lifestyle
CelebrityVarietyKevin Costner Honors Sean Connery: ‘He Was the Biggest Star’
Kevin Costner paid tribute to Sean Connery, his co-star in "The Untouchables," calling him "a man's man who had an amazing career." Connery died on Friday in his sleep. He was 90 years old. The actor won an Oscar for his role in "The Untouchables" as beat cop Jim Malone, a mentor to Costner's character […]
EntertainmentVarietySean Connery: He Made James Bond Larger Than Life, and Became One of the Great Movie Stars
I’ve always loved one detail in the story of how Sean Connery, in 1961, nabbed the role of James Bond. A number of other actors were being considered for the part, like Roger Moore and James Mason. Ian Fleming, who had written 10 Bond novels (the first, "Casino Royale," was published in 1953), had his […]
NewsVarietyStunt Community Responds to SAG-AFTRA’s Task Force: ‘A Step in the Right Direction’
Members of the stunt community have reacted to SAG-AFTRA’s move to create a task force to investigate racist practices that still exist within the stunt community. The move comes after members of the stunt community issued a letter to SAG-AFTRA last month highlighting issues of racism, homophobia, xenophobia and misogyny. Earlier this year, "Stargirl” actor Anjelika […]
CelebrityThe WrapBest Celebrity Halloween Costumes of 2020, From Lizzo as Mike Pence’s Fly to Lil Nas X’s Nicki Minaj (Photos)
Halloween is here again and though it isn’t being celebrated as usual due to the pandemic, celebrities are still getting in the spooktacular spirit by dressing up in some amazing costumes. Click through TheWrap’s gallery to see stars’ best Halloween costumes of 2020.Read original story Best Celebrity Halloween Costumes of 2020, From Lizzo as Mike Pence’s Fly to Lil Nas X’s Nicki Minaj (Photos) At TheWrap
PoliticsVarietyDonald Trump’s Campaign Rallies Connected to Thousands of COVID-19 Cases, According to Stanford Study
President Donald Trump’s campaign rallies have reportedly resulted in 30,000 COVID-19 cases that caused more than 700 deaths, according to a new study from Stanford University. The article, titled “The Effects of Large Group Meetings on the Spread of COVID-19: The Case of Trump Rallies," was released on Friday and examines 18 Trump rallies across […]
NewsVarietyEngland Declares Second National Lockdown: Cinemas Will Close But Production Set to Continue
U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced a second national lockdown in England from Nov. 5 as the second wave of coronavirus cases soar across the country. All pubs, restaurants and non-essential retail businesses will close until Dec. 2, after which some areas may go into lower-tier restrictions, depending on the severity of local cases. […]
PoliticsVarietyBruce Springsteen Narrates ‘Hometown’ Ad for Joe Biden
Bruce Springsteen has lent his voice -- and his 1984 hit, "My Hometown" -- to a campaign ad for democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. The spot, appropriately titled "Hometown," highlights Biden's hometown of Scranton, Pa. and the people who work and live there. Clips of factory workers, truck drivers, nurses, firefighters and families are shown […]
EntertainmentThe WrapSean Connery Appreciation: Screen Legend Left Audiences Shaken, Stirred, as Bond and Beyond
Every actor wants to work. And a small percentage of those actors get to work in films that people remember; and a much smaller percentage get to play an iconic character over the course of several films; and an infinitesimal percentage manage to find success by tackling other roles after becoming famous as that iconic character. Which brings us to Sean Connery, who died this week at the age of 90.His portrayal of super-spy James Bond was as essential to the 1960s as The Beatles. (Even though, in “Goldfinger,” Connery’s Bond cracked that drinking warm champagne was “as bad as listening to the Beatles without earmuffs.”) He wasn’t technically the first Bond — Barry Nelson played the Ian Fleming character in an American TV adaptation of “Casino Royale” in 1954 — but Connery invented an action hero who was overtly sexual in a way that his predecessors hadn’t been, although still able to dispatch the bad guys with ruthless efficiency, all the while never spoiling the crease in his tuxedo.Connery himself came from working-class origins, having been a milkman and a lifeguard before flirtations with professional bodybuilding and football on his way to an acting career. Bond might have been an employee of Her Majesty, but he was always more of a roughneck than an Oxonian. Here was a British hero without the tiniest bit of foppish elitism or aristocratic remove; his authority came from his steadfastness, his steely gaze, his unwavering voice.Also Read: Sean Connery, Oscar-Winning James Bond Star, Dies at 90Bond