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☆ Hugh Grant, 64, says he had his 5 kids 'much too old in life'
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Erin Liam | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Hugh Grant recently opened up about the challenges — and perks — of having kids later in life. Related Video"But I had them much too old in life you know, I started when I was 52," he said. AdvertisementHaving children later in life has helped him as an actor, Grant said. The dad of five, however, said that having kids is nice. She added that having children later also means that she's more emotionally secure.

Persons: Hugh Grant, Grant, Hill, Maria, Tinglan Hong, Anna Eberstein, Kelly Clarkson, Caitlin Weaver, Weaver, Ryan Crawley, Crawley Organizations: Business Insider, BI

“I don’t think that Black Twitter is going to exist within the next couple of years,” said Jonathan Johnson, a 29-year-old behavioral therapist in Houston and a longtime Twitter and X user. “Social media is only important because of the social part, and if you don’t have that, people aren’t going to use” the app. Like many others, Black users have been eyeing an exit from the app since 2022, but users told NBC News that this mass exodus feels more permanent. He criticized the functionality of the app and said it will suffer without a mass of Black users. “It feels like a very welcoming, safe space,” said Pariss Chandler, the organizer of Black Tech Twitter and the founder of the recruitment platform Black Tech Pipeline.

Persons: ”, Jonathan Johnson, Mike Brown’s, Donald Trump, “, Ashon Crawley, Johnson, ” Elon, Musk, “ I’m, ” Crawley, Emily Liu, ” Liu, Gabrielle Union, Don Lemon, Vivek Ramaswamy, ” Johnson, Pariss Chandler, Chandler, “ It’s, ” Chandler, they’re, Rudy Fraser, Fraser, “ there’s, Bluesky, Bluesky’s, Blacksky Organizations: Twitter, University of Virginia, NBC News, Bluesky, Meta, Republican, “ Department, Government, Black Tech Twitter, Black Tech Pipeline Locations: Houston, Similarweb, Bluesky, Los Angeles, Crawley, Still

☆ My wife is the breadwinner, and I'm a stay-at-home dad. I hate when people say I'm less manly because of it.
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-16 | by ( Ryan Crawley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Since my wife is the breadwinner, I'm the stay-at-home dad. AdvertisementMy wife is an OBGYN, and when I first met her, she was making significantly more than me each year. I was an elementary school teacher then and would do my best to help children learn important things — such as reading and respecting others. After all, elementary school teachers aren't known for making big bucks. In addition to the fear, I experienced things (many of them gross) that I had never had before — even as an elementary school teacher.

Persons: —, Ellie, I've, I'm, I'd Organizations: Service

Maggie Smith in "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince." The following year, Smith played Desdemona in Olivier's "Othello." Smith played a celebrated British actor reckoning with her complex marriage to a closeted gay man played by Michael Caine. She was also regularly recognized by the British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs), the Golden Globes and the Screen Actors Guild Awards. When the British newspaper The Telegraph asked Smith why she took the role, she quipped: "Harry Potter is my pension."

Persons: Maggie Smith, Oscar, McGonagall, Harry Potter, Dowager, Smith's, Chris Larkin, Toby Stephens, Dame Maggie Smith, Prince, Everett, Larkin, Stephens, Smith, Miss Jean Brodie, Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess Grantham, Nick Briggs, Tony, Queen Elizabeth II, Margaret Natalie Smith, Shakespeare’s, Laurence Olivier, Desdemona, Olivier's, Ronald Neame, Vincent Canby, Jean Brodie, Neil Simon, Michael Caine, Rowling's Harry Potter, Minerva McGonagall, Nobody Organizations: Warner Bros, PBS, Oxford Playhouse School, Britain's, Evening, New York Times, British Academy, Golden Globes, Screen, British, The Telegraph, Focus, NBC Locations: Downton, Lovage, Essex, England, U.S, London, Edinburgh, California, Los Angeles, British, Gosford

☆ Maggie Smith once said starring in the 'Harry Potter' films 'wasn't satisfying' for her as an actor
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-27 | by ( Hayley Peppin | Eve Crosbie | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Maggie Smith once said that starring in the "Harry Potter" films "wasn't satisfying" for her. She added that she and Alan Rickman used to complain that their work on the films was mainly reaction shots. AdvertisementDame Maggie Smith is being remembered for her portrayal of the no-nonsense Professor McGonagall following her death at age 89. However, the British actor once said that being part of the Harry Potter films "wasn't satisfying" enough. "I am deeply grateful for the work in 'Potter' and indeed 'Downton,' but it wasn't what you'd call satisfying," she said, referring also to "Downton Abbey."

