Academy

With ‘Sinners’ and more, horror could have banner Oscars year

There’s a good chance that a horror movie will be nominated for the 2025 best picture Oscar.

And if Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners” or Guillermo del Toro’s “Frankenstein” make the cut, it will be the first time in the Academy Awards’ 97-year history that a fright film has been nominated in consecutive contests.

It’s long overdue. And if you believe part of Oscars’ purpose is to promote the industry and celebrate its achievements, there’s no better time for the academy to get over its traditional disdain for cinematic monstrosities.

As most other sectors of Hollywood’s film business look precarious — adult dramas, the traditional awards season ponies, are dropping like dead horses at the box office, while attendance for the once-mighty superhero supergenre continues to disappoint — horror has hit its highest annual gross of all time, $1.2 billion, with a good two months left to go.

“Sinners,” released in April, remains in fifth place on the domestic box office chart with $279 million. Its fellow Warner Bros. offerings “The Conjuring: Last Rites,” “Weapons” and “Final Destination: Bloodlines” occupied slots 12 through 14 as of mid-October.

Mia Goth as Elizabeth and Oscar Isaac in "Frankenstein."

Mia Goth as Elizabeth and Oscar Isaac in “Frankenstein.”

(Ken Woroner / Netflix)

“Horror has been, historically, the Rodney Dangerfield of genres,” notes Paul Dergarabedian, head of marketplace trends for global media measurement firm Comscore. “It can’t get no respect.

“But horror is very important to the industry on so many levels now,” he continues. “We have four horror movies in the top 15 this year, all of those generating over $100 million in domestic box office. And to make a significant scary horror movie, you don’t have to break the bank. Look at [‘Weapons’ filmmaker Zach Cregger’s 2022 breakout feature] ‘Barbarian’; half of that was shot in a basement.” Similarly, compare “Sinners’” $90 million price tag to “Black Panther’s” $200 million.

Horror’s popularity has gone in cycles since Universal’s run of classic monster movies in the early 1930s. But profitability has been a reliable bet more often than not — and Karloff’s “Frankenstein” and Lugosi’s “Dracula” still resonate through pop culture while most best picture winners of the same era are forgotten.

Still, it wasn’t until 1974 that “The Exorcist” received the first best picture nomination for a horror film, and ahead of the success of “The Substance” at the 2025 Oscar nominations the genre’s fortunes had only marginally improved. Indeed, many of the titles usually cited as a mark of horror’s growing foothold in awards season — “Jaws,” “The Sixth Sense,” “Black Swan,” 1991 winner “The Silence of the Lambs” — are arguably better characterized as something else entirely, or at best as hybrids. (To wit, the sole monster movie that’s won best picture, Del Toro’s 2017 “The Shape of Water,” is primarily considered a romantic fantasy.)

Ryan Coogler's "Sinners."

Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners.”

(Warner Bros. Pictures)

Fright films’ reputation for delivering cheap thrills to undiscerning audiences was often deserved, but there were always stellar horror films that the academy overlooked. And more recently, films such as “The Substance,” “Sinners” and Jordan Peele’s 2017 nominee “Get Out” have pierced ingrained voter prejudices against the genre by adding social commentary and undeniable aesthetic quality without compromising gory fundamentals.

“The horror genre really does seem to be attracting great directors who are immersed in it, have a real auteur point-of-view and make interesting movies that have horror elements but explore other themes as well,” notes The Envelope’s awards columnist, Glenn Whipp. “‘Sinners’ is Ryan Coogler’s vampire movie, but it’s also about the Jim Crow South and American blues music. How can you resist that if you’re an academy voter?”

And with horror packing in filmgoers like no other genre, high-profile nominations could help the Academy Awards broadcast attract the bigger ratings its stakeholders have been desperately seeking at least since “The Dark Knight” failed to make the best picture cut in 2008.

Austin Abrams in "Weapons."

Austin Abrams in “Weapons.”

(Warner Bros. Pictures)

“That was the whole reason we went to 10 potential nominees,” Dergarabedian recalls. “We wanted to have more blockbuster representation at the Oscars. This may be the perfect storm. If I were an academy voter, I would vote for ‘Sinners’ and ‘Weapons.’ I don’t think that’s an overstatement, given the films that have come out this year.”

Even beyond this “perfect storm,” though, Whipp sees a sea change afoot.

“Everything’s an Oscar movie now if it’s well made,” he says. “Studios aren’t really making traditional, grown-up dramas and the academy can only nominate what’s in front of them. Horror is being produced at a rate that is greater than it used to be, and at least two of these Warner movies really landed with audiences and critics. The genre is attracting some of our top filmmakers right now, and that’s something that will trickle down to the Oscars.”

“This is not a blip,” Dergarabedian concludes. “It’s a trend that feels like it’s happened overnight but it’s been a long time coming. Back in 2017 we had our first $1-billion-plus horror movie box office. If they stop making good horror movies it might be a blip, but I think Hollywood should take this and bloody run with it.”

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High school girls volleyball: Wednesday’s Southern Section playoff results

Oct. 22, 2025 10:35 PM PT

SOUTHERN SECTION PLAYOFFS

WEDNESDAY’S RESULTS
First Round

DIVISION 1
Sierra Canyon, bye
Temecula Valley d. Oaks Christian, 22-25, 26-24, 25-22, 25-23
Mira Costa d. Newport Harbor, 25-15, 25-23, 25-22
Marymount, bye
Mater Dei, bye
Harvard-Westlake d. Crean Lutheran, 25-16, 25-20, 25-14
San Juan Hills d. Los Alamitos, 25-20. 25-27, 25-11, 30-28
Redondo Union, bye

DIVISION 3
Lakewood St. Joseph d. South Torrance, 25-21, 25-22, 25-23
Crescenta Valley d. Glendora, 3-2
North Torrance d. Agoura, 25-15, 24-26, 25-16, 25-18
Flintridge Prep d. Newbury Park, 3-0
Burbank Burroughs d. Claremont, 3-0
South Pasadena d. Campbell Hall, 25-22, 19-25, 26-24, 15-25, 17-15
Foothill d. Aliso Niguel, 25-18, 25-21, 25-20
Saugus d. Santa Monica Pacifica Christian, 26-24, 28-26, 25-13
Pasadena Poly d. Santa Monica, 23-25, 27-25, 25-23, 24-26, 15-5
St. Margaret’s d. Hesperia, 3-0
El Dorado d, La Salle, 3-1
Long Beach Wilson d. Trabuco Hills, 25-17, 25-20, 25-15
Cypress d. Riverside Poly, 3-0
Village Christian d. Hemet, 3-1
Millikan d. Summit, 25-18, 25-22, 25-13

DIVISION 5
Downey d. Granite Hills, 3-2
Ontario Christian d. Warren, 25-18, 25-15, 26-24
Culver City d. Villa Park, 3-0
San Marino d. Camarillo, 25-22, 25-20, 21-25, 23-25, 15-8
Gahr d. Canyon Country Canyon, 27-25, 27-25, 25-16
Pacifica Christian d. Highland, 25-15, 25-20, 25-18
Santa Barbara d. Paraclete, 23-25, 22-25, 25-17, 25-18, 15-12
Sacred Heart LA d. Grand Terrace, 25-13, 24-26, 25-13, 26-24
Alta Loma d. Lancaster Desert Christian, 3-0
Placentia Valencia d. Jurupa Valley, 3-0
Valencia d. St. Bonaventure, 25-15, 25-18, 21-25, 25-23
Royal d. Irvine University, 25-22, 25-17, 25-17
San Gabriel d. Whitney, 3-2
El Toro d. Palm Springs, 3-1
Chadwick d. La Palma Kennedy, 3-0
Corona d. Buckley, 3-1

DIVISION 7
Ontario d. Pomona Catholic, 3-1
Elsinore d. Santa Clarita Christian, 3-1
San Jacinto Leadership d. Beverly Hills, 25-14, 25-15, 21-25, 25-16
Esperanza d. Century, 3-0
Faith Baptist d. San Jacinto Valley, 27-29, 25-20, 25-18, 25-14
West Valley d. Calvary Baptist, 3-2
Eisenhower d. Rowland, 3-2
Cate d. Laguna Blanca, 3-0
Castaic d. San Gabriel Academy, 3-0
Santa Fe d. Samueli Academy, 3-1
Tustin d. Temecula Prep, 19-25, 17-25, 25-17, 25-13, 15-11
Coastal Christian d. Chino, 3-0
Pasadena d. San Gorgonio, 25-16, 22-25, 25-17, 25-10
Geffen Academy d. Lancaster, 3-0
CAMS d. Azusa, 3-0