was cruel and sadistic, but Connery’s screen presence was so dashing and charismatic that audiences rarely noticed. If you look back at the spy craze of the decade, one that inspired knock-offs and parodies galore, you can pin it entirely on Connery’s shoulders. He had an acting career before becoming 007 — one that encompassed stage, TV and movies like the sudsy Lana Turner potboiler “Another Time, Another Place” and the Disney whimsy of “Darby O’Gill and the Little People” — and he was determined to have one after being 007, as well.As Tom Cruise would later do in projects directed by Stanley Kubrick and Martin Scorsese, to name a few, Connery used his box-office clout as a way to work with leading filmmakers who would show audiences the breadth of his capabilities. As Bond-mania was reaching an apex in 1964, Connery signed on to star opposite Tippi Hedren in Alfred Hitchcock’s “Marnie,” a psychosexual drama that wasn’t embraced at the time but has built a growing cult over the decades.Also Read: Beyond Bond: Sean Connery's 14 Most Memorable Non-007 Film RolesEven though Hitchcock later sniffed to François Truffaut that he “wasn’t convinced that Sean Connery was a Philadelphia gentleman,” Connery is perfectly cast in a role that requires him to be both cruel and affectionate, manipulative and understanding. Connery clearly had a better working relationship with Sidney Lumet, with whom he worked a year later on the 1965 WWII drama “The Hill.” The two would go on to collaborate on 1971’s “The Anderson Tapes,” a highlight of Connery’s post-Bond career, “The Offence” (1973), “Family Business” (1989), and the all-star “Murder on the Orient Express” (1974).“Family Business,” incidentally, is perhaps best recalled as the film in which we’re supposed to believe Connery as the father of Dustin Hoffman and the grandfather of Matthew Broderick, but of course Connery paved the way for actors like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Liam Neeson to play American characters with European accents that audiences chose to overlook. (As former TheWrap film critic April Wolfe tweeted, Connery, in “Highlander II: The Quickening,” played “a Spanish-Egyptian immortal and DID NOT CHANGE HIS ACCENT AT ALL. And we went, ‘Sure, why not.'”)Walking away from the Bond franchise after “Diamonds Are Forever” (1971) — apart from a one-off reprise of the role in the aptly-titled “Never Say Never Again” (1983) — Connery came into his own as a charismatic lead in films that weren’t easily categorized. For every traditional, two-fisted heroic turn in movies like “Outland” (1981), “Meteor” (1979) or “The Great Train Robbery” (1978), the actor also offered up the likes of Richard Lester’s “Robin and Marian” (1976), casting him as a later-in-life Robin Hood still madly in love with his fair maiden Audrey Hepburn, or John Boorman’s “Zardoz” (1974), a sci-fi freakout in which Connery’s red loincloth and a giant floating stone head duke it out as the film’s most unforgettable image.Also Read: Hollywood Remembers Sean Connery: 'A Legend on Screen and Off'It’s the savvy movie stars that know when to share the limelight, and Connery often did so, whether taking on a cameo as Agamemnon in “Time Bandits” (1981) — Michael Palin’s original script said the role should be played by “Sean Connery — or someone of equal or cheaper stature” — or the supporting role of the hero’s dad in “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” (1989). The actor scored his one Oscar nomination, and win, for his scene-stealing role as one of Elliot Ness’ lieutenants in Brian De Palma’s “The Untouchables” (1989), and his very favorite role, thought by many to be his career highlight, came in John Huston’s “The Man Who Would Be King” (1975), sharing top billing with longtime pal Michael Caine in a rousing and bittersweet Rudyard Kipling adaptation.Connery ended his filmography with something of a whimper: In true “nobody knows anything” fashion, he said yes to “The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen” (2003) while turning down “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Matrix.” (While many might lump in his latter-day appearance in 1998’s “The Avengers” as a bad career move, there is a small but devoted contingent of fans of this oddball TV adaptation trying to convince Warner Bros. to ReleasetheJeremiahChechikCut) It’s perhaps better to think of his final film as 2000’s “Finding Forester,” in which he once again worked with a world-class filmmaker (Gus Van Sant) and delivered a moving performance as a reclusive, Salinger-esque author.It’s a role that shows that steadfastness, still an essential tool for the actor decades into his career, and a quality that will make these performances endure for future generations.Read original story Sean Connery Appreciation: Screen Legend Left Audiences Shaken, Stirred, as Bond and Beyond At TheWrap
