The Channel 4 star was faced with an agonising decision after being offered a huge amount of money to work with a weight-loss brand.
She was left torn between a potentially life-changing sum of money and staying true to the values she has built her public image around.
The emotional dilemma unfolded during the final episode of her reality series Secret Lives of Gypsy Wives as Trewley was approached with the opportunity to work with a major weight-loss company associated with injectable weight-loss treatments.
However, despite the huge financial incentive, Trewley admitted she was uncomfortable with the idea of promoting something she did not personally believe in.
Her manager Andrea explained that the company was a “big brand” which was already working with well-known celebrity names and said the proposed partnership could involve a “transformation process” for anyone considering weight-loss injections.
“There is potentially a lot of money involved in this kind of partnership,” her manager told her. Trewley immediately questioned whether the deal fitted with the image she had created for herself.
“First of all, I just don’t think it’d fit my brand. That’s not who I am,” she said. “If I lose weight, I’ll go to the gym. I wouldn’t get on there for my other drugs, so why would I feel like that? You’re talking about payment, what’s the payment?”
The answer left her stunned. Her manager revealed that the deal could be worth six figures over the course of a year. “What the f***? That’s real?” Trewley exclaimed. Her manager confirmed that it was.
But even with the staggering figure on the table, Trewley knew accepting the deal could come at a cost. “I can’t sell my soul out,” she said.
Her manager reminded her that she was trying to build a long-term career and that she needed to think carefully about the brands she associated herself with.
“I think in this industry, you have to be so mindful of who your audience is,” her manager told her. “And your audience are young women.”
For Trewley, however, the decision was not simply about money. She admitted that part of her was thinking about what the money could do for her family, particularly her mum. “There’s part of me, family wise, that’s like, I can support, I can provide,” she explained.
But she also knew that accepting the deal could mean compromising the message she had been putting out to her followers.
Speaking directly to the camera, Trewley admitted she felt trapped whichever decision she made. “If I take it, I always represent these curvy women and this and that, so it’s just going against what I stand for,” she said. “But then I also have… I’ve got to think about my mum and my family. I’ve got to provide.”
She added: “It’s just disheartening. I feel stupid either way. I feel stupid if I take it, and I feel stupid if I don’t.”
Unable to make the decision alone, Trewley decided to call her mum, Tina, for advice. She explained that she had been offered a controversial brand deal and revealed just how much money was involved. But Tina’s response was immediate. She told her daughter not to take it.
Even when Trewley explained that the deal was worth a huge amount of money, her mum remained firm. Tina questioned whether any amount of money was worth putting her health at risk.
The conversation became an emotional moment for Trewley, who broke down as she considered what turning down the opportunity could mean. The money could have changed their lives. But ultimately, her mum’s advice helped Trewley make her decision.
Trewley revealed that she would turn down the deal, making it clear that no amount of money was going to make her compromise her beliefs.
“My goal in life is to provide for my family and earn money off what I’m doing,” she explained. “But I’m not compromising. I’m not being bought for something I don’t believe in. I don’t care how much it is, I’m not doing it.”
The decision comes as Trewley continues to navigate life in the public eye. Her growing presence on social media and the way she presents herself has not always been welcomed by everyone within the Traveller community, with Trewley facing backlash over her move into the world of influencing and television.
For Trewley, that criticism has highlighted a much bigger question about her future. She has grown up with a traditional Traveller lifestyle, but is now building a public career that brings opportunities far beyond the life she knew growing up.
You can stream Secret Lives of Gypsy Wives on Channel 4
Under the hot lights of the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, the five members of Santos Bravos stood center stage, ready to stake their claim to international stardom. It was the first night of KCON — a three-day festival of Korean pop culture, held every year since 2013 — and on Aug. 14, Santos Bravos became the first Latin American act ever to grace the bill.
Despite the band having debuted less than a year ago, the crowd was buzzing with excitement, but its energy heightened as the slashing knife sounds of “Hooligan,” a song off BTS’ latest hit album, “Arirang,” began to ring out. Because of their popularity, BTS songs are frequently covered by groups at KCON, but newcomers Santos Bravos, who are under the same parent label, Hybe, had more to prove to this audience.
Santos Bravos, a Latin American boy band based in Mexico City, performs on the Artist Stage on Aug. 14 at KCON at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
(Arwen Clemans / Los Angeles Times)
“Hooligan” was produced by Spanish producers Fakeguido and El Guincho (who worked on two records with Rosalía), as well as South Korean producer Ghstloop and American producer Jasper Harris. The multicultural song, with lyrics in both Korean and English, was an apt choice for Santos Bravos — between the five members, they speak and sing in three languages and represent several Latin cultures.
