good morning, america. it's our second hour. cross-country winter storms. 31 states under weather alerts from california to maine. the northeast right now in the fst resprs. we're tracking the latest across the country. this morning the latest on two controversial tennessee bills signed into law. the state now banning transgender health care for minors and restricting drag performances in public. the white house calling this unnecessary and dangerous. the potentially explosive reaction from the aclu this morning.

"gma" health alert. a new study on sleep and diet. can better quality sleep make it easier to stick to a weight loss regimen? and how many hours do you really need? dr. sutton joins us live to break it down. ♪ how you like me now ♪ start your engines. formula 1 is back. why the motorsport is soaring in popularity. plus, the tiny expert with his predictions this season. >> i can't wait for this season. >> and what fans can expect at the first qualifying race in bahrain. ♪ it's "gma's" road to the oscars. we're gearing up for hollywood's biggest night, how to watch all ten best picture nominees in a week. plus, the inside look at belgium's foreign feature "close," the director and stars on the power of friendship. the movie garnering buzz ahead of the ceremony. ♪ dance with me tonight ♪ and, of course, our top tips

on how to throw an award winning viewing party from decor to snacks. we have it all this morning as we say, good morning, america. ♪ good morning, america. we were just talking about cookies. >> nothing gets you going on a saturday like some cookies. >> nothing gets you going. >> snacks. >> so great to have you with us on this saturday morning. we are just under a week away from the 95th annual academy awards, and we have all the ways to prepare for the big night. whit, you're going to be on the red carpet. >> i'm going to be on the red carpet. >> you'll be fancy. >> yes, i was coming to both of you for some advice on like tuxedos and bow ties. >> we're working with you. >> if he doesn't look good it's not our fault. >> for sure. we're also celebrating women's history month with special "deals & steals." all deals devoted to women owned small businesses. tory johnson is here with big bargains on gardening gifts, tech gadgets, home goods. i see some poo-pourri.

so much more coming up. >> we have a lot to look forward there. we have a lot of news to get to starting with that massive winter storm stretching across a third of the country. 60 million americans from coast to coast on alert for extreme weather right now. we have meteorologist somara theodore standing by with the latest forecast in just a minute. but first let's go back to demarco morgan in san bernardino, california, where rescue efforts are under way as the same storm caused communities to be buried under massive piles of snow. demarco, good morning once again. >> reporter: whit, good morning to you. those rescue efforts will continue today. the problem is those side streets and those driveways that are leading up to the homes are still covered in snow leaving residents the director of maintenance says they are making progress. they have already removed more than 2.6 million cubic yards of snow. this morning, families in san bernardino county desperately pleading for help, trapped in their homes for more than a week. this desperate message in the snow saying help us as the storm

cuts off families from aid. a california national guard joint task force going door to door in lake arrowhead. one man being forced to dig under the mountain of snow covering his driveway and car. >> this is my car down here. >> so this is one example of what many of the families are dealing with up here in crestline. so as you can see, we've got about eight foot of snow piled up here. >> reporter: one family telling abc news that they only have a few days before they run out of propane leaving them with no heat. >> i assume that we're going to be in some pretty dark times here. it's cold. it gets really cold at night. >> reporter: authorities plowing roads ensuring residents get the supplies they need. >> residents who are still trapped, if you have food and water, please remain sheltered in place. >> reporter: some residents haven't been able to reach their loved ones. >> my wife is up there alone and it's been stressful, mentally.

>> reporter: with the snow melting comes the threat of avalanches. officials say there are no immediate concerns. they're just erring on the side of caution. whit? >> they are not accustomed to that amount of snow in that part of southern california. demarco, thank you so much. let's turn now to abc meteorologist somara theodore with the very latest. somara, good morning. >> good morning. yeah, so we're tracking storms from coast to coast and just yesterday, we had the severe weather move through the south, and they had a major component of winds. if you haven't been able to reach your family in kentucky, this might be why. take a look. this is versailles, kentucky. power lines down. here we have a trampoline moving into another yard and then roofs being ripped off. wind gusts reaching 60 to 80 miles per hour. that storm is now tracked into the northeast. it's no longer severe but it is a winter storm bringing heavy snow into parts of new england through this afternoon.ok u ilha tget thfoca eva, over to you. >> all right, thank you. now on to tennessee and governor bill lee's new law

