Category: Virginia

Recent pictures show Patricia Arquette, 55, radiating youth as she shines in gold at a festival in France… following her revelation of feeling ‘uncomfortable’ about appearing nude in a ’90s film.

Patricia Arquette stole the spotlight at the 15th edition of Series Mania in Lille, France on Friday.

The 55-year-old Oscar winner — who recently hit up an Emmy afterparty with her daughter Harlow — looked incredible in her sparkling ensemble for the event, which has become Europe’s biggest television festival since its debut in 2010, per Variety.

Dressed in a fabulous gold coat and matching metallic skirt, the Boyhood actress arrived as the guest of honor and took over the red carpet.

With her trademark blonde locks fashioned into a casual bun and minimal makeup enhancing her natural beauty, she effortlessly commanded attention.

The appearance came a day after the iconic star had led a discussion on various topics, including her rural Virginia childhood and her Academy Award-winning career, according to Deadline.

Patricia Arquette stole the spotlight at the 15th edition of Series Mania in Lille, France on Friday

The 55-year-old Oscar winner looked incredible in her sparkling ensemble for the event, which has become Europe’s biggest television festival since its debut in 2010

She also spoke openly about the challenges of filming her extended nude scene for director David Lynch in his 1997 psychological thriller Lost Highway.

Patricia revealed that during that period, she had felt ‘really uncomfortable with nudity,’ per the outlet.

Despite this, she persevered with the scene as a personal challenge as an artist. Unfortunately, she found herself uncomfortable on set due to the behavior of certain crew members.

‘It was weird. It was hard for my own hang-ups. But also the guys were saying some crude things. I told David that I wasn’t comfortable,” she said.

Lynch requested her departure from the set, following which he proceeded to reprimand the crew members, according to the star.

‘By the time I came back in, they were all looking at their feet and apologizing. He made sure there were some boundaries for different things,’ she added, according to the source.

In regards to her experience with Martin Scorsese on his 1999 feature Bringing Out the Dead, Patricia told an anecdote about the director’s near-instinctive mastery of filmmaking.

‘I remember one time the monitors went off when he was watching [a scene], and he said, “That’s good we’ve got it.” And I said, how do you know Marty? The monitors went off. And he said, “I can hear it. You can hear it when it’s right.”‘

With her trademark blonde locks fashioned into a casual bun and minimal makeup enhancing her natural beauty, she effortlessly commanded attention

Dressed in a fabulous gold coat and matching metallic skirt, the Boyhood actress arrived as the guest of honor and took over the red carpet

The appearance came a day after the iconic star had led a discussion on various topics, including her rural Virginia childhood and her Academy Award-winning career

She also spoke openly about the challenges of filming her extended nude scene for director David Lynch in his 1997 psychological thriller Lost Highway; seen with Balthazar Getty

In regards to her experience with Martin Scorsese on his 1999 feature Bringing Out the Dead, Patricia told an anecdote about the director’s near-instinctive mastery of filmmaking

Patricia won Best Supporting Actress for 2014’s Boyhood

She also talked about the late Tony Scott, who directed her in her breakout role as Alabama in 1993’s True Romance.

‘What he taught me as an actor that changed my life is that I had good ideas and could insert myself. Because he was so consistent in that support, I really started to trust myself.’

Arquette’s latest on-screen venture was in Apple’s Severance.

As a director, she recently unveiled Gonzo Girl, starring Willem Dafoe, at TIFF 2023.

March 22, 2024
Robert De Niro, 80, and girlfriend Tiffany Chen, 45, arrive together for his appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in Hollywood, hand in hand

Robert De Niro and his girlfriend Tiffany Chen were spotted arriving at Jimmy Kimmel Live! in Hollywood on Monday.

The Killers of the Flower Moon actor, 80, sweetly held hands with the 45-year-old mother of his seventh child as they made their way inside the El Capitan Entertainment Centre.

The Godfather star — who welcomed daughter Gia Virginia with Chen last year — cut a sharp figure in a navy shirt and blazer along with matching pants.

The iconic actor shielded his eyes with a pair of sunglasses and rocked his silver hair in a short cut.

Meanwhile the martial arts instructor kept cozy in a sleeveless black puffer vest worn over a black sweater and matching athletic leggings.

Robert De Niro and his girlfriend Tiffany Chen were spotted arriving at Jimmy Kimmel Live! in Hollywood on Monday

The Killers of the Flower Moon actor, 80, sweetly held hands with the 45-year-old mother of his seventh child as they made their way inside the building

Justin Timberlake, 43, was also spotted arriving to film the show.

The singer rocked a navy jacket and ripped up jeans, along with a black baseball cap.

Also preset was Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, 51, who kept it casual cool in a white t-shirt, black slacks, and white sneakers.

De Niro and Chen initially crossed paths with Chen working on the 2015 comedy The Intern, in which she portrayed the role of a Tai Chi instructor.

Following his breakup with Grace Hightower in November of 2018, he began seeing Chen in August of 2021.

Chen also joined De Niro at Sunday’s 96th annual Academy Awards in Los Angeles.

He had been nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as William Hale in Killers of the Flower Moon, his latest offering with longtime collaborator Martin Scorsese, but lost out on the honors to Robert Downey Jr. (Oppenheimer).

De Niro has past won Oscars for his work in 1974’s The Godfather Part II and 1980’s Raging Bull, and has also been nominated for his work in seven other films: Killers of the Flower Moon, The Irishman, Silver Linings Playbook, Cape Fear, Awakenings, The Deer Hunter and Taxi Driver.

The Godfather star — who welcomed daughter Gia Virginia with Chen last year — cut a sharp figure in a navy shirt and blazer along with matching pants

Meanwhile the martial arts instructor kept cozy in a sleeveless black puffer vest worn over a black sweater and matching athletic leggings

Justin Timberlake, 43, was also spotted arriving to film the show. The singer rocked a navy jacket and ripped up jeans, along with a black baseball cap

Also preset was Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, 51, who kept it casual cool in a white t-shirt, black slacks, and white sneakers

Among his other notable non-nominated performances include Goodfellas, The King of Comedy, The Untouchables and A Bronx Tale.

De Niro was seen exchanging greetings with Tinseltown peers Paul Giamatti, Jeffrey Wright and his Taxi Driver costar Jodie Foster at the proceedings.

Foster, 61, was referenced in a joke host Jimmy Kimmel, 56, made about the age gap between De Niro and Chen.

‘In 1976, Jodie Foster was young enough to play Robert De Niro’s daughter – now, she’s 20 years too old to be his girlfriend,’ he said.

De Niro told People last month that his newborn with Chen is ‘such an adorable baby,’ as ‘everything else goes away’ when he looks at her. ‘So it’s a great joy and relief to just be with her in the moment.’

In October he admitted he ‘doesn’t do the heavy-lifting’ when it comes to raising his youngest daughter Gia, and leaves it to his partner.

Robert has confessed that Tiffany does most of the ‘work’ with caring for their little one, while they also receive help with childcare.

He told the Guardian newspaper: ‘It [having children] doesn’t get easier. It is what it is. It’s OK. I mean, I don’t do the heavy lifting. I’m there, I support my girlfriend. But she does the work. And we have help, which is so important.’

Robert said that he stills enjoys fatherhood, telling the publication: ‘ [I enjoy] all of it! With a baby it’s different to with my 11-year-old. My adult children. My grandchildren. It’s all different … I don’t talk to the adult children the way I talk to my baby or the way I speak to my 11-year-old, though she’s pretty smart.’

Chen accompanied De Niro to Sunday’s 96th annual Academy Awards in Los Angeles.The pair have been dating since August of 2021

He had been nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as William Hale in Killers of the Flower Moon, his latest offering with longtime collaborator Martin Scorsese, but lost out on the honors to Robert Downey Jr. (Oppenheimer)

De Niro his Taxi Driver costar Jodie Foster embraced at the proceedings

Foster, 61, was referenced in a joke host Jimmy Kimmel made about the age gap between De Niro and Chen

In May 2023, Robert announced he welcomed a baby with his Tiffany.

When asked about his feelings about becoming a father again, at age 79, the New York native told Page Six that Chen’s pregnancy was ‘planned.’

‘I’m ok with it,’ the actor told Extra when asked if he was excited. ‘I’m good with it.’ When asked if becoming a parent ever gets easier the Taxi Driver quipped, ‘Never gets easier.’

The twice-divorced screen legend is also the proud father of six other children.

He has Drena, 56, and Raphael, 47 with his ex-wife Diahnne Abbott, Elliot, 25, and Helen, 12, with ex-wife Grace Hightower, and twins Aaron and Julian, 28, with former girlfriend, Toukie Smith.

March 12, 2024
Fans of Netflix are praising the chilling new true crime series as a must-watch phenomenon.

Netflix fans have hailed a shocking new true crime series ‘a definite must watch’ as they shared their concerns for US intelligence agencies.

The series unravels the gruesome true story of an investigative journalist, who was found dead in a bathtub at a motel in Martinsburg, West Virginia, in August 1991 after pursuing a conspiracy group.

Danny Casolaro died from a loss of blood after suffering multiple slash wounds to his wrists inflicted by ‘a very sharp bladed object’ – and local authorities quickly ruled it a suicide.

However, his family and friends have long insisted that he had been murdered for investigating a conspiracy he had called The Octopus, in which government officials had been involved in covert missions.

In the four-part docuseries journalist Christian Hansen works to unpack the mystery surrounding Danny’s death and the conspiracy theory he was investigating.

Netflix fans have hailed a shocking new true crime series ‘a definite must watch’ as they shared their concerns for US intelligence agencies

The series unravels the gruesome true story of an investigative journalist, who was found dead in a bathtub at a motel in West Virginia, in August 1991 after pursuing a conspiracy group

Sharing their thoughts on X, one viewer wrote: ‘I’m watching American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders. The last 15 mins were nuts. I was so surprised at what happened that I rolled it back to rewatch that couple of seconds. Guess what, I was surprised again.