For BTS fans, nothing less than near the performance level of the superstar group is acceptable. But as Santos Bravos sang the opening verses in English, the crowd roared with approval — especially as lead vocalist Kauê Penna, who hails from Brazil, slid onstage to take on the high parts of BTS lead Jungkook.
While artists from different backgrounds working together is nothing new, Santos Bravos, like the Hybe x Geffen girl group Katseye, are part of an effort to bring K-pop training, marketing methods and fandom culture to other regions of the globe.
Fans watch as members of Santos Bravos walk off the stage and into the crowd during a performance on Day One of KCON.
(Arwen Clemans / Los Angeles Times)
Off the global success of BTS, Hybe evolved from a mid-sized label into one of the biggest music and entertainment players in South Korea. Santos Bravos operates under a division called Hybe Latin America, which is based out of Mexico City, where the band calls home. They are the first Hybe group to be based in a region outside of the United States or Asia.
Selected from 17 finalists on a 2025 competition reality show called “Santos Bravos — La Serie,” the contestants had vied to become part of Santos Bravos. Along the way, they received feedback and coaching from Song Sun-deuk, BTS’s longtime former choreographer and performance director. They also worked closely with Miami-based Cuban American choreographer Cultura, who has previously worked with Maluma, J Balvin, and Karol G, among others.
The final five debuted as a group at the show’s finale in October of 2025, where they performed before an audience of 10,000 at the Auditorio Nacional Mexico. Santos Bravos’ members are Penna, 19, from São João de Meriti, Brazil; Kenneth Lavíll,16, from Veracruz, Mexico; Gabi Bermúdez, 21, from San Juan, Puerto Rico; Alejandro Aramburú, 22, of Lima, and Drew Venegas, 26, from L.A. County.
The selected members were no starry-eyed amateurs: Both Lavíll and Aramburú were professional actors in their countries, while the honey-voiced Penna won the fifth season of “The Voice Kids, Brasil” in 2020. Bermúdez, the effusive mood-lifter of the group, was gunning for a career as a soloist when he entered the ring. Venegas, a dance specialist who had performed as a backup dancer for BTS, had a brief stint as a member of the Future X, a co-ed group formed by Simon Fuller that featured members of the queer community.
Not even a year into their formation, Santos Bravos topped Billboard’s new Latin music poll. In January, they performed alongside Mon Laferte and Feid in Willy Chavarria’s Paris Runway show, “Eterno.” In June, their debut EP, “Dual,” made it as high as No. 17 on the Billboard Top Latin Pop Albums chart. That same month, the group won its first award, the fan-voted artist duo or group at the 2026 Premios Tu Música Urbano Mix.
“We’re very disciplined,” said Venegas, who called West Covina home before joining the band. I met the band inside the Los Angeles Convention Center on Saturday, after their KCON breakout moment.
“One day of training was equivalent to one week of training,” he added. “I think combining all of our cultures together, then keeping our Latin essence with the K-pop methodology, [brings] something very new and very fresh for the eye.”
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Santa Monica , CA – August 17: Drew Venegas of Santos Bravos at Hybe America on Monday, Aug. 17, 2026 in Santa Monica , CA. (Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times) (Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)
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Santa Monica , CA – August 17: Kaue Penna of Santos Bravos at Hybe America on Monday, Aug. 17, 2026 in Santa Monica , CA. (Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times) (Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)
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Santa Monica , CA – August 17: Ale Aramburu of Santos Bravos at Hybe America on Monday, Aug. 17, 2026 in Santa Monica , CA. (Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times) (Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)
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Santa Monica , CA – August 17: Kenneth Lavill of Santos Bravos at Hybe America on Monday, Aug. 17, 2026 in Santa Monica , CA. (Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times) (Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)
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Santa Monica , CA – August 17: Gabi Lopez of Santos Bravos at Hybe America on Monday, Aug. 17, 2026 in Santa Monica , CA. (Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times) (Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)
Although the group doesn’t perform in Korean — unless it’s for fun — they cater to K-pop fans, which is easy to do since they too are K-pop fans. They’ve paid a visit to the Hybe headquarters in Seoul, collaborated with bands like Le Sserafim and BoyNextDoor and livestreamed to fans via Hybe’s proprietary social platform Weverse. They’ve even performed on Korean television.
But for the members of Santos Bravos, the cultural exchange goes beyond marketing.
“In Mexico,” Venegas said, “when you’re eating we say, ‘Buen provecho,’ which is like ‘Enjoy your food,’ No matter who it is, no matter who you’re walking by. Food is a big part of acknowledging somebody, and that’s what we have in [common with Korean culture].”
Mostly talking to each other in Spanish — both Venegas and Penna learned to speak it as a second language — they occasionally forget which language they are speaking to each other in.
“Sometimes I find myself talking to Kenneth or Kauê in English when I don’t need to,” interjected the soft-spoken Aramburú, who plays the guitar — and, in between his shifts as a pop star, is finishing up his music degree at USC.
