SHOW BIZ

BARBIE actress Margot Robbie stands and delivers in a dandy highwayman outfit.

The Aussie, 35, wore a black tailcoat jacket with gold embroidery — like 1980s singer Adam Ant.

She was attending the London West End premiere of the play 1536 — a drama about three Essex women set in Tudor England during Anne Boleyn’s downfall.

Margot, a producer on the play, said at The Ambassadors Theatre: “The conversations these women have are the same ones that women now are having.”

Earlier this year we revealed how Margot was named the world’s most beautiful woman.

The Aussie beat fellow actress Scarlett Johannson to the honour in the poll organised by website Ranker.

Read more on Margot Robbie

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There were more than seven million votes cast in total.

But the married mum-of-one has not always been convinced about her looks.

She once said: “In my big group of girlfriends at home, I am definitely not the best looking.

“I did not grow up feeling like I was particularly attractive.”

After watching his mother perform in a production of “A Raisin in the Sun” at Compton Community College when he was 9 years old, Anthony Anderson knew appearing on stage would be his life’s work. Over the next handful of years, he enrolled in programs across Los Angeles to achieve that dream. Then, one morning after finishing a class at the Southern California Regional Occupational Center in Torrance, Anderson saw a Post-It note on a bulletin board that caught his attention. The note informed aspiring artists about a newly formed arts school. To be admitted, they had to submit an audition tape.

“I ripped it off the board, and I brought it home to my mother, and I said, ‘Mom, if I can get into this school, can I go here?’” Anderson says. “She said, ‘If you can get into that, yes.’”

Months later, Anderson received a letter informing him that he had been accepted into the inaugural class at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts.

Founded in 1984 and opening its doors to students in 1985, Los Angeles County High School for the Arts is located on the campus of Cal State L.A. It was established to provide students (currently 550) with conservatory-level arts training and college-prep academics within the public education system. LACHSA isn’t associated with LAUSD; instead, it partners with the Los Angeles County Office of Education, which provides funding to support it.

“I felt it to be very important that I was in an environment where other students had the same passion as I did for the arts, in particular, theater,” Anderson says. “Being around other students who had the same passion and drive that I had as an artist was very influential.”

Over the years, LACHSA has featured a who’s who of alumni across various disciplines, including musicians Phoebe Bridgers and Haim, actors Jenna Elfman and Belissa Escobedo, and visual artists Robert Vargas, Tomashi Jackson and Kehinde Wiley. For the past seven years, the school has been ranked as the top public high school for the arts.

Drew McClelland (second from right) with students from LACHSA’s Cinematic Arts Program and actor William H. Macy (far right).

(Courtesy of LACHSA)

While the school’s accolades focus on the arts, LACHSA also aims to give its students experiences that extend beyond the program. Days are structured so that students take academic classes in the morning and arts in the afternoon. With this format, they meet and get to know classmates from other disciplines.

Former “SNL” cast member Taran Killam points out that this also promotes the school’s social and economic diversity, acting as a mini-college experience.

“It’s such a melting pot, but you have this beautiful, focused bonding,” he says. “It’s a rare thing for kids to know, but LACHSA students are ambitious. It’s very unifying when your background is so disparate and so diverse. It’s what makes it special, and you can’t get this experience in a traditional school.”

Lara Raj attended several arts-focused high schools as she moved during her childhood. With that in mind, the member of the girl group Katseye cites LACHSA as having a major influence on her artistic development. During her time at LACHSA, Raj took music, fashion and acting classes, and says its music tech class was her favorite. There, she learned how to create beats and write songs.

“I developed my songwriting and fell in love with it through those classes,” Raj says. “I was excited to go to school every day. And I hate school.”

Before attending LACHSA, singer-actor Josh Groban didn’t know a school specializing in the arts was an option. After bouncing around schools and realizing he needed a different education to express himself equally academically and artistically, he ended up at LACHSA. There, he found like-minded, artistically inclined outsiders.

Josh Groban, a former student of LACHSA, credits the institution with helping him find his voice.

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

“I was a kid who didn’t quite know how to fit in,” Groban says. “Then at [LACHSA], I was surrounded by other students who, I think, didn’t know how to fit in either. We were there for the same reasons, which is that we felt like we needed the nourishment of the arts and being able to express ourselves on a daily basis.”

Half of LACHSA’s funding is provided by the state, with the rest provided by the LACHSA Foundation, a registered 501(c) (3). According to its executive director, Trena Pitchford, the foundation has invested $1 million each school year.

“People always ask me when I tell them I went to LaGuardia and to LACHSA if they were private schools,” Raj says. “I tell them it was created by people who are passionate about the arts and want to inspire kids.”

“There’s a part of LACHSA that I think is a discovery point for a lot of Los Angeles County, and even the nation,” Pitchford says. “There’s so much opportunity for the school, and they’re doing it on a limited budget. What would happen if they were fully funded? What would happen if the foundation had a $40 million endowment? That would fully sustain what they’re doing right now.”

LACHSA students posing in front of the entrance to the Greek Theatre

(Courtesy of LACHSA)

LACHSAPalooza, the culmination of the foundation’s two-year fundraising campaign to celebrate the first 40 years of LACHSA, will take place at the Greek Theatre on May 30. There, student artists will perform alongside Ozomatli, Jon B., April Showers and more. From a fundraising standpoint, the foundation has high hopes of raising $2.5 million.

“We have both annual goals in terms of investment as well as sort of big visions, big dreams of where we think LACHSA could go for the next 40 years,” Pitchford says. “We also hope to put LACHSA on the national stage.’

The honorees for the night are the late Pat Bass, LACHSA’s gospel choir director, retiring LACHSA theater department chair Lois Hunter, and Jerry Freedman, a longtime social studies teacher at the school.

For Anderson, who is serving as the night’s host, seeing Freedman recognized is very meaningful.

“He was there from the school’s beginning,” Anderson says. “He was there when I started, and he’s still there and is still beloved by the students 40-plus years later. I’m looking forward to honoring him.”

As an arts-based school in the long-standing entertainment capital of the U.S., LACHSA can educate and enable the next generation of artists to discover their voices in the backyards of production companies, studios and record labels.

“The freedom that a LACHSA student gets on the campus to discover who they are is exciting,” Pritchard says. “It’s very innovative, very creative, and it’s forward thinking, future forward. It’s an exciting and thrilling place to be.”

Alumni agree. Without LACHSA and, in turn, a focused public arts education, pursuing a career in the arts would have been more difficult and more costly.

“It helps develop souls to be fully fledged human beings who feel like they can go off into the world and be the best versions of themselves,” Groban says. “We all felt like we were free to be who we wanted to be.”

“Specialty-focused high schools like LACHSA, be it arts or any other topic deserving of protection, because it is a gathering place for exceptionally talented, ambitious, driven kids,” Killam says. “And aren’t those the kind of people we want to be cultivating in society?”

TONIGHT, Delta Goodrem is hoping to turn Australia’s Eurovision fortunes around.

The Born To Try singer is banking on her track Eclipse to get her country into Saturday’s grand final for the first time in three years.

She will compete in the second Eurovision Semi-Final live in Vienna alongside the UK’s entry Look Mum No Computer and former Love Island
star Antigoni Buxton .

The reality star is representing Cyprus with her song Jalla.

Australia, who have competed in the contest since 2015, has failed to make it past the semi-finals since 2023, when Voyager’s track Promise saw them finish in ninth place in Liverpool.

Speaking to Bizarre, Delta revealed she has put just as much effort into the production of her performance as she has the song itself.

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Delta said: “I have definitely been learning on the job.

“This is my first ever Eurovision. The staging is just as important as the song.

“When I was working on the track, I wanted to make sure there was a lyric that lends itself to a journey in the production.

“I wrote it thinking about what the staging looks like and what exactly we are saying in the song.”

Admitting she was like a kid in a candy store when choosing her stage
effects, Delta added: “You can do all sorts of things.

“They give you a long list.. honestly, what an amazing opportunity.

