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☆ 'Sex Education' co-stars Wood and Mackey among BAFTA Rising Star nominees
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, Jan 17 (Reuters) - Emma Mackey and Aimee Lou Wood, who rose to fame on hit Netflix show "Sex Education", and historical epic "The Woman King" actor Sheila Atim are among the nominees in the rising star category in the BAFTA Film Awards. Mackey and Wood play close friends in the Netflix comedy drama about teenagers trying to figure out their love lives. Wood, who has previously won a BAFTA TV award for Female Performance in a Comedy Programme for "Sex Education", was recognised on Tuesday for her role in drama "Living". Mackey was nominated for her portrayal of "Wurthering Heights" novelist Emily Bronte in biographical drama "Emily". The EE Rising Star Award is the only category voted for by the public at the annual British Academy of Film and Television Arts Film Awards, which this year will take place on Feb. 19 in London.

☆ Actor Marisa Abela to portray Amy Winehouse in new biopic
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Marie-Louise Gumuchian | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Jan 13 (Reuters) - British actress Marisa Abela will portray Amy Winehouse in a biopic about the late singer, with filming due to begin in London on Monday, production and distribution company Studiocanal has said. The six-time Grammy Award winner died from alcohol poisoning at her north London home on July 23, 2011. Winehouse, who struggled with drink and drug problems through much of her career, was 27 years old. Considered one of the most talented singers of her generation, Winehouse's untimely death shook the music world. "We are thrilled that Studiocanal, Focus Features and Monumental are making this movie celebrating our daughter Amy’s extraordinary music legacy and showcasing her talent in the way that it deserves," The Amy Winehouse Estate said on Friday.

☆ Taliban criticises Prince Harry over Afghan killings comment
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Harry's highly personal book "Spare" went on sale in Spain days before its global launch on Jan. 10. When asked about Harry's comments, a spokesperson for Britain's Ministry of Defence said: "We do not comment on operational details for security reasons." Representatives of Prince Harry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. As is usual for the royal family, spokespeople for King Charles and Prince William have declined to comment. Some of those who were willing to talk said they thought Harry had gone too far.

☆ Vivienne Westwood, Britain's provocative dame of fashion, dead at 81
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( Marie-Louise Gumuchian | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/4] Designer Vivienne Westwood poses for a portrait before her catwalk show at London Fashion Week Men's in London, Britain June 12, 2017. "Vivienne Westwood died today, peacefully and surrounded by her family, in Clapham, South London. Instantly recognisable with her orange or white hair, Westwood first made a name for herself in punk fashion in 1970s London, dressing the punk rock band that defined the genre. Westwood used her public profile to champion issues including nuclear disarmament and to protest against anti-terrorism laws and government spending policies that hit the poor. "I've used fashion to challenge the status quo."

☆ Runners brave the cold for Antarctic Ice Marathon
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Dec 16 (Reuters) - Courageous runners braved snow and freezing temperatures this week for the Antarctic Ice Marathon, won by Ireland's Sean Tobin who organisers said clocked a record time on the continent. The event, the 17th of its kind, took place on Wednesday at Union Glacier, with more than 60 competitors from 20 nations taking part. "You just sink (into the snow)... One turn I took, I just went completely legless and hit the ground. Race director Richard Donovan said Tobin had recorded "the fastest marathon ever run in Antarctica". Becca Pizzi, from the United States, won the women's race with a time of 4:24.15.

☆ Harry and Meghan's Netflix series wraps up - but what is the effect on the royals?
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Michael Holden | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

"It's like living through a soap opera where everybody else views you as entertainment," Harry said in one of the final episodes released on Thursday. "It looked cold, but it also felt cold," Harry said of his family's feelings towards him at their last official engagement. "The departure of Meghan and Harry from royal ranks has been far more damaging to the monarchy than the coverage that vilifies them understands or accepts," she told Reuters. But it bounced back to become more popular than ever, with Harry and his brother William to the fore. "Personally, I don't think that it will do lasting damage to the monarchy," royal biographer Claudia Joseph said of the Netflix (NFLX.O) documentary.

☆ Henry VIII military letter, handwritten Mozart music on offer at auction
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] A person holds a rare signed letter from King Henry VIII to his Lieutenant-General in France before the English victory at the Battle of the Spurs and autograph music manuscript by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, at Christie's in London, Britain December 7, 2022. REUTERS/Maja SmiejkowskaLONDON, Dec 9 (Reuters) - A military letter from King Henry VIII and a sheet of music written in Mozart's own hand at the age of 17 are among lots being offered at auction house Christie's "Valuable Books and Manuscripts" sale in London next week. The letter has an estimate of 25,000 pounds to 35,000 pounds ($30,702 - $42,983). "Whereas we do occasionally see Henry VIII letters coming up, what’s particularly rare about this one is that it’s a campaign letter, it’s about war, it’s about his strategy," Mark Wiltshire, specialist in the books and manuscripts department at Christie's London, told Reuters. It has an estimate of 80,000 pounds - 120,000 pounds.

