♪ this is "nightline." >> breaking news out of japan. the former japanese prime minister shinzo abe has no vital signs after being shot in the back at a plit political event. guilty plea. a surprise admission from the wnba star brittney griner. >> i was in a rush packing and the cartridges accidentally ended up in my bag. >> after being in prison for 140 days in russia. >> do you want to say something to abc news? >> she entered the courtroom carrying a photo of her wife. >> i'm frustrated that my wife is not going to get justice. >> griner faces at least ten years if convicted. >> the real question is what kind of sentence she's going to get. and "thor: love and thunder." >> i'm going to choose my own path.

live in the moment. >> one on one with chris hemsworth as the fourth installment of his mega-hit franchise opens. >> he said he wanted a romantic comedy set in spice, a wacky world, galactic adventure. >> the movie is a family affair. the actor's three kids have small roles. >> that was very, very impressive, what you did back there. >> but his daughter isn't always impressed with dad's superhero status. >> a friend of ours does wildlife rescue. she said, "why don't you have a cool job like mark does?" can't win, can you?

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♪ good evening. there's been a major development tonight. we go straight to the abc news desk. >> thanks, linsey. here's what we know at this hour. shinzo abe, former prime minister of japan, was shot during a campaign speech at a political event according to our news partners nhk. he has no vital signs. was seen abe was shot in the back and was seen holding his chest when he collapsed to the ground. his shirt was smeared with blood and he was rushed to a local hospital. witnesses say they heard two shots, a weapon described as a shotgun was recovered at the scene. police arrested a male suspect in his 40s on suspicion of attempted murder. abe was japan's longest-serving prime minister. he resigned in 2020 after a

chronic health problem resurfaced. abe was campaigning in the western city of nara, giving a speech for a liberal democratic party candidate ahead of sunday's election for parliament. stay with abc news overnight for continuing coverage. linsey? >> thank you for that report. wnba star brittney griner entered a guilty plea today to drug possession and smuggling charges in a russian courtroom. the white house is now facing intense pressure to secure the release of the phoenix mercury center and two-time olympic gold medalist amid growing concern about her mental health. as the trial for brittney griner unfolds in a courtroom outside of moscow, the basketball star surprising many, pleading guilty to drug charges this morning. >> do you want to say something to abc news? >> reporter: seen wearing a red shirt and standing inside a small holding cell, she was led to the hearing clutching a photo of her wife. abc news obtaining audio of griner in court. >> i would like to plead guilty on the charges against me. but i had no intention on

breaking any russian law. i was in a rush, packing, and the cartridges accidentally ended up in my bag. >> reporter: her legal team released a statement saying that it was griner's decision to plead guilty and that she sets an example of being brave. >> they're hoping for the softest sentencing possible. >> reporter: it was in february after griner landed in russia when authorities say they found vape cartridges containing hashish oil in her luggage, which is illegal in the country. this video released by russian customs appears to show the star player being stopped at a moscow-area airport. now, 140 days later, and with her detention extended until december, questions continue to emerge about what this guilty plea could mean for griner's freedom. >> she'll almost certainly be found guilty and convicted. a conviction rate in russia is 99%. she's already admitted guilt. so i think the conviction is a foregone conclusion. the real question what is kind of sentence she's going to get.

>> reporter: griner is facing smuggling charges, according to russian state-run media, and could spend up to 10 years in prison if convicted. the u.s. national security council says griner remains wrongfully detained under intolerable circumstances. last friday, the wnba player appeared in court for the start of her trial shackled and surrounded by security, hearing her charges behind closed doors. >> she is doing as well as can be expected in these difficult circumstances. and she asked me to convey that she is in good spirits and is keeping up the faith. >> reporter: and so are her supporters. on the home court of griner's team, the phoenix mercury, a rally for her release. >> brittney griner, b.g.! >> reporter: griner's wife cherelle wiping away tears. delivering this emotional message. >> what and hoy i feel today is a deeper emotion than hurt. i'm frustrated.

i'm frustrated that 140 days have passed since my wife has been able to speak to me, to our family, and to her friends. i'm frustrated that my wife is not going to get justice. >> reporter: public pressure directed at the white house is mounting, calling on president biden to double down on efforts to bring griner home. earlier this week, more than 1,100 black female leaders penned an open letter to the administration, urging them to swiftly make a deal, writing in part, brittney griner cast her first-ever vote in 2020. she voted for you and vice president kamala harris. more than prioritizing her immediate return in word, you must do so in deed. concerns are also growing for griner's physical and mental well-being. civil rights activist reverend al sharpton, who was so moved by cherelle's public outcry, asked biden to arrange a prayer visit in the russian prison. what was your hope to accomplish? >> giving her some comfort.