“You can have fire, wind, you name it. I felt like I was going shopping.”

Last year’s 2025 contest in Basel, Switzerland, was watched by a
staggering 166 million people.

However, Delta insists she isn’t fazed by the massive global audience
set to watch her tonight.

She said: “It doesn’t matter if it’s Hackney, the Commonwealth Games,
Eurovision, or my outdoor pop-up in Camden earlier this year, I care
just as much about every single performance.

“My game plan is simple, stay true to myself and bring it.”

While Delta is determined to make her country proud, she isn’t taking
things too seriously.

In fact, she says bonding with fellow contestants has been a highlight.

Delta said: “Eurovision is completely its own world. I met a lot of artists in Oslo earlier this year and you naturally find your friends. Denmark’s Soren Torpegaar came up to me and told me how he went to one of my shows the last time I was in Denmark. It was really sweet.

“Honestly, the whole process has been amazing.”

LOVE Island stars Millie Court and Whitney Adebayo have left fans confused as to if it’s all over with their American boyfriends Zac and Yamen as they continued to fuel split rumours.

The pair have posted a string of cryptic clues, hinting they have called it quits with their partners just months after the All Stars series ended.

Taking to TikTok, Whitney, 28, shared a video of her and Millie having a boozy girls night – and fans are convinced they’re now single.

Sitting in their PJs on a bed they could be seen cheersing their drinks as the words, “so we’re gonna heal” played over the top of the clip.

The sound continued: “We’re gonna start again. You’ve bought the orchestra, synchronised swimmers. You’re the magician.

“Pull me back together again, the way you cut me in half.”

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Millie, 29 and Whitney burst out laughing while the sound played and she captioned the post with six laughing face emojis.

While some fans in the comments thought the pair were joking with their viewers amid the break up rumours, others were certain they had parted ways with their villa hunks.

One fan penned: “Sounds like another break up.”

Another fan wrote: “The healing journey continues.”

Meanwhile, a third fan said: “They’re joking, rage baiting I love it.”

Whitney’s man Yamen first sparked split rumours earlier this week following a bold social media post to his “exes.”

He shared a montage of him in various places around the world and added: “Never block your ex. 

“Always let them see what they missed out on.” 

Stunning blonde Millie also made waves this week when she replied to a fan’s message asking if she was ok.

Millie said: “I am all good… I do feel like I have been very quiet with content and haven’t been posting much on any platform really. 

“I was away for a whole month and then last week was really busy with work and things I couldn’t actually show you guys. 

“And then catching up with friends and family and I didn’t want my phone to be in my face or their faces… big catch ups were needed.”

Rushing to the comments fans were quick to point out that she didn’t mention Zac at all.

Both Whitney and Millie are yet to officially address the rumours.

RIVALS star Emily Atack has sent pulses racing at the sexy bonkbuster’s London world premiere as she donned an incredible plunging silver dress.

The blonde bombshell, who plays temptress Sarah Stratton on the Disney+ show, sizzled in the daring outfit as she was snapped alongside her co-stars.

Emily, 36, went all out for the premiere wearing a sculpted silver gown that hugged her sensational figure as it flared out at the bottom.

The dramatic dress was complete with a low-cut sweetheart neckline, a huge bow down the centre and a matching bag.

She had her blonde locks styled in loose waves and she finished the look with simple silver jewellery – small hoop earrings and a single diamond bracelet.

The actress wowed in a natural makeup as she was seen hugging her on-screen husband Rufus Jones – who plays Paul Stratton. 

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Glamourous Emily smiled and waved to fans as she walked the star-studded red carpet.

The premiere for Rivals series two, which lands on Disney+ this Friday, was held at the BFI IMAX South Bank in London.

All the leading castmembers were present on the carpet with Bella Maclean (Taggie) and Alex Hassel (Rupert) posing together before making there way inside.

Danny Dyer (Freddie Jones), 48, looked very dapper in a dark grey suit and turquoise shirt as he was pictured with Katherine Parkinson (Lizzie Veriker).

Elsewhere, David Tennant and Nafessa Williams – who play Lord Tony Baddingham and Cameron – looked sensational as they made their debut.

Stunning Nafessa, 36, put on a leggy display in a beautiful pink ensemble.

The top of her dress was a tightly-fitted corset and the skirt, embroidered with sparkles, knotted at the waist before flowing down.

David, 55, put a spin of the classic suit and opted to wear one of purple velvet.

Other stars Aiden Turner (Declan O’Hara), Victoria Smurfit (Maud O’Hara), Claire Rushbrook (Lady Baddingham), Lisa McGrills (Valerie Jones) and Catriona Chandler (Caitlin O’Hara) made an appearance ahead of the big launch.

Stanley Tucci, Fleur East, Lady Penny Lancaster, Felicity Blunt and Dee Koppang and were also spotted by fans on the carpet.

Rivals, based on Dame Jilly Cooper’s 1988 novels, became an instant hint after it debuted on Disney+ in October 2024.

The raunchy comedy-drama was of course renewed for a second season and fans cannot wait.

This series has 12 episodes – four more than the previous- and the first three will be released on Friday 15 May, three more the following week and then the rest will come at a later date.

Donald Gibb, the actor who played the hulking fraternity bro Ogre in “Revenge of the Nerds” and Ray “Tiny” Jackson in “Bloodsport,” has died. He was 71.

Gibb’s son Travis confirmed his father’s death to TMZ on Tuesday evening after he died earlier that day at home in Texas surrounded by family. Gibb, a former professional wrestler under the name “Don Gibb,” succumbed to “health complications,” according to his son.

A statement from the family, provided to People, described Gibb as a father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, uncle, friend and actor.

“Known for his larger-than-life presence on screen and his kindness off screen, he brought joy, laughter, and unforgettable memories to countless people throughout his life and career,” the statement said.

“Above all else, Donald treasured his faith and the people he loved,” it continued. “His strength, generosity, and spirit will never be forgotten by those who had the privilege of knowing him personally and by the many fans whose lives he touched over the years.”

“Bloodsport” star Jean-Claude Van Damme remembered Gibb in an Instagram story, posting a photo from 1986 and writing “Rest in peace, my brother.” He also reposted a reel showing himself and Gibb in the 1988 movie.

“Whether he was the lovable brute Ogre in Revenge of the Nerds or the fearless Ray Jackson in Bloodsport, Donald brought a heart as big as his frame to every role,” the caption on the reposted reel said. “Watching him alongside Jean-Claude Van Damme was the ultimate display of brotherhood on screen. In the clip, JCVD asks, ‘What took you so long?’ It’s a bitter-sweet reminder that while he’s gone too soon, his legacy in the martial arts and 80s cinema world is timeless. ‘Anytime, anyplace, anywhere.’”

A representative for Gibb didn’t respond immediately Wednesday to The Times’ request for comment.

Gibb had about 100 credits, including the sequels “Bloodsport” and the movie and TV sequels to “Nerds.”

Born Aug. 4, 1954, Gibb started his career in the early 1980s with uncredited roles in “Any Which Way You Can,” “Stripes” and “Conan the Barbarian.” His TV credits included episodes of “Cheers,” “MacGyver” and “The Young and the Restless.”

He acted into 2011, then tagged on one last credit, for the 2026 movie release “Hands.” According to IMDb, that filmed sometime in 2023 or 2024.

NIKITA Kuzmin shared a heartbreaking post to Instagram today announcing his grandad has died.

The emotional tribute received a lot of love from fans as well as other members of the Strictly cast.

In the first picture in the carousel of snaps, Nikita is pictured beside his granddad beaming at the camera.

Others show the duo spending time with friends and other members of family.

The professional dancer emotionally penned a tribute in the post’s caption, writing: “Looking at these pictures my heart is beating so fast and I’m not sure what to write or how to even begin expressing how much I love you.

“Just memories of when I thought you’re the fastest walker in the world and how when I was a teenager I was proud of speeding past you, but you still were the quickest grandad in town.

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“But specially how much you always took care of us, no matter what, always there.”

