actress

Diane Ladd, the Oscar-nominated actor who received acclaim for her work in films including “Rambling Rose,” “Wild at Heart” and “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore,” has died. She was 89.

Oscar winner Laura Dern, Ladd’s daughter with Oscar-nominated actor Bruce Dern, announced her mother’s death in a statement shared Monday. “My amazing hero and my profound gift of a mother, Diane Ladd, passed with me beside her this morning, at her home in Ojai,” Dern wrote. A cause of death was not revealed.

“She was the greatest daughter, mother, grandmother, actress, artist and empathetic spirit that only dreams could have seemingly created,” “Marriage Story” star Dern said in her statement. “We were blessed to have her.”

This is a developing story and will be updated.

FORMER Corrie actress Michelle Keegan is being courted for her first Hollywood film role.

US screen star Reese Witherspoon is keen for the 38-year-old to play the lead in a big-budget movie adaptation of her new novel.

Oscar-winner Reese, 49, wrote crime thriller Gone Before Goodbye with American author Harlan Coben, who was behind Michelle’s Netflix hit show Fool Me Once.

Harlan introduced the women to each other at the launch of the book at the ­London Literature Festival, held at the capital’s Festival Hall last weekend.

A source said: “Harlan has been singing Michelle’s praises to Reese and she was keen to meet her. They got on really well and it was clear Reese was really taken with Michelle.

“The plan is to turn the book into a film and Michelle is their first choice to take on the role of the lead character, Maggie McCabe.

Read more on Michelle Keegan

SALE AWAY

British fashion brand loved by Michelle Keegan is closing forever after 24 years

star power

Michelle Keegan looks incredible posing with Hollywood star Reese Witherspoon

“She is a combat surgeon and Michelle previously played an Army medic in Our Girl on the BBC, so it’s a role they know she could take on with style.

“It’s early days but Harlan and Reese think Michelle is tailor-made for this role and would love her to come on board when the time is right.”

Ex-soap star Michelle became a global success after the mystery drama Fool Me Once was released last year.

The series became one of Netflix’s most watched TV shows of 2024 — with more than 107 million people streaming it worldwide in the first 90 days.

Best-selling author Harlan said of his leading lady: “I think what Michelle has, besides tremendous talent and all the other stuff, is a genuine authenticity.

“I think the audience, loves her, people want to follow her life, because they sense that there’s a kindness and a gentleness.

“And that’s really her, she’s truly authentic.”

Speaking last year, 63-year-old Harlan insisted he would be keen to work with her again and reckoned: “If we could get Michelle, we’d love to get Michelle.”

Fans of Michelle, from Stockport — who has a daughter with Heart FM DJ husband Mark Wright — will next see her on screen in ITV crime drama The Blame.

She plays Detective Inspector Emma Crane in the six-parter, which is an adaptation of ­Charlotte Langley’s 2023 debut novel of the same name.

Michelle is also known for her roles in the Sky One comedy drama Brassic and BBC drama Ten Pound Poms, about Brits who migrated to Australia in the 1950s.

U2 legend Bono looked unrecognisable as he flew in luxury on a private jet with his actress daughter, Eve Hewson.

The famous rocker donned his trademark coloured glasses as his thespian daughter copied his style by wearing her own blue-tinted shades.

Eve, 34, is the second of four children born to Ali Hewson and U2‘s lead singer, Bono, 65.

The Bad Sisters star posted the photo with her famous dad to her Instagram stories.

Bono was sat in one of the private jet’s seats as Eve cuddled up close to him.

“Gene vs environment,” Eve captioned the post, perhaps referring to scientific research into how genetics and a person’s environment can shape them.

NICE TO SEE U2

Bono’s daughter Eve Hewson looks stunning as she models new shapewear range

PARTY’S OVER

Home Alone star in unlikely feud with Bono over wild late-night mansion party

Eve has been acting since she was a teenager and spoke to The Irish Sun about developing a “heart of stone” to help her get over rejection at auditions.

“I have a heart of stone at this point. I can’t feel anything anymore,” she said last year.

“When I was younger I used to cry my eyes out but now I’m just dead.”

Eve added: “One good piece of advice that I got which went on for years and years – when you get really, really close to a job and then you get heartbroken.

“And someone said to me, ‘If you’re getting close, it’s a matter of time’.”

Eve has also opened up about how being the daughter of a famous rock star has helped her career, but also how being labelled a “nepo baby” has affected her.

Speaking further on her very famous dad, Eve said: “The only thing you can do is crack a joke and move on.”

And back in 2023, the TV star poked fun at the situation on Twitter saying: “2023 goals: be successful enough to get recognized as a nepo baby.”

Eve previously said her famous father both helped and hindered her career.

She told the Radio Times: “In the beginning, I think it was easier for me to get in the door.

“Some of the friends I went to Tisch with are the most talented actors but have found it difficult to get an agent or an audition.

“That’s never been a problem for me, and I think that’s because of my family.

“That’s not the way the system should work, of course, but if the door is open, walk through the door.”

You don’t have to be afraid to put your dream in action, because you’ll never fade, Trina Vega, you’ll be the main attraction — in a “Victorious” spinoff.

Netflix announced Friday that “Hollywood Arts,” a spinoff of the Nickelodeon teen sitcom following a group of students attending a performing arts high school, is now in production. The new show will see Daniella Monet reprise her Trina role from the original series, which aired for four seasons on the kid-centric network.

“Coming back as Trina alongside such a dynamic, powerful cast of newcomers is something I feel very lucky and grateful to do,” Monet said in a news release, which announced the “Hollywood Arts” cast will also include young actors Alyssa Miles, Emmy Liu-Wang, Peyton Jackson, Martin Kamm and Erika Swayze.

“‘Victorious’ was in a lot of ways life changing for all of us, our cast is forever bonded by that experience, and to think that I have an opportunity to steward anything close to that is a feeling I can’t begin to describe,” Monet continued. “As an actress, producer, and mom, I am so eager to create something we can all be proud to share with the world.”

According to the logline, “Hollywood Arts” will see Trina return to her alma mater as “an unqualified substitute teacher” after struggling to make it as an actress. There, she will both clash and “unexpectedly” inspire the next generation of ambitious and talented performing arts school students.

In “Victorious,” which originally ran from 2010 to 2013, Trina was the untalented but overly confident older sister of Tori Vega, played by Victoria Justice. The cast of the hit teen series also included Ariana Grande, Avan Jogia, Elizabeth Gillies, Leon Thomas III and Matt Bennett.

The spinoff will also feature Yvette Nicole Brown as a guest star. Brown briefly appeared in “Victorious” as school principal Helen Dubois — a character who originated on Nickelodeon’s “Drake & Josh,” which ran from 2004 to 2007.

In addition to starring on “Hollywood Arts,” Monet will serve as an executive producer alongside showrunners Jake Farrow and Samantha Martin and director Jonathan Judge. (Dan Schneider, who created “Victorious” and whose alleged misconduct was at the center of the 2024 docuseries “Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV,” is not involved.)

