90s

ICONIC 90s actress Ali Larter has left fans’ jaws on the floor, showing off her youthful look at the Actor Awards.

The actress, known for her roles in Legally Blonde, Varsity Blues, and Landman, was nominated for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series.

One day after her 50th birthday, Ali stepped out on the red carpet at the Actor Awards, formerly known as the SAG Awards.

She posed for photos at the event in a strapless crimson gown by Zuhair Murah with a sweetheart neckline.

The gown, which accentuated her curves, reached all the way to the floor.

Ali looked absolutely ageless, completing the look with bouncy curls in her blonde hair, a bold dark red lip, and chunky jewelry.

On the red carpet, the actress opened up about her gratitude in an interview with E!.

“Life is beautiful. I’m on a show that has just caught on with people all over the world. My children are healthy. My parents are great. I’m just full of gratitude,” she said.

She also told the outlet that her outfit choice was intentional.

“I feel like this is a celebration of acting and actors… It’s kind of a throwback to the retro queens, the heroines. And I just think that his dresses express femininity – it accentuates the curves,” she said.

Big winner

Landman was nominated for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series against several other hit shows.

Nominees included The Diplomat, Severance, The Pitt, and The White Lotus.

Ali stars in Landman alongside Billy Bob Thornton, Michelle Randolph, Demi Moore, Sam Elliott, and Kayla Wallace.

Ultimately, the cast of HBO Max’s The Pitt walked away with the award.

The show’s star, Noah Wyle, delivered the acceptance speech with the rest of the cast beside him.

Despite the string of storms that have hit the Los Angeles region in recent days, the skies cleared up long enough on Wednesday for thousands of aspiring actors to swarm a beachfront in Marina del Rey and take their shot at landing a role in the upcoming “Baywatch” reboot.

The open casting call brought old Hollywood magic to Los Angeles, as the show intensified its search for raw and local talent, reminiscent of how original “Baywatch” stars were discovered, said Brittainy Roberts, the vice president of casting at Fox.

The soapy drama series, which premiered in 1989 and ran for 11 seasons, followed the lives and relationships of lifeguards who patrolled L.A. County beaches (and later Hawaii). It was not only a hit stateside — internationally it was a success, becoming the most-watched show in the world at the time. A film adaptation starring Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron was released in 2017, and despite negative reviews, it was considered a commercial success, signaling an appetite for more.

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The casting team has “big bathing suits to fill,” Roberts said. The show famously created a slew of stars, including Pamela Anderson and Carmen Electra, who got their start on the show, and catapulted David Hasselhoff to new heights of fame.

Uncommon in a post-pandemic era of self-tape auditions, the open and in-person auditions attracted actors hungry for their big break and locals hoping to leave with a fun story to tell. Many donned “Baywatch” visors and sweaters while others sported bright red bathing suits, popularized by the original show. It was “an opportunity to really get people in the room in a large-scale way,” and allow “people an opportunity that maybe they aren’t getting in this new landscape of auditioning,” Roberts said.

The casting team saw live auditions from about 2,000 “Baywatch” hopefuls, and about 14,000 applications were submitted, said Joseph McGinty Nichol, known as McG, the reboot’s executive producer who will direct the first episode. His past projects include the “Charlie’s Angels” movie and “The O.C.”

Pat “The Jaguar” Uland, 31, of San Francisco, on the red carpet at the “Baywatch” open casting call.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Beach-ready candidates filed in and out of a Marriott hotel in Marina del Rey for the in-person auditions. The casting call, which ran late into the night, embodied the joy of Hollywood, McG said.

Bri Ana Wagner, a 29-year-old living in Los Angeles, has been pursuing acting for around a decade. The open casting call was a reminder that the Hollywood “dream is alive,” she said.

“It’s like the way it used to be and the way it should be,” McG said. “You can come to a Marriott in Marina del Rey and change your life and blow it wide open.”

Hopefuls try to catch a break

David Chokachi hadn’t acted much before auditioning for “Baywatch” in the 1990s. Douglas Schwartz, one of the show’s original creators, and his wife, Deborah, had seen just about a thousand auditions for the role of Cody Madison. None of the actors matched the couple’s vision for the character, until Chokachi strolled in.

“It’s one of the most surreal things that’s ever happened in my life,” said Chokachi, the only actor from the original series confirmed for the reboot.

David Chokachi, who was on the original “Baywatch,” is reprising his role as Cody Madison.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

The aspiring actors who auditioned Wednesday hoped to get their chance at a big break similar to the one Chokachi got decades ago. Casting for the reboot began late last year, Roberts said, and people “have come out of the woodwork” since, with some messaging her directly on social media.

