roads. if you're crossing a bridge or not doing that this morning, you're likely going to run into some fo we've got dense fog advisories for pretty much every bridge and across much of the bay area this morning. the good news on 680, right around mission boulevard, is the rollover crash on the northbound side of the road has cleared, but the southbound side, we've got a new crash just north of

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so panni-do eat one while you are tackling errands. but panni-don't... huh? [buzzer] ...while you're getting tackled by a guy named aaron. order a pannido with doordash today. now your accuweather forecast with mike nicco. >> fog, the big story so far this morning. hi, everybody. thanks for stick pg arouing aro. the santa clara valley, where we have the viability down to a quarter mile through at least 8:00. i think it could be 10:00 before some of these areas get off their zeros like san carlos, mountain view and livermore and 880. caution on the roads this morning. mass transit, there's thick enough fog out there, it could be misty, and the ferry ride, it's going to be gray all day today. starting tonight at 7:00 through tomorrow morning, a chance of scattered light showers. jessica? >> mike, thank you. coming up on "gma" a murder mystery. a woman found dead after a car crash and now an autopsy is

revealing she died of a gunshot wound. the investigation this morning is coming up on "gma." and meanwhile, we'll have another abc 7 news update here in 30 minutes whoa! the mercedes-benz winter event is back, and you won't want to stop for anything else.

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same. >> exactly the same. >> how is that -- that seems wrong. >> you know what i say to that. >> well played. i get the reference. thank you, amy. appreciate it. macaulay culkin is coming up or "die hard" is coming up. first, a look at the top headlines. more than 100 million people get ready to travel for the holiday. those major storms set to collide and bring heavy rain and possible flooding from florida to the northeast. and this morning, overseas, the russian president vladimir putin is speaking out about maria butina. she's the russian woman who pled guilty to acting as an agent here in the u.s. putin now says she did not carry out any government missions. and did you see this mystery in the sky above california sparking a lot of tweets overnight? a strange light over the bay area, not clear what it is. some people think it may have been a meteor. >> we don't know? >> we don't know yet. we'll ask macaulay culkin. we have another mystery to tell you about, shifting gears here, this one is a murder mystery in missouri. the search for the killer is

under way right now after police found a mother dead in a car crash. then, they later discovered that she actually died of a gunshot wound. police are now investigating this as a homicide. abc's gio benitez is here with more on this. good morning. >> reporter: hey, good morning. police have received dozens of leads in the case. she was a real estate agent in sioux falls, south dakota, reportedly on her way to visit friends in north carolina but halfway through that drive police say she was killed on the highway. this morning, investigators in two states are working to solve the murder of a mother of two. missouri state police say when 40-year-old melissa peskey was found dead in her car late last thursday on the side of the interstate, it was initially thought to be a tragic car crash. her children, 5 and 11, surviving uninjured. >> they were so, so, so in love with their mom. every time that they got the chance they would tell her how much they loved her. >> reporter: but now an

autopsy reveals the real estate agent actually died from a gunshot wound. >> an autopsy scheduled for this week actually determined that the driver had suffered a gunshot wound and that that shot was fired from outside the vehicle. >> reporter: peskey's husband reportedly telling a local reporter that his wife was on her way to visit friends in north carolina when she was killed. in 2014, pesky and her husband appeared on tv station kelo talking about the strength of her family. >> i thank god every single day for our family. we've been through such crazy obstacles and i think it's just brought us closer together because of it. they are amazing little miracles. >> reporter: the tragedy is similar to another in georgia this october. a 28-year-old aspiring model crashed into oncoming traffic but when she was taken to the hospital doctors discovered she had actually been shot in the neck. she died from her injuries. police still have no leads in that case. meanwhile, peskey's friends are remembering her as a loving mother completely devoted to her children. >> she was such a genuine,

caring person, and she was and is the epitome of what a mother should be. >> reporter: and this morning, police have not named any suspect. now, investigators want anyone with information to come forward right away, of course. meanwhile, the husband has reportedly gone to missouri and is being reunited with his children. such a tough situation. >> so sad. we're going to turn now to new trouble for tesla after a model s vehicle burst into flames after it was towed for a flat tire. firefighters put it out but hours later it erupted again and abc's matt gutman is in los angeles with more. matt, good morning to you. >> reporter: hey, good morning, dan. the owner of the tesla in question had the car towed to fix a flat tire and when it ignited the fire department was called out, working on that car for six hours but later that same night it ignited again. this morning, tesla is investigating why one of its model s cars burst into flames at least two separate times.

the initial incident caught on video when the vehicle erupted after its owner towed the car to fix a flat tire on tuesday. >> going in and doing the paperwork and i started hearing a hissing sound. >> reporter: firefighters arrived to use foam and water to extinguish the blaze. after a short time, they noticed it was sputtering smoke and gas from underneath where the car's lithium battery is stored. >> following the guidelines published by tesla, we propped it up so the underbody was exposed and applied the water to the bottom of the vehicle. that's -- based on those guidelines, that's the most efficient way to cool the batteries down. >> reporter: the fire department monitored the car for six hours and left, but two hours later in this tow yard, the car ignited again. in this video obtained by abc you can see the car fire popping up even as the firefighter douses the flames and still it smoked. finally, using bricks, they

propped it up again to cool the battery. new technology like tesla's is forcing firefighters here and throughout the country to change their techniques. tesla telling abc news that, we are currently investigating the matter and are in touch with local first responders. we're glad to hear that everyone is safe. the company says their vehicles catch fire less than a gas-powered car and it gives occupants more time to escape. the driver considers himself lucky. >> if this guy had been in the house and we were on vacation, and this caught fire in the garage, the white house house could go under. >> reporter: now, those firefighters said they spent nearly ten hours to make sure it was finally out. the age of electric vehicles requires new techniques for firefighters. i'm told that a car like a tesla requires 3,000 gallons to put out. one reason tesla now has a hotline for first responders to offer guidance, guys.

