arthur. she was savage. jobina: what was the shortest? reggie: good morning, america. for our viewers in the west on this friday, with one week till christmas eve, the fear of a holiday covid surge. this morning, president biden's stark winter warning for the unvaccinated, cases skyrocketing from coast to coast. cases tripling in new york city in the past month. get.d for testing soaring and n health experts sounding the alarm about a perfect storm scenario as we gear up for the holiday travel rush. airlines bracing for the number of passengers to soar. plus, how to strategically book your flight to avoid crowds and brace for cancellations. schools nationwide on edge in the aftermath of the michigan shooting. now fears over tiktok posts warning of shootings or bomb

threats. this morning, the districts canceling classes and how officials are taking action and ramping up security. a new deal? kellogg's reaching a tentative new agreement after workers have been on strike for two months and the cereal giant hired replacements. now, when they could vote and return to work. finally free. those remaining 12 missionaries held hostage in haiti for the last two months released. people celebrating outside their ministry. what we're learning this morning. closing arguments under way in the trial of theranos founder elizabeth holmes. prosecutors saying she chose fraud over failure. her fate soon to be in the hands of a jury. overnight, alec baldwin this as authorities obtain a search warrant for the actor's phone. the latest on the investigation. with just eight days until christmas the new shopping warning about malicious websites. how scammers are preying on bargain hunters. this morning we'll show you fake

michael kors and fake ray-ban sites and how to tell if the browser is secure. ♪ all i want for christmas is you ♪ and look who's finally swinging into theaters for the holidays. the wait is over for "spider-man: no way home." oscar winner marisa tomei is joining us live in times square as the blockbuster reviews take over the web. ♪ santa claus ♪ good morning, america. good to be with you and also with amy and cecilia on this friday morning. the reviews are in. "spider-man" is amazing. >> yes. can't wait to see it. we do want to get right to the news this morning. the latest on the fight against covid and omicron, and president biden warning the american people about that new variant, fast new variant spreading and stressing the importance of the vaccine. >> that's right. all as families are getting ready to gather for the holidays. the demand for testing soaring

as long lines are seen nationwide like this one that you're looking at in miami. >> erielle reshef starts us off here in new york city where covid cases have tripled over the past month. good morning, erielle. >> reporter: hey, good morning to you, michael. officials say covid cases are surging here. they are now working to distribute 1 million kn95 masks, 500,000 at-home rapid tests and they're working to step up testing at facilities like the one where i'm standing and at mobile units like this one. this morning, as millions gear up for christmas gatherings next week, the country bracing for a covid surge, fueled by the rapidly spreading delta and omicron variants. >> we're at a perfect storm scenario. that is we have the holidays around the corner. we're indoors. we have an infectious delta virus that's out there and we have the onset of omicron. all that comes together. >> reporter: cases of both

variants surge nationwide. the cdc director agreeing with a panel of experts overnight recommending the pfizer and moderna vaccines over the one-shot johnson & johnson, citing data showing a rare risk of blood clots was higher than previously reported. but for the more than 16 million people who got the j&j shot, the cdc still urging the benefits far outweigh the minimal risk saying the j&j vaccine is far better than no vaccine at all especially as we head into a difficult winter. president biden also issuing a stark warning saying those who remain unvaccinated are looking at a winter of severe illness and death. health officials sounding the alarm. covid cases skyrocketing from coast to coast, particularly in the north. now at their highest levels in nearly a year. with maine and new hampshire averaging more new cases than at any other time during the pandemic. >> we're looking over our shoulder at omicron, which will assume a dominant role very soon.

we're having an increase in every parameter, an increase in cases, an increase in hospitalization. >> reporter: and just months after re-opening, several broadway shows are going dark again because of covid. "moulin rouge" the very latest joining "mrs. doubtfire," "tina," "hamilton" and others pausing their schedule. cecilia? >> erielle, thank you. as people are infektdcted o again, we're seeing long lines at testing sites with omicron spreading, demand likely to get worse as the holidays near and victor oquendo is live at a testing site in miami. good morning, victor. >> reporter: good morning, cecilia. from tropical park this site operating 24/7 and lately they've needed to just to keep up with the demand. let's give you a different view of the lines here this morning which have only been growing. they have seen a rush on tests here, with the number of infections beginning to sharply increase in florida and we're just days away from christmas. similar scenes across the country. another long line of cars in massachusetts where there's been a run on tests and booster shots

before the holiday. according to politico, the biden administration now privately warning covid-19 testmakers and labs that the demand for tests could soon double or triple. currently in the u.s. 1.6 million tests are used daily but health and human services now projects the country will need a lot more fast. the hhs model showing 3 million to 5 million daily tests will be needed by january or february. all of this driven by the more transmissible omicron variant which they predict will become the dominant strain here in just a month. amy. >> all right, victor oquendo, thank you. the latest covid spread coming as millions are set to travel for the holidays. aaa forecasting more than 109 million americans will travel for christmas and new year's, that's up 34% over last year. our transportation correspondent gio benitez is tracking all the latest from newark for us. good morning, gio. >> reporter: hey, amy, good morning. that holiday travel crush starts right now. airports across america will be very, very busy today.

take a look at this because next week it's looking even busier. wednesday and thursday will be the busiest right before christmas eve. then again the sunday after christmas for the return home. now, the sunday and monday after new year's eve also looking incredibly busy. hopper expects more than 2.2 million flying every day. now, compared to last december when vaccines were just rolling out, aaa says airlines will see a 184% increase in passengers, united airlines expects more than double the customers, amy. >> gio, with those numbers, that many travelers, how do you avoid the worst crowds? >> reporter: so, look, you want to make sure to book the earliest flight in the day and you will avoid busier crowds but also you'll give yourself a chance to have another option if your flight is canceled or delayed and you want to make sure to download that airline app and have it ready to go. if there's any issue you want to make that change fast. it's all about speed when you're talking about rebooking.

>> gio benitez, thank you for that. we appreciate it. michael. now to schools on edge nationwide due to fears over tiktok postings warning of shootings or bomb threats. our chief national correspondent matt gutman is in los angeles. good morning, matt. >> reporter: hey, good morning, michael. law enforcement officials say there is no evidence of a credible threat for today. the fbi office in los angeles saying, though, it takes all potential threats seriously as do schools, the one behind me beefing up security today as are districts across the country. schools are canceled in california, texas, missouri, and minnesota. now, to be clear, what we are talking about are rumors of threats on tiktok of shootings or bombings at schools but those rumors have picked up steam on social media with kids across the country being warned to stay away from school today. now, tiktok says it is working

with law enforcement to investigate but has found no evidence of such threats spreading or originating on tiktok and not far from here in corona, california, police say they have arrested a 14-year-old on suspicion of making threats to a school online. unclear if these two incidents are related, michael. >> better to be cautious. matt, thank you so much. amy. turning now to a possible new deal for kellogg's workers after being on strike for more than two months and the cereal giant hiring replacements. deirdre bolton joins us with when they could vote and possibly return to work during the holidays. good morning, deirdre. >> reporter: good morning. this new deal could pave the way for these 1,400 striking workers to return to work two days after christmas. the tentative agreement between the union and company comes just a few weeks after kellogg's announced its intention to replace all the striking workers at its four cereal plants if a deal could not be reached. the union, whose employees walked off the job in october, says progress has been made including on cost of living wage