Another added: ‘American Conspiracy, The Octopus Murders on Netflix was really good. Not sure I completely understand it, it’s 4hrs and probably could have been twice that. It definitely makes our intelligence agencies look very dirty.’

‘The Octopus Murders on Netflix is a definite must watch. I feel like we are all in trouble now,’ a third person shared.

Someone else posted: ‘American Conspiracy: The Octopus is an absolutely wild documentary on Netflix.’

‘Stop everything you’re doing and watch American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders on Netflix. Not being dramatic this is insane,’ one fan said.

The chilling case began when Danny started investigating a dispute between the Department of Justice and a technology company called INSLAW.

The clash appeared to be over intellectual property rights but it soon seemed that it had a much more sinister underbelly.

His family and friends have long insisted that he had been murdered for investigating a conspiracy he had called The Octopus

In the four-part docuseries journalist Christian Hansen (pictured) works to unpack the mystery surrounding Danny’s death and the conspiracy theory he was investigating

One fan shared: ‘The Octopus Murders on Netflix is a definite must watch. I feel like we are all in trouble now’

Following months of research, Danny is said to have stumbled into a web of ‘stolen government spy software, a string of unsolved murders, and some of the biggest political scandals of the 20th century,’ according to Netflix.

The writer believed he had uncovered a hidden organization, which he branded as The Octopus, made up of eight ex-government officials.

Excerpts purporting to be from Danny’s research, shared in the new trailer for the docuseries, asserted: ‘These eight men, they’re no longer government officials but their tentacles can reach into any part of government in almost any country.’

Danny Casolaro pictured

The journalist thought that the conspiracy had all started with Promis – a computer program which sources in the series claimed ‘allegedly allowed the CIA to spy on the intelligence agencies that bought it.’

And it seems the program was engulfed in shocking speculation including that ‘everyone who worked on it are dead.’

There were a string of suspicious deaths seemingly linked including three men who were fatally shot and another who had a ‘wire running from around his neck to his ankles.’

Danny became ‘obsessed’ with bringing the entirety of the story to light – but never got the chance to finish his investigation.

In the summer of 1991, he headed out to the motel expecting to interview a key source for the story but would never make it back.

His death was ruled a suicide but many believed that his wounds were far from self inflicted – a sentiment echoed by those who feature in Netflix’s upcoming series.

‘It just didn’t sit right. In my mind, I’m thinking “they killed him,”‘ one commentator urged.

The chilling case began when Danny started investigating a dispute between the Department of Justice (headquarters in D.C., pictured) and a technology company called INSLAW

The writer believed he had uncovered a hidden organization, which he branded as The Octopus, made up of eight ex-government officials

‘In the book that Danny was writing, he starts looking into these powerful people and realizes there’s something much bigger going on.’

‘Most of us were convinced he had been hurt for him covering this story,’ a woman added.

Another man explained: ‘I told him not to talk to certain people. Not to raise certain issues.’

The trailer dramatically concludes with a warning apparently issued to the documentary makers themselves, which states: ‘If you think for a minute that you’re gonna go expose somebody, you’re gonna get yourself killed.’

Netflix’s American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders was released on February 28

March 9, 2024
Robert De Niro stuns in dapper black suit alongside girlfriend Tiffany Chen, 45, at SAG Awards 2024

Robert De Niro had the support of his girlfriend Tiffany Chen on Saturday night as his film Killers Of The Flower Moon competed for top honors at the SAG Awards in Los Angeles.

De Niro, 80 — who skipped the red carpet — was among the five nominees for Outstanding Performance By A Male Actor In A Supporting Role for his riveting performance in Killers Of The Flower Moon.

Before the night was over it was Robert Downey Jr. (Oppenheimer) who would take home the trophy for his stunning role as Rear Admiral Lewis Strauss in the epic biographical thriller film that’s become a smash hit with moviegoers.

Downey Jr. had some tough competition in the category, besting De Niro, as well as Sterling K. Brown (American Fiction), Willem Dafoe (Poor Things) and Ryan Gosling (Barbie).

Missing from the action was Robert and Tiffany’s, 45, baby daughter Gia Virginia, who will celebrate her 1st birthday in April.

Nominee Robert De Niro agtended the 30th Annual SAG Awards in Los Angeles on Saturday with his girlfriend Tiffany Chen (far right); the couple shared a few moments with Netflix CCO Ted Serandos and Nicole Avant.

Missing from the action was Robert and Tiffany’s baby daughter Gia Virginia, who will celebrate her 1st birthday in April.

Robert looked sharp in a classic black suit and tie as he held Tiffany’s hand for a photo with Netflix CCO Ted Serandos and his wife Nicole Avant.

Tiffany was radiant in a black velvet jacket over a low-cut black dress.

The couple were first romantically linked in 2021, and they would go on to welcome their daughter in April 2023.

During the ceremony, De Niro also got to share a special moment with his co-star in Killers Of The Flower Moon, Lily Gladstone, who won the award for Outstanding Performance By A Female Actor In A Leading Role.

She beat out the likes of Margo Robbie (Barbie), Annette Bening (Nyad), Carey Mulligan (Maestro) and Emma Stone (Poor Things).

Gladstone now has the distinction of being the first-ever Indigenous performer to land a SAG Award in that category, according to People.

Co-written by Scorsese and Eric Roth, Killers Of The Flower Moon tells the true story of the ‘reign of terror’ that left two dozen Native Americans dead.

The Apple-backed film, based on a 2017 book of the same name by David Grann, is Scorsese’s first attempt at the Western genre.

SAG Awards 2024 winners: AT A GLANCE

FILM

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture: Oppenheimer

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role: Lily Gladstone – Killers Of The Flower Moon

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role: Cillian Murphy – Oppenheimer

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role: Da’Vine Joy Randolph – The Holdovers

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role: Robert Downey Jr. – Oppenheimer

Oppenheimer was a major winner in the film categories as it earned top honor Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture

TELEVISION

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series: Succession

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series: The Bear

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series: Elizabeth Debicki – The Crown

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series: Pedro Pascal – The Last Of Us

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series: Ayo Edebiri – The Bear

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series: Jeremy Allen White – The Bear

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series: Ali Wong – Beef

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series: Steven Yeun – Beef

The couple were first romantically linked in 2021, and they would go on to welcome their daughter in April 2023

De Niro was among the five nominees for Outstanding Performance By A Male Actor In A Supporting Role for Killers Of The Flower Moon, which ultimately went to Riber Downey Jr.

Killers Of The Flower Moon stars Robert De Niro, Lily Gladstone, and Tantoo Cardinal shared a special moment during the ceremony

Like the best-selling book, the screenplay depicts the serial murder of members of the oil-wealthy Osage Nation in 1920s Oklahoma.

Killers Of The Flower Moon received 10 Academy Award nominations also included Best Picture, Best Director for Martin Scorsese and Best Supporting Actor for Robert De Niro.

The cast also includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Tantoo Cardinal, Jesse Plemons, Brendan Fraser, John Lithgow, Cara Jade Myers, JaNae Collins, Jillian Dion and Jason Isbell, among many others

The twice-divorced De Niro, a screen legend of such classics as Taxi Driver, Raging Bull and Godfather II, is also the proud father of six other children

He has Drena, 52, and Raphael, 46, with his ex-wife Diahnne Abbott; twins Julian and Aaron, 27, with former girlfriend Toukie Smith; and Elliot, 25, and Helen, 11, with ex-wife Grace Hightower, according to Page Six.

The SAG Awards ceremony comes in the wake of the 118-day strike that formally ended on December 5, 2023 with a 78% yes in voting.

The boycott coincided with the WGA strike, which lasted from May 2 to September 27.

2024 SAG Awards Winners

FILM

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture

‘American Fiction’

‘Barbie’

‘The Color Purple’

‘Killers of the Flower Moon’

‘Oppenheimer’ – WINNER

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role

Annette Bening – ‘Nyad’

Lily Gladstone – ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ – WINNER

Carey Mulligan – ‘Maestro’

Margot Robbie – ‘Barbie’

Emma Stone – ‘Poor Things’

Lily Gladstone beat out Margot Robbie and Emma Stone in lead actress category for their work in Killers Of The Flower Moon

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role

Bradley Cooper – ‘Maestro’

Colman Domingo – ‘Rustin’

Paul Giamatti – ‘The Holdovers’

Cillian Murphy – ‘Oppenheimer’ – WINNER

Jeffrey Wright – ‘American Fiction’

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role

Emily Blunt – ‘Oppenheimer’

Danielle Brooks – ‘The Color Purple’

Penelope Cruz – ‘Ferrari’

Jodie Foster – ‘Nyad’

Da’Vine Joy Randolph – ‘The Holdovers’- WINNER

Da’Vine Joy Randolph triumphed in the Outstanding Actress in a Supporting Role category for The Holdovers

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role

Sterling K. Brown – ‘American Fiction’

Willem Dafoe – ‘Poor Things’

Robert De Niro – ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’

Robert Downey Jr. – ‘Oppenheimer’ – WINNER

Ryan Gosling – ‘Barbie’

Robert Downey Jr. won Outstanding Actor in a Supporting Role and Outstanding Ensemble for Oppenheimer

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture

‘Barbie’

‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’

‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’

‘John Wick: Chapter 4’

‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One’ – WINNER

TELEVISION

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series

‘The Crown’

‘The Gilded Age’

‘The Last of Us’

‘The Morning Show’

‘Succession’ – WINNER

Succession was upset in several individual categories but did win top honor Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series

