SHOW BIZ

Tomi Adeyemi, the author of the bestselling fantasy “Children of Blood and Bone,” isn’t planning to see the forthcoming film adaptation — even though she co-wrote it.

Over the weekend, the Nigerian American author posted a video on TikTok addressing fans who have been asking her the same question, “Why don’t you post about the adaptation of your first film adaptation anymore?”

“There is a reason I will not post anything about the adaptation of my work,” the author wrote in what appear to be screenshots of a group chat. “I have not seen the film, and I will not watch it.”

The adaptation of the first installment of Adeyemi’s “Legacy of Orïsha” fantasy trilogy is slated to hit theaters in January 2027. Gina Prince-Bythewood — who wrote and directed “Love & Basketball” and helmed “The Woman King” — is directing. The film stars Amandla Stenberg, Thuso Mbedu, Tosin Cole, Damson Idris, Cynthia Erivo, Lashana Lynch, Regina King, Idris Elba, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Viola Davis.

Alongside the screenshots of her comments in the group chat, she shared a February 2025 exchange with Stenberg that shows the author severing ties with the actor.

Adeyemi shared only her final message to Stenberg, which reads, “Do not ever use my name in an interview or video again. Do not text me. Do not call me.” That exchange is followed by a notification that she blocked Stenberg, who plays Princess Amari in the upcoming fantasy flick.

The message from Stenberg that preceded Adeyemi’s reply is not shown in full.

Stenberg, who played Rue in “Hunger Games,” Starr Carter in “The Hate U Give” and, recently, Verosha “Osha” Aniseya and Mae-ho “Mae” Aniseya in Disney’s “Star Wars” series “The Acolyte,” had been getting flack from readers of the series, who claimed colorism was an issue while casting the movie.

In February 2025, Stenberg posted a since-deleted nine-minute TikTok addressing the controversy and told followers that Adeyemi had given the actor her blessing when cast as the series’ princess.

“I am four months into training for ‘Children of Blood and Bone’ and I am getting my ass whooped,” Stenberg joked in the video, per BET.

“This year was mostly defined for me, honestly, by contending with what it felt like to receive racist death threats just for existing in the ‘Star Wars’ universe, and that was a really difficult thing for me to move through,” she continued. “But honestly, it feels so much more painful for me to feel like I’m at odds with my own community.”

Stenberg said that she considers her skin tone when navigating her career choices and would “never go after a role” she didn’t feel well suited for. “I know that colorism is an insidious system that relentlessly impacts every facet of entertainment.”

The actor continued that it was actually a meeting with the “Children of Blood and Bone” author that gave her the confidence to pursue the role.

“I had the opportunity to meet Tomi, the novelist, for the first time. … And she goes, ‘Amandla, I want you to know that when you were a little girl and you were cast as Rue in “The Hunger Games,” and people said that Rue’s death wouldn’t be as sad because you’re a Black girl — that inspired me to write this series so that Black girls like you and Black girls of all shades could have a story written about them,’” Stenberg said in the video. “We started crying, and I said to myself, ‘God wants me here.’”

Representatives for Stenberg, Adeyemi and Prince-Bythewood did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment.

“The Real Housewives of Orange County” star Jennifer Pedranti says that her son was involved in starting a brush fire that burned in Ladera Ranch.

Pedranti posted the admission on her Instagram stories on Thursday, saying that there will be consequences for her son.

“I would like to clear up the rumblings of my son having involvement in the Ladera Ranch fire,” her statement began.

“He and others were involved. My ex husband and myself take this very serious. This behavior is unacceptable and we are deeply sorry to our community. This is a tough learning moment for our son and our family.”

Pedranti continued that she was thankful that there was no property damage and nobody was injured. “The fire and police were absolutely amazing and gave these boys a lesson they will never forget,” she said. “There were no arrests made, but consequences for actions are being put into place.”

According to Pedranti, her son will be taking a fire safety course to “make sure a mistake like this never happens again.”

“There are consequences within our family and we will make sure our son learns from this accident.”

The brush fire originated near Ladera Ranch’s Narrow Canyon Road and Acaster Way on Tuesday afternoon and spread across seven acres before firefighters were able to get it under control.

Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Augie Romo confirmed to The Times that three minors were interviewed in connection with the Ladera Ranch brush fire and that no arrests were made. A full report will be made available in 10 days, but for now, most details of the incident remain under investigation.

The Bravo reality star shares five children with her ex-husband, biotech entrepreneur William Pedranti: sons Harrison, 22; Dawson, 19; Greyson, 16; and Dominic, 12; and daughter Everleigh, 14. She is engaged to “Real Housewives” cast member Ryan Boyajian, who reportedly was formerly involved in real estate and mortgage lending.

ANDY Carroll and Lou Teasdale have sparked rumours they’re back together after re-sharing loved up snaps on Instagram.

The Sun exclusively revealed earlier this week that the pair had ended their relationship again after she struggled to forgive him for breaking a promise he had made to her and a showdown in Ibiza.

It looked like this time it was for good as they unfollowed one another on Instagram and removed all pictures of each other from their grids.

But in a mysterious turn of events, Andy, 37, and Lou, 42, have re-followed each other on the social media platform again.

Not only that, but all of their photos together have reappeared on their respective pages, sparking rumours of a reconciliation.

The Sun have contacted Andy and Lou’s representatives for a comment.

CUT LOU-SE

Andy Carroll splits from Lou Teasdale AGAIN as insiders reveal Ibiza showdown

BRILL BILL

Billi Mucklow shows off new body after losing a stone as ex Andy splits from Lou

An insider told us at the start of the week: “Things came to a head between Andy and Lou after he flew to Ibiza without her – and broke his sobriety.

“He was partying and having fun, which is fine but she just didn’t expect him to be drinking.

“Andy had promised he wouldn’t touch booze to try and save their relationship, so this feels very disrespectful.

“Lou flew out to Ibiza with some friends but couldn’t talk any sense into him.

“He is struggling with the fact it’s over, but she feels like he’s had enough chances now.”

Footballer Andy and Lou began dating in the summer of 2024 – following his split from wife Billi Mucklow – and have had a rocky relationship since.

In June last year, we reported Andy was twice quizzed by police over bust-ups with Lou during a break on Greek party island Mykonos.

At the time, Andy was accused of being “very drunk” as onlookers claimed he shouted he was “done” with Lou.

However, Lou stood by him as the couple brushed off the controversy.

They claimed the situation was “blown out of proportion” in a joint statement, which read: “Whilst having a private dinner in a restaurant on a quiet holiday in Mykonos, we had a heated discussion of the sort that most couples have had on occasion.

“It quickly became apparent to the police that there was no reason for them to be there.

“We went outside the restaurant with them together as they insisted they wanted to ‘look after’ us.

“As far as we are concerned, the situation has been blown out of all proportion by an interested member of the public. No one was arrested, and no one was charged with anything.”

They added: “We are very happy, in love and looking forward to our future together, and we are disappointed that a private disagreement has become a public matter.”

The couple split again in August of last year and at the time, Andy opened up about his ongoing booze issues.

In August, Andy said he was fighting to save the relationship – and confirmed they had been rowing about his drinking.

He said at the time: “Things have been difficult for me and I’m going through a divorce.

“Some of our rows have been about alcohol, as Lou has been teetotal for 14 years and I have a beer or wine at dinner and a drink after the game, but it’s not a problem in my life.

“I’m a professional footballer and that’s not the case. I play sport every single day so my level of fitness is really good. I play football every day so I’m fit.”

Lou garnered fame for famously being the hairdresser and make-up artist to One Direction and now has 5.4 million Instagram followers.

Andy married Towie star Billi Mucklow in 2022 but two years later, it was announced the couple were divorcing.

He shares three children with Billi, and has two from a previous relationship.

Lou is a mum to 14-year-old daughter Lux Atkin from a previous relationship.

A VERY famous boy band star has been spotted casually shopping at duty free in the airport — but would you have spotted him?

The Irish hunk, 32, was standing at the counter purchasing his goods when he turned around and caught the fan filming him on their phone.

Taking to TikTok, a fan shared a video of Niall Horan and captioned it: “I thought I saw Niall Horan at the airport but I didn’t know if it was actually him or not.

“So I took a video to confirm and he caught me and the saxophone’s got louder.”

In the clip, a casually dressed Niall rocks sport shorts and a sweatshirt paired with trainers and a cap ahead of his flight.

He’s seen at the Duty Free counter buying his goods before turning and staring at the fan and their phone camera.

CUT LOU-SE

Andy Carroll splits from Lou Teasdale AGAIN as insiders reveal Ibiza showdown

OOH I SAY!

Lenny Henry & Brit popstar in VERY short skirt lead the stars at Wimbledon

Fans flocked to the comment section confirming his identity, with one penning: “Yeah that’s definitely Niall.”

A second added: “I get literally second hand embarrassment here Help.”

“This is definitely Niall,” a third wrote, as Another commented: “HAHAHAHAHA oh my God I would hide anywhere.”

“The boys are very good at noticing cameras!!!” noted a fifth.

Niall recently spoke about the pain he’s living with after Liam Payne’s early death.

The singers met as contestants on The X Factor where they were formed into world-famous boyband One Direction alongside Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, and Louis Tomlinson.

Liam passed away in October 2024 after falling from a balcony in Buenos Aires – with Niall managing to see his friend in Argentina shortly before his untimely death.

“I’m glad of that, it means my last memory of him was happy,” he told The Times.

“It still feels surreal. On day one I was, like, ‘Nah, it didn’t happen.’ Our friendship was a bond that was there for ever even if we hadn’t seen each other for a while and it’s wild that one day, like the flick of a switch, he’s gone.”

Niall also said he has stayed in contact with Liam’s family.

On a lighter note, Niall also opened up on the possibility of an One Direction reunion.

“God knows. I mean look at Harry there, look at Louis, the boys are flying, so God knows, but everyone still asks about it, it’s exciting.”

When the cast members and creators of the 1990s “X-Men: The Animated Series” reunited at the 2019 Hill Country Comicon in New Braunfels, Texas, they went out for dinner and collectively yearned to one day work together again.

“We said, ‘Let’s put it to the universe: Universe, why don’t you manifest that somebody buys the rights to the show and decides to reboot it and bring us all back.’ We toasted the universe and here we are,” recalls Canadian actor Lenore Zann, the voice of the irresistibly tough Rogue, during a recent video call while visiting Los Angeles.

The result of that metaphysical request is Marvel’s “X-Men ’97,” which debuted in 2024 on Disney+, not as a reboot but as a continuation of the original 1992 classic animated show.

The first season of this new era for the X-Men received an Emmy nomination for animated program. Now, the long-awaited second season has arrived, with the fourth episode streaming this week. Even after the controversial firing of showrunner Beau DeMayo, “X-Men ’97” has already been renewed through Season 4 and the voice cast has started recording their lines for Season 3, Zann says.

The show’s success with both fans and critics is in large part due to its commitment to honor the original ‘90s show, about a group of mutants fighting for themselves and for humanity, not only by preserving its hand-drawn animation style and mature themes but also the voices and personalities of the characters.