Nikita finished the post off by writing, ‘I love you, Grandpa,” in Russian followed by a red love heart emoji.

Strictly contestant Tasha Ghouri led the comment section, sharing two love heart emojis.

Actress Sarah Hadland added another series of hearts.

Meanwhile a fan wrote: “Thinking of you and your family. Sending hugs.”

Another fan added: “Sending so much love.”

Nikita joined Strictly Come Dancing as a pro dancer back in 2021.

In his first year on the show he was paired alongside Gordon Ramsay‘s daughter Tilly.

This article contains spoilers for the penultimate episode of “The Boys.”

There’s just one episode to go in the fifth and final season of Prime Video’s irreverent superhero satire, “The Boys.” The topical, darkly funny, whip-smart series from Eric Kripke follows a band of vigilante misfits who fight to expose the all-powerful, corrupt conglomerate Vought International and its stable of villainous superheroes.

Among the ragtag crew of antiheroes is Frenchie, played by Tomer Capone. Frenchie is the de facto chemist and inventor of the group, a former assassin for hire whose drug-addled brain is constantly concocting news ways to kill immortal Supes (superheroes). Yet he’s deeply connected with the feral Kimiko (Karen Fukuhara), who was nonverbal when he helped save her from human traffickers who sought to cash in on her Supe strength. Their bond — both are outsiders who suffered abuse as children — is one of the few emotional soft spots in the otherwise fast-moving series about America’s rotten power structure, manipulative media and the gullibility of the public.

Though fans of the show are already mourning the end of “The Boys,” they were dealt another major blow Wednesday, when in Episode 7 beloved Frenchie met his fate at the hands of the sociopathic head Supe, Homelander (Antony Starr). Israeli actor Capone talks about the scene, the end of the show and how to cope with the loss of Frenchie. This conversation has been edited for clarity and length.

OK, so the big question first. Do you actually speak French?

En vous? Moi? [Laughs] OK, a little bit, but it’s a different kind of French. But that wasn’t the difficult part. Frenchie, to me, is one of those characters for an actor, that’s a gift. It’s something I prayed for. It’s a full-on character. He’s an outsider. He’s a foreigner. The way he walks, the way he talks. We can also talk about the crop tops and the hairstyle …

He’s a full-on character, and the French aspect was only part of it. There was also the sign language with Kimiko, and the connection. For me, the emotion and connection was the bigger aspect of portraying Frenchie.

Are you ready for all the tears of your fans once they witness Frenchie’s demise? He sacrifices himself to lure Homelander away from Kimiko. She is saved, but he is killed in the process.

Oh my God, I can’t watch it. I didn’t watch it. I can’t. I’m too involved.

Tomer Capone on the scene with his character’s demise: “Oh my God, I can’t watch it.”

(Jasper Savage/Prime)

So you really haven’t watched the scene yet?

No. It’s the longest character I ever had in my career, and I can’t. Something tells me not yet.

When you shot that scene, was there an intensity on set? How did that play out?

Intensity is always around the show because there’s so much to accomplish doing “The Boys.” But funnily enough, that specific scene was the most tranquil and quiet set I’ve experienced. I remember standing there with the amazing people of the cast and crew, and we’re talking about how the scene is going to play out. I felt this quietness, like everybody was like inside themselves, so I started to get nervous. I said, “Oh my God, they’re expecting something.”

But very quickly, I decided that I’m just going release all the [plans], thoughts or ideas that I had about the scene. I literally went into this mantra that said, “Frenchie, here’s the keys. Drive the car.” And you know what? It was the right way to go. It made sense. It felt very respectful and spiritual. Those kind of scenes come once in never, where you feel like you’re letting the character drive, and you’re just gliding behind it.

“The Boys” is based on the 2000s comic book series of the same name by writer Garth Ennis and artist Darick Robertson. But the show is unlike any comic book adaptation out there. In fact, it mocks superhero culture.

The biggest gift of working [with] Eric Kripke, the writers and this show is that even as things are moving fast and big things are happening, they’re emotionally backed up. And as a character and an actor, it’s like, OK, I understand what I’m doing. This is the world and what we’re playing. You get where it is going, and why it needs to happen.

Were you surprised when you first learned about Frenchie’s fate?

I wasn’t surprised when I heard from Eric that Frenchie was continuing on to the big field [in the sky]. I had this feeling. I didn’t want to say it out loud. It’s like, at this point, the fifth season, we all felt it. We knew where it was going,

But Frenchie is the empathy and compassion of this series. I actually cried when he was killed off. The empathy is gone, and now we’re left with soulless, terrifying Homelander.

But Kimiko lives.

True, but I haven’t seen the finale. How does Kimiko go on without Frenchie?

Well, let me tell you… [laughs]. I can’t tell, but I can say that I do think Episode 8 is going to blow the audience and fans’ minds with where it goes. That’s the only thing I can say. It evolves into something that resonates.

When it comes to pushing the envelope, “The Boys” is renowned for going where most shows won’t. It drove a speed boat into the side of a whale, imbued superheroes with powers such as toxic vomit and a giant killer penis. Then there was the flying killer sheep. Was there ever a moment too far for you?

Almost every episode has those moments … I remember they told us about the whale, and they said they were still figuring out how. It was a surprise. So I’m driving to set, and it was a sunny day on the shore of Toronto, then all of a sudden, my windshield, everything is covered with this [big shadow], and I’m like what’s going on? Clouds? Is going to rain? The day is ruined! Then I look up and see them [trucking] in a real-size animatronic whale. People that had nothing to do with the show were stopping their cars and looking at this whale moving on the Toronto shore. It was like, OK, here we go.

And there was the musical sequence [in Season 3, Episode 5, when a hospitalized Kimiko imagines her and Frenchie dancing to “I Got Rhythm.”]. Karen and I were on set, and there’s like 30 professional dancers stretching behind us, beautiful and fresh and clean. And we’re looking at each other like, what is this show? What are we doing here? As an actor, you pinch yourself. It’s an experience.

Frenchie (Capone) and Kimiko (Fukuhara) in Season 3’s musical number.

(Amazon Studios)

The musical number, did you actually have to practice the choreography for that?

Oh, day in and day out. I thought I knew how to dance. Apparently I needed some work. Luckily, Karen is a total badass in terms of her commitment, and we practiced it day and night, even working on it off set between other scenes, just working in the movements, trying to get it right. But I learned something very fun about myself. Usually, I don’t like to watch myself on screen, like a lot of actors don’t. From time to time, I would watch an action scene or me fighting because I want to see if I got the choreography right. And I learned that I can watch myself dance too.

With all the fighting in that show, that’s also requires quite a bit of physical acting.

We have the best stunt teams in the business. They made our life very easy compared to the crazy stuff we had to do. Saying that, I don’t miss the harnesses that they put on us. I will not miss that

Harnesses?

I remember when we shot the first episode where Frenchie, Hughie (Jack Quaid)and Mother’s Milk (Laz Alonso) are captive in the camp. And then I think Starlight flies me off out of the camp. It was like minus 40, snowing. We’re on our harnesses, and we’re just flying away. It’s an experience.

“The Boys” has brilliantly captured the political craziness in America, but told through the world of egotistical superheroes. For example, Homelander claimed he was lord and savior around the same time President Trump posted an AI image of himself as Jesus.

How they predicted some of the stuff, it beats me. You’re going to have to ask Kripke and his writers. But I love that the show tackles all that. For me, portraying Frenchie is about humanity. About how in chaos and in fear and in the craziness of “The Boys’” world, people still choose love and compassion and that’s really the heart of “The Boys.” Or maybe that’s just from Frenchie’s perspective, where it’s all about family, loyalty and protecting the ones you love.

How did you imagine the character of Frenchie when you first learned of the show?