“The fact that we learn so many languages opens so many doors for us,” Aramburú said. “Personally, wherever we go, I love to learn the language. I’m on Duolingo learning Korean right now.”
Penna sees language as a way to not only open doors for Latin artists, but also reach people through their music.
“Thank God Latin America is being watched,” said Penna. “You know, people can see what we’re doing, and people also are interested in in our languages, in our culture. And in every country we [visit], we try to learn as much as possible about the culture. Now we’re focusing on Portuguese” — a language they test-drove in the song “Velocidade” — “and of course, English.”
Venegas has found that his experience as a Mexican American who didn’t grow up speaking Spanish resonates with some people.
“There were a couple of fans who came up to me who were of Mexican descent, but they didn’t get the chance to learn like me growing up,” he said. “And immediately, they were at a loss for words and kind of filled with emotions. I started getting emotional because I can feel the heartache and … feeling scared, like you don’t belong … and that’s what I felt like. Being able to speak with them and hear what they say made me feel like I’m not alone and like I do matter. Hearing, ‘OK you didn’t grow up getting spoken to in Spanish, but you were still called mijo like I was called mijo.’ ”
Asked why some people struggle to grasp multiracial Latino identity — Cardi B is brought up as an example — Penna weighed in.
“Being in Santos Bravos as an Afro Latino is something so important to me,” said Penna. “I feel like this ‘thing’ of being this or being that… It’s just cultural differences. I’m also working to understand how another culture sees me. As Brazilians, we are very mixed. Of course, I have my Afro side, my mom’s side, I have my Indigenous side… but of course, I am very open and very proud [with] what I’m representing in Santos Bravos.”
“People in general like to categorize,” said Bermúdez, who grew up idolizing Puerto Rican singer Chayanne. Raised in Puerto Rico by parents with both Boricuan and Cuban heritage, Bermúdez bristles at attempts to divide Latinos.
“We as Santos Bravos want to transmit to the world that Latin America is one,” he said
Santos Bravos
(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)
On the Monday after KCON, I met up a second time with the members of Santos Bravos, who were milling about in the Hybe America offices in Santa Monica. Venegas scrolled through his phone while Penna shuffled past us to grab a drink from the office fridge. I ask whether he’s tired. “A little” he replies, but he’s good.
Upstairs, walking past a large poster of BTS, I met with Juanse Arenas, president of Hybe Global Label Services, who promotes artists outside of their home markets. He said the company looked closely at data and research when conceptualizing the group.
“Mexican regional music became really big, Bad Bunny himself went global,” Arenas said. “You have Karol G, J Balvin, all these massive artists who come from our countries. Latin music is no longer just Latin; it’s global, right? Now, there is a methodology that exists in K-pop that has produced very successful groups. But you can’t just apply that methodology blindly to new regions and to new places — you have to [consider] where the members are coming from, what makes them tick, what drives them and the audience they’re speaking to.”
After posing for individual promo portraits, they gathered for a group photo before singing an acapella version of the uptempo ballad “MHM” for social content. They also greeted their fans on the Weverse livestream, where they expressed sadness over leaving L.A.
“Nos vamos pronto de L.A., mi gente,” said Lavíll to fans. “Y estamos tristes.”
“Wonder Man” star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II has addressed the recent discussions regarding Marvel’s track record on projects led by Black actors after the abrupt cancellation of his show.
“I think the optics are obvious,” the Emmy award-winning actor told Vanity Fair in an interview published Thursday. “If I’m a big business, if I’m Disney, if I’m Marvel, I don’t want to be attached to these optics. So it should be a priority to change that narrative and to do what it takes to responsibly change that narrative with quality stories, with quality resources.”
In “Wonder Man,” Abdul-Mateen portrayed Simon Williams, a struggling actor with superpowers that he had to keep secret so he could work in Hollywood. The grounded series — more a love letter to Hollywood than superhero spectacle — was well-received by critics and fans. But just weeks after Abdul-Mateen was nominated for an Emmy for his work on the show, “Wonder Man” was canceled despite the announcement that the series had been picked up for a second season back in March.
Abdul-Mateen was told that the decision “had something to do with the viewership numbers.”
“I wasn’t told what those numbers were, but ultimately, for whatever reason it was, I think they decided that it didn’t make sense for business, and that’s the decision that we live with and we keep on marching forward,” the actor said to Vanity Fair.
Marvel’s abrupt reversal on “Wonder Man” invited scrutiny from fans who had also noted how “Blade” had been stuck in development for years. The film, which had been announced in 2019, was set to star Mahershala Ali as the titular human-vampire hybrid.