“When I pitched the show to Kevin [Feige], he got it immediately and his first question was, ‘Are you going to get the original cast back?’ And I was like, ‘Yes, we are,’” says Brad Winderbaum, head of Marvel Television, Animation, Comics and Franchise at Marvel Studios.

Several voice actors from the original “X-Men” animated series returned for “X-Men ‘97,” which has returned for Season 2. From left, Beast (George Buza), Bishop (Isaac Robinson-Smith), Rogue (Lenore Zann), Professor X (Ross Marquand), Magneto (Matthew Waterson) and Nightcrawler (Adrian Hough).

(Marvel)

Not everyone was still around to return — Norm Spencer, voice of Cyclops, died in 2020 — but in addition to Zann, actors George Buza (Beast), Alison Sealy-Smith (Storm), and Cal Dodd, the voice of the lovable clawed grouch Wolverine, have reprised their roles in “X-Men ’97.” Their emblematic voice performances, Winderbaum says, are baked into his psyche.

“Any time Lenore says the word ‘sugah,’ it just makes me melt into a puddle on the floor,” Winderbaum says, laughing. “She is Rogue and, when she turns it on, she becomes an icon.”

Busy with her political career as part of Canada’s parliament, Zann stepped away from the entertainment business for over a decade. Zann was back home in Truro, Nova Scotia, figuring out her next chapter when she received an email from a friend who said producers at Disney were looking to have her audition for a show. She was skeptical.

Zann eventually got a call from casting director Meredith Layne and a screenplay with lines that were instantly familiar from her time voicing Rogue, the spunky heroine whose touch can be deadly, in the ‘90s.

”I thought, ‘I guess they’re looking for Rogue, so I’ll just give them Rogue,’” she recalls, laughing. “And I did my Rogue voice, which is basically just my own, but with a bit of a Southern accent thrown on,” she adds with a slight twang.

The producers then asked her if she would reprise her superhero for a new generation of kids.

Doing her Rogue voice, Zann recalls: “I said, ‘You had me at hello, sugah.’”

She revels in the similarities between her and Rogue. “We’re both social justice warriors. We really fight for people to be accepted as who they are.”

In 2024, Zann published “A Rogue’s Tale: A Memoir,” a tome recounting her storied life, titled after a memorable episode in the ‘90s series that revealed her beloved mutant’s backstory.

Wolverine in a scene from Season 2 of “X-Men ’97.”

(Marvel)

For Dodd, leaving behind Wolverine after five seasons of the original show felt like losing a part of himself. “X-Men ’97” offered him a chance to feel complete once again.

“I was so happy because when I first created the voice of Wolverine in ‘92, he became very quickly like my brother or my right arm,” Dodd says during a recent video call. “I got my arm back, and my brother.”

After all these years, Dodd was also pleased to see how the most important character of his career looked in the new series. “Out walks Wolverine and I just went, ‘Holy crap, you look great, bub,’” he recalls, laughing about his first time recording lines for “X-Men ‘97.”

When he first auditioned for the role in the ‘90s, Dodd had no idea who Wolverine or the X-Men were. At the time, he was making a living as a singer for commercials and jingles in Toronto.

Dodd remembers the lines he was asked to deliver were directed at the villainous mutant Sabretooth. He had never seen an image of Wolverine or any of the characters. “At one point, I said to them, ‘Is this an animal cartoon?’ They just thought I was a complete imbecile,” he recalls with a chuckle.

In that initial scene, where Sabretooth attacked Jubilee, a member of the X-Men who Wolverine sees as a daughter, his line was: “All right, you egg-sucking piece of gutter trash. You always like pushing around people shorter than you. Well, I’m shorter. Try pushing me.” Dodd recites it from memory in Wolverine’s voice with a growl.

“The lines I was reading, I’d heard them before in the small town that I grew up in Canada; it’s a fisherman’s town, a tough little town,” says Dodd about his reference for Wolverine’s voice. “I knew guys that were exactly like him, and I knew the way they sounded.”

Even without any notion of the X-Men, he nailed it.

“The next morning, they called me and said, ‘We would love to have you as our Wolverine for the very first X-Men animated series,’” Dodd recalls. “And I said, ‘I would love to be your Wolverine, whoever, and whatever he is.’”

1

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1. Cal Dodd, voice actor for Wolverine in “X-Men ’97.” 2. Lenore Zann, who voices Rogue. (Pauline Aguirre)

When Rogue came into Zann’s life, she already had a notable career as a screen and stage actor. Zann had starred as Marilyn Monroe in a rock opera about the actor’s life, for which she received much praise. “My agent called me and she said, ‘Lenore, they’re doing this animated series, and they’re looking for “a woman with a deep husky, sexy voice who can do a Southern accent,”’” Zann recalls, laughing. “And she said, ‘That’s you!’”

Back then, Zann wasn’t interested in doing voice work, so she missed the first auditions. But about a month later, she says, her agent called again. They still hadn’t found the right voice, so she pushed Zann to audition. She walked in and looked at a drawing of Rogue that Larry Houston, the storyboard artist and director of the show, had drawn.

“She had a very sassy attitude, and she had her hand on her hip and her head back with the hair flowing. I was like, ‘Yeah, I can do that.’ And then I went into the studio, put the headphones on, and opened up my mouth, did the first line: ‘I remember I had a boyfriend, when I kissed him, poor boy went into a coma for three days,’” she says in Rogue’s voice. That was enough for her to land the life-changing part.

At the end of the first season of “X-Men ’97,” both Rogue and Wolverine find themselves in difficult times. Wolverine’s clash with Magneto, the perennial antihero, left him severely injured, physically and mentally.

“He’s as tough as nails and he is more pissed off than anything that he was the only one that stood up to Magneto. He’s disappointed,” says Dodd. “And it’s a struggle for him in Season 2 for a lot of it. And then you see what happens. He’s in a funky place, but he’ll handle it.”

Part of that healing process will involve leaning into the humor tat Dodd imbues in his delivery. “What I think is surprising when you go back and watch that original animated series is how funny Cal is,” says Winderbaum. “Wolverine has amazing one-liners throughout that original series.”

As for Rogue, she is grieving the loss of Gambit, a.k.a. Remy LeBeau, who died in the first season. To voice Rogue’s sorrow, Zann leaned into her own grief over the passing of her 17-year-old niece from cancer. In Season 2, Rogue is trying to move forward.

“She’s still basically on a hero’s journey wanting to get justice for what happened to Remy and for the genocide that she witnessed and that she is a survivor of,” Zann says. “She still got survivor’s guilt, and she’s still trying to find her place within the X-Men now that the one that she loves is gone.”

At comic conventions, Zann and Dodd often meet fans of the original show, who are now adults, and their children, who have also come to love the characters. The emotions that people share with them are at times overwhelming.

“Many times, they tell us that this show saved their lives. They were either LGBTQ+ or they were bullied, or they just felt othered,” Zann explains. “A lot of folks who are Latino tell me that when they were little kids, their parents were agricultural workers, and they learned how to speak English from watching our show. We made them feel it’s OK to be different.”

“I see grown men in tears. They’re in their 40s and they’re crying,” Dodd says about meeting lifelong fans. “I can tell you that Wolverine can cry as well.”

Zann believes the X-Men are like modern-day mythological heroes. Through their fantastical ordeals, the X-Men illustrate qualities that inspire viewers, young and old.

“They are a group of misfits who band together to learn how to control the things that make them different and learn to accept and love themselves,” she says. “It’s an honor to be part of this incredible group of people and these characters that can really touch lives and help change them for the better.”

PITBULL proved to the world what a smooth operator he is by getting together the biggest crowd of baldies.

He set a Guinness World Record at his Hyde Park gig when 22,141 fans put on  bald caps — and then described the moment as “priceless”.

The London audience also turned out in white shirts and aviator sunglasses to emulate Mr Worldwide’s trademark look — and our Emily was one of them.

With the phenomenal demand for tickets, Pitbull also broke the record for the highest- recorded attendance for a BST Hyde Park show, with 69,999 fans.

Walking out on to the Great Oak Stage on Friday, he said: “It is hard for me to say I am speechless, but all I can think of right now is knowing what my family went through in order to be someone free.

“As an immigrant family out of Cuba, to be able to pursue my dream and be on a stage like this and represent with all the baldies around the world, this is priceless.

HOPE FOR BEST

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“There is no way I could say thank you, there are no words to say what I feel right now.”

Pitbull, real name Armando Christian Perez, was handed his certificate by Radio 1’s Greg James and presenter Jack Remmington backstage before the show.

He said: “To all the baldies — like I said before, without you all, there is no Pitbull, no movement, no revolution.”

Of setting the records, he said: “It is not a surprise because hard work pays off and the harder I work, the luckier I get. What a blessing it is to be here in Hyde Park.”

In true style, Pitbull swigged from a bottle of his $24 Voli 305 vodka made in his home city Miami, to get into the party mood.

He was joined on stage by Kesha who rose to fame after featuring on Pitbull’s 2013 track Timber.

She said: “This record changed both of our lives, Pit.”

Meanwhile, Pitbull got into the spirit of the World Cup as he played Oasis track Wonderwall to the thousands of baldies, after the track was adopted by Three Lions fans.

He said: “I thought, ‘What was the best way to represent you all?’. A good friend of mine said, ‘I think you should do this record’.”

During a two- hour set, Pitbull was also joined on stage by rapper Lil Jon for tracks Gasolina and Damn I Love Miami.

He ended the show with Time Of Our Lives featuring Ne-Yo, in which he raps: “Every day above ground is a great day.”

For his legion of fans, Friday July 10 in Hyde Park will be a night to remember.

JAMES’ RETURN TO UK

AMERICAN great James Taylor is returning to the UK for the first time in four years.

The You’ve Got a Friend singer, who has sold more than 100million records worldwide, will play London’s O2 with his All-Star band on Thursday, July 23.

James told last week that he was invited to Taylor and Travis Kelce’s wedding at Madison Square Garden in New York last week.

However, James was unable to attend because of his annual tradition of performing at Tanglewood Music Festival in Massachusetts.

LIL JOHN: FAN LOVE LIKE MJ

US rapper Lil Jon has likened Pitbull’s fan following to that of Michael Jackson.

The bald caps reminded him of MJ devotees wearing the famous single glove.

Chatting to Biz on Sunday’s Emily backstage in Hyde Park, he said: “This is Michael Jackson-style stuff.

“I remember in the Eighties when people wanted the glove or the jacket.

“That is when you have transcended normal music and you have gone into pop culture, when people want to dress up like you.”

The rapper, real name Jonathan H. Smith, suffered a tragedy in February when his son Nathan, 27, was found dead in a pond.

Lil Jon revealed that he now wears a smoky quartz stone, said to provide emotional stability, around his neck as a tribute to his boy.

PETER’S KO’D BY TYSON

FATHER-of-the bride Tyson Fury proved a real knockout for Peter Andre.

The former world boxing champ went out of his way to put Pete at ease before he performed at daughter Venezuala’s recent wedding.

The Mysterious Girl singer said: “I chatted to Tyson for about an hour and he made me feel very welcome. I wasn’t just the performer.”