When I got the audition, I didn’t know about the source material. I didn’t know about the novel, or the graphic comic book. So I went online, and I started researching Frenchie. And the first picture that came in was this buzz cut, crazy, goggle-wearing character. I said, what really? Frenchie specifically is illustrated and drawn so different from volume to volume. It gave me so much space to create something in between those worlds. Then picking the brain of Eric Kripke and building a whole story and backup story for the characters. We already knew, in a way, where it was going, so we had the privilege of understanding the arc of the bigger picture for “The Boys.”

Do you have a favorite Frenchie moment?

Yeah, I do, but it’s not what you might expect to hear. It’s from Season 1. There was this scene with Frenchie and Petit Hughie. Hughie comes out of his father’s house [and he’s upset]. I say that I understand because my father was bipolar too, and [he tried to smother me with a] Hello Kitty duvet. It’s just it’s one of those moments when we couldn’t get those two lines out. We kept breaking. I think it’s the longest scene Jack and I ever had in the show. It was something like 14 takes. All the cast and crew were breaking too. It was like, should we just give it up? But I was fighting for it. No, I can do this! Now it’s a [fan] favorite quote. So that means a lot. I fought for that line!

Have you thought about how you’ll console distraught fans once they’ve seen Episode 7?

Oh, my God. Do you have any tips for me, please?

Sorry, no. I’m in mourning too.

Frenchie will live forever. Viva la Frenchie.

CANNES, France — Greeting from the Croisette, where the 79th Cannes Film Festival is underway — and where the Envelope has its inaugural Cannes issue.

I’ve been hard at work since before the Oscars assigning and editing stories about the global film industry and this storied event’s role in it, albeit with an L.A. twist. And with this special edition of the newsletter, you too can be a part of the “Entourage,” at least vicariously. Read on for more highlights from the issue, and be sure to check out Amy Nicholson and Joshua Rothkopf’s conversation about the Cannes films they’re most excited to see before you block out your schedule.

Cover: Almodóvar, uncensored

(Shayan Asgharnia / For The Times)

You know you have a juicy interview on your hands when you wake up to it being aggregated by the trades, and I can’t really blame them: Columnist Glenn Whipp’s cover profile of Spanish auteur Pedro Almodóvar, in competition here with his new film “Bitter Christmas,” is chock full of pungent quotations.

At 76, the filmmaker is unafraid to speak his mind, whether it be about the apolitical Oscars or the decline of American democracy. But his metafictional treat, in which an acclaimed filmmaker falls out with an old friend over pilfering real life for inspiration, shows that he’s equally willing to turn that critical lens inward. It’s the film, he says, “where I’ve been cruelest with myself.”

Digital cover: Cannes kid Diego Calva

(Ian Spanier / For The Times)

In one of those serendipitous intersections editors dream off, it’s Almodovar that our digital cover star is most amped to meet during the fortnight: “If Almodóvar shakes my hand, I can die in peace,” Diego Calva tells contributor Carlos Aguilar.

With two films at the festival — Jordan Firstman’s “Club Kid,” playing in Un Certain Regard, and Nicolas Winding Refn’s highly anticipated out-of-competition title “Her Private Hell” — Calva, who appeared earlier this year in “The Night Manager” Season 2, may be hard for Almodóvar to miss. But the actor isn’t letting the auspicious moment go to his head. “My friends don’t care whether I have seven Golden Globes or if I’m not working at all,” he says. “To them, I’m just Diego.”

What’s next for Nollywood

(Photo illustration by Stephanie Jones / For The Times; photos courtesy of Anthill Studios, African International Film Festival)

I admit I didn’t know much about the Nigerian film industry beyond the term “Nollywood” before reading Daron James’ deep dive on how the West African country is charting a new course after its recent streaming boom went bust. Now I’m eager to see if its embrace of theatrical exhibition — including, gasp, building more cinemas — can rub off on its American namesake.

Nollywood may produce “the second most movies globally after India,” as James writes, but “creative hustle… is still as important as ever.”

More coverage of the 2026 Cannes Film Festival

FOR someone whose face never moves, Katie Price couldn’t hide her emotion yesterday as her husband Lee Andrews stood her up on live TV.

What was supposed to be the loved-up couple’s chance to quieten the naysayers turned Katie into a laughing stock as she desperately tried to explain Lee’s absence amid claims he had been detained in the UAE. We’re told the public humiliation was a step too far for those close to Katie, 47, but has it been enough for her to see the light?

An insider said: “It’s not nice to see Katie put on the spot like that. All she ever does is try to be the perfect wife, but she’s struggling with the constant uncertainty.

“Her inner circle are worried it’s going to take its toll on her. It’s put a lot of pressure on the other relationships in her life – like with her sister Sophie, who has been terrified about Lee’s intentions from the start.

“Katie has been through so much heartache in the past and been treated so badly by men, and they think she deserves more – or at least some transparency.

“It’s one thing Lee supposedly missed the flight, but the videos of him at the airport while he desperately insists he is still coming are a hard watch. There is a feeling that he needs to accept the game is up, and they are just worried about how Katie will react when she realises that something is amiss.”

The couple, who tied the knot in January, were due to appear on GMB yesterday. It was set to be their first joint telly interview and a chance for them to set the record straight. 

But while Katie, who had been visiting Lee in Dubai, made it back to the UK, Lee was nowhere to be seen. What followed was a bizarre game of will-he, won’t he, while poor Katie was left struggling alone. 

There is ongoing speculation that Lee, 43, is unable to leave the United Arab Emirates city after allegedly forging his ex-girlfriend Dina Taji’s signature to secure a £200,000 loan – something he’s strongly denied. 

Presenters Susanna Reid and her co-host Ed Balls told how they had approached the Foreign Office to see if Lee had a travel ban.

They said they had been informed they had “supported a British man detained in the United Arab Emirates”.

When the pair quizzed Katie as to whether this was Lee, she said he had denied it in a voice note and added laughing emoji icons to his message.

Explaining the reason for his no-show, Katie, who wore a pink shirt and gold hoop earrings for her chat, said: “He just didn’t make the flight.

“He’s coming here to spend quite a few months now. He’s been sorting out my visa, my international driving licence.

“He’s flying from Muscat, and he had things to do; he didn’t make the flight, but he’s at the airport now”.

Lee reinforced her words as he took to his social media page from the departures lounge.

He praised Katie’s appearance on GMB and said: “Yes, I am at the airport and flying to my wife, who did very well on GMB today.

“And I am on my way to her. I had a couple of things that I had to do last-minute; I couldn’t make the show. I was hoping to get on there with the Zoom link, but they carried on with Kate, and she did really, really well”.

Mum of three Susanna mused: “I wonder if he’s telling you everything, do you trust him?” to which Katie said, “Yes”.

He then asked if Lee was normally unreliable, and she replied: “Not with me”.

Our insider added: “Katie was desperate to keep painting a happy picture, but the cracks are starting to show. She will have been upset about the line of questioning about the man she loves. She is a hopeless romantic and wants to believe the best in Lee, even if no one else does.”

The interview was a disaster, and clips of Katie frantically trying to defend Lee quickly went viral, and Lee was heavily scrutinised. Some people claimed the video he shared wasn’t filmed where he said it was, while others felt sympathy towards her.

Who is Katie Price’s husband Lee Andrews?

KATIE Price tied the knot with Lee Andrews in January 2026. Yet who is he?

• Katie Price has married businessman fiancé Lee Andrews in a whirlwind wedding
• It is the fourth time Katie, 47, has been a bride. She has also been married to Peter Andre, Alex Reid and Kieran Hayler
• Katie and Lee met just after being introduced on social media
• Lee claimed he is a billionaire in a failed clip from his acting career
• He now claims to be a Dubai-based businessman
• Yet The Sun has unmasked him as a fantasist who faked celebrity links using AI-generated photos and recently talked about marrying two other women
• Failed actor is just another title to add to Lee’s questionable CV, after he claimed to have once worked as the Director of Philanthropy at The Prince’s Trust (now The King’s Trust)
• Lee also shared images – since proven to be AI – of him working with Elon Musk and Kim Kardashian
• It’s been revealed shameless Lee told former girlfriends that he had studied at Cambridge University, and has a PhD in biotechnology science
• But The Sun has seen a response from the university explaining it could not find a record of Lee being registered as a student with a date of birth they had provided
• His LinkedIn profile says Lee has been a Member of the Board of Advisors to the Labour Party since 2015
• Lee was also mocked for repeating the exact same wedding proposal on Katie – that he did for another woman just four months ago.