☆ Comedian Jerrod Carmichael to host Golden Globes
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Jerrod Carmichael arrives for world premiere of Transfomers, The Last Night, at a cinema in central London, Britain, June 18, 2017. REUTERS/Hannah McKayDec 8 (Reuters) - U.S. comedian and actor Jerrod Carmichael will host the Golden Globes in January when the annual awards ceremony will be broadcast to audiences once again, organisers said on Thursday. read moreCarmichael, who in September won an Emmy Award for his show "Jerrod Carmichael: Rothaniel", follows in the footsteps of Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, Ricky Gervais, Seth Meyers and Jimmy Fallon as host. “Jerrod is the special kind of talent this show calls for to kick off the awards season.”The Jan. 10 ceremony will be the 80th edition of the Globes. It admitted 103 new voters from 62 countries outside of the United States, bringing the total voters to 200.

☆ 'Gossip behind the scenes': Reaction to Harry and Meghan's Netflix documentary
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, greet people outside Windsor Castle, following the passing of Britain's Queen Elizabeth, in Windsor, Britain, September 10, 2022. REUTERS/Paul ChildsLONDON, Dec 8 (Reuters) - Love them, hate them or just don't rate them, Prince Harry and Meghan's Netflix documentary split public opinion after its launch on Thursday. In the documentary, Harry said the British royal family had dismissed race-related hounding of Meghan by the media as a rite of passage and the couple delivered a fierce attack on the tabloid press. "I believe that what they're saying is true, but we can't really tell because we don't really know, it's their life," 47-year-old M'chinda said. Customer support assistant Carmel Williams, 33, said she would like to know what has been happening and how they are feeling, calling it "gossip behind the scenes".

☆ Baaba Maal back with new music, 'Glastonbury of Africa' festival hopes
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Marie-Louise Gumuchian | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Andrea De Silva/File PhotoLONDON, Dec 7 (Reuters) - When Baaba Maal released his last album “The Traveller” in 2016, the Senegalese singer and guitarist wasn’t sure he would put out another record. The uptempo song "Yerimayo Celebration", released last week, salutes the cultures of fishermen, the profession of Maal's father. In 2005, Maal founded the Blues du Fleuve festival in his hometown of Podor on the Senegal River. “Sometimes I (joked) with my friends (saying) ‘I want this festival to be like the Glastonbury of Africa’. “Wakanda, if ever it existed, it might be Africa...and to be the voice of Africa, it’s great for me.

☆ James Cameron on releasing long-awaited 'Avatar' sequel: "It's a relief"
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Edward Baran | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Dec 7 (Reuters) - Filmmaker James Cameron is taking audiences back to his visually mesmerizing world of Pandora, releasing the sequel to his 2009 epic "Avatar", the top-grossing movie of all time. The stakes are high for "Avatar: The Way of Water", which reportedly cost more than $350 million and comes 13 years after the original that grossed $2.9 billion worldwide, with more "Avatar" movies in the pipeline. Sully, Neytiri and their children flee to a far-flung territory, seeking refuge with the oceanic Metkayina clan. They quickly have to learn the ways of the water to survive amid the approaching threat of their enemy. The new movie, which begins its global cinema rollout from Dec. 14, reunites Cameron with his "Titanic" star Kate Winslet, who plays the Metkayina clan's shamanic matriarch.

☆ 'Avatar' sequel finally premieres 13 years after original
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Hanna Rantala | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] Actor Zoe Saldana arrives at the world premiere of 'Avatar: The Way of Water' in London, Britain December 6, 2022. REUTERS/Toby MelvilleLONDON, Dec 6 (Reuters) - Thirteen years after James Cameron released the highest-grossing film of all time, "Avatar", the filmmaker finally premiered its long-awaited sequel in London on Tuesday. "Avatar: The Way of Water" takes audiences back to the enchanting world of Pandora, where in the first film the native blue Na'vi people battled human colonists for the moon’s natural resources. To protect their family and their tribe, Sully, Neytiri and their children flee to a far-flung territory and seek refuge with the oceanic Metkayina clan. Released in 2009, "Avatar" ranks as the top-grossing film of all time with more than $2.9 billion in global ticket sales.