EntertainmentThe Wrap29 Most Enchanting TV Witches, From Samantha Stephens to Sabrina Spellman (Photos)
It’s Halloween, which means now is the time to once again celebrate pop culture’s witchy women in all their pointy hatted glory. While films like “Hocus Pocus” and “Practical Magic” are packed with wicked ladies, in our opinion, TV witches still reign supreme. Check out TheWrap’s gallery to find the small screen’s 29 most iconic female spell-casters. Who knows, maybe you’ll get a great idea for this year’s last-minute costume from this list of magical ladies.Samantha Stephens, “Bewitched” - Is there a more legendary TV witch than Samantha Stephens (Elizabeth Montgomery) ? Not according to her husband Darrin, who says she’s “one witch in a million.”Prue, Piper and Phoebe Halliwell and Paige Matthews, “Charmed” – The Charmed Ones charmed viewers with their sisterly love while fighting the forces of evil for eight seasons, three with eldest sister Prue (Shannen Doherty) and five with half-sister Paige (Rose McGowan), who reunited with her siblings after Prue’s death.Willow Rosenberg, “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” - Best friend to Buffy Summers, Willow (Alyson Hannigan) developed her magical abilities over several seasons, eventually becoming so powerful she almost ended the world once.Alex Russo, “Wizards of Waverly Place” - By far the best of the Russo siblings, Alex (Selena Gomez) was a fun, confident teenage girl who was the shining star in her family of wizards.Sabrina Spellman, “Sabrina the Teenage Witch” - The original teenage witch, Melissa Joan Hart’s version of the Archie Comics character is a staple of ’90s culture.Sabrina Spellman, “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” - Last year, Kiernan Shipka took up the role of Sabrina for Netflix’s darker take on the character and put her own spin on the spunky, half-mortal witch.Melisandre, “Game of Thrones” - The Red Woman’s (Carice van Houten) prophecies weren’t always right, causing more than a few problems for our heroes. But she did bring Jon Snow back from the dead and helped Arya kill the Night King, so she made up for all that in the end.Regina/The Evil Queen, “Once Upon a Time” - Regina was a wicked witch, but by the time the ABC fantasy series came to a close she had more than redeemed herself for all her previous wrongdoings and got to enjoy a happy ending. Plus, no one said being evil would prevent you from making this list. In fact, some of our favorite TV witches were bad.Rita Repulsa, “Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers” - Speaking of baddies, Rita Repulsa was a major thorn in the side of the Power Rangers and probably appeared in the nightmares of many ’90s children. Seriously, that cackle is seared into our brains.Witchiepoo, “H.R. Pufnstuf” - Another kids’ show with another wicked witch who managed to steal our hearts with her goofy antics.Morticia Addams, “The Addams Family” - Before Anjelica Huston took on the role for the big screen, Carolyn Jones portrayed the character in the 1960s TV series, giving us a Gothic goddess to aspire to.Tabitha Lenox, “Passions” - Tabitha (Juliet Mills) never got her revenge on all of Harmony, but we still remember her as the greatest character on the weirdest soap opera there ever was.Marge Simpson and Patty and Selma Bouvier, “The Simpsons,” “Treehouse Of Horror VIII” - Of all “The Simpsons” Halloween specials, this one is our favorite, since it gave us a green Marge and her wicked sisters.Fiona Goode, “American Horror Story: Coven” - Possibly Jessica Lange’s greatest role of all time and definitely her best “American Horror Story” character. Too bad she was damned to hell in the end.Angelique Collins, “Dark Shadows” - One of the darkest characters on “Dark Shadows,” Angelique’s (Lara Parker) love-hate relationship with Barnabas Collins fueled the majority of the show’s wild plot.Rowena, “Supernatural” - Even though Rowena (Ruth Connell) has screwed Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) over more times than they’ve died (long story) they forgive her, and we forgive her, over and over because she’s just so fun. And helpful, too — sometimes.Adalind Schade, “Grimm” - Claire Coffee’s Hexenbiest had a haunting face and a killer personality.Elizabeth Woodville, “The White Queen” - It was rumored that Elizabeth Woodville practiced witchcraft and Rebecca Ferguson’s portrayal of the White Queen on the BBC One/Starz series certainly upped our suspicions about the royal’s magical abilities.Read original story 29 Most Enchanting TV Witches, From Samantha Stephens to Sabrina Spellman (Photos) At TheWrap
EntertainmentThe Wrap‘The Mandalorian': Who Was That Guy at the End of the Season 2 Premiere?