>> wow. >> ten hours. >> yeah, that's incredible. thank you so much. coming up next, the outrage after a 5-year-old boy was left stranded on a school bus. what we learned now about the bus driver. what we learned now about the bus driver. of bus driver. fwhrs ts for wrapping, ♪ ♪ but some plates are lacking, ♪ let's help spread more joy and good cheer. ♪ ♪ now with more ways to donate. ♪ there's less stuff on your plate. ♪ ♪ so just give what you can this year. ♪ ♪ it's the most givingest time of the year! ♪ (vo) give what you can at 5,700 branches.

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♪ 'cause you've found what you've been dreaming of ♪ ♪ yeah you know that this is really love ♪ we are back now with that outrage after a 5-year-old boy was left stranded on a school bus. surveillance video showing how frightened he was, and now his mom is demanding some answers. abc's paula faris is here with more on that. good morning, paula.

>> good morning, amy. this story is enraging. the mom is demanding answers. the bus driver has been fired, but this little boy was put in harm's way on several levels, not only was he left alone on the bus, when he woke up he wandered around a parking lot relying on a complete stranger to help. [ crying ] >> reporter: overnight, a tennessee bus driver has been fired in the wake of this heartbreaking video. in these surveillance videos obtained by abc affiliate wtvc in chattanooga, watch as this 5-year-old boy sobs for help waking up inside this parked school bus alone. just ten minutes earlier the driver had ended her shift and she's seen walking off the bus, not noticing that sleeping boy who is just two rows behind her. the bus company saying the driver had just completed a two-hour training session days before. the boy was heading to an after-school program.

but both the driver and program employee failed to perform safety checks, which are meant to stop children from being left behind. >> the bottom line is that if everybody had done their job like they were supposed to, you know, this child would have been located and would have gotten off here. >> reporter: finally, the terrified boy figures out how to open the doors himself, walks off the bus, finding another bus driver who helps him get to safety. his mother, concerned and outraged. >> what if those people weren't out there? anybody could have got him or if he was there wandering around in the parking lot. she should have actually got up and done her checks instead of talking to the other bus drivers. >> reporter: but just last month a similar scene, a washington state patrol officer who was conducting a routine mechanical inspection found a preschooler who was stranded on a school bus. >> whoa.

how long have you been here, buddy? >> reporter: the child missed their stop and sat in the lot for more than an hour. both the driver and bus monitor failed to check for any students left behind. and now, the olympia school district is taking action, installing alarms in their buses with the hope of preventing frightening scenarios like this one from happening again. so, here's how it works. after that november incident in olympia the district is installing those alarms on every bus. after the final stop the driver has to physically walk to the back of the bus and press a button to prevent an alarm from going off. what this does, it ensures that they're checking over seat when they're walking back and forth. these alarms will be installed in all the buses by the end of the year. if i'm a parent and my kid is riding a school bus i'm saying we need these alarms. >> every school district. >> paula, thank you very much. coming up, we'll lighten things up a little bit. that "die hard" debate. is it a christmas movie? what the studio just released.

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♪ we are back now with a new take on the passionate "die hard" debate. that always rages at this time of the year. is it a christmas movie? the studio is hoping to settle this thing once and for all. abc's t.j. holmes has more. >> yeah. >> do you have a strong opinion on this? >> i do, but this is one of the great debates of our time, right

up there with whether or not man landed on the moon. i can't believe we're having this debate but now the studio has put out official word about whether "die hard" is a christmas movie and the answer is, yippee kie-yeah. >> bruce willis. >> we'll get together, have a few laughs. >> alan rickman together in the greatest christmas story ever told. >> reporter: we've been waiting 30 years. for the answer to this heated k christmas debate. >> it's christmas. it's the time of miracles so be of good cheer. >> reporter: three decades after "die hard" was first released the makers of the hollywood blockbuster have given us a new festive 90-second trailer with one mission, to make it absolutely clear. this -- ♪ let it snow let it snow let it snow ♪ >> reporter: -- is a christmas movie. >> this is john. >> nice bear. >> he just wants to spend christmas with the family but when he gets stuck at the office party --