However, Peter enjoyed the gig so much that he is open to singing at more weddings.

He added: “It was such a happy occasion, I love weddings.”

Meanwhile, Peter is needed back on stage as he performs at Mamma Mia! The Party at The O2 in London. He will be playing Nikos until later this month.

Pete said: “It’s been amazing to vibe off the audience every night, and the set is incredible. It really feels like I’m in Greece. My kids have come to see me. I’m hoping they are getting more into Abba.”

TAKE IT FROM US, DEC 10

DECEMBER 10 have the backing of Take That.

Cruz, Hendrik, Sean, John, Josh, Danny and Nicolas performed at Capital’s Summertime Ball last month and had a letter from the boyband legends. John said: “We opened it together.”

Hendrik added: “They kept it short and sweet saying, ‘Good luck boys, enjoy it’.”

Niall Horan also offered support to the boys, who released their debut EP On Your Side on Friday.

Sean said: “He said he still gets nervous. To know someone like Niall is also bricking it is a good thing.”

IT is said Victoria Beckham lives off a diet of grilled fish and steamed vegetables, but the Spice Girl-turned-businesswoman has now trademarked a range of cookware in the States.

Could the fashionista be out to give Jamie Oliver a run for his money?

Posh has filed paperwork for a name against a range of food and drink items including shot glasses, cake tins, cookie jars and sandwich boxes.

I have heard she likes a tequila.

But don’t go binning your Le Creuset pans just yet, as a source close to her tells me: “Victoria is protecting her categories. Nothing imminent is in the works.”

The beauty of Zen

ODYSSEY goddess Zendaya is heading on an exciting journey of her own by going into the beauty business.

The actress –  who plays Athena in Christopher Nolan’s new epic fantasy film – might even rival Gwyneth Paltrow’s wellness brand Goop one day.

She has filed Zendaya trademarks in the UK and the States for beauty and hair products, as well as social media and website services. A source said:

“Zendaya is an incredible actress and now she is set to make waves in the beauty industry.”

The new venture comes as her husband, Spider-Man actor Tom Holland, has launched premium booze-free beer brand Bero.

Zendaya was ruffling feathers when she stepped out in this revealing Louis Vuitton frilly gown for the Odyssey movie premiere held in Paris this week.

And as power couples go, it certainly looks like Tom and Zendaya are the ones to watch. 

OLIVIA ATTWOOD has her perfectly manicured fingers in so many pies, I’m struggling to keep up.

As well as her TV shows, podcast and various brand deals, the former Love Islander is now launching her own cocktail in a tin.

She hinted at the project earlier this year when she had the name of the drink tattooed on to her arm. Savano comes in three mixes – Hot Honey Margarita, Caipirinha and Moscow Mule – and is distributed by drinks firm Babco.

Olivia said the tipple is “a really exciting new chapter”, adding: “I’ve been teasing it for a little while so I can’t wait for everyone to finally try it.”

SOFIA Vergara stunned fans in a bikini snap on her birthday trip to Italy – and looks nowhere near 54.

The actress took to Instagram to post a stunning picture to mark her special day.

Sofia stripped off to a plunging red bikini while on a boat in the sea.

The star enhanced her natural beauty with a smoky eye look and a nude lip.

She captioned the post: “So happy for all the love from u guys yesterday! It was the best bday ever!!! And thank u Italy for all my 300 cakes!

“54 is a good number!!!!”

NATURAL BEAUTY

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VIVA COLOMBIA

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Many rushed to the comments section to post their birthday wishes and other shared how incredible she looks.

One said: “Still looking 25.”

Another added: “You look stunning! Red is your color.”

“You are truly breathtaking,” a third chimed in.

A fourth added: “You don’t look a day older than 30 wow.”

A fifth chimed in: “Look fabulous and so beautiful good you having a great time in Italy.”

Yesterday she shared a video of her living her best life getting gifted a huge cake with a fountain candle.

She was all smiles as she danced along to the music in a figure hugging red dress.

“15 cakes later!![laughing emoji], she captioned the post.

Earlier this week she looked stunning in a plunging floral dress as she posed in the sunlight by the sea in Italy.

The Despicable Me 4 actress let her brunette hair flow around her face in the sexy pics posted to Instagram.

Sofia went braless in the red halter dress as she boasted about her wonderful day in Italy while celebrating her 54th birthday.

“Una splendida giornata [a splendid day],” Sofia captioned the post.

In 1975, 31-year-old Mick Jagger told People magazine that “I’d rather be dead than sing ‘Satisfaction’ at 45.” The Rolling Stones’ frontman is still very much alive, despite having performed that song in concert hundreds of times since then, most recently in 2024 during the band’s “Hackney Diamonds” tour. Jagger was 80 at the time.

“Time waits for no one,” as the Stones once sang, but apparently that doesn’t apply to the “World’s Greatest Rock and Roll Band.” To paraphrase the group’s first Top 10 U.S. hit in 1964, time is on their side. Yes, it is.

Consider the fates of the British Invasion superstars who emerged from England alongside the Stones in the 1960s. The Beatles broke up in 1970. The Kinks dissolved in 1996. The original Animals imploded in 1966. The Who called it quits in 1982 but has reunited repeatedly, including for its recent North American farewell tour.

And then there’s the indestructible, indefatigable Rolling Stones. With the partnership of Jagger and guitarist Keith Richards still front and center, the Stones will release their 27th studio album, “Foreign Tongues,” on Friday. Over the decades, they have produced classics such as “Exile on Main St.” and “Some Girls,” mediocrity like “Steel Wheels,” and abominations such as “Dirty Work.” We rank the group’s six-decade studio output from worst to first. All albums are the U.S. editions.

27. ‘Dirty Work’ (1986)

Never has an album cover so captured a band’s mood. “Dirty Work” features a photo of sullen, unsmiling Rolling Stones looking like they’d rather be anywhere else. The music reflects that disinterest. Apart from the cover of “Harlem Shuffle,” nothing here is memorable. It’s no surprise that the Stones nearly broke up during this period.

26. ‘Undercover’ (1983)

The follow-up to the brilliant “Tattoo You” landed with a thud. Although the song “Undercover of the Night” nicely melds a solid guitar riff with trenchant lyrics about political corruption and violence in South America, the rest of the album wilts.

25. ‘Bridges to Babylon’ (1997)

Another in a series of disappointing releases, “Bridges to Babylon” has one great song, “Saint of Me,” and lots of filler.

24. ‘Steel Wheels’ (1989)

Touted as a return to form, this album certainly outshines “Undercover” and “Dirty Work.” But that’s not saying much. With dated production and too many songs that make a good first impression but fail to stick, “Steel Wheels” has gathered moss over the years.

23. ‘Voodoo Lounge’ (1994)

Like its predecessor “Steel Wheels,” this is another attempt to recapture their classic sound. To an extent, the record succeeds. “You Got Me Rocking” sounds like a throwback to something on “Exile on Main St.,” while the ballad “Out of Tears” echoes “Angie.” With the exception of “Love Is Strong,” however, most of the songs here are little more than pleasant exercises in nostalgia.

22. ‘The Rolling Stones: England’s Newest Hitmakers’ (1964)

A solid debut, “England’s Newest Hitmakers” features covers of songs by Willie Dixon, Chuck Berry and Jimmy Reed, firmly grounding the group in its American blues and R&B influences. The sole Jagger/Richards original here, “Tell Me,” only hints at the duo’s future songwriting prowess.

21. ‘Black and Blue’ (1976)

After guitar virtuoso Mick Taylor’s departure from the Stones in late 1974, the band used “Black and Blue” to audition potential replacements. They settled on Ronnie Wood, a former member of the Faces who, ever since then, has engaged in the ancient art of guitar weaving with Keith Richards. Heavy on grooves and jams, this album sometimes feels unfocused and indulgent. The excellent ballads “Memory Motel” and “Fool to Cry” are essential.

20. ‘12X5’ (1964)

A step forward from their debut, “12X5” has the magnificent covers “Time Is on My Side” and “It’s All Over Now.” For those who like their Stones bluesy, early albums like this offer a cornucopia of treasures.

19. ‘Blue & Lonesome’ (2016)

Recorded in just three days, this album of blues covers sizzles. The Stones sound absolutely committed, with Jagger’s harmonica and vocals particularly strong.

18. ‘The Rolling Stones, Now!’ (1965)

On the band’s third U.S. album, the Stones rock harder and softer. Their version of Willie Dixon’s “Little Red Rooster” is a slow burn. The ballad “Heart of Stone,” one of their best early originals, made the Billboard Top 20.

17. ‘Foreign Tongues’ (2026)

The Stones have rarely sounded looser or more alive. Produced again by the classic-rocker whisperer Andrew Watt (Paul McCartney, Elton John, Pearl Jam), the band delivers a clutch of strong songs. In a just world, the single “In the Stars” would be a hit. “Back in Your Life,” fueled by some of Wood’s most sensitive and impassioned playing, is a stunner. At 14 songs and 62 minutes, the album would have benefited from trimming three or four of the more generic tunes. Still, it’s amazing that Jagger and Richards, both 82, and Wood, 79, have made such a fresh and vital record. Sometimes you can get what you want.

16. ‘A Bigger Bang’ (2005)

For the band’s first album of originals in eight years, the Stones remind you what makes them great. The first of their three late-career triumphs, “A Bigger Bang” brings attitude, funk, dirty rockers and dreamy ballads. The blazing “Rough Justice” and the slinky, sexy “Rain Fall Down” are topflight.

15. ‘Hackney Diamonds’ (2023)

Eighteen years passed between the release of “A Bigger Bang” and this album. It was worth the wait. “Hackney Diamonds” is another strong effort, with the banger “Angry” sounding urgent and, well, genuinely angry. The gospel-tinged “Sweet Sounds of Heaven,” featuring Lady Gaga, finds her and Jagger trading vocals and pushing each other to the stratosphere. It’s the best song the group has made since “Tattoo You’s” “Waiting on A Friend” and “Start Me Up” in 1981. The absence of late drummer Charlie Watts is felt, but Jagger and Richards prove that old geezers can still rock.

14. ‘Out of Our Heads’ (1965)

A very strong outing that includes originals “The Last Time,” “Play With Fire” and “Satisfaction,” one of the best rock songs ever written.

13. ‘It’s Only Rock ‘n Roll’ (1974)

Keith Richards’ deepening heroin problem meant Jagger had to carry more of the load himself. On this album, he acquits himself admirably. The anthemic title track positively swaggers. The poignant “Time Waits for No One” features one of Taylor’s most beautiful solos, a fitting coda to the end of his five-year career with the Stones. A fine album with several good songs and a couple great ones.

12. ‘December’s Children (And Everybody’s)’ (1965)

A hodgepodge of live cuts, outtakes, British LP tracks and singles, this album shows the Stones rapidly gaining confidence and playing with equal parts finesse and fire. Any album with “Get Off of My Cloud” and “As Tears Go By” is worth the price of admission.

