During Oscar season, The Envelope also likes to celebrate actors in roles that might not otherwise garner awards attention. You can sense a whole life behind these portrayals; they draw you in and make you want to know more.
April Grace as Sister Rochelle, ‘One Battle After Another’
Amid the controlled chaos that is Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another,” young Willa (Chase Infiniti) is brought to a nunnery that used to be part of her parents’ revolutionary group French 75. What Willa doesn’t know is that her mother (Teyana Taylor) betrayed the group in order to save herself from prison, and is still alive.
Sister Rochelle, played by April Grace with seething intensity, sets her straight. “Your mother was a rat, and that makes you a baby rat,” she spits, and Willa’s world crumbles further.
Grace will be familiar to eagle-eyed PTA fans; in “Magnolia,” she played Gwenovier, the reporter who calmly destroyed Tom Cruise’s character. When the offer of Sister Rochelle came, “I didn’t need to look at the role, I trust Paul implicitly,” she says. “He is there for the actor, whatever you need.”
Grace has worked in film and television for over 30 years, “but I started out in theater, so character development is really important to me.” She created a backstory for Sister Rochelle, building up the reasons she was so hostile to Willa. “Sister Rochelle is all about community, and you don’t betray your community.”
Of Infiniti, Grace notes, “She was just lovely, and she made my job really easy, just looking at her” trying to act tough, “like you don’t even know you’re a baby.”
Jacobi and Noah Jupe as Hamnet and Hamlet, ‘Hamnet’
(Dania Maxwell / For The Times)
Jacobi Jupe plays the title role in “Hamnet,” as the ill-fated son of William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal) and Agnes (Jessie Buckley). He was thrown into the deep end on his first day, when his father leaves the family for London. “I didn’t really know Paul, and I had to get so intimate and so upset but hold it together, and I was a bit nervous,” Jacobi recalls. “But Paul is such a lovely person, and I instantly trusted him, so it was really easy to do that scene.”
His big brother Noah adds, “And it’s what spurs on your entire character, the courage from that scene, so it’s a big thing to start with.”
It gets harder from there. Jacobi depended on his mother (actor Katy Cavanagh), Buckley and director and co-writer Chloé Zhao — “they were my three mums on that shoot” — to help him process his own death scene. “It was shocking, really, because I spent so long being Hamnet and feeling his emotions, and having to let him go was really hard.”
Noah was hired to play the actor playing Hamlet just before the part was to be shot. “That is an opportunity you cannot turn down,” he says, even though he only had a week to prepare the most famous soliloquies in the Western canon. “I learned the sword fight in eight hours.”
During rehearsals onstage, there was no Globe audience before him except for Buckley. “I just found myself performing to her, which then made all of the scenes I was doing like a conversation between me and Jessie.”
Zhao showed Noah his brother’s scenes so that his Hamlet would carry echoes of the lost child. “It was like watching yourself without all of the self-consciousness or the criticism,” he says of seeing Jacobi’s portrayal, “and just truly marveling at a performance by someone that is literally part of your heart.”
Hadley Robinson as Belle, ‘The History of Sound’
With one glance at Hadley Robinson’s Belle, you can feel the weight of the baby in her arms, the sorrow in her eyes, and the exhaustion in her soul. The film, directed by Oliver Hermanus and written by Ben Shattuck, centers on Lionel (Paul Mescal) and David (Josh O’Connor), secret lovers who travel the American countryside to record folk music after World War I. After they part, Lionel writes David for years without hearing back, and finally travels to his home to see him again.
Unknown to him, David had married Belle, and died several years earlier. Lionel instead meets Belle, now remarried and with a baby.
In a powerful scene, Belle tells Lionel her own love story — meeting David, falling for him, losing him — fully aware that she’s talking about her great love to David’s great love. But her loneliness is so thorough, she’s almost grateful to have someone to share David with. Lionel barely speaks as he absorbs the information.
“It was absolutely a monologue,” says Robinson. “But I found that to be so much easier to prepare, because there was so much in there that the character couldn’t help but be specific, because I was given an exact template.” She journaled as Belle for a week before her one day on set. “I’ve never had a role that was that devastating before.”
Though Lionel says nothing, Robinson praises Mescal as a scene partner. “I have found listening to be extremely difficult, and the way Paul listens is like a superpower. He was so incredibly present in that room.” He stayed on set all day, even when he was offscreen, “and rehearsed with me as well. He really showed up in a way that not all actors do.”
SIR David Beckham’s Hollywood star ceremony could be overshadowed if son Brooklyn snubs it despite living nearby.
A date is being fixed over the next few months for the Walk of Fame unveiling, less than five miles from the house Brooklyn shares with wife Nicola Peltz.
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Sir David Beckham fears his Hollywood star ceremony will be snubbed by his estranged sonCredit: GettyThe Walk of Fame unveiling will take place less than five miles from Brooklyn’s houseCredit: GettyFrom left to right: Cruz, Brooklyn, Romeo and dad David in happier timesCredit: German Larkin / Vogue
A source said: “Brooklyn snubbing David’s special day will be a very public humiliation as he lives in Hollywood.
“Of course, David is hopeful the family will have mended their relations by then, especially after he has offered an olive branch to Brooklyn. The rift has been a great cause of heartache.”
Nominees have two years to schedule their ceremony, and his is set to take place before the summer World Cup in the States.
Other honourees include rockers Green Day, actress Jessica Chastain and rapper Busta Rhymes.
On New Year’s Eve, Sir David posted a series of pictures on Instagram showing him with his four children. It included a shot of him and his eldest Brooklyn smiling cheek to cheek, with the caption: “I love you all so much.”
However, he got no response from Brooklyn, 26, who lives with actress Nicola, 30, in an £11.8million villa in Beverly Hills.
Last month, the wannabe chef skipped childhood pal Holly Ramsay’s wedding to swimmer Adam Peaty and spent Christmas with his billionaire in-laws in Miami.
LILY Allen has opened up on her state of mind and the “huge change” in her family life situation following her split with husband David Harbour.
The popstar candidly told how she had now come out from the other side of a “nervous breakdown” which saw her hospitalised.
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Lily Allen has opened up on her state of mind and wellbeing following her split with David HarbourCredit: GettyThe Smile hitmaker and mum of two spoke candidly about her kids finding their identities in the midst of the break upCredit: AFPThe couple called time on their relationship last year and Lily told how it has sparked a ‘nervous breakdown’Credit: GettyIt came amid cheating allegations directed at the Stranger Things actorCredit: Getty
The marriage breakdown sparked Smile songstress Lily’s first album in seven years.
At the heart of the record is a character called Madeline, who Lily confirmed to the Times is a construct of other people, and the secret relationship she has with a man many are interpreting to be Harbour.
Now she has opened up on the after effects on her Miss Me? podcast.
She said: “I’ve done quite a lot this year.
“I’ve finished an album, I got a boob job, I had a nervous breakdown, I went into hospital for a bit, I came out, I did some podcasting for a while, then I played one of the hardest tracks in theatre and killed myself (in the role of Hedda Gabler) every night for seven weeks.”