“If they wanted to do it, we would’ve done it,” Ali said to GQ in a recent interview, confirming he had “moved on” from the project. (Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige said during a recent podcast appearance that he felt like “a gigantic loser and failure” for not getting “Blade” made.)
Fans have also pointed to other Black characters whose storylines have been sidelined or left unresolved over the years, such as Ironheart and Monica Rambeau.
There is one Black-led project for which Marvel has ambitions plans, though.
Marvel recently stoked excitement for the “Black Panther” franchise at San Diego Comic-Con with the announcement that David Jonsson has been cast as T’Challa’s son and the new King of Wakanda. “Black Panther 3,” from filmmaker Ryan Cooger, will be released on Dec. 15, 2028.
Despite his disappointment, Abdul-Mateen said in his Vanity Fair interview that he understands “business and life move on.” But he also believes there are things Marvel and the industry can learn from “Wonder Man.”
“I felt that our show did have quality story, did have quality resources, did have quality actors and people, and did produce quality results that the viewers responded to positively, that the [Emmy] voters responded to positively,” he said. “So our show does deserve some study and some real, hard information about why a show like this did not continue forward, because it had all of the ingredients that one would want in a show.”
Grammy-winning singer Jill Scott brought her “To Whom This May Concern” album — her first in more than a decade — to life at Inglewood’s YouTube Theater last week. Backed by a razor-sharp 11-piece all-male band (including background singers fittingly dubbed “Freeman”), Scott moved effortlessly through a two-hour set filled with songs from the genre-expansive album along with several fan favorites like “He Loves Me (Lyzel in E Flat)” and “Gettin’ in the Way.”
Enforcing a phone-free policy at her personal request, the North Philadelphia native kept the audience intensely locked in — hanging onto her every word and every seemingly impossible note she struck with ease. Before long, it was easy to forget that we didn’t have our devices. Smiles filled the intimate room. Couples danced together. Strangers sang to each other in joyful unison, while others closed their eyes or held their hands on their chest in complete awe of witnessing a veteran artist in her element.
Jill Scott is on tour for “To Whom This May Concern,” her first album in over a decade.
(Jada Imani M)
In her only interview during the tour thus far, we caught up with Scott backstage to talk why she never performs a song the same way twice, how removing devices makes concerts better and why she thinks “To Whom This May Concern” deserves several accolades.
I’m still coming down from all of the energy from the show. How are you feeling post-show?
I am hot from the inside, and it’s gonna take me hours to calm down. [Laughs]
You’ve always described music as an intimate, two-way conversation between you and the audience. For this tour, you created a strictly phone-free space. Why did you decide to do that and how did this shift the experience for you as a performer?
In a couple of ways. One part is that it’s terrifying because there’s no buffer between me and them, so that’s actually scary, but I embrace it. The other part of it is that it’s wonderful because people initially come in kind of nervous about not having a buffer between myself and the space or themselves and space. Then I watch them gradually release, and I get a kick out of that every night. That’s my favorite part.
I’m surprised to hear that it’s scary for someone like you who’s been performing at such a high level for so many years.
Because I care. It matters to me. I really want them to have a good time. I really want them to release some things, allow themselves to be. If you want to make out, if you want to dance, if you want to cry, if you want to shout, or put up your hands in the air, or sit still, I want them to be able to do that. I think it’s important. That’s the relationship. That’s the real relationship between artist and fans of the music. It’s the connection between the music. I’m here to [be of] service. I’m here to push the ship along, but it’s really their relationship with the music and I’m a conduit. That part is probably one of my other favorites. You have to relinquish your id and allow the thing to be the thing. I think sometimes you can practice the joy and the life out of a thing. We practice a lot, but then we forget everything we practice so that it’s alive. My musicians’ freedom is mandatory. It’s a part of the job. So if they show up and play the exact same thing in the exact same way every night, they’re probably not going to be around very long. I need them to be wide open and to rediscover the music every night from their perspective. It’s their 11 perspectives on stage, and then of course there’s the lighting designer. I need him to be free. Don’t give me the same light at the same time every night. Even front-of-the-house sound engineer as well as our in-ear monitors, everybody is playing a part. “What does she need? Let’s read her. Let’s, you know, pay attention. What does she want?” It’s a lot of fun.
You could see really feel that from you and your entire band.
Tonight was a different audience. They were very attentive. Last night they danced all night long from the very beginning. I couldn’t even see the floor. Tonight they were listening. I know it’s a Wednesday night. Everybody’s got to go to work [the next morning], but they were beautiful. The listening audience is probably my favorite. They get quiet and I’m like “Oh, it’s so scary. Am I doing the right thing?” [Laughs] But that means they’re listening. Who doesn’t want to be heard?
Your son came out with you tonight. How was that experience for you?