One person commented: “I actually feel a bit sorry for her.”

Another remarked: “This is so sad. The penny still has not dropped, even though GMB know its him that’s been detained as they would have had it confirmed. I hope Suzannah told her after the cameras stopped rolling.”

And as the day went on, it seemed less and less likely Lee would actually arrive, despite his insisting he was on his way.

There certainly seems to be some confusion with the couple’s timeline – over 12 hours before she was due on GMB, Katie posted on her social media – in a video which has now been deleted – to reveal Lee was joining her 

She said on social media: “Where the hell is my husband? Lee will not be on Good Morning Britain with me!!”

She added: “Well, he is not coming, which is gutting really as he said he was coming, so I’m getting the house ready for me”.

And for the first time, the tide might be slightly turning for Katie, and in a surprise movie, she did lay down an ultimatum.

Katie said that although Lee “pays for” her flights to Dubai, she needs him to be more present in the UK.

The mum-of-five, who hasn’t even been able to introduce her kids to Lee, said: “I’ve been in Dubai, I came back on Friday.

“But because I can’t keep going to Dubai, because obviously I’ve got work and my kids here.

 Susanna quipped: “And it’s expensive”, and Katie replied: “Well, he pays for it anyway.”

“But I can’t keep going to Dubai.”

Katie believes that Lee will now be joining her for a few months in the UK, but whether he ever makes remains to be seen. 

The true text messages between Steph and Danny have now been exposed following the dinner party chaos

The Married At First Sight Australia reunion is proving to be an absolute rollercoaster, with no shortage of explosive moments.

During last night’s instalment (May 12), fans of the reality phenomenon were treated to yet more fireworks when Bec unleashed a shocking revelation, alleging her ex Danny had been swapping flirty messages with fellow participant Steph.

On the programme, Steph had tied the knot with Tyson, though their romance fizzled out ahead of the final vows, while Danny similarly pulled ended his own relationship during the ultimate final commitment.

Yet behind the scenes, it emerged Danny and Steph had been messaging one another, with whispers suggesting Steph had even forwarded a bikini snap of herself.

During last night’s broadcast (May 12), word spread about the bikini images, prompting Bec to erupt: “You’re contacting my ex-husband, you’re meant to be my friend … Who do you think you are?”

Bec further alleged the duo had traded voice messages, with Danny also sending Steph love heart emojis – though he insisted he shares the symbol with everyone, reports OK!.

Eventually, a tearful Bec walked out of the Dinner Party, confessing that despite Danny shattering her heart, she remained in love with him – sentiments he did not share.

Speaking to producers on the programme, Steph confessed she felt no attraction towards Danny and would not pursue anything with him. But what really transpired between the two? The text messages between the pair have now come to light.

Woman’s Day reports that Stephanie made the first move, checking in on Danny’s wellbeing. Steph revealed she’d been “working, walking and working out man. Dating. Having fun”.

In one exchange, Steph urged Danny to attend the reunion, hoping he’d help her “go hard” on ex Tyson following their turbulent split. One message read: “I think you should come and if it gets too much, just leave. But I say that because I wanna see everyone and I’m just being selfish.”

Other messages saw them poking fun at contestants who’d left their jobs for the show, with Danny writing: “Living in dream world thinking you’ll make good coin off the back of mafs haha.”

The duo also swapped voice notes, while Steph sent Danny a series of snaps from a recent getaway, including the bikini shot that Bec had questioned.

Nine.com.au reports that Steph had previously posted the photograph herself on Instagram stories, labelling it the “bikini photo in question”, linked to a November 2025 upload. The image shows her sporting a bikini top paired with shorts.

Her caption, which accompanied various sightseeing shots plus another bikini snap, read: “Sunbaking/burnt, bug/gies, saunas, sightseeing, HPC, Hamilton.”

Speaking to Nine, Steph insisted the exchange was completely innocent, saying: “I went to Hamilton Island with work, and he said he’d never been there. I sent him a couple of photos, one of which was me in a bikini, which had already been posted on social media.”

Married At First Sight Australia can be streamed on Channel 4.

Ted Lasso star Cristo Fernández has taken his role as a footballer on the small screen into real life after signing a contract with the US second-tier side El Paso Locomotive FC.

Ted Lasso star Cristo Fernández has taken his role as a footballer from fiction to reality after signing a professional contract with the US second-tier side El Paso Locomotive FC.

Announcing the news the club said: “The rumors were true. Welcome to El Paso, Cristo Fernández. El Paso Locomotive FC announced today that it has signed forward Cristo Fernández.”

Cristo is best known by Ted Lasso fans as Dani Rojas, a beloved member of the Richmond team in the hit Apple TV+ show about a British team with a coach with an American football background.

However, many TV fans were unaware that outside of his acting career, the 35 year old has been taking part in football training, training with the Major League Soccer side Chicago Fire’s reserves this year, he also appeared in pre-season matches for the Locomotive before signing with the football club.

The actor played youth football in Mexico while growing up but was forced to quit after a knee injury. After gaining fame in the football based TV show, he is now set to return, saying in a statement that football has been a huge part of his life.

“Football has always been a huge part of my life and identity, and no matter where life has taken me, the dream of competing professionally never truly left my heart,” said Fernandez, who also trialled with the second team of Major League Soccer side Chicago Fire earlier this year.

“I’m incredibly grateful to El Paso Locomotive FC – the club, coaches, staff, and especially my team-mates – for opening the doors and giving me the opportunity to compete from day one.

“This journey back to professional soccer is about believing in yourself, taking risks, and continuing to chase your dreams no matter how unexpected the path may be.

“Maybe I’m just a crazy man with crazy dreams… so being here with the ‘Locos’ actually makes perfect sense.”

El Paso is a newer club, founded in 2018. The group is currently fourth in Group B of the United Soccer League Championship standings. “Cristo is a great addition to our roster, adding another attacking threat to our forward line,” the club’s head coach, Junior Gonzalez, said.

“His passion for the game and leadership qualities for our locker room allow us to continue growing the positive culture we strive for as a club.”

While Cristo is best known for his appearance in Ted Lasso, he has also had several appearances in films and TV shows including; Spider-Man: No Way Home and Sonic The Hedgehog 3. He has also featured in the State Farm commercial “Bundle is Life” alongside Patrick Mahomes.

Brace yourself, Coronado. The hospitality maven who brought San Diego its most over-the-top maximalist hotel — the Lafayette in North Park — is back with another glitzy project, this time in the wealthy island city known for its traditional bent.

Opening Thursday, Baby Grand includes a 35-foot faux rock wall, a 20-foot waterfall, a Mediterranean restaurant that feels like a Greek ruin being consumed by a jungle and a hidden oyster bar full of crystal and mirrors. All of this, including the Spanish statuary, Moroccan fixtures and Murano glass, is squeezed onto an Orange Avenue lot that once held a 1950s motel. If Liberace had run away with an art historian, they might have landed here.

The idea was “to create this little mirage within the mirage that is Coronado,” said Arsalun Tafazoli, founder of CH Projects, the group behind a multitude of design-intensive establishments across San Diego including the speakeasy Raised by Wolves, the hi-fi listening bar Part Time Lover and the Middle Eastern restaurant Leila.

The Baby Grand hotel and its restaurant Night Hawk stands along Orange Avenue about a block from the Hotel del Coronado.

The patio dining area of Coronado’s new Night Hawk includes seating for about 150.

Baby Grand’s high-density, high-gloss environment, which cost about $17 million and took about five years to complete, will come as no surprise to those who have followed Tafazoli’s earlier ventures.

Asked about the design philosophy behind the 2023 renovation of the Lafayette — the company’s first hotel — Tafazoli had a simple answer: “More is more.”