She added of teen daughters Ethel, 14, and Marnie, 13: “My kids are f**king mental at the moment.
“They are really developing their personalities. It’s just a lot.
“There’s a lot of questions.”
Tacitly making reference to the life changes prompted by the split she said: “There’s a lot of change in our lives at the moment
“We’ve changed houses, we’ve changed countries, we’ve changed schools, and it’s a lot.”
The Fear hitmaker added to her show: “The last five years, I’ve been a stay-at-home mum.
“And now I’m a single mum that has to work and suddenly has a lot of work opportunities on my plate and I’m having to travel a lot.”
She has previously been open about her recreational use of drugs and alcohol but she opted to quit the substances six years ago.
It led the star to find her marriage split even more challenging as she wasn’t able to use the substances as a way out.
Lily said: “The feelings of despair that I was experiencing were so strong.
“The last time that I felt anything like that, drugs and alcohol were my way out, so it was excruciating to sit with those [feelings] and not to use them.”
Lily said: “I’ve been into those places before against my will and I feel like that’s progress in itself.
“That’s strength. I knew that the things I was feeling were too extreme to be able to manage, and I was like, ‘I need some time away’.”
Lily married David in 2020 – her second husband following her marriage to the father of her children, builder Sam Cooper.
The LDN hitmaker was married to Sam from 2011-2018 although the relationship was understood to have crumbled sometime before they made their break-up official.
TOUGH TIMES
Lily and David split up in December 2024 and it was later reported he’d had a three-year affair.
David had even made a shock “cheating” joke while doing a tour of their New York City home two years prior.
But the split fuelled the Lily’s huge music comeback, with the toxic fallout playing out on her first album in seven years.
The eye-watering details of her open marriage and split from actor David are seemingly laid bare in the 14-song album.
On the album, Lily took aim at David and claimed how he allegedly bedded a woman called “Madeline”.
The track is written as a letter to the woman David had an affair with.
“How long has it been going on? Is it just sex or is there emotion?” Lily sings at one point.
And in the song Tennis, Lily croons: “So I read your text, and now I regret it.
She is mum to Marnie Rose Cooper and Ethel Cooper from her first marriage to Sam CooperCredit: GettyLily and David’s split prompted her first album in seven yearsCredit: GettyShe wrote a track allegedly about David’s affair called Madeline, with the real life Madeline then exposed as Natalie Tippett who denied the three-year affairCredit: Instagram
Hello! I’m Mark Olsen. Welcome to another edition of your regular field guide to a world of Only Good Movies.
One of the bummer parts of any awards season is how it leads to a narrowing down of what movies are getting talked about and subsequently remembered from any given year. There are always way more than five or 10 titles from any given year that deserve the spotlight.
Which is why it was so exciting this week when Envelope editor Matt Brennan chose Mona Fastvold’s “The Testament of Ann Lee” and Angus MacLachlan’s “A Little Prayer” as his favorite movies of the year. “A Little Prayer” first premiered at Sundance in 2023, but didn’t get a theatrical release until this past summer. The delicate jewel of a film features warm, tender performances by David Strathairn and Jane Levy as a man and his daughter-in-law both reconciling themselves to the fallout of problems in her marriage. The movie is available now on digital platforms and is well worth seeking out.
David Straithairn and Jane Levy in the movie “A Little Prayer.”
(Music Box Films)
And we talked about “Ann Lee” here last week and will likely have more to say about it as awards season moves on. Matt’s list also included films such as “Sinners,” “One Battle After Another,” “Sentimental Value” and “Sirāt” along with “Sorry, Baby,” “Nouvelle Vague,” “Hedda,” and “The Alabama Solution.”
Meanwhile, with 2026 so fresh and new, it’s almost sacrilegious to start thinking about a future best-of-year list. But we’ve got one anyway: Here are the 14 movies we’re most excited to see in 2026. Christopher Nolan, Greta Gerwig, Steven Spielberg doing aliens again — at least on paper, there’s a lot of promise here.
4K premiere of Friedkin’s ‘Sorcerer’
An image from William Friedkin’s 1977 movie “Sorcerer.”
The film was a notorious flop when first released, in part because it had the misfortune of opening a week after the first “Star Wars.” An adaptation of the same novel that spawned Henri-George Clouzot’s 1953 adventure “Wages of Fear,” “Sorcerer” follows four desperate men tasked with transporting a truckload of volatile nitroglycerine through a South American jungle.
Friedkin, who died in 2023, spoke to The Times’ Kenneth Turan in 2013 before receiving a lifetime achievement award from the Venice Film Festival. The only movie shown as part of the tribute was “Sorcerer.” As Friedkin said at the time, “Every one of the films that I made, even the ones that haven’t worked, are films that I had to envision, that I had to see in my mind’s eye. And ‘Sorcerer’ is the film that came closest to my vision of what I wanted to make.”
In a January 1977 interview conducted when he had just completed filming, star Roy Scheider said that working with Friedkin “was not always to my liking as an actor. He is organized and meticulous but difficult, opiniated and tough. He can even be cruel at times. When Friedkin works on a film, nothing gets in his way, including the actors.”
Roy Scheider in the movie “Sorcerer.”
(Criterion Collection)
The film’s initial reception is perhaps well summarized by Charles Champlin’s originalLos Angeles Times review, in which he writes, “William Friedkin’s ‘Sorcerer’ is one of those movies that must make executives, no less than critics, shake their heads in stunned glum wonder. What the hell went wrong?
“A first-rate and proven piece of material. Executed with loving and meticulous care on a damn-the-cost basis by a prize-winning director with two large commercial successes behind him. But it all ends up a swollen, leaden and almost totally uninvolving disappointment that seems fairly unlikely to be saved commercially by its detonations, special effects and strenuous physical sequences.”
Champlin did seem to enjoy one element: the synthesizer score by Tangerine Dream (later of “Thief” and “Risky Business”), music that he calls “a new flavor, Latin Anxious, that works well.”
‘The Godfather Part II’
Al Pacino in the 1974 sequel “The Godfather Part II.”
(Paramount Pictures)
On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, an original I.B. Technicolor 35mm print of Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Godfather Part II” will screen at the New Beverly. It’s a rare and unusual way to see a great movie that can sometimes be flattened by overfamiliarity but remains as fresh and revealing as ever. The movie would go on to win six Oscars including best picture (the first sequel to ever do so).
The story cross-cuts between Al Pacino as Michael Corleone in the 1950s and Robert De Niro playing his father Vito Corleone in the early 1900s. The film shows the growth of the Corleone family empire and what it takes to keep it running.
In a January 1975 interview, Coppola talked about his motivations in approaching the sequel, saying, “The finished film makes what I consider a tough statement for a $13 million mass-audience picture. It says that this country is in danger of losing its soul, like Michael did. That power without humanity is destructive. … I didn’t want Michael to be destroyed by another gang or by a Senate investigation of organized crime. I wanted him to destroy himself. And to juxtapose his fall with flashbacks of his father’s rise a half-century earlier.”