DIVISION 9
Beacon Hill d. Cathedral City, 3-0
Westminster La Quinta d. Redlands Adventist, 3-2
Tarbut V’ Torah d. Crossroads Christian, 25-20, 23-25, 25-23, 25-23
Avalon d. Los Amigos, 3-0
Santa Ana Valley d. Anza Hamilton, 26-24, 25-23, 17-25, 20-25, 15-12
United Christian Academy d. Ganesha, 3-1
Lawndale d. California School for the Deaf Riverside, 25-22, 21-25, 25-19, 25-20
Nogales d. Acaciawood Academy, 25-18, 25-23, 25-16
Nordhoff d. Cobalt, 25-15, 21-25, 25-12, 25-15
Estancia d. Santa Paula, 25-16, 19-25, 25-23, 25-19
Fairmont Prep d. Legacy Prep, 3-0
Buena Park d. Montclair, 3-0
Riverside North d. Cal Lutheran, 3-0
South El Monte d. Sierra Vista, 25-20, 25-18, 28-26
Loara d. Ambassador Christian, 3-0

THURSDAY’S SCHEDULE
(All matches at 6 p.m. unless noted)
Second Round

DIVISION 2
Rancho Christian at San Marcos
Long Beach Poly at Corona Centennial
San Clemente at Redlands
Santa Margarita at Chaminade, 5:30 p.m.
JSerra at Thousand Oaks
Murrieta Mesa at Bishop Montgomery
Eastvale Roosevelt at West Ranch
Orange Lutheran at Marina

DIVISION 4
Diamond Bar at Marlborough
Portola at La Canada
Quartz Hill at Dana Hills
Corona Santiago at Crossroads
San Jacinto at Linfield Christian
Ridgecrest Burroughs at Oak Park, 5 p.m.
Ventura at Yucaipa
Paloma Valley at Cerritos

DIVISION 6
Oakwood at Garden Grove Pacifica
Pasadena Marshall at Norwalk
Arrowhead Christian at South Hills
St. Paul at Cantwell-Sacred Heart
Wiseburn Da Vinci at Bishop Diego
Burbank Providence at Lakewood
Norte Vista at Capistrano Valley Christian
Valley View at Barstow

DIVISION 7
Bell Gardens at Wildomar Cornerstone Christian, 5 p.m.

DIVISION 8
Foothill Tech at Rancho Alamitos
Wildwood at Malibu
Victor Valley at Arroyo Valley
Schurr at Whittier
Paramount at Canoga Park AGBU
Loma Linda Academy at Katella
Vistamar at Lighthouse Christian
de Toledo at Artesia

DIVISION 9
Miller at Victor Valley Christian

DIVISION 10
Colton at River Springs Magnolia
Thacher at Edgewood
Anaheim at Hueneme
Indian Springs at Rosemead
Desert Hot Springs at San Luis Obispo Classical
Mesa Grande at Lakeside
Bassett at Moreno Valley
Pacific Lutheran at Glendale Adventist

Note: Divisions 3, 5, 7, 9 second round Oct. 25; Division 1 quarterfinals Oct. 28; Divisions 2-10 quarterfinals Oct. 29; semifinals Nov. 1; finals Nov. 8.

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High school girls volleyball: Southern Section playoff results

Oct. 21, 2025 10:33 PM PT

SOUTHERN SECTION PLAYOFFS

TUESDAY’S RESULTS

First Round

DIVISION 2
Rancho Christian d. Rosary, 3-2
San Marcos d. Murrieta Valley, 3-0
Long Beach Poly d. Yorba Linda, 18-25, 25-23, 25-14, 26-24
Corona Centennial d. Beaumont, 3-0
San Clemente d. Louisville, 25-16, 25-13, 25-17
Redlands d. Etiwanda, 25-21, 25-16, 25-7
Chaminade d. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, 25-14, 25-14, 25-23
Santa Margarita d. Los Osos, 3-0
Thousand Oaks d. She Hill, 3-0
JSerra d. Windward, 3-0
Murrieta Mesa d. El Segundo, 25-12, 25-23, 25-13
Bishop Montgomery d. Xavier Prep, 25-8, 25-10, 25-12
West Ranch d. Tesoro, 3-0
Eastvale Roosevelt d. Bishop Amat, 3-0
Orange Lutheran d. Sunny Hills, 3-0
Marina d. Cerritos Valley Christian, 3-1

DIVISION 3
Corona del Mar d. Mayfield, 25-20, 25-14, 20-25 20-25, 15-12

DIVISION 4
Marlborough, bye
Diamond Bar d. Heritage Christian, 19-25, 25-17, 19-25, 26-24, 15-8
Portola d. Western Christian, 3-0
La Canada d. San Dimas, 25-17, 25-20, 25-18
Dana Hills d. Arcadia, 25-10, 25-17, 25-17
Quartz Hill d.Fullerton, 3-0
Crossroads d. Southlands Christian, 3-0
Corona Santiago d. Peninsula, 3-1
San Jacinto d. Palm Desert, 3-0
Linfield Christian d. Hesperia Christian, 25-11, 25-22. 25-8
Oak Park d. Sultana, 19-25, 25-16, 25-25-21, 25-23
Ridgecrest Burroughs d. Northview, 25-21, 25-14, 25-18
Ventura d. Rancho Cucamonga, 25-16, 25-18, 25-18
Yucaipa d. Santa Rosa Academy, 3-2
Cerritos d. West Torrance, 3-2
Paloma Valley d. La Serna, 3-1

DIVISION 6
Oakwood d. Desert Christian Academy, 3-0
Garden Grove Pacifica d. Western, 3-0
Norwalk d. Trinity Classical Academy, 3-1
Pasadena Marshall d. Charter Oak, 3-2
Arrowhead Christian d. Gabrielino, 3-1
South Hills d. Coachella Valley, 3-1
St. Paul d. Rialto, 3-1
Cantwell-Sacred Heart d. Academy of Academic Excellence, 25-23, 25-20, 25-15
Wiseburn Da Vinci d. Oxnard, 25-19, 25-19, 25-21
Bishop Diego d. Indio, 19-25, 25-22, 25-11, 25-10
Lakewood d. Woodcrest Christian, 3-2
Burbank Providence d. Rim of the World, 25-8, 25-14, 17-25, 25-20
Norte Vista d. Ocean View, 3-1
Capistrano Valley Christian d. Webb, 25-8, 25-16, 25-11
Valley View d. Segerstrom, 3-2
Barstow d. Oxford Academy, 3-2

DIVISION 8
Foothill Tech d. University Prep, 25-18, 25-11, 22-25, 25-14
Rancho Alamitos d. Holy Martyrs, 3-2
Wildwood d. Santa Maria Valley Christian, 25-16, 25-21, 25-17
Malibu d. Firebaugh, 3-1
Arroyo Valley d. St. Pius-St. Matthias Academy, 3-0
Victor Valley d. Big Bear, 3-0
Whittier d. Rancho Verde, 3-0
Schurr d. Eastside, 3-0
Paramount d. Pilibos, 3-0
Canoga Park AGBU d. Downey Calvary Chapel, 3-2
Loma Linda Academy d. Garden Grove, 3-1
Katella d. St. Monica Academy, 3-1
Lighthouse Christian d. St. Mary’s Academy, 3-2
Vistamar d. Patriot, 3-1
de Toledo d. Santa Ana Calvary Chapel, 3-2
Artesia d. Ramona Convent, 3-0

DIVISION 10
River Springs Magnolia d. Noli Indian, 3-0
Colton d. Packinghouse Christian, 25-21, 27-25, 27-25
Edgewood d. Newbury Park Academy, 3-1
Thacher d. Lucerne Valley, 3-0
Anaheim d. Joshua Springs, 3-0
Hueneme d. New Covenant, 3-0
Rosemead d. Compton Early College, 3-0
Indian Springs d. Santa Barbara Providence, 25-23, 25-21, 13-25, 25-7
San Luis Obispo Classical d. Desert Chapel, 25-15, 25-15, 25-18
Desert Hot Springs d. Gorman, 3-0
Lakeside d. Waverly, 3-0
Mesa Grande d. San Bernardino, 3-0
Bassett d. Animo Leadership, 3-1
Moreno Valley d. Mesrobian, 3-0
Pacific Lutheran d. Highland Hall, 25-16, 25-16, 25-14
Glendale Adventist d. Oak Grove, 3-0