The 26-episode first season is expected to debut on Netflix in 2026 before hitting Nickelodeon and Paramount+. The series is currently in production in Ontario, Canada.

Diane Keaton died in Los Angeles on Saturday at age 79, and her family says the cause was pneumonia.

Family members of the Oscar-winning actress shared a statement with People confirming Keaton’s cause of death and saying they were “very grateful for the extraordinary messages of love and support” they had received in recent days.

The outlet first reported the news of the screen icon’s death Saturday, saying the Los Angeles Fire Department had responded to her home that morning and transported a 79-year-old woman to an area hospital. Initially, the family did not disclose the cause of death and asked for privacy as they processed their grief.

In Wednesday’s statement, Keaton’s family members said the star had a deep love for animals and was passionate about supporting the unhoused community. They encouraged people to honor her memory by donating to a food bank or animal shelter.

Keaton was known for her powerful performances in iconic pictures such as Francis Ford Coppola’s “Godfather” movies and Woody Allen’s “Annie Hall,” which earned her the 1978 Academy Award for lead actress. She was also nominated for lead actress for her roles in “Reds” (1981), “Marvin’s Room” (1996) and “Something’s Gotta Give” (2003).

Born in Los Angeles in 1946, Keaton rose to fame through her late 1960s New York stage career, earning a Tony nomination at age 25 for her role in Allen’s 1969 theatrical production of “Play It Again, Sam.”

Later in her career, she became a muse for writer-director-producer Nancy Meyers and starred in four of her movies. She was a noted trendsetter known for her fabulous on-screen outfits and, more recently, for sharing her style on Instagram, where she amassed 2.6 million followers.

Keaton’s death was widely mourned by theater, movie and fashion lovers alike.

“She was hilarious, a complete original, and completely without guile, or any of the competitiveness one would have expected from such a star,” wrote actor Bette Midler on Instagram. “What you saw was who she was.”

“Diane Keaton wasn’t just an actress: she was a force,” wrote actor Octavia Spencer on Instagram, “a woman who showed us that being yourself is the most powerful thing you can be. From Annie Hall to Something’s Gotta Give, she made every role unforgettable.”

Times film editor Joshua Rothkopf contributed to this report.

Keaton was best known for her roles in Annie Hall, Reds and The Godfather films.

American actress Diane Keaton, known for her Oscar-winning performance in 1977’s Annie Hall and her role in The Godfather films, has died at the age of 79.

Keaton died in California and her loved ones have asked for privacy, a family spokesperson told People magazine on Saturday.

Keaton, who appeared in more than 60 films, stood out in Hollywood with a personal style that favoured androgynous looks: suits, turtleneck sweaters and her trademark hats.

The actress shot to fame in the 1970s with her role as Kay Adams, the girlfriend and eventual wife of Al Pacino’s Michael Corleone in The Godfather trilogy as well as her collaborations with director Woody Allen.

Keaton frequently worked with Allen, portraying the titular character in Annie Hall, the charming girlfriend of Allen’s comic Alvy Singer.

“It was an idealised version of me, let’s put it that way,” Keaton said about the film in an interview with the United States TV network CBS News in 2004.

The film also garnered Oscars for best picture, best director and best original screenplay, cementing Keaton’s place as one of the industry’s top actresses and an offbeat style icon as well.

She made a total of eight films with Allen, including 1979’s Manhattan.

Her star-making performances in the 1970s were not a flash in the pan as she would continue to charm new generations for decades, thanks in part to a longstanding collaboration with filmmaker Nancy Meyers, with whom she made four films.

A BAFTA and Golden Globe winner, Keaton scored Oscar nominations three other times for best actress for Reds, Marvin’s Room and Something’s Gotta Give.

Her many beloved films included The First Wives Club, Father of the Bride, The Family Stone and the Book Club movies.

Born Diane Hall in Los Angeles on January 5, 1946, Keaton was romantically involved with Allen, Pacino and Warren Beatty (her Reds costar), but she never married.

“I think I was really afraid of men and also very attracted to extremely talented people that were dazzling,” she told Elle magazine in 2015. “I don’t think that makes for a good marriage with a person like me, someone who just didn’t adjust well.”

Keaton is survived by her two children, Dexter and Duke, whom she adopted in her 50s.

Sept. 30 (UPI) — Hollywood’s actors union SAG-AFTRA on Tuesday sounded the alarm over reports that talent agents are interested in signing Tilly Norwood, an actress generated by artificial intelligence.

SAG-AFTRA’s statement opposing the replacement of “human performers by synthetics” comes days after Deadline reported that AI studio Xicoia has engaged with multiple agents who are interested in signing the digital creation Tilly Norwood for representation.

Studios’ use of AI technology was a central issue in the 2023 SAG-AFTRA-led strike that was the longest actors’ work stoppage in Hollywood history. Now, Norwood’s emergence points to an ongoing source of dispute between studios and actors.

“To be clear, ‘Tilly Norwood’ is not an actor, it’s a character generated by a computer program that was trained on the work of countless professional performers – without permission or compensation,” SAG-AFTRA said in the statement. “It has no life experience to draw from, no emotion and, from what we’ve seen, audiences aren’t interested in watching computer-generated content untethered from the human experience.”

The union said that Norwood relies on “stolen performances” and will put actors out of work.

Norwood resembles a brunette twenty-something who speaks with a British accent and made her debut over the summer in a short AI-generated film. She already has an online presence.

Eline Van der Velden, an actor and technologist, revealed Saturday during a panel at the Zurich Summit that agents were interested in signing Norwood, the creation of the AI production studio Particle6 she founded, according to Deadline. She also said that studios and other entertainment companies were quietly embracing the technology.

“We were in a lot of boardrooms around February time, and everyone was like, ‘No, this is nothing. It’s not going to happen’. Then, by May, people were like, ‘We need to do something with you guys.’ When we first launched Tilly, people were like, ‘What’s that?’, and now we’re going to be announcing which agency is going to be representing her in the next few months,” said Van der Velden.

Van der Velden later responded to the initial backlash over Norwood, with a statement saying she is “not a replacement for a human being, but a creative work — a piece of art.”

But concerns about what Norwood means for the industry remain. Actress and producer Anne-Marie Johnson told Los Angeles NBC affiliate KNBC that “this is no laughing matter.”

“Our agents and our managers have to be partners in this because when we don’t get hired, they don’t get their commission,” she said.

With so much uncertainty in the earliest round, consensus No. 1 picks are rare, but that’s just what Jessie Buckley of “Hamnet” is — one of only two in the entire BuzzMeter poll. She has double the points of runner-up Renate Reinsve, who is just one tally ahead of Emma Stone.

Saying it feels “inevitable” that Buckley will one day win, Robert Daniels calls her work in “Hamnet” “a gut-wrenching performance … Jessie Buckley’s fearless turn echoes with the force of a primal scream.”