‘Abbot Elementary’

‘Barry’

‘The Bear’ – WINNER

‘Only Murders in the Building’

‘Ted Lasso’

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series

Jennifer Aniston – ‘The Morning Show’

Elizabeth Debicki – ‘The Crown’ – WINNER

Bella Ramsey – ‘The Last of Us’

Keri Russell – ‘The Diplomat’

Sarah Snook – ‘Succession’

Elizabeth Debicki beat out favorite Sarah Snook for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama for The Crown

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series

Brian Cox – ‘Succession’

Billy Crudup – ‘The Morning Show’

Kieran Culkin – ‘Succession’

Matthew Macfadyen – ‘Succession’

Pedro Pascal – ‘The Last of Us’ – WINNERS

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series

Alex Borstein – ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’

Rachel Brosnahan – ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’

Quinta Brunson – ‘Abbott Elementary’

Ayo Edebiri – ‘The Bear’ – WINNER

Hannah Waddingham – ‘Ted Lasso’

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series

Brett Goldstein – ‘Ted Lasso’

Bill Hader – ‘Barry’

Ebon Moss-Bachrach – ‘The Bear’

Jason Sudeikis – ‘Ted Lasso’

Jeremy Allen White – ‘The Bear’ – WINNER

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series

Uzo Aduba – ‘Painkiller’

Kathryn Hahn – Tiny Beautiful Things’

Brie Larson – ‘Lessons in Chemistry’

Bel Powley – ‘A Small Light’

Ali Wong – ‘Beef’ – WINNER

Ali Wong earned Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie or Limited Series for Beef

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series

Matt Bomer – ‘Fellow Travelers’

Jon Hamm – ‘Fargo’

David Oyelowo – ‘Lawmen: Bass Reeves’

Tony Shalhoub – ‘Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie’

Steven Yeun – ‘Beef’ – WINNER

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Television Series

‘Ahsoka’

‘Barry’

‘Beef’

‘The Last of Us’ – WINNER

‘The Mandalorian’

February 25, 2024
Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco share intimate moments in a series of steamy social media posts: ‘My best friend’

Selena Gomez and her boyfriend Benny Blanco are enjoying one another in the early days of their relationship.

Gomez, 31, took to social media with a series of pics in which she and her beau, 35, were posed in various romantic embraces.

The Grand Prairie, Texas-born actress-singer captioned the images on her social media page ‘My bes fwend,’ to which Blanco said in response, ‘Das my bes fwend.’

In the first image, the Emmy-nominated actress embraced Blanco, who has a passion for cooking, while he was preparing a platter of meatballs.

The second frame saw Gomez resting in the lap of Blanco, who had his hand on her chest while planting a kiss on her shoulder.

Selena Gomez, 31, and Benny Blanco, 35, are enjoying one another in the early days of their relationship, as Gomez took to social media with a series of romantic pics Monday

Gomez has been linked with Blanco, a musical artist, producer, and songwriter, since last year

In the photograph, the Only Murders in the Building star was clad in a plunging tan top with a black coat worn down to her arms, while Blanco donned a tan suit with gold bracelets and necklaces.

The third photo in the set showed Blanco posing for a selfie while Gomez was smiling with her eyes closed.

In the fourth shot, Blanco was posed behind Gomez as they relaxed in the kitchen area of a home alongside friends including The Bear actor Matty Matheson.

On Sunday, the couple was seen kissing one another while posed against a velvet red couch in a shot Gomez posted to Instagram.

Gomez and Blanco have frequently shared their light-hearted and romantic moments via Instagram in the early days of their relationship.

Blanco last week took to Instagram with a shot in which he held a publicity photo of Gomez, while the actress was was seen holding her head in the background.

In the photo – which she signed, ‘Rock on!’ with the inscription ‘XO’ – Gomez was pictured in character as Alex Russo on the Disney series Wizards of Waverly Place.

Gomez, who starred on 106 episodes of the series from 2007-2012, donned a purple print shirt synonymous with the fashion of the timeframe, and a scarf, in the publicity photo. In the background of the social media post, a presumably laughing Gomez could be seen holding her head in contrast to her previous character.

In the first image, the Emmy-nominated actress embraced Blanco, who has a passion for cooking, while he was preparing a platter of meatballs

Blanco was posed behind Gomez as they relaxed in the kitchen area of a home alongside friends including The Bear actor Matty Matheson

On Sunday, the couple was seen kissing one another while posed against a velvet red couch in a shot Gomez posted to Instagram

Gomez is an executive producer on a recently-announced sequel series, which will star David Henrie, who starred alongside Gomez on the original series.

The superstar entertainer is slated to make a cameo on the upcoming sequel show. In January, Gomez and Henrie were pictured with the actors who played their parents on the series, Maria Canals-Barrera and David DeLuise.

Gomez and Blanco were seen taking in Grammys proceedings earlier this month, as they were spotted at Gucci’s Grammys afterparty at the Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles.

Gomez on December 7 confirmed the romance when she liked an Instagram post from the account @popfactions that reported the ‘rumored’ romance; after the account published another post that read, ‘Selena Gomez Seemingly Confirms That She Is In A Relationship,’ Gomez wrote, ‘Facts.’

Gomez subsequently took to Instagram Stories with a black-and-white image of herself in which she appeared to be cuddling with Blanco, and later tangled with fans who said he had spoken negatively of her more than three years ago.

Blanco has been involved in the industry for more than 15 years as a musical artist, producer, and songwriter.

He has collaborated with a bevy of big name artists – including Gomez herself, on tracks such as 2023’s Single Soon, and his 2019 song I Can’t Get Enough.

Blanco has also worked with Gomez’s ex Justin Bieber, Rihanna, Lizzo, Britney Spears, Katy Perry, SZA, Ed Sheeran and Keith Urban, according to Harper’s Bazaar. Blanco established himself earlier in his career working for Dr. Luke’s Kasz Money Productions.

Blanco took to social media earlier this month with an autographed throwback image of his partner from her time on the Disney show Wizards of Waverly Place, while she was seen holding her head in the background

Gomez shared a shot taken as she reclined in a vehicle with her feet resting on Blanco’s chest

Gomez took to Instagram Stories in December with a black-and-white image of herself in which she appeared to be cuddling with Blanco

Wizards of Waverly Place stars David DeLuise, David Henrie, Gomez and Maria Canals-Barrera reunited for a photo last month as the show is set for a sequel

He has been a songwriter on a number of hit tracks, including Rihanna’s Diamonds, Maroon 5’s Moves Like Jagger, Spears’ Circus, and Ke$ha’s TiK ToK, among others.

As a solo artist, he released his first album Friends Keep Secrets in December of 2018. The record, which topped out at 41 on the Billboard 200, included contributions from Bieber, Halsey, Calvin Harris, Omar Apollo and Gracie Abrams.

He has had six singles hit the Billboard Hot 100 over the last five years, including 2018’s Eastside (with Halsey & Khalid); as well as 2019’s Roses (with the late Juice WRLD and Brendon Urie) and I Can’t Get Enough (with Gomez, Tainy and J Balvin).

In recent years, he’s charted with the 2020 tracks Lonely (with Bieber) and Real S*** (with Juice WRLD) and 2022’s Bad Decisions (with BTS & Snoop Dogg).

Blanco chat with The New York Times in 2018 about his skillset when it comes to making music.

‘I couldn’t sit down and play a concert for you or really wow you on any instrument,’ he said. ‘What I can do is meet an artist, know what type of song I think we should make and be their therapist, make everyone feel comfortable.’

Gomez has past been in high-profile relationships with stars such as Bieber, The Weeknd, Zedd, Nick Jonas, and Taylor Lautner.

Blanco was past rumored to be in a romance with Elsie Hewitt, a 27-year-old model-actress from London (who has since been linked with Jason Sudeikis, 48).

Blanco was pictured bidding during a charity auction Gomez hosted in LA in October

Gomez hosted the Inaugural Rare Impact Fund Benefit supporting youth mental health

Blanco was pictured at a Grammys event February 3

Blanco was past rumored to be in a romance with Elsie Hewitt, a 27-year-old model-actress from London. Pictured in LA in January of 2020

Aside from his musical endeavors, Blanco has also taken in interest in culinary arts, as he’s set to release a cookbook in April titled Open Wide

Aside from his musical endeavors, Blanco has also taken in interest in culinary arts, as he’s set to release a cookbook in April titled Open Wide.

He announced the forthcoming project in an Instagram post in November, saying he’s been into cooking since he was 13, when a friend of his got a George Foreman grill.

‘We would invite friends over, get high and make the most elaborate sandwiches our prepubescent minds could fathom,’ Blanco said. ‘I know what you are going to say… cooking is scary. You don’t know where to begin. It can be overwhelming.

‘And cooking for a group of people, f*** that.. but i’m telling u, once you get into it, it’ll be ur new addiction, it’s like meditating. Slicing an onion is like taking a Xanax to me.’

Gomez commented on the post ‘Finally’ with an emoji of raised hands.

February 13, 2024
Julianne Hough expresses disappointment as she cancels Dancing With The Stars tour appearances due to schedule conflicts

Julianne Hough has been forced to cancel her 2024 Dancing With The Stars tour appearances following scheduling conflicts.

In a statement shared to the official DWTS tour Instagram page, the 35-year-old performer — whose brother is Derek Hough — said, ‘I’ve been so looking forward to getting to connect with all our amazing fans on the road and perform live alongside the DWTS Tour cast for select dates; however, due to a change in my production shooting schedule, a conflict has come up.’

The Instagram Story message was shared on Friday, and continued: ‘I will no longer be able to join the tour for my scheduled dates.’