WEDNESDAY’S SCHEDULE
(All matches at 6 p.m. unless noted)

First Round

DIVISION 1
Sierra Canyon, bye
Oaks Christian at Temecula Valley
Newport Harbor at Mira Costa
Marymount, bye
Mater Dei, bye
Crean Lutheran at Harvard- Westlake
Los Alamitos at San Juan Hills
Redondo Union, bye

DIVISION 3
Lakewood St. Joseph at South Torrance
Crescenta Valley at Glendora
Agoura at North Torrance
Newbury Park at Flintridge Prep
Claremont at Burbank Burroughs
Campbell Hall at South Pasadena
Aliso Niguel at Foothill
Santa Monica Pacifica Christian at Saugus
Santa Monica at Pasadena Poly
Hesperia at St. Margaret’s
La Salle at El Dorado
Trabuco Hills at Long Beach Wilson
Riverside Poly at Cypress
Village Christian at Hemet
Summit at Millikan

DIVISION 5
Granite Hills at Downey
Warren at Ontario Christian
Villa Park at Culver City
San Marino at Camarillo
Canyon Country Canyon at Gahr
Highland at Orange County Pacifica Christian
Paraclete at Santa Barbara
Grand Terrace at Sacred Heart LA
Lancaster Desert Christian at Alta Loma
Jurupa Valley at Placentia Valencia
St. Bonaventure at Valencia
Irvine University at Royal
Whitney at San Gabriel
Palm Springs at El Toro
Chadwick at La Palma Kennedy
Buckley at Corona

DIVISION 7
Pomona Catholic at Ontario
Santa Clarita Christian at Elsinore
Beverly Hills at San Jacinto Leadership Academy
Century at Esperanza
San Jacinto Valley at Faith Baptist
Calvary Baptist at West Valley
Rowland at Eisenhower
Bell Gardens at Wildomar Cornerstone Christian
Laguna Blanca at Cate
San Gabriel Academy at Santa Fe
Tustin at Temecula Prep
Chino at Coastal Christian
San Gorgonio at Pasadena
Geffen Academy at Lancaster
Azusa at CAMS

DIVISION 9
Cathedral City at Beacon Hill
Redlands Adventist at Westminster La Quinta
Tarbut V’ Torah at Crossroads Christian
Avalon at Los Amigos
Santa Ana Valley at Anza Hamilton
Ganesha at United Christian Academy
California School for the Deaf Riverside at Lawndale
Acaciawood Academy at Nogales
Cobalt at Nordhoff
Santa Paula at Estancia
Legacy Prep at Fairmont Prep
Montclair at Buena Park
Cal Lutheran at Riverside North
Miller at Victor Valley Christian
Sierra Vista at South El Monte
Ambassador Christian at Loara

Note: Divisions 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 second round Oct. 23; Divisions 3, 5, 7, 9 second round Oct. 25; Division 1 quarterfinals Oct. 28; Divisions 2-10 quarterfinals Oct. 29; semifinals Nov. 1; finals Nov. 8.

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Academy Museum Gala: Best looks from the red carpet

The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures held its fifth annual star-studded fundraising gala Saturday at its Wilshire Boulevard campus.

An unrecognizable Kim Kardashian, Selena Gomez, Demi Moore and Elle and Dakota Fanning were among the celebrity guests at the event, which debuted in 2021 upon the film museum’s long-awaited opening. The gala raises funds for museum exhibitions, education initiatives and public programming.

The Academy Museum collected more than $11 million in donations at last year’s gala, which honored Quentin Tarantino, Paul Mescal and Rita Moreno.

This year’s gala honorees included actor Penélope Cruz, director Walter Salles, comedian Bowen Yang and musician Bruce Springsteen, who was presented with the inaugural Legacy Award and performed live at the ceremony. A biopic about the rock legend, starring “The Bear’s” Jeremy Allen White, hits theaters Oct. 24.

Springsteen and Cruz, the recipient of this year’s Icon Award, are both Academy Award winners, the former for his original song “Streets of Philadelphia” — which he wrote for Tom Hanks’ 1993 legal drama “Philadelphia” — and the latter for her role in “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” (2008).

Salles, presented with the Luminary Award for innovative filmmaking, last year gave Brazil its first Academy Award for international film with his moving family drama “I’m Still Here.” Fernanda Torres was also nominated for her role as the Paiva family matriarch in the 2024 movie.

Yang received the Vantage Award, “honoring an artist or scholar who has helped to contextualize and challenge dominant narratives around cinema.” The “SNL” darling and “Las Culturistas” podcast host will return as Glinda’s sidekick Pfannee in “Wicked: For Good,” hitting theaters Nov. 21.

Gala attendees spared no expense with their donations or their ensembles, with Jenna Ortega wearing a futuristic Grace Ling halter top, Rachel Zegler channeling Old Hollywood in Tamara Ralph Couture, Olivia Rodrigo sporting vintage Giorgio Armani Privé and Eva Longoria rocking Elie Saab.

Here are the best looks, captured by Times photographer Eric Thayer.

Jeremy Allen White

Jeremy Allen White poses in a tuxedo.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

Jenna Ortega

Jenna Ortega wears a halter top and skirt.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

Amanda Seyfried

Amanda Seyfried wears a black dress.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

Zoe Kravitz

Zoe Kravitz looks to the side.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

Kendall Jenner and Hailey Bieber

Kendall Jenner and Hailey Bieber pose together.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

Penelope Cruz

Penelope Cruz wears a white gown.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

George Clooney

George Clooney poses in a tux.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

Kirsten Dunst

Kirsten Dunst wears a nude dress with floral appliques.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

Eddie Redmayne

Eddie Redmayne poses in a suit.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

Bruce Springsteen and Martin Scorsese

Bruce Springsteen and Martin Scorsese post together.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco

Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco pose on the red carpet.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

Zoey Deutch

Zoey Deutch holds up her gown.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

Demi Moore

Demi Moore wears a red gown.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

Charli XCX

Charli XCX wears a black gown.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

Michelle Monaghan

Michelle Monaghan wears a purple gown covered in florals.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

Elle Fanning

Elle Fanning wears a gown with a red feathered skit.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

Addison Rae

Addison Rae wears a silver gown.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

Channing Tatum

Channing Tatum wears a brown suit.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

Jon Hamm and Anna Osceola

Jon Hamm and Anna Osceola pose together.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times )

Rachel Zegler

Rachel Zegler wears a fuchsia gown with matching gloves.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

Cara Delevingne

Cara Delevingne wears a silver gown.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

Jeremy Strong

Jeremy Strong wears a red suit jacket and sunglasses.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

Dakota Fanning

Dakota Fanning wears a gown white gown with black flowers.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

Mikey Madison

Mikey Madison wears a sheer, sleeved gown.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

Laura Dern

Laura Dern wears a white gown with feathers.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

Sydney Sweeney

Sydney Sweeney wears a black gown.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

Joey King

Joey King wears a black gown with thin cutouts.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

Alison Brie and Dave Franco

Alison Brie and Dave Franco pose together.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

Kate Hudson

Kate Hudson wears a strapless white gown.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

Billy Crudup and Naomi Watts

Billy Crudup and Naomi Watts pose together.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

Jennifer Hudson

Jennifer Hudson wears a corset dress.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

Leslie Bibb

Leslie Bibb wears a red dress with side cutouts.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

Eva Longoria

Eva Longoria wears a pale pink gown.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

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High school girls volleyball Southern Section playoff schedule

Oct. 18, 2025 12:16 PM PT

HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS VOLLEYBALL

SOUTHERN SECTION PLAYOFFS

(All matches at 6 p.m. unless noted)