“The fact that we’re shooting in L.A., it’s certainly ignited a flame for a lot of agents and managers in town hoping to get their clients working here,” Roberts said.

The casting executive was hopeful that Wednesday’s auditions would bring together a talented pool of actors that the show can continue to pull from.

Massiel Taveras was among the many in attendance at the casting call: “I belong to this group. I belong to the show. I just feel it.”

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Massiel Taveras was crowned Miss Dominican Republic in 2007 and has pursued acting since, finding success in the Latino market. She arrived to the Marriott hotel sporting a bright red sports bra and leggings, paired with a large fur coat to shield her from the beach chill.

“I just love the show so much … It’s iconic. It’s something that everybody loves,” Taveras said. “I belong to this group. I belong to the show. I just feel it.”

Meanwhile, Dominique Lopez, a broadcast student from Monrovia, had never been to an audition before her boyfriend Colin Bolick, an actor, convinced her to attend the casting call together. The experience was “super easygoing” and intimate, she said as she walked out of the audition room.

“It’s making the industry exciting again. It’s putting people in the mind space of … ‘Let me put myself out there,’” said Lopez, 25. “Just for that, I feel like a better person, that I went and did something new.”

Could ‘Baywatch’ could help revive Hollywood?

Marko Dobrasinovic, 24, who made the trek from Chicago to audition, bumped into an old high school classmate, Alyssa Frey, while in line to check in. The pair attended the same high school as Hasselhoff, who played Mitch Buchannon on “Baywatch,” one of the actor’s best-known roles.

The impromptu reunion felt like a full-circle moment, said Frey, who moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting about two years ago. She landed in the city just as the actors’ and writers’ strikes froze Hollywood. Wednesday’s casting call was “one of the few opportunities to get in front of someone,” she said.

It was one that almost slipped away from the city. Showrunners were eyeing Australia as an alternative to filming in L.A., until Gov. Gavin Newsom and state legislators granted the production, along with 16 others, California’s film and TV tax incentive in November. Hollywood has struggled to return to its former status as a production mecca after the COVID-19 pandemic and 2023’s dual strikes. The wildfires early last year, coupled with studio spending cuts, added another blow to L.A.‘s waning film and TV industry.

The open casting call was a rare event in Los Angeles, as the TV and film industry struggles to recover.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Chantal Groves left a stable job in international relations around two years ago, setting her sights set on Los Angeles. The 25-year-old, originally from the Dominican Republic, said acting was always her true passion. The career change has been fulfilling, but navigating such a fraught industry is difficult, she said.

“It’s basic laws of supply and demand,” Groves said. “There’s not a lot out there. There’s not a lot casting, and so just in general, it’s a really hard time to start in the industry.”

The “Baywatch” reboot received a $21-million credit, aimed at revamping the state’s entertainment industry.

“This was about keeping an iconic, world-famous brand right here in L.A.,” said Traci Park, a councilmember for District 11 who helped lead efforts to secure the tax incentive and attended the event. “We have the talent, we have the resources, we have the sets … it is exactly why we are fighting so hard to keep these productions in Los Angeles.”

A love letter to Los Angeles

“Baywatch” showrunner Matt Nix was in the middle of fighting off the wildfire that ravaged his Altadena neighborhood and got dangerously close to his home when he first got the call to lead the reboot. His house survived the fires, and he says a show like “Baywatch” felt like exactly what the city needed after such tragedy.

“This is a show about paradise and the people who keep it that way,” Nix said. “There’s something fundamentally earnest and positive about ‘Baywatch,’ the idea of heroes on the beach taking care of each other and the people that they protect.”

Others can relate to that sentiment. “Baywatch” was “right up my alley,” said Ava Cherlyn, a 19-year-old from Newport Beach. The aspiring actor, who moved to Hollywood six months ago, was a lifeguard growing up and played water polo competitively.

“I’m surprised that I haven’t been nervous,” Cherlyn said as she posed for photos in a red bathing suit.

Aspiring actor Ava Cherlyn, 19, in a red swimsuit made iconic in “Baywatch.”

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

The original show attracted a worldwide audience because of its focus on “heroic people with complicated and interesting lives” while still feeling like an easygoing “hour-long vacation,” Nix said.

That nostalgic magic won’t be lost in the upcoming season, which Nix said is more of a continuation rather than a reboot. It will follow Hobie Buchannon, Mitch’s son, a character featured in the original series, played by “Arrow” protagonist Stephen Amell.