Coppola, candid as ever, continued, “And, to be completely honest, there was the possibility of my making so much money I could bankroll some of my other projects.”
In his original Dec. 1974 review of the film, our Charles Champlin wrote, “In its way, ‘Godfather II’ is more daring than the original … The risks were worth taking, and the reward is that a single monumental segment of the American experience is neither glorified nor patronized, but made comprehensible and real, transmuted into drama of both scope and depth.”
Points of interest
‘The Birds’ in 35mm
Tippi Hedren and children are attacked by crows in a scene from Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds.”
(Screen Archives / Getty Images)
On Monday the Academy Museum will show Alfred Hitchcock’s 1963 “The Birds” in 35mm. The film is showing as part of a series about nature’s revenge on humans — a fun group of titles that also includes “Jaws” and “Orca” (both playing in 35mm), “Creature from the Black Lagoon” in 3D, “Alligator” with director Lewis Teague in person and “The Revenant” in 4K.
Transporting Daphne du Maurier’s original story to the setting of Bodega Bay in Northern California, “The Birds” presents a classic, apocalyptic what-if scenario when humans are suddenly attacked from above.
Star Tippi Hedren, who turns 96 later this month, made her movie debut in the film and over the years she has been open about how difficult the process of shooting was for her. In an April 1963 interview with Hedda Hopper, she said, “The Humane Society was there to protect the birds but there was no one to protect me.”
In a March 1963 review, The Times’ Philip K. Scheuer wrote, “Are actors people? No matter. Alfed Hitchcock, who filmed ‘The Birds’ at Universal, was once widely quoted as saying he hated actors. After his 1960 ‘Psycho’ and now ‘The Birds,’ it must be fairly obvious that he has extended his abhorrence to the whole human race.”
Oliver Lax’s ‘Fire Will Come’
Amador Arias, left, and Benedicta Sánchez in ‘Fire Will Come’
(KimStim)
Spanish filmmaker Oliver Laxe’s “Sirāt” has become one of the most celebrated films of the year, popping up on critics list and making a strong showing on the recent Oscars shortlists. On Tuesday, Acropolis Cinema will present the Los Angeles premiere of Laxe’s 2019 film “Fire Will Come” at 2220 Arts + Archives (its original release was curtailed by the pandemic). Laxe is scheduled to attend in person.
In the film, Amador (Amador Arias) has just been released from prison for arson, after having started a wildfire that ravaged the local mountains. Living with his mother, he has to overcome the suspicions and distrust of everyone in the community.
Reviewing the film in 2020 for a digital release, Carlos Aguilar called the film “quietly phenomenal,” adding, “Its discourse on forgiveness simmers in one’s mind inextinguishably.”
Joachim Trier tribute
Director Joachim Trier, photographed at the Los Angeles Times Studios at RGB House during the Toronto International Film Festival in September.
These are also rare opportunities to see two of Trier’s earlier films — his 2006 debut “Reprise” and 2011’s devastating “Oslo, August 31st” — in a theater.
“Sentimental Value” directly engages with the legacy of Scandinavian cinema, with Stellan Skarsgård playing an arthouse filmmaker trying to get a new project off the ground with his daughter (“Worst Person” star Renate Reinsve).
Going all the way back to “Reprise.” Trier has been making a case for a new kind of Scandinavian cinema: “I would hope young people would see this not as the old, dreary, dandruff-on-the-shoulders, slow European film,” he said in 2008. “I wanted to make something more sexy and relevant to people.”
DAVID Beckham sent out a major olive branch to estranged son Brooklyn tonight in a series of emotional family posts.
The proud dad, 50, shared pictures of his brood, including son Brooklyn, 26, who has been absent from all family occasions this year, on Instagram and wrote: “You are my life [heart emojis]. I love you all, love daddy. On to 2026 x”
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David Beckham olive branch to estranged son Brooklyn in New Year’s Eve postCredit: InstagramDavid Beckham olive branch to estranged son Brooklyn in New Year’s Eve postCredit: Instagram
One black and white image saw wife Victoria on a sofa cradling baby daughter Harper and snuggling up to her three sons Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz.
Even more tellingly, David posted a picture of him and Brooklyn cheek to cheek and wrote: “I love you all so much.”
Brooklyn, who lives in LA with wife Nicola Peltz and is eight hours behind his Cotswolds based dad, has yet to post ahead of the New Year.
The loving family posts from David follow hot on the heels of his 2025 highlights reel, none of which featured Brooklyn.
Other features included Victoria’s Paris Fashion Week show and snaps of his children Romeo, 22, Cruz, 20 and Harper, 13, on holiday enjoying quality time together.
David wrote: “I feel very lucky to have had the year I’ve had in 2025 full of moments that I will never forget from my 50th to my knighthood (still pinching myself ) and then finishing with winning the MLS as an owner.“
Despite not mentioning Brooklyn by name, David sweetly praised his “kids” and shared his love for them.
He added: “I‘m so grateful to my incredible wife, my amazing children, my friends and team I work with every single day nothing would have been possible without you all… But as Sir Alex Ferguson would say ‘On to the next‘.
“Thank you for the incredible memories I will forever remember 2025. Victoria I love you & our kids.”
Today, former Manchester United ace Becks also wished his old boss Sir Alex a happy birthday.
The couple have also shared subtle digs at his family in recent days after his brother Cruz revealed the Beckhams woke up to being blocked by the couple.
In a touching video shared on social media, the couple – who have been together for 28 years – sang to each other as they slowed danced on Christmas Day.
And in what appeared to be a pointed message to their estranged son, Brooklyn the couple delivered the lyric: “And we’ve got nothing to be sorry for…”
They were dancing to Guilty sung by Barbra Streisand and Barry Gibb.
Sharing the video, Victoria penned: “David and Victoria giving their very best Barry and Barbra on Christmas Day xxx kisses from us both xx @davidbeckham.”
David posted this family photo from his Miami side’s MLS cup-winning seasonCredit: Instagram
DAVID Beckham shared a sweet family tribute to mark the end of 2025 – but son Brooklyn and his wife Nicola Peltz were noticeably missing.
The former footballer, 50, shared a series of highlights from this year -including pictures of his wife Victoria’s Paris Fashion Week show and him receiving his knighthood.
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David Beckham shared a sweet family tribute to mark the end of 2025Credit: InstagramThe former footballer shared individual snaps with each of his kidsCredit: InstagramBut son Brooklyn and wife Nicola Peltz were missing from the postCredit: Instagram
David also posted snaps of his children Romeo, 22, Cruz, 20 and Harper, 13, on holiday and enjoying quality time together.
Alongside individual pictures with each of his kids, David also shared a family photos alongside wife Victoria from his 50th birthday.
David wrote: “I feel very lucky to have had the year I’ve had in 2025 full of moments that I will never forget from my 50th to my knighthood (still pinching myself ) and then finishing with winning the MLS as an owner.“
Despite not mentioning Brooklyn by name, David sweetly praised his “kids” and shared his love for them.
He added: “I‘m so grateful to my incredible wife, my amazing children, my friends and team I work with every single day nothing would have been possible without you all… But as Sir Alex Ferguson would say ‘Onto the the next‘.