It’s beautiful to see. He told me Tierra Whack is not traveling with us because she has a new album out, “Whack’s Museum,” so she’s a little busy. He was like, “Mom, how do you feel about me doing the second verse?” and I was like “Be at sound check tomorrow with a mic in your hand.”
He looked so comfortable on stage.
He does. It’s kind of scary. Super exciting. I don’t know what he’ll want to do, but he’s working our set, so he’s a part of the crew. So after he does his performance, he puts back on his blacks and he does his job, and I love that for him, to have that sense of responsibility. He’s exceeding anybody’s and everybody’s expectations. He’s so good at this. All the clothes you see, he steamed up.
He’s really working his way up.
Yes, you must earn your way.
Your album “To Whom This May Concern” released in February, and it feels like a love letter from your favorite auntie. There’s lessons about learning from your mistakes, honoring your ancestors and loving yourself. Now that your fans have been living with these songs for several months, I’m curious if performing them live has shifted your relationship with them at all?
No. On a great night, I like telling the stories that I’ve read. I like embodying them in front of other people. I like watching them experience them in a new way. I’m a fan of that. It just makes it more and more true. Then I see how many people are singing along and how many people are looking at me, and I’m like “Yesss.” It’s reaching the people and I know it’s going to be different because there’s a different audience every night. So I’m thrilled about the project and how it’s touching people. You hope you don’t work this hard at a thing for it to fall on deaf ears, and I know how microwavable music has been, but I believe the cream rises to the top. It’s been a beautiful 26 years. I look forward to 26 more — in my way.
Your album has been receiving a lot of praise from fans and critics. There’s still a few months before the Grammy nominations are announced, but at this point in your career, how important is that recognition to you? Is it as important as it was when you first started your career?
I think I deserve it. That’s all. [Flashes a smile]
I mean everything about this project from beginning to end is blood, sweat and tears. I stayed up many nights just to write, a hunger in my belly and a savage appetite. And I mean it. Everything is true and I love that for me. That’s the kind of thing that takes time and I think musically, it’s incredible. I think the stories are awesome and intentional, and everything about it, from the planning of it to the marketing, has been from my soul, and I think it deserves several.
Past the halfway mark of the Olympic quadrennial, LA28 has passed its own halfway point for ticket sales.
LA28 announced Friday it sold more than 6 million tickets during its first two drops, accounting for more than half of the expected Olympic ticket availability.
The remainder of an estimated 10.5 million Olympic tickets will move to first-come, first-served sales beginning in 2027. Additional inventory across every sport will be added during the next stage and ticket limits will be lifted, but LA28 did not announce the opening date.
“Overall the level of enthusiasm, the interest in the Games, the excitement to commit this far out from the Games has all been really affirming for how LA28 is coming together and the excitement everyone’s feeling about it,” said Allison Katz-Mayfield, LA28’s senior vice president of Games delivery revenue.
More than 700,000 of one million $28 tickets were sold during the first two drops. While fans have clamored for tickets, many were disappointed and frustrated with high prices and limited availability that seemed to sell out almost instantaneously. Each LA28 ticket drop came with the fine-print condition of “subject to availability.”
LA28 wanted to be “conservative” with the initial inventory available during the first two drops, Katz-Mayfield said, because organizers didn’t want to sell tickets only to discover later that fans might be stuck with limited visibility of an event. For example, Crypto.com Arena’s footprint will be changed to accommodate artistic gymnastics, with up to six apparatuses on the floor along with areas for judges, broadcast positions and media. The seating plan, which will be different than ones used for Lakers games or concerts, is still being developed. The same goes for the planning of temporary venues.
“It’s a fan-focused approach from my perspective,” Katz-Mayfield said. “We don’t want to be in a position where we sell something that doesn’t equate to the experience that someone is expecting to have.”
LA28 said more tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis for every sport next year as organizers refine venue layouts. Tickets that appear unavailable one day could go on the market weeks later as organizers gain a clearer picture of setups. With first-come, first-serve purchasing, the ticketing platform will remain open continuously through the Games.
“If you’re one of those people that has a very, very specific idea of what they want and they don’t want to move off that at all … then continue to check back because we’ll have tickets on sale through Games time,” Katz-Mayfield said. “So you can check on that first day. But you could also check two months later, and it could be different.”
New sports remained a hit for fans, who scooped up all available tickets to softball, lacrosse, flag football and squash during the second drop, LA28 reported. All tickets available for Oklahoma City’s softball and canoe slalom events were sold through for both drops. More tickets for those events will be added in 2027.
Although many fans have their hearts set on a single, high-demand Olympic event, others might be open to discovering different sports during the Paralympics. Tickets for the Paralympics will also go on sale in 2027, beginning with a lottery for assigned time slots, similar to the first Olympic ticket drops. About 25% of the total 14 million tickets between the Games are earmarked for the Paralympics, which will be in L.A. for the first time.