In white font set against a sky blue background, the note went on, ‘I love our DWTS community and I’m devastated to miss seeing you all in person, but I can assure you that this cast is delivering an unforgettable show that you won’t want to miss.’

The blonde beauty signed off with her first name.

Julianne Hough has been forced to cancel her 2024 Dancing With The Stars tour appearances following scheduling conflicts

In white font set against a sky blue background, Julianne’s note went on to say, ‘I love our DWTS community and I’m devastated to miss seeing you all in person’

Hough originally planned to appear in the production for a limited number of dates on the new tour.

She did not reveal what project has come in conflict with the tour dates.

The DWTS tour kicked off in Richmond, Virginia, on January 11, with Emma Slater hosting.

Other performers in the live event include Alan Bersten, Brandon Armstrong, Alexis Warr, Ezra Sosa, Daniella Karagach, Artem Chigvinstev, Gleb Savchenko, Rylee Arnold and Pasha Pashkov.

Jenna Johnson and Val Chmerkovskiy are also along for the January and February dates.

And season 32 winner Xochitl Gomez, plus contestants Charity Lawson and Harry Jowsey will show up for select tour stops.

Hough rejoined the long-running dance competition series last season as she hosted alongside Alfonso Ribeiro.

Speaking to Variety last August, she raved, ‘The friendships that are made here are lifelong. It feels like it’s just gonna be, like, a peek into our friendship and our lives.’

Julianne pictured with dance partner Adam Carolla in 2008

Julianne pictured with brother Derek Hough at the 2024 BAFTA Tea Party last month

She added, ‘With this season specifically, we are all so close. We’ve been friends for over 10 years.’

‘It feels kind of nostalgic, like, the band is back together.

‘It feels like we’re in the older seasons of Dancing With The Stars, with the wisdom and the knowledge of all the years of experience, but with the sense of nostalgia and home from the earlier seasons,’ the dancer described.

Julianne replaced model and media personality Tyra Banks as host.

February 10, 2024
Tributes Pour in for Motown Legend Henry Fambrough, Last Surviving Member of The Spinners, Who Dies Peacefully at 85

Henry Fambrough, the last surviving original member of the iconic R&B group The Spinners, has died.

The Motown legend passed away on Wednesday of natural causes in his northern Virginia home, his spokesperson Tanisha Jackson said in a statement.

The group, whose hits included Its a Shame, Could It Be I’m Falling in Love and The Rubberband Man, was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in November.

Along with Henry, Billy Henderson, Pervis Jackson, Bobby Smith, Philippé Wynne and John Edwards were listed as inductees.

Tributes poured in from fans on X, formerly Twitter, as they remembered Henry by listening to the band’s music.

Henry Fambrough, the last surviving original member of the iconic R&B group The Spinners, has died

Originally called The Domingoes, the group was formed in 1954 just north of Detroit (Bobby Smith, George Dixon, Billy Henderson, Henry Fambrough and Pervis Jackson)

They wrote: ‘I grew up listening to #TheSpinners I’m so glad he was able to partake in this induction ceremony. Rest in power to the last original member of #TheSpinners Henry Fambrough. Time to break out the #RubberbandMan.’

‘This man had a voice as smooth as butter when he sang with #TheSpinners. R.I.P. #HenryFambrough one of the last original members of the group’.

Last May, Henry took a tour of Motown’s Studio A in Detroit as part of a ceremony that included the donation to the Motown Museum of 375 outfits worn by the group during performances.

‘It was a long time ago,’ Henry said at the time of the 1960s, when he first walked into the studio. ‘I used to dream about this place.’

He told reporters he had to convince his wife that the studio was where he was going for 3 a.m. rehearsals and recording sessions with other members of the group.

Their first big hit for Motown was It´s A Shame, which peaked at No. 14 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart in 1970.

The Spinners would later sign with Atlantic Records and turn out a string of hits that included ‘Then Came You,’ which featured singer Dionne Warwick and reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1974.

Their songs received six Grammy Award nominations and earned 18 platinum and gold albums.

Originally called The Domingoes, the group was formed in 1954 just north of Detroit in Ferndale. The Spinners joined Motown Records 10 years later.

Henry leaves behind his wife of 52 years, Norma, and daughter Heather Williams.

February 8, 2024
Benny Blanco, Selena Gomez’s boyfriend, posts a signed photo of the actress from her days on Wizards of Waverly Place

Selena Gomez’s boyfriend Benny Blanco took to social media on Tuesday with an autographed throwback image of his partner, from her time on the Disney show Wizards of Waverly Place, while she was seen holding her head in the background.

Blanco, a 35-year-old native of Reston, Virginia, was seen holding a publicity photo of Gomez in character as Alex Russo on the Disney series, which she signed, ‘Rock on!’ with the inscription ‘XO.’

Gomez, on her social media page Tuesday, shared a shot taken as she reclined in a vehicle with her feet resting on Blanco’s chest.

Gomez, who starred on 106 episodes of the series from 2007-2012, donned a purple print shirt synonymous with the fashion of the timeframe, and a scarf, in the publicity photo.

In the background of the social media post, a presumably laughing Gomez could be seen holding her head in contrast to her previous character.

Selena Gomez’s boyfriend Benny Blanco, 35, took to social media on Tuesday with an autographed throwback image of his partner, 31, from her time on the Disney show Wizards of Waverly Place, while she was seen holding her head in the background

Gomez, on her social media page Tuesday, shared a shot taken as she reclined in a vehicle with her feet resting on Blanco’s chest

Gomez is an executive producer on a recently-announced sequel series, which will star David Henrie, who starred alongside Gomez on the original series.

The superstar entertainer is slated to make a cameo on the upcoming sequel show. In January, Gomez and Henrie were pictured with the actors who played their parents on the series, Maria Canals-Barrera and David DeLuise.

Gomez and Blanco were seen taking in Grammys proceedings this past weekend, as they were spotted at Gucci’s Grammys afterparty at the Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles.

Gomez on December 7 confirmed the romance when she liked an Instagram post from the account @popfactions that reported the ‘rumored’ romance; after the account published another post that read, ‘Selena Gomez Seemingly Confirms That She Is In A Relationship,’ Gomez wrote, ‘Facts.’

Gomez subsequently took to Instagram Stories with a black-and-white image of herself in which she appeared to be cuddling with Blanco, and later tangled with fans who said he had spoken negatively of her more than three years ago.

Blanco has been involved in the industry for more than 15 years as a musical artist, producer, and songwriter.

He has collaborated with a bevy of big name artists – including Gomez herself, on tracks such as 2023’s Single Soon, and his 2019 song I Can’t Get Enough.

Blanco has also worked with Gomez’s ex Justin Bieber, Rihanna, Lizzo, Britney Spears, Katy Perry, SZA, Ed Sheeran and Keith Urban, according to Harper’s Bazaar. Blanco established himself earlier in his career working for Dr. Luke’s Kasz Money Productions.

Wizards of Waverly Place stars David DeLuise, David Henrie, Gomez and Maria Canals-Barrera reunited for a photo last month as the show is set for a sequel

Blanco, a musical artist, producer, and songwriter, was pictured Saturday in LA at a Grammys weekend event

Gomez took to Instagram Stories in December with a black-and-white image of herself in which she appeared to be cuddling with Blanco

He has been a songwriter on a number of hit tracks, including Rihanna’s Diamonds, Maroon 5’s Moves Like Jagger, Spears’ Circus, and Ke$ha’s TiK ToK, among others.

As a solo artist, he released his first album Friends Keep Secrets in December of 2018. The record, which topped out at 41 on the Billboard 200, included contributions from Bieber, Halsey, Calvin Harris, Omar Apollo and Gracie Abrams.

He has had six singles hit the Billboard Hot 100 over the last five years, including 2018’s Eastside (with Halsey & Khalid); as well as 2019’s Roses (with the late Juice WRLD and Brendon Urie) and I Can’t Get Enough (with Gomez, Tainy and J Balvin).

In recent years, he’s charted with the 2020 tracks Lonely (with Bieber) and Real S*** (with Juice WRLD) and 2022’s Bad Decisions (with BTS & Snoop Dogg).

Blanco chat with The New York Times in 2018 about his skillset when it comes to making music.

‘I couldn’t sit down and play a concert for you or really wow you on any instrument,’ he said. ‘What I can do is meet an artist, know what type of song I think we should make and be their therapist, make everyone feel comfortable.’

Gomez has past been in high-profile relationships with stars such as Bieber, The Weeknd, Zedd, Nick Jonas, and Taylor Lautner.

Blanco was past rumored to be in a romance with Elsie Hewitt, a 27-year-old model-actress from London.

Blanco was pictured bidding during a charity auction Gomez hosted in LA in October

Gomez hosted the Inaugural Rare Impact Fund Benefit supporting youth mental health

Blanco was pictured at a Grammys event this past Saturday

Blanco was past rumored to be in a romance with Elsie Hewitt, a 27-year-old model-actress from London. Pictured in LA in January of 2020

Aside from his musical endeavors, Blanco has also taken in interest in culinary arts, as he’s set to release a cookbook in April titled Open Wide

Aside from his musical endeavors, Blanco has also taken in interest in culinary arts, as he’s set to release a cookbook in April titled Open Wide.

He announced the forthcoming project in an Instagram post in November, saying he’s been into cooking since he was 13, when a friend of his got a George Foreman grill.

‘We would invite friends over, get high and make the most elaborate sandwiches our prepubescent minds could fathom,’ Blanco said. ‘I know what you are going to say… cooking is scary. You don’t know where to begin. It can be overwhelming.

‘And cooking for a group of people, f*** that.. but i’m telling u, once you get into it, it’ll be ur new addiction, it’s like meditating. Slicing an onion is like taking a Xanax to me.’

Gomez commented on the post ‘Finally’ with an emoji of raised hands.