“Thank you for the incredible memories I will forever remember 2025. Victoria I love you & our kids.”
The couple have also shared subtle digs at his family in recent days after his brother Cruz revealed the Beckhams woke up to being blocked by the couple.
In a touching video shared on social media, Victoria and David – who have been together for 28 years – sang to each other as they slowed danced on Christmas Day.
And in what appeared to be a pointed message to their estranged son, Brooklyn the couple delivered the lyric: “And we’ve got nothing to be sorry for…”
They were dancing to Guilty sung by Barbra Streisand and Barry Gibb.
Sharing the video, Victoria penned: “David and Victoria giving their very best Barry and Barbra on Christmas Day xxx kisses from us both xx @davidbeckham.”
David posted a smiling snap of him and Romeo on holidayCredit: InstagramThe sports icon also shared a picture alongside CruzCredit: InstagramDavid posted this family photo as he looked back on his 2025 highlightsCredit: InstagramBrooklyn and Nicola put on a united front in a new post amid their feud with his familyCredit: Instagram
Rep. David R. Obey (D-Wis.) charged that the Administration and Budget Director David A. Stockman put out “deliberately misleading” information on the Job Corps in their effort to kill the $617-million program, which aids disadvantaged youths. To support his point he released six government-sponsored reports and studies–including one that found that for every $1 spent on the Job Corps there was a return to society of $1.46.
Reporting from Washington — A bank has seized a Tulare County dairy farm owned by Rep. David Valadao and his family to resolve more than $8 million in loans that have not been repaid, according to court documents.
In November, agriculture lender Rabobank sued Triple V Dairy in Fresno County Superior Court alleging failure to repay loans for cattle and feed totaling about $8.3 million. The Republican congressman is named in the suit along with his wife, four other family members, two other farms and 50 unnamed defendants. Also listed in the suit is a separate farm owned by the family, Lone Star Dairy, in which the congressman has no stake.
Both sides agreed March 28 to hand control of the farm over to the bank until it is sold. The bank appointed a local business owner to oversee the daily operations of the farm and began to sell off livestock and farming equipment to settle the debt.
“Like so many family dairy farms across the country, burdensome government regulations made it impossible for the operation to remain open,” Valadao said in a statement. “While this has been an especially difficult experience, I remain hopeful that sharing my story will help those going through similar situations.”
The next court session in the case is scheduled for July 16.
House rules prohibit Valadao from having an active role in the day-to-day operations of the farm, which was largely managed by his brothers. Valadao lives near Hanford on the property of Valadao Dairy, which is managed by his father and is not involved in the lawsuit.
According to the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s annual summaries, almost 36% of dairy farms in California shut down between 2001 and 2017. In the last five years, at least 50 dairies in Fresno, Kern, Kings and Tulare counties have closed.
Valadao grew up in the dairy business and in 1992 became a partner in the family’s Central Valley dairy. Working on local agricultural interests through the California Milk Advisory Board and the Western States Dairy Trade Assn. spurred an interest in politics, and Valadao was elected to Congress after serving in the state Assembly.
Valadao’s stake in the Triple V and Valadao dairies has consistently made him one of the poorest members of Congress. According to his annual financial disclosure report, Valadao’s stake in each dairy is worth between $1 million and $5 million, but lines of credit against the farms and equipment give him an estimated net worth of negative $17.5 million.
Valadao is currently seeking a fourth term representing the 21st Congressional District, which stretches across rural portions of Fresno, Kings, Tulare and Kern counties.
Coronation Street star Jack P Shepherd has been flooded with support from fans and friends
Angie Quinn Screen Time Reporter
17:13, 28 Dec 2025Updated 17:14, 28 Dec 2025
Coronation Street star Jack P Shepherd has received an outpouring of support from fans following a joint marriage update with his wife.
The 37-year-old actor, who first appeared on our screens in the ITV soap at the tender age of 12, is best known for his role as David Platt, the mischievous son of Martin Platt, portrayed by Sean Wilson, and Gail, played by Helen Worth.
Over the years, David’s character has been central to numerous dramatic storylines, including pushing his mum down the stairs in a near-fatal incident, seeking revenge on villain Richard Hillman, and a heart-wrenching suicide plot.
The couple tied the knot in a beautiful ceremony in Manchester earlier this year, surrounded by their nearest and dearest. The wedding came a year after Jack romantically popped the question to Hanni during a dreamy safari holiday, reports the Daily Star.
Joining the happy couple at their celebration were several of Jack’s Coronation Street co-stars, including Lucy Fallon, Alan Halsall, Tina O’Brien, and, notably, his former on-screen mum Helen Worth. Celebrity Big Brother co-star Chris Hughes was also among the showbiz friends in attendance.
This Christmas marked the first festive season that Jack and Hanni have enjoyed as husband and wife, and they took to social media to share snippets of their celebrations.
In one photograph, Jack and Hanni are captured wearing stunning outfits as they stand before a Christmas tree. Another image shows Hanni displaying her glittering wedding bands.
**For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new **Everything Gossip** website**
Hanni wrote alongside the post: “Our first Christmas as Mr and Mrs Shepherd. We hope you all had a magical one.”
Admirers and pals of the newlyweds flooded the comments section with congratulations, with one person commenting, “Beautiful photos, beautiful couple.”
Another declared: “Power couple (flame emoji)”, whilst a third added: “Looks amazing.”
“Happy Xmas Mr and Mrs Shepherd”, one follower gushed, while someone else said: “You both look lush.”
Jack has marked 25 years portraying David Platt on Coronation Street. Presently, on the ITV drama, David and his wife, Shona (Julia Goulding), are awaiting their first child together, though they’ve recently faced a devastating choice.
During a standard appointment, Shona and David learned their unborn daughter faces complications, as a scan showed a mass/tumour on the baby’s neck, necessitating risky surgery or termination.
Shona remains resolute about having her baby, and the pair are proceeding with the pregnancy. Nevertheless, further dramatic tension awaits the couple as Corrie links up with Emmerdale.
In a preview for the special episode, broadcasting on January 5, Shona and expectant Charity Dingle (Emma Atkins) from the Dales are shown in distress following a car crash. Will Shona and David emerge unscathed?
Coronation Street airs Monday, Wednesday and Friday on ITV and ITVX
Hello! I’m Mark Olsen. Welcome to another edition of your regular field guide to a world of Only Good Movies.
Even as the year winds down, there are still some exciting new releases hitting theaters.
Few films this year are arriving on quite the wave of expectation behind Josh Safdie’s “Marty Supreme,” in part because of the unhinged, go-for-broke promo push from its star Timothée Chalamet. The film tells the story of Marty Mauser, a shoe salesman in 1950s New York who dreams of becoming a champion table tennis player and will stop at nothing to make it happen.
As Amy Nicholson put it in her review, “Like Marty, Chalamet was raised in New York City, and since he arrived on the scene, there’s never been a doubt he’ll win an Oscar. The only question is, when? To Chalamet’s credit, he’s doing it the hard way, avoiding sentimental pictures for pricklier roles about his own naked ambitions. … The movie’s moxie makes it impossible not to get caught up in Marty’s crusade. We’re giddy even when he’s miserable.”