banning gender affirming care for minors. the governor also passed another law that makes it illegal to perform drag shows in public. abc's ike ejiochi is in washington with more. good morning, ike. >> reporter: good morning. the white house is calling this law dangerous and unacceptable, especially during a time lgbtq americans are facing higher risks of violence. tennessee is now the first state to restrict drag performances in public. now, under the new law any person who engages in what's being called an adult cabaret performance on public property or anywhere it can be viewed by a minor will face charges. now, the bill singles out performers labeled as topless dancers, go-go dancers, exotic dancers, strippers or similar entertainers. governor bill lee also signed the bill banning transgender health care for people under the age of 18. now, a slew of right wing and conservative backlash prompted the bills, but drag performers and other advocates say their shows are being misconstrued as sexual.

now, the human rights commission has come out and said these laws are an attempt to ban queer spaces in culture. going on to say that it's a move to push lgbtq people back into the closet. the aclu announcing they are suing the state. meanwhile, the white house responding. press secretary karine jean-pierre blasting the bills calling them dangerous and unnecessary, going on to say lawmakers should instead focus on issues that are impacting americans and that president biden will always have the backs of vulnerable communities. back to you. >> a lot of passion surrounding that conversation. ike, thank you for that update. now to more bad news for people who use the medicine albuterol to treat their breathing problems. there are new fears this morning that an ongoing shortage of the widely prescribed inhaler could possibly get worse. this after a major supplier has reportedly shut down a number of manufacturing facilities. experts say the timing could not be worse as we head into the spring allergy season, of course, so that's going to impact a lot of people.

coming up here on our "gma morning menu," a new study on how better quality sleep could help people stick to a weight loss plan. dr. darien sutton is live with what you need to know. also ahead, start your engines. formula 1 is back. what to expect as the season kicks off this weekend. >> vroom-vroom. plus, we're in "gma's" cookie lab. "new york times" food journalist vaughn vreeland joins us with the secrets to making the ultimate chocolate chip cookie. this is gog ki t. idt. is he looking at my hairline? is plaque psoriasis making you rethink your everyday choices? otezla is a pill, not a cream or injection that can help people with plaque psoriasis achieve clearer skin. and no routine blood tests required. don't use otezla if you're allergic to it. serious allergic reactions can happen. otezla may cause severe diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting.

some people taking otezla had depression, suicidal thoughts, or weight loss. upper respiratory tract infection and headache may occur. doctors have been prescribing otezla for over 8 years. don't hesitate. ask your doctor about otezla today. i never get tired of this. making angel soft... ...strong... ...and... ...soft! it's like magic. every time. angel soft. soft and strong. simple. ♪ "give it to me" by timbaland ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ hold me closer ♪ welcome back to "gma." >>welce back t"gowisn hollywbig our friend jove meyer is here. he's helping us. look at him get crafty. >> wow. >> tips on how to throw an award worthy watch party. that's coming up.

go, jove. >> we were just talking about my tuxedo, but look at that. >> come on. >> doing it. >> all right, we will talk to him soon. i got to step up my game before oscars, hollywood's biggest night as they call it. coming up here our "gma" cover story, this new study finds that better quality sleep may make it easier to follow through with weight loss and diet goals. abc news medical contributor dr. darien sutton is here to break down what you need to know. dr. sutton, good morning to you. so, i think for a lot of us it's a bit obvious here in the fact that i know if i don't get sleep, then i don't go to the gym and i sit around and eat potato chips all day. but what does this study actually tell us? what are the results? >> whit, you pretty much summed up the study. we know diets are relatively difficult. unfortunately, the success rate of a diet is slim to none, especially six months after you start that new plan or resolution. this study shows how much sleep you get may determine how well you stick to your diet. in this preliminary data they found that those that had