Persons: Maggie Smith, Harry Potter, Alan Rickman, —, McGonagall, Oscar, Potter, Downton, Severus Snape, Warner, Violet Crawley, Dowager, Miss Jean Brodie, Tony, Toby Stephens, Chris Larkin Organizations: Service, Evening, British, Warner Bros Locations: British, Grantham, Downton

☆ Maggie Smith, beloved ‘Downton Abbey’ and ‘Harry Potter’ star, dead at 89
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-27 | by ( Hilary Clarke | Caitlin Danaher | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Dame Maggie Smith, one of Britain’s best-known actresses whose long career ranged from starring opposite Laurence Olivier in “Othello” on stage and screen, to roles in “Harry Potter” and “Downton Abbey,” has died, her sons announced in a statement shared by their publicist Clair Dobbs. “It is with great sadness we have to announce the death of Dame Maggie Smith. Everett CollectionSmith was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1990, and from then on was widely known as Dame Maggie Smith. She came to the notice of younger viewers as the strict but fair witchcraft teacher Minerva McGonagall in “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” (2001), also appearing in several “Harry Potter” sequels. In her later years, Smith became a role model for ageing gracefully, a process she handled with her customary charm and wit.

Persons: Maggie Smith, Laurence Olivier, “, ”, “ Harry Potter ”, Downton, Clair Dobbs, Dame Maggie Smith, ” Smith, Smith, William Shakespeare’s “, Olivier’s, Miss Jean Brodie, Neil Simon’s, Judith Hearne, Dowager Countess, Everett, Mussolini, Franco Zeffirelli, Minerva McGonagall, “ Harry Potter, Harry Potter, Violet Crawley, Dowager, Robert Stephens –, –, Beverley Cross Organizations: CNN, Chelsea, Westminster Hospital, Oxford University, Oxford Playhouse School, Oxford University Dramatic Society, The Old, British, Acclaim, Atlantic Locations: Ilford, London, Oxford, “, ”, California, British, Florence, Italy, Grantham, “ Downton, Los Angeles

☆ Maggie Smith, 2-time Oscar winner and 'Harry Potter' star, dead at 89
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-27 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | Palmer Haasch | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Smith was well known for roles in the television series "Downton Abbey" and the "Harry Potter" films. Smith later became well known for her role as Professor Minerva McGonagall in the "Harry Potter" films, a role she said helped her bond with her grandchildren. Related storiesBut her most prolific TV role was as Violet Crawley on "Downton Abbey," which earned her three Emmy awards. The series ran for six seasons, and Smith returned for two subsequent "Downton Abbey" films, which were released in 2019 and 2022. She was later diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007 and went through chemotherapy while filming "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince."

Persons: Dame Maggie Smith, Tony, Oscar, Smith, Downton, Harry Potter, —, Maggie Smith, Toby Stephens, Chris Larkin, Miss Jean Brodie, Minerva McGonagall, Delahunty, Violet Crawley, dames Judi Dench, Eileen Atkins, Joan Plowright, Sir Christopher Hampton's, Brunhilde Pomsel, Propaganda Joseph Goebbels, Graves, Prince, Sir Robert Stephens, Stephens, Alan Beverley Cross, Anjelica Oswald Organizations: Service, Business, Oxford Playhouse, Broadway, British Academy of Film, Television Arts, HBO, dames, Nazi Locations: British, Umbria, Nazi Germany

☆ Dan Stevens on His Best Movie, TV Roles: 'Downton Abbey,' 'Legion'
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-12 | by ( Caralynn Matassa | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Advertisement"I think career is defined as much by what you say no to as what you say yes to," Stevens tells Business Insider. He famously devastated "Downton Abbey" fans by requesting to leave the beloved period drama, which necessitated killing off his fan-favorite character Matthew Crawley. "There was a real openness to see actors try things that they've not necessarily been seen in before over here, and that was very, very appealing to me," Stevens says. AdvertisementOn the excitement and terror of leaving 'Downton Abbey'Dan Stevens was one-half of the most popular couple on "Downton Abbey." AdvertisementAnd one that I particularly enjoy is when people say how much they enjoyed "High Maintenance," which was a show that I really really loved being a part of.

