[ cheers and applause ] this is nightline. >> tonight. murder for hire. >> i am the daughter of wanda holloway, the notorious pom pom mom. >> this was a major tabloid trial. even before most of the

tabloid trials that we think of. it happened. >> a middle school cheerleader in texas whose mother went to extreme lengths to make sure she made the team. >> is it fair to say that your mom wanted cheerleading squad for you more than you did? >> the shocking plot, even inspiring an hbo dark comedy starring holly hunter? >> how much would it cost to have somebody put down the jaw dropping conversation? >> shannon says she kept private for so long. plus, a complete unknown actor, timothee chalamet from the blockbuster dune franchise. >> you think i'm stupid enough to deprive myself of the best of us? >> stepping into a new role as legendary singer songwriter bob dylan? >> i knew little about bob dylan. i fell in love with him. >> the film already receiving big oscar buzz even before it's open. >> i was a non guitar player. i was a non harmonica player before the movie started. >> what the legend himself said about chalamet performance and carpool karaoke. dua lipa's got new rules. chappell roan rise to

the pink pony club and lady gaga stays out of the shallows. i off the deep end, watch as i dive in. >> i'll never meet the ground. >> i'll never meet the ground. >> nightline w when you smell the amazing scent of gain flings... time stops. (♪) and you realize you're in love... steve? with a laundry detergent. (♪) gain flings. seriously good scent. emergen-c crystals pop and fizz when you throw them back. and who doesn't love a good throwback? ♪ now with vitamin d for the dark days of winter.

more@starlight.org. >> good evening. thank you for joining us tonight. it was a crime that captivated the

nation. a shocking murder for hire plot centering around the mother of a texas middle school cheerleader now getting fresh attention. that young girl, now an adult, says decades later, she's ready to share her story. here's nightline co-anchor juju chang. >> i went through this hellacious thing that was not in my control, and it about killed me. and i made it through. and it's still a struggle to this day. >> as a middle schooler, shannon widener landed unwittingly at the center of a shocking murder for hire plot allegedly devised by her own mother. >> the channelview woman charged with hiring a contract murderer to kill the mother of a middle school cheerleader is out on bond. >> today, shannon's mother, wanda holloway, dubbed the pom pom mom, accused of attempting to hire a hitman to take out the mother of shannon's cheerleading rival. >> this was a major tabloid trial even before most of the tabloid trials that we think of. it happened. >> the 1991 case even inspiring

major movies like hbo's black comedy the positively true adventures of the alleged texas cheerleader-murdering mom, starring holly hunter as holloway. >> how much would it cost to have somebody put down? >> now, more than 30 years later, shannon says she's finally learned to move beyond the pain and shame of it all. >> i didn't deal with things from the get go. i just stuffed them down and i found myself on the floor in my kitchen. i missed several days of work, and i was just to the point where i didn't see a reason for being here anymore. >> why come forward now? why rehash it, so to speak? >> because i've gotten to the point that i've healed, and i want to help other people to heal. >> and a new investigation discovery documentary, the texas cheerleader murder plot, is taking a look back at the case through a modern lens. >> my name is shannon. i am the daughter of wanda holloway. the

notorious pom pom mom. and i'm going to tell you the truth about what happened. for the first time growing up in channelview, texas, a suburb of houston, one of her best neighborhood friends and classmates, amber heath. >> amber's mom, verna, was also close with shanna's mom, wanda. >> verna actually helped my mom because she was a single mom and she needed help getting us to school, so. being that verna lived around the corner, she would pick us up, take us to school in the mornings. >> both girls began cheerleading young. how big a deal was? cheerleading? >> apparently, it was a very big deal. and it was kind of how you made your name for yourself. >> there are people who felt that your mom was living vicariously through you. >> i believe that she was pushing me in the direction that she thought i would have the most success for long term. >> the irony was that you didn't really like cheering. >> correct. eventually, at first

i was i was all about it and i was excited to do it. but in time, i realized i was more into dance than cheer, and i didn't quite get the point of cheerleaders. >> for two years in a row, shanna didn't make the cheer team, but amber did. what was that moment like for you to know you're not going to be on the cheerleading team? >> relief. >> not disappointment. >> disappointment. maybe. for all the work that had been put into it and for my mom, but for me not having to go in front of the student body or the judges to try out was a great relief. >> is it fair to say that your mom wanted cheerleading squad for you more than you did? >> i think eventually it became that way. >> according to prosecutors, wanda blamed verna and her daughter amber for squashing her daughter's chances. >> so had she not tried out, i would have been number two. that