11. ‘Their Satanic Majesties Request’ (1967)

Released months after “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” this occasionally ill-advised foray into psychedelia pales in comparison to the Beatles’ masterpiece. That doesn’t mean it’s bad. In fact, the Stones never sounded as adventurous or experimental. When it works, as it does on “She’s a Rainbow” and “2000 Light Years From Home,” candy-colored bliss follows.

10. ‘Emotional Rescue’ (1980)

An underrated gem often overshadowed by its predecessor, “Some Girls,” and its successor, “Tattoo You,” “Emotional Rescue” finds the Stones in fine form at the dawn of a new decade. The rhythm section of bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Watts locks in, while Richards and Wood converse with their guitars as only they can. Jagger sounds energized on the rockers “Let Me Go” and “She’s So Cold” and sexy on the incredibly funky “Dance (Pt. 1).”

9. ‘Goats Head Soup’ (1973)

Considered a big letdown after the magisterial “Exile on Main St.,” this album has received a well-deserved critical reappraisal and aged like a fine wine. It’s not the Stones at their peak, but close enough. “Angie” is absolutely gorgeous, while “Star Star” captures the Stones at their most profane.

8. ‘Tattoo You’ (1981)

Needing new material for their 1981 tour, the Stones cobbled together “Tattoo You” from leftovers and half-finished songs dating back to “Goats Head Soup.” Jagger penned new lyrics, recorded new vocals, and presto — the band made its last classic. “Start Me Up,” the band’s best rocker since “Brown Sugar,” propelled the album to multiplatinum sales and shook stadiums around the world. It still does.

7. ‘Aftermath’ (1966)

The first Stones album composed entirely by Jagger and Richards, “Aftermath” represents a quantum leap forward or two. Brian Jones, before drugs and paranoia dimmed his creative spark, made some of his greatest contributions, elevating “Paint It Black” with his sitar and adding the indelible marimba riff to “Under My Thumb.” The Stones had finally lived up to all the hype.

6. ‘Between the Buttons’ (1967)

The American version kicks off with the one-two-three punch of “Let’s Spend the Night Together,” “Yesterday’s Papers” and “Ruby Tuesday” and doesn’t let up. Arguably the band’s poppiest album, it sounds like groovy Swinging London set to music.

5. ‘Some Girls’ (1978)

After the lackluster “Black and Blue” and the mixed critical reception of “It’s Only Rock ‘n Roll” and “Goats Head Soup,” some wondered if the Stones had lost their musical magic. They needn’t have worried. The band, hungry to prove the doubters wrong, made one of its strongest albums. With Wood now fully integrated into the group , punky, guitar-centric rockers like “Respectable,” “When the Whip Comes Down” and “Shattered” snarl. Jagger, entranced by the sounds coming out of New York’s discos at the time, contributed the No. 1 “Miss You.” Add “Beast of Burden” and the countryish “Far Away Eyes” to the mix and you have the ingredients for a stunning comeback.

4. ‘Beggars Banquet’ (1968)

The start of one of the strongest four-album runs in rock history, “Beggars Banquet” is a near-perfect listen from beginning to end. New producer Jimmy Miller helps strip the band down to its rawest, raunchiest essence on songs like “Sympathy for the Devil,” “Stray Cat Blues,” and “Street Fighting Man.” For the first time, the Stones had released an album on par with some of the Beatles’ best work. Indispensable.

3. ‘Sticky Fingers’ (1971)

Unbreakable love (“Wild Horses”); heartbreak (“I’ve Got the Blues”); slavery, interracial sex and heroin (“Brown Sugar”); addiction (“Sister Morphine”) — “Sticky Fingers” has it all, along with some of the most powerful music in the Stones’ catalog. If a Martian came to Earth and wanted to know what made the Stones special, a listen to “Sticky Fingers” would make it abundantly clear.

2. ‘Let It Bleed’ (1969)

By the end of the ’60s, the dream had faded. Vietnam, inner-city riots, and the assassinations of Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. had cast a pall over the Day-Glo optimism of the Love Generation. The Rolling Stones were there to chronicle the impending hangover. “Gimme Shelter” reflected the growing dread of the times. It’s among the darkest, grittiest and most transcendent songs ever recorded, with Jagger singing about rape and murder over Richards’ shimmering guitar. In the powerhouse “Midnight Rambler,” Jagger takes on the persona of a killer, even name-checking the Boston Strangler. Dark stuff. Yet the superb “You Can’t Always Get What You Want,” replete with a gospel choir, the country stylings of “Let It Bleed” and “Love in Vain,” sung by Jagger with utter conviction, give the album incredible diversity and depth.

1. ‘Exile on Main St.’ (1972)

And then there was one. Recorded largely in the steamy, sweltering basement of Richards’ rented French villa, Nellecôte, “Exile” reeks of filth, decadence and decay. With Jagger’s vocals often buried deep in the muddy and murky mix, the album initially sounds like a druggy demo. But listen again. And again. Slowly, it reveals itself as quintessential Stones, a potent admixture of styles, sounds and soul. Richards tosses off one indelible riff after another, making “Rocks Off,” “Happy,” “Tumbling Dice” and “All Down the Line” rock and roll perfection. You like your Stones with a dash of Americana? “Sweet Virginia” might be the band’s best country rocker. Blues? Try “Ventilator Blues.” Gospel? “Shine a Light,” accented with Billy Preston’s piano and organ, transports listeners to a higher place. Other Stones records contain more classics and better production, but none holds together as well as a whole or comes as close to the sublime as this one.

Marc Ballon, a former Times, Forbes and Inc. Magazine reporter, teaches an advanced writing class at USC. He lives in Fullerton.

Linda Noskova won the Wimbledon women’s singles title on Saturday afternoon

Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova moved BBC viewers to tears during her speech following her triumph in the ladies’ singles final on Saturday afternoon.

It was an all-Czech showdown on Centre Court, with Noskova facing off against compatriot Karolina Muchova. Noskova proved too strong for Muchova, claiming her maiden Grand Slam title with a 6-2, 7-5, 6-3 victory over the world No. 9.

There was an extra layer of emotion surrounding Noskova’s success though, given her mother died on the eve of the 2024 Championships when she was just 19.

Noskova referenced the devastating loss during her acceptance speech, saying: “There’s also one more person I would like to thank, which is my mum. I would definitely would not be standing here without her so thank you. Guys, I don’t cry normally so this is not okay for me. I have been enjoying these two weeks so much, all the sad tears, the happy tears, the sweat and blood going into this.

“It was all worth it, so I will definitely never forget these two weeks and one more thing, I want to thank all the fans. You guys made this final like nothing I have ever experienced before so I can not wait to come back next year,” reports the Express.

As she honoured her late mother, cameras captured Navratilova – a nine-time Wimbledon champion – weeping in the stands.

Responding to the emotional speech, commentator Sam Smith remarked: “For Noskova to come here, a little over two years since she lost her mother to cancer right before Wimbledon 2024 and lift the title at 21 in such a rollercoaster of a final shows you she really is a true champion.”

During her address, Noskova added: “I don’t know how to hold it [the trophy], that’s the first thing. It feels incredible, today and all these matches have been so tough, physically and mentally. Today, especially, it’s never easy to get the last point. Karol, you really made me work for it.

“I will not forgive you this one, like you said we are friends. I am so glad that I could play my first Grand Slam final with you. I think we made history today. I believe all our Czech fans at home are proud of us today so no matter the result today I think it was a good day for both of us.”

She went on to say: “I want to congratulate your team, you especially have been such a fighter and you guys, a good two weeks for you and a great season as well so congratulations. I want to thank my team, I want to thank my Dad for coming here, for my family members flying here, I know you don’t like flying so I appreciate it.

“I want to thank all my friends, supporters, sponsors, agents and my whole team. I want to thank Agatha, the best atmosphere manager I could wish for and my coach for being with me which is not easy all the time. We have been together for six years now, I think, and I am so grateful for you. I would not be here without you.”

Viewers at home also crumbled to tears, as one X user posted: “I started out saying the final is boring, and ended up sobbing crying at Linda thanking her mom who passed away and seeing Muchova cry… that was actually a rollercoaster of emotions, tennis is beautiful.”

Someone else chimed in: “Linda Novoska got me ugly crying out here this morning. What a moving winner speech. That shoutout to her mom. Just wow!!!”

While others gathered to comment words of support under a BBC clip of the powerful moment. Someone said: “So sad, our thoughts are with her.”

The 2026 Wimbledon matches are available to stream on BBC iPlayer.

For half a century, Deidre Hall has taken on every kind of disaster in the drama-packed town of Salem, Ill., as a star of “Days of Our Lives.”

There was the time — actually, it happened twice — when her character, Dr. Marlena Evans, was famously possessed by the devil and even levitated.

In Sunday Funday, L.A. people give us a play-by-play of their ideal Sunday around town. Find ideas and inspiration on where to go, what to eat and how to enjoy life on the weekends.

Or the time a serial killer, who was actually Marlena under hypnosis, seemed to kill several beloved characters. The long-running show’s storylines have become legendary, and in March, while promoting “Hail Mary,” actor Ryan Gosling even gave Hall a shout-out, admitting he was a fan, praising the hard work of soap opera actors and calling her an “OG acting inspiration.”

But Hall’s real life in Santa Monica is much quieter than her character’s, and she likes it that way.

“When I bought my house in Santa Monica, I didn’t realize how great it would be to live near Montana Avenue,” says Hall, 78, about the popular shopping spot. Every day, she walks to the main street with her golden retriever, Riley, and enjoys Pilates, art and good food along the way. “The owners of the Farms Market even keep dog biscuits, so guess where the dog wants to go every time we walk — the Farms, of course,” she says, laughing.

When she isn’t filming the daily soap opera, which airs on Peacock, Hall enjoys raising monarch butterflies, exploring the shops and restaurants on Montana, and hosting movie nights at home with her two sons.

Here’s what a perfect day in L.A. looks like for her.

This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for length and clarity.

7 a.m.: Breakfast and dog walk

I usually kick off my day with a protein shake, feed our golden retriever and take her out for a walk. She’s a phenomenal girl. When we adopted her, her name was Riley, but I did think about naming her after Mrs. Hughes from “Downton Abbey.”

10 a.m.: Church and garden time

After I walk the dog and go to church, I like to spend some time in my yard. I’m not a natural gardener, but I really enjoy it. I started raising monarch butterflies because my identical twin sister, who played my twin on the show, planted a butterfly garden. Monarchs are amazing because they are transitional. Every year, they travel from Mexico to southern New England, but it’s getting harder for them. Their numbers have dropped by about 80%. To help, I plant milkweed, which is what they need to survive. I buy my milkweed from the Staghorn Garden on Wilshire Boulevard in Santa Monica. Julie, who owns the nursery, is delightful and has a wide variety of milkweed. The monarchs always seem to find my garden. Julie was raising some caterpillars too, and she cared a lot about them. We talked about how important it is to help the butterflies. That’s why I do this. Sometimes I get milkweed with eggs already on it, and Julie knows her butterflies are going to a good home.