February 7, 2024
Camila Mendes stylishly steps out in NYC in a brown leather trench coat and eye-catching red shoes

Camila Mendes looked great as she stepped out for a press day in New York City this week.

The 29-year-old Riverdale alum — who was in Miami days ago — layered a brown leather trench coat over a brown turtleneck dress.

She commanded attention in the Big Apple as she added bright red pantyhose and a red, slingback, kitten heel shoe.

Mendes was styled by Molly Dickson as she promoted her new romantic comedy Upgraded.

Makeup artist Carolina Gonzalez brought out the star’s natural beauty using products from 111 Skin and Armani Beauty.

Camila Mendes looked great as she stepped out for a press day in New York City this week

The 29-year-old Riverdale alum layered a brown leather trench coat over a brown turtleneck dress

The Virginia-bred entertainer wore her glossy, dark locks in a center part as they cascaded down her back.

She wore chunky, silver-toned earrings and rocked a pristine, nude manicure as she stepped out to promote her film.

Camila took to Instagram on Tuesday morning to a share a behind-the-scenes look as she prepared to step out.

She snapped a selfie while hair stylist DJ Quintero and her makeup artist tended to her and wrote, ‘let the press week begin.’

Upgraded is set to premiere on Prime Video this Friday, February 9.

The R-rated movie follows Ana (Mendes), an intern who has goals of working in the art world.

Marisa Tomei plays her boss Claire, who she is determined to impress.

En route to London on a work trip, Ana gets mistaken for her boss after being upgraded to first class, where she meets William (played by Archie Renaux).

She commanded attention in the Big Apple as she added bright red pantyhose and a red, slingback, kitten heel shoe

Mendes was styled by Molly Dickson as she promoted her new romantic comedy Upgraded

Makeup artist Carolina Gonzalez brought out the star’s natural beauty using products from 111 Skin and Armani Beauty

Ana and William fall for each other, but Camila’s character does not readily reveal that she’s not her boss.

The film also stars Rachel Matthews as an assistant named Suzette, and Fola Evans-Akingbola as another assistant named Renee.

The feature also sees appearances from Saoirse-Monica Jackson, Lena Olin, and Anthony Head.

The busy press week in New York comes after Camila enjoyed a getaway for her friend Alex Tynion’s wedding.

February 6, 2024
Squid Game Champion Finally Receives Historic Payout from Netflix After Year-long Wait
Viewers were gripped when Mai Whelan won Squid Game: The Challenge last year, but the star has only just received her prize money, according to People Magazine.

Immigration adjudicator Mai, 55, won a staggering $4.56 million after beating 455 other players in the Netflix series last February.

Sources told TMZ that contestants signed a contract agreeing that the winner would only get their hands on the jackpot 30 days after the finale premiered.

‘Our contracts stated that the winner would receive the money – 30 days after the finale’, Sam Kohn, who was player 188 on the show, also tweeted.

However, the season one finale aired on December 6, meaning Mai was expected to have pocketed her winnings earlier this month.

The reality television show, which showed players battle it out in a series of taxing trials, was controversially renewed for a second season.

Viewers were gripped when Mai Whelan won Squid Game : The Challenge last year, but the star has only just received her prize money

Mai was ruthless in her victory which has seen her rake in a whopping $4.56 million

The game show based on Netflix’s hit show debuted on November 22 (pictures from Squid Game: The Challenge)

The reality competition show featured a whopping 456 competitors (pictured from Squid Game: The Challenge)

What will Mai do with the money?

Mai, who shared her dramatic story of escaping the communist regime in her homeland after the fall of Saigon, plans to spend her jackpot responsibly – on a retirement home, and donating to charity.

In the widely-panned finale, Whelan triumphed over scuba instructor Phill Cain, 27, after multiple rounds of rock, paper, scissor.

The final shot of the entire series followed Mai walking up to an ATM and checking her balance to see $4.56m waiting for her.

It is still unclear whether she received the money as a lump sum or in increments.

Mai told The Times she splashed out on a fancy hairdo, Ralph Lauren dress and Jimmy Choo shoes for a recent Netflix event.

‘I still have buyer’s remorse from that, but I think it’s well deserved’, she said.

What did she have to do to win?

Netflix described the spin-off as ‘inspired’ by the original, but also welcomed a whole host of new surprising additions for the show last winter.

Similar challenges already seen in Squid Game featured on the show, such as the infamous Red Light, Green Light, Sugar Honeycombs and Hopscotch games.

Contestants also battled it out for the jackpot by forming alliances and were strategic in a game of survival as fellow competitors dropped off like flies.

But contestants did not put their actual lives on the line to win the $4.56 million prize – although with such a huge sum of money up for grabs, it would make sense if so.

The show hosted 456 on the new reality TV competition based on the hit Netflix show – Squid Game. The competitors battled it out for a whopping $4.56 million

Some challenges from the original show made an appearance last winter, including Red Light, Green Light, Sugar Honeycombs and Hopscotch

Contestants complain about conditions

Ten episodes of the show appeared on Netflix, with its first titled Red Light, Green Light, signalling a huge hint to fans on what was to come.

During each round and episode, competitors were funnelled into a game hall through a spiralling, multi-coloured hallway while being watched by guards in pink jumpsuits with shapes that covered their faces.

Three unidentified competitors also spoke out against the show, with claims that they were made to film in zero degree weather, according to Variety.

They stressed that they had not signed up for a Bear Grylls or Naked and Afraid type show and were shocked by filming conditions.

Describing playing Red Light Green Light for six hours, one contestant said: ‘This isn’t a game.

‘The fun is now gone. You can’t tell people they have to stand in below freezing temperatures in just a tracksuit and two pairs of socks’.

A second alleged that conditions were ‘absolutely inhumane’ elaborating that four individuals had passed out during the game’s second round.

The claimant said they could see one girl faint, hearing her head hit the floor, adding: ‘But then someone came on the [microphone] and said to hold our positions because the game is not paused. After that, people were dropping like flies’.
The infamous Red Light, Green Light was filmed for a reported six hours, with some contestants hitting out at the show for poor filming conditions

One competitor came forward with claims that the conditions were ‘absolutely inhumane’, alleging four people fainted during the games’ second round

Endless list of controversies

The list of controversies regarding the Netflix show did not end with the alleged treatment of contestants either.

Fans were quick to point out that the streaming giant was quick to hand out the $4.5 million prize fresh off the back of the Writers Guild of America and Screen Actors Guild strikes.

Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter one wrote: ‘I don’t know how tone deaf you have to be to create this, it’s insurmountable. Capitalism at its finest.

‘Also, this is what you pour all your money into instead of properly paying staff? Lol’.

Previous accusations had also been levied against Netflix for not paying the Squid Game series creator Hwang Dong-hyuk residuals, despite the show being among the highest-earning on the platform.

Another chimed in: ‘The creator of squid game not being paid adequately while Netflix continues to profit from it while also missing the whole point of the show.

‘How anyone can look forward to watching this is crazy’.

Others were disheartened that Netflix had not released a sequel to the original Squid Game, with one writing: ‘We need season 2 of real Squid Game. Please’.

People were quick to bash the show branding it as ‘ignorant’ and ‘tone deaf’

Tone deaf: Some pointed how previous accusations had also been levied against Netflix for not paying the Squid Game series creator – Hwang Dong-hyuk – residuals

‘And yet, what we actually asked for was a second season, not a game show’, a second commented.

However some fans slammed Netflix as ‘ignorant’ and ‘tone deaf’ for bringing the fictional show to life.

‘I see you completely missed the point of the series. Good job,’ one quipped.

A second penned: ‘The fact this even exists proves they didn’t understand the point of the actual show – it’s going to be so disappointing how popular this will likely be’.

‘Making a reality game show based a show that critiques capitalism is still super cringe,’ another jabbed.

‘I hate that this exists,’ wrote one user: ‘Squid Game’s entire premise was a satire of greed, class warfare and exploitation of the working class. So naturally a large corporate entity like Netflix just saw dollar signs $$’.

Squid Game: The Challenge aired on Netflix on November 22, 2023.

Other fans were not happy that the streaming giant handed out the $4.5 million prize fresh off the back of the Writers Guild of America and Screen Actors Guild strikes

Other viewers labelled the show as ‘cringe’, stating that they ‘hated’ that it exists
January 31, 2024
BBC’s upcoming documentary about Elizabeth Taylor to be produced and featured by Kim Kardashian

Kim Kardashian is gearing up to produce and feature in BBC’s upcoming three-part documentary, covering the life of Elizabeth Taylor.

The billionaire-businesswoman, 43, was the last person to interview the late movie star before her death in March 2011, aged 79.

And now over a decade later, Kim, who has long idolised Elizabeth, will delve deep into her life for the new docuseries.

The documentary Elizabeth Taylor: Rebel Superstar is executive produced by Kim, Kari Lia and Hamish Fergusson.

It will dive into her early fame, acting career, many marriages and how she went on to be a billionaire-businesswoman, activist and advocate.

Kim Kardashian, 43, is gearing up to produce and feature in BBC ‘s upcoming three-part documentary, covering the life of the late Elizabeth Taylor, who died aged 79

The billionaire-businesswoman was the last person to interview the late movie star (pictured in 1950) before her death in March 2011

Kim said: ‘Elizabeth Taylor was unapologetically herself, a fighter. She is proof that you can keep evolving and changing and have different chapters in your life – and she paved the way for all of us who came after her with that blueprint.’

Elizabeth’s close friend Dame Joan Collins, school friend Margaret O’Brien and close friend Carole Bayer Sager will also appear on the documentary.

Alistair Pegg, Commissioning Editor at the BBC added: ‘This exciting series promises a new understanding of Elizabeth Taylor – both her technique and power as an actor, and her capacity for reinventing herself.’