adjustments and removing the term legacy employee. so this agreement is expected to go to vote on sunday with the tally next tuesday. >> all right, deirdre bolton, we appreciate it. thank you. cecilia? we go to washington now and president biden conceding his massive build back better spending plan is going to have to wait until next year. let's go right to my colleague, our senior white house correspondent mary bruce at the white house. mary, democrats wanted to pass this by christmas, but they just could not get there. >> reporter: yes, you know democrats were hoping to get this done before the holiday, but the president overnight admitting that is just not likely going to happen. he says he failed to reach a deal with senator joe manchin, the critical democrat from west virginia. he is opposed to the $2 trillion price tag of this bill and that expansion of those monthly child tax credits. this, of course, though, is the centerpiece of his agenda and for the fight against climate

change. now, the president says he hopes they can still bridge their differences but he says this is going to take some time. look, no question this is a blow to the white house. the president's top priority now stalled. >> also a big blow to democrats and what they wanted to do with immigration because a top senate official basically said they can't include immigration in the plan. they wanted to provide protection for undocumented immigrants who have been in the country for ten years orb more. >> reporter: their hopes to include it as part of their broader package were quashed over the senate parliamentarian and she says it breaks the rule. democrats were hoping they would be able to grant legal protections for millions of undocumented immigrants in this country, including many dreamers. the hopes are now back at square one. >> all right, mary, thanks so much. michael. we turn now to the trial of former minnesota police officer kim potter charged in the fatal

shooting of daunte wright. after more than a week of testimony the prosecution has rested its case. stephanie ramos joins us with the latest. good morning, stephanie. >> reporter: michael, good morning. and this morning, all eyes are on former brooklyn center police officer kim potter as the defense resumes its case and potter is expected to take the stand as early as today in her own defense, but so far in this trial we have heard from other police officers who were on the scene back in april when daunte wright was shot and killed by potter. wright had been pulled over for an expired tag, an air freshener hanging in a rearview mirror which is illegal in minnesota, and officers then discovered a misdemeanor warrant for his arrest. they tried to arrest him. wright struggled to get back into the car, and was shot by potter. the former officer saying it was a mistake and that she meant to use her taser instead. we've also heard from wright's distraught family on the stand and yesterday former brooklyn center police chief tim gannon testified after seeing some footage of the incident he concluded potter did not violate any department policy or law in her actions during that traffic stop.

so what we're watching for next is potter's own version of what happened that day, michael. >> yeah, a lot of people will be watching there for that. thank you. cecilia. we turn to the trial of theranos founder elizabeth holmes. we are closing in on judgment day. after three months of testimony her fate could now be in the hands of a jury in just a few hours. of course, our chief business correspondent rebecca jarvis has been tracking this case from the very beginning. good morning. >> reporter: hey, cecilia, good morning to you and elizabeth holmes has been accused of misleading patients, doctors and investors about her blood testing technology which for a time was inside of some walgreens locations before her company went under. now after months of witness testimony, we are getting closer to a verdict. this morning, closing arguments under way in the criminal fraud trial of elizabeth holmes. the disgraced theranos founder once celebrated for her supposedly revolutionary blood testing technology. prosecutor jeffrey schenk telling the court holmes chose fraud over business failure and

chose to be dishonest with investors and patients. the prosecution reminding the jury of the 29 government witnesses, patients, investors, and former defense secretary general james mattis among them, who testified in detail that she lied about her relationships with the u.s. military and lied about the capabilities of her blood testing technology. using holmes' own text messages, e-mails, audio clips from interviews -- >> our platform can yield -- let me see the best way to say this -- we can do all of those tests. >> reporter: and calls with investors. >> the ability to take a technology like this and put it in flight, specifically on a medevac, has the potential to change survival rates. >> reporter: the government sought to show the stanford dropout was at the center of the fraud. >> i know that we made so many mistakes. >> reporter: the defense meantime, telling the jury holmes was building a business and not a criminal enterprise

pointing to her powerful board of directors asking, would she have assembled these luminaries if she had been trying to pull off a crime. holmes faces 11 charges including wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. holmes has pleaded not guilty and faces decades in prison if convicted. and later today, the defense is expected to finish closing arguments, then the government will have a chance at a rebuttal and then it goes to the jury. eight men and four women for deliberations, if they are speedy we could have a verdict as soon as today. that's unlikely, guys, but this is a case that's had a lot of ripple effects. this was a technology inside a walgreens for a time so, yeah. >> we know you'll be watching, thanks. now to new details emerging on the release of the last of those u.s. and canadian missionaries kidnapped in haiti. marcus moore has the latest. good morning, marcus. >> reporter: amy, good morning. this news coming on the two-month anniversary of this brazen kidnapping that had people in haiti and, of course,

right here in the u.s. praying for a peaceful ending. this morning, reaction and relief from a pastor in michigan. this morning, the remaining 12 missionaries held hostage in haiti for the last two months are walking free. people seen embracing outside the missionary headquarters near port-au-prince as the news broke. >> god has answered our prayers, rejoicing, a great load is lifted. >> reporter: ron marks said he felt peace finding they had been let go. >> they were treated relatively well. i'm still waiting to hear the rest of their story. i'm sure they weren't treated supremely. life in haiti is hard even at its best. >> reporter: the names and locations of the hostages have not been released. u.s. officials saying they'll be reunited with loved ones soon. the race to rescue the group began on october 16th when members of one of haiti's most notorious gangs, mawozo,

kidnapped 16 americans and 1 canadian as the missionaries returned from an orphanage. the gang's leader demanded 17 million in ransom. $1 million for each person threatening to kill the hostages if it wasn't paid. the hostages slowly released over time. in november, the gang freeing two people and earlier this month another three let go. it is unclear this morning how their release was secured or whether a ransom was paid. it is worth noting this morning that the economic and the political turmoil that observers said helped to fuel the spike in kidnappings in haiti that that turmoil remains. guys. >> so many families breathing a sigh of relief. marcus, thank you. we are following a lot of other headlines this morning, the latest in the investigation into that fatal on-set shooting and authorities now issuing a search warrant for alec baldwin's phone. and the new shopping warning about malicious websites. the clues that could tell you if

they're trying to steal your money, but first, over to rob. hi, rob. kind of a surreal picture here. i want to show you here. this is really adding insult to injury. when you get a tornado outbreak in december you can often get cold air behind it to the point where snow is falling on top of debris. 1 of 23 tornadoes that hit the northern plains in the last couple days. the biggest severe weather outbreak we've seen since may because we had over 400 damaging wind report, winds to 100 miles per hour and another wave coming through. severe weather possible across parts of arkansas and rain going across the tornado zone again. they don't need that, and then plowable snow across the northeast by saturday. time now for your weekend getaways sponsored by amazon alexa.

coming up, one-on-one with ben affleck plus "spider-man" star marisa tomei joins us live in times square so stay there. we'll be right back.

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leave with something irreplaceable. [ music ends ] >> building a better bay area, moving forward, finding solutions, this is abc 7 news. reggie: good morning. i am reggie aqui firm abc 7 mornings. classes are canceled at gilroy high school today because of a social media thread, as school districts across the country deal with a tiktok challenge encouragingtunt mgilroy police t was made from a male juvenile in los angeles an.h.s. refers to a school in that area. school officials decided to cancel classes as a precaution. tiktok says it is working with authorities on the issue. house traffic, jobina? -- how is traffic, jobina? jobina: it was smooth until a sig alert on the dunn martin bridge. on westbound 84, it started as a stalled box truck and then other

cars crashed into it, so now it involves multiple vehicles. speeds down to five miles-per-hour. on the san mateo bridge, you may run into a slowdown in the westbound direction due to residual delays from an earlier residual delays from an earlier - [announcer] the more we learn about covid-19 the more questions and worries we have. calhope can help with free covid-19 emotional support. calhope can help with free covid-19 emotional support. call 833-317-4673 or live chat at calhope.org today.