Persons: Dan Stevens, It's, King, Abigail, Stevens, Charles Dickens, Matthew Crawley, Herr König, terrorizes, Hunter Schafer, he's, Cousin Matthew, Felix Dickinson, it's, Downton, Al Pacino, ITV It's, I've, you've, —, Emma Watson, Emma, Harry Potter, that'll, You've, haven't, Robert Eggers, Lisa Frankenstein, Zelda Williams, We've, they've Organizations: Business, ITV, Marvel, HBO Locations: Queens, Downton, Russian

☆ Inside Hummingbird Nest Ranch, the 123-acre venue once listed for $75 million that's now the Bachelor Mansion
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-18 | by ( Gabbi Shaw | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

In July 2024, the property also doubled as the new "Bachelor" mansion. Jesse Palmer and Jenn Tran on "The Bachelorette." John Fleenor/Disney"The Bachelor" premiered in 2001. For the first couple of seasons, it filmed at a mansion in Malibu, but beginning in 2007, almost every season of the franchise (with a few exceptions) has kicked off at a mansion called Villa de la Vina in Agoura Hills. Those latter seasons were held at their respective locations due to restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Persons: Jesse Palmer, Jenn Tran, John Fleenor, Emily Maynard's, Clare Crawley's, Matt James, Katie Thurston's, Michelle Young's Organizations: la, Hyatt Locations: Malibu, Agoura Hills, North Carolina, California, Pennsylvania, New Mexico

☆ I'm a middle-aged man and father who struggles to make friends. Here's how I worked through my loneliness.
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-16 | by ( Ryan Crawley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewA few years back, I uprooted my family and moved to a town where I knew virtually no one. I had plenty of family and friends in my old city but knew no one in my new area. At that time, I encountered something that most people struggle with when they get older: Making friends is hard, especially for a middle-aged man like myself. It was difficult to make new friends as a married father with two young kids. All in all, after a number of months, I made new friends and developed more of my interests.

Persons: —, Rolodex, They're, Nicholas Sparks Organizations: Service, Business

☆ My dog of 9 years recently passed away. The grief of losing a pet surprised me.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-31 | by ( Ryan Crawley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Sadly, two months ago, my dog, Smooshie, passed away after being with me every minute of the day for the last nine years. My dog was a big part of my family from the startAlmost nine years ago, I saw a picture of a young Shih Tzu on a Facebook animal shelter site. I stepped in, and Smoosh came home with me. A few minutes later, we drove by an older man walking a young Shih Tzu down the road. I decided spur of the moment to pull off to the side of the road, and the man approached me with his Shih Tzu.

Persons: —, Shih Tzu, Smoosh, Ryan Crawley, Scrappy Organizations: Service, Business

☆ My wife and I are that couple who go out to dinner and sit in silence. Yes, we are still happy together.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-06 | by ( Ryan Crawley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

We're at a restaurant and notice one or two couples eating in complete silence. It always seemed like their relationship was so awkward, and I felt sympathy for the silent couples. It is one of those things where it is probably more awkward for others than it actually is for us. I no longer see silence as an indicator of a troubled relationship; it's a sign of a successful one. And before long, our toddlers will become teens and then adults, and there will be no more silence at dinner for a long time.

Persons: — Organizations: Service, Business

☆ 7 'Bachelor' and 'Bachelorette' leads who made franchise history with their casting
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-30 | by ( Caralynn Matassa | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Jenn Tran was recently announced as the first Asian American star of "The Bachelorette." Before that, Rachel Lindsay and Matt James made history as the first Black leads in the franchise. Clare Crawley became the oldest "Bachelorette" star in 2020. Tran will be the first Asian-American lead in the show's 20-year history when her season premieres later this year. Here are seven Bachelor Nation leads who have made history with their casting.

Persons: Jenn Tran, Rachel Lindsay, Matt James, Clare Crawley, —, Joey Graziadei's, Daisy Kent, Maria Georgas, Tran, It's Organizations: Service, Nation

☆ An 1,800-year-old Roman statue was found in a UK parking lot. How it got there is a mystery.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( Erin Mcdowell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewA Roman statue was unearthed during construction on a British parking lot at one of the most expansive and impressive houses of the 16th century. The Roman statue was found during construction on a parking lot at Burghley House, a 16th-century English estateThe head of a Roman statue found at Burghley House. Burghley House said this was a common practice in the 18th century to make artifacts more attractive to aristocrats buying wares abroad. However, Burghley House said it was 'a complete mystery' how the bust and head ended up buried on the groundsRoman statue at Burghley House. A professional conservator cleaned and reassembled the sculpture to its original form, unveiling the striking features of a Roman woman.