Hobie’s life will be derailed when he meets Charlie, a 21-year-old daughter he never knew he had who’s eager to continue the family’s legacy by becoming a Baywatch lifeguard. Hobie, now a Baywatch captain, will navigate the familial troubles throughout the season, Nix said.

“I don’t want to imply that ‘Baywatch’ is going to save the world or save America,” Nix said. “But, at the same time, I think it’s a good time for an unapologetically heroic show about people who care about each other and the people that they’re trying to save.”

Welcome to Screen Gab, the newsletter for everyone who is feeling mighty nostalgic about the ’90s and early aughts.

On Thursday night, we learned that Eric Dane died at 53 after a battle with ALS, also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Lou Gehrig’s disease. The actor was known for his mid-2000s role on ABC’s medical drama “Grey’s Anatomy,” where he earned the moniker “McSteamy” as Dr. Mark Sloan, a plastic surgeon. Coincidentally, yesterday marked the 20th anniversary of his first appearance on “Grey’s.” More recently, he appeared in HBO’s teen drama “Euphoria” as Cal Jacobs, a very complex father to Nate (Jacob Elordi), one of the central characters. The actor will appear posthumously in the show’s third season when it returns in April. Dane remained busy in the past couple of years, having also appeared in the one-season action series “Countdown” on Prime Video and in an episode of ABC’s “Brilliant Minds.” If you want to go further on Dane, Netflix announced this morning that an episode of the docuseries “Famous Last Words” featuring the actor was available. The show consists of an interview with a notable subject, and is only released posthumously.

If you want another trip down memory lane, last week saw the arrival of FX’s “Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette,” which takes a closer look at the famous couple who unexpectedly met a tragic end. The show fully immerses you in the culture of New York in the ’90s, complete with Calvin Klein ads, tabloid magazines with zany headlines and partying at the Roxy nightclub. Connor Hines, the creator of “Love Story,” spoke to us about the show, which you can read below.

Also in this week’s Screen Gab, we recommend an Irish series on Netflix from the creator of “Derry Girls” and another nostalgic docuseries about “America’s Next Top Model.”

ICYMI

Must-read stories you might have missed

Grace Van Patten and Jackson White of “Tell Me Lies” at American Quick Start & Gas Inc. in Brooklyn, N.Y.

(Dutch Doscher / For The Times)

On ‘Tell Me Lies,’ Grace Van Patten and Jackson White’s toxic (onscreen) relationship ends: After three seasons, “Tell Me Lies” comes to an end. Creator Meaghan Oppenheimer unpacks the series finale alongside stars Grace Van Patten and Jackson White.

Missed ‘Scrubs’? They did too, and now they’re back making the rounds: Donald Faison, Zach Braff and Sarah Chalke spoke about reuniting for the revival of the beloved medical comedy created by Bill Lawrence and now helmed by Aseem Batra.

‘Baywatch’ casting call brings back ’90s with in-person auditions, red suits and ripped bods: About 2,000 people flocked to Marina del Rey on Wednesday in hopes of landing a role in the upcoming “Baywatch” reboot, which the production hopes will be a boon for Hollywood.

How ‘The Pitt’ portrayed a rape kit exam sensitively with the help of experts: To portray the exam shown in Episode 7 accurately, the show’s writers and actors consulted with experts from the UCLA Health Rape Treatment Center and Pittsburgh Action Against Rape.

Turn on

Recommendations from the film and TV experts at The Times

Bronagh Gallagher, back left, as Booker, Shauna Bray as Midwife, Saoirse-Monica Jackson as Feeney in “How To Get To Heaven From Belfast.”

(Christopher Barr / Netflix)

“How to Get to Heaven From Belfast” (Netflix)

Lisa McGee, whose “Derry Girls” was the toast of 2018, returns with another comedy of Irish women in a mad place. Three friends since school travel to a one-taxi, one-hotel town for the wake of an estranged fourth: Saoirse (Roisin Gallagher), an award-winning television writer who can’t seem to keep her engagement ring on her finger; Robyn (Sinéad Keenan), a busy, bored rich wife and mother; and Dara (Caoilfhionn Dunne), who has been stuck, or has stuck herself, caring for her mother. All share a dark secret they hope to keep buried, but which has begun to poke its head above ground. What, and who, they find, and don’t find, kicks off a manic mystery, served with a side of car trouble, hangovers, a storm, a blackout, oddball supporting characters and a little romance, not necessarily in that order, with sharp, funny dialogue driving it along. And that’s just the beginning. — Robert Lloyd

A still of “America’s Next Top Model” contestants, clockwise from far left, Nicole Panattoni, Adrianne Curry, Elyse Sewell, Kesse Wallace, Robbyne Manning, Giselle Samson, Shannon Stewart and Ebony Haith as featured in “Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model.”