- [narrator] if you're feeling anxious about the future, you're not alone. calhope offers free covid-19 emotional support. call 833-317-4673 or live chat at calhope.org today. mike: happy friday. after that rain, you know there has to be fog. it is thick on the 101 corridor. san rafael continues to get lower and lower visibility and the temperatures near freezing, so frost and black ice possible this morning. my accuweather 7 day forecast, enjoy the dry weather and cold mornings, followed a chilly afternoons. more cloud through the weekend and the rain starts monday. reggie: coming up on "gma," warning about malicious shopping websites and how to avoid them.

we will have another abc 7 news update in about 30 minutes. you can check us out at abc7news.com. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ visit your volvo retailer for special offers during our holiday safely sales event.

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they all die fighting spider-man. it's their fate. >> ooh, cannot wait for that. welcome back to "gma." there he is, spider-man, the new movie finally swinging into theaters and getting marvelous reviews. we're breaking down if it will have a blockbuster christmas at the box office and one of the stars is joining us live in our next hour. excited to have marisa tomei with us here in the studio. >> love her. looking forward to that. but first, the top headlines we're following right now, including the latest on the fight against covid and the omicron variant. president biden issuing a stark winter warning for the unvaccinated. and overnight, the cdc recommending the pfizer and moderna vaccines over the one-shot johnson & johnson

citing data showing a rare risk of blood clots was higher than previously reported. also there is a new kellogg's deal that could pave the way for the striking workers to return to work two days after christmas. the tentative agreement is expected to go to a vote on sunday. then take a look at this incredible escape caught on camera in new york. two teenagers climbing to safety on an exterior pole as fire and smoke shot out of their apartment window. they were treated for smoke inhalation. after reaching safety. one man was killed and a woman hospitalized in critical condition but we're happy those two teenagers were able to make it out safely. 100th year, the new miss america was crowned overnight and a history making moment. miss alaska, emma broyles, the first time a miss alaska was crowned miss america. emma who is korean american saying, quote, i hope to live up to the legacy and serve as a positive role model for women of

all ages and make the miss america organization proud. congratulations to her. and we have a lot more coming up, including the new shopping warning about malicious websites and how to avoid those. you want to do that this time of year as we're finishing our holiday shopping, michael. now to the new developments overnight in the fatal movie set shooting involving actor alec baldwin. authorities now issuing a search warrant for baldwin's phone. kaylee hartung is in los angeles with more including what alec baldwin is saying overnight. good morning, kaylee. >> reporter: hey, good morning, michael. this latest search warrant is giving us new insight into where detectives are looking for clues. now putting alec baldwin's cell phone at the center of this investigation. overnight, authorities granting a warrant to search and seize alec baldwin's cell phone. >> someone is responsible for what happened and i can't say who that is but i know it's not me. >> reporter: according to a new affidavit detectives believe there may be evidence material and relevant to the investigation into cinematographer halyna hutchins' death on the set of the movie "rust." the santa fe sheriff's department now seeking to conduct a forensic download of

baldwin's phone including images, videos, text messages, emails, as well as information from his social network accounts. an investigator stating in the affidavit that she previously requested baldwin turn over his phone but was instructed to acquire a warrant. an attorney for baldwin telling abc news, we proactively requested that the authorities obtain a warrant so that we could take steps to protect mr. baldwin's family and personal information that is clearly unrelated to the investigation. in an interview with george stephanopoulos, baldwin recalling the fatal moment, saying he was following hutchins' instructions as he aimed the gun toward her, after being told it was a cold gun. >> when i cocked it, i said, can you see that? she says -- then i let go of the hammer of the gun and it goes off. that was the moment the gun went off. yeah. >> it wasn't in the script for the trigger to be pulled. >> well, the trigger wasn't pulled. i didn't pull the trigger.

>> reporter: the film's armorer hannah gutierrez reed telling investigators, according to this affidavit, that she loaded the gun with six dummy rounds and did not believe anyone on the film set would be that malicious to bring live ammo onto the set, but in an interview with abc news her attorney and her father an experienced armorer himself s an act of sabota.kepoiby, proty. >>o u lieve sabotage was possible on the set? >> oh, yeah. a lot of motive there. >> somebody wanted to cause a safety incident on set, nobody wanted anybody to be killed. we developed evidence of motive for that, why they might have wanted to do that. why hannah might have been a target and that's all gone to the sheriff so we're asking for that to be completed before any decisions are made on charging. >> reporter: and overnight, alec baldwin taking issue with "newsweek's" coverage.

of the details of the search warrant. he tweeted this in fact is a lie. he was referring to "newsweek's" headline that says he requested a larger gun before the fatal shooting. he's clarifying saying that any decisions regarding props were made weeks before production began. michael. >> all right, kaylee, thank you so much. cecilia. we're going to turn to scamu. scammers definitely know it. according to checkpoint there are a record number of malicious websites, nearly 180% more this season compared to earlier this year, and rebecca jarvis has more on this. >> reporter: nice to see you. scammers are preying on consumers. look like legitimate companies but sometimes they can be malicious, so we talked to the experts about how to spot the fakes so you can avoid a headache. it's one of the best times of the year to shop online but experts warn it could also be one of the most dangerous. >> you really have to be aware and understand where you're doing your shopping. >> reporter: this woman says she

received a text message promoting what she thought was a michael kors sale. >> everything seemed to be realistic. >> reporter: but after her purchase, when her bank declined it, she realized the site was fake. >> it was one of those moments where it caught me off guard. i was only half paying attention. >> reporter: mark ostrowski said hackers are sending them through text messages, emails and social media. some claiming discounts as high as 85% off on popular brands. >> the issue is just getting worse and the bad actors and malicious folks are spending more time to fool us. >> reporter: two malicious websites, the real and fake sites side by side and at first glance both look real. next this fake ray-ban site, again, side by side with the real one. it's easy to see how someone

could fall for it. >> it looks very similar. >> reporter: but once you look at the details. >> as you kind of scroll down -- >> oh, everything is on sale. >> also if you notice some of the text is off. these are some telltale signs. >> reporter: he says to shop safely look for a lock next to the browser name telling you the site is secure. i see the lock on the real site over in the left. and to check the url address. then over here you have a domain name that doesn't say ray-ban. >> doesn't say ray-ban. >> it's a bunch of letters. >> a bunch of letters. you can see, though, how you could be fooled pretty quickly. >> reporter: ray-ban's parent company and michael kors have said repeatedly that the fight against counterfeit products is a priority. it seems like this problem isn't going away. >> it's not going away. become smarter. if you want to buy a particular brand of sun glasses or jacket rather than clicking on that link on your in-box that you didn't ask for go directly to

the website. >> reporter: we do a lot of shopping on our phones these days and it can be easier to fall for these on your phone, make sure you click on the url address and see if anything seems offer. that little lock that you see, make sure it's shaded in. if that's shaded in that is a good sign you're dealing with a reputable vendor. >> i love to say we do a lot of shopping. you mean you and me on our phones. so if you happen to fall victim to one of these scams, do you have any recourse? >> this is one of the reasons you want to use a credit card when shopping online. you can call the credit card company and report it and say that wasn't you and make sure they reimburse. and if you fall victim you want to reach out to the fbi. they have a specific unit, the internet crime complaint center and file a complaint and let your local law enforcement know as well. >> thanks, rebecca. coming up, with "spider-man" swinging into theaters this weekend, the growing concern about omicron at the box office and the steps you can take to reduce your risk. reduce your risk. people everywhere living with type 2 diabetes