giving her some reassurance. i wanted to pray with her to give her some spiritual strength and let her know that people around the world have not forgotten her. >> reporter: sharpton argues nothing meaningful can be done unless the white house gets directly involved. >> the whole visit, i think president biden and vice president harris will do what is necessary to try to extradite, all of it. i do not feel that we can safely sit back and watch americans being prosecuted. >> reporter: on independence day, griner made her own passionate plea directly to the president. sending him a handwritten letter, "as i sit her in a russian prison alone with my thoughts and without the protection of my wife, family, friends, olympic jersey, or any accomplishments, i'm terrified i might be here forever." asking the president, "please don't forget about me and the other american detainees, please do all you can to bring us home." >> i can say the president did

read the letter. he believes any u.s. national held abroad or detained or held hostage abroad, we need to bring back safely, and we are going to use every tool that we possibly can to make that happen. >> reporter: biden, along with vice president kamala harris, then spoke with cherelle over the phone, who said in a statement, while i will remain concerned and outspoken until she is back home, i'm hopeful in knowing that the president read my wife's letter and took the time to respond. i know b.g. will be able to find comfort in knowing she has not been forgotten. brittney griner is one of the most dominant athletes in professional sports, standing at a towering 6'9", center for the phoenix mercury. >> ever since she was a star at baylor, she was an olympian. in all her years in the wnba, she's one of the greatest who's ever played the game. she's become an icon on her own. >> reporter: but despite her success here in the states, for the past several years she's

spent the offseasons playing professional basketball elsewhere, in russia. >> players like brittney griner can make well more than $1 million just playing part of a season. it's a different world for them. >> this one is specifically just me and b.g. >> reporter: in may, cherelle spoke with robin roberts about griner's time overseas. >> brittney ever express anything to you about the pay inequity with the wnba and having to play overseas? >> absolutely. b.g. would wholeheartedly love to not go overseas. she can't make enough money in the wnba. to sustain her life. >> reporter: back in 2017, our colleagues at espn's e-60, owned by abc news' parent company disney, traveled with brittney to yekaterinburg. she was competing in one of the best leagues in the world. she says the loneliness was constant. >> i hated it at first. i hated isolation at first. but i've grown. i mean, when you're stuck in it so much, you've got to find the positive in it so you're not miserable.

>> reporter: her current situation, even more isolating. >> she's still in a russian jail where she does not speak russian. and barely has communication. you know, at this point, i don't know who i'm getting back when she comes back. >> reporter: griner's case is playing out at a time when all eyes are on russia's ongoing war with ukraine, contributing to the rising tensions with the united states. the last successful negotiation between the two countries was just a few months ago when trevor reed, a marine who had been detained for almost three years, was released from russian custody in a prisoner exchange. griner isn't the only american currently still detained in russia. there are at least two others, including 52-year-old paul whelan, a former marine who was convicted of espionage and sentenced to 16 years in prison. he maintains his innocence and his family continues to advocate for his release. >> she's likely to get a much shorter sentence than paul's 16 years.

she could absolutely come home earlier and i would be thrilled for her. but it's still hard. >> reporter: secretary blinken tweeting in part today, we will not relent until britney, paul whelan, and all other wrongfully detained americans are reunited with their loved ones. >> i think the administration is very committed to getting all of them back. it's just being committed to doing something and actually doing it are two different things, especially when you're dealing with the russian government on the other side. >> reporter: griner's legal team expects the trial to conclude around august. but for griner's family, the fear is that her detainment could last much longer. >> truthfully, i can't rest, as her humanity has been stripped from her. i can't rest, as her safety is in question. i honestly can't rest until she's home. up next, chris hemsworth is back in action as thor, god of thunder. why he says this latest

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marvel fans everywhere eagerly awaiting the opening of "thor: love and thunder" which hits theaters tomorrow. chris hemsworth returns along with natalie portman and christian bale. here's abc's zohreen shah. >> i'm going to choose my own path. live in the moment. >> reporter: get your storm breaker axes ready. >> hey, i was just calling you.

>> reporter: chris hemsworth is back in action as thor, god of thunder, for the fourth installment of marvel studios' hit franchise "thor: love and thunder." >> what's it been, three, four years? >> 8 years, 7 months, 6 days, give or take. >> this is really different from all the other thor movies. would you call this a rom-com? >> absolutely, yeah. he pitched it to me, said he wanted to make a romantic comedy set in spice, a wacky world, galactic adventure. >> reporter: this adventure finds thor on an uncharted journey to find inner peace. >> my superheroing days are over. >> reporter: he's thwarted when a galactic killer played by christian bale seeks to make the gods extinct. >> you are not like the other gods i've killed. you've got something worth fighting for. >> reporter: to combat the threat, thor enlists the help of trio of characters including valkyrie played by tessa thompson, korg, voiced by the film's director, taika waititi,