The surprise winner of the Golden Lion at this year’s Venice Film Festival, Jim Jarmusch’s “Father Mother Sister Brother” is a gently enigmatic film revolving around, as the title suggests, parents and siblings. Told in three separate stories — set in New Jersey, Dublin and Paris — the film stars Adam Driver, Tom Waits, Mayim Bialik, Cate Blanchett, Vicky Krieps, Charlotte Rampling, Luka Sabbat and Indya Moore.
Tom Waits in Jim Jarmusch’s movie “Father Mother Sister Brother.”
(Atsushi Nishijima / Mubi)
In his review, Tim Grierson wrote, “The film’s persistent brittleness may make some viewers antsy. That’s partly the point, but hopefully, they’ll soon be swept away by the movie’s melancholy undertow. … Eventually, we learn to look past Jarmusch’s deceptively mundane surfaces to see the fraught, unresolved issues within these guarded families. The characters occasionally expose their true selves, then just as quickly retreat, fearful of touching on real conflict.”
Tim Grieving spoke to composer Daniel Blumberg, who won an Oscar earlier this year for “The Brutalist,” about his work on “The Testament of Ann Lee,” director Mona Fastvold’s portrait of the founder of the Shaker religious movement. Singing and dance were an integral part of the Shakers’ spiritual practice, so the music for the film was of special importance.
“Ann Lee was very radical and extreme,” said Blumberg, “and Mona is as well.”
De Los also recently published a list of the 25 best Latino films of 2025 as picked by Carlos Aguilar. His favorites include Amalia Ulman’s “Magic Farm,” Pasqual Gutierrez and Ben Mullinkosson’s “Serious People,” Diego Céspedes’ “The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo,” Petra Costa’s “Apocalypse in the Tropics” and Kleber Mendonça Filho’s “The Secret Agent.”
All three of this year’s Envelope roundtables are now available to watch: actors, actresses and directors.
New Year’s Eve at the movies
Daniel Day-Lewis and Vicky Krieps in the movie “Phantom Thread.”
(Laurie Sparham / Focus Features)
When people talk about holiday films, they typically mean Christmas. But what if the movies that featured a New Year’s Eve scene were sneakily better? To judge by the titles playing around town this week, an argument could be made.
Take for example Kathryn Bigelow’s “Strange Days.” An exciting techno-thriller set during the last two days of then-future 1999, it’s about a hustler (Ralph Feinnes) who finds himself in way over his head. The film builds to a huge millennial New Year’s Eve street party filmed in downtown Los Angeles. Still something of a rarity on streaming, “Strange Days” will be showing in 35mm at the New Beverly on Friday afternoon and then at the Aero on Wednesday 31, early enough in the evening to leave time for more fun after.
Then there is Paul Thomas Anderson’s achingly romantic and bitingly funny “Phantom Thread,” in which the controlling fashion designer Reynolds Woodcock (Daniel Day-Lewis) initially refuses to leave the house on New Year’s Eve, but then races to be with his muse and lover Alma Elson (Vicky Krieps) after she goes out without him. The movie will be showing on New Year’s Day in 70mm at the Aero.
Anderson’s 1997 “Boogie Nights,” which will show in 35mm at Vidiots on the afternoon of Dec. 31, features a very different take on New Year’s Eve. In a pivotal sequence, many of the film’s characters converge on a NYE party to ring in the transition form 1979 to 1980. It does not go well.
jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine in 1960’s “The Apartment.”
(Bettmann Archive / Getty Images)
Billy Wilder’s “The Apartment” will play in 35mm at the New Beverly on Saturday and Sunday and also at the American Cinematheque’s Los Feliz Theater on Dec. 30. In the film Jack Lemmon is a lonely office drone who finds his complex relationship with a co-worker (Shirley MacLaine) ultimately coming to a head on a fateful New Year’s Eve.
Rob Reiner’s 1989 “When Harry Met Sally…” will likely be playing several times over the next weeks in tribute to the filmmaker. Starring Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal as two friends trying to figure out if their relationship can (or should) be something more, the film features not one but two memorable New Year’s Eve scenes. It will be playing at the New Beverly on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
Katie Holmes, left, and Sarah Polley in the movie “Go.”
(Tracy Bennett / Columbia Pictures)
Doug Liman’s “Go,” from a screenplay by John August, is not strictly speaking a New Year’s Eve movie, but it does take place in the sort of liminal zone of ongoing partying that occurs during holiday time. With a cast that includes Sarah Polley, Katie Holmes, Timothy Olyphant and many more, the film revolves around a few grocery store co-workers, some low-stakes drug dealing, questionable choices and a lot of miscommunication. The movie shows at Vidiots on Tuesday.
In a review of the film, Kevin Thomas wrote, “When all is said and done, ‘Go’ is a film about people going too far, which works precisely because its makers know when to hold back. ‘Go’ keeps us guessing … but it never forgets it’s a comedy; if it was too serious it would burst like a bubble. So uniformly skilled and talented is the film’s cast, which has 15 featured players, that it is impossible to single out any one. ‘Go’ is perfectly titled: Exhilarating and sharp, it never stops for a second.”
Points of interest
The Marx Brothers’ eternal comic mayhem
Chico Marx, left, Groucho Marx, Harpo Marx and Margaret Dumont in the movie “Animal Crackers.”
(Universal)
It has become a tradition around town for theaters to show Marx Brothers movies at the holidays, and who are we to argue with that? For pure whimsy and comedy that hits somewhere deep in the unconscious, the Marx Brothers are still pretty much unbeatable.
The New Beverly played some Marx Brothers movies on Christmas Day. For those who still want more, Vidiots will be showing 1935’s “A Night at the Opera,” directed by Sam Wood and including the famous stateroom scene in which more and more people cram into a single room on an ocean liner.
On New Year’s Day, the Aero will show 1933’s “Duck Soup,” directed by Leo McCarey, in which the brothers take over the fictional nation of Freedonia. That will be followed by 1930’s “Animal Crackers,” directed by Victor Heerman, in which Groucho Marx plays African explorer Rufus T. Firefly.
Eric Rohmer’s ‘The Green Ray’
A scene from Eric Rohmer’s “The Green Ray.”
(Janus Films)
Initially released as “Summer” in the U.S., Eric Rohmer’s “The Green Ray” won Venice’s Golden Lion in 1986. The film follows Delphine (Marie Rivière, who co-wrote the script with Rohmer), a single woman in Paris, as she struggles to find someone to go on a holiday trip with her, leading to a series of serio-comic misadventures. The film will show Thursday in 35mm at the American Cinematheque’s Los Feliz Theater.
Reviewing the film in 1986, Michael Wilmington asked if watching a Rohmer film is really, to quote Gene Hackman on Rohmer movies in “Night Moves,” like watching paint peel? “Not at all,” Wilmington wrote. “‘Summer’ is one of the masterpieces of 1986. It’s one of the most finely wrought, stimulating films of an erratic year. It’s intellectual in the best sense: engaging you emotionally and mentally. It moves faster, wastes less time, and has more to offer than most movies now on view — and those who are skipping it are missing one of the year’s real treats.”