Among the other contenders, Glenn Whipp asks of the upcoming “Wicked: For Good,” “Will voters be into it or over it? That’s a coin flip. More certain: Cynthia Erivo will rip out our hearts in the sequel.” Dave Karger wonders if one star has the makeup to land in the top five: “‘Christy’ star Sydney Sweeney will try to ride her strong Toronto buzz to a first nomination.”

Meanwhile, Katie Walsh highlights one of the perils of long-range predictions — occasional category uncertainty: “Should Emily Blunt go lead for ‘The Smashing Machine,’ or supporting?” Blunt’s roller-coaster performance as a champion wrestler’s love — and perhaps his most dangerous opponent — is hard to pin down.

As for Seyfried, at press time “The Testament of Ann Lee” doesn’t yet have a distributor. But perhaps the lead’s strong showing on the BuzzMeter will be an inducement to change that.

1. Jessie Buckley, “Hamnet”
2. Renate Reinsve, “Sentimental Value”
3. Emma Stone, “Bugonia”
4. Amanda Seyfried, “The Testament of Ann Lee”
5. Cynthia Erivo, “Wicked: For Good”
6. Rose Byrne, “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You”
7. Tessa Thompson, “Hedda”
8. Jennifer Lawrence, “Die, My Love”

RogerEbert.com

Robert Daniels

1. Jessie Buckley, “Hamnet”
2. Amanda Seyfried, “The Testament of Ann Lee”
3. Emma Stone, “Bugonia”
4. Julia Roberts, “After the Hunt”
5. Renate Reinsve, “Sentimental Value”

“With a gut-wrenching performance as Agnes Shakespeare, Jessie Buckley’s fearless turn echoes with the force of a primal scream. It feels inevitable that the previous nominee will win an Oscar at some point. It’s just a matter of time.”

Turner Classic Movies

Dave Karger

1. Jessie Buckley, “Hamnet”
2. Renate Reinsve, “Sentimental Value”
3. Emma Stone, “Bugonia”
4. Cynthia Erivo, “Wicked: For Good”
5. Sydney Sweeney, “Christy”

“International actresses headline this race, with ‘Hamnet’s’ Jessie Buckley and ‘Sentimental Value’s’ Renate Reinsve earning festival raves for their wonderful performances. Two-time winner Emma Stone and two-time acting nominee Cynthia Erivo are also likely to return, while ‘Christy’ star Sydney Sweeney will try to ride her strong Toronto buzz to a first nomination.”

Los Angeles Times

Amy Nicholson

1. Jessie Buckley, “Hamnet”
2. Tessa Thompson, “Hedda”
3. Amanda Seyfried, “The Testament of Ann Lee”
4. Rose Byrne, “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You”
5. Cynthia Erivo, “Wicked: For Good”

“A Jessie Buckley win here as Shakespeare’s wild, witchy wife makes perfect sense. The Irish talent comes to the campaign with a supporting nom for ‘The Lost Daughter’ already under her sash and heaps of critical goodwill dating to 2018’s ‘Wild Rose.’ But I wouldn’t mind a Tessa Thompson upset.”

IndieWire

Anne Thompson

1. Jessie Buckley, “Hamnet”
2. Renate Reinsve, “Sentimental Value”
3. Rose Byrne, “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You”
4. Emma Stone, “Bugonia”
5. Cynthia Erivo, “Wicked: For Good”

“The win could go to Jessie Buckley for her heart-wrenching mother in ‘Hamnet.’ Her challengers are another troubled mother, Rose Byrne in ‘If I Had Legs I’d Kick You,’ warbler Cynthia Erivo in ‘Wicked for Good,’ ‘Bugonia’ star Emma Stone, who has already won twice, and Renate Reinsve as a great actress in Norwegian Oscar submission ‘Sentimental Value.’ ”

Tribune News Service

Katie Walsh

1. Jessie Buckley, “Hamnet”
2. Emma Stone, “Bugonia”
3. Jennifer Lawrence, “Die, My Love”
4. Renate Reinsve, “Sentimental Value”
5. Amanda Seyfried, “The Testament of Ann Lee”

“I haven’t seen ‘Hamnet,’ but I’m hearing best actress is Jessie Buckley’s to lose. The TIFF People’s Choice Award gives it a boost too. Should Emily Blunt go lead for ‘The Smashing Machine,’ or supporting?”

Los Angeles Times

Glenn Whipp

1. Jessie Buckley, “Hamnet”
2. Renate Reinsve, “Sentimental Value”
3. Cynthia Erivo, “Wicked: For Good”
4. Emma Stone, “Bugonia”
5. Rose Byrne, “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You”

“Get ready for the sequel Oscar campaign for Cynthia Erivo and ‘Wicked’ as the second installment of the musical adaptation lands in November. Will voters be into it or over it? That’s a coin flip. More certain: Erivo will rip out our hearts in the sequel.”

AN iconic 70s actress has been spotted looking completely unrecognisable, 47 years after playing a celebrated role that has stood the test of time.

The star, 74, was pictured in New York yesterday running errands while dressed in a pink polo shirt and white shorts, which could be considered an ode to her legendary character.

5

5

5

She got her big break in Hollywood back in 1978 in a musical romantic comedy film which ended up becoming the highest grossing musical film at the time.

Four years later, she reprised her role for the stand-alone sequel and was the only character to return from the first film.

That’s right, it’s Grease icon Didi Conn! She played Frenchy Facciano as part of the Pink Ladies in the movie and it’s sequel.

The film’s soundtrack album ended 1978 as the second-best-selling album  of the year in the United States, only behind 1977 movie Saturday Night Fever.

It was nominated for several accolades including a nomination for Best Original Song at the Oscars and five nominations at the Golden Globe Awards.

Not only that, but in 2020, Grease was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”.

Didi previously spoke exclusively to The Sun about her experience of shooting the film and shared some behind the scenes insights.

In one memorable scene of the movie, there’s a dance contest where the cast go wild, dancing the Hand Jive and doing some rather dirty dancing.

While it looked like it would have been fun to film, Didi revealed it was anything but fun.

She expressed: “That actually took a whole week of shooting. And what was really tough about it was that it was the height of summer – my birthday was that week, and the cake they got for me totally melted.

“We were in a real high school in downtown Los Angeles, with no air conditioning, and we had to keep the windows closed because right next door was a pork plant, so you can imagine the smell!”

But it was Summer Nights, the opening number of Grease, that Didi remembered most fondly.

She explained: “I think that’s where we all bonded, and it was so much fun to sing that song and jump all around the table.

“We’d been rehearsing it for weeks beforehand, so the energy was so high when we performed it for real.”

Grease stars remembered

IT has been over 45 years since the release of hit musical film Grease, which began its decades-long tenure of dazzling fans in 1978.

Sadly, including Susan Buckner, five of the much-loved cast have passed away.