(Spoilers ahead for “Chapter 9,” the season 2 premiere of “The Mandalorian” — the first live-action “Star Wars” series on the Disney+ streaming platform)“Chapter 9,” the season 2 premiere of “Star Wars: The Mandalorian” on Disney+, was pretty epic by this show’s standards, with probably the biggest action set piece of the entire series thus far when the titular Mando teamed up with a bunch of Tatooine locals to take down a massive legendary krayt dragon.Baby Yoda didn’t have anything to contribute in this episode beyond reaction shots, but fortunately the other characters filled in nicely — including some decent character work from the Tusken Raiders, who got to be the good guys for once. Though before you get to thinking “Star Wars” has gotten particularly progressive with these aliens, we should note the human characters did repeatedly refer to them as “sand people.” Small steps, though.Also Read: 'The Mandalorian': What You Need to Know About Moff Gideon's Weird SwordIn any case, once this story drew to a close, with the krayt dragon defeated and Mos Pelgo saved, “The Mandalorian” gave us only the briefest glimpse of what’s to come — and it’s something that eagle-eyed viewers could probably guess was coming.That something is the person who showed up at the very, very end of the season 2 premiere of “The Mandalorian”: the Mandalorian.Boba Fett.Also Read: 'The Mandalorian': Yes, Boba Fett Was Briefly in Season 1You may have recognized the armor that Olyphant’s character wore throughout the episode, the Mandalorian armor that the titular Mando (Pedro Pascal) wanted from him. That was Boba Fett’s armor that he wore back in the original “Star Wars” trilogy. And as we’ve expected since the characters oh so brief appearance back in season 1, the man finally showed his face on Tatooine this week.Obviously, he’s missing his armor, but that was the face of Temuera Morrison — the man who played Jango Fett in the prequels — showing up in the final shot of the premiere episode. Jango Fett was Boba Fett’s dad, sort of — Boba Fett was a clone of Jango, so they’d naturally be identical.Of course, the last time we saw Boba Fett on screen — chronologically — was in “Return of the Jedi.” After delivering Han Solo to Jabba the Hutt, the Mandalorian warrior spent some time in Jabba’s Palace. When Han’s friends came to the rescue, Boba ended up being knocked by a blind Solo into the sarlacc pitt, where he was supposed to be digested slowly for a thousand years.Apparently, however, Boba Fett managed to get out. Hopefully, we’ll get to see exactly how he did it this season on “The Mandalorian.”It’s hard to say when Boba Fett will cross paths with our Mandalorian, but now that he’s shown his face we can bet it’ll be this season sometime. It could be next week, or it could be the season finale — who knows? But regardless, we now certainly know for sure that Boba Fett’s return is finally here.Read original story ‘The Mandalorian': Who Was That Guy at the End of the Season 2 Premiere? At TheWrap
CelebrityVarietySophie Turner to Voice Princess Charlotte in HBO Max’s ‘The Prince’
"Game of Thrones" alum Sophie Turner's next venture is voicing a member of the royal family. Turner is joining the cast of HBO Max's animated series "The Prince," created and executive produced by "Family Guy" producer, writer and actor Gary Janetti. The satire focuses on seven-year-old Prince George, who is voiced by Janetti, and his […]
CelebrityThe WrapSophie Turner to Voice Princess Charlotte in HBO Max’s Animated Prince George Series
Sophie Turner has joined the cast of HBO Max’s “The Prince” — an upcoming animated series based on Gary Janetti’s parody Prince George Instagram account — as the voice of Princess Charlotte.Janetti, who is creator and executive producer on the show, revealed the “Game of Thrones” alum’s casting Saturday with a Halloween-themed clip featuring Prince George (voiced by Janetti himself), his younger sister, Princess Charlotte, and his little brother Prince Louis, in which George is ticked off that his siblings won’t join in his plans for a group costume.Per HBO Max, “‘The Prince’ is a biting, satirical look at the life of Prince George of Cambridge, the youngest heir to the British throne, as he navigates the trials and tribulations of being a royal child. Before George rules