VICTORIA Beckham gushed over her husband David Beckham as he continued a sweet family tradition with their daughter, Harper.
The former Spice Girl gave an insight into their family Christmas which they celebrated with their extended families and three of their four children, Cruz, Romeo and Harper.
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David Beckham dances with daughter HarperCredit: INSTAGRAM/VICTORIA BECKHAMThey shared the Christmas dance to ‘Islands in the Stream’Credit: INSTAGRAM/VICTORIA BECKHAMVictoria described David as the ‘best daddy’Credit: INSTAGRAM/david BECKHAM
David and his wife have long danced to the hit song at anniversary and birthday celebrations as a mark of their love, have even inspired a viral TikTok trend in 2024.
Now David is continuing the tradition with his daughter and they sung the lyrics as they danced, and the former England footballer then dipped Harper who held on and smiled.
“Truly the best daddy,” Victoria captioned the video which she shared to her Instagram stories.
The move infuriated brother Cruz, 20, who addressed the drama – revealing that Brooklyn removed the entire family – including 14-year-old Harper – from his social media.
The musician confirmed his parents woke up to being banned from seeing Brooklyn’s profile, and said: “My mum and dad would never unfollow their son.
“They woke up blocked. As did I.”
Brooklyn’s wife Nicola is also not following any of the Beckham family on Instagram – weeks after the couple were absent from David’s long-awaited knighthood celebrations.
Meanwhile David and Victoria were not present for Brooklyn and Nicola’s New York wedding vow renewal in August.
The couple, who tied the knot in 2022, were last pictured with David and Victoria last Christmas.
Earlier this week, Brooklyn reportedly called for his parents to apologise to Nicola, with a source claiming: “There was a long briefing war where it was open season on Nicola. They (David and Victoria) targeted Nicola and thought that they could do so without consequences.
“You can’t inflict that much pain and damage on two people and then expect to pick up the relationship via a public social media post. The person who caused the pain does not get to decide when they declare it is over.
“If they want to make up then they need to apologise and acknowledge the pain caused and make changes to show that it is not going to happen again.”
Brooklyn Beckham and wife Nicola Peltz did not spend Christmas with his familyCredit: GettyVictoria with son Cruz, who revealed Brooklyn had blocked them on social mediaCredit: instagram
Seventh seed James Wade suffered a fourth successive second-round exit at the PDC World Championship, losing a thrilling tie to fellow Englishman Ricky Evans.
Both players missed match darts in the deciding set, with world number 43 Evans eventually taking it 6-4 in the fifth.
Wade is the highest-ranked seed to be eliminated so far and his defeat, along with Wessel Nijman’s loss earlier on Monday, means 14 of the 32 seeded players have been knocked out.
Dutch 31st seed Nijman lost in straight sets to Germany’s Gabriel Clemens, who reached the semi-finals in 2023.
Elsewhere, Kenyan debutant David Munyua was unable to follow up his shock win over Mike de Decker in round one, winning just two legs in a 3-0 defeat by world number 40 Kevin Doets.
Scotland’s Darren Beveridge was beaten 3-1 by Latvia’s Madars Razma in Monday’s opening match.
Phil Wickham has released 14 Christian worship albums, has been Platinum certified and nominated for American Music Awards, Dove Awards, Billboard Music Awards and Grammys — but all of his vocal training and performances couldn’t prepare him to step into the shoes of one of his Biblical heroes with the upcoming animated musical film “David.”
Directed by Phil Cunningham and Brent Dawes, “David” marks the second animated film this year for Angel Studios. April’s “The King of Kings” made $60 million and is the second-highest-grossing film from the studio following “Sound of Freedom,” which made $184 million. The film hits theaters on Friday. If the release date sounds familiar, it could be because the third installment in the multibillion-dollar “Avatar” franchise, “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” is released on the same day. Presale numbers for “David” are at $15 million on 3,100 screens, but with “Avatar” tracking to open between $135 million and $165 million, and “The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants” also tracking between $13 million and $20 million, it would seem to be a true David vs. Goliaths for ticket sales.
That in itself could be daunting, but for Wickham, the biggest obstacles came long before release dates were decided. Despite playing in arenas with thousands of fans, he had a “secret dream” of voicing a character in an animated film. A character “that carried courage and faith and had some grand adventure.” But because he’d never chased that dream, he realistically put a limit on that particular goal. Even when the opportunity arose, he was hesitant when going into a casting meeting.
“I’m unoffendable. [I said to producers], if I suck, then just tell me because I don’t want to waste anybody’s time. And also, I don’t want to be bad in a movie as much as you don’t want to make a bad movie,” says Wickham.
The contemporary Christian artist, who recently finished sold-out concerts at Downey Calvary Chapel and the Wiltern, had never tried his hand at voice acting. Not only did he get the role, but he also had to help bring to (animated) life one of the most well-known stories in the Bible. The tale of David — the boy who was anointed to become the king and along the way felled the giant Philistine warrior Goliath with a rock and a slingshot — has become synonymous as the most famous of underdog representations and tests of faith in the Bible. The character and story is also one of Wickham’s favorites.
Phil Wickham always wanted to voice an animated character, especially after seeing “The Lion King.”
(Colton Dall)
“When this came across my desk, so to speak, I was just like, man, I could tell you that story, but I didn’t know if I had it in me. I didn’t know if I was a good actor. I didn’t know if I could voice a character, but I knew I wanted a shot,” said Wickham.
A curious revelation for Wickham was discovering that the singing that he’d been doing most of his life would not work on-screen, at least not for this project. He was asked to tone down things, to sometimes “talk through” lyrics and to generally make the music more dramatic for the screen.
“I thought, OK, I got this. This is why they hired me, because I’m a singer. But that ended up being the hardest part because they didn’t want me to sound like me,” Wickham said.
“Singing became a background to just being the character, which honestly, in some ways, was the hardest thing. Maybe even for my ego as as an artist.”
It was definitely a process that required lots of fine-tuning and looking at David as not just the king and hero that Wickham had grown up reading about at home and in Southern California churches. Sitting in the pews in Downey, the singer reflected on why he got into music and why Christian entertainment is on the rise.
“I found out really quick that I loved being a part of moments where people were encountering the same hope and faith that I encountered in my room alone,” Wickham said of songwriting and performing. He grew up with Christianity all around him, but has seen a spike in popularity for music and movies dealing with faith-based fandom.
“For this movie ‘David’ to come out at this time … I think that the world is looking for stuff to hope in. I think people are just searching and finding out more and more the truth that if we look around us at the world of man, we’re not going to find real solutions. So that maybe if we look up, we will.”
Hello! I’m Mark Olsen. Welcome to another edition of your regular field guide to a world of Only Good Movies.
The shocking deaths this week of Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner reached far beyond Hollywood. Their legacy will go far beyond show business thanks to their committed political activism for causes they believed in.