On August 8, 2022 it was announced that Olivia Newton-John had passed away aged 73, following a 30 year battle with breast cancer.

After falling ill with pneumonia, Jeff Conaway – Danny’s best pal Kenickie in the movie – sadly passed away in 2011.

The same year, Annette Charles, who played Cha Cha, lost her battle with cancer.

In 1993, Dennis C. Stewart, who played rebel Leo, was diagnosed with HIV and passed away from AIDS in 1994.

After Grease, Didi went on to star in comedy film Almost Summer, fantasy adventure film Thomas and the Magic Railroad and biographical film Frida, based on the life of Frida Kahlo.

In 2019, she flew across the pond to make her debut on British tv screens on the eleventh series of Dancing on Ice.

She was partnered with professional Łukasz Różycki and at the age of 67, was the oldest person to ever compete on the show.

However, she was eliminated in the fourth week after the judges decided to save Saara Aalto and Hamish Gaman after following the skate-off.

5

5

A 80s movie bombshell looked unrecognizable after becoming the ‘world’s richest actress’ – despite quitting Hollywood.

The star, now 59, appeared alongside a popular TV actor in a classic 80s film.

5

5

5

One of her early films, 1981’s Endless Love, was Tom Cruise‘s film debut.

The actress’ most recent regular role on television ended in 2014.

Jami Gertz appeared in 1987 flick The Lost Boys, starring alongside Kiefer Sutherland, who played David.

She played the role of Star, a member of David’s vampire gang, and is a half-vampire after resisting the urge for human blood.

Almost four decades on, Jami looked unrecognisable as she enjoyed lunch in West Hollywood.

The star headed to the San Vicente Bungalows – an exclusive private members club known for its celebrity clientele.

She wore a powder blue shirt, accompanied by white trousers and an orange satchel.

According to MailOnline, Jami is reported to be the “richest actress in the world.”

In 1989, she tied the knot with businessman Tony Ressler – who became a major player in private equity.

The now-64-year-old co-founded Apollo Global Mangement and Ares Management.

Forbes’ prestigious annual list reports Tony is currently credited as being worth $14.2 billion.

Elsewhere, Jami herself is reportedly worth a staggering $12 billion, according to Celebrity Net Worth.

Jami and Tony own the Atlanta Hawks basketball team, having acquired it in 2015.

They made the purchase alongside former basketball player Grant Hill.

Meanwhile, Tony was previously a contender to buy Chelsea Football Club.

On television, Jami most recently starred in sci-fi sitcom The Neighbors.

Created by This Is Us boss Dan Fogelman, she portrayed Debbie Weaver.

Her most recent film, romantic comedy I Want You Back, was released in 2022.

5

5

Downton Abbey actress Phyllis Logan was reunited with her husband Kevin McNally on-screen in the latest instalment of a Channel 5 crime drama

Downton Abbey’s Phyllis Logan has been reunited on our screens with her real-life spouse, Kevin McNally, in Channel 5’s gripping crime series, Murder Most Puzzling.

The show, an adaptation of the much-lauded Puzzle Lady Mysteries from the mind of author Parnell Hall, follows sleuth Cora Felton whose exceptional crossword-solving talents see her become a surprising asset to the police department in a sleepy town.

McNally, known for his roles in epic franchises like Pirates of the Caribbean and acclaimed series including The Crown and Unforgotten, portrays Gilbert – a potential romantic fixture in Cora’s life.

According to the episode narrative, “Cora is distracted by love, as she’s wooed by a charming suitor, Gilbert. When Sherry says he seems too good to be true, it causes a rift between the women but plants a seed of doubt in Cora’s mind.”

Phyllis first encountered Kevin on the set of Love and Reason, back in 1993. It wasn’t until well into their workforce years that they tied the knot in 2011, after becoming parents to their son David in 1996, reports Surrey Live.

In a heart-to-heart with Mail Online in 2017, Phyllis divulged details about their unexpected romance: “I never thought real love.

“The sort where your blood tingles and your world explodes with joy – would happen to me at my time of life,” she shared. “I believed I had missed out. But I’m ever so glad it happened.'”

Phyllis and Kevin, who recently played Jane Austen’s parents in the BBC period drama Miss Austen, reunite as on-screen lovers in the new series Murder Most Puzzling.

Set against the backdrop of the idyllic market town of Bakerbury, the show introduces us to Cora Felton, a crossword aficionado who lends her puzzle-solving prowess to the local police force when a murder mystery unfolds.

The official synopsis for the series reveals: “After the body of a teenage girl is found in the local cemetery with an enigmatic clue in her pocket, Bakerbury Detective DCI Hooper seeks help from the town’s newest, and most famous, resident – Cora Felton, AKA The Puzzle Lady.”

Cora’s unconventional ‘shoot first, ask questions never’ method becomes an asset as she navigates through a web of murderers, swindlers, and dodgy officials.

Despite harbouring a secret that could destroy her and those close to her, Cora’s uncanny knack for unravelling murder mysteries stands out. “And, as it turns out, Bakerbury isn’t as sleepy as it looks.”

Murder Most Puzzling airs on 5.

THIS nepo-baby looked incredible as she appeared at an exhibition in London last night.

And it’s no surprise, as the actress has grown up with very famous Hollywood parents.

5

5

5

The 17-year-old was snapped in London at the Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition Party.

And she looked absolutely stunning as she posed in a sweet pink dress beside her famous mother.

But can you guess who she is? Or who her famous parents are?

The young lady in question is Nell Burton, the daughter of Hollywood director Tim Burton and A-list star Helena Bonham Carter.

Nell made her first movie appearance as a toddler, as a Baby at Dock in the movie “Alice in Wonderland”, directed by her father Tim.

Her mother, Helena, played the Red Queen, starring opposite Johnny Depp as a Mad Hatter and Mia Wasikowska as Alice.

Nell was then seen as a Little Girl at the Train Station in the 2012 fantasy comedy “Dark Shadows”.

She also made an appearance as Girl at Park in the biographical drama “Big Eyes”, about the life of the painter Margaret Keane.

And she appeared as Unnamed classmate in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

Tim and Helena met for the first time when he cast her to play in his 2001 movie “Planet of the Apes”, during which the two began their relationship.

Sweeney Todd actress Helena, 59, and Tim, 66, went on to have an unconventional marriage.

The couple famously lived together in adjoining houses in Belsize Park, North London, before knocking them together.

They had two children Billy, 22, and Nell, 17, but split in 2014.

They remained friends after the split with Helena branding the director “very generous”.

She said at the time: “You go through massive grief — it is a death of a relationship, so it’s utterly bewildering.

“Your identity, everything, changes.

“Luckily I’ve kept both houses. He was very generous.”

Helena is now with writer and academic Rye Dag Holmboe, who at 37 is 22 years her junior.

And Tim is with Bond girl and model Monica Bellucci, 66, who presented him with a lifetime achievement award at the Lumière Film Festival in Lyon in 2022.