TUESDAY’S SCHEDULE

First Round

DIVISION 2

Rosary Academy at Rancho Christian

Murrieta Valley at San Marcos

Yorba Linda at Long Beach Poly

Beaumont at Corona Centennial

Louisville at San Clemente

Etiwanda at Redlands

Chaminade at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame

Los Osos at Santa Margarita

Sage Hill at Thousand Oaks

Windward at JSerra

El Segundo at Murrieta Mesa

Xavier Prep at Bishop Montgomery

Tesoro at West Ranch

Bishop Amat at Eastvale Roosevelt

Sunny Hills at Orange Lutheran

Marina at Cerritos Valley Christian

DIVISION 4

Marlborough, bye

Heritage Christian at Diamond Bar

Western Christian at Portola

La Canada at San Dimas

Arcadia at Dana Hills

Fullerton at Quartz Hill

Crossroads at Southlands Christian

Peninsula at Corona Santiago

Palm Desert at San Jacinto

Hesperia Christian at Linfield Christian

Sultana at Oak Park

Northview at Ridgecrest Burroughs

Rancho Cucamonga at Ventura

Yucaipa at Santa Rosa Academy

Cerritos at West Torrance

La Serna at Paloma Valley

DIVISION 6

Desert Christian Academy at Oakwood

Western at Garden Grove Pacifica

Norwalk at Trinity Classical Academy

Pasadena Marshall at Charter Oak

Gabrielino at Arrowhead Christian

South Hills at Coachella Valley

Rialto at St. Paul

Cantwell-Sacred Heart at Academy of Academic Excellence

Oxnard at Wiseburn Da Vinci

Indio at Bishop Diego

Lakewood at Woodcrest Christian

Rim of the World at Burbank Providence

Norte Vista at Ocean View

Capistrano Valley Christian at Webb

Segerstrom at Valley View

Oxford Academy at Barstow

DIVISION 8

University Prep at Foothill Tech

Holy Martyrs at Rancho Alamitos

Santa Maria Valley Christian at Wildwood

Malibu at Firebaugh

St. Pius-St. Matthias Academy at Arroyo Valley

Big Bear at Victor Valley

Rancho Verde at Whittier

Eastside at Schurr

Pilibos at Paramount

Canoga Park AGBU at Downey Calvary Chapel

Garden Grove at Loma Linda Academy

St. Monica Academy at Katella

Lighthouse Christian at St. Mary’s Academy

Patriot at Vistamar

Santa Ana Calvary Chapel at Artesia

DIVISION 10

Noli Indian at River Springs Magnolia

Packinghouse Christian at Colton

Edgewood at Newbury Park Academy

Lucerne Valley at Thacher

Joshua Springs at Anaheim

New Covenant at Hueneme

Compton Early College at Rosemead

Santa Barbara Providence at Indian Springs

Desert Chapel at San Luis Obispo Classical

Gorman at Desert Hot Springs

Waverly at Lakeside

San Bernardino at Mesa Grande

Animo Leadership at Bassett

Mesrobian at Moreno Valley

Highland Hall at Pacific Lutheran

Oak Grove at Glendale Adventist

WEDNESDAY’S SCHEDULE

First Round

DIVISION 1

Sierra Canyon, bye

Oaks Christian at Temecula Valley

Newport Harbor at Mira Costa

Marymount, bye

Mater Dei, bye

Crean Lutheran at Harvard- Westlake

Los Alamitos at San Juan Hills

Redondo Union, bye

DIVISION 3

Lakewood St. Joseph at South Torrance

Crescenta Valley at Glendora

Agoura at North Torrance

Newbury Park at Flintridge Prep

Mayfield at Corona del Mar

Claremont at Burbank Burroughs

Campbell Hall at South Pasadena

Aliso Niguel at Foothill

Santa Monica Pacifica Christian at Saugus

Santa Monica at Pasadena Poly

Hesperia at St. Margaret’s

La Salle at El Dorado

Trabuco Hills at Long Beach Wilson

Riverside Poly at Cypress

Village Christian at Hemet

Summit at Millikan

DIVISION 5

Granite Hills at Downey

Warren at Ontario Christian

Villa Park at Culver City

San Marino at Camarillo

Canyon Country Canyon at Gahr

Highland at Orange County Pacifica Christian

Paraclete at Santa Barbara

Grand Terrace at Sacred Heart LA

Lancaster Desert Christian at Alta Loma

Jurupa Valley at Placentia Valencia

St. Bonaventure at Valencia

Irvine University at Royal

Whitney at San Gabriel

Palm Springs at El Toro

Chadwick at La Palma Kennedy

Buckley at Corona

DIVISION 7

Pomona Catholic at Ontario

Santa Clarita Christian at Elsinore

Beverly Hills at San Jacinto Leadership Academy

Century at Esperanza

San Jacinto Valley at Faith Baptist

Calvary Baptist at West Valley

Rowland at Eisenhower

Bell Gardens at Wildomar Cornerstone Christian

Laguna Blanca at Cate

San Gabriel Academy at Santa Fe

Tustin at Temecula Prep

Chino at Coastal Christian

San Gorgonio at Pasadena

Geffen Academy at Lancaster

Azusa at CAMS

DIVISION 9

Cathedral City at Beacon Hill

Redlands Adventist at Westminster La Quinta

Tarbut V’ Torah at Crossroads Christian

Avalon at Los Amigos

Santa Ana Valley at Anza Hamilton

Ganesha at United Christian Academy

California School for the Deaf Riverside at Lawndale

Acaciawood Academy at Nogales

Cobalt at Nordhoff

Santa Paula at Estancia

Legacy Prep at Fairmont Prep

Montclair at Buena Park

Cal Lutheran at Riverside North

Miller at Victor Valley Christian

Sierra Vista at South El Monte

Ambassador Christian at Loara

Note: Divisions 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 second round Oct. 23; Divisions 3, 5, 7, 9 second round Oct. 25; Division 1 quarterfinals Oct. 28; Divisions 2-10 quarterfinals Oct. 29; semifinals Nov. 1; finals Nov. 8.

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Trump: Investigate $335M Air Force Academy Chapel renovation

Oct. 17 (UPI) — A nine-year, $335 million restoration of the U.S. Air Force Academy Chapel has President Donald Trump calling for a federal investigation into the matter.

The president in a social media post on Thursday called the cadet chapel in Colorado Springs, Colo., a “construction disaster” since it was built in 1962 and said the current renovation is projected to be finished in 2028.

“The earlier stories are that it leaked on day one, and that was the good part,” Trump said on Truth Social.

“Hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent,” he explained. “The renovation, which essentially has been going on since the day it was built, is now projected to go on until 2028.”

He said a newly revised budget adds $90 million to the renovation cost, which now is $335 million from its prior $247 million budget.

“This mess should be investigated,” Trump added. “Very unfair to the cadets — a complete architectural catastrophe!”

The Defense Department in August awarded a contract that exceeds $88 million to the JE Dunn Construction Co. to renovate the chapel, which is projected to be finished in November 2028, The Hill reported.

Officials at the Air Force Civil Engineer Center are overseeing the renovation project and said the additional funds will cover additional costs after encountering unexpected problems.

The chapel has been closed since October 2019 as the restoration project began, but the discovery of asbestos and other issues has delayed the renovation and greatly raised its cost from an original estimate of $158 million, according to KOAA-TV.

The current construction cost estimate is nearly half the cost to renovate the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, which was completed twice as fast.

The latest nearly $90 million project allocation from the Defense Department boosted the total cost by 36% from $247 million.

The project “ensures the long-term structural integrity and watertightness of the Cadet Chapel and will resolve issues that have plagued the building since its opening 60 years ago,” the AFCEC said.

The facility leaked water from the moment it opened in 1962 and underwent numerous “Band-Aid fixes” over the years, USAFA architect Duane Boyle said during an April 2024 news conference.

The 150-foot-tall, 52,000-square-foot chapel is comprised of 17 triangular spires that give it an aircraft-like appearance.

It was one of the first modernist-style structures built in the United States and is “one of the most seminal pieces of modern architecture in the United States,” Neal Evers, Colorado University-Boulder Environmental Design Department professor, told KOAA-TV.

He said the chapel was designed and built when modernist-style architecture “was really taking off in the ’50s.”

Evers said it’s unfair to compare the project’s cost and time to other restoration projects, but he acknowledged it is a “problem” when the initial five-year timeline is extended to nearly 10.

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Magicians’ club votes to give control of the Magic Castle to its landlord

The conjurers have decided to stay put at Hollywood’s Magic Castle.

In a membership vote of the Academy of Magical Arts that concluded Monday, members say that about 92% of those voting endorsed a reorganization plan designed to give control over the castle’s operations and revenue to a company owned by Magic Castle landlord Randy Pitchford.

As part of the deal, AMA members can continue to use the castle as their clubhouse. The AMA, a nonprofit group, would continue to promote magic, running educational efforts and awards programs.