regular and uninterrupted sleep met their calorie goals with a success rate of approximately 40% at the six-month time mark. they also found that those that had regular good quality sleep also were more likely to attend general counseling sessions and tended to trend higher in terms of daily physical activity. >> it's like starting with the good sleep and then everything else can fall into place. we know sleep affects so much more beyond just our diet or weight. why else is it so important? >> well, first i want to say this is an association study so we don't necessarily know the cause and effect. we do know the history of the research behind good sleep. we know sleep helps us with something called our glycemic control and insulin resistance decreasing our risk of diabetes. w also know that sleep helps us reduce our risk of anxiety as well as depression and found numerous studies associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease overall. so we can never escape the power of sleep. >> we ask you this and have asked you before, but based on

this study and other recommendations, exactly how much sleep should we be trying to get each night? >> well, the american health association recommends that we as adults get at least seven to nine hours of sleep every single night and the goal here, whit, is getting regular and uninterrupted sleep. so other things that you can do when trying to increase that quality are going to bed at the same time every night. of course, staying off your electronic devices and avoiding excessive food and alcohol, specifically certain foods like spicy foods can increase your risk of gerd or reflux and high protein and high fat diets right before you sleep can cause you more likely to wake up and you want to avoid aged cheeses and aged meats because, again, those can cause you to wake up in the middle of the night. >> great advice, dr. sutton, we always appreciate it. thank you so much. >> those cheeses and meats are so good. >> i know. you want to eat the cheese. >> you do have a hard time with sleep so i hope that helps you. >> i do. the seven to nine hours is still tough, but the tips i do utilize and it does work. >> we all try, right? well, turning to the 2023 formula 1 season, which

officially gets under way tomorrow at the bahrain grand prix race. there's a lot of buzz in the u.s. on this sport that has been growing in popularity. take a look at a preview of what we can expect this season. this morning, the world's fastest sport returning to the racetrack. >> it's lights out and away we go. >> reporter: formula 1 starting a new season in bahrain hours away from the qualifying round where 20 drivers will fight for pole position in the first race of the year on sunday. 2023 stacking up to be an epic season on the circuit. f1 welcoming the first american driver, logan sergeant to the grid since 2015. and this november, the motorsports set to race down the las vegas strip. superfan and 14-year-old expert sam wyatt making his predictions for the season. >> well, i think red bull and ferrari will be the fastest as they were last year. i think they're the best cars on the grid. mercedes probably third,

although aston martin have been extremely fast during testing and the start his race weekend so i would throw them in the mix. >> reporter: the sport's popularity growing to include more fans like sam after the release of the docu-series, "drive to survive," in 2019. this week the show's fifth season making its return to streaming parking in its netflix top ten all weekend long bringing behind-the-scenes drama and its growing fan base along for the ride. >> it's probably the speed and drama and just how, oh, what's going to happen? he's going so fast. is he going to crash? what an overtake. just all the excitement that happens and the atmosphere is great. everyone gets involved and everyone loves it. >> wait a second. i'm talking. >> are we playing to the cameras here? i think this is probably better off camera than -- >> no, i don't care. [ laughter ]

>> tune in tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. eastern time on espn and espn+ for the formula one gulf air bahrain grand prix 2023. now over to abc meteorologist somara theodore for a check of the weather. oh, that looks cold. >> yeah, man, you know, here's a visual juxtaposition for you. take a look. this is snow on cacti in tucson, arizona. it's not uncommon to see snow in some of the higher elevations but it came pretty low and saw from one to four inches of snow. this wintrwes en impacting much of the country and our neighbors, our friends and family out west are gearing up for another storm. here's a look right now as it pushes through this afternoon. we're expecting more snow in areas that have already received copious amounts of snow. the sierra nevadas into salt lake city, along the coastline some rain. then this tracks in on monday morning into the great lakes and parts of the northern plains, areas like minneapolis. and as far as totals go, we could see anywhere from four to five feet of snow. that's a look at the weather across the country. let's see what's going on a little closer to home. what's g little closer to home.

my girl tory. my girl tory. it is time now for a special edition of "deals & steals." we are honoring women's history month with products coming from women-owned businesses. just point your phone's camera at the qr code to go right to the stte g srt e thttidro eyreors.s et" >>'maddie. >> i'm courtney. >> we are two teachers who

