difficult

EMMY award-winning actor William H. Macy has revealed the most difficult Hollywood stars, according to him.

The star, 76, has been acting for four and a half decades and has worked with the who’s who of Hollywood in his time.

He appeared on the We Might Be Drunk podcast with hosts Mark Normand and Sam Morril as they attempted to get some gossip out of him.

Mark asked: “We gotta ask, which actors do you really hate?,” before listing off some big names, including Tommy Lee Jones, who he acted in the 1994 film, The Client with.

William responded: “He was rough,” before adding: “I’m not letting out any secrets.”

The hosts then asked him what he thought about Jim Carrey, to which he replied: “I did not act with him, but I’ve just heard he can be really tough.

NOT A PRANK

Hollywood icon’s son, 16, is high school sports star – can you guess his dad?

FILM STAR SAB

Sabrina Carpenter rocks tight-fitting frock with thigh-high slit at Met Gala

“You know, there are a lot of actors out there, it p****s me off, who make life miserable for a lot of people and they don’t get busted for it and it p****s me off.”

William began his career on stage in theatre, before building his career by starring in small, independent films.

His breakthrough role was in black comedy crime film Fargo in 1996 which got him critical acclaim and a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

He went on to star in big Hollywood films in his career, including Psycho, Jurassic Park 3, Spartan and The Lincoln Lawyer.

William’s television work includes playing Dr. David Morgenstern in ER for 15 years and as Frank Gallagher on the US Shameless for 10 years.

He is a two-time Emmy Award and four-time Screen Actors Guild Award winner, and has been nominated for an Academy Award, a Drama Critics’ Circle Award, and five Golden Globe Awards.

The Hollywood star married actress Felicity Huffman in 1997 after dating on and off for 15 years.

The pair went on to have two children together – daughters Sophia Grace and Georgia Grace.

Felicity was jailed in 2019 for 14-days for her part in the college bribery scandal.

She admitted to paying $15,000 (£12,000) to rig her daughter’s SAT scores, tearfully apologising to the teen for not trusting her abilities.

On their impressive European run, Palace have shown they are not just about individuals, but a team stepping up when it matters.

Japan midfielder Kamada had not scored since October 2024 before his composed finish on Thursday restored Palace’s lead just as Shakhtar looked to be taking control following their equaliser at 1-1.

Palace fans were in great spirits before the match in Krakow, and there’s a feeling that all connected with the club are pulling in the same direction.

There could be an air of sadness for the remainder of the campaign with boss Glasner, who led Palace to a fairytale FA Cup victory last season, just two games away from European glory before he departs this summer.

But spirits instead seem high as the club work together to achieve the goal of winning more silverware.

“It’s an amazing group of people, of men, of characters,” said Glasner, who won the Europa League with Eintracht Frankfurt in 2022.

“There is such a big spirit and great togetherness and we always believe in ourselves.

“There is no button we can press to switch it on. It is something we have created over months and years – that we know we can always come back and score a goal.”

Mike Vrabel doesn’t want to be a distraction.

The New England Patriots coach knows that much of the chatter around his team in recent weeks has nothing to do with the reigning AFC champions’ offseason workouts or their plans for the NFL draft later this week.

Instead, it’s been about a “personal and private matter” that Vrabel decided to address at the top of his news conference Tuesday in Foxborough, Mass. Although he didn’t specify, the second-year Patriots coach seemed to be referring to photos recently published by the New York Post’s Page Six of him and Dianna Russini, who was at the time a reporter for the Athletic, interacting at an Arizona resort.

The photos appear to show Russini and Vrabel — both married to other people — holding hands, hugging and sitting in a hot tub and a swimming pool. In the April 7 article that accompanied the photos, Russini and Vrabel gave statements denying that anything inappropriate was happening between them.

In his first public comments since the article was published, Vrabel did not mention Russini or the photos. Instead, Vrabel spoke about how he has handled the situation and what his family, the team and the fan base can expect from him “going forward.”

“I’ve had some difficult conversations with people that I care about — my family, the organization, the coaches, the players,” Vrabel said. “Those have been positive and productive. We believe in order to be successful on and off the field, you have to make good decisions. That includes me; that starts with me.

“We never want our actions to negatively affect the team. We never want to be the cause of the distraction. These are comments and questions that I’ve answered for the team and with the team. We’ll keep those private and to ourselves.