(Courtesy of Netflix)

“Reality Check: America’s Next Top Model” (Netflix)

“We were all rooting for you!” was the cry heard ‘round the world from Tyra Banks, the host and creator of the reality TV series that aimed to find the next fresh face of magazine covers and fashion runways. But viewers learn in this docuseries that what we saw on screen didn’t tell the whole story. From allegations of sexual assault to discord among the judges, “America’s Next Top Model” had a lot of problems, many of them relating to the fact that a show like it hadn’t been done and producers were inexperienced in handling serious issues on set. “Reality Check” features candid interviews with former contestants including Shandi Sullivan, Keenyah Hill, Tiffany Richardson (recipient of that famous “rooting” speech) and Banks herself. — Maira Garcia

Guest spot

A weekly chat with actors, writers, directors and more about what they’re working on — and what they’re watching

Sarah Pidgeon as Carolyn Bessette Kennedy and Paul Kelly as John F. Kennedy Jr. in “Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette.”

(FX)

The latest anthology series produced by Ryan Murphy dramatizes the true-life romance between John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette that gripped the culture in the ’90s. Nearly three decades after their tragic deaths, FX’s “Love Story” revisits the tumultuous seven-year relationship between the pair. JFK Jr. (Paul Anthony Kelly) spent his life navigating the public spotlight as the son and namesake of an assassinated (and beloved) president, and Bessette (Sarah Pidgeon) was a publicist working at Calvin Klein. Inspired by Elizabeth Beller’s book “One Upon a Time: The Captivating Life of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy,” the nine-episode series chronicles the couple’s whirlwind romance and their struggle to maintain their relationship under intense media scrutiny before their deaths in a 1999 plane crash. The first four episodes are streaming now on Hulu and Disney+, with new episodes released weekly on Thursdays. Connor Hines, who created the series, stopped by Guest Spot to discuss what intrigued him about the couple’s plight and the early aughts rom-com that he admires. — Yvonne Villarreal

You were a child when the love story of John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette — as well as that fateful flight — generated intense media attention. What do you remember about their story? What stood out then?

My father commuted into Manhattan every day for work and always brought home the New York Post. I have vivid memories of seeing photos of them splashed across the cover. I knew about the Kennedy family, of course, but I couldn’t fully grasp the choke hold John F. Kennedy Jr. had on the country at the time. The scale of the fascination was something I only truly understood later.

Why does this story feel worth revisiting now? And did any modern couples in the spotlight become reference points as you unpacked questions about public fascination while weaving together this story?

We’re living in an attention economy, so a couple beset by obsession and scrutiny feels especially resonant right now. There are, unfortunately, far too many examples of women who marry high-profile figures only to be harangued for expressing anything other than gratitude and graciousness. That dynamic hasn’t disappeared — it’s simply evolved.

The series grapples with the media invasion that swirled around them. Some critics contend that dramatizing their story for television reignites it. How do you see it? And how did that inform your approach to telling this story?

They’ve been memorialized as these beautiful, one-dimensional fashion figures whose marriage buckled under immense pressure. The series felt like an opportunity to course-correct a dated and misogynistic narrative, especially surrounding Carolyn — and to add dimension to two people who were far more complex than the images and tabloid stories written about them.

You seemingly had a lot of material to draw from and public moments in their relationship timeline to focus on. What was a moment that most fascinated you?

I was personally drawn to Carolyn’s rich life before she became a public figure. She was incredibly sharp, savvy and dynamic — she ascended from folding sweaters at a Calvin Klein store in the mall to becoming a muse and trusted advisor to Calvin Klein himself. I don’t think people fully appreciate how much she gave up to be with John.

What have you watched recently that you are recommending to everyone you know?

“Dying for Sex” [Hulu, Disney+]. “Adolescence” [Netflix].

What’s your go-to “comfort watch,” the movie or TV show you go back to again and again?

“Something’s Gotta Give” [Tubi], or anything by Nora Ephron. I’m also an unapologetic champion of the Bravo network.

IT was the long, hot summer of 1995, John Major was in No10 and Blackburn Rovers were Premier League champions.

The music charts had been dominated by acting duo Robson and Jerome, until one crazy week in August when Britpop’s heavyweights began slugging it out.

Oasis and Blur released their new singles Roll With It and Country House on the same day in a race for the No1 spot — and the nation was absolutely mad for it.

It was an era-defining, pop culture moment, billed as North v South, working-class v posh boys and sing-along anthems v lyrical sophistication.

Yet even their most ardent fans would have struggled to imagine that 30 years down the line the rivalry in all its boozy, sweary glory would be transformed into a theatrical production.