1 p.m.: Walk to Montana Avenue for some lunch

I live near Montana and love taking long walks, going to Pilates and trying out the great restaurants nearby, like R+D Kitchen and La La Land. I’m a big fan of the waffles at the Courtyard Kitchen. Just a few days ago, I had a chicken salad on raisin bread with an Arnold Palmer, and it was delicious. It is right on Montana and has a nice outdoor seating area. It’s one of my favorite spots. La La Land always has a long line in the morning, which is perfect if you want coffee. They serve coffee, doughnuts, croissants and avocado toast. There’s plenty of outdoor seating, and you can even bring your dog.

2 p.m.: Peek inside a clock shop

There’s a small clock shop on Montana Avenue that’s closed on Sundays, but if you walk by, you’ll see all kinds of clocks — standing, table and wall clocks. The owner is great at fixing them. Once, I bought a wall clock from MacKenzie-Childs, but it didn’t work. And I was really upset because it matched everything else on my countertop. I brought it to the owner and said, “I love this, but I can’t make it work.” He fixed it right away. His name is John, but I call him Geppetto. And we all know why. He really does have a magic touch.

2:30 p.m.: Visit a neighborhood art gallery

Ten Women Gallery is run by 10 artists, all of whom show their work there. I was drawn to some watercolors there, bought a few cards and spoke with one of the artists. She told me, “You seem to love watercolors,” and mentioned that the artist who painted them, Pamela Harnois, lives in Los Angeles and teaches nearby. I got Pamela’s name and found out she taught at the Brentwood Art School. I was so inspired by her gift that I started taking private lessons with her on Saturdays. That gallery is where I discovered my love for watercolor painting.

3 p.m.: Grab some ice cream at Rori’s

The other day, my longtime girlfriend wanted to get ice cream and told me, “We are walking to Rori’s Artisanal Creamery.” It’s a small shop on Montana near Lincoln. They make everything themselves, using local ingredients from grass-fed cows with no added hormones. The place is family-owned and probably has the healthiest ice cream you’ll find. They switch up their flavors often, but my favorite is the salted caramel.

6 p.m.: Family dinner and movie night at home

R+D Kitchen is always packed, so my sons, who are 31 and 33, do the cooking. They come over, and together we make salads and cook dinner. There’s a neighborhood grocery store called the Farms, off Montana, a small family-run place that has everything we need. Everyone knows each other there, and people bring their dogs. We try to have movie night every Sunday. Sometimes the day changes, but we always make sure to have one night a week where we cook a meal and sit down as a family. Keeping that tradition has become really important to us. My sons are great cooks, which is funny because they definitely didn’t get that from me. [Laughs]

9 p.m.: Take Riley for one last walk and visit neighbors

After dinner, I take my dog for a walk. It’s a great way to meet neighbors. We always go around the same block. We’ve met so many people, and since she’s a golden retriever, she loves meeting everyone.

10 p.m.: News, knitting and bedtime

I am a news junkie, so I usually watch whatever is on the news before I go to bed. I have a long-standing passion for knitting. Lately, though, the news would make me drop a stitch.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Musicians and a DJ are among the dead in a plane crash in the Bahamas that killed 10, the Bahamas Musicians and Entertainers Union said Saturday.

The crash Friday prompted the government to temporarily ground Flamingo Air flights. It happened in North Andros, in waters just west of Nassau, the archipelago’s capital.

“Among the dearly departed are some of the talented and vibrant members of our entertainment community, including members of The Pond Band and a DJ,” the union said in a statement on X.

Their “passion, dedication, and artistry touched so many lives and helped to enrich the cultural fabric of The Bahamas,” the union added.

The plane had departed Lynden Pindling International Airport in Nassau and was headed to San Andros when it crashed, according to the Bahamian Aircraft Accident Investigation Authority.

The Ministry of Energy, Utilities and Aviation said in a statement that the suspension of Flamingo Air’s air operator certificate was a precautionary safety measure as officials investigate the cause of the crash. The ministry said the suspension is a result of two safety incidents that happened Friday.

During a news conference, Minister JoBeth Coleby-Davis said the first incident Friday involved another Flamingo Air plane. She said it was en route to Mayaguana when the pilot reported a concern and turned back to Nassau. After the plane landed and the passengers deboarded, the plane caught fire, she said. That incident also is under investigation.

HILARY Duff’s Los Angeles concert took an unexpected turn when two fans were caught on camera launching into a shocking fight in the middle of the crowd.

The dramatic altercation unfolded as the actress and singer performed on stage, leaving fellow concertgoers stunned as the footage quickly spread across social media.

The viral video showed the two fans shoving and throwing punches at each other as the band carried on performing behind them.

One fan, dressed in a shining, shimmering crop top, appeared to have their hair yanked by another concertgoer dressed in black as security rushed in and attempted to pull the pair apart.

Other concertgoers looked on in shock, with many pulling out their phones to capture the dramatic moment.

Dressed head-to-toe in sparkling sequins, the pair appeared to be devoted Hilary Duff fans before the shocking altercation unfolded.

BUFF DUFF

Hilary Duff, 38, flashes rock-hard abs and perky bum for sweaty new gym photos

It’s unclear exactly when the altercation broke out, as Hilary Duff is not visible in the footage.

However, members of her band can be seen on stage, suggesting the fight erupted during a transition between songs.

Hilary recently wrapped up two sold-out shows at The Forum on Wednesday and Thursday, with a host of famous faces spotted in the crowd.

Among those in attendance were Mandy Moore, Meghan Trainor and Demi Lovato, who all turned out to support the singer’s long-awaited return to the stage.

The singer is currently on the road for her first tour in nearly two decades, and fans couldn’t be happier to see her back on stage.

Hilary began her career playing the titular character on the Disney Channel series Lizzie McGuire before transitioning into music.

She took an extended break from singing to focus on acting, writing, and raising her family.

Hilary sang both her older classics and new tracks from her sixth studio album, luck… or something, released in February.

At the beginning of her concert, the passionately packed crowd sang along to her hit tracks, including Wake Up and So Yesterday, from her debut album Metamorphosis, which she released in August 2003.

She also belted out the slightly raunchier lyrics to her new single, Roommates, while rolling around on the stage.

The singer put on an impressive showing at the famed Los Angeles venue, stopping the show at several times to express her gratitude to the 20,000 screaming fans.

At one point, the former child star even teared up when discussing how much it meant to her to have people in the crowd who have followed her life for decades.

Also in the crowd was her family, including husband Matthew Koma – whom she created her latest album with.

Hilary has spoken about the lyrics of her newer songs reflecting her vulnerability and personal challenges during her 18-year hiatus from singing.

Sherlock’s co-creator and co-writer has hinted at a potential fifth series of the BBC drama

With hit detective drama Sherlock now nearing a decade-long hiatus, bosses have offered an update.

Co-creator and co-writer Steven Moffat has teased the possibility of a fifth series of the immensely popular BBC programme.

The modern-day adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle’s iconic literary works starred Benedict Cumberbatch as the legendary detective, with Martin Freeman as his faithful sidekick Dr John Watson.

After four three-episode series, plus a one-off special – The Abominable Bride – in 2016, the show entered a break in 2017 following the transmission of The Final Problem, leaving its fate up in the air.

Steven, who co-created and co-wrote the show with Mark Gatiss, has expressed hope about bringing the team back together, and has a definite plan should that wish materialise.

“If I can persuade everybody else, of course I’d revisit it,” he disclosed during an appearance on the Half the Picture podcast, reports Digital Spy. “Can you ever say that you’ve run out of Sherlock Holmes stories? There are 60 originals. We’ve done, what is it, 13 or 14?”.

“There’s loads more you could do with Sherlock. I’d quite like to revisit it simply because they would now – our two leads – be the normal age for Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson,” he explained.

“We were conscious that we were doing the beginning of the story… So I’d quite like to see them as their more middle-aged, settled versions.. I don’t think it’s used up,” the writer remarked, who also co-created and co-wrote the BBC’s Dracula alongside Gatiss, reports the Express.

Steven also cast his mind back over his “extraordinary” stint with the beloved detective drama, which overlapped with his time as showrunner on the BBC’s iconic science fiction series Doctor Who.

He described it as a “manic time”, admitting he never “stopped working”.

“I loved that show. I look at it now and I watch it, and I think all of it is excellent,” he said of Sherlock. “I just think it’s really well made, beautifully acted, and dare I say it, [a] beautifully written show. I think it’s cracking. And I’m massively proud of it. And I miss it.”

While Moffat is clearly eager to return to the world of 221B Baker Street, a comeback looks unlikely any time soon, as Gatiss confirmed in June 2025 that Cumberbatch and Freeman “didn’t want to do any more” episodes (via RadioTimes).

Sherlock aired on BBC One and streams on BBC iPlayer.

Theo Burrell’s husband Alex confirmed the tragic news in an Instagram post saying that her death came much quicker than anticipated following a cancer diagnosis

An Antiques Roadshow star has tragically died as her heartbroken husband paid tribute calling her an “incredible person”.

Theo Burrell’s husband Alex confirmed the tragic news in an Instagram post, saying that her death came much quicker than anticipated following a cancer diagnosis.

He shared a snap of the 39-year-old cuddling a dog as he wrote: “It is with great sadness that I share the news that Theo passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on Wednesday afternoon.

“Neither she nor her medical team foresaw this happening quite so quickly. She was an incredible person who fought hard for her family, friends and raising awareness of this cruel disease.”

He went on: “She saw life events like her son’s first day at school and her wedding that a little over 4 years ago we thought she’d never see.

“The cancer community provided so much comfort and strength to her in her darkest moments. But most of all it provided hope and I think what she would want most of all is for other people to find hope in her story. Hope that the statistics aren’t gospel and that one day they’ll be very different.”

Back in June, Theo shared that it had marked four years since she was diagnosed with glioblastoma – a malignant brain tumour, reported the Express.

At the time, the BBC star shared that she had surpassed the prognosis handed to her by doctors at diagnosis, when she was given 12-18 months to live.

She wrote: “On 7th June this year, I marked 4 years since my glioblastoma diagnosis. Like other GBM patients I was expected to live for 12-18 months.

“In the wake of that news I had many dark thoughts including that I wouldn’t see my son’s 2nd birthday let alone him starting school, but I’m lucky enough to say I did! And no one can take that away from me.

“Life since second surgery in Jan this year has definitely been a bit up and down. My peripheral vision on the left has gone and I’m having to take it slowly wherever I go. My coordination is not what it was.

“However this week Alex and I got the help of my parents (thank you so much GM & GI) and we’ve made it to the Lakes for 4 nights of chilling out. Having such warm weather has therefore been a bit of an extra bonus.

“Of course the next scan looms but I’ve dug deep and found a new bit of determination (which does not always come easy) to say to the GBM ‘I will not give up. Whatever the results, I’ll take stock, trust my oncologist and go from there.’

“So if you’re in the brain cancer world along with me – you’re not alone and we’ve just got to take it slowly but surely – every day we make is a bit of a win for us and a ‘GET LOST!’ to the illness!”

Theo became a Brain Tumour Research Patron in 2023 and tirelessly campaigned in Holyrood and Westminster to make the voices of brain tumour patients heard.

She played a pivotal role in helping the Charity launch the Scottish Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence where research is focused on moving new treatments for glioblastoma into clinical trials.