The Paralympics are typically priced at much lower prices than the Olympics. The Paris Olympics had single tickets as high as $1,065 (980 euros in July 2024) for swimming and track and field and as low as $26 across all sports. Half a million tickets for the Paris Paralympics were $16 and half of all tickets were priced less than $27. There were also Paralympic ticket packages for multiple sports and families. The strategy paid off with approximately 2.5 million tickets sold, the second-most ever for a Paralympic Games, and a record 12 million total tickets sold between the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics.
Despite starting earlier than previous Games, LA28 said it is already on pace to surpass Paris’ sales record after the 2024 Games sold 5.39 million tickets through their second drop in May 2023. Paris sold 9.5 million Olympic tickets total.
Fans who registered for Olympics tickets will already be registered for the Paralympic lotteries and LA28 is working to open registration specifically for the Paralympics.
“[Don’t] forget how great the Paralympics are,” Katz-Mayfield said, “and how much opportunity there’s going to be there to see different sports, new sports, be a part of the Games, and see world-class athletes compete, maybe in a way that you haven’t seen before if you’ve only seen the Olympics.”
Selling millions of tickets before schedules or matchups are even set has “given [LA28] a lot of confidence in where we’re at today,” Katz-Mayfield said. The early ticket sales have given the private organizing committee a strong foundation for one of its largest revenue drivers.
Ticketing and hospitality are expected to cover almost $2.5 billion of LA28’s total $7.1-billion budget for the Games. It is the second-largest source of expected revenue to help cover what LA28 has promised will be a privately funded Games.
MADONNA appears to have outed herself as a fan of The Durrells, after taking over a tiny village made famous by the ITV drama to celebrate her 68th birthday.
After I revealed how Madge had spent the start of her celebrations flying to the monasteries of Meteora in Corfu over the weekend, stunned locals now tell me how she and her entourage descended on Kouramades for a very special party this week.
Madge has outed herself as a fan of The DurrellsCredit: Instagram/@madonnaThe singer celebrates her 68th birthday in the tiny village of Kouramandes in CorfuCredit: Instagram/@madonna
The tiny community, which has just 180 residents, was one of the locations used on the hit show, which starred Keeley Hawes.
Madge, boyfriend Akeem Morris, her family and entourage booked out tiny taverna Atzaro for a meal, complete with a child choir, who locals told me were specially flown over from Italy to perform.
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An onlooker told me: “No one could believe Madonna was coming until she actually turned up.
“The security measures were pretty intense and there was a police presence, as well as Madonna’s security to keep her safe.
Madonna’s bizarre cake caught the eyeCredit: Instagram/@madonnaMadonna took over the tiny village made famous by ITV drama The DurrellsCredit: ITV
“She wanted to visit the central church but they cancelled it because there was quite a crowd gathering. They headed to Atzaro for dinner and that was really special. Singers and a children’s choir from Italy performed as they ate traditional meals.
“Just before midnight, the group started dancing to the Zorba The Greek song and a birthday cake came out. They sang the birthday song three times and then danced until 2am. Once they left, the crowds that had gathered outside started clapping and chanting her name.”
Madonna’s visit to the village has now gone down in folklore — and I’m told the Material Girl superstar lapped up the attention.
“As she drove away, Madonna seemed to love everyone cheering so she popped her hand out and waved a bit like a member of the royal family,” a local added.
Guests dance at the partyCredit: Instagram/@madonnaMadge is the most nominated artist for the 2026 MTV VMAs, taking place on September 27Credit: Instagram/@madonna
Her birthday isn’t the only thing she has to celebrate, as last night it was announced Madonna is the most nominated artist for the 2026 MTV VMAs, taking place on September 27.
She leads the pack with 11, including Video, Artist and Song of the Year for Bring Your Love, while Taylor Swift is just behind with nine nods.
Jesy’s Ben in rooftop rift
Jesy Nelson’s boyfriend Ben Davies was caught up in a ruckusCredit: SplashOnlookers told me the former Little Mix star and her new man were asked to leave the posh Madison rooftop bar in London on Saturday nightCredit: Supplied
Onlookers told me the former Little Mix star and her new man were asked to leave the posh Madison rooftop bar in London on Saturday night after it all kicked off.
One told me: “Ben was getting in people’s faces when he was out with Jesy at Madison.
“Something had been said and he didn’t seem to be happy about it. He looked like he was about to get in a fight before all the bouncers swooped in.
“It was all pretty uncomfortable to watch. Jesy was amazing and kept her cool. She was trying to de-escalate the situation and appeared to be keen to get out of there.”
It’s not the best start to their romance. I revealed earlier this month how Jesy had started dating landscape gardener Ben, who counts Towie’s Lydia Bright among his exes.
They were spotted on a night out in London, before being snapped this week holding hands and snogging in the street, inset.