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you. this one here, you got -- what did you say, if you have a little deejay act.l, how much t have? [ laughter ] >> do you see that? you got the microphone and then right up there is the little speaker that goes with it. of course, get your little selfie light going. >> getting my tiktok together. >> there you go, look at that. i know you're very popular on social media now so this will up your game. all of these products, if you like tech, there's something here for you. this is a macaroon but a power bank, hand warmer and mirror all in one. the products are fabulous from this company. it's all created by women. i think that you should buy this little cat lamp for dan harris. a little clip-on cat lamp. all these products range from 10 to $40. >> little cat lamp for our favorite little guy. >> something more serious here created by a doctor. this is all about her patented technology that uses cryovibration. so i've got an example for you right here. if you had some wrist or elbow

pain, if you feel that against you -- >> whoa. >> you've got cold and vibration that helps to treat pain on contact. it's a drug-free solution. so elbow, wrist, foot, there's even an option for plantar faiis, kne ale.2 33.>>tho- >> they've changed their name to pourri because they do more now than just in the bathroom. i'll turn that off. that's okay. >> this is for pets. >> options for pets, home as well as a variety of areas in your house. so air, fabric, toilets, pets. they have a solution for you and it doesn't just mask the odor, it eliminates the odor and obviously that's better. >> yes. >> these sets they've created start at $21.50. >> did you hear that, whit? it doesn't mask the odor, it eliminates it. >> thank you. >> yep. >> for my children. >> good clarification for him.

>> yes. >> okay. flowers make life prettier. gifts that bloom makes it easy to grow those flowers indoors. so you've got these perfectly curated kits with everything right in here to enable you to start immediately. >> grow flowers? >> yes. biodegradable pot, soil, seeds and the planting instructions. five different kits. these are great for any occasion or just because. $9 to $10. these are really fun. good to have around as gifts. then this is very fun. this is inspire by imagination starters. these are chalkboard place mats and boards so there's just enough space you can use as a place empmat. this is really just a fun activity. but there's not too much blank space where like you stress because you can't be that creative. they kind of guide you. these are great to make better

charcuterie boards, fun for entertaining, fun even to take with kids when you're going out to dinner and you need to keep them busy. this is a phenomenal woman-owned company and the markers are great, $3.50 to $19. >> just enough room for my kids to write, i'm not eating anything you cooked. >> there you go. >> thank you so much, tory. just kidding. you know i don't cook. we partnered with all these companies with these great deals. just point your cell phone at the qr code or go to the website goodmorningamerica.com to get these bargains. coming up, there's still time to watch all ten movies nominated for best picture at this year's oscars. we break it all down. stick around. bargains. coming up, there's still time to watch all ten movies nominated for best picture at this year's oscars. we break it all down. stick around. i'm a vegas hotel. i know what you're thinking - it's cool, i don't want anything too serious either.

just a fun, spontaneous thing. i'm looking for someone who will let loose. dress up a little. see a show. order the steak and the lobster. some people say i'm excessive, but who cares. i'm just looking for a saturday to remember, and a sunday by the pool. think you can keep up? (bridget) with thyroid eye disease i hid from the camera. and i wanted to hide from the world. for years, i thought my t.e.d. was beyond help... but then i asked my doctor about tepezza. (vo) tepezza is the only medicine that treats t.e.d. at the source not just the symptoms. in a clinical study more than 8 out of 10 patients taking tepezza had less eye bulging. tepezza is an infusion. patients taking tepezza may have infusion reactions. tell your doctor right away if you experience high blood pressure, fast heartbeat, shortness of breath or muscle pain.

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♪ welcome back to "gma" and on the road ing warusve aeek ♪ this is what i live for ♪ welcome back to "gma" and on the road to the oscars this morning we are just over a week away from hollywood's biggest night, which means there is still time to watch all ten best picture nominees. here is megan ryte. good morning. we're all getting caught up. >> listen, take off work. don't do anything, just watch it, okay. it is officially oscar season, so if you are unsure of whether you've watched everything you need to, don't worry, i've got your back. i sat down with "people's" jeremy parsons to give us a breakdown of the must-see movies in the big categories. take a look. this year's best picture category, flying high with ten movies up for the top prize taking audiences all the way to pandora and back.