“I care deeply about this football team and am excited to coach it. I also know that I’m going to attack each day with humility and focus. And what I can promise you is that my family, this organization, the team, the staff, the coaches, everybody, our fans, most importantly, will get the best version of me going forward.”

A Patriots spokesman said team officials have no plans to address the issue further. The NFL has indicated it is not investigating the matter.

In the Page Six article, Athletic executive editor Steven Ginsberg expressed full support for Russini and said the photos “are misleading and lack essential context.” Days later, however, the New York Times, owner of the Athletic, reported that the digital sports outlet would conduct an investigation.

On April 14, Russini submitted her letter of resignation to the Athletic, then posted it on X. In it, Russini states she has “no interest in submitting to a public inquiry that has already caused far more damage than I am willing to accept.”

“This media frenzy is hurtling forward without regard for the review process The Athletic is trying to complete,” Russini wrote. “It continues to escalate, fueled by repeated leaks. … Rather than allowing this to continue, I have decided to step aside now — before my current contract expires on June 30. I do so not because I accept the narrative that has been constructed around this episode, but because I refuse to lend it further oxygen or to let it define me or my career.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Kelly Somers: Well, Ollie, let’s go back to the very beginning. I want to know where your love of football came from and the first time you can remember having a ball at your feet.

Ollie Watkins: Ah, it was a long time ago now!

Kelly: You were so young that you can’t remember…

Ollie: Yeah, I was so young. My mum always used to say as soon as I could walk I was kicking bouncy balls and stuff around. Then whenever I used to go out to play in the street, I’d always come back with a football.

Kelly: What, you just nicked another kid’s football?!

Ollie: I would just find footballs around and I’d have a collection of different ones. I was playing with my brothers in the street and stuff like that. One day my friend came around and he was going to football practice later, but I didn’t have a team. He told me to come with him and then it started from there.

Kelly: So, that was your first team. What can you remember of your first session with them?

Ollie: It was just different. I was used to playing football down at the park with my friends. This is a little bit more… it was still fun, but obviously you have a little bit of coaching and stuff like that. And then I found that I was quite good at it, so just kept going.

Kelly: At what point did you realise, ‘OK, I’ve maybe got something here that the other kids haven’t got’?

Ollie: Well, to be honest, there was a player that played in my team… his dad actually ran the team as well… he was the best player. And I always just wanted to kind of get close to him and just be like him really.

At that age, I don’t think you think about it. You’re just playing football. It’s maybe when you get into academies and stuff like that then you start to think about doing it more seriously and thinking of the level you’re at. But at that time – I think that’s the fun thing about when you’re young – you just go out and play. There’s no rules. You can run everywhere. I think that’s the fun bit about football at that age.

Kelly: There’s been a lot made of your journey and it not being your typical route. It was Exeter that picked you up first, wasn’t it? But that wasn’t the easiest path straight away was it, either?

Ollie: No, I went for a trial when I was nine. I didn’t get in and then they told me to come back in six weeks, but I couldn’t concentrate. I was always looking around and stuff like that, so coming back six weeks later, I didn’t feel like I was going to improve. I needed to go back and, you know, play with my friends and just enjoy it because at that age it is very serious.

Kelly: So, you didn’t go back six weeks later? You decided not to?

Ollie: No, I went back two years later. I got in the academy and then, yeah, I was there until I left at 21 I think.

Kelly: I know it’s a long time ago now, but at nine years old that must have been your dream to play for your local team. To be told, ‘no, sorry, this isn’t right for you at the moment’ … can you remember how that felt? Or were you able to just go and enjoy football again?

Ollie: They weren’t saying: ‘Oh no, you aren’t good enough.’ It was more the fact that I couldn’t focus. Well, that’s what they told me anyway. But I just kind of saw it as… I just went and played more football and just enjoyed it. And I think I kind of saw it as a little bit of a blessing. At that age, you just want to go out and play, have that freedom to express yourself. So, that’s what I went away and did. When I then went into it, I was ready to focus more.

Kelly: And when you were at Exeter as well, you went on some loan spells. I know Weston-super-Mare was quite a big one, wasn’t it?