If the magicians had voted no, they would have needed to find a new venue at the expiration of their lease on Dec. 31, 2028.

Members said they received results by email from the academy Tuesday morning, with tallies showing a 1,038-89 vote to approve changes to AMA bylaws and a 1,043-84 vote to approve changes to AMA articles of incorporation. The vote “will provide a strong foundation for the future of the Academy of Magical Arts,” wrote Christopher Grant, president of the AMA board of directors, in an email to members. The Magic Castle remains open daily and leaders have vowed a swift transition to new management.

Leaders of the AMA and Magic Castle Enterprises — the Pitchford-owned company taking over operations — declined to comment on the results. An AMA spokesperson said “the AMA and MCE treat membership proceedings as private club matters and therefore refrain from public comment on internal processes.”

The AMA’s membership was recently put at 4,664, suggesting that most academy members didn’t vote.

In the run-up to voting, some members said they were not being told enough about what the AMA gets out of the deal. Several academy members said that moving from their historic home could deeply damage the AMA.

“We’ve given up a significant portion of self-governance for an undefined and indefinite occupancy,” said Ralph Shelton, a longtime AMA member and attorney who opposed the proposal.

Soon after reporting vote totals on Tuesday morning, AMA leadership sent another missive saying that veteran Magic Castle general manager Hervé Lévy was leaving his position, effective Tuesday. Lévy was not immediately available for comment.

A photograph of the original mansion at the Magic Castle.

The Magic Castle opened in 1963.

(Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)

The Magic Castle, a 1909 Edwardian-style mansion, opened in 1963 as a clubhouse and performance venue for the Academy of Magical Arts, a nonprofit group founded by the Larsen family. The membership vote, conducted Sept. 8 through 29, follows several dramatic changes for Pitchford, the Magic Castle and the Academy of Magical Arts.

Despite trouble in 2020, when the pandemic shut it down and a Times investigation detailed allegations of sexual harassment and racism, the mansion reopened in 2021 amid a leadership overhaul.

Pitchford, 54, is a longtime academy member, having married his wife, Kristy Pitchford, in the castle in 1997. His Texas-based company, Gearbox Entertainment, created the popular Borderlands video game franchise. When he bought the Magic Castle building in 2022, he inherited a lease that allows the AMA to remain at the castle through December 2028. Rather than negotiating to extend that pact, Pitchford and his team MCE have been working on plans for a dramatic reorganization.

With the changes, Pitchford’s MCE is to gain control of castle operations, including its restaurant, bar, gift shop and valet parking. Also, MCE will get to nominate two members to the AMA board, which will shrink from nine members to five.

Some members expressed faith in Pitchford’s long history with the Magic Castle and noted that two members of academy’s pioneering Larsen family hold key positions with MCE. During the voting period, longtime AMA member Christopher Hart, who serves as chair of the academy’s board of trustees, said, “I think [Pitchford] has tried to do everything in his power to preserve the nature of this iconic place.”

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I got a first look at the new Lego Masters Academy and it’s changed the way I parent

We got a first look at the new Lego Masters Academy in Denmark, and with near-constant messages about the dangers of kids in the online world, it gave us a whole new outlook on parenting

At a time where parents are inundated with warnings about the dangers to our kids of the online world and the reduction in free and imaginative play, raising happy and healthy kids can feel daunting. But after a visit to the new Lego Masters Academy at Denmark’s Lego House, I was given a much-needed reminder that all is not lost – and it has genuinely changed how I interact and spend time with my two primary school-aged kids.

We were already a Lego family, with a smattering of neurodivergency all around, but it’s never really been something we’ve enjoyed together, more a solitary pursuit. I’ve learnt there’s a big difference between just whacking up a set by following instructions, and actually sitting down and chatting about how to build the “best castle drawbridge”, or “a fruit bowl with a flat bottom”, to name some recent genuine examples.

There are now several surfaces around our home with various Lego creations on them, and every one of them is an opportunity (which we can’t and don’t always take, of course) to just be together. With the company recently reporting record-high sales figures, I would assume I’m not the only parent with the same idea….

What is the Lego House?

Not to be mistaken with the nearby LegoLAND® Billund Resort, Lego House is officially the Home of the Brick. It’s part interactive museum, part all-you-can-build Lego building buffet, and overall an incredible place to take kids (and adults).

The newly-opened Lego Masters Academy

If you haven’t seen the reality TV show Lego Masters on Channel 4, check it out. It started in the UK in 2017 and has since exploded in popularity, with versions now running in Australia, France, Japan, the United States, Germany, Norway and South Korea, and more.

Teams compete to build the best Lego project, as per the brief, until there’s only one winning team left.

The new Lego Masters Academy at Lego House essentially takes some of the incredible skills you see on the TV show, and breaks them up into teachable segments so even the most basic Lego builder can feel confident veering away from the step-by-step instruction booklets and creating something from their imagination.

What

If you’re not a Lego superfan, you may not know that certain building techniques have names (the Lowell sphere, for example, which is explained in the Level 3 session), but they do.

The SNOT technique is another one, which means Studs Not On Top, and allows the creator to build outwards, on-the-round, and sideways, rather than just stacking high.

What do you do at Lego Masters Academy?

Think classroom learning, but intensely fun. You (and your friends/family), are seated at tables facing a (human) Lego teacher, with a large screen used for instructions above them. The room itself is a thing of beauty, with almost floor-to-ceiling pick-a-brick shelves full of almost every type and colour of brick imaginable.

Both of our ‘classes’ included a mix of guided instructions and free building to a theme – for example, “give your character something to shade them”, and “your figure needs to climb high, build something for them to stand on”.

There are four different levels, focusing on creativity, storytelling, technical building, and teamwork. As of today, Levels 1 and 3 are available to book, Levels 2 and 4 will be coming in 2026.

Level 1 – Family Fun – described as a ‘playful introduction to Lego creativity’. Great for families and casual builders.

Level 2 – Build Me Up – a way to improve on basic building skills and learn how to take things to ‘the next level’.

Level 3 – aROUND the bricks we go – all about refining and improving some of the basic skills (learning the Lowell Sphere and SNOT, for example).

Level 4 – Mastery – perfect for ‘aspiring designers and Lego Masters’ who want to push their skills to the limit.

As well as walking away with some new Lego engineering skills, you’re also able to take home what you’ve built. You might also want to bear this in mind when choosing what pieces you pick to use during the free-build elements of the classes (but don’t let that distract you from the fun of the lesson, the Lego House Store is well stocked with individual blocks.)

Where to eat in Lego House

It’s very easy to take a packed lunch into Lego House and pop outside to eat, but the MINI CHEF restaurant is well worth a visit but we were advised to book our table ahead of our visit.

Diners choose their foods using coloured Lego bricks – red for protein, green for salads/vegetable, blue for energy/carbohydrates – with different shapes identifying different dishes, and the prices are set per meal. It’s a small but varied menu, and adults get to choose from an extra list of dishes (using a special black brick!) and kids get a special surprise if they attach a yellow brick.

The food is surprisingly delicious (our dishes included Scandinavian salmon, veggie meatballs and Danish chicken thigh) and without wanting to ruin any surprises – delivered in an appropriately themed-box via two very special Lego robots.

  • FYI – MINI CHEF will be temporarily closed for renovations from 27 October 2025 to March 2026.
  • Prices as of September 2025 – 229DKK adults, 135DKK kids

There’s also the BRICKACCINO cafe serving fresh snacks, desserts, sandwiches and hot and cold drinks.

How to get to Lego House from the UK

You can fly directly to Billund, Denmark, from the UK’s London airports, but will need to transfer if flying from elsewhere.

Alternatively, there are regular flights to Copenhagen, and then it’s a very beautiful and comfortable two-hour train from the city’s main train station, København H, followed by a 40-minute bus ride.

We did this and aside from adding a few hours to the travel time, the trains and buses were so easy to navigate via the DSB app, that it was part of the adventure, rather than an added stress.

What are the best bits of Lego House?

The Experience zones are split into four sections – Red, Yellow, Green and Blue Zones, and each Zone has a huge number of interactive stations where you can build to your heart’s content.

The Lego sea animal aquarium was a big hit for our family, where we got to see our Lego fishy creations swim off into a huge animated aquarium. There’s also a Lego minifigure mood changer, where we saw our built characters come to life and dance on a digital stage.