>> whoo! >> oscars, we are just one week away. >> can you believe it? starting with the good news, there are three movies that were actual box office hits that are best picture nominees. so you look at "avatar," james cameron, the big comeback. this movie did over $2 billion. it's now the third highest grossing movie of all time. "top gun: maverick," which is dripping in nostalgia. >> i just want to manage expectations. >> tom cruise back on the scene. it's going to be fun to see him at the oscars. then we have "elvis" which became this break-out hit. huge moment for austin butler. >> a lot of people are saying a lot of things but in here you got to listen to yourself. >> reporter: after checking off the big blockbusters, time to curl up on the couch hitting play on the double features sure to maximize your movie time. >> let's start with the big epic war movie "all quiet on the western front." warning for you, it is brutal. it's honest. it's such an incredible feat of

cinema. then maybe, you want to the mood. maybe you need a stiff drink. let's go down to the irish public. "the banshees of inisherin," this is about two men who have a friendship that falls apart. colin ferrell, a favorite to win. >> you liked me yesterday. >> oh, did i, yeah. >> i thought you did. >> it's a vulnerable character for him. a soft, vulnerable colin farrell which i think a lot loved. >> reporter: then to the next two nominated movies peeling back the curtain on two oscar favorites. >> we know one thing about the academy, for sure. they love movies about moviemaking. "the fabelmans" celebrates steven spielberg. it's the kid that gets a camera and falls in love with movie making. doing a double feature let's stay in the theme and we go to the other end of the emotional spectrum. "tar." heavy, intense, psychological. drama. cate blanchett possibly the performance of her career nominated and a front-runner for best actress for sure.

>> as random and subjective as this award is, it means a great deal. >> reporter: hitting the homestretch and the final doubleheader -- >> the oscars are not afraid and take pride in honoring movies that take on tough subject matter. "women talking" about a group of women, frances mcdormand, claire foy, an isolated religious sect enduring horrendous abuse and what they need to do, what they decide to do to take it on. >> do nothing. >> stay and fight. >> leave. >> then to the other end of the spectrum, light and comedic, "triangle of sadness," very bizarre movie, sort of this comedic look at this incredibly luxurious lifestyle that turns into a fight for survival so gets kind of wild and big twists and turns. >> this is really bad. this is really, really bad. >> reporter: and last but certainly not least the film that cleaned up at last weekend's screen actors guild awards. >> are you with us?

>> i'm just going to say it. "everything everywhere all at once," and we're not pairing this with any other movie. this is a movie you watch it by itself and it has the most unique momentum of any movie for award season. dare i predict it wins best picture? i do. >> i think you should. i'm very excited for michelle yeoh. >> in a role that no one could have predicted. she took the chance, the filmmakers took the chance and they nailed it. >> i'm excited to watch this year's oscars and i will be prepared. we have one week to catch up so watch everything. the 95th oscars will air march . >> so that's the calendar right there, we should map it out. >> yes. >> i love that. >> plan your schedule. >> i've been preparing. i have seen almost all of them so there are a few. definitely most of the best pictures except for one and then i'm working on the other. >> by next weekend. >> by next weekend. >> he's taking his glasses -- >> exactly. coming up our oscar prep continues. jove meyer is here with tips on

how to throw an award worthy watch party. i've already been in those gummi bears, guys. bears, guys. hey. (whisper yelling) jake from state farm! we have to know. yes. these are state farm pajamas. no, what if we have to talk to somebody about our policy but it's late at night? call us 24/7. great, because what if someone still calls his mom for everything? we'll walk you through everything, at state farm we're there for your “what ifs". yeah mom, everything is great...yeah...i mean not my mom. like a good neighbor, state farm is there. call or click to get a quote today. this is going to be great. taking the shawl off. like a good neighbor, state farm is there. ok i did it. is he looking at my hairline? is plaque psoriasis making you rethink your everyday choices? otezla is a pill, not a cream or injection that can help people with plaque psoriasis achieve clearer skin. and no routine blood tests required. don't use otezla if you're allergic to it.