Dan Knowles, Brain Tumour Research CEO, said: “We are heartbroken that we have lost the phenomenal, determined and truly inspiring Theo Burrell to this devastating disease. She was always very open about her prognosis and knew from the outset her cancer was terminal, but she was absolutely determined to make a difference for others.

“She constantly inspired us with how big her heart was and we will continue on our mission, driven by everything she taught us. Our thoughts are with her family, her friends and with all those who had the privilege of knowing her.”

The actor and musician Jason Schwartzman pulled a cassette tape from his pocket on stage at the L.A. Phil’s tribute to Wes Anderson. Schwartzman was just a teenager when he was cast as the obliviously ambitious Max Fischer in Anderson’s 1998 film “Rushmore,” and on Friday, he recalled the night Anderson played him the film’s entire soundtrack in his car.

“He said, ‘This is the soundtrack to the movie, this is the order it’s going to be in, and he walked me through the entire film narrating it,” Schwartzman said, still agog at the completeness of Anderson’s vision before a frame was shot.

More recently, Schwartzman said, “I was at my mom’s house tying my shoe, and I see a cassette tape on the ground titled ‘Rushmore songs’.” He then chucked the tape into the audience, a piece of film history that hopefully someone caught unscathed.

Anderson’s use of far-flung needle drops and lovely original score work is, like everything in his film universe, planned down to exacting detail. But this opener of a three-night stand — sporting an all-star roster of guest vocalists, an exceptional backing band, and a light touch from the Phil — was more in the spirit of how fans revisit Anderson’s films. As old friends that pop back into your life, affection only deepened with time, right when you need them.

Guided by the genial riffing of the night’s MC, Bill Murray (an Anderson regular from “Rushmore” onwards), the program made its case that Anderson’s savvy with soundtrack curation and delicate, evocative scores are the heart of his films, right along with his meticulous visual style and arch, melancholy tone.

The director, recently freed from a malfunctioning elevator in a pithily Andersonian incident, made a brief appearance onstage with Murray in his regal white suit. But the focus was the music itself on Friday, and the ragtag roster of artists that fully conjured it.

To start, huge credit due to the show’s musical director Justin Meldal-Johnsen and the session-killer band of Roger Joseph Manning Jr., Jason Falkner, Joey Waronker and Gus Seyffert. The sheer amount of music to arrange and assemble for this was vast and demanding, and they got to all of it from 1996’s “Bottle Rocket” to the present.

The Phil took a more modest role, performing poignant, rigorous slivers of scores from Anderson’s go-to composers Alexandre Desplat (“Canto at Gabelmeister’s Peak” from ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel” and “Mr. Fox in The Fields,” from “The Fantastic Mr. Fox”) or his frequent collaborator, Devo’s Mark Mothersbaugh (the propulsive “Ping Island” from “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.”)

Pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet took a lively solo crack at “Moses Rosenthaler” off “The French Dispatch;” Rajib Karmakar and Aakash Pujara played aching sitar and flute drones from “The Darjeeling Limited,” and taiko drummer Kaoru Watanabe nearly blew out the Bowl’s speakers on “Shinto Shrine” from “Isle of Dogs.”

The surprises came from the rock acts brought in to re-imagine the most evocative needle drops from Anderson’s ouvre.

Jackson Browne, in an unbelievable career first, finally got around to performing “Fairest of the Seasons” and “These Days,” tracks he wrote as a teenager eventually covered by German art-rock chanteuse Nico, mournfully used on “The Royal Tenenbaums.”

Beck took a pass at the late Elliott Smith’s ghostly “Needle in The Hay,” used to harrowing effect in the same film, and later Love’s “Alone Again, Or”. Karen Elson beautifully covered Françoise Hardy’s “Les Temps De L’amour” from “Moonrise Kingdom” while the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ Karen O simmered through the Rolling Stones’ “Play With Fire” off “Darjeeling.”

Yet the delighted gang’s-all-here element that ties Anderson’s regular cast together was embodied by an endearingly shaggy run through “Zorro Is Back” with Jenny Lewis and Rogê. Towards the end of the night, just before a closer with the Faces’ “Ooh La La,” Murray brought out a one-of-a-kind instrument for a big flourish. A nine-dollar desk bell, seemingly purchased at Staples hours before showtime, requested specifically by Anderson.

“Front of house, make sure Bill’s bell is ripping,” Beck implored the sound techs at the Bowl. Indeed, as the band, including Jim James of My Morning Jacket, Lewis and Schwartzman, performed the Bobby Fuller Four’s single “Let Her Dance,” Murray indeed whacked the hell out of that thing.

Hello! I’m Mark Olsen. Welcome to another edition of your regular field guide to a world of Only Good Movies.

One of the big discoveries for me at this year’s Sundance Film Festival was the erotic thriller “Night Nurse,” which opens in theaters this week. A remarkably confident feature debut from writer-director Georgia Bernstein, the film is hypnotic and entrancing, with a powerfully sustained sense of mood and menace. Brought to life by two assured lead performances, the story is about a young woman (Cemre Paksoy) who takes a job as an attendant at a senior living community and is assigned to help a man (Bruce McKenzie) who quickly ensnares her into an ongoing phone scam in which he swindles other residents.

Taking cues from the likes of Catherine Breillat and David Cronenberg, there are moments where you start to feel turned on and then feel weird about feeling turned on. It’s delightful stuff, full of the unexpected and unnerving, with shifting power dynamics that destabilize everything. See it with someone you maybe aren’t so sure about.

‘Hudson Hawk’ will have its day

Andie MacDowell and Bruce Willis in the 1991 movie “Hudson Hawk.”

(Columbia TriStar / Getty Images)

Its name has become synonymous with box office bomb, with tales of an out-of-control production leading to terrible reviews and rejection by audiences. Yet 1991’s “Hudson Hawk” is one of those movies that over the years has seen its reputation slowly turn around and is now en route to becoming a cult classic in the vein of “Ishtar” or “Showgirls.”

On Monday at Brain Dead Studios there will be a 35th anniversary screening of the film in 35mm with director Michael Lehmann and co-writer Daniel Waters in-person. Presented by Hollywood Entertainment, the evening could be ground zero for the next stage of the misbegotten movie’s revival.

The movie is a playful buddy-comedy / caper-heist hybrid, starring Bruce Willis as the title character, a master thief newly released from prison who reteams with his old partner (Danny Aiello) as they are drawn into a convoluted conspiracy involving the CIA, a villainous ultra-rich couple (played with maniacal, scene-stealing glee by Richard E. Grant and Sandra Bernhard) and ancient designs by Leonardo da Vinci. Upending action movie conventions, “Hudson Hawk” is simply a fun hang.

On a recent video call together, there is a certain gallows humor shared by Lehmann and Waters over the film, which at the time threatened to derail both of their careers. Waters was already working on the script for Tim Burton’s “Batman Returns” by the time the movie came out, while Lehmann admits he spent some time in director jail — “I was in director federal penitentiary and death row for a while,” he says — before going on to direct films such as “Airheads” and “The Truth About Cats and Dogs.”

“You can’t escape a big failure in Hollywood,” he adds. “You have to be good-natured about the fact that you’ve made something that so many people hated when it came out, but that you feel still has some value — quite a bit of value, I think. And that eventually people would start noticing that.”

The project began as an idea between Willis and his friend Robert Kraft that snowballed into having action super-producer Joel Silver attached and a screenplay draft by “Die Hard” writer Steven E. De Souza. Eventually Lehmann became involved to direct and he helped bring on Waters, the two having worked together on the hit black comedy “Heathers.” (Waters had also worked with Silver on “The Adventures of Ford Fairlane.”) The reunited writer-director team set about subverting what began as a more conventional action movie.

“My intention was to turn that kind of movie on its head,” says Lehmann. “I thought people have seen these things so many times, they must be ready to see the truly odd version of it.”

“In the Olympics you can’t just go up and make any dive,” says Waters. “You tell the judges what dive you’re going to do and then they grade you. And ‘Hudson Hawk,’ we never told the judges what dive we were doing. I think people got angry: Wait a minute, you didn’t give us a Bruce Willis action movie.”

Leading up to the film’s release, there were reports of a shoot hijacked by a star whose ego was getting the better of him as he rode the wave of the success of the first two “Die Hard” movies. Lehmann admits the clash of personalities made for a complicated shoot.

“Of course, when you’re hired by Bruce Willis and Joel Silver to do what is essentially a vanity project of Bruce’s, you’re not going to have the kind of control that you have when you make a piece of personal filmmaking,” says Lehmann. “But it was really difficult to deal with somebody who, in theory, was one of my bosses as producer on the film and a big star, which is always a thousand-pound gorilla.”

Author David Hughes recently published “The Unmaking of Hudson Hawk,” a book on the film’s production, reception and afterlife. Calling from England, Hughes thinks the critical reappraisal and resuscitation of the movie has gained a bit of momentum — and is in danger of slipping.

“I feel like any day there’s going to be a headline that says, ‘Nope, despite what you’ve heard, “Hudson Hawk” is still s—.’ The pendulum is about to swing back the other way and people are going to start saying that it’s bad again. And when that happens, I think that will be the most perfect life cycle of the film.”

But for now two of the key people behind making the film in the first place want to enjoy a moment they have rarely been allowed.

“People are finally laughing with the movie, not at the movie,” says Waters.

Celebrating a fallen friend

Harry Dean Stanton, photographed in Los Angeles in 2013.

(Jordan Strauss / Invision / AP)

To celebrate the centennial of the birth of the beloved character actor Harry Dean Stanton, Vidiots will screen the 2013 documentary “Harry Dean Stanton: Partly Fiction” on Tuesday. Director Sophie Huber will be joined in conversation by actor Logan Sparks for an evening hosted by Cherry Jones.

The film is a tender portrait of Stanton, who found relative fame later in life with roles in films such as “Alien,” “Paris, Texas,” “Repo Man” and “Pretty in Pink.”

“He makes it look really easy,” said Stanton’s friend and frequent collaborator David Lynch around the time of Stanton’s death in 2017. “But it’s not that easy to be looking like it’s easy.”

A flaky love story

Gena Rowlands and Seymour Cassel in the 1971 movie “Minnie and Moskowitz.”

(Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images)

One of my most memorable moviegoing experiences of the last few years was seeing John Cassavetes’ 1971 “Minnie and Moskowitz” for the first time. The movie has a joyful, unpredictable energy thanks to the openhearted, dynamic performances of its two leads, Gena Rowlands and Seymour Cassel, as two mismatched strangers who find temporary solace in each other. Romantic, funny and with lots of great L.A. locations and moments — I often think of a perilous U-turn across La Brea by Cassel — this is a singular gem.

It was just announced that a new restoration of the film will premiere later this year at the Venice Film Festival, but there is no reason to wait. The movie is showing tonight at the Philosophical Research Society as part of its “YesterdayLA” series celebrating the city. On Saturday there will also be a rare theatrical screening of 1972’s “Columbo: Étude In Black,” starring Cassavetes as an L.A. symphony conductor who may have committed the perfect crime until he catches the attention of Peter Falk’s rumpled detective.