Britannia, he’ll be laying down his own laws in Gary Janetti’s comedic take on the future King of England’s childhood as seen from the prince’s own point of view. Because his succession isn’t coming any time soon, in each episode George will find his path in life as a young prince in modern times – from the 775 rooms of Buckingham Palace to his family’s sea of corgis to primary school with commoners. The Prince also features notable characters in George’s life such as his parents the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, his fourth-in-line-for-the-throne little sister Charlotte, his modern Aunt Meghan and Uncle Harry, his great-grandad Philip, and – who can forget – his Gan Gan Elizabeth.”Also Read: HBO Max Orders Animated Series Based on Gary Janetti's Prince George Parody Instagram AccountJanetti will star in the series as Prince George, along with Orlando Bloom as Prince Harry, Alan Cumming as George’s butler Owen, Frances De La Tour as Queen Elizabeth, Lucy Punch as Kate Middleton, Condola Rashad at Meghan Markle, Iwan Rheon as Prince William and Turner as Princess Charlotte.The series is written and executive produced by Janetti and produced by 20th Television.See Janetti’s Instagram video announcing Turner’s casting below.View this post on Instagram Meet Charlotte – Sophie Turner @sophiet The Prince coming to @hbomaxA post shared by Gary Janetti (@garyjanetti) on Oct 31, 2020 at 9:19am PDTRead original story Sophie Turner to Voice Princess Charlotte in HBO Max’s Animated Prince George Series At TheWrap
CelebrityYahoo Movies UKMathew McConaughey wanted to play Hulk, but Marvel declined
Matthew McConaughey says that he asked Marvel about portraying the Hulk in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, only for the studio to turn him down.
EntertainmentYahoo Movies UKNatalie Portman teases Jane Foster’s new powers in ‘Thor: Love And Thunder’
Natalie Portman has provided a brief but illuminating update on her upcoming role as Jane Foster in Thor: Love And Thunder.
EntertainmentVarietyHugh Laurie on Playing a Politician ‘Immune to Shame’ in PBS Drama ‘Roadkill’
In the new PBS series "Roadkill," Hugh Laurie plays Peter Laurence, a conservative (both with a big and small 'c') who fights scandal after scandal to try and remain near the top of the greasy political pole. There have been a handful of recent series depicting right-wing demagogues (think "The Comey Rule" in the U.S. […]
LifestyleThe WrapThe Atlantic Apologizes for Ruth Shalit Barrett Story After Fabrication, Multiple Inaccuracies Revealed
The Atlantic said it regrets commissioning and publishing a feature story written by Ruth Shalit Barrett — who was fired from The New Republic in the 1990s over incidents of plagiarism — which has been revealed to include a fabrication and multiple inaccuracies.In a lengthy editor’s note added to Barrett’s edited story, “The Mad, Mad World of Niche Sports Among Ivy League-Obsessed Parents,” late Friday, The Atlantic said, “new information emerged” about the article that was published in the outlet’s November 2020 print edition and on its website Oct. 17 “that has raised serious concerns about its accuracy, and about the credibility of the author, Ruth Shalit Barrett.”“We have established that Barrett deceived The Atlantic and its readers about a section of the story that concerns a person referred to as ‘Sloane.’ We are sharing with our readers what we have learned so far,” the note continues.Also Read: 'The View' Hosts and Sarah Huckabee Sanders Spar Over Report Trump Disparaged Troops: 'It Seems Like Something He Would Do' (Video)According to The Atlantic, the original version of Barrett’s story stated that Sloane has a son and that she confirmed his existence to the publication’s fact checkers before the article was published.Following its publication, Washington Post media critic Erik Wemple inquired “about the accuracy of portions of the article,” which led to The Atlantic’s fact-checking department following up with Sloane, who said through her attorney “that she does not, in fact, have a son” and accused Barrett of suggesting the “invention of a son” and “encouraged” Sloane to “deceive The Atlantic as a way to protect her anonymity.”The Atlantic said in its editor’s note it has “independently corroborated that Sloane does not