and the ex-girlfriend played by natalie portman reprising the iconic role. >> it's color we need? bring the rainbow. >> bring the rainbow, is that a catch phrase or something? >> what was this cast like? >> amazing, yeah. i started this journey with natalie 10, 11 years ago. and to team up again now and have her be the mighty thor was incredible. and again, unique and different. christian bale, he comes in, blew us all away as you'd expect. but was the sweet, humble, kind, collaborative human that you'd want on a set. >> reporter: after more than a decade playing thor this new film adds another layer to the marvel superhero, going from dad bod to god bod. >> let's see who you are, i'll take off your disguise, and flick! >> you flicked too hard, dammit! >> how do you make the transformation? >> there was a body suit for the

slightly kind of out of shape version of thor. and then for normal thor, it was just training. i did nothing but train and eat and train and see what i could do to my body and got into the best shape i've ever been in. and then had to maintain that for four months, which was pretty difficult. >> reporter: disney is the parent company of marvel and abc. the movie was also a family affair for the 38-year-old actor. his 10-year-old daughter, india rose, and 8-year-old twin sons, tristan and sasha, have small roles in the film. but being a superhero does not always translate at home. >> my daughter the other day said to me, she's into wildlife and animals, so on. a friend of ours does wildlife rescue. and she said, "why don't you have a cool job like mark does?" i'm like, i'm playing superheroes. "that's pretend, what about

doing real stuff?" can't win, can you? >> this was her first, the debut? what was that like? >> it was great. it started off as a tiny little role. and i said to ti, maybe my daughter could do it. then i shot on an iphone the scene, and it evolved to more and more, she did a great job. incredibly proud. my kids all played a small part in this film, they're all in it somewhere. >> have they seen the movie yet? are they impressed by their roles in the movie? >> my daughter is a little -- she cringes at it. as i think you would. i don't, i think she's wonderful. but as a young kid, to see yourself on the screen is pretty daunting. >> reporter: in 2014, hemsworth and his wife elsa pataky, married for the last 12 years, moved their family from hollywood back to native australia. >> we have a farm lifestyle, a

bunch of animals and horses, so on. spend most of the time outdoors. that's kind of how i grew up too. >> is there anything you would tell that teenager now, if you could, about this crazy world in hollywood that maybe he didn't know back then? >> yeah, i put a lot of pressure on myself, you know, to do the things that i wanted to do, to help my family and so on. i'd tell him to relax, that it's all going to be okay, enjoy it and have fun. you know. let go, it's all cool. >> reporter: and now with over 25 film credits to his name, hemsworth has come a long way from the teen who wasn't sure he'd be able to make a career out of acting, something he wanted to do to try and help his parents out financially. >> i remember talking to my dad once. asking him when that payoff, the bank, the house loan. he said, "never, i'll do it till the day i die." i remember the day, the first big paycheck i had, i got their account number off my brother and i said, i'm going to put some money in their account to pay off the house. and i remember pulling over on the side of the road in london when i was shooting, and both my parents just in tears.

my dad not really understanding what had happened. i said, "you're done, that's it, you don't owe anyone anything anymore, it's all good." >> i think that's every kid's dream. that's awesome. >> yeah. >> thanks to zohreen. up next, remembering the legendary actor james caan. foe intense about hydration. neutrogena® hydro boost lightweight. fragrance-free. 48 hour hydration. for that healthy skin glow. neutrogena®. for people with skin. does your plug-in fade too fast? try febreze fade defy plug. for that healthy skin glow. it has built-in technology to digitally control how much scent is released to smell first day fresh for 50 days. la la la la la.

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♪ james caan's acting career spanned six decades, but he remains best known perhaps for "the godfather" which premiered 50 years ago. born in new york city in 1940, his father, a butcher who escaped nazi germany, james caan would go on to star in iconic roles for six decades.

>> come here. >> perhaps the most famous, the ruthless and quick-tempered mobster sonny corleone in "the godfather," 1972. >> what did he say? ba-da-beep, ba-da-boop. he wants us to send michael here a proposition. the promise is that the deal is so good that we can't refuse, hey. >> incredibly versatile, playing tough guys and sensitive roles, playing opposite john wayne in 1966 in the western "el dorado." tens of millions would watch him play real-life chicago bears running back brian piccolo in the 1971 tv movie "brian's song. >> i'll see you tomorrow. >> if you say so. >> his roles over the years, prolific. >> i'm your number one fan. >> 1990's "misery," the obsessed fan played by kathy bates. >> i don't know what you're talking about. >> is this what you're looking for? >> dad! >> in his later years, 2003's

christmas movie "elf" with will ferrell. >> i think we should call security. >> good idea. >> i like to whisper too! >> in 2017, "the godfather" cast reuniting in the tribeca film festival. al pacino writing, "jimmy was my fictional brother and my lifelong friend." that's "nightline." watch full episodes on hulu. see you back here at the same time tomorrow. thanks so much for staying up with us. good night, america.