Nell’s older brother has also made appearances in several of their father’s movies.

5

5

COLDPLAY’S Chris Martin and his actress fiancée Dakota Johnson have split up after eight years together.

Rumours about their relationship had been swirling for months and it has now been confirmed Dakota, 35, and Chris, 48, have gone their separate ways.

5

5

A source told the Mail: “Their relationship has been over for a long time, they just haven’t been able to figure out to make it official. Dakota held a flame for them to be together because she loved him so much and loved his kids so much.”

The source said they tried the age old technique of spending time away from each other but the absences didn’t lead to their hearts growing fonder.

“Dakota is devastated that she isn’t going to be around his kids as much anymore, but wants them to know that she is always there for them,” the insider continued.

The pair were pictured holding hands in January at the Babulnath Temple, Mumbai, where Coldplay were touring.

It followed Dakota, who is the daughter of actors Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith, working on new romance movie Materialist with co-stars Chris Evans and Pedro Pascal in New York.

Chris famously split from actress wife Gwyneth in March 2014 after ten years of marriage.

He reportedly got engaged to Dakota last March and she called his kids with Gwyneth, 51, her “step-children”.

Chris is dad to daughter Apple, 19, and son Moses, 17.

Have YOU got a story or an amazing picture or video? Email [email protected] and you could even get PAID

The Fifty Shades of Grey star declared that she loves Chris’s kids “like her life depends on it.”

She said:  “I love those kids like my life depends on it. With all my heart.

“How do I feel about motherhood? I’m so open to that.

“I’ve gotten to this place where I really want to experience everything life has to offer.

“And especially being a woman, I’m like: ‘What a magical f***ing thing to do. What a crazy, magical, wild experience.

“If that’s meant to happen for me, I’m totally down for it.

“We’re not here for very long, so if I’m meant to be a mother, bring it on.”

Dakota also has the seal of approval from Gwyneth, who attended her 30th birthday party.

She said about Chris and Dakota: “I love her.

5

5

5

“I can see how it would seem weird because it’s sort of unconventional.

“But I think, in this case, just having passed through it iteratively, I just adore her.

“I always start to think of the —what else can you bring in, instead of being resistant to or being made insecure by?

“There’s so much juice in leaning in to something like that.

“It’s not like there’s a finish line: ‘Oh, we consciously uncoupled; we’re done.’

“It’s a lifelong commitment to constantly reinvent your relationship with your ex, which you do presumably because you have children together.

“I don’t see a reason to do it if you don’t have children together. Some people do.

“But I think we put all the hard work in at the beginning. I would say very rarely is it difficult now.

“We’ve learned how to communicate with each other. We love each other. We laugh.

“We have the best of each other. It’s really nice. It makes you feel like you don’t have to lose.”

It’s set to be a huge series of Celebrity Race Across the World as a Hollyoaks and Derry Girls star is the latest celeb to join the line-up, according to reports

A former Hollyoaks star is the latest famous face to sign up for BBC’s Celebrity Race Across the World, according to reports. Fans of the Liverpool based soap will remember Dylan Llewellyn as cheeky character Martin “Jono” Johnson, as he’s set to appear on screens once again.

Since leaving the soap in 2016, the star has appeared in a number of high profile TV shows including Derry Girls, Big Boys and Beyond Paradise.

Dylan’s latest venture will now see him racing across the globe with a team mate in hopes to beat his competitors, without the help of a phone or credit card.

The Mirror has contacted a representative of the show for comment.

Despite his TV success, Dylan previously admitted to going through a rough patch in his career. While chatting on Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch, he shared his near brush with giving up acting: “I was struggling a bit and I was almost like going to give up on acting, you know?”

“And I just wasn’t getting any auditions, and yeah, it was just a really quiet period and I was working in a coffee shop and just grafting because that’s like the realities of acting. You’ve got to graft, you know, it’s a really tough industry.”

He revealed to the Guardian that his breakthrough role as James in Derry Girls came just in time. “It was emotional, really. I was about to give up. It really meant the world to me. It saved me,” he said.

Earlier this week it was reported that Molly Rainford and Tyler West have signed up for Celebrity Race Across the World, according to reports.

The EastEnders star, 24, and Kiss FM presenter, 29, who met on BBC dance show Strictly Come Dancing in 2022, are said to have already filmed the smash-hit series in which a bunch of celebrities partake in an epic race across the world without their phones or credit cards to help.

The last series, which aired last summer saw stars, including Kelly Brook, Scott Mills, Jeff Brazier and Kola Bokinni race across South America.

Speaking on the reported signing of the Strictly couple, a source told The Sun: “Molly and Tyler are a huge coup for the show. They’re popular with millions of viewers from their stints on Strictly, and Molly will bring in loads of EastEnders fans too.”

Molly and Tyler’s relationship blossomed during the Strictly Live Tour in 2023, and things have been going from strength to strength ever since.

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.

HERE’S the tanned, toned and totally gorgeous line-up for this year’s Love Island.

The Sun can exclusively reveal Maya Jama’s full squad for the summer includes a footballer, personal trainer and a series of stunning models.

16

But their beauty is more than skin deep, as ITV2 has amassed a group with real kudos.

Brilliant former fire-breather Sophie Lee has campaigned for real beauty since she was scarred for life when her act went disastrously wrong, whilst Alima Gagigo has a BA degree in international business.

Love Island bosses will officially confirm the OGs tomorrow, with the series to kick off next Monday.

But for now, take a look at the girls and guys who will be sexing up your summer.

Harry Cooksley

16

Footballer Harry Cooksley will be bringing his fancy footwork to the Love Island villa.

The midfielder, 29, has been branded The Surrey Zidane by fans of his team Farnham Town.

Harry – who is known for his goal celebrations – is now hoping to score with the ladies.

A source told The Sun: “Harry’s got the full package – a great, athletic bod and great chat. 

“Love Island’s ladies love a footballer and The Surrey Zidane will be sure to impress as he plays away.

“Execs are finalising who will be in the OG line-up and who will be a bombshell.” 

Tommy Bradley

16

Cheeky chappy Tommy Bradley is in tip top shape for the Love Island villa after undergoing a dramatic body transformation.

Tommy documented his prep for the ITV2 dating show on Instagram by posting a stream of videos of his gym sessions.

He was helped by his brother Jamie Bradley, who is a boxer, and the pair love a night out together with the lads.

“Tommy seems to tick all the Love Island boxes as the cheeky chappy of this summer’s series,” a source said.

“He looks to enjoy a night out with the lads and out on the boxing scene with his brother. 

“But he’s also packed on serious muscle over the last year ready for telly’s famous villa and is no longer just a personality hire.”

Sophie Lee

16

Fire-breather Sophie will be turning up the heat when she struts into the villa looking for love.

Sophie, 29, is an influencer who almost died in a freak accident on stage in Chicago seven years ago.

The dancer and model, from Manchester, was left with horror burns when an air conditioning unit blew flames back in her face.