The Battle — which opened at the Birmingham Rep theatre this week — is a comedic caper that tries to recreate the 90s vibe.

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So Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher — played by George Usher — is seen snorting lines of coke, swigging champagne and threatening to knock Blur singer Damon Albarn’s block off.

And the production includes more uses of the C word than have been uttered in much of the rest of British stage history put together.

The play’s writer, best-selling novelist John Niven, tells me he had to explain the context of the expletive-laden script to the actors.

He said: “The young cast found some of the language challenging at first.

“I had to say that that was just the way people spoke back then. It was more full-on and a much more unfiltered time.

“There’s five or six c***s in it but I guess that’s a lot for the theatre.

“But there’s no way you could accurately reflect those musicians over a five-month period without a few C-bombs dropping. It wouldn’t be authentic.”

John, 60, said he took inspiration for the narrative from a comment by Oasis manager Alan McGee about the rise of his band from a tough Manchester suburb.

He recalled: “Alan said, ‘The thing is, Blur think this is all good media fun but you’ve got five lunatics off a council estate in Burnage who actually want to f*****g kill them’.

“Blur moved the release date of their record to coincide with the Oasis single, so Liam thought, ‘Right, they’ve offered us out’.”

With actor George, 21, successfully aping Liam’s loping gait, he also gets to deliver the most one-liners.

John, who spoke to Blur’s bassist Alex James while writing the play, added: “Someone like Liam is so seductive to write for.

“Noel and Liam are both very funny in completely different ways.

“Noel is really dry and has got great timing, like a stand-up comedian, while Liam is much more surreal, random and unfiltered. He’s a delight to write dialogue for.

“Sometimes you think, ‘F***, have I gone too far there?’

“And then you could go online and find an interview with Liam where he said something ten times crazier.”

John — who began writing the play in 2023, long before the triumphant Oasis reunion last year — also had to explain to the young cast how the Britpop battle came to dominate the national conversation.

He said: “It was such a big cultural phenomenon. The whole country, from six-year-olds to 60-year-olds, knew about it.

“It went from the music papers to the broadsheets to the tabloids to News At Ten. Back then, things spread via radio, TV and the Press, whereas now the culture is so atomised.

“I’ve got teenage kids and you can have acts with a billion TikTok followers who play Wembley Stadium and I’ve never heard of them.”

After a blast of Blur’s Girls & Boys, the play begins at the February 1995 Brits, where Blur won four awards to Oasis’s one.

Collecting the prize for best British group, Damon insisted: “I think this should have been shared with Oasis.”

Interviewed later, Noel Gallagher said: “As far I’m concerned, it’s us and Blur against the world now.”

But the love-in didn’t last. Later that year Noel said of Blur: “The bassist and the singer, I hope the pair of them catch Aids and die because I f***ing hate them two.”

(The guitarist would later appologise, insisting he was “f***ed” on drugs when he made the remark).

When John began writing the play, he recalled the resentment that had built up between the bands in a few short months.

The former music company executive who was at the Brits that year, added: “I thought. Now there’s a dramatic arc.

“Back in February they had all been mates with Noel giving an interview saying, ‘It’s us and Blur against the world now’.

“Now he was saying he hoped they died.”

Then, in August Oasis’s record company Creation announced their new single Roll With It would be released a week before Blur’s Country House.

John added: “Blur’s manager Andy Ross was worried that Oasis would have a massive No1.

“Back then a single could top the charts for a month so Andy was worried the Blur would be stuck at No2.”

Andy, played by Gavin and Stacey star Mathew Horne, decides to move Country House’s release date forward to coincide with Oasis and all hell was unleashed.

The then influential music magazine NME produced a front cover with the headline, British Heavyweight Championship, Blur v Oasis.

A then 29-year-old Clive Myrie reported breathlessly for the BBC News At Ten on the brewing rivalry.

Like the Beatles and the Rolling Stones in the 1960s, the two bands divided friends and families into rival camps.

An exclusive in the The Sun revealed that Oasis-mad Mandy Vivian-Thomas had kicked out her husband Richard for being a massive Blur fan.

Richard said: “Mandy’s been a nightmare. She’s spent a fortune on trash about Oasis and the last starw was using my card to buy their record.

“I’m out on my ear but I’m hoping things will calm down.”

Headlined, You Blurty Rat, the Sun article takes centre stage in The Battle.

It’s cited by Blur guitarist Graham Coxon as a symptom of how the chart battle has seen his band drift away from their indie ideals and into the mainstream.