The Baby Grand project, put together in collaboration with design studio Post Company, is cut from the same cloth, describing itself as a “polychromatic pastiche” on its website. The goal, Tafazoli said, is to enrich Coronado’s culture and give people a respite in an anxiety-ridden time. But “it is different,” he said. “I don’t know if it is going to be embraced.”

Getting the necessary city permissions “was definitely a struggle,” Tafazoli said. “Had I known how difficult this was going to be, I don’t know …”

In the days before the hotel’s opening, Tafazoli, 44, led a tour of the site. The entrepreneur, whose heritage is Persian, wore his hair in braids and a button-down Supreme shirt featuring Barack Obama.

The Baby Grand hotel’s guest rooms feature separate tub and shower.

“I have a very one-dimensional existence. I’m single. I have no kids. This is what I do,” said Tafazoli, who grew up in San Diego and studied at UC San Diego. He lives now in downtown San Diego’s East Village, where his company is based and where his first CH venture, Neighborhood, opened in 2007.

Though his company started with eating and drinking establishments, Tafazoli said, his goals were always to create and run hotels, “the pinnacle of hospitality.” As a child of divorce, he said, he may have a heightened awareness of when the energy feels right in a room and when it doesn’t. Creating social environments, he said, gives him some control over that. Moreover, he added later, “beauty is important to me, because it conveys care.”

To make the most of Baby Grand’s compact location (2/3 of an acre), the CH team has exported parking. Instead of leaving their cars on site, guests will hand keys to valets who will deposit vehicles in a Bank of America parking structure a block away. That move freed up space for not only palm trees, torches, tables, booths and 21 pieces of statuary from Spain, but also a little faux beach with a 4-foot-deep wading pool that can hold a handful of people.

“I can’t tell you how many iterations of sand were brought in and taken out,” Tafazoli said. “Sand is its own universe. You want local sand. But local sand was not conducive to that feeling.” So the sand is from Turkey.

1

2

3

1. Guest shower in an en suite bathroom. 2. Hotel design touches include guest bathroom door handles. 3. Fiberglass clamshells serve as headboard in guest rooms.

The property’s main restaurant, Night Hawk, is Mediterranean, with cooking by open fire, a Greek ruins vibe and seating for about 150. The second restaurant lurks behind the lobby — a hidden oyster-and-Champagne bar that holds about 35 people, reservation only. The space, called Fallen Empire, features red mohair booths, built-in Champagne buckets, mirrored walls and chandeliers, sconces and lamps from the Italian glass-blowing island of Murano. The floor is a custom mosaic of sea creatures.

There are 31 guest rooms, beginning at $350 per night. Each is dominated by a custom-made clamshell headboard (fiberglass). Beds are surrounded by animal-print seating, parquet oak flooring, marble tables, mirrored cabinets and custom wallpaper. The rooms measure roughly 300 square feet each, nearly half of that space taken up by their elaborate bathrooms, each with separate tub and shower, sinks from Morocco.

Now picture all of that placed in the heart of Coronado (population 20,192), which sits next to Naval Air Station North Island and is known for attracting well-heeled retirees. The median home value is $2.5 million.

Up the block from the Baby Grand is the grand dame of San Diego County tourism, the Hotel del Coronado, which went up in 1888, completed a $550-million renovation last year and starts its rates north of $600. Another option is the Bower Coronado, also a dramatically upgraded motel that reopened in 2025 with prices similar to Baby Grand’s but a much more buttoned-down style.

This view from above at the Night Hawk restaurant space shows a stone booth, elaborately patterned cushion and table top.

All of those properties stand close to Coronado’s wide, sandy beaches — which means they all face challenges as waters are often fouled by the northward flow of untreated sewage from greater Tijuana. The longstanding problem has worsened in recent years, and Coronado’s Central Beach was closed to bathers on 129 days in 2025 because of unsafe bacteria levels. The U.S. and Mexican government say they have sewage-treatment projects in progress, with improvements expected by the end of 2027.

“We are, unfortunately, not marine scientists just a group of deeply overcaffeinated hoteliers with strong opinions about lighting, linen textures, and good design. So please check local water conditions before swimming,” Tafazoli wrote in a statement.

Asked his target market for the new hotel, Tafazoli said he was looking close to home.

“I see this as a staycation for locals” from San Diego County, Tafazoli said. “The big risk is that we don’t get locals and it doesn’t resonate with tourists who like the status quo.”

That said, Baby Grand and Coronado might be a better match than some imagine. Christine Stokes, executive director of the Coronado Historical Assn. and Museum, sees at least a few parallels to Baby Grand in local history, beginning with the historical association’s own building. From the 1950s into the 1990s, Stokes noted in an email, Marco’s Restaurant operated in the space, with a “Roman Room” bar — “a dark and immersive hidden gem where bartenders performed sleight-of-hand magic tricks.”

Guest rooms, including No. 103, are labeled with inscribed brass clamshells.

Then there was the Hotel del Coronado’s Circus Room restaurant, open from the 1930s into the 1960s. That was “an immersive environment, using specialized murals and striped tents on the walls,” Stokes wrote. It’s also where, in 1950, the manager of an L.A. TV station spotted a promising young piano player and decided to give him a chance on screen. The pianist’s name was Liberace.

However people respond to the particulars of the new hotel, Tafazoli said, he knows that the larger setting of Coronado is a special place.

From his office in San Diego’s East Village, “it’s a six-minute drive,” he said. “I come off that bridge, and I feel like I’m in a different place.” It’s amazing, he said, “to be so close and feel so far away.”

JOHN Lennon’s son Julian has revealed his devastating health diagnosis while sending a warning to his fans.

The son of the iconic singer from The Beatles has opened up about being diagnosed with coronary heart disease and pre-diabetes.

The 63-year-old musician, who followed in his father’s footsteps and had the hit Too Late For Goodbyes, opened up in a recent social media post.

Taking to social media, Julian said in a post: “After being diagnosed with Coronary Heart Disease & a Pre-Diabetic, I urge you all to get checked out sooner rather than later.

“You never know what hidden health issues you may have, even after exercising and eating as much ‘good/healthy’ food as possible.

“Nip it in the bud! As they say…

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“Even with these ailments, I’ve managed to catch them early enough, to be able to reverse some of the damage and will hopefully be able to live a healthy long life!

“Please get checked out, before you’re checked out…

“And last but not least, thanks to all the Doctors who have helped and guided me on this new journey so far… Truly.”

Fans rushed to support Julian amid his health woes.

“Be well Julian! I’m on the same journey,” said one fan.

“Dear Julian, You are very thoughtful to share this, especially for our benefit. Good luck with your new healthier journey. Please keep us updated,” added a second.

“Good advice. Trying to be better at it now. Take good care,” penned a third.

This isn’t Julian’s first health concern.

In 2020, the musician revealed he had to undergo an emergency operation to remove a cancerous growth from his head.

The singer had visited his dermatologist, who noticed a lump on his head which he had had all his life “looked and felt a little different”.

After having a biopsy, the results showed that the mole was cancerous and Julian got it removed immediately. 

Writing on social media at the time, he said: “She urged me to have a Biopsy 2 days ago, which I obliged…

“Only to learn, 24 hrs later, that it was malignant/cancerous, and that her recommendation was to get it removed immediately, which is what happened today…

“Hopefully we managed to remove all that was cancerous, but the mole is being sent off again, for a further/deeper analysis, and I’ll have those results next week.”

Julian is the son of John Lennon and his first wife Cynthia, who sadly died in April 2015.

AN X Factor star has mysteriously pulled out of a major festival gig for “unforeseen” reasons.

The 30-year-old shot to fame on The X Factor in 2012 and went on to enjoy huge success as a musician.

The In It Together festival, which takes place this month in Wales, has announced that X Factor star Ella Henderson will not be appearing this year.

Taking to social media they said: “We’re very sorry to share that Ella Henderson has unfortunately been forced to cancel some of her upcoming appearances due to unforeseen circumstances, and as a result will no longer be appearing at In It Together Festival this year.