>> merry christmas. >> -- it will be a holiday -- >> merry christmas. >> -- he'll never forget. >> reporter: okay, sure, "die hard" didn't have sleigh rides with santa and miracle on 34th street didn't have terrorists as far as i remember. even bruce willis attempted to put the debate to rest. >> "die hard" is not a christmas movie! >> reporter: but "die hard" has its own holiday checklist. >> welcome to the party, pal. >> reporter: the film is set on christmas eve. it's got a heartless business guy trying to ruin the holidays, and the movie is full of christmas cheer. >> ho, ho, ho. >> reporter: in a statement to abc news, yeah, we actually got a statement on this, twentieth century fox home entertainment says, they recut the trailer in hopes we could end the debate that arises every holiday season. once and for all, "die hard" is a christmas movie. all right, a website called

streaming observer actually listed the favorite christmas movies by state and "die hard" was the favorite in missouri, wisconsin and washington. our poll on twitter. our voters who have been voting are split. is it a christmas movie? 49% say yes. 51% say no. show of hands right here, is it a christmas movie or not, you three? >> if you want it to be, yes. >> you two? >> bruce willis says no, that means no. >> let me follow up -- okay, i can't follow up. they told me i had to wrap. it's a christmas movie. >> i take your opinion seriously. yes. speaking of the season, it's the season of giving. do you want to become a layaway angel? lara is upstairs with everything we need to know on that one. hey, lara. >> hi, cecilia. i'm with our incredible audience. thank you, guys, for being here. just ahead, we're going to show you how you can make christmas dreams come true with as little as $1. please stay with us. "good morning america" is coming right back. please stay with us. "good morning america" is coming right back.

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"good morning america" is sponsored by st. j good morning, south bay. let's get up and get going. >> this is abc 7 mornings. >> good morning. i'm jessica castro from abc 7 mornings. and meteorologist mike nicco has our forecast. >> yeah, a little bit of fog this morning, then the chance of rain to showers tonight. a 1 on our storm impact scale, a light storm. you can see, it's pretty moderate as it moves thereupon southern california, and then it starts to fall apart and then scattered showers this evening through tomorrow morning's commute. some places like the south bay, east bay valleys may not get any measurable rain. we get a break friday, saturday, and sunday night into monday. another light storm rolls through. alexis? >> all right. we are getting word of a crash involving a motorcycle. that bike is down in the two right lanes. southbound 880, just before we get to mowry avenue in the newark area. so emergency crews are on the way to the scene. they are sending an ambulance, as well.

and still have dense fog advisories for pretty much every bridge across the bay area. you can see, it's thick here at san mateo bridge. jessica? >> alexis, thank you. the growing trend this holiday season, layaway angels and how you can get in on the act, even if you can only give $1. that is next on "gma." we'll have another abc 7 news update here in about 30 minutes and always on our app and abc7news.com.

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good morning, america. good morning, america. it's 8:00 a.m. new holiday travel threat. severe storms bringing heavy rain and now two systems set to collide and wreak havoc up and down the east coast on one of the busiest travel days of the year. new this morning, doctors warning parents about that e-cigarette epidemic, saying there are few treatment options available for teens addicted to juuling. how it affects their development. dr. ashton is here. ♪ we are family the kick of pep talks. lebron james' powerful moment with his son caught on camera. >> good job. i'm proud of you. proud of you, man. >> the heart-to-heart and his message about how to get back on your feet after failure.

giving my all. with just five days until christmas, the layaway angels stepping up all over america. from tyler perry to kid rock and anonymous donors across the country. our big event. how you can become someone's secret santa. plus, it's a star-studded morning. steve carell here live and nicole kidman like you've seen seen her before as she says -- >> good morning, america. good mning, america. thanks for being with us on this thursday. >> you guys, christmas is just five days away. >> i'm ready. >> are you ready? >> yeah. >> almost there. we have been blown away by all the secret santas and layaway angels helping total strangers all over the country getting reaction just like this. so many happy faces there.

>> well, we're kicking off a big event, showing you how you can get in on the act. even $1 makes a difference. >> give what you can. we'll have more on that. first we do have a lot of news to get to starting with that holiday travel chaos. more than 112 million expected to hit the roads and the skies and let's go back to david kerley. he is at washington dulles airport where it is already busy. david. >> reporter: good morning, amy. the morning rush is on here at dulles. they're getting ready to load this aircraft that's going to atlanta and we've been seeing all the vehicles really getting ready to start sending these aircraft off. nearly 3 million people today and tomorrow. these are the two busiest days for travel for this holiday season. tsa says they've added a lot of people, officers, to get you through security on time and get you to the aircraft on time. the airlines tell us they've

added 150,000 seats to their fleets across the world to get everybody from point a to point b. of course, that storm is coming tomorrow, amy. the airlines are telling us they think they can handle everything that the storm throws at them tomorrow and should get you home for the holidays. amy. >> looking very official there, david. i feel like you just need two of those orange cones to start helping them out. now to that breaking news overnight, republicans blasting president trump's surprise decision to withdraw all u.s. troops from syria. let's go back to martha raddatz with the latest from washington. good morning again, martha. >> reporter: good morning, cecilia. the president saying unequivocally that we have defeated isis in syria. we have won. we have won, beaten them, we have beaten them badly. that is not what the military and national security advisers

have been saying and some top republicans on the hill are outraged. senator lindsey graham saying pulling the troops out is an obama-like move. the president on the defense here this morning tweeting that getting out of syria was no surprise because he had campaigned on it and that remaining there means spending precious lives and trillions of dollars protecting others adding if isis does hit us they are doomed. but despite the criticism, in 30 days, all american troops are expected to be out of syria. cecilia. >> big fallout on this. thanks. dan? a special night for 400 service members and families. former first lady michelle obama inviting them all to a free evening at the barkclays center in brooklyn. and it was a special night for her new book "becoming" and she did not hold back. take a look. >> i felt that my job was to support the commander in chief. >> right. >> of the united states of america. and my job was to lift him up. it was his administration. it was his decision, how controversial to get. that wasn't my call.