didn't happen. and since my mom felt like they didn't play fair, she decided not to play fair either, leading her to allegedly ask her former brother in law, terry harper, to hire a hit man to take out verna. >> mom was allegedly convinced if cheerleading girl's mom gets killed, cheerleader will be so devastated that she won't be able to continue and her daughter will make the team. >> evidence presented in court revealed wanda, even going so far as handing over earrings to terry as alleged payment. but the brother in law had already alerted police. wearing a wire, they secretly recorded shocking conversations. >> 7500 is the most for both of them to be dead. for both of them, that's about 5000 for the girl. okay, 2500 for the mother. yes. >> police went to shanna's house to arrest her mom. >> she goes, am i going to jail? i said, yeah. she said, well,

let me go change clothes. i said, no, ma'am, we got clothes for you downtown. and i said, why don't you tell your daughter that we're taking you down for some hot chicks? because clearly she's not going to understand any of this. >> wanda was accused of solicitation to commit capital murder. the most serious kind of murder one can commit. >> and for the first time, shanna revealing a jaw dropping conversation she says she had with her mom. >> i hid it for so long because if i had said that, then it would seem like i knew more of what was going on than i did. i didn't know what was going on. i knew she had mentioned what if something happened to vern and amber and we didn't have to deal with them anymore? my mind went to a cartoon, and so for a second there, it was kind of funny. and then i was. then i really thought about it like, oh, is she like, serious? and i just remember telling her that, yeah, for sure it would be easier, but obviously that's not okay. and that was that, that conversation or any conversation like that never came up again.

>> in august 1991, wanda holloway's trial began. >> the challenge for prosecutors is that wanda never says the words kill him. it's always the brother in law who's referring to how to do it and what's going to happen. and she responds, and she's answering the questions. but that became a critical question in the case. >> i've gotten in touch with someone for you. okay, but i need to know exactly what you want. >> when you heard the tapes and you've described them as pretty hateful things that your mom said on there, what was your reaction? >> i was devastated. i thought, oh, she's for sure like going away for a long time now. knowing her and knowing how she can be. i had a different perspective, but just thinking of it from someone that didn't know her and didn't know how she was, how horribly awful it sounded. >> did you think she was guilty? >> i think she was guilty of

going to my uncle and even having this conversation with him. as far as do i think that it was ever going to happen? no, i don't. >> but still today, shanna believes that her mom was set up by her uncle, who has since passed away. what makes you believe that's true? >> well, knowing what i know now, i know that my mom tried to get out of the situation that she had put herself in, but was told, if i'm informed correctly, that the hit man would be sent after her and her family if she didn't go through with it. >> wanda holloway was convicted and sentenced to 15 years in prison, but there was yet another plot twist. >> the verdict was overturned because one of the jurors had not disclosed that he had a felony, and she was entitled to a new trial. but rather than going to trial again, she pled no contest and she was resentenced to ten years. and then she only served six months

before she was granted probation. >> to watch a loved one go through something like that, even if they set themselves up for it, it still hurtful. and so i took that pain on as well. >> even though no one was murdered, shanna says there were many hurt by the scheme, including herself. >> i was suffering, i mean that whole heartedly. suffering like it was painful to just be awake. >> you were a kid and yet you blamed the whole thing on yourself. >> well, i figure if i hadn't existed or if i had done better and actually made the team at some point, then none of this would have happened. that's how i viewed it as a child. as an adult, i don't see it that way anymore. and that's part of the part of how i've healed, is accepting that it wasn't in my control. >> today, shanna says she works at keeping a healthy relationship with her mom. >> she's seen what i've gone through, and i think she has a

better understanding now than ever of how it affected me. >> wanda declined to be interviewed or provide comment to abc news after processing her own trauma with self-help and at times with a therapist. shanna is hoping to help others by sharing her story and creating a website with resources. >> i'm doing better, which means if i can do it, i really believe other people can do it as well. there is hope. >> our thanks to juju. the texas cheerleader murder plot premieres wednesday at nine eight central on id. when we come back, timothee chalamet takes on a hard rain in a much more as bob dylan in a brand new more as bob dylan in a brand new biopic. it's a hard, it's a hiv . ♪ good to go binge-watch. ♪ good to go out even later. ♪ with cabenuva,

there's no pausing for daily hiv pills. for adults who are undetectable, cabenuva is the only complete, long-acting hiv treatment you can get every other month. it's two injections from a healthcare provider, as few as 6 times a year. don't take cabenuva if you're allergic to its ingredients, or taking certain medicines, that may interact. serious side effects include allergic reactions or rash, post-injection reactions, liver problems, and depression. if these occur, get medical help right away. tell your doctor about your medicines or supplements, medical conditions, liver or kidney problems, mental health, pregnancy, and breastfeeding. the most common side effect is injection site reaction ♪ with cabenuva, you're good to go. without daily hiv pills. talk to your doctor about switching. oh... stuffed up again? so congested! you need sinex saline from vicks. just sinex, breathe, ahhhh! what is — wow! sinex. breathe. ahhhhhh!