Persons: —, Greg Crawley, House Crawley, " Crawley, Crawley, Burghley, Brownlow Cecil, Earl of Exeter, Burghley House, It's, Burghley House's Organizations: Service, Burghley House, Business, House, Experts, Burghley, of Burghley, Amineddoleh, Associates, BBC Locations: Peterborough, England, Italy, Burghley, Hell, Texas, Pompejanum, Germany, Bavarian State, British

☆ 1,800-year-old Roman statue discovered in parking lot
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-19 | by ( Amy Woodyatt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —A Roman statue dating back almost 2,000 years has been discovered by construction workers building a parking lot in the United Kingdom. Digger driver Greg Crawley uncovered the marble head of a Roman lady at 16th century country estate Burghley House in Peterborough, England, last year while undertaking renovation works. Greg Crawley found the ancient statue head while building a parking lot. “I couldn’t believe it when they told me it was a Roman marble statue,” he added. The statue will now be displayed alongside other statues collected by the ninth earl at Burghley House.

Persons: Greg Crawley, ”, Brownlow Cecil, Earl of Exeter, ” Burghley, Crawley, ” “, ” Crawley, Burghley Organizations: CNN, Burghley, ” Burghley House, Burghley House Locations: United Kingdom, Peterborough, England, Italy, Burghley

☆ My wife and I have separate bathrooms, but I'm trying to convince her to get separate bedrooms, too. She refuses.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-02 | by ( Ryan Crawley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

When we had our house built, my wife and I decided to have separate bathrooms, and it worked great. I'm now trying to convince her that there are also benefits to having separate bedrooms. AdvertisementBut for the last six months, I have been working on my wife of seven years to consider separate bedrooms, too. Before you start thinking I am too far outside the box on this one, separate bedrooms for married couples is, indeed, a growing trend. He says they spend a lot of time at home because of their work schedule, so having separate rooms was just what they needed.

Persons: I'm, —, isn't Organizations: Service, National Sleep Foundation

☆ My parents were extremely strict growing up, but now they are laid-back grandparents. I'm learning to accept the new versions of them.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-04 | by ( Ryan Crawley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Any sign of affection just didn't happen when we were young children, and it didn't change as we grew older. My parents told me to get my foot unstuck through angry shouts. When my foot came out of the shoe, I promptly fell backward out of the tree and hit the ground with a groan. And even though I'm an extremely caring parent, I can see how my parents may have felt overwhelmed. AdvertisementPerhaps my parents are evolvingRather than overthink how unfortunate things happened as a child, I should congratulate my parents on evolving for the good.

Persons: —, They're, there's Organizations: Service, Business

☆ I'm an older dad, so I'll be a senior citizen when my 2 toddlers graduate from high school. I'm scared of running out of time.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-27 | by ( Ryan Crawley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

My wife and I met in our late 30s, and we had our two children when we were older. Now that I'm an older father, I worry I'm losing time with my kids. I've come to realize I will be a senior citizen by the time my kids graduate from high school and enter college, so I'm not wasting any minute. AdvertisementBut it does seem for every advantage, there are two or three disadvantages that come with having kids later in life. I have enjoyed it so much that I work entirely from home now and spend almost every waking minute with Ellie and Jack.

Persons: I'm, —, George Clooney, Al Pacino, I've, Ellie, Jack, they're, Young Organizations: Service

☆ How Scrappers Safely Mine Gold From Electronic Waste
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Kevin Reilly | Manuel Silva-Paulus | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

One ton of circuit boards from old e-waste can contain 100 times more gold than a ton of mined gold. Now, scrappers like Wade Crawley in Sydney, Australia, are cashing in. He's partnered with Mint Innovation, a company that invented a safer and cleaner way to recover precious metals from electronics. In one day, Mint can salvage up to $85,000 in gold from recycled electronics. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers.

Persons: Wade Crawley, He's Organizations: Mint, Business Locations: Sydney, Australia

☆ I loved to date women 15 years younger than me. People judged me for it, but I had more in common with younger women.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Ryan Crawley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

When I was in my late 30s, I started to date women 15 years younger than me. Even though people judged me, I found younger women more carefree and open to adventure. For starters, the younger women kept in better shape. Plus, a few of my close friends and their significant others seemed to have problems with me dating younger women. I eventually married a woman younger than meMy wife is eight years younger; she is a well-established doctor whom I met online.

Persons: —, daters, I'd Organizations: Service

☆ ‘Harry Potter’ and ‘Downton Abbey’ star Maggie Smith, 88, is the face of Loewe’s new campaign
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Amarachi Orie | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Dame Maggie Smith, the British actress acclaimed for her appearances both on stage and in cinema, has taken on a new role — and this time it’s in the world of luxury fashion. Loewe has cast the 88-year-old, known for roles such as Professor McGonagall in the “Harry Potter” film franchise, in its spring/summer 2024 pre-collection campaign. The pointed hat and cape of Hogwarts are a distant memory as Smith sports three cosy and stylish looks for the campaign. In another, Smith is adorned in a floor-length faux fur coat and holds Loewe’s signature Puzzle bag. The actress is one of several older women who have fronted fashion lines and magazine covers in recent years.