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weekend? well, movie theaters seem to be figuring that won't happen as the evident appetite for "spider-man: no way home" has it on target for a massive opening at the box office. [ cheers and applause ] from its best of the year red carpet premiere, featuring stars tom holland and zendaya, to $44 million pulled in on its opening day overseas. "spider-man: no way home" sets up as the prototypic holiday blockbuster primed to delight moviegoers. >> this is all my fault. i can't save everyone. >> reporter: but will resurgent covid variants spoil the box office party? for movie theater owners it's a multimillion-dollar question. >> going to the theater is one of the last truly affordable out of home pieces of entertainment and given that there's such great movies out right now and to come, i think people are going to come. >> reporter: it has a devoted

superhero audience already eager to take their seats. >> "spider-man" has had the highest presales of any film during the pandemic and it's been the second highest presales of any movie for all time. >> reporter: not every film may be immune from covid concerns. take "west side story." its $10.6 million opening not in line with its critical acclaim. ♪ >> my hope now is that it will pick up over christmas and make up for some of the loss. >> reporter: true, as a likely awards season nominee, it's built for the long run and hugh jackman's 2017 "the greatest fi cen." was another musical to ive that fncse fs trix the chance to watch at home or in a movie house. a distribution model studios may yet reconsider for 2022. there is still this holiday season to contend with and some

for your consideration standouts having theaters only debuts like "licorice pizza" and "the tragedy of macbeth" with denzel washington. we'll see how they fare. amy. >> all right, chris, thank you very much. so a lot of these movies are just so much better to see in the theaters so we'll turn to keeping your movie-going experience as safe as possible. will reeve joining us now with some essential tips for lowering your risk of infection at those theaters. good morning to you, will. >> reporter: hey, good morning, amy. we consulted with experts including epidemiologist and abc news contributor dr. john brownstein for some tips and best practices for you to use if you are going to the movies this holiday season. first things first, there is an inherent risk in doing anything inside in public right now. this is all about minimizing that risk, which means getting back to basics, that's washing your hands, that's maintaining social distancing whenever possible and that's wearing a mask. the blue surgical mask is a good one, the n95 is the best. both better than a cloth mask but no matter what, they need to fit for them to work.

when you're booking your showtime earlier is better. the fewer the people, the better. so, if you get there at an early showing, there will likely be fewer people in the theater and there will have been fewer people in the space overall. also, a lot of theaters now allow you to book your tickets in advance online, so when you're paying for those tickets and you can see where everyone is sitting pick a spot away from where everybody else is. and if you live in an area where community spread is especially high right now, maybe you consider delaying that holiday season trip to the movies, but if you really, really, really want to go and get that movie theater experience amc and other chains are offering private deals but no matter what, above all, whether it's the movies or something else, if you're not feeling well, stay home. amy. >> yeah, like all very important tips, the early is -- we have an lucky schedule here so afternoon matinees, you can be the only

person there. i've done it a couple of days. >> cecilia said she'll do the last tip which is renting out the theater. >> you're buying. >> no, you're buying. everybody here is invited. coming up next we have our friday "play of the day," everybody. coming up next we friday "play of the day," everybody. want more from your vitamins? at nature's bounty, we give you more. more immune support. with the only vitamin c that lasts 24 hours. more restful sleep. with the first-ever triple action sleep supplement. we put more of our brains into helping your heart. we give you more wellness solutions backed by rigorous science than we ever have before. nature's bounty gives you more, so you can live bountifully. innovation usually looks something like this. but what if it didn't? what if it looked like a family truck that powers a family home?

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>> building a better bay area, moving forward, finding solutions, this is abc 7 news. reggie: good morning. i am reggie aqui from abc 7 morning sand jobina has a look at traffic. jobina: we are tracking a sig alert on the dumbarton bridge, originally starting as a stall and turned into a multicar crash. speeds are down to five miles-per-hour. the crashes at the incline on westbound 84. slow traffic on the san mateo bridge in the westbound direction and northbound along 880 in oakland. mike? mike: look at that sunshine. our biggest story, we revert back to the fog in the north bay and fog creeping in on us through the weekend. that is what it looks like in san rafael and how dangerously low visibility is this morning. chains for the sierra today. shopping jacket and sunglasses.

enjoy the dry weather. rain starts monday night and continues through next weekend. reggie: coming up on "gma," the eyedrops that could replace her glasses, but why you do not want to dig your readers get. another abc 7 news update in

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♪ good morning, america. it's 8:00 a.m. with one week till christmas eve, president biden's stark winter warning for the unvaccinated. covid cases skyrocketing from coast to coast and the cdc's new recommendation when it comes to which vaccine to get. "big" trouble. the fallout this morning after two women accuse "sex and the city" star chris noth of sexual assault. what he's saying about the allegations. sight for sore eyes? the new eyedrops that could be a game changer for more than 120 million americans. could they let you ditch those glasses and how long do the drops last? one-on-one with ben affleck. after his comments about jennifer garner and his drinking made headlines, this morning, what the oscar winner is saying about alcoholism, work, life, love and second chances.

♪ bring it on home ♪ we're rolling into the weekend with a special "gma" gives back surprise for the inspiring mom and grandmom who supports more than 100 other families in her community with her growing food pantry. ♪ you spin me ♪ counting down -- >> my biological clock is ticking like this. >> the clock was ticking but now the wait is over for "spider-man: no way home." oscar winner marisa tomei is live in times square. and there's only eight days till christmas. >> aaaghhh! >> don't worry. country superstar trisha yearwood joins us live with the ultimate holiday comfort cookie recipe inspired by garth brooks and the peanuts gang and she's saying -- >> good morning, america. ♪ holding me tight ♪ good morning, america. catchy tune right there and we have a lineup this morning.

>> yeah, we're going to drop some names right now. we have a very special "gma" gives back as well and then, yes, cate blanchett, marisa tomei, they are both joining us live. >> i get to drop some names too, because with some of the christmas cookies trisha yearwood is joins us for our 12 days of cookies. very excited about that one. >> can't wait for that. get to eat a little snack. as families get ready to gather for the holidays we want to get to the latest on the fight against covid and the omicron variant. the demand for testing is climbing as case numbers climb. we'll go back to erielle reshef here in new york city. good morning, again, erielle. >> reporter: hey, good morning again to you, michael. city officials here say that cases have tripled in just the past month. if you take a look we're standing at a testing site and the line is already wrapping down the block. the same story for that mobile testing unit right there. the city says it is stepping up testing to beat back the latest surge. this morning, as millions gear

up for christmas gatherings next week, the country bracing for a covid surge, fueled by the rapidly spreading delta and omicron variants. >> we're at a perfect storm scenario. that is, we have the holidays around the corner. we're indoors. we have an infectious delta virus that's out there and then we have the onset of omicron, so all that comes together. >> reporter: cases of both variants surge nationwide. overnight, the cdc director agreeing with the panel of experts recommending the pfizer and moderna vaccines over the one-shot johnson & johnson, citing data showing a rare risk of blood clots was higher than previously reported. but for the more than 16 million people who got the j&j shot the cdc still urging benefits far outweigh the minimal risk saying the j&j vaccine is better than no vaccine at all, especially as we head into a difficult winter. president biden also issuing a stark warning saying those who remain unvaccinated are looking