but now, ladies and gentlemen -- [ laughter ] a curse word might slip out every now and then. sorry, kids. cover your ears. yes, it's the former first lady. but she's free! >> by the way, another member of the obama family had a busy day. there's the former president, barack obama, taking on a big new job, santa claus with the famous red hat and a ho, ho, ho. he surprised kids the children's national medical center in washington, d.c. and brought a sack of presents. he explained, however, that his reindeer were caught in the snow and couldn't make it. really cute. really cute. hope he didn't drop any swear words while he was there. coming up, that health alert. with more and more teens addicted to vaping, parents are struggling to find treatment options and dr. jen ashton is here. plus so many secret santas are paying off layaway plans for total strangers. how you can help just in time

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[ cheers and applause ] welcome back to "gma." we've got a great audience here this morning. we're glad you made it back in time. dan just slid into place. >> i had important business off set. >> we are counting down to christmas and the new year and tomorrow morning we're looking back on what a year it has been

with robin's "the year 2018." before we end 2018 we are going to keep going with "pop news." >> yes. >> lara. >> thank you. good morning. welcome, dan. good morning. we'll begin with king james giving priceless advice to his little prince. nba superstar lebron james was at his 11-year-old son bryce's basketball game and afterwards he gave the phenom in training a little pep talk. the phenom didn't think he did so well so dad says this. >> you get too down on yourself for no reason. you made three of the biggest plays of the game. you're missing shots or making shots, don't worry about it, kid. you played a heck of a game. don't worry about making or missing shots. good job. i'm proud of you. i'm proud of you, man. go with your team, bye. >> go with your team. [ applause ] >> i love it. >> great advice. it isn't always about sinking the baskets. a lot more goes into it. king james proving he would also make a heck of a coach.

>> think about the pressure being lebron james' son. is that was a sweet moment. >> a rare sweet moment. happy to share that with you. >> and then also this morning, two of my favorite girl, serena and venus williams are putting their shared mansion into palm beach gardens, florida, on the market. the house they purchased together back in 1998 with each sister occupying a separate wing of this 8,000 square foot estate featuring six bedroom, 7 bathrooms. gracious open plans, vaulted ceilings, their own home theatre, plus a fitness room overlooking the golf course, a pool, a spa. maybe the ladies wanted to bring their work home with them because no tennis court. >> interesting. >> what if you only want to buy one wing? >> you split it with a friend. >> my brother, yes. the williams compound being offered for just under $2.7 million. thought i'd share those pictures.

gwyneth paltrow is in the news this morning embracing the holidays with her new blended family and proving that divorce doesn't have to be ugly. look at this christmas photo she posted on instagram on wednesday in front of her fireplace stockings are hanging. there is new husband brad, his stocking, hers, apple's, moses and the stocking above her head, chris. that's her ex-husband chris martin of course. the season very much alive in the paltrow home. >> we know how to do that. >> conscious uncoupling? >> yes, she is famous for that term and she is doing it right. finally, everybody, it's the case of the missing kiss tips. >> huh? >> yes. fans of hershey kisses have noticed the bite-size chocolates look different lately. their tips are missing. >> what! >> yes. they're missing and bakers are saying their sloppy kisses are

killing the look of their holiday cookies. hershey's is saying they're looking for the missing tips. thankfully only the tip is missing. it seems to be affecting all the chocolate kisses out on the marketplace, according to the story. hershey's says they don't have a reason the tips are missing so that's why we're calling it the grinch that stole tipmas. >> every fiber in my being is like can we throw to commercial break? >> no, i have a whole bowl. i will prove it to you later. let's move on. >> that was excellent, thank you. [ applause ] we turn now -- i'll save you here -- to our "gma" cover story. teen vaping use is soaring so much so that the surgeon general

declared it an epidemic. there are very few treatment options available to help teens kick the habit. "nightline" anchor juju chang joins us with more. good morning, juju. >> good morning, guys. you know, it is a totally and bitter irony the device that is supposed to help adults cook the nicotine habit has now hooked countless teenagers, just about every parent i know is worried with good reason. research shows teenagers' brains can get addicted easier and getting off could be harder. luca is a typical 15-year-old but sometimes fitting in isn't the smartest route. >> i saw people using juuls, whether it be at social gatherings and that's when i started to pick up on juuling. >> reporter: he says experimenting morphed into a pod a day, equivalent to a pack. >> i would go to the place and save my money to go smoke. >> reporter: his mother kelly says the honor roll student's grades faltered. his mood darkened.