Persons: Maggie Smith, Loewe, McGonagall, Harry Potter, Smith, Juergen Teller, Dakota Fanning, Greta Lee, Mike Faist, Josh O’Connor, Taeyong, Rachel Jones, Fei Fei Sun, Heartstopper, Sebastian Croft, Jonathan Anderson, “, Juergen Teller Smith —, Countess Violet Crawley, —, Oscar, Miss Jean Brodie, ”, Apo, Od, Dame Judi Dench Organizations: CNN, Loewe Creative, Broadway, Vogue Philippines, British Vogue Locations: British, Hogwarts, American, South Korean, ”, California

☆ I was drowning in student-loan debt, so I bought a house and flipped it. I used the profit to pay off my loans.
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-22 | by ( Ryan Crawley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Since I couldn't pay down my debt, I bought a house, flipped it, and then sold it. I used the money I made to pay off all of my student loans, and now I feel free. Between rent, utilities, car insurance, and student loans, I was breaking even every month. I wondered how I could pay back my student loans within a few years instead of decades, and I started brainstorming ways I could save money. I immediately paid off all of my student loansWith the money from the sale, I brought my student-loan debt down to zero.

Persons: Sallie Mae, I'd, I'm Organizations: HGTV Locations: Lake Thunderbird , Illinois

LONDON/ZURICH, Oct 13 (Reuters) - Switzerland's SoftwareOne Holding (SWON.S), which helps companies manage software purchases from vendors such as Microsoft, Adobe and IBM, received non-binding bids this week from private equity firms Bain Capital and Apax Partners, said two people familiar with the situation. The Swiss software manager has been holding management presentations this month as part of a strategic review run by JPMorgan, a third person said. Non-binding bids were due on Oct. 11 and at least four parties submitted proposals, one of the people said. SoftwareOne declined to comment. ($1 = 0.9050 Swiss francs)($1 = 0.9014 Swiss francs)Reporting by Amy-Jo Crawley, Oliver Hirt and Anousha Sakoui; Editing by Louise HeavensOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: SoftwareOne, Amy, Jo Crawley, Oliver Hirt, Louise Heavens Organizations: Microsoft, Adobe, IBM, Bain Capital, Apax Partners, JPMorgan, Thomson Locations: ZURICH, Swiss

SWARTZ CREEK, Mich. (AP) — About five people picketing in the United Auto Workers strike outside a Flint-area General Motors plant suffered minor injuries Tuesday when a vehicle leaving the plant struck them, police said. The striking workers were blocking a driveway, and an employee was trying to leave the Flint Processing Center in Swartz Creek when the collision occurred just before 4 p.m., Chief Matthew Bade of the Metro Police Authority of Genesee County said. The employee drove through the picket line to leave the plant, Bade said. “These people are out here, you know these are my membership, and they’re out here doing a peaceful, legal demonstration." The Flint Processing Center is one of 38 locations where workers walked off the job last week in the widening strike by the UAW against GM, Ford and Stellantis.

Persons: Matthew Bade, Bade, Jack Crawley, Steve Dawes, ” Dawes, Biden Organizations: United Auto Workers, General Motors, Flint Processing, Metro Police Authority, Flint Journal, UAW, GM, Ford Locations: Mich, Flint, Swartz, Genesee County, “, Michigan

☆ Rain washes out third England v Ireland one-dayer
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A no result at the Gloucestershire Cricket Stadium means the three-match series was won 1-0 by England, after the first ODI was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to rain before Rehan Ahmed inspired England to a 48-run victory in the second. Ireland won the toss on Tuesday and elected to bowl, with England's openers Phil Salt and Will Jacks getting them off to a strong start as they combined for 87 runs. This series was part of England's preparations as they look ahead to their title defence at next month's 50-over World Cup in India. England face New Zealand in the opening match of the World Cup on Oct. 5. Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru, editing by Pritha SarkarOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Matthew Childs, Ben Duckett, Rehan Ahmed, Phil Salt, Will Jacks, Craig Young, Duckett, Zak Crawley, Crawley, Young, Sam Hain, England's Jacks, Aadi Nair, Pritha Sarkar Organizations: Cricket, England, Ireland, Gloucestershire Cricket, New Zealand, Thomson Locations: Bristol, Britain, England, Irish, India, New, Bengaluru

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