have a son” and corrected the story, and also asked for an explanation from Barrett regarding Sloane’s accusation.Also Read: Trump Urges Supporters to Harass Steve Jobs' Widow Because She Owns The Atlantic“When we asked Barrett about these allegations, she initially denied them, saying that Sloane had told her she had a son, and that she had believed Sloane,” The Atlantic said. “The next day, when we questioned her again, she admitted that she was ‘complicit’ in ‘compounding the deception’ and that ‘it would not be fair to Sloane’ to blame her alone for deceiving The Atlantic. Barrett denies that the invention of a son was her idea, and denies advising Sloane to mislead The Atlantic’s fact-checkers, but told us that ‘on some level I did know that it was BS’ and ‘I do take responsibility.'”Sloane’s attorney says there are other inaccuracies in the story, according to The Atlantic, but declined to share what they are, while “Barrett says that the fabricated son is the only detail about which she deceived our fact-checkers and editors.”The Atlantic says its “fact-checking department is continuing to thoroughly recheck the article” and has “already corrected and clarified other details in the story.”Also Read: Fox News Confirms The Atlantic's Report on Trump's Soldier Comments (Video)The publication also updated Barrett’s byline to identify her by her maiden name, after originally referring to her as Ruth S. Barrett.“When writing recently for other magazines, Barrett was identified by her full name, Ruth Shalit Barrett. (Barrett is her married name.) In 1999, when she was known by Ruth Shalit, she left The New Republic, where she was an associate editor, after plagiarism and inaccurate reporting were discovered in her work. We typically defer to authors on how their byline appears–some authors use middle initials, for example, or shorter versions of their given name. We referred to Barrett as Ruth S. Barrett at her request, but in the interest of transparency, we should have included the name that she used as her byline in the 1990s, when the plagiarism incidents occurred. We have changed the byline on this article to Ruth Shalit Barrett.”The Atlantic continued: “We decided to assign Barrett this freelance story in part because more than two decades separated her from her journalistic malpractice at The New Republic and because in recent years her work has appeared in reputable magazines. We took into consideration the argument that Barrett deserved a second chance to write feature stories such as this one. We were wrong to make this assignment, however. It reflects poor judgment on our part, and we regret our decision.”Following the publication of The Atlantic’s editor’s note, which says it is “continuing to review this article” to make corrections as needed, multiple media reporters weighed in on Twitter about the incident, with some questioning if the story should be pulled in its entirety.“Never bet against @ErikWemple After he raised questions about a story that seemed… fantastical, the Atlantic made small correction,” NPR’s David Folkenflik wrote. “Now the magazine says former renowned plagiarist of the ’90s whom it commissioned for the article was fabulist”“Truly. At this point, should the Atlantic just take down the story or leave it up?” Kara Swisher tweeted. “I cannot decide. One thing for sure the last line about their being wrong about hiring of Shalit to do a story is accurate.”“wildest editors note I’ve ever seen,” The New York Times’ Astead W. Herndon wrote.Read original story The Atlantic Apologizes for Ruth Shalit Barrett Story After Fabrication, Multiple Inaccuracies Revealed At TheWrap
EntertainmentVarietyJasmila Zbanic’s ‘Quo Vadis, Aida?’ Wins El Gouna Star for Best Narrative Film
Jasmila Žbanic's “Quo Vadis, Aida?” won the El Gouna Star for best narrative film at the El Gouna Film Festival, carrying a $50,000 prize. The film's star, Jasna Duricic, also took home the best actress award, for her startling eponymous turn. Based on a true story, the 1995-set drama tells the story of a UN […]
CelebrityVarietySean Connery: His Life and Career in Photos
Sean Connery, the Academy Award-winning Scottish actor and producer and the first actor to play James Bond, died at age 90 on Oct. 31, 2020. Take a look back at his life and career in photos.