>> he's always had a wonderful, vibrant, happy personality and that changed pretty much overnight. one day he was great and the next day he was totally a different person. >> reporter: luca was among the 1.3 million teens who vape in a year. just this week the surgeon general declaring e-cigarette use an epidemic among young people, all the more troubling because studies show a teen's still developing brain leaves them more vulnerable to addiction. >> kids are coming in just with problems with juuls. that's pretty new for us. >> reporter: "the wall street journal" found that doctors across the country are struggling to help teens fight their e-cigarette addictions. >> what i discovered there aren't many treatment options. there are not many things parents know about how to deal with this. >> reporter: dr. sharon levy is director of adolescence

substance use and addiction program at boston children's hospital. >> our call volume is six times higher than it was same time last year. >> reporter: sea says treating a child's addiction is not one size fits all. >> when we see them juuling and having trouble quitting, the first line we offer is nicotine replacement and that in itself is really not usually enough. kids also typically need counseling to help them get past the withdrawal and cravings. >> reporter: but for luca, the answer to fixing his addiction issues came in the form of a 39-day treatment facility with group counseling and relapse prevention. >> before treatment my view was it's me versus the world and i had to carry the world's weight on my shoulders. but now i don't feel like that at all. i feel so much support from my friends and it's a great feeling. >> reporter: luca tells us that he is no longer vaping and mom says she's just happy to have her son back. juul, the e-cigarette maker, has taken steps to eliminate the

enticing flavor for kids and says it is completely unacceptable to us and runs counter to our mission which is, of course, helping eliminate addiction. cecilia. let's bring in dr. jennifer ashton. so many parents are concerned about this. let's talk about the teenage brain and how vaping affects it. are teens more susceptible to addiction. >> absolutely they are and talk about basic anatomy and physiology. when they inhale the nicotine which a majority can contain sometimes in much higher concentrated doses than a regular cigarette, it floods the brain and the part that is the prefrontal cortex there is responsible for decision-making, emotions, impulse control and is not fully mature until the mid 20s. when you talk about those tasks, executive functioning as we like to call it, teens are already struggling with those things and

nicotine makes it worse and can exacerbate mental health issues like depression, anxiety, anger, and this is a big deal. >> you don't come home smelling like smoke. their hard to spot, these e-cigarettes. they look like a variety of different things. how can parents tell if their child is addicted? >> i think the issue is you have to look for the same signs and symptoms of nicotine addiction as we would think about looking for in an adult who is trying to quit regular cigarettes. rest lesness, behavior seeking out nicotine or these devices and a change in mood/concentration. these are significant and we have to see this from the child or the teen's perspective. their development is at baseline to take risks, challenge authority to fit in. all three of those things stack the deck and make a perfect storm for their using these devices more and more. >> you see those signs in your child. what do you do? anything you can do?

>> well, that's the point of this. this is uncharted territory. there are no clear addiction protocols for teens for these e-cigs so first step is talk to their pediatrician. unfortunately then you have to seek out substance abuse programs no differently than if you were talking to a teen addicted to opioids and talk to your teenagers about these devices without judgment. we have to see this from their perspective. the more, as parents, we get worked up, what is a teenager going to do? you say black, i'll say white so have to engage them on their level and make them understand that is a serious problem and fear strategy, fear tactic is not going to work with a teenager. >> all such valuable information. thanks, jen. let's turn it over to ginger now. >> let's do your "gma" moment. a fun time to have a smile from mt. pleasant, pennsylvania. the chicken dance when conner does it. ♪

i love his little face. and it's a christmas version. so it's appropriate this time of year. i could watch this all day. so sweet. pl [ applause ] we're celebrating the season of giving. five days until christmas and we're giving our all and helping

many families across the country that still don't have gifts for their kids, their families under the tree because they haven't been able to pay off their layaway plans. we've seen layaway angels like tyler perry, kid rock and gayle benson step up along with lots of anonymous donors out there. take a look at the impact that these donations can really make. ♪ all across the country a growing american holiday tradition. >> merry christmas. >> reporter: a special kind of secret santa called layaway angels. >> oh, my gosh. >> reporter: people paying off layaway plans as christmas approaches, prayers being answered. >> oh, my gosh. i can't believe that. >> reporter: for single mother tonya mccarthy and her two young sons these are tough times. >> i lost my job and my truck was repoe'd and my phone got shut off.

>> reporter: she's worried about christmas and started a layaway but couldn't make payments. it was an impossible struggle. >> very much so. it's hard. so -- sorry. >> reporter: but something magical happened. >> an angel blessed me. it was a text on my phone from a walmart associate saying, come and get your stuff off layaway. it's been paid for. >> reporter: $237 in toys from an anonymous angel. dakota nelson, a young widower, father of seven, who lost his wife this past summer got a beautiful surprise courtesy of an idaho digital news site and a secret donor. layaway paid and then some. $10,000 in gift cards. almost too much to handle for the young father who was still so deeply moved. >> a lot of people care about you. >> reporter: in chicopee, massachusetts, there's still talk about this angel.