On the road again

Maribel Verdú, left, Diego Luna and Gael García Bernal in the movie “Y Tu Mamá También.”

(Criterion Collection)

Playing as part of the American Cinematheque’s “Summer Breakdown” series, which, true to its name, features movies about car trouble, Alfonso Cuarón’s 2001 “Y Tu Mamá También” is showing tonight and tomorrow at the Los Feliz Theater in 35mm.

It stars Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna as two teenage best friends who set off on a road trip with an alluring older woman (Maribel Verdú) they don’t know particularly well. Emotions fly fast and furious among all three of them, as the film seems at times like a horndog teen comedy and at others like a subtle exploration of class and sexual dynamics. Of course, it is all of those things, made with a fresh sense of style.

As Kenneth Turan put it in his 2002 review, “Nominally a simple road movie about two Mexican teenagers taking off to look for a mythical beach in the company of a suddenly available woman of 28, ‘Y Tu Mamá’ manages to be comic, dramatic, erotic, sociological and even political, all without breaking a sweat.”

New this week

• Amy Nicholson calls the new movie “Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass” a “screwball joy … a sex comedy that’s as innocent as a Labrador puppy.”
• Less positively, Amy reviewed the live-action adaptation of “Moana,” noting “Every one of Disney’s remakes and spinoffs of its animated hits has been a naked cash grab.”
• The new “Evil Dead Burn” is brutal and not much else, per our reviewer Joshua Rothkopf: “The gore comes like a tide, shockingly for a mainstream studio wide release.”

Need to know

The Costa Concordia disaster is one of the biggest maritime disasters since the Titanic, and the captain of the luxury cruise ship was at the centre of the tragedy

Everything you need to know about Costa Concordia captain Francesco Schettino

1. Netflix’s Shipwrecked: Nightmare at Sea delves into the harrowing 2012 Costa Concordia disaster that claimed 32 lives. The film features never-before-seen footage and survivor accounts from the luxury cruise ship that struck a rock near Giglio Island on 13 January 2012.
2. More than 4,000 passengers and crew were plunged into their worst nightmare as the vessel took on water and began to tilt. Captain Francesco Schettino delayed over an hour before ordering passengers to abandon ship and failed to provide authorities with accurate information.
3. The media branded him “Captain Coward” after footage emerged showing he had abandoned the bridge and boarded a lifeboat himself. Schettino told the court he had ordered the ship off course to please the vessel’s head waiter, whose family hailed from Giglio. Prosecutors alleged he steered too close to the island to show off to a dancer accompanying him at the helm.
4. Schettino was ultimately convicted of manslaughter and abandoning ship, and was sentenced in February 2015 to 16 years behind bars. He began serving his term in 2017 at Rome’s Rebibbia prison.
5. The term consisted of ten years for manslaughter, five years for causing the shipwreck, and one year for abandoning passengers, to be served consecutively. Having exhausted every avenue of appeal and with his conviction upheld, he began his sentence in 2017.
6. Schettino is not due for full release until 2033, according to Maritime Executive.

READ THE FULL STORY: Costa Concordia Captain Francesco Schettino sentence explained and year of release

For a certain swath of millennials, Dan Finnerty’s rendition of Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of The Heart” in the frat comedy “Old School” is its definitive performance.

In the 2003 film, the Dan Band’s sweaty, inappropriately exuberant version of the ’80s power ballad upstages Will Ferrell’s wedding. The scene forever changed the lyrics of Tyler’s hit to something much more profane, but no less yearning.

After Tyler’s death at 75, Finnerty (who played a similar role in “The Hangover,” among many other comedies) reflected on his sideways journey into Tyler’s career, and how one quick scene on a two-decade-old comedy still endures.

You’ve had a pretty unique relationship to Bonnie Tyler’s music, how are you feeling after she passed?

It’s definitely sad. Everybody is texting me. I never met her, but what an impact she had on me. I grew up right when “Total Eclipse” came out in the ’80s, and it was such a huge song at the time. It had never left my head. I was always just belting that song out because it’s so epic, from Jim Steinman’s writing to Bonnie’s performance.

Why does that moment from “Old School” still endure? It arrived at the last cusp of the DVD era before culture transitioned into the internet and streaming video.

Without YouTube and the internet, you really had to grab pop culture moments from your memory. That’s definitely one of the reasons why pulling it out seemed obscure when we did “Old School.” People were like, “Oh my God, yes, I love this f— song.” Which is so different now because everything’s at your fingertips, so you can’t really rely on like pulling back some nostalgia moment because it’s always around anyway now with the internet. But people were reacting as much to me dropping the f-bombs as the nostalgia of the song, and rediscovering it and realizing that the song kicks ass and never stops kicking it.

Was the song already in your repertoire when you filmed “Old School?”

I was doing my show with the Dan Band in Los Angeles, and [director] Todd Phillips ended up coming to one of the performances. I met him afterwards, and he was like, “There’s actually a wedding scene in this movie. What song would you sing at a wedding?” I had just started working on a medley of “Total Eclipse,” and I think at the time I was going to do “Holding Out for a Hero,” but then I just merged it with “Private Dancer,” and he was like, “Oh my God, I love it.” The following Monday, he called and he’s like, “Can you put that together?”

The bit works because you totally commit to the song’s hugeness, and the profanity slips by like it’s spontaneous. You can tell you love the song on the merits.

I had never done it before. But Todd had seen my show, and when we went to do the first take, I didn’t think I was allowed to swear. But I obviously was swearing during my live show in all my little medleys. He came running up and he’s like, “Are you gonna swear like you do in the show?” I’m like, “Am I allowed to?” And he’s like, “Yeah.” So I’m like, “Buckle the f— up.”

But basically, what I was doing was honestly trying to match Bonnie’s commitment at the level she did with her voice, which is what I loved about all of her performances and Jim Steinman’s music. It’s just over-the-top commitment and drama. The swearing was just me being like, “How can I bump this up one notch when they’ve already just nailed it?”

Did you ever hear from either of them about what they thought about the film?

I’d tried to get Bonnie to do a duet of “Total Eclipse,” and I reached her management. He was like, “Well, Bonnie’s willing to do the song as long as there’s no profanity because she’s not a profane person.” I was like, “Well, neither the f— am I. I was an altar boy.” It didn’t end up working out, because I knew if I did the song without the swearing, people would be like, “What the f—?” But later, met Jim Steinman. I mentioned it to Steinman, and he was like, “Oh, I wish they called me because I can make Bonnie do anything, she’d love the swearing,” which killed me.

You did kind of alter her song forever for a certain generation.

I was just picturing them both hating how I bastardized their song. So when I finally met Steinman, he was like, “No, no, no! I f—ing loved it. In fact, I’ve always thought of all those epic booms, the Kurzweil, all the big hits in ‘Total Eclipse,’ those were musical f—s.”

Mostly I wanted to just find Bonnie and apologize to her for all the drunk guys I have pictured over the years at her concert screaming “F—” ever since that movie.

That song became your biggest hit as a comedian. How’d it change your life?

It got funnier the older we got. When I would do “Total Eclipse” right after “Old School” came out, it would get the biggest reaction. There was one set early on at the Playboy Mansion, we were hired to play some party there. There were just a bunch of drunk guys at the mansion and a couple Playboy bunnies that were contractually hired to walk around and wave. They’re like, “Play ‘Total Eclipse,’” and so I did. Then they’re like, “Play it again.” I’m like, “OK.” Then “Play it again.” I was like, “Here we go, give them what they want.” It was the least amount of work I had to do for a song that was pre-loved from a moment in a movie.

God, I hope she knew how much I loved her and apologize for all the drunk guys that had probably f-bombed the hell out of her concerts.

Before that song, people were like, “Do you have a flier for your next show?” I’m like, “For what?” But once “Old School” happened, suddenly a record label was like, “We want to do a live album.” I’m like, “Who’s gonna buy it?” But my manager is like, “Don’t say s— like that. There’s a record label that wants to make an album with you, dumbass.”

The whole thing has just been a surprise, but it’s been a good one. We’re playing this festival in Canada next weekend, and God, that song’s going to be such a big moment.

Mothers and daughters are often caught in a double bind: biologically kindred yet divided by competing claims on identity and selfhood. In Cay Kim’s debut novel “The Future Perfect”, that bond is tangled by cultural discontinuity.

The novel’s mother has been reared in a South Korean household that places a high value on academic rigor and head-down discipline. She devotes all of her energy to grinding that work ethic into her daughter (Kim’s characters are unnamed), who is shuttled between her native Seoul and Minnesota, and grapples with finding the one true way for her to navigate the world.

I spoke with Kay, a native of Seoul who relocated to the States, about mothers, daughters and the unstoppable power of language.

✍️ Author Chat

Author Cay Kim

(Margaryta Bushkin)

This is your first novel. Did you start writing it in college?

This actually originated from a long poem that I wrote. I didn’t know I was going to turn it into a novel at the time. I just had the idea, the summer before my MFA, to expand each stanza into a chapter. That made the writing process relatively easier for me because it was such a straightforward process. I already had the frame of it.

Even though the novel is grounded in a very specific milieu — that of a child who is ensnared between Korean and American cultures — it’s very much a universal story, of a mother who feels the burden of raising a perfect daughter and is resentful when the daughter rebels against her ministrations.

It’s something that occupies so much of my head space. I wanted the mother to be portrayed as a victim of her society. The way that people choose to parent isn’t something that they learn in a vacuum. She has deep-seated beliefs about suffering and self-abnegation. But there’s a point at which an act of service risks inverting into a selfish act.

A big concept for the mother is endurance.

Exactly. It’s a generational trauma the mother is dealing with. She has had such ingrained beliefs passed down to her, and she’s unable to recognize when her methods result in her own mental and physical splintering, as well as her daughter’s.

Is it a function of the mother’s ego, or some kind of twisted narcissism?

She is putting herself through so much suffering because she believes she is doing the right thing. And there’s an extent to how much you can excuse that self-unawareness.

Yet despite this, the daughter feels tied to her mother, even when they are at loggerheads and she is living thousands of miles away.

The mother is such an integral part of the daughter’s consciousness that severance is impossible. They have a shared history and the daughter wants to share things with her mother, even when they are fighting. When she feels lonely at Stanford, the daughter verbalizes the fact that she has learned loneliness from her mother.

There are a lot of scenes in the novel tied to meals prepared by either the mother or the grandmother.

I do a lot of thinking about how cooking plays a role in our everyday lives. It’s something that people can spend hours preparing, only to have it disappear. It’s her mother’s domain. It is so opposed to the way the father thinks, which is very much tied to capital, to amassing and saving money.

The daughter really comes into herself when she is exposed to American culture.

Minnesota is where she acquires language for the first time. Language is so important to this character. Then she is shuffled back to Korea, and this disjunction is the thing that propels her narrative development. But as the story goes on, the daughter reaches a point where she has such mastery of expression and that is a power she acquires.

“The Future Perfect” is written in a very precise and concise way. What fiction writers do you admire, or who may have served as models?