There’s heavy emphasis on the ‘experience’ elements of the House, it isn’t just a shrine to incredible creations behind glass – but there are plenty of these in the Masterpiece Gallery if you want to see what some of the biggest names in AFOL (Adult Fans of Lego) have created. Prepared to be wow-ed.

The History Collection explores the history of Lego, and includes hundreds of the company’s most popular and famous sets, as well as explanations about how this simple studded brick became so iconic.

What shou

Of course it wouldn’t be a Lego experience without a Lego store. But this one is unique. Here, you can buy sets that are exclusive to the House, such as the famous Wooden Duck, which was one of the first Lego toys made, and dates back to the 1930s.

There’s also the Lego House Architecture set, true to scale and complete with the iconic coloured roof.

Tip – the store is busiest as it nears closing time (the Experience zones close at 4pm, and the House and store close at 5pm). So, if you’re organised and know what you want, consider heading there earlier in the day so you don’t panic buy or miss out. That said, it wasn’t too busy for us and we had plenty of time to create our exclusive Lego House minifigures as well as pick up the exclusive set, and a pack-a-brick box (or four).

How much does it cost to visit Lego House and what time is it open?

  • Entry to LEGO House : £32
  • Masters Academy session: From £23 per/person per session

Standard opening hours:

  • LEGO House: 9.30am to 5pm
  • Experience zones: 10am to 4pm
  • Mini Chef: 11am to 4pm

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Magic Castle owner wants control of its operations

A Hollywood institution known for mystery, deception and drama, the Magic Castle is now gripped by a new variety of suspense.

Magic Castle mansion owner Randy Pitchford, who bought the establishment in 2022, has presented a reorganization plan to his tenant, the Academy of Magical Arts. The AMA is the nonprofit club that operates the castle and whose performer-members have helped build it into one of the world’s top venues for magic.

In a series of proposals, Pitchford has offered AMA members a choice between embracing his plan — which gives him control over castle operations and most revenue — or finding another clubhouse when the academy’s lease expires Dec. 31, 2028.

Members have until Sept. 29 to decide.

With backing from the AMA’s board of directors, Pitchford presents this moment as a chance for the academy to secure a vibrant future for the Magic Castle while preserving its legacy.

But the proposal is causing “division, fracturing and confusion” among many AMA members, as one magician, Ralph Shelton, put it. Some members, who asked not to publish their names, told The Times they believe that Pitchford is using an ultimatum to take control of the castle. Other members say they simply worry that Pitchford is giving AMA members too little information.

“The easiest people to fool are magicians and scientists,” said Shelton, a Huntington Beach attorney who put himself through law school by doing magic. “You know what they’re looking for and you work around that.”

Pitchford did not immediately respond Thursday to requests for comment on the allegation that he is using an ultimatum to take control of the castle. But Pitchford and his team had said that by taking over the risks and rewards that come with running the Castle, his company is freeing up the AMA to focus on its non-commercial mission — promoting magic — “for as long as it wishes to use the Magic Castle as its clubhouse.”

Since Sept. 8, the academy’s 4,664 members have been casting electronic votes on whether to change the organization’s bylaws and other documents to allow the proposed realignment. In previous polling, the members who voted have heavily favored a deal. A “yes” vote would mean the reorganization would begin as soon as Oct. 1.

An owl where guest say the password to enter the Magic Castle.

At the Magic Castle, guests say a secret password to enter.

(Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)

Pitchford learned magic at the castle before building a video game empire as the co-founder of Gearbox Entertainment. In a Sept. 9 statement to The Times, he noted that he and his wife were married in the Magic Castle’s Palace of Mystery in 1997, “so our investment into its preservation and quality is quite personal to us.”

As an AMA member for more than 30 years, he said he is “thrilled that the Academy of Magical Arts, with the overwhelming support of the membership, are our ally in forging a bold, mission-first partnership for at least the next 30 years of magic at the Magic Castle.”

The Magic Castle, a 1909 Edwardian-style mansion, opened in 1963 as a clubhouse and performance venue for the Academy of Magical Arts, which was founded and sustained for years by the Larsen family. From the start, the academy was a tenant in the building, leasing from private owners, the Glover family, on terms often described as “a handshake deal.”

For decades, visitors have been drawn by the idea of dressing to the nines and roaming room to room, sipping cocktails as conjurers and sleight-of-hand artists ply their trade. Performers and members have included Cary Grant, Johnny Carson, Orson Welles, Jason Alexander, Neil Patrick Harris and Larry Wilmore (who sits on the board of directors). Exclusivity is part of the appeal, too. To get in, most guests need an invite from a member.

The enterprise ran into trouble in 2020 when the pandemic shut it down and a Times investigation detailed allegations of sexual harassment, groping and racism. In 2021, the mansion reopened amid a leadership overhaul.

Erika Larsen, president of Magic Castle Enterprises, and mansion owner Randy Pitchford.

Erika Larsen, president of Magic Castle Enterprises, and mansion owner Randy Pitchford.

(Tara Ziemba / Getty Images)

The latest chapter in the castle’s story began in April 2022 when Pitchford bought the property from its longtime landlords, the Glover family.

Pitchford, 54, whose Texas-based company created the popular Borderlands video game franchise, is a controversial figure in the video game industry. His purchase of the castle, valued by the L.A. County Assessor at $50 million, also included an adjacent apartment building and the 33-unit Magic Hotel next door.

About the same time as the castle purchase, Pitchford also bought intellectual property rights to the Magic Castle name from Milt Larsen, who died in 2023.

When Pitchford was announced as buyer of the castle, many academy members voiced optimism. “We were absolutely thrilled beyond measure,” said Paul Kott, an Anaheim-based commercial and residential real estate broker who has been an AMA member for 50 years. “We know his heart wants to dedicate this place to the art of magic.”

To manage the new holdings, Pitchford and his wife, Kristy Pitchford, created companies called Magic Castle Enterprises (for intellectual property) and Magic Castle Entertainment (for real estate), together known as MCE. They also enlisted Erika Larsen, daughter of castle pioneers Bill and Irene Larsen, as president of Magic Castle Enterprises, and Jessica Hopkins, granddaughter of Bill and Irene Larsen, as chief operating officer.

In January 2024, the AMA’s leadership told members that the group’s lease on the building would not be renewed — causing a surge of anxiety among members — and that academy board was negotiating with MCE in hopes of keeping the group in place.

On July 30, 2024, AMA members said they received an email that included a warning from MCE saying that if it couldn’t make a deal with the academy, MCE might “create a new club with enticing features and pricing” that “might possibly lead to [the academy’s] demise.”

(In a later email exchange with The Times, Pitchford said he did not recall that specific sentence; he did not respond to a request to confirm or deny the passage.)

In December 2024, AMA leaders invited members to vote on a proposed “resolution implementation agreement” for MCE to take over the Magic Castle’s commercial operations while the academy remained on site indefinitely and focused on its nonprofit role, including awards programs and educational efforts.

MCE reported that more than 90% of ballots favored the deal. Opponents said that a minority of members cast votes. A second vote yielded similar results.

Further details emerged in a “white paper” document that MCE circulated in February 2025. It said MCE would operate and collect revenue from the castle gift shop, bar, restaurant, box office and valet parking. AMA members would pay dues through a new entity which would divide that revenue between MCE and the academy. The Magic Castle would serve “as the exclusive clubhouse of the AMA indefinitely.”

MCE also pledged to invest $10 million in capital improvements and maintenance and relieve the AMA of remaining lease and trademark-related financial obligations. Meanwhile, the AMA board of directors would gradually shrink from nine members to five, two of them nominated by MCE.

In March, the Magic Castle announced that the MCE and AMA board of directors had signed a resolution implementation agreement, the framework for a deal. An AMA spokesperson said that MCE and the AMA board of directors “have negotiated terms for long-term access. Details of the agreement will not be released.”

“I think [Pitchford] has tried to do everything in his power to preserve the nature of this iconic place,” said longtime member Christopher Hart, who serves as chair of the academy’s board of trustees, which oversees artistic choices at the castle. Hart played “Thing,” the disembodied hand, in the “Addams Family” movies.

“The rumors have been so rampant in so many directions,” said Gay Blackstone, a longtime member who has served in many roles on the academy board of directors and board of trustees. Blackstone said she still has research to do before casting her vote but “I know that [Pitchford’s] love and passion for the magic are tremendous.”

Still, for some, doubts persist. “I don’t think the membership is being given what they need to make a good decision…. How long can we stay? how much is it going to cost?” Kott asked.