EntertainmentVarietyFirst Images From Hind Shoufani’s ‘They Planted Strange Trees,’ Philistine Boards Documentary (EXCLUSIVE)
“They Planted Strange Trees,” the new documentary by Hind Shoufani, the Middle East-based Palestinian-American director and poet from the leftist Levantine diaspora, will depict her return to Galilee, after 20 years of absence and her parents’ death, to embrace the vibrant family and community she seeks in her ancestral Christian Arab land. Ossama Bawardi of […]
EntertainmentVarietyEllen Pompeo on the Early Years of ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ and Whether This Is the Show’s Final Season
Ellen Pompeo, featured on Variety’s Power of Women cover story about “Grey’s Anatomy,” has played Meredith Grey since filming the show’s pilot in 2004, when she was 33 years old. Throughout the interview, Pompeo was frank, as is her style, in discussing some of her personal highs and lows from her time on the medical drama. She also said — a bit out […]
EntertainmentVarietyVentana Sur Unveils a New Generation of Latin American Directors in Primer Corte & Copia Final (EXCLUSIVE)
Claudia Huaiquimilla’s “My Brothers Dream Awake,” Thais Fujinaga’s “The Joy of Things” and Flavia Neves’ “Fogareu” will screen in Primer Corte or Copia Final, the two art film pix-in-post showcases at this year’s Ventana Sur, the biggest movie market in Latin America. The Cannes Festival and Film Market’s biggest initiative outside France, Ventana Sur will […]
EntertainmentVarietyDaniel Craig Pays Tribute to Sean Connery: ‘One of the True Greats of Cinema’
Daniel Craig paid tribute to Sean Connery, calling his fellow 007, "one of the true greats of cinema." Connery died overnight in his sleep. He was 90. In a decades-long career, Connery won an Oscar for "The Untouchables" and appeared in such hits as "The Rock," "The Man Who Would Be King," "Time Bandits" and […]
EntertainmentVarietyAnnemarie Jacir Period Film in Development With Producer Ossama Bawardi (EXCLUSIVE)
Leading Arab producer Ossama Bawardi is in development with Palestinian director Annemarie Jacir's fourth film, a period drama set in Palestine, with European and Arab characters, in what he describes as "a very competitive Arab market" for Arab films. Speaking to Variety at the El Gouna Film Festival in Egypt, Bawardi spoke about his upcoming […]
PoliticsThe WrapBill Maher Says ‘Skip the Civil War’ After Election: ‘No Other Country Will Take Us’ (Video)
Bill Maher appealed for calm in his final “Real Time” episode ahead of Tuesday’s presidential election.“No matter which side wins on Tuesday, let’s skip the civil war and go right to reconciliation,” Maher said, noting that a recent poll showed 34% of voters expect a Civil war within the next five years.“I’d like to remind them of one thing: America is a family and the definition of family is people who hate each other without resorting to violence,” he said. “We have to see each other not as mortal enemies but rather merely as roommates from hell.”Maher urged both sides to find a peaceful resolution to their differences. “Let’s not have a civil war with the Trumpers,” he said. “We’re no good at war and they’re no good at being civil.”Also Read: Bill Maher Says Republicans Have Turned Voting Into 'American Ninja Warrior' (Video)“Take it from someone who has traveled this country my whole life: There are no red states or blue states. They’re all like Mitch McConnell’s hands — some shade of purple,” Maher joked.He then proposed a “grand bargain” for both sides no matter what the results of the election turn out to be: “If liberals lose, we won’t loot Foot Locker. And if you lose, you won’t loot the Treasury.”Maher went on to criticize some liberals who have suggested “positive effects” from looting — as well as the federal government’s questionable financial support of corporations that he called “looting on a much grander scale,” including a $765 million to Kodak to develop coronavirus drug treatments. “One small problem — Kodak doesn’t make drugs, they make cameras in 1985,” the comedian said.He concluded with a final plea for unity. “Please, whatever happens Tuesday, let’s find a way to live together,” he said. “We have to — because no other country will take us.”Watch the full “New Rules” segment above.Read original story Bill Maher Says ‘Skip the Civil War’ After Election: ‘No Other Country Will Take Us’ (Video) At TheWrap
CelebrityThe Wrap17 Music Stars Who Slammed Trump for Using Their Songs at Campaign Rallies (Photos)