Mary McNamara pulled together the different strands of Rob Reiner’s life and career, noting, “As an artist and a public figure, he put his money where his mouth was and remained invariably sincere, a powerful and compelling trait that has become increasingly rare in a time of the sound-bite inanities, muddy thinking, obvious contradictions and outright falsehoods that threaten our public and political discourse.
“Reiner mastered many mediums and wielded a broad palette but his signature artistic trait was empathy. No story was too small, or too brutal, to be examined with kindness and an understanding that the most grave injustice we can commit is to choose apathy or revenge when connection and transcendence are always possible.”
Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal in the movie “When Harry Met Sally…”
Josh Rothkopf and I rolled out a list of his 10 best movies as a director, which includes his astonishing early run, titles like “This Is Spinal Tap,” “The Princess Bride,” “Misery,” “A Few Good Men” and “The American President.” All of those come in little over a decade.
Tribute screenings have already been announced around Los Angeles, including “When Harry Met Sally…” at the New Beverly on Dec. 30–Jan. 1 and then again on Jan. 3 at Vidiots, which will also be showing “A Few Good Men” on Jan. 6 and “The Princess Bride” on Jan. 18. More screenings are sure to follow.
‘Love & Basketball’ 25th anniversary
Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps in the movie “Love & Basketball.”
(New Line Cinema)
On Saturday, the Academy Museum will host a 25th anniversary screening of “Love & Basketball” with writer-director Gina Prince-Bythewood in attendance. Starring Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps, it is one of the great romantic films of recent decades, the story of two young athletes struggling to reconcile their feelings for each other with their individual careers and ambitions.
In his original review of the movie, Eric Harrison wrote, “The movie is smarter than it has to be, but it’s the sort of low-key smart that can be easily overlooked. Writer-director Gina Prince-Bythewood doesn’t care if you recognize how hard it is to juggle two distinctly different types of movies (make that three, since the romance and sports elements here don’t obscure the feminist fable that is the film’s heart). … This is Prince-Bythewood’s first feature film as both a writer and director, and she shows admirable command of her craft.”
In an interview from 1990, Prince-Bythewood talked about the difficulty of casting the two leads, worrying whether she should find basketball players who could learn to act or actors who could persuasively play basketball.
“There were a lot of sleepless nights,” Prince-Bythewood said. “Is this a love story or a basketball story? I finally realized it’s a love story first. It doesn’t matter how great the basketball is if you don’t care about the character or the love story.
In 2020, Sonaiya Kelley spoke to Prince-Bythewood, Lathan, Epps, producer Spike Lee, actors Gabrielle Union, Alfre Woodard, Tyra Banks and Regina Hall for a definitive oral history of the film.
“When I first started out writing it, my goal was to do a Black ‘When Harry Met Sally…,’” said Prince-Bythewood. “I love that movie, but I wasn’t seeing myself in movies like that.”
‘Metropolitan’ 35th anniversary
The cast of Whit Stillman’s 1990 movie “Metropolitan.”
(Rialto Pictures)
On Sunday afternoon, the American Cinematheque at the Aero Theatre will have a 35th anniversary screening of “Metropolitan” with writer-director Whit Stillman and actor Taylor Nichols there for a Q&A. Set during the week between Christmas and New Year’s among a very specific social set of young New Yorkers — labeled in the film as the Urban Haute Bourgeoisie — the film is a delicately detailed comedy of manners. It would earn Stillman an Oscar nomination for original screenplay.
In her original review, Sheila Benson wrote, “Filmmaker Stillman is a pointillist, working in the tiniest, most meticulous degrees. If he seems at times as controlled and distanced as his own UHBs, his impulsive, romantic ending betrays him. Stillman understands caste, class and deportment as perfectly as Audrey’s idol, Jane Austen, and by the time he’s through, so do we.”
In a 1990 interview, Stillman spoke about making a movie about such a specific social set, one that many viewers of the film will not have been a part of. “I think people will enjoy the fact that the film has texture,” he said. “They will sense that there is a joke there, even if they don’t get it.”
Points of interest
Nancy Meyers with ‘Father of the Bride’
Kimberly Williams, left, Martin Short, Steve Martin and Diane Keaton in the 1991 version of “Father of the Bride.”
(Disney / Touchstone Pictures)
Director Nancy Meyers had to pull out of a recent Q&A scheduled for a screening of “Something’s Gotta Give,” which starred her frequent collaborator Diane Keaton. Meyers is now set to appear at the American Cinematheque at the Aero Theatre on Saturday for a Q&A after 1991’s remake of “Father of the Bride,” directed by Charles Shyer and co-written by Shyer and Meyers. As far as we can tell, this will be Meyers’ first public appearance since Keaton’s death in October.
The film stars Keaton alongside Steve Martin, as a couple who are arranging the wedding of their daughter, with Martin Short showing up as an overbearing wedding planner.
In his original review, Michael Wilmington wrote, “Midway through ‘Father of the Bride’ … Martin Short shows up, as the effete, snobbish wedding coordinator that Leo G. Carroll played in the original, and steals the movie from Martin, steals it from everybody. Short’s handling of this silly little role — an outrageous poseur named ‘Franck Eggelhoffer’ who insists on calling himself Frawwnk and acts like a post-disco Mischa Auer — has perfect pitch and real wigged-out comic genius.”
David Lowery and ‘The Green Knight’
Dev Patel in the 2021 movie “The Green Knight.”
(A24)
On Saturday, Vidiots will host a screening of 2021’s “The Green Knight” with writer-director David Lowery in person. Based on the 14th century poem “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight,” the film stars Dev Patel as Gawain, nephew of King Arthur, who, after winning a mystical challenge on Christmas, is told he has one year to complete another adventure.
In his review, Justin Chang wrote, “What does it mean to be a knight, or even just to be human? It isn’t an easy question, and ‘The Green Knight,’ in taking it seriously, isn’t always an easy film. But by the time Gawain reaches his journey’s end, in as moving and majestically sustained a passage of pure cinema as I’ve seen this year, the moral arc of his journey has snapped into undeniable focus. He plays the game; he accepts the challenge. His example is worth following.”
Oliver Stone’s ‘Nixon’
Joan Allen and Anthony Hopkins in the movie “Nixon.”
(Sidney Baldwin / Cinergi Pictures Entertainment)
On Sunday, the Laemmle Royal will have a 30th anniversary screening of Oliver Stone’s “Nixon” with the filmmaker in person for a Q&A to be moderated by Times contributing writer Tim Greiving.
Starring Anthony Hopkins as Richard Nixon and Joan Allen as his wife, Pat (both were nominated for Oscars for their performances), the film covers the political life of the politician who rose to being president only to leave the office in disgrace.
In his original review, Kenneth Turan wrote, “Mostly (though not completely) gone is the disturbing, lunatic Oliver Stone, the bad-boy writer-director who infuriated the political establishment with ‘JFK’ and outraged sensibilities nationwide with ‘Natural Born Killers.’ He’s been replaced by a filmmaker very much on his best behavior, a thorough researcher who consulted 80 books and published a heavily footnoted screenplay. If Quentin Tarantino made a film in the style of Sir Richard Attenborough, the surprise could not be greater. And ‘Nixon’ is in many ways an impressive, well-crafted piece of work.”