I love writers whose use of language jolts the mind. My favorite writer of all time is Marguerite Duras. “The Lover” reads so easy but when you pay attention to the language, it’s very precisely engineered. I also love Clarice Lispector, for the way she expresses human spirituality.

Is this book drawn from your life? I ask that only because your protagonist winds up attending Stanford, as you did.

When I first started learning how to write, my teacher always used to say that writing shouldn’t necessarily contain the factual truth, but it should have emotional truth. And I feel like that has been the core of my writing practice throughout my life, and that even for those that don’t think consciously about it, that’s often the case.

This Q&A was edited for length and clarity.

📰 The Week(s) in Books

Country music performer Kenny Chesney sat down with Holly Gleason, the co-author of his new memoir, to talk about writing the book.

(Jill Trunnell)

The state of Ohio is celebrating America’ssemiquincentennial by offering a statewide reading project that features Toni Morrison’s fictional oeuvre, thus providing a vivid alternative history of the country. “Not only does her work re-center African Americans in the story of our country, it also tackles major events from our founding, through slavery, to the impact of Jim Crow, to the great migration and beyond,” Literary Cleveland Executive Director Matt Weinkam tells Leigh Haber.

Chef-Podcaster-Author etc. Eddie Huang has written his first novel, a lightly autobiographical twirl through the foodie-verse called “Come Undone.“ “This book was very much about breaking up with your family to start your own,” he tells Mariella Rudi.

At a time when teen literacy is declining, Rudi polled five high school teachers to find out what books students should be reading now.

Gabrielle Korn’s novel “Long Island Girls” is a Millennial coming-of-age story that drips with Y2K nostalgia and the ways in which youthful optimism and hope can drift into middle-aged cynicism. “One thing I wanted to capture about early adulthood is the constant humiliation,” Korn tells Emily St. Martin. “The thing about being young is that people are so resentful of your youth, but you don’t understand that it’s resentment, you just think everybody hates you.”

📖 Bookstore Faves

The Loved Ones bookshop

(James Alan Duran)

J.C. Gabel, the owner of local book imprint Hat and Beard, has opened a new bookshop called The Loved One, and it already feels like an essential anchor for Historic Filipinotown’s burgeoning cultural scene. The store, which is also a gallery and events space, is expansive (5,000 square feet) and inviting, with patinated hardwood floors and a wall of picture windows that bathes the interior in natural light. I spoke with Gabel about his future plans for his new space.

What is the mission statement of The Loved One?

The Loved One reflects our ongoing commitment to independent publishing, original exhibitions, and the belief that books (and ideas within them) are best experienced in conversation with one another, in-person, whenever possible. In our post-post digital age, the serendipitous nature of organically curating physical objects is, in a sense, the point of the entire operation. We envision The Loved One as a space where everyone can exchange ideas, free from data-mining tech overlords, AI slop and click-bait tomfoolery.

What kind of books are you selling?

We’re going to focus mostly on new books about the visual arts, but we’ll also have several curated tables of fiction and nonfiction organized by subject and publisher, to highlight and promote the work of publishers we admire. Moreover, our genre-based book clubs and live author events — which will run weekly by August — will also influence the titles carried in the shop, too. Lastly, we’re bringing back Big Table, our books and conversation podcast — which we started with Dub Lab during COVID — now that we have a physical space to host and record these conversations.

It’s a very large space. What are your plans for it?

We are really keeping the space as modular as possible so we can change the interior of both storefronts to exhibit art and photography, as well as host author events, artist talks, live music, comedy, book clubs, etc.

You’re also a publisher, with Hat and Beard. How will that tie into The Loved One?

At least half of the arts programming I bring to the table will tie back to Hat and Beard’s original publications; the other half will be curated by Aubrie Wienholt and her team, working in tandem with myself and the H&B family. H&B will, of course, continue to program events all over the city regularly, but it will be nice to have a storefront again for the publishing house. We also intend to sell our rare and limited edition bundles of our books at TLO. There will finally be a physical space where one can come see this work in person before purchasing.

What about Historic Filipinotown? The Loved One is such a cool addition to what is becoming a vital cultural hub for L.A.

We are honored and thrilled to be working out of Historic Filipinotown. So much has opened in and around this neighborhood since COVID. It is a really vibrant community. There is a great camaraderie among all the small businesses in and around our cluster off Temple Street and Glendale Boulevard. Our immediate neighbors, Couplet Coffee and the bar 1642, are both actively involved in our programming monthly: Couplet has sent over a pop-up barista to serve coffee and tea at our literary events, and most of our after-parties are now held at 1642, two doors down.

Jazz star Jamie Cullum is one of the guest mentors on the new series of Channel 4’s The Piano

Jamie Cullum has been in the spotlight for decades.

The jazz star was just 20 when he reportedly produced his first album, Heard It All Before, in 1999 with just £480 and only 500 copies made.

Since then he’s enjoyed huge success as a singer and musician, releasing more albums, performing all over the world and amassing awards. The 46-year-old, who was born in Essex and grew up in Wiltshire, is also renowned for fronting The Jazz Show With Jamie Cullum on BBC Radio 2.

Fans will be able to catch Jamie on the new series of Channel 4’s The Piano, which returns on Sunday, July 12 for its fourth run. Hosted by Claudia Winkleman and Mika, the programmke searches for the UK’s best amateur piano players and Jamie will be one of the guest mentors along with Jools Holland and Hiromi.

Ahead of the show, we take a look at Jamie’s life away from the cameras, including his model wife, famous reation and his real height.

Supermodel wife and children

Jamie has been married to supermodel Sophie Dahl since 2010 and they have two daughters.

Sophie started her career as a teenage fashion model and was famously discovered by British Vogue. She was renowned for her curves and was sought after by the top designers.

She’s gone on to have a successful career as an author, journalist and TV presenter.

Speaking to Red in 2020, Jamie opened up about meeting his wife.

He said: “We just really hit it off. I thought, ‘Man, that is a cool woman,’ but I didn’t really entertain anything else. We were both in relationships and she wasn’t living in the UK, so we were just friends at first.

“Then, a couple of years later, she moved back here and that’s when our friendship became something else.

“We had a very immediate connection. While we both worked in a public way, our lives were purposefully quite private.”

Links to famous author

Sophie is the granddaughter of the late great author Roald Dahl who is renowned for children’s classics like Matilda, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Fantastic Mr Fox and Matilda. Sophie was said to be the inspiration behind his work, The BFG.

He was born in Cardiff to Norwegian parents and served in the Royal Air Force. His first children’s book was The Gremlins, published in 1943, about mischievous little creatures that were part of Royal Air Force folklore

As well as his children’s books, he also had a successful parallel career as the writer of macabre adult short stories, which often blended humour and innocence with surprising plot twists.

Roald died in 1990, long before his granddaughter met and married Jamie.

Height

Seven years ago, Jamie released the album Taller, which some people saw as rather ironic as Jamie, himself, has described himself as “short”.

When chatting to The Mirror at the time, the star, who stands at around 5ft 4in, spoke about being “short” and how people seemed to notice it more after he tied the knot with the 6ft tall Sophie.

He said: “It is something I’ve been gently teased about my whole life, particularly when I married a taller woman.

“But I’ve taken something that could be my vulnerable spot and used it to say something.”

The Piano returns to Channel 4 on Sunday, July 12 at 9pm

PUSSYCAT DOLLS have cut their ticket sales in half across some of their UK gigs following their reunion tour axe. 

Back in May, the trio were forced to scrap their North American shows after failing to sell enough tickets. 

The girl group, featuring Nicole Scherzinger, 48, Ashley Roberts, 44, and Kimberly Wyatt, 44, are due to launch their comeback later this year. 

There are eight scheduled tour dates set up and down the UK for fans to enjoy but it has now been revealed that the price for four of them have been discounted. 

The sale is a part of a promotion for the AXS 2026 Summer Sale, and includes shows in Birmingham, Leeds, Newcastle and London. 

The sale will run till July 15, giving fans time to grab the discounted tickets but having slashed ticket prices before it remains unclear whether this will boost sales. 

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For their tour across the pond, the girls struggled to sell tickets despite cutting prices to $30, and several dates still had as much as 80 percent of the seats available. 

They had planned 33 dates across the US and Canada, starting in Palm Desert, California, on June 5. 

Rehearsals were delayed and had not formally started before the plug was pulled.

They then went on to announce the news in a group statement, they said: “When we announced the PCD Forever Tour, we hoped to bring the show to fans across the world.

“After taking an honest look at the North American run, we’ve made the difficult and heartbreaking decision to cancel all but one of the North America dates.”

But speaking about the Europe and UK leg, they added: “We are putting everything into making this show a true celebration of the music and the memories.”

The European leg of the PCD Forever tour is due to begin in Copenhagen on September 9.

And Insiders have insisted their ticket sales have been far better in Europe than in North America, with shows in Warsaw and Paris already sold out.

The cancellation was another setback for the girl group, who also cancelled their last reunion tour.

They announced in 2019 that they were launching a comeback as a five-piece along with former members Carmit Bachar and Jessica Sutta, with shows across the UK, Europe, Asia, South America, Australia and New Zealand.

However, it was delayed due to Covid and was eventually axed due to a disagreement between frontwoman Nicole and the band’s founder Robin Antin, on which they reached a confidential settlement last September following a lawsuit.

The Dolls, who had eight Top Ten hits including No1s Don’t Cha and Stickwitu between 2005 and 2009, announced their return as a trio in March when they dropped their new single Club Song.

A HUGE Hollywood actor was spotted by eagle-eyed fans amongst commuters at a busy London train station.

The A-lister and Oscar nominee, was snapped on the platform and getting off the tube – but would you have noticed him ?

Commuters at a train station in Hackney were left stunned this week, when they spied a famous film star among themselves. 

The video uploaded onto TikTok showed none other than actor Stanley Tucci, 65, standing amongst the crowd. 

As the onlooker zoomed into the star the camera quickly pans down before he notices. 

The star is then snapped again as he’s shown making his way off the train and walking across the platform. 

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Stanley whilst attempting to be inconspicuous in a pair of black sunglasses is noticed by a few Londoners, who were left in shock.

The video was captioned: “(Started in Hackney, he got off in Canonbury) Saw a bald man and knew who it was straight away.”

Fans rushed to the comments, stunned to see such a famous actor at a station, one user said: “It’s always when I don’t take the train !”

“I beg ur finest pardonnnnnnn,” penned another.

A third added: “He lives in London. He’s everywhere.”

While his famous bald look might have blown his cover, it was him wearing a jacket in the brutal heatwave that had fans really talking.

Another commenter said: “Stanley is too hot for that blazer mate,” with a second adding:”It’s too hot for that jacket omg.”

Tucci is a well established American actor, director, producer and author known for his versatility and acting range. 

From The Devil Wears Prada to The Hunger Games series, he has appeared in over 70 films. 

He is widely recognised for his appearances in Spotlight, Captain America: The First Avenger and his Oscar nominated performance in The Lovely Bones.

Over the course of his career, the acting star has picked up multiple different awards.

These consist of six Emmy’s, two Golden Globe Awards and two Screen Actors Guild Awards.

He has also been nominated for an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and a Tony Award.