Elizabeth Taylor, one of the great Hollywood beauties, led an infamously scandalous life with many men and a mindboggling eight marriages.

But as the wife of a US senator living in the stodgy nation’s capital, the glitzy star became a ‘drunk and a junkie,’ according to Kate Andersen Brower’s Elizabeth Taylor: The Grit and Glamour of an Icon biography.

When Elizabeth was married to her seventh husband, Republican Senator John Warner of Virginia in the late 70s, she once summoned one of her adult sons from a previous marriage to her bedroom where she was clad only in revealing underwear.

‘She was pretty f***ed up on something. She was seated on the edge of the bed in her underwear and had a syringe of Demerol, [an addictive opioid] in her right hand,’ recalled Christopher Wilding, son of Elizabeth’s second husband, the British actor Michael Wilding.

‘She pointed to a spot on her thigh,’ and asked him to inject the needle. When he couldn’t, the Oscar-winning star ‘steadied her hand and plunged the needle into her flesh.’

And now over a decade later, Kim, who has long idolised Elizabeth, will delve deep into her life for the new docuseries

In March 2011, Elizabeth suffered congestive heart failure, and died six weeks later (pictured in 2009)

The documentary Elizabeth Taylor: Rebel Superstar is executive produced by Kim, Kari Lia and Hamish Fergusson

It will dive into her early fame, acting career, many marriages and how she went on to be a billionaire-businesswoman, activist and advocate (pictured in 1955)

Elizabeth’s close friend Dame Joan Collins (pictured), school friend Margaret O’Brien and close friend Carole Bayer Sager will also appear on the documentary

During the Warner marriage, the gorgeous Elizabeth known for her seductive violet eyes and once spectacular figure – unhappy with her life as a senator’s wife in the ritzy and conservative Georgetown enclave – ate and drank so much that she ballooned 40 pounds to more than 170 pounds, igniting Warner to call her his ‘little heifer,’ writes Brower.

The marriage lasted six years – a relatively long time for eight-times married Elizabeth, who was in and out of marriages like a revolving door.

Her other turbulent marriages included a brief union with Paris Hilton’s great uncle, Conrad Nicky Hilton, film producer Mike Todd, crooner Eddie Fisher, and Richard Burton.

At 18-years-old, Elizabeth married her first husband Conrad Hilton and got her first four-carat diamond ring.

They honeymooned in Europe but the thrill was gone within just two weeks, when Hilton virtually abandoned her and went on a drink and gambling binge.

He soon became abusive and kicked her in the stomach causing a miscarriage.

In 1952, Taylor married the British actor Michael Wilding, who was 20 years her senior.

Because of the age difference the couple had little in common, so little that, according to the author, Taylor had an affair with Frank Sinatra, and got pregnant.

Elizabeth married her seventh husband Republican Senator John Warner (pictured) in 1976

The marriage lasted six years – a relatively long time for eight-times married Taylor

At just the tender age of 18, Elizabeth married her first husband, Conrad Nicholas Hilton, Jr., the great-uncle of Paris Hilton, at the Bel Air country club in 1950

Elizabeth went on to marry second husband, British actor Michael Wilding in 1952, who was 20 years her senior

Hollywood beauty and icon Elizabeth was known for her seductive violet eyes and once spectacular figure during the age of classical Hollywood cinema

In 1957, the same year her marriage with Wilding ended, Elizabeth moved on quickly, marrying film producer Mike Todd and honeymooning in Acapulco, Mexico (pictured)

Todd (far left) was killed in a plane crash 13 months later and she began a relationship with popular young crooner Eddie Fisher (right) who infamously ended his marriage with Debbie Reynolds and married Elizabeth

In 1957, the same year her marriage with Wilding ended, Elizabeth moved on quickly, marrying film producer Mike Todd and honeymooning in Acapulco, Mexico.

But 13 months after their March 1958 marriage, Todd was killed in a plane crash.

In 1959, the popular young crooner Eddie Fisher infamously ended his marriage with Debbie Reynolds and married Elizabeth.

Elizabeth had become famous at age 12 after playing the lead in the film, National Velvet in 1944, but she felt abused with the MGM studio system that addicted their young stars to pills – amphetamines and sedatives.

In all, Elizabeth made over 60 films, most for the silver screen and some for television.

Several times she came back from the dead from illnesses and suicide attempts and overdoses, heart attacks, three hip replacements, and more.

‘I’ve been through it all, baby. I’m Mother Courage. I’ll be dragging a sable coast behind me into old age,’ she said, according to the author.

In March 2011, Elizabeth Taylor suffered congestive heart failure, and died six weeks later.

January 29, 2024
Matthew, 44, son of Christopher Reeve, reflects on his father’s 1996 Oscars appearance after paralysis, as the 20 year anniversary of the Superman star’s death approaches.

Christopher Reeve’s lookalike eldest son Matthew has emotionally reflected on the star’s first public appearance at the 1996 Oscars since he was left paralyzed following a horse riding accident.

At the age of 42 in 1995, Superman star Reeve was left paralyzed from the neck down after being thrown from a horse during an equestrian competition in Culpeper, Virginia. He relied upon a wheelchair and ventilator for the rest of his life.

Reeve brought stars to tears during his appearance at the Oscars one year later – in which he introduced a powerful film montage recognizing how Hollywood tackled social issues.

Matthew Exton Reeve, now 44, is the first child of Reeve — who died aged 52 in 2004 — and longterm partner Gae Exton. The couple also welcomed daughter Alexandra Reeve Givens, now 40, during their nine year on-off romance from 1978-1987.

Reeve shared youngest son Will, now 31, with wife Dana, who died from lung cancer aged 44 in 2006 — just 17 months after Reeve’s death from heart failure.

Christopher Reeve’s lookalike eldest son Matthew has emotionally reflected on the star’s first public appearance at the 1996 Oscars since he was left paralyzed following a horse riding accident (Matthew pictured January 2024)

Reeve is best known for his role as Superman in four iconic films (pictured left in 1978’s Superman). Matthew (R) is the spitting image of his late father

Reeve brought stars to tears during his appearance at the Oscars in 1996 — one year after he was left paralyzed

Speaking to People at the Sundance premiere of documentary Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story – and ahead of the 20th anniversary of Reeve’s death. Matthew said: ‘I remember I was in London, it was a school night and we stayed up until three or four in the morning to watch it. And it was absolutely incredible.

‘And what sticks with me most was after that incredible warm welcome and that very long ovation that he received, his introduction — he followed it up with a wonderful speech about how cinema and movies are at their best when they not only entertain, but they inform and educate and address issues.

‘So that’s always stuck with me. And that’s why also I feel like here, at Sundance, that’s what they do and that’s what they live for.’

Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story — directed by Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui — left Sundance audience members in tears upon its premiere.

The documentary — largely narrated by Reeve thanks to the two audiobook versions of his memoirs — begins on New Year’s Eve 1994 with Reeve saying his life was ‘perfectly balanced but in an instant everything changed.’ He was paralyzed less than five months later.

The film features home video footage of the star and interviews with his children and actor friends — with fans shown how he rose to fame as one of Hollywood’s most beloved stars.

It depicts Reeve’s battle with the ‘darkest thoughts’ after his paralysis – telling his wife Dana: ‘Maybe we should let me go; with Dana responding: ‘You’re still you and I love you.’

He later said: ‘When Dana whispered those life-saving words to me… it meant more to me than just a personal declaration of faith and commitment.

Matthew, now 44, is the first child of Reeve — who died aged 52 in 2004 — and Gae Exton. The couple also welcomed daughter Alexandra, 40, with Reeve father to son Will, now 31, from his marriage to the late Dana Reeve (pictured together January 2024)

Superman star (left) Reeve was a real-life superhero before and after the accident. At right he is pictured circa 1977

At the age of 42 in 1995, Superman star Reeve was left paralyzed from the neck down after being thrown from a horse during an equestrian competition in Culpeper, Virginia . He relied upon a wheelchair and ventilator for the rest of his life (pictured with Matthew in 2002)

Will was orphaned when his beloved mother Dana died from lung cancer aged just 44 in 2006 — 17 months after Reeve’s death aged 52 (the couple are pictured in 2003)

‘In a sense it was an affirmation that marriage and family stood at the center of everything, and if both were intact, so was your universe.’

Reeve notably had a close friendship with late actor, Robin Williams, and the two were roommates while studying at Juilliard in the 1970s.

Glenn Close recounts how Reeve was ‘terrified that he could die at any moment’ after his accident and how his close friendship with Williams gave his strength.

Close said: ‘I’ve always thought if Chris was still around, then Robin would still be alive.’

His son Will also opens up about losing both his parents within 18 months of one another, saying: ‘That was the moment, I’ve been alone ever since then.’

Will, now a successful sports journalist, was raised by the family’s next door neighbors and close friends.

All three children work with the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation which aims to cure spinal cord injury by advancing innovative research and improving the quality of life for individuals and families impacted by paralysis.

He had also starred in other projects during the course of his career, such as working alongside Jane Seymour in Somewhere In Time (1980)

Reeve is best known for his role as hero Superman but he used his fame to help others (pictured 1986)

Reeve is pictured with Matthew and Alexandra and ex partner Gae Exton

The foundation’s legacy is celebrated in the film, ending with a quote from Reeve on what he believes a hero is.

He said: ‘A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.’

Reeve notably portrayed the iconic superhero, Superman, in the film Superman (1978), Superman II (1980), Superman III (1983) and Superman IV: The Quest For Peace (1987).

He had also starred in other projects during the course of his career, such as working alongside Jane Seymour in Somewhere In Time (1980).