11-year-old brady, he helped pay off a family's layaway worth $300 in video games and toys. >> i wanted to do it because not a lot of kids are as fortunate as i am. >> the walmart employees started crying so that was emotional. >> it makes me feel happy and i hope others do the same. [ applause ] >> so great to see. the smiles on their faces. you know, you don't have to be a millionaire or movie mogul to help kids get those gifts. now, there is a crowdsourcing way to help pay. >> i just looked it up on my phone just now. it's amazing. from now until midnight on christmas eve we are partnering with pay away the layaway.org. it's going to help put those presents under the tree. you can you go to our website to see how you get involved and every donation, big or small, makes a difference and every dollar counts. seeing those kids -- families' faces, it's priceless. what better way to spend your money. >> a little bit can go a long

way. we're going to get this party started right now. can we have the elves, please? [ applause ] yes. our friends -- oh, my. nice work, tommy, billy. thanks to our friends at cottonelle brand are donating $10,000 showing care for families, that's what pay away the layaway is all about. thank you to cottonelle brand and our elves. let's do it, everybody. let's do it. absolutely. coming up, another treat, mr. steve carell is joining us live. stay with us. carell is joining us live. stay with us. [ applause ]

good morning, north bay. let's get up and get going. >> this is abc 7 mornings. >> and good morning. it's 8:27. i'm reggie aqui from abc 7 mornings. mystery solved? we have an answer to explain this strange bright light that you likely saw over the bay area. according to scientists, what you saw was a bolide meteor and the compressed air around it that made that strange trail. at least, that's what they're telling us, alexis. >> uh-huh. i heard reggie aqui was saying his good-byes. he thought it was an alien invasion, and maybe it was. >> you never know. this could be the very beginning. >> okay, let's check out traffic. southbound 880, right around mowry avenue. i wanted to give you an update on that. we had a motorcycle crash, all

lanes were briefly blocked and it was a sig alert for a short time. all lanes are back open now and that has cleared. things are still looking better. and we've got a lot of thick fog out there t

now your accuweather forecast with mike nicco. >> good morning. you can expect visibility less than a quarter of a mile top continue through at least 10:00. santa clara valley and also the bay and the bay shoreline. you can see less than a couple of hundred feet, livermore and san jose and san carlos right

now. rain coming tonight. >> mike, thank you. another abc 7 news update in about 30 minutes and you can always find us on our news app and abc7news.com. the news continues now with "good morning america." ♪ i can make your hands clap ♪ i can make your hands clap welcome back to "good morning america." great crowd with us this morning and our next guest is an academy award nominated actor. he is now starring in not one, not two, but three blockbusters already getting oscar buzz. please welcome mr. steve carell. [ cheers and applause ] ♪ i can make your hands clap ♪ i can make your hands clap >> how are you? >> hi, friend. >> hi. [ applause ] >> busy man. >> yeah. >> are you the busiest guy in hollywood? >> i think so right now. are you sick of me yet? >> no. >> you will be. >> you were just here for

"beautiful boy." >> yes. >> "welcome to marwen," "beautiful boy" and "vice," "welcome to marwen," all based on real people. that's a lot. >> yeah, that's a lot of responsibility. >> a lot of heads to get into. which of those three characters was it the most challenging? >> well, different challenges for different people. "welcome to marwen" was a challenge because it's a guy who is suffering from posttraumatic stress and it's a person who actually has become my friend. so there's -- you knoq, there's the added component of responsibility to get it right. >> donald rumsfeld. >> donald rumsfeld. >> just throw that in there. >> right, way, he's sort of an inscrutable sort of guy. that was a bit of a challenge. >> then the character, the father in "beautiful boy." three very different -- >> yeah. [ applause ] thanks. >> i want to talk about "welcome to marwen." this is being called the most original movie of the year. robert zemeckis has done it again. >> it's crazy.

>> it's amazing and it's a story as you just said, steve, based on a man who endured a brutal attack. >> yeah. >> and recovered through this fantasy world, this alter ego. these dolls. >> yeah. >> did you -- when you heard that this was happening, how did you wrap your head around the fact that you would be playing a doll. >> well -- [ laughter ] always my dream, of course, you know. and when you see the doll, when you see yourself in doll form it's -- there's a double-edged sword to it because super attractive but way better looking than you are naturally. so, you know, it's nice to have it in your collection but it doesn't actually represent who i think i actually look like, unfortunately. >> come on, you're too hard on yourself. the character you play who lost his memory as you said, you became very close and really wanted -- you felt a responsibility to get it right. >> yes. >> has he seen the finished prubt?

>> he has and is really excited about it. he called me -- he just saw it two days ago so i haven't spoken to him personally but word came back -- he's actually bringing a big group of friends to see it this weekend but he called me after he saw the first trailer and left a really cryptic message and said hi, steve, it's mark, call me and i thought, oh, no, boy, what does that mean? he said i watched the trailer 12 times, i've cried every time. that's my life. yeah, it was really -- it's really exciting. he is a sweet, sweet person and an inspiration because he was able to take this terrible hate crime, something awful and turn it into something really beautiful. >> yeah, and it's really incredible to see on camera. we just had leslie mann on, your co-star. >> she's the worst. >> oh, no. she said the same about you. >> oh, really? >> no. she absolutely loved you and she really felt for you because

to become the doll you had to wear these rather unflattering -- >> i know you were going for that. >> suits. there is a picture of that. >> the motion capture suits. >> but you look particularly attractive. >> hard to imagine that's going to turn into a swashbuckling sort of hero guy. yeah, we -- i, yeah -- [ laughter ] it's a very clingy awful thing to wear but it's interesting because, you know, in that environment, it's all these infrared sensors picking up everything you do in 360 degrees and you don't have any props, you don't have any sets and see the final product and it's crazy what they've imagined around you. >> this world. do you guys want to see it? [ applause ] >> mom's baking a ham on a sunday. do you want to come over for dinner? >> ham? your house? >> well, it's my mom's house. but, yeah, my house. >> um, i don't know. i'm not really crazy about ham. >> that's okay. i'm sure she'd be happy to roast