a beard that doesn't itch. and you're using king c. gillette on that thing? king c. gillette? look! this beard trimmer pro's got 40 length settings. and this beard oil- one of gq's best beard conditioners for soft, no itch facial hair. the best a man can get... ...is king c. gillette. hon', take airborne! it has 7 key nutrients to help fill those holes your immune system may have. what holes? [screams] new airborne. 7 immune supporting nutrients. our most complete support yet. what's up, you seem kinda sluggish today. things aren't really movin'. you could use some metamucil. metamucil's psyllium fibre helps keep your digestive system moving. so you can feel lighter and more energetic. metamucil keeps you moving. and try clear fibre, with no grit and no flavor. >> we're the new host of extreme makeover home edition. each week, we'll help family by helping them build new homes. are you guys ready to see

♪ mac and cheese, so delicious. ♪ ♪ sweet potato souffle. ♪ ♪ ham and turkey, hooray. ♪ ♪ feasting on some honeybaked all day. ♪ every bite is a celebration with the honey baked ham company.

bounced from one doctor every bite is a celebration to the next. did they even send my lab work...? wait, was i supposed to bring that? then there's the forms. the bills. the 'not a bills.' the.... ”press 4 to repeat these options.” [chaotic music] [inspirational music] healthcare can get a whole lot easier when your medical records, care and coverage are in one place. at kaiser permanente, all of us work together for all that is you.

more@starlight.org. >> welcome back. actor timothée chalamet earned an academy award nomination at 22 for call me by your name, his performance hailed as a true breakout. his latest role has him taking on a true icon, legendary folk rocker bob dylan. here's abc's deborah roberts. >> how much did you really know about bob dylan? >> i knew little about bob dylan. i fell in love with him. and i fell in love at a time in my life where my career was taking off. and most importantly, his music is the music of life. >> actor timothee chalamet, one of today's biggest stars, now channeling one of america's most enduring folk music icons. the. a time you dress a fine, threw the bums a dime in your prime. few songs have stood the test of time, like bob dylan's like a rolling stone. how does it feel?

>> the name bob dylan, like elvis presley, like freddie mercury, like elton john. it's as iconic, but weirdly, his face is imprinted less in some way than these other figures because he's kept himself at a distance. this movie doesn't demystify him, but it honors the cryptic figure that is bob dylan. >> wow. i love that you hit everything. very well said. from the look to the voice, chalamet even learning to strum the guitar like bob dylan for the new biopic a complete unknown. you were meant to have a few months to work on this, but because of the pandemic and other interruptions, you got five years. >> i was a non guitar player. i was a non harmonica player before the movie started. really. what would have been a months long struggle? you know, a disciplined, structured process became a years long side passion. it just gave me a lot of time to live in this space, to live in this role and to soak in the embers of the 1960s. >> the film getting oscar buzz and golden globe nominations. but the highest praise may have

been from the legend himself. bob dylan actually posted calling you a brilliant actor. that must have felt pretty good. yeah. >> one of the most affirming moments of my life. he's a man of few words. so any of those words spent saying, hey, good job, young man. man, i'll take that with me forever. >> the first time that i saw timothee perform as bob and fully kind of embodying him, i was moved to tears. >> i caught up with chalamet and costar elle fanning at one of new york's legendary spots, where bob dylan famously launched his career. >> that's where we started in 1961, coming to greenwich village, to this place right here, to the cafe wha. where a lot of folk musicians at the time were trying to get their careers going. >> had you ever been here before? >> i've walked past it many of times. i knew the history of it, but i've never been here. >> fanning's character, based on dylan's girlfriend suze rotolo, seen on the album cover of the freewheelin bob dylan. >> you came here with nothing

but a guitar. you never talk about your family, your past. >> i'm playing someone that isn't as well known. it was kind of introducing her to the audience, someone that is in this world not to gain fame, you know? she's really there out of a pure love for bob. and she's really the one person that knew him. >> are you happy i came here, chalamet. >> on a meteoric rise since his breakout role in call me by your name. i'll kiss you if i could. and more recently in wonka, if you want view paradise. elle fanning, best known for starring in the hulu series the great. >> but i actually don't care whether it costs you it will be done. >> and the film super eight. >> elle fanning is beautiful in this movie. she's heartbreaking. she's everything you would want out of a dance partner. >> bob dylan, considered one of music's greatest songwriters, his lyrics one of