at a winter of severe illness and death. health officials sounding the alarm. covid cases skyrocketing from coast to coast particularly in the north, now at their highest levels in nearly a year with maine and new hampshire averaging more new cases than at any other time during the pandemic. >> we're looking over our shoulder at omicron, which will assume a dominant role very soon. >> reporter: and if we're looking ahead, michael, so far the mayor says there are no plans to cancel the famous new year's eve celebration in times square, of course, that is outdoors and you must be fully vaccinated, but the city says the option is on the table and they will continue to look at the data, michael. >> definitely a lot of reason for concern there. erielle, thank you so much. amy. well, michael, turning to the fda announcing it will permanently allow patients to receive abortion pills by mail removing a long-standing requirement that they pick up the medication in person. conservative challenges are

expected and the move comes as the country braces for the supreme court to decide the fate of roe versus wade, cecilia. amy, there was a major ruling from a federal judge rejecting the perdue pharma bankruptcy settlement. the deal was supposed to put an end to thousands of lawsuits but the judge saying a provision that would protect members of the sackler family from those lawsuits is contrary to federal bankruptcy law. purdue pharma says it does plan to appeal that ruling. coming up next here on "gma," we have the new allegations against "sex and the city" star chris noth and the fallout this morning. plus, the eyedrops that could replace your reading glasses. and we are swinging into the weekend with "spider-man" star marisa tomei who is joining us live on this friday morning in times square. gifts for elves... check. now i just need a dang coupon code.... (ding!) hold your reindeer, santa! samuel! what's up? i've got a gift for you! capital one shopping instantly searches for available coupon codes and automatically applies them.

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holiday safely sales event. welcome back to "gma." we want to get right to our cover story. actor chris noth accused of sexual assault by two women in an article in "the hollywood reporter." the "sex and the city" star denying those allegations and kaylee hartung is back with more. good morning, kaylee. >> reporter: good morning, amy. the cast of "sex and the city" are back in the headlines for the show's reboot and two women separately coming forward, both saying all the attention on mr. big triggered them to speak out. this morning, big backlash as two women claim they were sexually assaulted by "sex and the city" star chris noth. >> i thought by the time i got here i'd know what to say. >> reporter: noth who last week revived his character mr. big on the "sex and the city" reboot, "and just like that" starring in a follow-up commercial for peloton. >> to new beginnings. >> reporter: but overnight, peloton pulling the commercial telling ab news the company was unaware of the allegations when the actor appeared in the ad and

it's seeking to learn more adding, every single sexual assault accusation must be taken seriously. the fallout coming just hours after a new article from "the hollywood reporter" outlined the sexual assault claims made by two women. the women choosing to remain anonymous telling the outlet that they were triggered to come forward following the attention surrounding the "sex and the city" reboot. >> i remember when you kept your sweaters in the stove. >> reporter: in the report one woman alleging noth sexually forced himself on her in his west hollywood apartment in 2004 when she was 22. she told the magazine that she yelled at him to stop but he did not. she also said she went to the hospital after noticing she had blood on her shirt, told the staff she had been assaulted, and received stitches. the other woman told "the hollywood reporter" she went on ended up in his apartment where she claims noth forced her to have sex. in the article she says, i should have said no more firmly and left. noth calling the allegations categorically false saying the encounters were consensual with individuals he met years even

decades ago. in a statement to abc news noth saying, no always means no. that is a line i did not cross. adding, it's difficult not to question the timing of these stories coming out. i don't know for certain why they are surfacing now, but i do know this, i did not assault these women. the first accuser told "the hollywood reporter" that she spoke with two police officers at the hospital but she says she didn't tell them who allegedly attacked her fearing no one would believe her or that she would be fired. that alleged incident happened more than a decade before the me too movement. >> kaylee hartung with the latest on that, thank you very much. we'll switch gears and turn to what could be a game changer for 128 million americans, i'll put these on to read this. almost a third of us have trouble focusing on close objects due to what they're called age-related vision loss. i'm not going to offense to that. a new prescription eye drop could make reading glasses a thing of the past and becky worley has the story. >> reporter: it's hard to imagine a world without glasses

but the makers of vuity, a new fda-approved prescription treatment, says using their eye drops may help certain people temporarily ditch the specs. 128 million are affected with an age-related inability to focus on nearby objects known as presbyopia. i'm one of them. at 45 it hit me like, boom. i had a really hard time reading anything close up. everything looks fuzzy. >> it's not something that we can stave off. it is an inevitability of the aging process. and it happens to everybody eventually. >> reporter: vuity does not impair distance vision. but according to the makers, clinical trials showed it began to work in about 15 minutes and improved close-range vision for up to six hours. intermediate used for computer work was improved for up to ten hours. while the study suggests the drops may be better for those with mild or moderate cases a 30-day supply could cost you

around $80. >> i would recommend getting an eye exam prior to starting these drops to be 100% sure that these drops will work for you. >> reporter: for "good morning america," becky worley, abc news, oakland, california. all right, let's bring in our friend dr. darien sutton in los angeles. dr. sutton, i'm at the stage where i have readers at -- multiple pairs in every room of my house so break this down for me. how does this work? is this a game changer? >> you know, good morning, cecilia. some experts are saying so. these are the first eye drops to be approved for treatment of age-related vision loss and as was stated in the piece, as people get older they'll often report increased difficulty seeing nearby objects and see them holding newspapers farther from their face and these are meant to improve that. the way they work they decrease or constrict the pupil which can improve visual acuity of nearby objects. this is important to know this is not meant to replace prescription glasses.

you can think of it more of the way we think of using occasional reading glasses. >> people going like this. amy and i have no idea what you're talking about as we hold the phone farther away from our faces. any risks? >> there are some. first off, it seems as though in the clinical trials it's most effective in those with mild to moderate age-related vision loss, and in the study participates reported the most common symptoms of being eye irritation as well as a mild headache but luckily both of those seemed mild and also the way that this medication works, it can decrease your visual acuity at night so night driving is not recommended and lastly it's not something you can buy over the counter. it requires a prescription, so if you're curious about it, talk to your primary provider or ophthalmologist. >> no shame in the glasses game. i'm glad you have yours on too. >> sometimes it's the reading glasses and the flashlight on my phone to see. that's when you know you have a problem. we'll switch gears and turn to ben affleck addressing recent

comments he made about ex-wife jennifer garner and his sobriety saying they were taken out of context. juju chang spoke one-on-one with the actor talking about his family and relationship with jennifer lopez and his new movie "the tender bar." good morning to you, juju. >> reporter: good morning to you, amy. you know, here's the thing, ben affleck got nominated for a golden globe this week but that's not what most were talking about. he wanted to talk about his latest movie and how his kids are his inspiration and perhaps ironically how everybody makes mistakes. this morning, ben affleck clarifying his comments on "the howard stern show" about his failed marriage, that some believe implied he blamed his ex, jennifer garner, for his struggles with alcohol. >> i was trapped. you know, i was like, i can't leave because of my kids but i'm not happy. what do i do? and what i did was like drink a bottle of scotch and fall asleep on the couch which turned out not to be the solution. >> reporter: but telling jimmy kimmel this week they were taken out of context.