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back now on the road to the oscars. you look great, whit. we are joined by party planning expert jove meyer for some tips on how to throw the ultimate oscars party. this is our super bowl. sos f we're starting with a little friendly competition and a way to get everything involved. oscar ballots. >> 100%. if you're going to have an oscars party, you have to have ballots. i also think you have to have prizes because people want to win something. >> yes, they do. >> whether you go to the dollar store and get cheeky prizes or nice gift cards it incentivizes people to play along and fun. also, colorful markers, i think it just makes voting more exciting. >> yes. >> you want to make sure everyone puts their name on their ballots so they can't change their mind and steal someone else's as the results are announced. >> these are nice ballots. >> your friends are clearly like my friends. >> there's a gift card, that's fine. >> exactly. >> so 100% and print it on nice paper. these are people you love.

>> people get into the categories. >> 100%. >> do it at the start before the drinks. >> love that. >> yeah. >> before the drinks. >> fill out the ballot then the drinks and the snacks. we'll talk about this. we need to keep people fed. you have a creative way to do it. >> what's a party without a snack? some want sweet and some want savory. popcorn is my absolute favorite because you can dress it with both. >> who wants to help me? are you a sweet or savory girl? >> sweet. >> for sweet definitely just fill it in with whatever you want, with savory we do a little pepper, a little salt and you make a popcorn bar so everyone can have -- oh, okay. >> eva likes the chocolate. >> i'm here with my pinkie up. she's -- >> wow. >> whoa. >> hello. >> go for it. >> want to toss it? >> yeah, toss that popcorn. add a little bit more. you know, there we go. >> all sunk to the bottom. >> savory. >> but the goal is for people to have fun and eat and celebrate and it's, yeah, there we go. >> a little more. whatever.

>> she's going for it. i love it. >> it wouldn't be a party celebrating hollywood's biggest night without, you know, your own little red carpet situation. >> you have to have a photo booth moment. everyone enters and i encourage you to dress up, right? you have to come to the party as if -- >> the bow tie. >> to the party, i hear you're wearing a bow tie? i am going to wear a bow tie. >> we encourage a diy backdrop. >> can we cut off eva too? >> no. you just keep eating. we're going to get some foam from the dollar store. we're going to cut it into triangles. do not use scissors with that. you want to use an exacto knife. >> yes. >> cut out the triangles. looking great over then you cut out some oscars and glue them on top. look at this simple triangle. every room has a white wall. tape them on in a fun pattern and get a beautiful backdrop. everyone can pose. take your selfies then when you're the winner, you know, you

can brag about it on social media. >> when you're the winner, show us how you'll pose. >> don't look at me. harold has it nailed. >> we see harold every morning and acts like we look amazing. >> and we have no make-up on. >> you're the best. thank you so much. let's go over to somara with the latest on the weather. >> all right, we're going to head to florida. good morning, grandma charlotte. that's my friend's grandma. i don't know if i'm allowed to do shoutouts. we'll pretend since it's my first day. lauderdale-by-the sea, this is a live shot out there. temperatures in the 70s, what a sight to see after seeing so much snow. things have been so warm in the southeast and it'll stay warm for the next few days. down in florida, 90 degrees today for a high in orlando. even out to areas like memphis in the 70s by monday, but that is going to change. winter is not over yet, baby. we are talking about cold air moving into the southeast below average between march 11th and the 17th. that's a look at your forecast. let'

well, now to a movie nominated for an oscar for best international feature that has struck a chord worldwide. zohreen shah is here with the inside look at belgium's "close." good morning, zohreen. >> reporter: hey, good morning, eva. we're at the dolby theatre and, eva, this theater is going to look a lot different in just one week and three of the newcomers on the red carpet will be the director and the stars of the movie "close." it is a look at a complicated friendship that takes a dramatic twist. >> go. >> reporter: it's the oscar nominee from belgium with a universal message. >> i think the movie is about the tenderness, the closeness of friendship. >> reporter: through the stories of leo, played by eden dambrine,

and remi, played by gustav de waele, the director, lukas dhont, shows how their incredible closeness takes a dramatic twist after classmates question their relationship. it shows how the closeness between many boys disappears as they grow older. [ speaking non-english ] >> reporter: the inspiration came from an american researcher who shows how young teen boys initially gave testimonies of love about each other, but that quickly changes. >> as these boys grow older and she asks these questions again at 15, 17, 18, we see and we notice how so many of them start to distance themselves from that language. >> when you go to high school, those friendships, yeah, they collapse a bit. if we could do something, it has to change. >> reporter: perfectly encapsulating that idea landed