John explained: “It became apparent how different the two bands were because I think Noel and Liam loved being in the tabloids and wanted to be that big.

“They had no problems with having loads of reporters outside their door. They thought, ‘We want to be the biggest band in the world and this is part of it’.

“But I reckon Blur found it all much more uncomfortable, especially Graham. That when you get that big you’ve got the tabloids banging on your door.

“I think he thought, ‘This is getting crazy now.’”

In the end, it was Blur who would win the Battle of Britpop with Country House topping the charts but Oasis would go on to have a more stellar career.

John added: “Damon and Noel are pals now.

“When men are in their 20s and 30s and they’re really ambitious, they’re all claws and teeth, sharp edges and hustling.

“You hurt people trying to get where you want to be but I think as men get older in their 40s and 50s they get a lot nicer and they calm the f*** down a bit.”

John hopes the play will transfer to the West End after runs in Birmingham and Manchester.

“I don’t think we’ll see a time when two bands dominate the national consciousness in a way like that again,” he said.

“It’s almost impossible to imagine.”

TOUCH OF TARANTINO

EFFING and jeffing as he struts around the stage like a rampant chimp, George Usher has Liam Gallagher down to a tee.

I’m supping a lager in the stalls at the Birmingham Rep, where if you suck your gut in and comb your hair forwards, it could be 1995 all over again.

With blasts of their hits, and aided by newsreel and radio clips, the great Battle of Britpop is fought once again.

The dialogue is pacy, comedic and very sweary. Yet with two bands, assorted managers and girlfriends to cover, there is little time for character development.

However, just as the play seems to be running out of narrative, it plunges into a Quentin Tarantino-esque sequence.

It’s a fittingly surreal end to this parable of a drug-addled decade.

★★★☆☆

DANCE fans are going to be thrilled to hear that an iconic group from the 90s are releasing their first single in over two decades.

The Sun can also reveal that the band has also filmed the music video to go with their song.

The dance group we are referring to is none other than N-Trance, who are best known for their smash hit song, Set You Free.

Students Kevin O’Toole and Dale Longworth formed the group in 1990.

They were soon signed by Pete Waterman’s 380 Records and went onto recruit vocalist Kelly Llorenna, who was just 16 at the time.

The Sun can now reveal that the group is back together and have even released a new song, called Higher.

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The band have even recorded a brand new music video to go with it.

Higher was filmed on a race track, and features a car similar to that of Back To The Future.

The single has just dropped on YouTube and fans are already going wild for it.

One wrote: “I’m 53, born 1973 N-Trance rocked my world in my 20’s. I’m on dance floor again.”

Another said: “For a guy born in 1973 that was 22 when Set You Free blew up this is a welcome return to when dance music was proper!”

A third added: “It’s got anthem and Set You Free vibes I love it good to hear that sound back.”

A fourth was thrilled: “This is what I call a good dance song!”

N-Trance had 14 chart singles in the UK during 1994–2004, with Set You Free being their biggest single to date.

Kevin and Dale met at Oldham College, where they were studying sound engineering.

The pair decided to start making music and used their college’s free recording studio before moving on to Revolution Studios, where they produced Set You Free.

It was at this time that they met fellow student Kelly Llorenna who lent her vocals to the song.

Although the single was eventually certified Platinum, and also hit No. 2 in the charts, it wasn’t immediately popular when it was first released in 1992.

However, three years later it finally reached mainstream success, and proved lucrative for the group.

Away from N-Trance and as a solo-artist, singer Kelly dominated the mid-nineties and early 2000s charts, having bagged six UK top 10 singles thanks to her series of clubland classics. 

She had a number of hits as a solo performer, including Tell It To My Heart, Heart of Gold, and This Time I Know It’s For Real.

Her song Dress You Up reached No.1 on the dance charts in 2008.

AN iconic American actress looks completely unrecognizable after a string of legendary roles and an Oscar nomination.

The star first shot to fame in 1983 as she appeared in Scarface playing Al Pacino’s character’s sister, Gina Montana.

She starred in many huge movies back in the 80s and 90s – can you guess who?

The actress in question is none other than brunette bombshell Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, who has enjoyed an incredible career as a movie star.

Mary has recently been spotted out and about and she looks completely different to back in the day.

The 67-year-old has obviously moved on from her famous 80s curls and has opted for a more natural look often going to events makeup free.

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Mary’s style is incredibly chic, with the actress often donning shirt’s and over sized blazers.

Years ago, glamourous Mary was often seen on red carpets wearing floor length gowns and posing with her A-lister pals.

Many of Mary’s fans may recognise her from Robin Hood Prince of Thieves, where she played Maid Marion – a spy.