☆ Valentino designer Piccioli, model Bella Hadid win at Fashion Awards
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Designer Pierpaolo Piccioli and his wife Simona Caggia pose on the red carpet at the Fashion Awards 2022 in London, Britain, December 5, 2022. REUTERS/Henry NichollsLONDON, Dec 5 (Reuters) - Valentino designer Pierpaolo Piccioli and model Bella Hadid were among the winners at the Fashion Awards in London on Monday. Piccioli, who is creative director of the Italian luxury brand, was named designer of the year at the annual event. Hadid, a regular on the catwalks of fashion capitals Milan, Paris, London and New York took the title of model of the year. "To me fashion has a responsibility, I feel (I) have a voice and I want to use my voice even for who doesn't have a voice," Piccioli told Reuters on the red carpet before the awards.

☆ A slap, a maverick and some ABBAtars: the 2022 showbiz stories
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Marie-Louise Gumuchian | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/8] Will Smith (R) hits Chris Rock as Rock spoke on stage during the 94th Academy Awards in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, U.S., March 27, 2022. REUTERS/Brian SnyderLONDON, Dec 5 (Reuters) - From a shocking Oscars slap to a virtual ABBA taking to the stage, this year has seen a range of entertainment stories dominate headlines. He appeared in court in Britain to plead not guilty to accusations of sex offences dating back almost 20 years. * Tom Cruise premiered his hotly anticipated sequel "Top Gun: Maverick", returning as the cocky pilot he first played in the 1986 action flick. "Maverick" remains the biggest film of 2022, grossing $1.48 billion worldwide.

☆ 'Oswald the Lucky Rabbit' returns in his first Disney film in 94 years
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] A screen grab from an undated handout video shows a frame from "Oswald the Lucky Rabbit" film, featuring a character that returned in the new Disney film for the first time in 94 years. Walt Disney Animation Studios/Handout via REUTERSLONDON, Dec 1 (Reuters) - Walt Disney Animation Studios has produced its first Oswald the Lucky Rabbit film in 94 years, creating a new animation short of the much loved character said to be a prototype for Mickey Mouse. "Oswald the Lucky Rabbit" was created by the studio's hand-drawn animation team as part of the Disney 100 Years of Wonder celebrations marking the 100th anniversary of The Walt Disney Company. Animator and producer Walt Disney created Oswald the Lucky Rabbit in 1927 for Universal, introducing the mischievous character to audiences in the short film “Trolley Troubles”. Disney and his team created 26 Oswald short films, with the last released in 1928 when he lost creative control over the character.

☆ Will Smith on slapping Chris Rock at Oscars: 'I lost it'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

But at the end of the day, I lost it,” Smith told Noah. At the Oscars, Rock was on stage presenting an award when he made a joke about Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, that referenced the 1997 film "G.I. It was unclear whether Rock was aware that Pinkett Smith has a condition that causes hair loss. Smith marched onto the stage and slapped Rock. ... That was a rage that had been bottled for a really long time ... but I understand the pain," Smith told Noah.

☆ Jennifer Lopez announces "This is Me" album follow-up 20 years later
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, Nov 25 (Reuters) - Twenty years after she put out her album "This Is Me... Then", singer and actor Jennifer Lopez announced on Friday a follow-up "This Is Me... Now", to be released next year. The 2002 album, which featured hit songs "Jenny from the Block" and "All I Have", was inspired by Lopez' relationship at the time with actor Ben Affleck. The couple, dubbed "Bennifer", got engaged but called off their wedding in 2003 and split up a few months later. In her Instagram post, Lopez listed the new album's 13 song titles, including one called "Dear Ben pt. Reporting by Marie-Louise Gumuchian; Editing by Christina FincherOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Elton John ends US leg of farewell tour with starry Dodger Stadium show
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/5] Elton John performs "Bennie and the Jets" as he wraps up the U.S. leg of his 'Yellow Brick Road' tour at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, U.S. November 20, 2022. REUTERS/David SwansonLOS ANGELES, Nov 21 (Reuters) - Elton John performed his final North American concert of his farewell tour on Sunday, with a star-studded show at the Los Angeles Dodger Stadium. On Sunday, he wore a robe version of that Dodger uniform. The three-hour "Elton John Live: Farewell from Dodger Stadium" concert, which was streamed on Disney+, saw the 75-year-old Grammy and Oscar winner belt out hits including "Bennie and the Jets", "I'm Still Standing" and "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road". John has performed 183 shows across the United States and Canada as part of the "Farewell Yellow Brick Road" tour which began in September 2018.

☆ Adele 'never been more nervous' as delayed Vegas shows begin
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/File PhotoLAS VEGAS, Nov 18 (Reuters) - Adele says she has "never been more nervous before a show" as she kicks off her delayed Las Vegas concerts on Friday, 10 months after she postponed them at the last minute. The concerts were due to begin the next day and some fans were making their way to Nevada when they got the news. Maybe it’s because it’s opening night, maybe it’s because Hyde Park went so great, maybe its because I love the show I don’t know. Her Las Vegas shows run until March. In a radio interview in July, Adele addressed the January postponement, saying she had "definitely felt everyone's disappointment" and "was devastated".