"close" in a competitive race for best international feature. this image shows gustave and eden on a video call with each other celebrating the movie's oscar nomination. but "close" is actually the farthest thing from your typical hollywood movie. >> we knew we had to find two actors who would probably have never acted before. >> reporter: lukas found his star actor when he least expected it. during a train ride. >> and then i look next to me and i see this young angel sitting there talking to his friends, very expressive. there was just a fire in his eyes that really marked me. there was an -- there was a sort of for me already world hiding behind it. >> do you go back and think about this? what if i didn't get on that train that day? >> well, every day i -- normally my mom always told me i didn't have to talk to strangers.

i was a bit worried. i was like this on my seat. >> reporter: being in the right seat at that moment changed his life and it led all of them on a ride of a lifetime. >> i think we never realize what is going to turn big. we never realized that we would be at and win so many prizes and going to the oscars is huge. >> reporter: definitely huge. but the big question, will it be as fun as their rehearsals? okay, they barely rehearsed. they went on walks together. they went go-karting. they made and ate pancakes. they spent a lot of time together. they literally got close and good way to get ready for work. janai? >> andit>>00 >> thank you, zohreen. coming up, the "gma" cookie lab cracking the code for the perfect chocolate chip cookie. stick around. stick around. ♪ yeah, you got that yummy yum ♪ ugh covid-19? and being overweight makes it more risky. i'm calling my doctor. if it's covid, paxlovid.

authorized for emergency use, paxlovid is an oral treatment for people 12 and up... who have mild-to-moderate covid-19 and have a high-risk factor for it becoming severe. my symptoms are mild now, but i'm not waiting. if it's covid, paxlovid. having even one risk factor, like being over 50, diabetes, or smoking increases your chances of severe covid. taken within five days of symptoms, paxlovid reduced the risk of developing severe covid-19 by 86%. paxlovid may strengthen or weaken other medicines. taking it with certain medicines may cause life threatening side effects or affect how paxlovid works. so it's critical to tell your doctor about all medicines you take including herbal supplements, because lab tests or changing the dose of your medicines may be needed. tell your doctor if you have any serious illnesses, allergies, liver or kidney disease, are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, are breastfeeding, or use birth control. paxlovid may affect how your birth control works. don't take paxlovid if you're allergic to nirmatrelvir, ritonavir, or any of its ingredients.

serious side effects can include allergic reactions, liver problems, and issues with hiv medicines. other side effects include altered taste, diarrhea, high blood pressure, muscle aches, abdominal pain, nausea, and feeling unwell. with my asthma, i knew it could be riskier. if it's covid, paxlovid. ask your doctor or pharmacist if paxlovid is right for you. that rocking chair would look great in our new house. new house, eh? well, you should definitely see how geico could help you save on homeowners insurance. nice tip. i'll give you two bucks for the chair. two?! that's a victorian antique! all right, how much for the recliner, then? wait wait... how did that get out here? that is definitely not for sale! is this a yard sale? if it's in the yard then it's...

both: for sale. oh, here we go. geico. it's easy to switch and save on homeowners and renters insurance. (swords clashing) it's-had enough?tch an-no... arthritis.ers here. aspercreme arthritis. full prescription-strength? reduces inflammation? thank the gods. don't thank them too soon. kick pain in the aspercreme. all right, the moment we've been waiting for all morning long. we are back and opening up the

cookie lab to put one of the most popular chocolate chip cookie recipes on the internet and some of its variations to the test and we've got vaughn vreeland from "the new york ty times" to help walk us through it. vaughan, good morning to you. >> good morning. >> it's great to have -- this recipe, five star, more than 15,000 reviews online. let's start with the classic version here. >> yes, this is definitely "the new york times" most iconic recipe. >> okay. >> this right here was dough that i made and i chilled in the refrigerator for about 24 hours. >> chill. >> so that's a very important thing. you got to chill your cookie dough in order to have the best texture and best flavor. the flour has a chance to hydrate in the refrigerator and you just get a little bit more of an interesting cookie in the end. >> wow. >> whereas here if you want to try the difference. this is dough that was not chilled so you can kind of see. when we test recipes, we always try to kind of have like the control and then the variable. >> taste tester. >> the chilled one is better.