Ollie: Yeah, I feel like that was crucial in my development. One of my best friends at the time, Matt Jay, he made his debut at 16 I think. Obviously, I was very happy for him. He was my best friend, but I was so envious because you want that to be you.

But me going out on loan definitely helped me, because I felt like I was then… I’d experienced playing men’s football. I just learned to fight for three points. People had mortgages to pay and stuff like that and I didn’t understand that because I’d just been playing reserve-team football and playing games where I could win 5-0 or lose 5-0, it didn’t matter. Going out and playing for three points was a real learning curve for me and it definitely helped me. I learned a lot that year.

Kelly: You did, of course, make it at Exeter and then the rest is history because that’s where the rest of your journey started. But has there been a turning point along the way, where if you look back, you think, ‘OK, all of this… I wouldn’t be an England international scoring that goal at Euro 2024, playing in the Champions League… none of this would have happened without it’?

Ollie: I think there’s an element of luck. I remember the day I got into the first team at Exeter. Ryan Harley – one of the main midfielders – was ill that day. I ended up playing, scoring and then I stayed in the team and did well.

But after that, I think just working hard. And when I made the jump to Brentford, I was a little bit surprised at how well I took to it.

Kelly: Really?

Ollie: Yeah, I think because when you’re younger, you look at players that you want to play against… you search them on YouTube and then the next thing you know, football changes so quickly, you can be playing with those players that you had once watched or aspired to be like. I think just working hard and timing – everything just kind of falls into place naturally, I think.

Kelly: Is it quite hard to believe in that at times, though, because you kind of… you can control so much, but you can’t control your luck? Or can you, do you think?

Ollie: Yeah, I think it’s still something I’m coming to terms with. You can do all you can throughout the week and prepare as best as you can for a game, but sometimes things are out of your control. There are times where, you know, it’s lonely. You can’t take your mates everywhere with you and your family and the people closest to you.

You’ve got to work hard and do it yourself and persevere at the end of the day, and if you keep working hard it will pay off.

Kelly: What’s been the toughest moment?

Ollie: The toughest moment for me has probably been… throughout all my career… I would probably say this season. Just because I’ve done so well to get to where I am – getting to the Premier League… we had a bit of a dip… I scored goals. And then you set that expectation of… I think I hit a new level, scoring goals and being in Europe as well. That goal… after the Euros, I think there’s more eyes on you then.

This year, I haven’t been at the level I wanted to. So, to learn to deal with that is hard. And, look, it can always change. Football can always change. It will be a game where you can go out, score three goals and then everyone talks about you, like: ‘Ah, he’s back in form.’

I think that change of not being at the level where you want to be… I think for me this year has been difficult. But I’ve always got faith in my ability and I work so hard that I know I can get back to the level that I’ve achieved in previous seasons.

Horner, who led Red Bull to eight drivers’ titles and six constructors’ championships, and Wolff endured a rivalry for much of the past decade.

In January Alpine said Horner was among “multiple interested parties” to have discussed investment with the team.

Wolff and Mercedes are also looking at buying private investment firm Otro Capital’s 24% shares in Alpine.

Wolff said there is “no connection” with Horner in regards that investment and it would be “quite sad” if that was a consideration.

“I am in two minds about it [Horner returning to F1]. The sport is missing personalities. And his personality was clearly very controversial and that is good for the sport,” Wolff said.

“I said to [Ferrari team principal] Fred Vasseur that it needs the good, the bad, and the ugly. And it is now only the good and the ugly left. The bad is gone.

“Would I consider that he could ever be an ally or someone that shares objectives? I don’t think so.

“But even when I had the biggest frustration, and anger with him, you need to remind yourself that even your worst enemy has a best friend, so there must be some goodness.

“If there wasn’t that competitive rivalry over so many years, and if there was more water down the river, I am sure I could have had hung with him over dinner and a had a laugh.”

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen won four consecutive drivers’ titles from 2021 to 2024, ending Mercedes’ dominance with Lewis Hamilton, who was controversially denied five straight titles.

Horner, who has said he has “unfinished business” in F1, was last year overlooked to take over at Aston Martin.

“Over those years it was just too intense, too fierce, and things happened which even today I cannot comprehend why he has done them,” Wolff said.

“I don’t know if he is finding his way back, and in which function. I certainly don’t wish him bad. And we need to give each other credit. There are not many team principals who have done what he has done.”