Kenyan debutant David Munyua caused a huge shock at the PDC World Championship, coming from two sets down to beat world number 18 Mike de Decker 3-2 at Alexandra Palace.
It was an enthralling encounter to end the afternoon session on Thursday, with Munyua missing darts to win the second set, doing the same in the third but coming back to win it, edging the fourth and coming back to win the fifth.
The 30-year-old, who qualified via the African Darts Group Qualifier, was broken in the first leg of the decider but produced an astounding outer bull-treble 20-bullseye 135 finish to level the fifth set, before holding his nerve to complete victory.
Another debutant, Japan’s Motomu Sakai, looked to have stolen the show earlier in the afternoon session as he beat Thibault Tricole of France in straight sets.
Sakai gained the support of the Alexandra Palace crowd with a long, exuberant walk-on and was a showman who played up to the fans throughout his match.
Elsewhere, world number 24 Ryan Joyce produced a composed display to see off fellow Englishman Owen Bates, averaging 95.27 and hitting nine of his 14 attempts at double.
Thursday’s other winner was world number 42 Callan Rydz, who only dropped three legs as he comfortably won 3-0 against Hungary’s Patrik Kovacs.
A group of Rob Reiner’s closest friends released a joint statement Tuesday praising the legendary film director’s masterful storytelling and remembering him as a “passionate, brave citizen” who did everything he could to make the world a better place.
“His comedic touch was beyond compare, his love of getting the music of the dialogue just right, and his sharpening of the edge of a drama was simply elegant,” the statement reads. “For the actors, he loved them. For the writers he made them better.”
It was signed by Billy and Janice Crystal, Albert and Kimberly Brooks, Martin Short, Alan and Robin Zweibel, Larry David and Ashley Underwood, Marc Shaiman and Lou Mirabal, Barry and Diana Levinson and James Costos and Michael Smith.
The friends wrote that, in addition to being an excellent comedic actor, Reiner had an unmatched range as a director.
“From comedy to drama to ‘mockumentary’ to documentary he was always at the top of his game,” they stated. “He charmed audiences. They trusted him. They lined up to see his films.”
The friends, many of whom worked closely with Reiner on film and TV projects, said that he was a truly collaborative partner. Reiner directed the 1989 film “When Harry Met Sally…,” starring Billy Crystal, and “Albert Brooks: Defending My Life,” a 2023 documentary about Brooks. He appeared as a recurring version of himself on Larry David’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”
Crystal was one of the first people contacted by family members after Rob and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found stabbed to death in their home Sunday afternoon, family friends told The Times. He visited the home that afternoon and left in tears.
“If you had an idea, he listened, he brought you into the process,” the group of friends stated. “To be in his hands as a film maker was a privilege.”
They praised Reiner and his wife for their political activism and dedication to helping others.
“Strong and determined, Michele and Rob Reiner devoted a great deal of their lives for the betterment of our fellow citizens,” the statement reads. “They were a special force together — dynamic, unselfish and inspiring.”
The statement closes with a quote from one of Reiner’s favorite movies, “It’s a Wonderful Life”: ”Each man’s life touches so many other lives, and when he isn’t around, he leaves an awful hole, doesn’t he?”
Actor Sir David Jason, known for playing Del Boy in the hit show Only Fools and Horses will discuss the sitcom and show unseen footage in new series
23:59, 15 Dec 2025Updated 00:23, 16 Dec 2025
Sir David Jason has insisted “the love for Only Fools has never faded” after reuniting with cast members from the beloved sitcom for a new documentary series.
Celebrating the show’s 45th anniversary, Only Fools And Horses: The Lost Archive will air behind-the-scenes footage as well as material that the series producer said was “filmed but never broadcast”.
The sitcom, which was a ratings smash hit for the BBC, including at Christmas, first aired on September 8 1981 and proved to be a career-defining role for Sir Jason, who played Del Boy, and Nicholas Lyndhurst, who played his brother Rodney.
Announcing the new UKTV documentary series, Sir David, 85, said: “The love for Only Fools has never faded. It’s incredible to see how many people still hold it close to their hearts. Revisiting these rediscovered moments reminded me just how special the show was – and still is. It’s incredible to be able to share them now.”
The two-part series features interviews with cast and crew and includes archival material from more than 10 classic episodes, including The Jolly Boys’ Outing and Mother Nature’s Son.
In interviews, cast members including Sir David, Tessa Peake-Jones (Raquel), Gwyneth Strong (Cassandra) and Sue Holderness (Marlene) pay tribute to creator John Sullivan, who died in 2011 at the age of 64.
Further discoveries, which didn’t make it into the original episodes due to timing or structural constraints include new material from the episodes He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Uncle, Mother Nature’s Son, Time On Our Hands. There is also an unseen opening scene of Del and Rodney in a nightclub from The Class Of ’62.
Clips have been digitally scanned and restored from 16mm negatives, meaning the cast appear in high definition. Sean Doherty, director and series producer, said: “Few shows have the kind of enduring popularity that Only Fools enjoys.
“The archive has uncovered some extraordinary material – 66 unseen clips and scenes so far that were filmed but never broadcast because they didn’t fit the timing or structure of the original episodes, plus nearly 100 assets from rushes and location filming. We’ve truly been spoilt for choice.”
Helen Nightingale, UKTV’s head of factual and factual entertainment, commissioning, said: “Only Fools And Horses is part of the national DNA.
“With its humour, heart and unforgettable characters, it’s British comedy at its very best. This series is a celebration of its legacy and a chance to share new discoveries with the fans who’ve loved it for decades.”
In 2019 a musical adaptation of Only Fools And Horses starring Paul Whitehouse opened at the Theatre Royal Haymarket and it toured across the UK and Ireland in 2024 and 2025.
In 2022 on Only Fools and Horses actor Michael Fenton Stevens told how many jokes were lost from the sitcom over time due to time constraints.
Speaking on the Only Fools and Horses podcast he recalled his own episode and said: “It was a very big programme by then. I was in Series 6 and it had just gone to 40 minutes so they had the extra time to do things. That was the point by which they had turned into mini plays, they were just beautiful.
“They did that because John Sullivan would always write 10 minutes more than was needed. So every half hour script has 10 minutes of material which was cut. If you can find the original scripts from before they were printed to be used in the studio, if you can get them from when he was writing – and they must be somewhere, his family must have them on record, I think – it would be brilliant to read through all those bits that were cut.” The extra scenes and gags from Del Boy and Rodney were filmed, only to be omitted in the final edit.
The sitcom featured the colourful escapades of market trader Del Boy and his less streetwise younger brother Rodney as they went through the highs and lows of life trying to become rich.
The characters lived in Peckham with Grandad, played by Leonard “Lennard” Pearce, and their friends included Trigger, played by Roger Lloyd Pack, and Boycie, played by John Challis.
* Two part series Only Fools and Horses: The Lost Archive will be airing on U&GOLD in 2026.