>> they had literally taken the conversation i had for two hours and made it seem as if i was saying the exact opposite of what i said. how much we respect each other and cared about each other and cared about our kids and put them first and went through our stuff. i would never want my kids to think i would ever say a bad word about their mom. >> reporter: he talked to howard for the same reason he sat with us to talk about his new movie "the tender bar," a coming-of-age film where he plays an uncle who turns into a father figure to his nephew, j.r., an aspiring writer. >> you got to have it. i don't know what it is, but you if don't have it immediately, you never get it. and i see you got it. >> reporter: the boy's real dad has a drinking problem. one of the themes of "the tender bar" is really that j.r. manages to break the cycle of addiction that clearly is rooted in his family. you know, you've talked about

having to live publicly struggling with addictions and stuff. how has that shaped sort of what you looked at in this project? >> we all want to pass on the best of ourselves to our children. i don't care who you are. i'm quite sure that you feel that at some point in your life you've made missteps or had some problems. nobody wants to transfer that to their children. that's a real task that everybody faces, whatever those issues are. >> the alcoholism is complex. the sobriety is complex. but on some level you've talked about how some of the hardships that you faced you're grateful for. >> i've been obviously perfectly open and comfortable about like i don't think there's anything all that special or particularly interesting about being a recovering alcoholic. it's very compulsive behavior and addiction is so pervasive and common and there's some shame associated with it and there's also a rewarding and enriching process of overcoming that, but it's also like that's part of my life.

it isn't the most interesting thing i think about my life. >> one of those more interesting things, his rekindled romance with jennifer lopez. you are living in some ways a second chance, whether it's with your sobriety or with love. >> i feel like at the end of the day, everybody needs second chances. i don't know anybody who's done everything right their whole life. we all fail. that's the truth. >> reporter: the 49-year-old says his priorities in the movie business have also evolved. >> there aren't enough movies, isn't enough success. aren't enough likes on instagram. those things will never fill you up. they will never make you happy. >> reporter: what makes him happy now, being present for his kids. >> my life is better and i'm happier the more i'm around them because only -- the only biography that means anything is, you know, written on the hearts of your kids. i'll be long dead and someone will ask my kids, what was your dad like, and that's when i'll know what my life was worth, you know.

>> so profound and by the way, ben told me his kids like most adolescents don't think that dad is that cool. they haven't watched all his movies but this one, maybe they will. it's about what it means to be a good parent or parental figure. "the tender bar" is in some theaters now and will start streaming on prime video january 7th so you should watch. >> we certainly will. juju, thank you. you'll have more of your interview with ben tonight on "nightline" so check that out, everyone. in the meantime, let's go to rob. >> check this out. finally some snow. we had a slow start to the year. our own matt gutman was on storm patrol near lake tahoe, truckee, and they're stuck on the side of the road there. a foot or two of snow there. but in places like soda springs, 80 inches of snow falling in just one or two storms and there's more storms on the way and there's a storm coming to the northeast. if you're a snow lover in northern new york or northern new england this will start saturday morning or through the afternoon. plowable snows in vermont and

♪ we need a little christmas right this very minute ♪ now to country superstar trisha yearwood joining us from nashville. she got a new cookbook called "trisha's kitchen" and she's joining us for our 12 days of christmas cookies and you can get the recipe by scanning the qr code on the screen. trisha, good morning. always great to see you and always great to cook with you. i'm excited about the peanut butter and jelly bars. which are inspired by the peanuts gang and "a charlie brown christmas." why do you love them so much?

>> first of all, hello, michael, good to see you. i love these because i am -- everybody loves peanut butter and jelly. we're all kids at heart and garth and i walked down the aisle to the music of "charlie brown christmas." it's very sentimental for me, very christmas for me. so kind of tied the love of pb&j for the love the peanuts gang and they always give me snoopy things for christmas. it's just special to me. easy to make. you got your stuff there, i see. >> i got my stuff there. these cookies start with a simple dough, the butter and sugar are already creamed together, so what do we do next? >> now we add three eggs and you creamed your butter and sugar together until it's light and fluffy and then my mother said never add the eggs straight into the bowl but i'm doing that because i'm just on national television, no big deal. >> i did it too so we're even. momma can be mad at both of us. >> that's right. if you get a little shell in there you just have a little crunchy pb&j.

crunchy peanut butter. >> we have eggs and what else do we have? >> i'm a home cook, not a chef. we also have vanilla so add in a couple of teaspoons of vanilla and that's basically what you call the wet ingredients. and then once that all feels -- two teaspoons of vanilla extract and once that's all together, we'll add the dry ingredients. all purpose flour, baking soda and salt, that would go in but for the magic of television, also because i don't want to get flour on my christmas sweater. >> i'm with you. >> we're going to move over and say we've done this already. >> yes, we've done it already, and now the dough is on a sheet pan and this sheet pan is lined with parchment paper and we're going to spread the dough on this so what are your tips for this, because i know you have some good ones. >> stick a little bit -- take a little bit of the dough and stick it underneath your parchment. that will help the parchment stay on the pan and then spray

it with cooking spray and then it will spread easier if you dollop it on like in about, you know, just kind of put it in different areas on the pan. that will kind of help you spread it when it comes time to get it -- because this is the hardest part for people and for me is to get it to spread on the pan when it's this thick. but i'm going to show you a cook trick. >> what you got? >> no dough left behind. take plastic wrap and just go over the top of this, that will help us press it down into the corner of the pan. so it's also very therapeutic and feels good. >> yours will be prettier than mine. >> i'm trying to go fast. i'll just give you a sample of -- so you'll work on this for awhile and i promise if you're just patient which i am not you'll get into it all of the corners of the pan and keep spreading it out until it's there, and since i know you don't have an hour, michael, i'll show you how once that's all in the pan we'll pretend

that's all in the pan. >> yep, we'll pretend. >> you can take -- you can just pull this plastic off. >> there we go. >> and then i love grape jelly. that's my favorite so i have a cup of grape jelly and smooth peanut butter and again we'll dollop. just kind of put a little bit of jelly, put a little jelly everywhere and a little bit of peanut butter everywhere. there's no rule which i love in the kitchen where make it your own and can't make a mistake. >> yep, you can't make a mistake because it is yours. >> jelly. that's right, and then we have peanut butter. >> all right, peanut butter. >> dollop it around. >> slap it on there. yep. >> and then, so then you just kind of slap it on, do you smooth it out? >> yep. take your spoon and just kind of swirl it through and press it in the dough just a little bit. this will look really weird before you cook it, but i promise you this will turn out great. >> we have the finished product here, trisha, and it looks

incredible. >> yep. >> i'm going to take a quick bite before we do a commercial here. i'm going to taste what we're working on. oh, wow. all right, the crew is excited. they know what i just got them for christmas. christmas cookies, everybody, or pb&j bars. trisha's book is available now "trisha's kitchen." thank you so much.

>> building a better bay area, moving forward, finding solutions, this is abc 7 news. kumasi: good morning. we are going to get to jobina with a look at traffic. jobina: good morning. we have had a delayed slowdown start for the bay bridge. here is a live look as you make your way into san francisco, and it is a sluggish ride. across the bay bridge westbound, this is after you make it through the metering lights, 15 minutes, and a clear ride as far as traffic at the golden gate bridge crossing. kumasi:

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mike: good morning. we made it to friday. after the rain, we have fog, really thick in the north bay and 101 corridor. it is staying put over the central valley, but it will creep upon us through the weekend. that is the way it looks in san rafael. can't even see 101, so please be extra cautious through that area. that is my biggest concern weather-wise. pretty calm today with cold and a little frost around this morning. low to mid-50's this afternoon. colder tonight and cooler tomorrow. barely 50. dry sunday and then the rain train starts monday night and continues through next saturday. kumasi: thanks, mike.