To avoid Ben digging any more publicly embarrassing holes, I think a quiet night in should be their next date.
Ronan abs go down a Storm
Ronan Keating marked his 11th wedding anniversary, pictured with missus StormCredit: Instagram/@rokeating
RONAN KEATING marked his 11th wedding anniversary to remind all his fans just how hot he is.
He revealed his gym-honed body with this snap on Instagram, posing alongside his equally fit missus Storm.
The Boyzone singer wrote: “We have the most incredible life and it’s all down to you. God I love ya.
“Thank you for loving me through the good and the bad versions of myself. You make me a better human and I thank you for it all.”
Green Day give us Glasto
GREEN DAY want to headline Glastonbury – but insist they have never been asked.
The American band, who have more than enough hits to top the bill, will be celebrating 40 years since they formed next year, so the timing couldn’t be better for organiser Emily Eavis to get on the blower.
Asked if they would like to do it, drummer Tre Cool said: “Yeah. If they ask us. It’s the last great festival we haven’t done.”
They have just released a comedy movie called Nimrods, which is loosely inspired by the band, but insisted a biopic won’t happen until they’re older.
He told NME: “A biopic is more of a retirement plan. We’ll do that when we’re actually old and we’re doing our residencies in Las Vegas or something.”
Spotify is planning Home Run
SPOTIFY has announced a new live music series, Hometown, which will celebrate artists and the places that shaped them.
Next month, Jorja Smith, Nemzzz and Beabadoobee, will return to the communities where their musical journeys began for intimate, one-night-only performances.
Jorja, who releases her new album What Are The Odds this Friday, will play her gig on September 6.
She said: “Walsall is where I first started writing and recording music as a teenager. It’s where my love of music began and the people, experiences and sense of community there continue to influence my creativity today.”
Nemzz will perform in Manchester on September 12, while Beabadoobee is scheduled to play a concert in London on September 17.
Noel: My reunion doubts
Noel Gallagher had reservations about reuniting Oasis with brother LiamCredit: Simon Emmett
NOEL GALLAGHER had reservations about reuniting with brother Liam for their sold-out Oasis tour last year.
But Liam, who’d pushed for a reunion for years, made it clear he wanted to get back on board with Noel, saying: “The way it finished, unacceptable. It didn’t sit right with me, man.”
Looking back on their rows, which caused Oasis to split in 2009, Liam said: “We all said s**t we didn’t mean. I feel like I am exorcising demons, getting it all out. The rage. I need to calm the f**k down.”
Before the first show at Cardiff’s Principality stadium last July, Noel added:
“One of the biggest moments of our lives, right?
“I’d forgotten what [Liam] means to people. I certainly wasn’t prepared for the intense outpouring. A sense of what it meant to people. You’ve got a chance to change the narrative of the band.”
Isla’s red-hot
Isla Fisher in New York promoting new movie Spa WeekendCredit: Splash
YOU can take it as read . . . Isla Fisher is definitely a fiery redhead.
On the promo trail in New York for new movie Spa Weekend, which is out on Friday, she said: “I’m a real redhead and I feel like I’ve earned the right to be red because I was bullied at school and I had all of the usual stuff that redheads go through.
“I always get mad when people just dye their hair red, I’m like, ‘You don’t know what we went through at school to be redhead!’”
THE WANTED are working on new music – but without half of the original line-up.
Max George and Siva Kaneswaran are writing new material as a duo after Nathan Sykes and Jay McGuiness decided not to return following Tom Parker’s death in 2022.
Siva told Culture Fix: “We’ve been writing for the past few months, so we want to carry on.
“The essence of The Wanted was pop/dance and I think we’re going to lean a bit more towards dance.
“I don’t think that’s a crazy thing to do for us.”
In 2007, the actor Felicia Day debuted “The Guild,” one of the first works, maybe the first, to demonstrate that the web could be a legitimate platform for full-blown, character-driven, narrative comedy. (YouTube was only two years old at the time.)
Online since there was a line to be on, Day — also known also for “Supernatural,” “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Eureka,” “Mystery Science Theater 3000” and as the female lead in Joss Whedon’s “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog” alongside Neil Patrick Harris and Nathan Fillion — played Cyd, a.k.a. Codex, a young woman at loose ends who finds community with a group of gamers whose quirkiness puts her own into perspective. The series, which she created and wrote, from experience, grew more ambitious and technically impressive across its six seasons, with cameos by the likes of Fillion, Zachary Levi, Stan Lee, Brent Spiner, late Mythbuster Grant Imahara and Wil Wheaton. There was a cultural specificity to the setting and storytelling — lots of gaming jargon and jokes — but the humor in the characters was universal, and the show, for all its well-proportioned silliness, felt very alive.