January 27, 2024
Robert De Niro becomes emotional while discussing his daughter Gia, nine months: ‘She makes all my worries disappear when I see her’

Robert De Niro got emotional as he described the impact his youngest child, Gia Virginia, has made in his life over the past nine months.

While speaking about recently becoming a dad again, the Killers of the Flower Moon star, 80, teared up as he discussed the joys of fatherhood to AARP The Magazine.

‘Everything that I’m consumed with or worried about just goes away when I look at her. It’s wondrous,’ he gushed.

De Niro continued: ‘When she gets older — who knows? But that very sweet way she has of looking at you, taking you in, thinking and watching and observing.’

Robert De Niro got emotional as he described the impact his youngest child, Gia Virginia, has made in his life over the past nine months

Overall, the two-time Oscar winner said life with a seventh child ‘feels great.’

In May 2023, De Niro announced he has recently welcomed a baby with his girlfriend Tiffany Chen.

When asked about his feelings about becoming a father again, at age 79, the New York native told Page Six that Chen’s pregnancy was ‘planned.’

‘I’m ok with it,’ the actor told Extra when asked if he was excited. ‘I’m good with it.’ When asked if becoming a parent ever gets easier the Taxi Driver quipped, ‘Never gets easier.’

De Niro confirmed the surprising new addition to his family during an interview with ET Canada, after he was asked what it was like to be a father of six children.

That is when he said he did not have six, but rather seven children, then shared that he recently welcomed a new child into his life.

‘I just had a baby,’ he said.

He did not share the name of the baby or the gender at the time of the interview.

The Godfather actor has six other other children; Drena, 51, and Raphael, 46 with his ex-wife Diahnne Abbott, Elliot, 25, and Helen, 11, with ex-wife Grace Hightower, and twins Aaron and Julian, 27, with former girlfriend, Toukie Smith.

While speaking about recently becoming a dad again, the Killers of the Flower Moon star, 80, teared up as he described the joys of fatherhood to AARP The Magazine

‘Everything that I’m consumed with or worried about just goes away when I look at her. It’s wondrous,’ he gushed (seen in 2020)

Tiffany and Robert are thought to have first met in 2015 when they worked on the film The Intern together.

The film also starred Anne Hathaway as a workaholic CEO, with Robert working at her company as a senior intern.

Tiffany had a small role as a Tai Chi instructor who helps out Robert’s character.

Robert was spotted with Tiffany in August 2021 as they enjoyed a vacation in the South of France together.

The pair’s romance was evident as they were seen holding hands while strolling through the sunshine and were later seen kissing on a yacht.

They were also pictured together in New York in June and attended the Philbrook Museum of Art in Tulsa on July 31, in pictures which appeared on social media but were later deleted.

At the time, the Raging Bull actor was locked in a bitter divorce battle with his now ex wife Grace Hightower.

In April 2022, a judge ruled that his ex-wife, 66, should receive $1 million annually and that the couple will split the proceeds after selling their $20 million home.

January 25, 2024
The Definitive Guide to On Demand Viewing: Our Top Picks of the Week and the Hottest New Releases for Your Weekend Entertainment

From action comedies to back-stabbing reality shows, check out our critics’ picks of the best shows to watch On Demand right now. The experts have chosen their top ten programmes streaming this weekend, as well as reviewing new releases. Read on to find out what to watch this weekend…

Our picks of the week:

Role Play

Kaley Cuoco and David Oyelowo star in a hitman action comedy

Year: 2024

Certificate: 15

Watch now on Prime Video

When suburban parents Emma and Dave (Kaley Cuoco and David Oyelowo) wangle a night away from their kids in the big city, they decide to indulge in a little role play. Trouble is, Emma already has a secret life – as a globetrotting international assassin – and tonight her undercover identity is about to come home to roost.

Cuoco is clearly having a ball slipping in and out of disguises as she moves from one action sequence to another, while Oyelowo makes a great befuddled foil as he realises that there’s much more to his mild-mannered missus than meets the eye. Throw in Bill Nighy as one of Emma’s fellow killers and you’ve a top-notch slice of action comedy. (100 minutes)

Lift

Kevin Hart turns into an action hero in a heist movie extravaganza

Year: 2024

Certificate: 12

Watch now on Netflix

When it comes to action movies, Kevin Hart is best-known for playing the comedy sidekick to the likes of Dwayne Johnson. But this movie sees the comic step up to take the lead, and he does a bang-up job. He plays Cyrus, the leader of a gang of thieves who are recruited by the government to steal a gold shipment before it can reach the vaults of a bunch of terrorists. There’s just one problem: they’re going to have to steal it from a plane in midair…

Chockful of slick caper nonsense, high-tech gadgetry, laughs and action, this is part Ocean’s 11, part The Fast And The Furious. In short? The perfect Friday night Netflix movie. (104 minutes)

Criminal Record

Cush Jumbo and Peter Capaldi star in this London crime thriller

Year: 2024

Certificate: 15

Watch now on Apple TV+

Could Peter Capaldi be playing the bad guy? That’s what you’re wondering in episode one of this bruising London crime drama, which stars Cush Jumbo as a rising detective who thinks she’s found something suspicious in an old investigation. Capaldi plays a grizzled veteran who rebuffs her concerns, and the sparring between them is a joy to see – so it’s no surprise to learn that the show was actually born out of Jumbo and Capaldi’s desire to work on something together, and their mutual love of crime dramas.

So, is DS Lenker (Jumbo) being overeager and missing the bigger picture? Or is DCI Hegarty (Capaldi) covering something up? Both actors are great at keeping us guessing in a rich and twisting eight-parter that, despite its grimy London feel, clearly wasn’t short on cash. It was created by Paul Rutman, a seasoned crime writer (Vera, Inspector Lewis, ITV’s Marple) who has weaved racial and generational themes into his script here. He’s also pretty keen on drinks. Keep an eye out for how many times we learn character details from what and how people are drinking in a scene. During a Q&A after a preview screening for the show, Rutman remarked that ‘every cup of tea is different’ and, if you watch closely in this show, you’ll see that kind of eye for detail reflected everywhere. (Eight episodes)

Zuckerberg: King Of The Metaverse

Documentary examing the rise of Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg

Year: 2024

Certificate: 15

Watch now on NOW

Watch now on Sky

The story of the how a Harvard dropout created the world’s most influential social media network is hardly unknown – it spawned multi-award-winning movie The Social Network in 2010, after all – but the world’s fascination with the tale of Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg remains undimmed.

This feature-length documentary digs into previously unmined areas, though, using interviews with key figures and rarely seen chunks of archive footage to uncover new facets of the world’s youngest billionaire. It’s detailed stuff that also isn’t afraid to ask serious questions about Facebook’s place in the world, investigating the avenues it provides for previously unimaginable and potentially catastrophic levels of political and social misinformation. (90 minutes)

Society Of The Snow

Spanish drama based on the infamous 1972 Andes plane crash

Year: 2023

Certificate: 15

Watch now on Netflix

The 1972 plane crash that stranded a Uruguayan rugby team deep in the Andes mountains with little hope of rescue is infamous. The story of how the survivors eventually resorted to cannibalism in order to survive has already inspired one movie (1993’s Alive) and surely features in the DNA of the hit series Yellowjackets, but this Spanish-language retelling of events is perhaps the most hard-hitting and complex of the lot.

The sense of isolation, cold and hopelessness it conveys is crushing as the teammates make momentous decisions in order to stave off death long enough to find a way back to civilisation. (144 mins)

The Traitors (Series 2)

Addictive game show of barefaced treachery, hosted by Claudia Winkleman

Year: 2024

Watch now on BBC iPlayer

This back-stabbing reality series was the TV hit of 2022 and, in series two, cloaked host Claudia Winkleman welcomes a new group of 22 people to a dramatic Highlands setting, where three of the contestants will be secretly assigned as Traitors before the tense games begin. Who will win the prize of £120,000 this time around?

Superfans of the show can also find the US and Australian versions on iPlayer and, if you want to get a little closer to the action, give the online game a whirl. You can work your way up a leaderboard by predicting who will be murdered, who will make it through to the end and answering other bonus questions about the show. It’s available at bbc.co.uk/traitors and on mobile devices. (12 episodes)

Masters Of Sex

Period drama exploring the world of 1950s sex researchers in America

Year: 2013-2016

Certificate: 15

Watch now on UKTV Play

There’s sex in the title and the subject is sex, but there will be no juvenile sniggering at the back watching this accomplished drama that spins a heavily fictionalised series out of the real-life story of American sex researchers Masters and Johnson.

Like Alfred Kinsey before them in the 1940s, William H Masters and Virginia E Johnson (Michael Sheen and Lizzy Caplan) sought, in the 1950s and beyond, to apply rigorous scientific methodology to the study of sex. It was groundbreaking to observe this kind of human behaviour in laboratory settings, but laboratory sex is not the least bit sexy, and if that was all this show was about, it would get tired pretty quickly. Instead, the series focuses on Masters and Johnson themselves, on their working relationship and their family lives. (Four series)

Dune: Part One

Epic and star-filled adaptation of Frank Herbert’s space story

Year: 2021

Certificate: 12

Watch now on Netflix

Frank Herbert’s Dune novels are a space epic for the generations, telling a complicated story of warring families and religion that unfolds across centuries. Hollywood’s finest have been trying to make it work on screen for years, and David Lynch’s divisive 1984 project, featuring Sting and some of the finest actors of their generation, was the best effort until this.

Director Denis Villeneuve’s film is accessible and human where Lynch’s is eccentric and alien, a blockbuster that wisely divides the initial novel across two movies and, like Lynch’s film, features a seriously impressive cast. Timothée Chalamet stars as Paul Atreides, the potential saviour of embattled desert planet Dune, with Zendaya as a fearsome local warrior and Silo’s Rebecca Ferguson as Paul’s mother – the standout performance of the film. That really only scratches the surface of the cast but, if you’re in the mood for some blockbuster action with an epic feel, they don’t come much better than this.