music's greatest songwriters, his lyrics capturing the era in blowin in the wind is blowing in the wind, an anthem of the 60s civil rights movement. but in 65, at one of his peaks, dylan faced backlash, some within the folk music community, angry over his use of the electric guitar. on songs like a rolling stone. how does it feel? >> turn it down, play it loud. >> he got booed off stage because he was fiercely pursuing what felt right to him. his art that felt right went on to show that that was one of the most celebrated albums ever. >> in 1985, abc news asked bob dylan about that backlash. >> well, it's always disappointing, you know, when people decide for one reason or another, they don't like your work anymore. but, you know, it's just one of those things. >> have you had a chance to meet dylan?

>> never met bob dylan. >> would you want to? >> now, having played, you know, i go back and forth on it, i obviously i revere the man. i model my artistry off of bob, and yet he's given us everything he needs to give us. and me. their art is the gift to all of us. >> a gift they saw live. >> we went to see bob dylan together at the king's road. king's theater. the music was so powerful that l passed out and threw up. she threw up in the lobby of the theater in 1966. >> i had a bad turkey sandwich. i didn't know which deli to go to. >> i like to think it's the power of the music. >> music magic brought to life. and introducing an american icon to a new generation. no, no, no, it ain't me, babe. >> the hardest part was stopping was letting it go. i've never pushed myself so much as an actor, so letting it go felt like leaving a part of me behind. >> the awards. the attention is rolling in. are you prepared for what could lie ahead? >> i want to be a bridge to this period and this music, because it was a transformative artistic

time. it was a time that was as fraught as our time right now politically, culturally, socially. and i hope this movie is a humble bridge to that period for all people to discover. whether you are right or wrong. >> our thanks to deborah. a complete unknown hits theaters on christmas. when we come back. dua lipa and others taking a sleigh ride through a carpool karaoke christmas on it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride weather for a sleigh ride together with vicks vapostick provides soothing non-medicated vicks vapors. easy to apply for the whole family. vicks vapostick. and try new vaposhower max for steamy vicks vapors. alice loves the scent of gain so much, she wished there was a way to make it last longer. say hello to your fairy godmother alice, and long-lasting gain scent beads. part of the irresistible scent collection from gain.

if you're living with hiv, imagine being good to go without daily hiv pills. ♪ good to go binge-watch. ♪ good to go out even later. ♪ with cabenuva, there's no pausing for daily hiv pills. for adults who are undetectable, cabenuva is the only complete, long-acting hiv treatment you can get every other month. it's two injections from a healthcare provider, as few as 6 times a year. don't take cabenuva if you're allergic to its ingredients, or taking certain medicines, that may interact. serious side effects include allergic reactions or rash, post-injection reactions, liver problems, and depression. if these occur, get medical help right away. tell your doctor about your medicines or supplements, medical conditions, liver or kidney problems, mental health, pregnancy, and breastfeeding. the most common side effect is injection site reaction ♪ with cabenuva, you're good to go. without daily hiv pills. talk to your doctor about switching.

week on gma with exclusive material from the movie.

discover the ozempic® tri-zone. i got the power of 3. i lowered my a1c, cv risk, and lost some weight. in studies, the majority of people reached an a1c under 7 and maintained it. i'm under 7. ozempic® lowers the risk of major cardiovascular events such as stroke, heart attack, or death in adults also with known heart disease. i'm lowering my risk. and adults lost up to 14 pounds. i lost some weight. ozempic® isn't for type 1 diabetes or children. don't share needles or pens, or reuse needles. don't take if you or your family had mtc, men 2,

or if allergic to it. stop taking and get medical help right away if you get a lump or swelling in your neck, severe stomach pain, or any of these allergic reactions. tell your provider if you plan to have surgery or a procedure, are breastfeeding, pregnant, or plan to be. serious side effects may include inflammation of pancreas, gallbladder problems, or changes in vision. call your prescriber if you have any of these symptoms. taking with a sulfonylurea or insulin may increase low blood sugar risk. common side effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, constipation. some side effects lead to dehydration, which may worsen kidney problems. living with type 2 diabetes? ask about the power of 3 with ozempic®.

been saved. >> and finally, tonight, over the river and through the woods with three huge pop stars. call them the three wise women belting out hits like pink pony club, shallow and new rules. i got new rules. i count as apple's carpool karaoke christmas rolls with a new driver. >> my guy. listen, i need a favor, okay? i've got three friends. they just need a ride. sure, mate. just tell me where they are. tokyo, missouri and los angeles. whoa. >> lady gaga also sure to thrill fans and scandalize her car mate with her classic christmas