Sophie has written a book about her experience and has worked with The Katie Piper Foundation, helping fellow burns victims

A source said: “Sophie is a gorgeous girl and a powerhouse of a woman who has overcome everything life has thrown at her.

“Just like Tasha Ghouri’s amazing time in the villa where she raised awareness for the hearing impaired, Love Island bosses are thrilled to give Sophie the same platform to discuss her accident and how she’s become comfortable in her skin since.”

Shakira Khan

16

Shakira Khan likes the finer things in life.

The 22-year-old’s Instagram page is filled with gorgeous travel snaps from Haiti, Dubai and New York – and she’s not afraid of a bikini showcase too. 

In one recent post, she showed off her impressive figure in black and silver bikini top and thong briefs.

Shakira captioned it: “Haiti cos u ain’t me 💋.”

One follower replied: “Wow!! 🤩 gorgeous lady x.”

A source said: “Shakira is jaw-droppingly gorgeous and will land a place in Love Island’s history books as a real beauty.”

Megan Forte Clarke

16

Stunning actress Megan will definitely turn a few heads this summer.

Megan originally hails from Ireland but trained at The Brighton Academy of performing arts and musical theatre.

She has more than 20,000 followers on TikTok and isn’t afraid to take the mickey out of herself.

But once in the villa, she Megan might give the swimming pool a miss.

One of her TikTok videos shows Megan screaming and terrified while making her way through the rides at Siam Park water park in Tenerife.

Speaking of her experience, she told a follower: “It took 10 years off my life.”

Megan is already friends with Love Island alumni Harriett Blackmore.

Dejon Noel Williams

16

Hunky Dejon Noel Williams will definitely be making the most the villa gym this summer.

The personal trainer and semi-professional footballer is a fitness fanatic and has already worked with a string of big name sportswear brands.

Dejon’s social media accounts are full of sexy photos of his ripped body and he already has an Instagram following of more than 11,000 fans.

His bio reads: “I go beyond the gym—helping you build Strength, Confidence & Discipline for life.”

Dejon recently took part in his first HYDROX competition and told his fans: “I trained for the moment, and the moment didn’t break me. First Hyrox down.”

In 2021, he represented the Grenada national football team.

Blu Chegini

16

Businessman Blu will be swapping his wardrobe of smart suits for swimming trucks when he walks into the villa.

Blu is based in London and currently works as a construction project manager.

He graduated from Oxford Brookes University in 2023 with a Bsc Hons in Construction Project Management and works for a firm in the captial’s swanky Fitzrovia.

Blu also spends a lot of time in Marbella, meaning he will feel right at home in the Spanish sun.

Alima Gagio

16

Alima Gagio is another of this year’s lot who brings a lot more to the table than just 10/10 looks. 

The stunning Scot has an BA Hons degree in International Business and proudly posted online about her achievement.

Posing with a bunch of flowers on her graduation day from Glasgow Caledonian University, her 2,250 followers rushed to congratulate her. 

Elsewhere the gorgeous travel fan shares images from her holidays around the world, posting updates from Lisbon, Mykonos, Ibiza and Morocco. 

Alima also loves a trip down south to London for a bouji dinner and cocktails with her friends.

Ben Holbrough

16

Buff Ben will feel right at home with his top off in the Majorcan sunshine.

The model is 6ft 2ins and is a big fan of showing off his six pack in mirror selfies on social media.

In a video on his Star Now modelling page, he says: “My main line of work is modelling, which I’ve been doing for about five or six years now.

“But when I’m not doing that, my hobbies are either going to the gym or playing football.”

Ben already has a connection to the reality TV world, as he is followed on Instagram by Married At First Sight star Lacey Martin.

Helena Ford

16

Blonde beauty Helena Ford hopes to find herself a match in the Love Island villa.

The gorgeous influencer is already mates with Love Island alumni Zara McDermott and loves travelling the world as a member of cabin crew.

Helena is based in the UK, the majority of of her social media snaps have been taken in the luxury destinations she has visited with her job.

She has been pictured in Dubai, Miami, Cape Town and Lake Como in Italy.

Helena also has a TikTok account where she posts ‘come with me’ videos as she jets off around the world.

Megan Moore

16

Gorgeous girl Megan is another fan of travelling the world.

The influencer was last snapped in Spain just two weeks ago as she topped up her tan ahead of her big villa entrance.

Little is known about Megan but she already has several thousand fans on Instagram.

Commenting on a recent photo of her, one gushed: “Most beautiful girl inside and out.”

Another added: “Stunning my girl .”

And a third told her: “You are just delightful.”

Kyle Ashman

16

Unlike most of Love Island’s line-ups, Kyle doesn’t come into the villa with a social media packed with model shots. 

The hunk has just one snap online, showing off his rippling six-pack as he poses on a rooftop. 

But he looks to be more than villa-ready – and will head straight to the garden gym.

On his Instagram page he has two emojis, one of which depicts a man lifting up a barbell. 

The second emoji suggests he is a devout Muslim and will join the likes of Islanders including Nas Majeed who have practised the faith in the villa. 

Viewers can look forward to filling in Kyle’s blank pages as we learn more about him. 

Bombshells

IF the gorgeous gaggle of guys and girls above isn’t enough, then a troop of bombshells are ready to explode into the villa once the show is underway. 

The Sun revealed last week that 6’5” Aaron Buckett was lined-up and can now share the update that he will appear later in the series to tempt the girls away from their partners.

The PT is such a hunk, execs have decided to hold him back until the early couplings look secure – then deploy him at the perfect time to lure a lass away and create maximum drama.

Elsewhere, two beauties have been named as in the mix for later on. 

They are make-up artist Lucy Quinn, a 20-year-old from Liverpool.

A source told Mail Online: “Lucy is single and ready to mingle. She can’t wait to enter the Love Island villa and is counting down the days until it becomes a reality.” 

Then there is beauty salon owner Rose Selway, who counts Islanders including Lucinda Strafford and Jessy Potts among her clientele.

A source told MailOnline: “Rose is friends with many former stars of the show so has a good idea what it’s like being in the villa and now she finally has the chance to experience it herself.”

The trio will join the throng of Islanders poised and ready to land in the villa throughout the series run. 

An ITV spokesman said: “As always there is a lot of speculation around the Love Island line up – we will be announcing the Love Island 2025 cast in due course.”

16

16

16

Loretta Swit, who won two Emmy awards for her role on the popular comedy TV series MASH, died on Friday, according to her representative.

She died at her home in New York at the age of 87, the BBC’s news partner CBS reported, citing a statement from her representative. She likely died of natural causes, although a coroner’s report is pending.

On MASH, Swit played the Army nurse Major Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan. The series, which followed the fortunes of a mobile army surgical hospital during the Korean War, ran for 11 seasons from 1974 to 1983.

Swit was nominated for numerous awards, and appeared in nearly every episode of the series, including the finale which attracted a record 106m US viewers.