Part Two is on the way, although it was only officially ordered when Part One was a box office hit. Which makes the choice of title all the bolder. (155 minutes)

Accused

Bold US crime dramas about defendants’ brushes with the law

Year: 2023

Certificate: 15

Watch now on Paramount+

In 2010, Jimmy McGovern wrote and produced a series of standalone dramas, each chronicling a seemingly ordinary person’s brush with the legal system. This US anthology show takes its inspiration from that idea, with each standalone episode telling a different story in flashback, explaining how small ripples in a character’s life unexpectedly combined into a disastrous tsunami that sweeps them into court.

Touching on everything from assault and murder to school shootings and white supremacist terrorism, it offers up some bold mini dramas that allow an ever-changing cast that includes Michael Chiklis, Rhea Perlman and Abigail Breslin plenty of opportunities to shine. A second series has already been commissioned. (One series)

Good Grief

Paris-set drama about loss starring Schitt’s Creek’s Daniel Levy

Year: 2024

Certificate: 15

Watch now on Netflix

A year after his beloved husband dies, artist Marc (Schitt’s Creek’s Daniel Levy) feels like he’s recovered enough to be able to take his two best friends (Ruth Negga and Himesh Patel) on a trip to Paris to thank them for all the support that they’ve given him. But once there, harsh truths emerge about their relationships that force them to re-evaluate their friendship, all while Marc begins to see hints of a renewed romantic life.

An elegant and bittersweet movie that mixes wry smiles with emotional investigation, this is a lovely heart-tugging watch directed with commendable restraint by Levy himself. (100 mins)

New this week:

Disappearance At Clifton Hill

Atmospheric mystery thriller about a woman haunted by disturbing memories

Year: 2019

Certificate: 15

Watch now on Channel 4

An offbeat thriller that is blackly comic and somewhat muddled, but also atmospheric and intriguing. Tuppence Middleton (Downton Abbey) plays a young woman returning to Niagara Falls, to a motel that was her childhood family home. There, she tries to piece together fragmented memories of a child’s abduction. Was it real, or is her mind playing tricks? (100 minutes)

After The Flood

Peaky Blinders’ Sophie Rundle stars in ITV’s disaster drama

Year: 2024

Watch now on ITVX

Sophie Rundle found herself in a most unusual situation while filming this pulsating crime thriller. ‘I was getting into a giant, freezing-cold paddling pool every day wearing a large pregnancy belly beneath a police uniform,’ says the Peaky Blinders star. ‘It was certainly different!’

Sophie plays heavily pregnant PC Joanna Marshall, helping to save lives in the wake of a catastrophic flood in a fictional northern town. The paddling pool was in fact a giant tank in which rows of houses were built before millions of gallons of water were poured in. The series begins with PC Marshall and colleagues battling to save a mother and child from a swollen river. Later, a man is found dead in an underground car park and it’s assumed he’s drowned, but there are signs he was murdered. PC Marshall decides to investigate — without telling her bosses. (Six episodes)

The Effect

Paapa Essiedu stars in Lucy Prebble’s powerful, darkly funny play about love

Year: 2023

Watch now on National Theatre At Home

It’s interesting to watch actors you know from film and TV performing on a stage – they seem freer, somehow. Paapa Essiedu – of The Lazarus Project, Genie and The Capture, to name but three – certainly seems that way in this powerful performance of Lucy Prebble’s searingly incisive and sharply comic drama about love.

Essiedu stars with Taylor Russell (Lost In Space) as a man and a woman pumped full of ‘Viagra for the heart’ as part of a drugs trial. Are they actually falling in love, or is it just the medication? And what does love mean, anyway? And where are they left once the trial is over? Prebble (I Hate Suzie) has a sharp eye for this subject, and the starkness of the white-on-black staging gives all the focus to the performers delivering her words, which they do with unflinching power and precision.

The Effect is a funny, thought-provoking, surprising and ultimately quite disturbing play. And, if you watch it with the lights off, it’ll bring you one step closer to the power it would’ve had live in the theatre. (105 minutes)

The Trust: A Game Of Greed

American game show about deception with a $250,000 prize

Year: 2024

Certificate: 12

Watch now on Netflix

At the start of this US gameshow, the 11 contestants assembled in a beachside mansion are all informed that they have already won an equal share of $250,000. Unless, that is, one of their fellow contestants decides to vote them out before the end of the series – in which case the evicted player’s share gets split among the survivors.

As the title suggests, this is a show that’s all about trust. Will the contestants do the sensible thing and just all happily pocket $23k? Or will some of them jostle to manipulate the others as they try to secure a bigger slice of the pie for themselves? If you enjoyed The Traitors, you’re going to find a lot to relish here. (One series)

Boy Swallows Universe

Coming-of-age crime drama set in 1980s Brisbane

Year: 2024

Certificate: 15

Watch now on Netflix

A bright-eyed young boy challenges both the law and the drug boss who rules the dusty streets of Brisbane in the 1980s as this oddball, funny and bittersweet eight-part drama plays out. With a missing father, an addict mum, a mute brother, a heroin dealer stepfather and a criminal for a babysitter, Eli already has the odds stacked against him. But if he wants to save his mum from disaster, he’s going to have to risk everything.

Felix Cameron is perfect as roguish urchin Eli, but watch out for a ton of familiar faces from Aussie TV and film scattered through the cast, not least Bryan Brown, Anthony LaPaglia and The Mentalist’s Simon Baker. (Eight episodes)

Letterkenny

Quirky small-town Canadian comedy

Year: 2016-2023

Certificate: 18

Watch now on ITVX

An off-kilter Canadian comedy you’ve probably never heard of, despite running to 12 series, this has definitely flown under the radar this side of the pond. Rolling Stone magazine describes it as a ‘guys-being-guys show’, and those guys (and a handful of gals) are rural folk of the kind we don’t see over here – a mix of hockey jocks, hicks, loafers and happy clappers. What it might lack in the familiar, it makes up for with sharp wit, small-town quirks, plus a fair bit of swearing, sex and liberal use of puns. If you enjoyed Schitt’s Creek, but prefer your humour more rough and earthy, this is well worth a look. (12 series)

Echo

Marvel series that spotlights a reformed deaf assassin

Year: 2024

Certificate: 15

Watch now on Disney+

Introduced in the Hawkeye series a few years ago, mobster Echo aka Maya Lopez (Alaqua Cox) has fled New York after turning against her crime-boss godfather Kingpin (Vincent D’Onofrio). Heading to her hometown in Oklahoma, she struggles to fit in as the ghosts of her past return to haunt her.

Cox is excellent in this five-part series as the former killer who defies her deafness and prosthetic leg to be one of Marvel’s most lethal fighters. It’s a must-watch for fans of the old Netflix Daredevil show too – as well as the brooding presence of D’Onofrio as Kingpin, it also sees Charlie Cox (no relation…) return as Daredevil, ahead of his own series Daredevil: Born Again. (Five episodes)

Don’t Trust The B**** In Apartment 23

Krysten Ritter and James Van Der Beek star in an edgy, smartly written US comedy

Year: 2012-2014

Certificate: 12

Watch now on Disney+

Dawson’s Creek’s James Van Der Beek plays a sleazy version of himself in this edgy, fast and playful US comedy about two female flatmates of very different temperaments – one sweet and newly arrived in New York (Dreama Walker), the other a cynical party girl (Jessica Jones’s Krysten Ritter).

Created by Nahnatchka Khan (Fresh Off The Boat, Totally Killer), Apartment 23 was the smartest and edgiest comedy on US TV at the time, and still feels fresh and punchy today. Ritter is gleefully vicious as Chloe, a character who never truly softens in the way you might expect her to, and Van Der Beek has a terrific time sending himself up. Ritter has spoken since about how good the atmosphere was on set, and how much room the actors were given to do their thing – and you can certainly see the results of that on screen. It’s a show that richly deserves a new generation of fans, so bravo to Disney+ for dusting it off from the ABC TV library and giving it the chance to attract exactly that. (Two series)

Fast X

Dom Toretto and his family are targeted by the vengeful son of a drug lord

Year: 2023

Certificate: 12

Watch now on NOW

Watch now on Sky

The Fast & Furious movies have taken car stunts to new heights (to space, in the ninth film) and that doesn’t slow down in the tenth instalment.

Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and co end up driving underwater in the globe-trotting Fast X, a movie in which the stunts are far, far more important than the wonderfully silly story which, for the record, involves the rise of a vengeful threat from the past – the deranged Dante, played with suitable flair by Jason Momoa. The Aquaman star’s performance fits right into the tone of a movie that, for the audience, is all about sitting back and enjoying the ride. (141 minutes)

Foe

Saoirse Ronan and Paul Mescal star as a couple living in a ruined future

Year: 2023

Certificate: 15

Watch now on Prime Video

Our planet is headed for Mad Max territory in this haunting film, set in a time in which the harsh climate has pushed people to flee the inhospitable surface for outer space. The story it tells is very human and contained though, and revolves entirely around one couple living in a farmhouse in the American Midwest in 2065. Saoirse Ronan and Paul Mescal play the couple and we’re told, just before we meet them, that this is a world in which artificial humans have started living and working in these harsh environments.

As a result, you spend much of the rest of the movie wondering whether either of them is a robot. We won’t reveal what happens, but the film feels more like a play at times as we steadily head toward the Twilight Zone-style finale and, despite the sci-fi ideas, this is ultimately a deep dissection of one relationship. It’s a little long for that story, perhaps, but it’s also one of those films you’d be tempted to watch twice once you know how it ends. (110 mins)

January 12, 2024