While Mary is probably best known for her role in Scarface she also appeared in the 1986 movie The Colour of Money, playing Carmen, which landed her the coveted Oscars Best Supporting Actress nomination.

Paul Newman and Tom Cruise appeared alongside the star in the movie, which also saw her nominated for a Golden Globe.

Her other movie roles include James Cameron’s science fiction, The Abyss with Ed Harris, she played the attorney daughter of Gene Hackman‘s character in Class Action, co-starred in the 1992 thriller Consenting Adults and played a fishing boat captain in The Perfect Storm.

The singer was also nominated for a Tony award for Best Actress in a musical back in 2003 for her work in Man of La Mancha.

As well as her impressive career as a movie star, Mary also appeared in many TV shows, the most notable being Without A Trace and Law & Order: Criminal Intent.

Mary was born in Lombard, Illinois and studied drama at the university. She worked summers at a local theme park to get her through college.

The Broadway star lived in England for over 20 years with her husband Pat O’Connor, who directed The January Man.

Mary and Pat have two sons and they all moved back to the US in the 2010s.

The movie star now works as a professional coach using her years of experience in theatre, film and prime time television.

It was a clothes brand beloved by football hooligans for decades before becoming distinctly uncool when Arsenal-supporting PM Keir Starmer picked up one of the £150 polo shirts.

But now fashion company Stone Island is undergoing another major rebrand — and has just pulled in Stephen Graham and Skepta to help make it happen.

I’m told Adolescence actor Stephen and the rapper filmed a top-secret new campaign in London last week in a bid to breathe fresh blood into the brand.

My fashion mole said: “Stephen’s stock is now sky high after Adolescence, and Stone Island want credibility.

“Stephen brings this in spades. It’s a serious deal and they think it’s going to be hugely popular.

“He is the man of the moment thanks to Adolescence, plus he’s a very cool, low-key individual, which is what Stone Island loves.

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“Bringing Skepta in on the deal keeps it edgy. He is an incredible musician and brings real integrity to Stone Island.

“His fan base is massive and there is a huge, untapped audience Stone Island thinks they can reach with him in their clothes.

“The shoot was kept under lock and key but it’s very moody and very cool, with them walking the streets in Stone Island clobber, with the famous compass badge on show.

“It’s likely the advert will be released in the coming weeks, with billboards and a massive push on social media.”

In my teenage years, Stone Island was the uniform of my school’s hardest, and definitely most stupid, kids.

Posh boy

It’s recently had a resurgence, with posh boy DJ Cassius Taylor, whose grandad was the first cousin of Queen Elizabeth, coming on board in 2024 to give the Italian company a refresh.

He said at the time he wanted to bring the influence of the British arts scene to the brand, with Ed Sheeran and later American film director Spike Lee all seen wearing Stone Island clobber.

If anyone can make it cool one more, it’s Stephen and Skepta.

Now the company just needs to put a blanket ban on Sir Keir wearing its clothes ever again.

Keep your chin up, Olivia

On her first night out since revealing she is getting divorced, I thought Olivia Attwood might be nursing a broken heart.

But it almost looked like she’d hurt her neck, too, when the reality star turned up to a showbiz London bash in this crop top, which resembled a fuzzy brace.

The ex-Love Islander recently split from footballer Bradley Dack and didn’t seem in the spirit to let her hair down at Glamour and EE’s Bafta Rising Star party in Knightsbridge, leaving after just an hour.

And fresh from news of the Pussycat Dolls reunion, Ashley Roberts was feline flirty in this sheer dress.

Other celebrities at the bash included AJ Odudu and Radio 6 Music’s Beth Ditto, who was one of the last guests standing.

You can cast your vote now on who you want to see win the Rising Star gong at the EE Baftas, which will take place on February 22.

Hopefully there’s more familiar faces letting their hair down then.

Shop ahoy for Cruz

Cruz Beckham shopped until he dropped with his bandmates The Breakers – but he kept it thrifty.

One of my pals saw the youngest son of Posh and Becks at trendy clothing shop Retro Man in Notting Hill, West London, where he spent £250 on clobber for the group.

He was also joined by his girlfriend, songwriter Jackie Apostel.

“Cruz might be absolutely loaded but he kept to a budget when he was shopping for the band,” my mate told me last night.

“They bought a £10 scarf, a top for £20 and a vest which was supposed to be £15 but the shop owner knocked off a fiver. All of them got decked out for £250.

“Cruz’s girlfriend Jackie was there and helped them choose things. They were in a really good mood and Cruz was joking around, saying the band were the next ‘Fab Four’.”