a chicken. >> i'm not crazy about chicken either. >> how about pot roast? >> that gives me gas. >> ribs? >> that's kind of messy. >> sushi? >> your mom can make sushi? [ applause ] >> it really is so creative. so brilliant and so touching. >> thanks. >> then, on the other hand "vice," congratulations on this film that's getting so much buzz. did you have any input from donald rumsfeld? >> i did not speak to him. i don't expect to speak to him. it's an interesting character to play because so much of it is just left to your imagination as to what he was like behind the scenes. you can watch the videotape of what, you know, his public persona but his private persona, i think, is something entirely different. >> yeah, well, three amazing performances. are you going to get a chance to take a break for christmas? >> yes.

>> family time. >> family time. >> see you again this january i hope. >> oh, no, i've got eight more movies coming out next month. >> it would not surprise me. steve, you're terrific. everybody, "welcome to marwen" is in theaters tomorrow and "vice" is in theaters on christmas. coming up, how to make delicious christmas treats, we'll see you soon on "good morning america."

♪thisi'm gonna let it shine.

♪ it's energy saving time, ♪ i'm gonna reduce mine. ♪ californians all align ♪ to let our great state shine. ♪ let it shine, ♪ the power's ours to let it shine! ♪

♪ have a holly jolly christmas ♪ we are only five days away from christmas. if you're looking to lose weight we're here to help. we are counting down with the founder of the momofuku milk bar, christine tosi? did i get it right? >> you got it right. we go by milk bar because it's just easier to say. we're about cake, the waistline. >> you're my hero. my daughter's hero. they love your cakes so much they beg me for them all the time. you will show us how to make some delicious treats from your newest cookbook, right, and it's called "all about cake." appropriate. >> we're about all cake, you know. >> so this is called the peppermint bark cake. if you're like last minute, if you don't have time to bake, we ship everywhere nationwide until noon today. you two will get the inside tip. the cake we bake in this pan,

it's evenly baked we soak it with a peppermint milk so it's flavorful and moist and we layer it up and top it with my favorite vanilla frosting that we add peppermint and insane candy cane chunks to. so, amy, as much or as little peppermint as you want. >> perfect. >> why does she get to do it? >> excuse me. you want to get a little spoon and taste to make sure i've added enough? >> i'm sure that you can do it better than i can. i'm not going to try. what's the number one tip for people baking at home need to know? >> a great question. for me it's about the spirit of milk bar, not holding so tight to the recipes and formulas. i think bakers have a bad rap of taking themselves too seriously and i think they taste the best when personality is infused in

them. >> that's how you get it smooth. i see what you're doing. >> it's this fancy tool and i'm like, no, all you need is a spoon, bend it in half. >> bent a regular spoon. >> wow. >> for me this holiday season, i like doing it and defying the odds so with my leftover bits of cake i make these little cake truffles which are bites of cake. >> that's what this is. >> and we layer it into this christmas tree of cake truffle. >> called a croquembouche. >> a fansy french term that you make cream puffs with. >> pass that around. >> bite size. >> okay, so, that's >> okay, so, that's just cake and confetti or -- >> confetti. there's some confetti cake. there's chocolate malt truffles and stick them into your styrofoam. leave them at the tree. or at the table. he doesn't need a plate of

cookies, he needs more cake. >> we leave this for santa with a defibrillator. you can get these recipes at christina's cookie recipe -- incredible delicious the compost cookie. congratulations on the book. >> thank you. let's get over to ginger. >> you shouldn't give me some. when this is breakfast, this is how you start your day. here's what's right about it. at least for people in maine, happy to see snow before christmas. how about a foot with big drifts? some of maine saw that. it's all going to be rain aside from a little freezing rain interior new england when it

this weather report sponsored by 23 and me and max this weather report sponsored by 23 and me and max in my ear said, taste it. uh-huh, breakfast! >> you had me at cake truffles. so excited. dan is saving me one. let's turn now to nicole kidman like we've never seen her before taking on explosive new role in "the destroyer" and she sat down with chris connelly and he joins us from los angeles. she's never had a role quite like this, she's telling you. >> a throwback to characters played by al pacino. we're accustomed to hearing nicole kidman's name as awards season rolls around and her starring role in "the destroyer" already earned her a golden globe nomination. >> it is a noir thriller with a female lead who's very complicated and something i've never done before. >> reporter: dashing through the snow -- well, not exactly. in the gritty "the destroyer," nicole kidman's erin bell is a badly damaged detective and

parent looking to right the wrongs from a long ago undercover assignment. >> the way in which she is now trying to atone for that is the essence of the film. i think just the idea of playing her young and then 17 years later and what's happened in her life. >> reporter: we can see the effects here, can we not? >> we can. that's the younger erin bell and -- she's made some bad choices in her life and you see that, how it's wreaked havoc on her physically. >> do you love me? >> you know i do. >> reporter: the film provides a landmark role for kidman. she's golden globe nominated for the 13th time and battled her own reserve on the "the destroyer" set. >> i have an innate shyness so part of my thing is trying to always move through that shyness so i can do my work because the one thing that will sabotage me in a role is being shy. >> reporter: with "the