“We completely understand and support Ella’s decision, and we want to send our love and very best wishes to Ella and her entire team at this time.

“We sincerely hope to welcome Ella to In It Together in the near future.”

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The statement continued: “While we know many of you will be disappointed, we’ve worked tirelessly behind the scenes at the last minute to secure a huge replacement artist and someone you absolutely do not want to miss.

“Join us on Sunday at 2PM on the Together Stage for the official reveal. Trust us… this is BIG.”

Ella found fame on the ITV talent show in 2012 aged 16 where she wowed judges with her rendition of Cher’s Believe before reaching the live finals.

But she finished in sixth place behind winner James Arthur.

Following her stint on the show, Ella went on to sign with Simon Cowell’s label Syco Music and released her first studio album, Chapter One, with the music mogul in 2014.

During her time with label, Ella scored several hits with her single Ghost, which she wrote with the American writer producer Ryan Tedder, and emotional ballad Yours.

She went on a four-year hiatus in 2015, and released her second studio album, Everything I Didn’t Say, in 2022. It became her second top 10 album in the UK.

Ella has received the Brit Billion Award, and nominations for four Brit Awards and an Ivor Novello Award.

The 69th Grammy Awards will take place Feb. 7 at Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles, organizers said Tuesday during Disney’s annual upfront presentation to advertisers. The show will be the first to air on Disney’s ABC network (and stream on its Hulu and Disney+ platforms) since the Recording Academy ended its half-century-long partnership with Paramount’s CBS.

Nominations for the 2027 ceremony — which will recognize recordings released between Aug. 31, 2025 and Aug. 28, 2026 — are set to be announced Nov. 16. Final Grammys voting will open Dec. 10 and close Jan. 7.

A host for the show hasn’t been announced. Trevor Noah, who began hosting the Grammys in 2021, said his gig at February’s 68th ceremony would be his last.

Big winners at the 2026 Grammys included Bad Bunny, whose “Debí Tirar Más Fotos” was named album of the year; Kendrick Lamar and SZA, who won record of the year with “Luther”; Billie Eilish and her brother, Finneas O’Connell, whose “Wildflower” took song of the year; and Olivia Dean, who was named best new artist.

Among the albums and songs already thought to be in contention for high-level nods next year are Taylor Swift’s “The Life of a Showgirl,” Noah Kahan’s “The Great Divide,” Bruno Mars’ “The Romantic,” Rosalía’s “Lux,” Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas” and Sienna Spiro’s “Die on This Hill.”

TOWIE star Jake Hall was battling crippling debts of nearly £1.5million before his tragic death in Majorca last week.

The 35-year-old reality TV personality was found dead in an Airbnb after running through a single-glazed glass door.

It has now emerged the artist had been struggling financially after his fashion company collapsed, according to the Daily Mail.

Companies House shows his business, Prevu London Limited, went into liquidation in 2025 owing around £1.49million.

The company reportedly owed £181,581 to HMRC, as well as a £1.1million loan to an Essex-based property business.

Prevu London also racked up hundreds of thousands of pounds in debts to other unnamed creditors.

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REALITY star Maura Higgins pads about in Cannes.

The former Love Islander sashayed around the city in a 1980s-style shirt dress with big shoulders and collar.

Irish model Maura, 35, later changed into a dramatic Guinness-like black and white gown for the film ­festival’s opening ceremony on the French Riviera.

She was joined by actress Demi Moore — in a pearl sequinned gown — and model Heidi Klum in a peach dress with floral decoration.

Maura will be Dancing with the Stars next — we revealed last month that she has landed a place on the US ­version of Strictly.

Reality TV star Maura has confirmed she’s walked away from her Love Island USA: Aftersun hosting job after three years.

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The Irish star told Vulture that she won’t be returning to Fiji for the upcoming eighth season.

She said: “You won’t. I’ve done it for three years, and they’ll always be family to me, but I think it’s time to try something different.

“I’ve got amazing opportunities coming in the door.

“I think it’s time to say good-bye. But you know what? I won’t say forever.

“I’ll still be watching from afar and I love them and miss them. It’s just time to move on.”

A city hearing concerning on-site alcohol sales provided the public a chance to air their opinions on the possible reopening of the Cinerama Dome and ArcLight Hollywood on Tuesday morning.

Though a final letter of determination is still to be issued, Tim Fargo, the associate zoning administrator in charge of Tuesday’s meeting, said he was “inclined to approve” the conditional-use permit under consideration. The permit would cover the Cinerama Dome, 14 adjacent auditoriums and a restaurant café with two outdoor spaces.

The Dome closed in March 2020 with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and in April 2021 it was announced that the venue would not be reopening. Film lovers in Los Angeles and around the world have since been hopeful the venue, seen by many as a symbol for Hollywood itself, could reopen.

During the meeting, Elizabeth Peterson-Gower, a land use consultant representing the owner and applicant Dome Center LLC, was asked if there was a timeline for reopening the theaters. She responded, “I too don’t have a schedule yet, but when I do, I’ll convey it to you.”

In a separate phone interview following the meeting Tuesday, Peterson-Gower referred to the approval of the conditional-use permit as a “milestone” in the process of reopening the theaters and added that ownership has noted the intense public interest around the Dome and the ArcLight and that “it will inspire a time frame in the near future.”

Throughout the meeting, Peterson-Gower referred to the success of the Blue Note jazz club that opened on a corner of the property in August 2025.

“What it proves to me is that the ownership cares greatly,” Peterson-Gower said after the meeting. “That’s a big undertaking and a big statement in favor of the fact that ownership care what’s there.”

Numerous other voices were heard throughout the hearing as well. Ted Walker, planning deputy for Council District 13, where the theater is located, said, “Too often we see [historic-cultural monuments] around our city sitting vacant. So we’re very supportive of anything to bring some life back into this. We know there’s a lot of love for the Cinerama Dome and we want to acknowledge the work of all the community members who are advocating for it. We believe resuming these operations will further enhance the vibrancy of Hollywood.”

Burbank City Council member Konstantine Anthony noted that he was a former usher at the Dome and also voiced support for the reopening.

More than 30 people provided public comment. Among those were Kat Kramer, daughter of filmmaker Stanley Kramer, director of “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World,” the very first film to play in the Dome in 1963, film critic Wade Major and Ben Steinberg, who has led a grassroots campaign to get the venue reopened.

The Blue Note Jazz Club undergoes construction near the Cinerama Dome on Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025, in Los Angeles.

(Juliana Yamada / Los Angeles Times)

One commenter said, “Why have they kept it closed? Is this just a strategy to let it rot so that they can get building violations and just tear it down and build condos? There’s a lot of fear about what’s going to happen with this thing that people feel attached to. And to not answer questions over all this time has frankly been offensive.”

Another commenter said that the delays in reopening feel like ownership “keeping a bit of our heritage hostage from us.”

Even those who were asking for clear specifics from ownership were nearly all in favor of granting the conditional-use permit, which was the ostensible purpose of the meeting. As local preservation advocate Kim Cooper said, “I know that this has been hard and it has seemed like the citizens versus the ownership — that’s not what it is. People want to come together and help and bring this place back.”

Speaking after the meeting, Peterson-Gower noted her own history with the Dome, having been involved with many events there in the late ’80s and early ’90s when she was vice president of the Hollywood Athletic Club, located just a few blocks away on Sunset Boulevard.

“Everyone has a story about the Dome that’s lived here, even me,” she added. “I didn’t want to bring my personal life into the hearing, but I care passionately as well about it opening.”

While the final outcome of the hearing is still to be fully determined, all signs point to the permit being granted and the project being free to move forward.

“I was overwhelmingly pleased with the comments,” said Peterson-Gower. “I think that it shows that there’s a great historic use in a historic property and I think that people care passionately about it operating and are very, very proud of the property being here in Hollywood.”

Union leaders trumpeted gains in SAG-AFTRA’s tentative contract with the major studios, citing stronger AI protections and the consolidation of previously separate pension plans.