Cruz and The Breakers are on Chris Evans’s Virgin Radio UK Breakfast show this morning to promote their single For Your Love, which is out today.

Other new releases include Blue by Mae Stephens, as well as Charli XCX’s Wuthering Heights soundtrack, featuring a track co-written with Stranger Things’ Joe Keery, also known as singer Djo.

Hailey’s nightie on the town

Hailey Bieber gave husband Justin an early Valentine’s Day treat when she walked the red carpet in this sheer dress.

The beauty mogul wore the daring lacy outfit to the Sydney premiere of Wuthering Heights.

Given how racy I’ve heard the flick is, perhaps it will help spice things up at home.

She attended the event during a whirlwind promotional tour to launch her beauty brand Rhode in Oz.

Videos have shown thousands of fans lining the streets to catch a glimpse of her there, which shows how her star power has rocketed in the past few years.

It really is amazing what a bit of lip gloss can do.

Cyn sucks with Drac autocue

West End audiences are out for blood after accusing Cynthia Erivo of not learning her lines for a new production of Dracula.

The Wicked actress has given her first few performances of the show, but some punters were less than impressed by the fact she is using an autocue for lines.

To be fair, Cynthia is playing all 23 parts in the play, which means she had a hell of a lot to learn.

But some people have said she simply isn’t prepared for the part if she doesn’t know the script.

With tickets costing up to £225, I can see why they might be ticked off.

To make matters worse, the show is filled with complex filmed sections, which meant the autocue was clearly visible on massive screens.

Taking to TikTok, one peeved theatre-goer said: “It was an incredible design. It had all of this amazing tech and a stage management team that were working their butts off – it was incredible to see them at work.

“And amongst all of it you had a central performer who didn’t know her lines. She had autocues at the side of the stage that at times got caught on camera.”

“Absolutely appalling. I think at one point she was keeping an earpiece in. Was she being fed her lines by a voice off stage in the wings?”

Some have defended her, insisting the show is still only in the preview stage.

But with its official opening night on Tuesday, it sounds like Cynthia had better sink her teeth into that script.

Duff tour heads to lucky UK

Hilary Duff is heading out on the biggest tour of her career so far.

She will play arenas around the world after exceptional demand for a handful of intimate shows last month.

The former Disney child star launches The Lucky Me Tour in Florida on June 22, then brings it to the UK and Ireland in September with support from La Roux.

Hilary, whose first album in a decade, Luck . . .  Or Something, will be out a week today, will visit Dublin’s 3Arena on September 6, followed by Cardiff’s Utilita Arena, London’s O2 Arena, Manchester’s AO Arena and finally OVO Hydro in Glasgow.

A pre-sale begins on Tuesday, with tickets going on general sale next Friday.

Chain of Hope’s annual celebrity art auction is back, with Gillian Anderson, Olivia Colman, Mel B and Emma Bunton showing off creative skills alongside Fatboy Slim and Graham Norton.

The artwork is on display and available to buy at London’s Saatchi Gallery. The charity helps children from overseas who have heart disease.

Given Taylor Swift is a fan of Graham and cast him in her Opalite video, I wonder if she will snap up his work for the good cause.

Jason on track for Crimbo

It’s only February, but Jason Manford is already planning his next Christmas – complete with new tunes.

The comic reached the Top Ten with his album A Different Stage in 2017 and now wants to put out a festive album, just like Mariah Carey, Kylie Minogue and Michael Buble.

Speaking to Bizarre as part of a campaign to lift the nation’s mood with savoury snacks Cheez-Its, of all things, he said: “Because I do the pantos, I keep thinking about Christmas albums. That would be nice.”

‘Silly’ Greg in 1,000-mile relief ride

Greg James is taking one for the Radio 1 team by braving this year’s Red Nose Day challenge.

Unfortunately for the Breakfast Show host, it’s one of the hardest.

Greg, who has already done two Comic Relief challenges and raised more than £2million during his time at the station, is cycling 1,000 miles on a tandem bike.

He will be setting off from Weymouth in Dorset on March 13, then riding through Wales and England before ending up in Edinburgh on Red Nose Day, seven days later.

As well as his fellow Radio 1 DJs, Greg is going to be joined by special guests along the way.

He completed five triathlons in five days in 2016. Two years later, Greg completed Pedal to the Peaks, in which he cycled and climbed Scafell Pike, Snowdon, and Ben Nevis.

At the time, Greg vowed he’d never take on another challenge.

But there must be something in the water as he’s busy getting his Lycra on and training.

He said: “Here I am again. I thought I’d never be so silly to say yes to Comic Relief again, but why not make it a hat-trick?”

We’re right behind you, Greg.