another abc 7 news update in about 30 minutes. you can find the latest on our app and abc7news.com. ♪ ♪ i get knocked down ♪ ♪ but i just keep my head up high, high, high ♪ let's say it again, welcome back. i'm told christmas is just over a week away. i'm hearing this more and more and "gma" is giving back all december long and we are keeping it going with one special and deserving woman. >> yeah, this holiday season it's all about uplifting others that are doing good. this segment is sponsored by honey bunches of oats and we're teaming up to celebrate people making an impact in their community and, michael, you are upstairs with a really special person to celebrate this morning. >> rob, that is right, and she is right behind that door right there. desiree lamarr-murphy is a mom, a grandmother, a widow and a special needs coordinator for the school district of philadelphia. she's an overcomer and someone

who is a true example of the spirit of giving back. she thinks she's here to pick up food donations for her charity but really she's here for a big surprise so, yeah, let's not waste any more time. let's go get her. hey, desiree. >> oh. >> how are you? >> how are you? >> i'm good. i'm michael strahan. you're live on "gma." >> no way. >> yes, you are. see that camera right there. wave to the country. come on. come with me. come with me. >> no. >> so we've heard about you. we've heard about your incredible story. we just knew that we had to celebrate you. especially since you were always thinking of others instead of yourself and it's great for this time of year, but we wanted to show america just how special you are so let's take a look. >> you're welcome. >> go all the way to the end. >> reporter: desiree lamarr-murphy believes in the

spirit of giving. >> literally she will give you the shirt off her back. >> reporter: the mother of five has been tackling food insecurity in west philadelphia for many years but when the pandemic hit, she decided to do more. not only opening her heart to the cause, but her backyard too. >> people will come in her backyard. we let you shop like you would in a food market. >> reporter: and just like that murphy's giving market was open with volunteers there to give out free food, clothes and books. >> thank you. i don't even know how to say thank you. >> we started off with maybe 20 or 25 people, currently we're up to about 120 people a week. >> reporter: quality is always at the top of the team's checklist when gathering food for the community. >> you have to make sure that there is nothing that has been moldy or spotted or not edible. why give it to them, she says. i've been in that place and i don't ever want to give out things like that. >> reporter: and now after two years of tireless work desiree isn't stopping there, moving her

operation into a new center where she plans to continue her mission and her family and friends are here to say -- >> you have taught me such amazing lessons about generosity and giving and thoughtfulness and i am so grateful for you. >> just want you to know that i love you. and i'm so proud of the work that you're doing. you're making a bigger difference than you can ever imagine. >> all: we love you, mom! we're so proud of you. >> how awesome is that and how do you feel right now, desiree? >> just overwhelmed. >> your generosity has overwhelmed so many others out there and we're not the only ones who want to surprise you this morning. some of your volunteers that love you they wanted to send a special message to you as well so take a look. >> we're so grateful for and proud of our partner desiree lamarr-murphy.

each and every day children and families in our area have fresh healthy food so we say congratulations, desiree, and good morning, america. >> all: good morning! >> they are applauding you as well. how does that make you feel? >> awesome. they are such wonderful sponsors and supporters and so thankful for all the work they have put in to support us at murphy's giving market and all of our partners we participate with and work with in the area. >> desiree, there's a little bit more we got for you. we know you're not just a caregiver. you're a mom, a grandmother, a pillar of your community, and you personally know what it's like to need a helping hand and now you're making it easier for others in your community to get the help that they need also. you're a testament to paying it forward and we have a very special surprise for you so i'm going to ask rob to come on out.

>> hi, desiree. we've got a little gift for you. our sponsor honey bunches of oats loves what you do and wants to give you $10,000 more so you can do bunches more. [ applause ] ♪ high, high, high ♪ >> there you go. >> you can do a lot with this money, can't you? can't you? what a heart you have. >> so, desiree, what does this mean to you? >> it means a lot, because we're a grassroots organization and we don't get any government funding or any sort of community -- any sort of grants or anything so we just give out of our pockets and we take money from anybody that wants to give so this really helps us to be able to give back because we spend like $200 for $300 out of our own pockets every week to provide fresh produce so this goes a long way in order to give back that fresh produce, those honey bunches of oats, those cereals, those staples for the community, so we

say thank you because this goes directly to the community. we say thank you. >> she didn't hesitate. it's going right back. >> right back to the community. >> thank you so much. congratulations. i love your hard work. >> give her the check, rob. >> there it is for you. she's got tissues to deal with. hey, look, we're celebrating the whole month of december. and you can join us by donating a toy to the disney ultimate toy drive. so far 135,000 toys have been donated. keep them coming. we're giving back to you, our viewers too, with a chance to win a gift box full of "deals & steals" goodies and a $200 gift card. just scan the qr code on your screen to get all the information you need to give and to get. >> desiree, thank you. >> thank you. >> thank you. we're glad that we can help you. >> thank you. this was a big surprise. >> you continue to help others. a great surprise, though. >> yes. thank you. >> merry christmas. >> thank you. merry christmas. thank you. coming up, cate blanchett will be here live. we'll be right back. "gma" gives back is

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back now with this week's back now with this week's "gma" buzz pick. you know we love spotlighting local bookstores across the country and right now we're throwing it over to mahogany

books in washington, d.c., for this week's pick. take it away. >> good morning, america. >> we're the proud owners of mahogany books right here in the >> all: black books matter.e --- >> this week's buzz pick is -- "the afrominimalist's guide to living with less." >> this book peels back the layers of how to live a richer life surrounded by the things we need, use and love. while uncovering the truth of why we overconsume in the first place. >> this is the guide book you want to keep close as you begin your journey to simplicity and the joy you deserve without the angst of keeping up with the joneses. >> all right, "the afrominimalist's guide to living with less" is out now and you can read an excerpt. scan the qr code on our screen, and if you are in the d.c. area, be

now, she is a two-time now, she is a two-time academy award winner who's taking on the role of a mysterious psychologist with a dark side in guillermo del toro's latest film, "nightmare alley," which by the way just racked up eight critic's choice nominations. it's cate blanchett. thank you for being with us, and good morning to you, cate. >> good morning. i'm sorry i can't be in the same room. >> i know. we wish we could have you in person, but we'll take you on zoom. we know you're playing a female psychologist in the 1940s. that couldn't have been a common sight back then, but tell us about your character. tell us about her. >> actually, you know, there were a lot of women involved in psychoanalysis at that point. they just weren't recognized, but i play -- i get to work with bradley cooper, which is fantastic, and guillermo del

toro, but i play a psychiatrist who is obviously very interested in the life of the mind who gets involved with a powerfully hollow man played by bradley who is a mind reader. and they have a sort of fateful encounter where she tries to expose himself to himself. >> and this is guillermo del toro, his first movie back since "shape of water." what was it like working with him? >> oh, look, i'd long wanted to work with guillermo. i've admired him so much, not only as a filmmaker but as a human being. he is so generous. while some of the works he creates are grotesque and nightmarish and dark, as the title "nightmare alley" suggests, he really holds the hand not only of the actors but of the audience, and so he's such a great person to go through the sort of the horror tunnel with. he's really a once in a lifetime human being. >> it looks like it's so beautifully shot. so how about we take a look at a clip. >> yeah.