FIVE protesters have been arrested after they allegedly targeted the filming of Gal Gadot’s new movie.

The demonstrators disrupted production at several locations across London in recent weeks, the Metropolitan Police said.

2

The force said the protestors targeted sets “solely because an actress involved in the production is Israeli”.

Gadot, 40, who served in the Israel Defense Forces, previously showed support for Israel’s invasion of Gaza after the October 7 Hamas attacks.

The Palestinian Campaign for the Academic & Cultural Boycott of Israel (Pacbi) has since argued people who support their group should boycott Gadot films.

Gadot is understood to currently be filming an action thriller called The Runner in the capital.

Police were called to a set location in Westminster on Wednesday.

Officers detained five people on suspicion of harassment and offences under Section 241 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations Act.

Two of the arrests were in relation to previous protests, while three were in response to incidents that unfolded on Wednesday.

All five remain in custody.

Supt Neil Holyoak said: “While we absolutely acknowledge the importance of peaceful protest, we have a duty to intervene where it crosses the line into serious disruption or criminality.

“We have been in discussions with the production company to understand the impact of the protests on their work and on any individuals involved.

“I hope today’s operation shows we will not tolerate the harassment of or unlawful interference with those trying to go about their legitimate professional work in London.”

The Runner, produced by David Kosse, stars Gadot as a lawyer on a mission to rescue her kidnapped son.

Gadot has been pictured back on set this week, despite the protests.

Demonstrations also followed the actress to her Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony after her role in the latest Snow White movie.

A Pro-Palestine group stood outside the ceremony carrying signs reading: “Viva Viva Palestina”.

In a Variety interview earlier this week, Gadot said: “After October 7th [2023], I don’t talk politics — because who cares about the celebrity talking about politics?

“I’m an artist. I want to entertain people. I want to bring hope and be a beacon of light whenever I say anything about the world.

“But on October 7th, when people were abducted from their homes, from their beds, men, women, children, elderly, Holocaust survivors, were going through the horrors of what happened that day, I could not be silent.

“I’m not a hater. I’m a grandchild of a Holocaust survivor who came to Israel and established his family from scratch after his entire family was erased in Auschwitz.

“And on the other side of my family, I’m eighth generation Israeli. I’m an indigenous person of Israel.

“I am all about humanity and I felt like I had to advocate for the hostages. I am praying for better days for all.

“I want everybody to have good life and prosperity, and the ability to raise their children in a safe environment.”

2

ACTRESS Madeline Brewer makes a splash — in a dress made from a Sun front page.

Redhead Madeline, 33, star of Netflix hit You, wore it for Behind the Blinds magazine.

2

It features a January 1986 edition of The Sun — the first printed at Wapping.

The style resembles the John Galliano newspaper dress worn by Sex and The City star Sarah Jessica Parker in the popular series.

Madeline starred alongside actor Penn Badgley in popular series You.

In the fifth and final series, which is now streaming, viewers will see Joe embarking on an affair with a young woman named Bronte, played by Madeline.

They meet after she gains employment at his bookstore but it soon becomes clear that she has an ulterior motive after she developed suspicions that Joe was responsible for the death of her close friend.

Penn has led the show since its inception on the streaming service but has shied away from getting down and dirty on-camera for the past two series.

However, he has since decided that in order to give the show a “proper conclusion,” he needs to head back to the bedroom to spice things up for the final series.

2

• @behindtheblinds. Madeline is wearing @vetements_official on the cover. She’s captured by @foxhunter & styled by @orettac. Shot for Behind The Blinds Magazine.

“Just let me go tell her you’re here.”

Former Matinee idol Buddy Rogers bounded by the winding staircase to the third floor of his Beverly Hills mansion and called to his wife of 37 years: “Mary, darling. You have a visitor, pet.”

There were murmurs upstairs. Then Rogers walked slowly down the white steps to his visitor beneath the portrait of Mary Pickford in the spacious living room.

He shrugged and shook his head. “Mrs. Rogers would like to see you, darling, but she’s in the shower, dear.”

The scene is usually the same whenever anyone calls on the admired queen of the silent films. She is either sleeping or in the shower, always “unavailable.”

Classic stories from the Los Angeles Times’ 143-year archive

Hundreds have been party guests of Buddy Rogers at fabled Pickfair in the last decade, but none has ever seen Miss Pickford. Even her stepson, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., doesn’t see her when he spends an occasional week in the guest cottage.

One of her last interviews was in 1965—to an English silent film historian who has tried many times to see or phone her. But she is unavailable.

Mary Pickford, who will be 80 in April, is upstairs in her bedroom in a self-imposed seclusion that has lasted nearly two decades.

She was the first real movie star, a pioneer of the movie colony, coming to Hollywood when it was no more than a country village. She was America’s Sweetheart of the early 20th century—famous for her golden Mary-Jane curls, dimpled chin and simple charm. They called her Goldilocks.

Rogers—tanned, athletic and manicured at 68—shook his head affectionately. “She just doesn’t go out. But she’s doing great, darling. I took her out for a drive last week, but she said it made her nervous and she wanted to go home.”

Pickfair, 1974, is a museum—once called the “White House of Hollywood”—where U.S. Presidents, foreign heads of state, financiers and famous authors paid court to Miss Pickford.

Contemporary accounts of those gleaming parties come so vividly to mind while in the mansion that one can almost hear music and laughter, faint and incessant, from the garden and the cars going up and down the heart-shaped drive.

In the old days, guests at Pickfair could ride horses through the mountains to the Pacific Ocean and pass only one house along the way.

But time and progress have taken their toll on Pickfair. Only five of the original 15 acres remain. Five $150,000 homes were built on what used to be her vegetable garden.

A china set that Napoleon gave Josephine in 1807 is locked inside a glass cabinet. The mansion property and artistic contents are valued at $2 million.

The big rooms and high hallways are full of Frederic Remington paintings, early 18th-century antiques from Europe, Chippendale chairs and mirrors and Victorian tables. A sterling silver urn, given to Miss Pickford by the queen of Siam, is also in a glass case.

Film awards—including the first Oscar for the best performance by an actress in sound—are scattered around.

In almost every room as portraits of Miss Pickford staring down from the walls—at stages of her life from 18 to 59.

Rogers points out every detail eagerly. “Look here, darling.”

He leads the visitor into the small “Rodin Room,” named after Auguste Rodin (1840-1917), father of modern sculpture. There are his rare sketches of nude dancing women, which Miss Pickford bought almost half a century ago.

Ultimately, Rogers confided, the visitor would get her audience with Miss Pickford after all —after a fashion.

He dialed his wife on a house phone on a small table.

Mary Pickford in lace gown, ca. 1930

(Bettmann / Bettmann Archive)

“Yes, darling, she’s here,” he said. “She’s a young one, dear.”

He handed over the phone. “Mrs. Rogers wants to talk to you, sweet. She’s so happy you’re hear, darling.”