>> yy'rego. g when y he ant chips like that -- >> that's another really important part is chocolate that is not an actual chocolate chip. these are actually things call feve, tempered chocolate that doesn't have a coating on it. actually when you buy a chocolate chip from the grocery store it has a coating that help keep its shape when it bakes, but that melts throughout the cookie pretty evenly. >> that's so interesting. i would never guess that. let's try the tweaks you did. what is the -- well, how about this one, the brown butter cookie. >> this is a brown butter cookie. so basically the same exact recipe but i just put the butter on the stove until it browned and then i added it in. >> why does that make such a big difference? >> it's kind of like baking's version of adding umami to something. it adds a nutty flavor and, uh, what is that. i added milk chocolate to that. this is my ultimate cookie. >> this is amazing. >> the ultimate cookie. better put that on. okay.

>> a sugar cookie with chocolate chips in it. this is delicious. >> and then this is the gluten-free version. at the beginning of the pandemic we were like, oh, we need versions for everybody, so we developed a great gluten-free anticipate vegan version you can find on nyt cooking. >> what's the favorite? i'm chewing. >> for me it's the brown butter. that nutty flavor. >> so good. same. i like the milk chocolate as well. >> i'm going with the classic chill. i like to chill. you know, so with a cookie. >> you're a pretty chill guy. >> yea >> so i hear. so i hear. >> two for the brown butter, one for the chill. >> you should try the gluten-free. you wouldn't be able to tell. >> really? >> yeah. >> okay. i'll eat a fourth cookie. >> all right, fine. >> vaughn, thank you so much. we appreciate it. >> thank you. >> we get to eat cookies this morning and you can too. this iconic cookie recipe is on nyt cooking and you can find even more recipes on "good morning america." >> popcorn?

>> i'm taking this with me. >> eva's going to work here. >> she's been busy. >> popcorn bar already cut her off. we'll be

we we are so glad to -- thank you again, vaughn. >> thank you for having me. >> really appreciate that and we are thrilled to have somara theodore, our newest meteorologist join the team. welcome. you did incredible and the cookies are a great way to celebrate this morning. a lot to celebrate.

we will be here tomorrow. thank you guys so much for pwat. see you then. ♪ come wake me up ♪ ♪ i've been dreaming of you ♪ ♪ come wake me up ♪ ♪

-- by the end of the year. there is some pushback from officials, other city leaders who say there are legal concerns. in nearly one month, california's mask rules are changing. according to new information from the department of public health. masks will no longer be required in indoor high risk and health care settings. it includes health care, long-term care, and correctional facilities, and homeless or emergency and cooling centers. wearing a mask will still be recommended. let's get a check of the rain on the way. >> watching a cold front to the north. hail well to the north. thunderstorms offshore. cold air in place. looking at the radar filling in. you can see the rain offshore. wet weather. look how dark it looks from ballmer pink. 50 in oakland and

and san jose. south winds ahead of the system with upper 40's. a mild start. the front marching to the and east and sweeping through the south bay. behind it, the cold air filters in, can see a chance of a thunderstorm. we will detail it further coming up. >> a southbay suspect accused of multiple pg&e and transformer blas. the developments has officers will be on scene for days sorting through explosive material. you're a night manager and mom, and the bill payer, baker, and nightlight maker? that's a lot. so, adding “and student” might feel daunting. but what if a school could be there for all of you? career, family, finances and mental health. -happy birthday! -happy birthday buddy.

well, it can. national university. supporting the whole you.

>> building a better bay area, moving forward, finding solutions. this is abc7 news. >> arrested and charged. what we are learning about the man accused of multiple explosions in the south bay is authorities describe his home as an inactivemore rain expected te through the bay area through the weekend. it is saturday, march 4. that is what we are tracking today. dry, but rain on the way. >> felt nice to have the 40's overnight. we are looking at the colder air moving in. rain associated with the system to the north. looking at marin county, a few