Axl RoseAfter Guns N’ Roses frontman learned that ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’ was being played at the president’s rallies, Rose fired off a series of tweets accusing Trump of using licensing loopholes to ignore his request to stop playing their music. “Unfortunately the Trump campaign is using loopholes in the various venues’ blanket performance licenses which were not intended for such craven political purposes, without the songwriters’ consent,” Rose tweeted Sunday. RihannaOver the weekend Washington Post bureau chief Philip Rucker tweeted that Rihanna’s 2007 hit “Don’t Stop the Music” was playing during one of Trump’s Tennessee rallies. Rihanna herself responded to the tweet, saying: “Not for much longer…me nor my people would ever be at or around one of those tragic rallies, so thanks for the heads up philip!” PharrellOn October 27, the day after the tragic shooting in Pittsburgh that left 11 dead, it was reported that Trump played Pharrell’s 2013 summer hit “Happy” at a rally in Indiana. Pharell’s attorney Howard King sent a cease and desist to Trump with a statement regarding the usage. “There was nothing ‘happy’ about the tragedy inflicted upon our country on Saturday and no permission was granted for your use of this song for this purpose,” the letter read. Neil YoungIf you go way back to when Trump first announced he would be running for president at the Trump Tower in 2015, you may remember that Neil Young took issue with Trump’s use of “Rockin’ in the Free World.” “Donald Trump was not authorized to use ‘Rockin’ in the Free World’ in his presidential candidacy announcement,” a spokesperson for the musician’s Lookout Management said in a statement in 2015. Prince’s estateAccording to Rolling Stone, Prince’s estate had to issue a statement after various Trump rallies played “Purple Rain.” “The Prince Estate has never given permission to President Trump or The White House to use Prince’s songs and have requested that they cease all use immediately,” Prince’s half-brother Omarr Baker wrote on Twitter Thursday, Oct. 11. AdeleTrump didn’t stop at the rock genre when choosing his campaign playlists. After it got around that his rallies included songs like “Rolling in the Deep” and “Skyfall,” a spokesperson for singer Adele made clear she wanted no part of it. “Adele has not given permission for her music to be used for any political campaigning,” her spokesman told The Guardian at the time. The Rolling StonesThe Rolling Stones have tried to stop Trump from playing the band’s music on several occasions, including after Trump accepted the bid to be the Republican Party’s nominee in 2016 to the tune of “Start Me Up.” “The Rolling Stones have never given permission to the Trump campaign to use their songs and have requested that they cease all use immediately,” a Stones spokesperson said in a statement to The Daily Beast. R.E.M.At a Trump rally in Washington D.C. Sept. 2015, R.E.M.’s “It’s the End of the World” played while Trump walked up the podium. Word of the band’s song playing at the rally prompted the band’s official Facebook page to release a statement. “While we do not authorize or condone the use of our music at this political event, and do ask that these candidates cease and desist from doing so, let us remember that there are things of greater importance at stake here. The media and the American voter should focus on the bigger picture, and not allow grandstanding politicians to distract us from the pressing issues of the day and of the current Presidential campaign.” Elton JohnAccording to CNN, Elton John was among the major names the Trump administration reached out to possibly perform at his inauguration in 2017. John’s team declined. But even before then, John’s team publicly denounced any use of his songs for Trump’s benefit. “Elton’s music has not been requested for use in any official capacity by Donald Trump. Any use of his music should not be seen as an endorsement of Donald Trump by Elton,” John’s publicist said, according to the British newspaper The Telegraph. Steven TylerIn 2015, The Hollywood Reporter reported that Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler’s reps sent a demand to Trump’s team to stop playing “Dream On” at his rallies. Unlike other similar demands, Trump publicly announced he would stop. . “Even though I have the legal right to use Steven Tyler’s song, he asked me not to,” Trump tweeted. “Have better one to take its place!” QueenThe anthemic “We Are the Champions” played while Trump walked up to the stage during the Republican National Convention in July 2016. Queen member Brian May released a personal statement regarding the usage. “Regardless of our views on Mr Trump’s platform, it has always been against our policy to allow Queen music to be used as a political campaigning tool. Our music embodies our own dreams and beliefs, but it is for all who care to listen and enjoy,” May said in the statement. The O’Jays O’Jays lead vocalist Eddie Levert spoke out in 2016 about the use of “Love Train” during Trump’s presidential rallies. “I wish him the best, but I don’t think he’s the man to run our country. So when he started using ‘Love Train,’ I called him up and told them, ‘Listen, man, I don’t believe in what you’re doing. I’m not with you. I don’t want you to use my voice. I’m not condoning what you’re doing,” Levert told the music magazine Billboard.Read original story 17 Music Stars Who Slammed Trump for Using Their Songs at Campaign Rallies (Photos) At TheWrap