Now comes another membership vote. On Sept. 8, members began a binding vote on proposed changes in academy bylaws and other documents that would make the new deal possible. Those changes include creation of a Magic Castle Club, separate from the Academy of Magical Arts.

That “is an important wrinkle,” Shelton said.

The concept of the Magic Castle Club “is not to compete with the A.M.A., but we needed a new entity to collect dues on behalf of the A.M.A. and MCE per the arrangement,” Randy Pitchford said in a statement to The Times Sept. 15. Once an agreement is in place, Pitchford said, “All club activities, events, initiatives, etc, are and will be led and directed by the Academy of Magical Arts.”

The goal, MCE leaders have said, is “a seamless transition with a focus on an uninterrupted member and guest experience.”

If the membership rejects the changes, Christopher Grant, president of the academy’s board of directors, said in a statement that “MCE will terminate its current lease with the AMA” and the academy would need to find a new clubhouse by January 2029.

Further effects of a “no” vote, especially for academy-member performers and audiences at the Magic Castle, are harder to predict.

In his Sept. 9 statement, Pitchford suggested that the new proposal puts in place “the same kind of relationship that founded and created” the Magic Castle in the first place.

“Change is always scary,” Hart said. “Members just want the same experience they’ve always had and loved about the castle.” The proposed changes, Hart added, “could make the castle greater than it’s ever been.”

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‘He’s my favourite’ – Beaming Enzo Maresca shines light on Chelsea academy stars and cheekily snubs ‘new Rio Ngumoha’

ENZO MARESCA has a wealth of talent at his disposal at Stamford Bridge, with three Cobham starlets already working their way towards first-team involvement.

After starring during the international break for England‘s youth teams, 16-year-old Ryan Kavuma-McQueen and 17-year-old Shim Mheuka are two attackers the Italian boss is keen to have available for selection going forward.

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca at a press conference.

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Enzo Maresca beamed as he discussed Chelsea’s young talentCredit: Getty
Shim Mheuka of Chelsea FC running on the field.

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Shim Mheuka debuted for the Blues’ first team last seasonCredit: Getty
Soccer players from England and Germany competing in a match.

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Ryan Kavuma-McQueen was recently in stunning form on international dutyCredit: Getty

Mheuka, who made his Premier League and European debuts for the senior team last season, scored five goals in three games for the Young Lions, while winger Kavuma-McQueen made headlines with a four-goal haul against Germany‘s under-17s.

With Cole Palmer and Liam Delap both injured, there may be a spot for these youngsters sooner than anticipated, especially when the Blues travel to Lincoln in the Carabao Cup on 24th September, with Marc Guiu cup-tied for that game.

Maresca opened up in his Friday press conference on the impressive pair: “They are both in my plans, for sure. Shimmy was already with us and played some games for us last year. Ryan is more of a winger.

“I was watching when Ryan scored four goals against Germany, so I was very impressed, but I already knew him. One of my staff is always watching the youth team; they told me he was very good.

I’ve always said with young players, you have to be calm because they can change every day. For sure, though, he is one of the players we are looking at.”

Kavuma-McQueen is incredibly highly rated by those involved in the Chelsea youth system, and the Blues are keen for him not to become the next Rio Ngumoha, who joined Liverpool in pursuit of first-team opportunities he has now been granted.

That’s why, after fighting off interest from Liverpool and Barcelona for his signature, they will be thrilled that he is set to sign his first professional contract with the club when he turns 17 on New Year’s Day 2026.

While Maresca was left impressed by the two goal-scoring Brits at his disposal, he admitted he has a favourite when it comes to Blues’ youngsters.

BEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK

Rio Ngumoha of Liverpool celebrating a goal.

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Rio Ngumoha dramatically burst onto the scene against NewcastleCredit: Shutterstock Editorial

The Chelsea boss isn’t necessarily known for his enthusiasm in press conferences, but when asked about youngster Reggie Walsh, he was warmth personified with a smile plastered across his face.

Walsh, 16, has been training with the first team and was one of a record-breaking eight youngsters to be given a first team shot last season, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him get more chances this year with the Blues already facing injuries to some of their key midfielders.

Liam Delap ruled out for three months as Enzo Maresca gives major injury update on Chelsea striker

Maresca added: “I like all the academy guys, but Reggie is the one I like more than the rest, he’s my favourite.

“He’s very good, but because they are from the academy, we need to protect them.

“We already have the youngest squad in Premier League history, and last year we gave so many debuts to academy players. But Reggie is doing things that I demand of other players, and does them without me asking him to. That’s why I love Reggie.”

While Brentford may come too soon for the Cobham trio, they are all likely to feature when the Chelsea U21’s take on Ipswich next Saturday at Kingsmeadow.

Reggie Walsh of Chelsea playing football.

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Reggie Walsh has hugely impressed MarescaCredit: Shutterstock Editorial

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Ex-coach at renowned Iowa-based gymnastics academy arrested by FBI

Warning: This article contains graphic descriptions of sexual abuse.

IOWA CITY, Iowa — The U.S. gymnastics world was only just recovering from a devastating sexual abuse scandal when a promising young coach moved from Mississippi to Iowa to take a job in 2018 at an elite academy known for training Olympic champions.

Liang “Chow” Qiao, the owner of Chow’s Gymnastics and Dance Institute in West Des Moines, thought highly enough of his new hire, Sean Gardner, to put him in charge of the club’s premier junior event and to coach some of its most promising girls.

But four years later, Gardner was gone from Chow’s with little notice.

USA Gymnastics, the organization rocked by the Larry Nassar sex-abuse crisis that led to the creation of the U.S. Center for SafeSport, had been informed by the watchdog group that Gardner was suspended from all contact with gymnasts.

The reason for Gardner’s removal wasn’t disclosed. But court records obtained exclusively by the Associated Press show the coach was accused of sexually abusing at least three young gymnasts at Chow’s and secretly recording others undressing in a gym bathroom at his prior job in Mississippi.

Last week, more than three years after being suspended from coaching, the FBI arrested Gardner, 38, on a federal child pornography charge. But his disciplinary case has still not been resolved by SafeSport, which handles sex-abuse cases in Olympic sports.

In cases such as Gardner’s, the public can be in the dark for years while SafeSport investigates and sanctions coaches. SafeSport requires that allegations be reported to police to ensure abusers don’t run unchecked outside of sports, but critics say the system is a slow, murky process.

“From an outward operational view, it seems that if SafeSport is involved in any way, the situation turns glow-in-the-dark toxic,” said attorney Steve Silvey, a longtime SafeSport critic who has represented people in cases involving the center.

While acknowledging there can be delays as its investigations unfold, SafeSport defended its temporary suspensions in a statement as “a unique and valuable intervention” when there are concerns of a risk to others.

Nevertheless, in 2024, Gardner was able to land a job helping care for surgical patients at an Iowa hospital — two years after the abuse allegations against him were reported to SafeSport and the police.

And it was not until late May that West Des Moines police executed a search warrant at his home, eventually leading to the recovery of a trove of photos and videos on his computer and cellphone of nude young girls, court records show.

Authorities in Iowa sealed the court documents after the AP asked about the investigation earlier this month, before details of the federal charge were made public Friday. Gardner, Qiao and Gardner’s former employer in Mississippi did not respond to AP requests for comment.

‘The job that I’ve always wanted’

Chow’s Gymnastics is best known as the academy where U.S. gymnasts Shawn Johnson and Gabby Douglas trained before becoming gold medalists at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics.

Qiao opened the gym in 1998 after starring on the Chinese national team and moving to the United States to coach at the University of Iowa. The gym became a draw for top youth gymnasts, with some families moving to Iowa to train there.

Gardner moved to Iowa in September 2018, jumping at the opportunity to coach under Qiao.

“This is the job that I’ve always wanted. Chow is really someone I have looked up to since I’ve been coaching,” Gardner told the ABC affiliate WOI-TV in 2019. “And you can tell when you step foot in the gym, just even from coaching the girls, the culture that he’s built. It’s amazing. It’s beautiful.”

A year later, Gardner was promoted to director of Chow’s Winter Classic, an annual meet that draws more than 1,000 gymnasts to Iowa. He also coached a junior Olympics team during his four-year tenure at Chow’s.

Several of his students earned college gymnastics scholarships, but Gardner said he had bigger goals.