destroyer" and the andrea arnold-directed season of "big little lies" coming, she's proud to do her part for women directors. >> i think it's 10% or less of female directors and that just to me is not right. i can actively choose to help change some of those statistics. >> what? what about him? >> reporter: kidman can also be spotted in "boy erased" and "aquaman." >> if they're like, okay, so there's "the destroyer" and there's "aquaman," so how lovely to have two such diverse films out at exactly the same time and they have an intense interest now in storytelling. >> reporter: interest in their mother's transformative acting skills they have a limit however. >> we have a grandparents day at our school and grandmothers live in australia, i was like, well, i can fill in and walk in and be like a granny for you and pretend i'm your grandmother. they're like, whatever you do,

don't do that. >> reporter: but maybe not quite as funny as kidman's very first acting role at the age of 5. do you recall your own history in nativity plays as a child? >> i do. i had the wonderful role of being a sheep. i actually, desperately wanted to be an angel or mary. i didn't get either role and so i came up with the idea of a sheep and i bleated through the whole nativity play and got my first laugh. i've always been a character actor. >> what kind of director doesn't cast nicole kidman as an angel? i don't understand that. you know, i get the feeling a lot of performers got their first taste of show business while acting in a christmas play, cecilia. >> well, thank you, chris. "the destroyer" is in theaters on christm

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

maybe you're with the family you got. (all) ooh! or maybe the one you've chosen. it's culture salad. our holidays don't all look the same. am i saying it well, l'chaim? l'chaim? and maybe that's what makes us great. make the dream yours. ikea.

we are back now with singer lauren daigle up for two grammys this year, one for her new album "look up child" and for the song she's about to sing right here performing her hit song "you say," here's lauren daigle. ♪ i keep fighting voices in my mind that say i'm not enough ♪ ♪ every single lie that tells me i will never measure up ♪ ♪ am i more than just the sum of every high and every low ♪

♪ remind me once again just who i am because i need to know ♪ ♪oh oh ♪ you say i am loved when i can't feel a thing ♪ ♪ you say i am strong when i think i am weak ♪ ♪ and you say i am held when i am falling short ♪ ♪ when i don't belong, oh, you say i am yours ♪ ♪ the only thing that matters now is everything you think of me ♪ ♪ in you i find my worth in you i find my identity ooh, oh ♪

♪ you say i am loved when i can't feel a thing ♪ ♪ you say i am strong when i think i am weak ♪ ♪ and you say i am held when i am falling short ♪ ♪ when i don't belong, oh, you say i am yours ♪ ♪ and i believe, i, oh, i believe, i, what you say of me, i, oh, i believe ♪ ♪ taking all i have and now i'm laying it at your feet ♪

♪ you have every failure, god, and you'll have every victory, ooh, oh ♪ ♪ you say i am loved when i can't feel a thing ♪ ♪ you say i am strong when i think i am weak ♪ ♪ oh, you say i am held when i am falling short ♪ ♪ and when i don't belong, oh, you say i am yours ♪ ♪ and i believe, i, oh, i believe what you say of me, i believe ♪ ♪ oh [ applause ] [ applause ]

♪ little girl and boy land ♪ while you dwell within it ♪ you are ever happy there daddy, it's christmas! ♪ childhoods, joyland never let go of your dreams. the mercedes-benz winter event is back. lease the glc 300 for $459 a month at your local mercedes-benz dealer. mercedes-benz. the best or nothing. >> announcer: can you believe it, since we started we collected over 2 million coats. >> helping people in need to stay warm. >> announcer: from celebrities and people like you, so come on, america. join us, go to any burlington store to donate a coat and share the warmth this winter. "good morning america" is sponsored by geico. 15 minutes could save you 15% or

more on car insurance. we want to thank lauren daigle for her beautiful and inspiring performance. [ applause ] remember, you can go to payawaythelayaway.org to help get presents under trees. for people two really need them. we got our segment, from an hour ago, let's do it everybody. let's keep it going. [ applause ]

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♪ connecting people... ...uniting the world. ♪♪

good morning, bay area. let's get up and get going. >> this is abc 7 morning. >> good morning. it's 8:59. i'm reggie aqui from abc 7 mornings. we've been dealing with fog this morning. mike nicco, how's it look now? >> it's still out there, reggie. it will be out there until about 10:00. visibility less than a quarter of a mile around the bay, san francisco bay, and into the south bay. and then we'll turn our attention to the storm tonight. as you can see, it comes in pretty heavy in california. the yoeellows start to fade awa. and it's scattered rain during the overnight hours and into tomorrow morning. for our shortest day of the year, winter solstice, a little sunshine in the afternoon. next chance of rain, christmas eve. >> taking a look at the roads, starting to see things thin out here. we have dense fog advisories in effect, but a lot of folks,

looks like they are off for the holidays. one new crash here, westbound 80 before cutting boulevard. >> if you have the time off today, enjoy >> announcer: itza "live." from the new film, "bumblebee," haley steinman. and gift ideas as we wrap up "live's countdown to christmas." and to customers will compete for cash. plus, andy cohen joins kelly. all next on "live"! and now, here are kelly ripa and andy cohen! ♪ [cheers and