☆ Adele returns to Las Vegas for delayed concerts
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

NEW YORK, Nov 14 (Reuters) - Music star Adele begins her Las Vegas residence on Friday, 10 months after she cancelled the shows at the last minute citing COVID-19 delays. The British singer-songwriter faced online backlash in January for the announcement's short notice as some fans were already travelling to Nevada for the concerts, called "Weekends with Adele". U.S. actor Dominic Crisonino was at a New York airport when he heard the news but travelled to Las Vegas anyway. Now he is going back this weekend to finally watch Adele finally perform at Caesars' Palace hotel. Reporting by Alicia Powell; Writing by Marie-Louise Gumuchian; Editing by Sandra MalerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Super skills on show for Guinness World Records Day
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Nov 10 (Reuters) - Feats ranging from the most alternating single-arm handstands in one minute to solving the most rotating puzzle cubes while skateboarding are being celebrated in this year's Guinness World Records Day. With the theme of "Super Skills", the 19th annual event has prompted people across continents to set new milestones for what is humanly possible. "Guinness World Records Day is a global celebration of the superlative so it's a chance for everyone around the world to have a go at getting their name in the famous Guinness World Records book," said Craig Glenday, editor-in-chief of Guinness World Records. "We've all got skills, we've all got party tricks but are they good enough to make it into the Guinness World Records book. Nicolas Montes de Oca from Mexico scored three titles: most single-arm handstands in one minute (male) with 23 repetitions, most handstands in one minute (male), totalling 41 repetitions, and most alternating single-arm handstands in one minute, with 32 repetitions.

☆ New cast of royal series 'The Crown' say viewers know it is a drama
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Sarah Mills | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] Cast members Jonny Lee Miller, Dominic West, Elizabeth Debicki, Jonathan Pryce, Imelda Staunton and Lesley Manville attend the premiere for the TV series The Crown Season 5 in London, Britain, November 8, 2022. REUTERS/Henry NichollsLONDON, Nov 8 (Reuters) - The new cast of "The Crown" premiered the upcoming season of the hit Netflix series on Tuesday, insisting viewers know it's a drama and do not need a disclaimer for its fictionalised storylines. "Everyone has watched 'The Crown' for four seasons, hasn’t bothered them before," actor Imelda Staunton, who plays Elizabeth in season five, told Reuters. I don’t think (season five) is flattering but I think it’s fair." Critics have given mixed reviews on season five but most praised actor Elizabeth Debicki's portrayal of Diana.

☆ 'The Crown' controversial season five gets mixed reviews from critics
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( Marie-Louise Gumuchian | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Maja SmiejkowskaLONDON, Nov 7 (Reuters) - From comparisons to a "trashy telenovela" to "a sturdy piece of prestige TV", the fifth season of hit royal drama "The Crown" has divided critics. The award-winning Netflix show, focused on the late Queen Elizabeth's reign, has stirred controversy for its fictionalised dialogues and storylines. New episodes address a difficult period for Britain's royal family that many commentators deem inappropriate so soon after the monarch's death. The new season premieres on Wednesday, two months after Elizabeth died aged 96 and her eldest son Charles became king. Among the main storylines this season is the bitter divorce between Charles and the late Princess Diana.

☆ Director Tim Burton on 'Wednesday': 'I felt it was written for me'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( Alex Fraser | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LUCCA, Italy, Nov 1 (Reuters) - Filmmaker Tim Burton steps into the macabre and supernatural world of the Addams Family with new series "Wednesday". "I feel like it was written for me because...I felt like I was her as a boy in school," Burton told Reuters at the Lucca Comics and Games pop culture festival in Italy. "That feeling about family, school, technology, therapy, it just spoke to me...so it was very easy to identify with all of that. The Addams Family has been done very well in different ways. [1/4] Film director Tim Burton attends a news conference during the Lucca Comics and Games for the premiere of Netflix's new series 'Wednesday' in Lucca, Italy, October 31, 2022.

☆ Imelda Staunton picks up royal baton as new queen in 'The Crown'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( Marie-Louise Gumuchian | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Nov 1 (Reuters) - Imelda Staunton picks up the royal baton as the latest actor to play Queen Elizabeth in hit Netflix drama "The Crown", whose new season has faced criticism as it addresses a difficult era for the British royal family so soon after the late monarch's death. "This time in the royal family’s life was very tumultuous and the writers didn’t shy away from any difficult issues," Staunton told Reuters in an interview. Season five is released on Nov. 9, two months after Elizabeth died and her son Charles became king. Some royal commentators have voiced concern about the impact the show could have at the start of Charles' reign. "I think the proximity of the queen’s death...Nerve-endings are still raw, and people are feeling very protective," Staunton said.

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