“You want to leave a thumbprint on their life, so when they go off hopefully to school, to bigger and better things, that they remember Chow’s as family,” he said in a 2020 interview with WOI-TV.

Coach accused of sexual misconduct in Iowa and Mississippi

Gardner is accused of abusing his position at Chow’s and his former job at Jump’In Gymnastics in Mississippi to prey on girls under his tutelage, according to a nine-page FBI affidavit released Friday that summarizes the allegations against him.

A girl reported to SafeSport in March 2022 that Gardner used “inappropriate spotting techniques” in which he would put his hands between her legs and touch her vagina, the affidavit said.

It said she alleged Gardner would ask girls if they were sexually active and call them “idiots, sluts, and whores.” She said this behavior began after his hiring in 2018 and continued until she left the gym in 2020 and provided the names of six other potential victims.

SafeSport suspended Gardner in July 2022 — four months after the girl’s report — a provisional step it can take in severe cases with “sufficient evidentiary support” as investigations proceed.

A month after that, the center received a report from another girl alleging additional “sexual contact and physical abuse,” including that Gardner similarly fondled her during workouts, the FBI affidavit said. The girl said that he once dragged her across the carpet so hard that it burned her buttocks, the affidavit said.

SafeSport shared the reports with West Des Moines police, in line with its policy requiring adults who interact with youth athletes to disclose potential criminal cases to law enforcement.

While SafeSport’s suspension took Gardner out of gymnastics, the criminal investigation quickly hit a roadblock.

Police records show a detective told SafeSport to urge the alleged victims to file criminal complaints, but only one of their mothers contacted police in 2022. That woman said her daughter did not want to pursue criminal charges, and police suspended the investigation.

Victims of abuse are often reluctant to cooperate with police, said Ken Lang, a retired detective and associate professor of criminal justice at Milligan University.

“In this case you have the prestige of this facility,” he said. “Do they want to associate their name with that, in that way, when their aspirations were to succeed in gymnastics?”

Police suspended the investigation, even as Gardner was on probation for his second offense of driving while intoxicated.

A dormant case reopened, and a year later, an arrest

The case stayed dormant until April 2024 when another former Chow’s student came forward to the West Des Moines Police Department to report abuse allegations, according to a now-sealed affidavit signed by police detective Jeff Lyon. The AP is not identifying the student in line with its policy of not naming victims of alleged sexual abuse.

The now 18-year-old told police she began taking lessons from Gardner when she was 11 or 12 in 2019, initially seeing him as a “father figure” who tried to help her get through her parents’ divorce. He told her she could tell him “anything,” the affidavit said.

When she moved in 2021, she told police, he gave her a hug and said she could text and follow him on Instagram and other social media sites, where he went by the nickname “Coach Seanie,” because gym policy barring such contact no longer applied.

According to a summary of her statement provided in Lyon’s affidavit, she said Gardner fondled her during exercises, repeatedly touching her vagina; rubbed her back and butt and discussed his sex life; and made her do inappropriate stretches that exposed her privates.

She told police she suspected he used his cellphone to film her in that position.

Reached by the AP, the teen’s mother declined comment. The mother told police she was interested in a monetary settlement with Chow’s because the gym “had been made aware of the complaints and they did nothing to stop them,” according to Lyon’s affidavit. The gym didn’t return AP messages seeking comment.

It took 16 months after the teen’s 2024 report for the FBI to arrest Gardner, who made an initial court appearance in Des Moines on Friday on a charge of producing visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, which can carry up to 30 years in prison. A public defender assigned to represent him didn’t return AP messages seeking comment.

It’s unclear why the case took so long to investigate and also when the FBI, which had to pay $138 million to Nassar’s victims for botching that investigation, got involved in the case.

Among evidence seized by investigators in late May were a cellphone, laptop and a desktop computer along with handwritten notes between Gardner and his former pupils, according to the sealed court documents.

They found images of girls, approximately 6 to 14 years in age, who were nude, using the toilet or changing into leotards, those documents show. Those images appear to have come from a hidden camera in a restroom.

They also uncovered 50 video files and 400 photos, including some that appeared to be child pornography, according to the FBI affidavit. One video allegedly shows Gardner entering the bathroom and turning off the camera.

Investigators also found images of an adult woman secretly filmed entering and exiting a bathtub, and identified her as Gardner’s ex-girlfriend. That woman as well as the gym’s owner, Candi Workman, told investigators the images appeared to come from Jump’In Gymnastics’ facility in Purvis, Miss., which has since been closed.

SafeSport’s power has limits

SafeSport has long touted that it can deliver sanctions in cases where criminal charges are not pursued as key to its mission. However, Gardner’s ability to land a job in healthcare illustrates the limits of that power: It can ban people from sports but that sanction is not guaranteed to reach the general public.

While not commenting about Gardner’s case directly, it said in a statement provided to AP that a number of issues factor into why cases can take so long to close, including the 8,000 reports it receives a year with only around 30 full-time investigators. It has revamped some procedures, it said, in an attempt to become more efficient.

“While the Center is able and often does cooperate in law enforcement investigations,” it said, “law enforcement is not required to share information, updates, or even confirm an investigation is ongoing.”

USA Gymnastics president Li Li Leung called the center’s task “really tough, difficult to navigate.”

“I would like to see more consistency with their outcomes and sanctions,” Leung said. “I would like to see more standardization on things. I would like to see more communication, more transparency from their side.”

A case that lingers, even after the SafeSport ban

As the investigation proceeded, Gardner said on his Facebook page he had landed a new job in May 2024 as a surgical technologist at MercyOne West Des Moines Medical Center. It’s a role that calls for positioning patients on the operating room table, and assisting with procedures and post-surgery care.

Asked about Gardner’s employment, hospital spokesman Todd Mizener told the AP: “The only information I can provide is that he is no longer” at the hospital.

Meanwhile, the case lingers, leaving lives in limbo more than three years after the SafeSport Center and police first learned of it.

“SafeSport is now part of a larger problem rather than a solution, if it was ever a solution,” said attorney Silvey. “The most fundamental professional task such as coordination with local or federal law enforcement gets botched on a daily basis, hundreds of times a year now.”

Foley and Pells write for the Associated Press. AP reporter Will Graves contributed.

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Review: ‘Miracle Mile’ depicts ‘the kind of apocalypse that L.A. people imagine’

“Miracle Mile” takes place in a city in the throes of chaos as Angelenos flee the threat of a nuclear strike. The film was released in 1988, but it has resurfaced in the last few years, attracting sold-out crowds at the American Cinematheque and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Written and directed by Steve De Jarnatt and made for $3 million, the film was restored and re-released by boutique film distributor Kino Lorber in 2024. In her commentary for the Blu-ray, author Janet Fitch (“White Oleander”) said “Miracle Mile” depicts “the kind of apocalypse that L.A. people imagine.”

Los Angeles knows how to weather a crisis — or two or three. Angelenos are tapping into that resilience, striving to build a city for everyone.

And even though it did not make a big impression when it opened, De Jarnatt said the film has gained what he called “cult status.”

Much of the appeal of “Miracle Mile” appeal can be attributed to the film’s obvious affection for the stretch of Wilshire Boulevard bordered by La Brea and Fairfax Avenues. Featured locations include the May Co. and Orbach’s department stores (now the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures and the Petersen Automotive Museum, respectively), the nearby Park La Brea towers and Johnnie’s Coffee Shop, which is closed and used primarily for film and TV productions.

The movie, which takes place over the course of 24 hours, starts out as a lighthearted romance. Anthony Edwards plays Harry Washello, a struggling trombone player who falls for coffee shop waitress Julie Waters (Mare Winningham) after they meet cute at the La Brea Tar Pits. The couple make a date to meet after her evening shift is over.

But their plans fall apart. Harry unwittingly intercepts a call at a phone booth, and the caller tells him nuclear missiles will strike Los Angeles within the hour. As the city unravels, Harry and Julie try to save their upended romance.

The ending is both sad and happy. “To be with the one you love at the end, even if it’s a brand new love who you met at the La Brea Tar Pits, which is like a time portal and a museum dedicated to extinction, is as good a way as any to go out,” De Jarnatt says.

(And it was a particularly happy ending for Edwards and Winningham, who bonded while filming the project. At the time, both were married to other people and stayed friends while working together on other projects — including “ER,” in which Edwards played the lead role as Dr. Mark Greene. The two eventually became a couple and wed in 2021.)

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