“The theme of this negotiation really has been about looking out for the future of performers, and I think that the contract delivers on that,” Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, SAG-AFTRA’s chief negotiator, said in an interview Tuesday.

After striking the deal a little over a week ago, SAG-AFTRA said its national board approved the proposed contract on Monday.

The union‘s membership, which includes more than 160,000 actors, broadcast journalists, dancers, DJs, stunt performers, voice-over artists and other entertainment professionals, will begin voting on the new contract later this week.

“The scope of the contract is something that I hope the members find meaningful,” SAG-AFTRA President Sean Astin said.

One of the chief gains, he said, was merging of the pension plans of the two previously separate unions — the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists — fourteen years after they agreed to combine.

Their health plans were consolidated in 2017, but the pensions have remained separate until the current negotiation cycle. That was a major sticking point with members, some of whom couldn’t qualify for benefits as their contributions were split between two plans. Studios agreed to boost their overall contributions to the combined plan by 1%.

Union leaders also pointed to stronger protections against AI, including new guidelines that govern how studios should use generative AI and that strongly favor “human performances.”

The guardrails state that producers should not intend to use AI in a human role unless a synthetic actor brings “significant additional value” to the production. The contract draws a distinction between a digital replica that is created with a performer’s consent vesus a synthetic digital character that is not authorized.

“Digital replicas are derived from human beings who have compensation and other protections available to them,” Astin said. “If it can’t be done like that, then they’ve got to bargain with us for some very unique use of synthetics…That’s a pretty high bar.”

Under the new contract, minimum wage rates will increase by 3% annually. The agreement also boosts the so-called bonus for residuals that performers get on most-watch streaming shows. Members will increase their contribution to the health plan by 1%.

The actors’ union first began negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers in February and extended those talks in March. They were briefly paused to allow the studios to finish negotiations with the writers’ union.

SAG-AFTRA joins WGA as the latest Hollywood union to strike a four-year deal with the studios. The previous contract term was three years.

The Directors Guild of America is the last union that still needs to land its own agreement. Negotiation sessions with the studios started on Monday. The contract is set to expire on June 30.

Clave Especial is finally taking a break.

In the last two months, the corrido tumbado band from Salinas, Calif., performed at the South by Southwest music festival in Texas—and made headlines by singing a narcocorrido; spoke to Latino students at Cornell University in upstate New York; and even embarked on a impromptu 10-hour road trip to show their support for Juan, a contestant from Mexico on one of MrBeast’s latest challenges who has become a viral sensation.

In fact, the trio— lead singer Alejandro Ahumada, guitarist Leonardo Lomeli and tololoche player Rogelio Gonzalez — felt so compelled to make the pilgrimage to the North Carolina grocery store where Juan has been sequestered for months, that they ditched all press events for their latest EP “Afterafter,” released on April 30, in order to meet and serenade him. The band even awarded a $5,000 scholarship to his son, Angel.

“Why? Because it felt so right,” said Ahumada. “His story connected with us, because we also come from hardworking parents that really gave it all for us.”

As the rush of East Coast travel wore off, Clave Especial returned to Salinas to throw a huge homecoming bash. “It’s like a full-circle moment,” said Ahumada of their May 4 performance at the Salinas Sports Complex.

They joined a video call from their childhood bedrooms to discuss “Afterafter,” a five-track project set to a fiery tempo — 140 BPM to be exact — that is nostalgic for summer days and the never-ending after-parties they bring. The songs were selected from their vault, they said, which includes a long list of tracks that didn’t make the cut for “Mija No Te Asustes,” the band’s 2025 critically acclaimed debut that featured co-signs by Fuerza Regida, Edgardo Nuñez and Luis R Conquirez.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

What was it like to perform back home in Salinas?

Alex: That’s actually the second time that we come back as Clave Especial. The first show was at the Fox Theater, which was a sold-out show. People were asking us, “Hey when are you guys coming back?” We decided to do it now at the Salinas Sports Complex.

Jumping to the EP, how did “Afterafter” come to be?

Alex: It was more like a fun concept that we kind of had in mind. We were actually working towards an album at a writers camp in Ensenada. It was at the beach. Then we jumped around to Miami, Puerto Vallarta. We caught ourselves jumping around beaches, a lot of parties. We want to give people like a summer EP, something they can slap during the summer when they’re partying.

If “Mija No Te Asustes” is an album about this confident boss man calling the shots, how would you characterize “Afterafter”?

Alex: I think it’s that same guy from the first album, he’s still living it up. In “Mija No Te Asustes” there’s some songs like “Como Capo” that introduce that vibe to this EP, so we just continued that wave. It was our biggest song yet. We knew that people liked us apart from the corridos like “Rápido Soy,” “No Son Doritos,” but I think with “Como Capo” we discovered that people like other sounds and lyrics. That’s what we tried to continue in “Afterafter.”

Musically, how would you describe the sound of this EP?

Leo: One thing about us, when we get in the studio, we play a lot in the tempo 6/8s, this upbeat speed. We always hit the BPM at 140 BPM — that’s the Clave Especial essence.

One of the songs that caught my interest was “Scary Movie,” because it reminded me of a corrido-inspired “Thriller” (by Michael Jackson). It also connects the past album because there’s a phrase where you say “Mija, no te asustes.” Tell me the backstory of that spooky song.

Alex: That’s funny, because I’m going to watch the Michael Jackson movie today. That song was actually composed by someone from Street Mob from Ensenada. I think that song was already in the vault.

Leo: That song was tailored for [the past] album. The [ad lib] was an Easter egg.

I saw that you were all recently in North Carolina at the grocery store where Mr. Beast is doing a challenge. There’s one Mexican dad named Juan competing for the million-dollar prize. You guys went to see him and also gave his son a scholarship. Why was it important for you guys to show up?

Alex: Basically we were in [New York] having dinner. We had some press the next day but we had to cancel on them. We commented on Mr. Beast’s video, and the comment got a lot of likes, we’re like “oh shoot, this is dope, this has a real impact on the Mexican community.” His son had swiped up on us, thanking us for supporting his dad.

We saw that Juan told his son to leave the competition ‘cause he wanted to keep going to school. I think we’re one of the few bands in the industry that went to school. I have my bachelor’s degree from Fresno State. It was something that really resonated with us. We had also just come off a panel there at Cornell University so everything just set the tone. We saw the map. It was 10 hours away, obviously a drive, but this opportunity’s never gonna come. We’re from Cali and this is on the other side of the country and we’re here now. Let’s show that the Mexican community is very powerful, united. Let’s go show some support to Juan and his kid. Hopefully he wins!

The last time we chatted was at the Rolling Stone showcase at SXSW. I didn’t get a chance to talk to y’all afterwards, during the end of your set, you sang a cover of Los Alegres del Barranco’s “El Del Palenque” which venerates the narco leader El Mencho, who was killed by Mexican forces just weeks prior. Why was it important for Clave to sing that song specifically?

Alex:  We just like the song. At the end of the day it’s just music. It’s storytelling. It’s corridos. That’s what corridos is all about, and that’s why I got into the music scene. We just like the song. We’re from Jalisco, from Michoacán. It always turns up the crowd, so we did it for the people. People want to hear corridos. We’ve been seeing the censorship going on, but at the end of the day I don’t think that’s the problem. It’s a lot deeper than that, and music is just music, we’re just storytelling, singing music, having fun on stage.  I don’t know if we had it in our set list or not, but I think we had just played a song prior to that that had the same tones. I was like, keep it going, let’s play this one next. Nothing deep.

So it wasn’t planned?

Alex: No, it wasn’t. Afterwards I was like, “Damn, I sang that.” But, eh, who cares?

Do you guys ever get worried when you sing corridos? Or is that something that you’re able to manage being from the U.S., which provides a layer of protection?

Alex: There’s a famous dicho: El que nada debe, nada teme. Like at the end of the day we don’t owe anybody anything. We do music, we’re here by our own sacrifice. People that know our story know that.