Gusty Santa Ana winds slapped hard against Pickfair, howling loudly, rattling closed windows.

“Boy! If I were outside right now I’d feel like hen caught in a tornado,” Miss Pickford laughed. It was fresh and spontaneous laughter.

It was the kind of voice that the ear follows up and down as if each syllable were an arrangement of notes that would never be played again. Her voice was sad and lovely and grandmotherly, but with bright things in it.

“I just hopped out of the tub,” Miss Pickford said. “I’d come down and chat with you but my hair isn’t fixed. I’m afraid I’d have to get all dressed up for you.”

She said she enjoys the privacy and rest long denied her after all the busy years in the public eye as one of the world’s wealthiest and most beautiful women.

“Yes, I miss my career, certainly,” Miss Pickford said. “But I feel I’ve earned this rest. I used to work from 6 in the morning until midnight—the actress by day, the producer by night! Ut was a struggle. I never had time to myself.

“This is the first time in my life without constantly being interrupted.”

She did not specify what has intruded on her solitude for the last decade or more, but said she now goes nowhere—not to movies, nor to shows, nor out to dinner, nor even shopping. “I’ve chosen this way of life for myself,” she said. “I like my privacy.”

She said she reads mysteries and newspapers, dictates, looks out of her bedroom windows at Los Angeles and Beverly Hills, listens to records and watches television.

“I’m reading all about the devil,” Miss Pickford confessed. “I think all this exorcism business is a hoax. Buddy says the movie is scary and I don’t like to be scared.”

Rogers sat slumped in a nearby armchair watching, amused.

Miss Pickford is aware she is different from other silent stars who have kept busy and still earn honors on stage and screen despite their ages.

(Lilliam Gish, a close friend of 75, often appears in comedies as a little old lady. Gloria Swanson, the same age, is on Broadway and TV. Marlene Dietrich still does her famous songs at nightclubs and theaters at 74.

(Mae West, 83, likes to stay public and recently judged a UCLA kissing contest. And Helen Hayes is starring in a new, prime-time TV series called Snoop Sisters. She’s 73).

It’s been so long since I met the public,” she said. “People are so nervous these days. I don’t think people would have the patience to listen to me…

“I played little girls, you know. Actresses can’t go on and on forever doing that type of role. I can’t imagine Jack Benny being 80, can you? And yet he’s kicking around all the time on TV. Women can’t get away with that like men can.

Pickford disappeared from public view for more than a decade not long after this photo was taken of her at her Pickfair Estate in 1963.

(Los Angeles Times)

“Although I often dream I am before the cameras again. The other night, I imagined myself in a long shot and wondered if I should not redo my hair for it…”

She paused, then said musingly, “I have several pretty house dresses. I could throw one on and come down and talk to you… but I’m too lazy.”

Damn…

Some who have not seen Miss Pickford for years guess that time has not been kind to her. But her business manager, Matty Kemp, 64, describes her as having the “beautiful skin of a baby.” She’s 5-foot-1 and very slim.

“She keeps her hair blonde and has that same winsome smile that everyone remembers,” Kemp said. “You can’t detect a wrinkle on her face.”

Two favorite friends of Miss Pickford are Miss Gish and Mildred Loew (producer Adolph Zukor’s daughter). They visit Miss Pickford once a year when they are in town.

Miss Pickford has not viewed her films for 25 years. They have been shown only twice in the United States since they were locked up in vaults at Bekins and Producers Film Center in Hollywood in 1933.

There they have sat, deteriorating with time. Miss Pickford wanted it that way. She is one of the few stars who owns and controls her films.

Just recently she was persuaded not to order her films burned at her death. She had not wanted to be compared with today’s actresses.

“I always thought of myself as an entertainer for my own generation,” she explained. “That was all that counted. It was Lillian Gish who convinced me that the films belong to the public and that I had no right to destroy them.”

So the Mary Pickford Foundation, run by Kemp, has spent about $260,000 to preserve and restore the films. (Some foreign countries have copies of her movies and show them at special screenings).

Some will be shown this month at film festivals honoring Miss Pickford throughout Europe. Her managers want to test the reaction of other countries before they consider showing them in the United States.

She wants to attend the Paris tribute.

“I’m longing to see Paris again. I got my warmest reception there long ago. I wonder if their reactions to me would be the same. Did you know that I can speak straight French for a half an hour?”

If she goes, it will be her first public appearance since 1965, when she visited Europe.

In the early 1970s, England and France had film tributes for Miss Pickford. There were parades in London and Paris and thousands of people lined the streets to get a glimpse of her. They shouted for her autograph and locks of her hair.

But Miss Pickford was not there. At the last minute, she stayed at Pickfair. Rogers went alone and waved to the crowds for her.

She still misses producer D.W. Griffith.

“No one came close to him,” she said. “He mastered the close-up, the fade-out. No one ever called him David because everyone had the greatest respect for him. He was always Mr. Griffith.”

Miss Pickford also spoke fo Douglas Fairbanks Sr., her second husband. They were considered the world’s most romantic couple.

In films, Fairbanks was the dashing hero who could dispose of 20 adversaries in a running fight. According to Miss Pickford, he was exuberant and often did handstands or leapt over sofas to amuse friends.

“Because he had never outgrown a small boy’s penchant for showing off, he was rarely referred to as Douglas or Mr. Fairbanks,” she said. “It was always Doug.”

She sighed and her voice became sad.

“I got word that my beloved cameraman Charles Rosher died in Portugal. He was a master, too.”

Another pause.

“He once said, ‘I’m not going to shoot this film because there’s a shadow on Miss Pickford’s face.’ I said, ‘Charlie, what does it matter?’ But he insisted. He was so loyal. I don’t know where to send word to his wife.”Miss Pickford said she was appalled by Watergate.

“I can’t see any individuals destroying this country,” she said, vehemently. “The United States is supposed to be the leader of the world and some punks are letting it go to the ashcan. We obviously need some housecleaning.”

(She was a big contributor to President Nixon’s reelection campaign, according to Kemp. During World War I, she also sold $48 million worth of Liberty Bonds for the United States.

(The government wanted her to make war propaganda films then, but she would make only humorous ones. One showed her riding a horse down San Fancisco’s Market St., her golden curls flying in the breeze, leading the 143rd Field Artillery shipward to France.)

Of today’s stars, Miss Pickford said she is most impressed with Katherine Hepburn and Liza Minelli.

But her favorite remains Shirley Temple. “Oh, she was the cutest baby,” she said. “She had more talent than anyone. Too bad she had to retire, but she left us with a lot of beautiful memories.”

She added that there were no actors she was particularly fond of. “Nope. None since Gable,” she said.

There was another deep sigh. Rogers seized on the silence to draw the conversation to a close. “She’s doing great, darling, but I don’t want to tire her out,” he said.

Miss Pickford’s voice started to trail away.

“It was nice talking to you,” she said. “Maybe I’ll see you someday…”