>> all right. i'll give you something in exchange for the truth. >> truth about what? >> yourself. i give you a little information and you tell me the truth. and don't lie. i'll know if you're lying. >> ooh. you got us. we are hooked already. cate, what was it like to work alongside bradley cooper there? >> it was fantastic. i mean, he's a great actor and he was one of the producers and he's really invested in everything that he does, but it was a really difficult part for him to play. he's warm and charismatic as a person and his character is so devoid of any moral compass, you know, and he's somebody who

turns lying into a money-making enterprise until he gets beaten at his own game and whereas bradley is all about truth and kindness so i think it was a big stretch for him actually. >> what did you guys do behind the scenes when you weren't filming? >> well, fortunately i mean it seems so long ago, like a lifetime ago. it was pre-pandemic. >> wow. >> so we actually did regular things like go out to dinner with one another and rehearse and not wear masks but, you know, obviously then the pandemic hit and so all of my stuff had been filmed in the old-fashioned way where you could actually look into the cinematographer and the camera operator's eyes and see their noses, but then they had to stop and, yeah, i think things became quite different then but, yeah, we had dinner together, which is something i really miss doing with people that i like. >> absolutely. >> it's just the simple things that we're grateful for these days. now i think we're all familiar with guillermo del toro's amazing cinematography, just what we get from his movies, the darkness, the twists and turns.

who is this movie for and what do you think they'll take away after watching this? >> well, i mean, it's a beautiful allegory, it has all the joys and thrills of a noir but it is really contemporary and it's so beautiful to look at. i mean i hope people get to see it in the cinema because it is pure cinema. but i also think it's about -- it's about that thing we're all experiencing at the moment, where no one believes the people who are running the systems that we're all laboring under, and it's that dangerous moment when the people who are purporting to tell the truth actually start to believe the lie, so there's a lot to take away from the film. i think about the world in which we found ourselves and, you know, the importance of actually being honest about who you are and being, you know -- having direct and honest communications with the people that you purport to serve. >> you sold us all. we cannot wait. cate blanchett, thank you.

it was a pleasure talking to you. we want to let our viewers know that "nightmare alley" hits theaters everywhere today. so the wait is over. marisa tomei live as "spider-man" swings into theaters as well. ♪ we all know ♪ ♪ ♪ it may not be music to your ears, but as long as it's music to theirs. bring the volume back to the venue with exclusive ticket access to unmissable events. one of the many reasons you're with amex platinum.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

visit your volvo retailer for special offers during our holiday safely sales event. ♪ i need you to hold on ♪ all right, guys, we are back now with oscar-winning actress marisa tomei back in her role as may, peter parker's aunt in the newest "spider-man" movie the critics are calling ridiculously fun and entirely unique. we are so glad to have you here in the studio. i was going to ask you, we have the fire going and trees out if you're ready for the holidays but you showed up in the holiday sparkles. you are ready. >> i am ready. >> big plans with the family. >> i still have the holidays now. yeah, gearing up for it. >> gearing up for it. we are gearing up for this movie. we are extremely excited to see

it and to get into theaters. what was it like for you to read this role and jump in? >> well, there's usually not much of a script. this one had a little more bare bones and i could see it had something substantial to do in this one and so that was exciting but we -- it's very loose, it's very free. it's really improvisational with john. he's got it all. he's got it all up here but he doesn't necessarily tell us what that is for awhile. >> need to know basis. >> yeah, definitely need to know basis and signing confidentiality, et cetera, yeah, yeah. >> for those who don't know, may is a beloved character in "spider-man" series played by rosemary harris, sally field, how did you prepare to step into that role? >> well, jon watts and i talked about how -- what is may in peter's life really, so in the former incarnations she was a

big worrier, so i'm sure like every maternal figure there's some worry, but she's more of a teammate in this. she's more active. she has her own full life. she's a community organizer. we figured he gets his values from her and that's what's so great about spider-man, he is a local hero, he's a community hero. she raised him. we thought about her as having her own like women's press and things that she -- what did she do for a living and, you know, what was her personal life like? i don't think much of that came through before. >> but i love that. i love that they go back and give a backstory to the character. >> yeah. >> everybody is anticipating this movie, and we won't make them wait anymore. because i'm anticipating this clip, so let's check it out. >> i didn't realize you were miserable. >> it was really fun. that's why they call it a fling and we flung. >> it was fun. it could have been more fun.

i can be fun. >> we'll do it again. >> when do you think? i should see what that is. >> no, no, no, no. >> it's what i do. >> always coming and going. >> i don't know what to do. >> oh. salacious. >> after hearing that i don't know what to do. but your character seems to be a little grumpy with jon favreau's character. are they going to end up happily ever after? >> well, grumpy? maybe that's a male point of view. she seems pretty content with the way that the situation is. i think she's made her decision about their relationship and they're definitely friends and, yeah. >> oh, the friend zone, okay. >> well, they've had -- she says they've had a fling. it could be on and off. i feel that she's a little fluid. i don't think we have to talk about happily ever after with her at this point. >> speaking of friends, we had

your co-stars here a week ago today actually. we had a lot of fun with them and we always ask when folks come in and others are coming in after them what should we ask you, so tom holland, oftentimes people say ask what they ate in the trailer for a snack. tom holland got really heady with us and he wanted to ask you, he wanted us to ask you, what did it mean to be the driving force behind peter's decisions in the movie? >> oh, my gosh. that's tom. it's why he's such a great spider-man. it was -- i mean, we all got behind that idea that i was just explaining that she raised him and she is infusing him. she is the soul behind his wings, so to speak, and they -- and they get along on a lot of levels. she takes care of him and checks in on his personal life and wants him to still be a young man but also understands that he has a huge destiny and how can she support that destiny and how can they work through that together?

so it was something that we worked through on all three movies and it kind of comes to fruition in this one but it was something that jon and i talked about from the beginning. >> it is a success. congratulations and happy holidays to you and your family. we're so glad that you're here with us this morning. everybody, "spider-man: no way home" swings, we can't keep saying that enough -- swings into theaters today. >> it's exciting. >> it is. >> we'll be right back, everybody. - [announcer] the more we learn about covid-19, the more questions we have. the biggest question now, what's next?

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morning to mr. christmas. performed for you by the one and only brett eldredge monday on "good morning america." sponsored by carmax. thank you for watching "gma." thank you for watching "gma." next week george clooney is joining us live on "gma." that happens on monday. >> yep. that is going to be exciting. who doesn't love george? have a great weekend, everybody. >> you had me at george have a great weekend, everybody. >> you had me at george. everybo. >> you had me at george. ♪ i see trees of green ♪ ♪ red roses too ♪ ♪ i see them bloom for me and you ♪ (music)

♪ so i think to myself ♪ ♪ oh what a wonderful world ♪

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>> building a better bay area, moving forward, finding solutions, this is abc 7 news. kumasi: i am kumasi aaron from abc 7 mornings. jobina? jobina: good morning. our slow spot has been the bay bridge. drive times reflected westbound into san francisco, around 17 minutes. that is after you make it through the metering lights. check this out, we have seen the fog move in and out from the golden gate bridge. mike: at least they have been in and out, north, they have been socked in the whole morning, continue to be until 11:00. dangerously low visibility, this is what it looks like in san rafael. the low sun angle is one of the reasons why the fog hangs around so long, the sun angle cannot warm the ground and make it rise. take the chains heading to the sierra. put the umbrellas away until

monday. you will need them every day next week. kumasi: time for live with kelly and ryan. and ryan. we are back at 11:00 with midday pull on your pullover and join us! it's "live's" holiday sweater party. today, he's a music man and an acting man, a sweater man. he's method man. plus, an amazing sweater knitter from florida is giving us our holiday good news story of the day. also, button up your cardigan and enjoy a festive holiday song, courtesy of a festive recording artist, shaggy. and our amazing virtual audience gets into the spirit of the season, as we announce the winner of our holiday sweater photo contest. it's better in a sweater, all next on "live." and now, here are your comfy, cozy cohosts, kelly ripa and ryan seacrest! [cheers and applause] where are you? i'm trying to hide myself.