Now, as the series’ 20th anniversary approaches, Day is reviving “The Guild” as a feature, “The Guild: Ren Faire’d,” through a Kickstarter campaign due to end Friday. By the time I pledged, early on the first day of fundraising, the campaign had already met its initial $1.5-million goal — the minimum required, Day calculated, to pull off a version of her script. As of this writing, with just a few days to go, the campaign has raised more than $5 million. Everything over $4.5 million will go to making the film even better, but also support “Conludo,” a new game-playing series with Wheaton along the lines of their “Table Top,” created in 2012 for the Day-founded YouTube channel Geek & Sundry.
Day is also the author of a charming memoir, “You’re Never Weird on the Internet,” and a mental exercise book, “Embrace Your Weird: Face Your Fears and Unleash Creativity.” Earlier this year, Simon & Schuster published “The Lost Daughter of Sparta,” her graphic novel (with illustrator Rowan MacColl) about Philonoe, Helen of Troy’s lesser-known fourth sister, an on-brand tale of self-determination and embrace of one’s difference.
I interviewed Day by email as she traveled the convention circuit.
Day’s Kickstarter surpassed $5 million, allowing her to make not only “The Guild: Ren Faire’d” but also a new game-playing series.(Parker Burr / For The Times)
How does it feel to be back wearing, or about to wear, the character of Codex?
It’s so empowering to go back to this world that I crafted and this character that means so much to me and my fans. She and I have diverged a lot over the years, but her voice is still strong and clear in my ear, and I’ve had so much fun writing for her again. I haven’t been in charge of my own stories on this scale in a long time, so this all definitely feels like coming home.
It was an offer to turn “The Guild” into a television show that prompted you to get the film going. Had you thought of the possibility of bringing it back before then?
Early in 2025, I’d been thinking about the 20th anniversary of the show and how to celebrate it, but a movie is a huge project, one I was wary of committing to. A phone call with a very nice Hollywood executive wanting me to reboot the show with younger actors was the kick in the pants I needed. The business has been so hard on me, and a lot of people, especially these last five or so years. To even think about having the one project I held dear taken away from me? That got my fire lit.
How did you know to hang on to your IP?
I had met a few people in the early web days who’d sold their show to producers and networks, only to have them buried in development hell and never be seen again. My audience meant, and still means, so much to me, that I didn’t see the point in losing control of the show when it felt like we were doing all the right things on our own. The fans’ support gave me that confidence, and thank goodness for it, or I wouldn’t be able to make a movie today.
How did you cast the original show? Were any of the actors already gamers?
I wrote two of the main parts for improv friends, Zaboo (Sandeep Parikh) and Vork (Jeff Lewis), and I found the rest of the actors from a Backstage casting call. Several of them were already gamers, but a few were anything but (namely, Amy Okuda, who played Tinkerballa — she took some arm twisting). Over the years, though, they’ve all turned into gamers. We’ve enjoyed many a Fortnite session together, especially during COVID times.
Felicia Day as Codex. Other characters returning for “The Guild: Ren Faire’d” are Zaboo (Sandeep Parikh) and Vork (Jeff Lewis).
How has your reunion been going?
I had to make sure the script was good enough before I asked my fans to support it, so in February I had a table read with the main cast. Truly, it felt like no time had passed. We were all laughing so hard, ribbing each other on any little mistakes. It was so much fun to rediscover our characters together again. What we have together as a group is magic, and I can’t wait to get the band back together on set again.
You have a “no AI” sign on the Kickstarter page. What are your thoughts about artificial intelligence versus human creativity?
I look at AI as a great robber of humanity. Not only in the sheer existence of the AI itself, which is comprised of literal stolen material, but in robbing creators of their process. Because process is everything. It’s the whole point, in my opinion. That challenging struggle to write a first draft is how you discover who you are as an artist. But if you don’t do the work, you’ll never truly find out what you want to say to the world. You can’t create anything truly unique to yourself. It just makes me sad. To use a tool filled with other people’s stolen ideas in order to fast forward to an end result for attention, well, that isn’t art. That’s a cheap dopamine hit. And you’re no better a creator for having done it. Please don’t rob yourself like that.
The movie will be set at a Renaissance Faire. What’s your own history with them? Do you go in costume?
I’ve gone to Ren Faires for over a decade. We have a few great ones in SoCal I encourage everyone to explore. The costumes, the vendors, the food — all of it transports you to another world in such a magical way. I want to celebrate everything I love about the setting in our movie. I often go in costume, now with my 9-year-old daughter. It’s actually our Mother’s Day tradition and very dear to my heart.
Day on her work and motherhood: “I’ve learned that, especially as an artist, you have to be your own protector, own advocate, and give yourself unconditional love to be able to tap into what makes your art your own.”
(Parker Burr / For The Times)
Has motherhood changed how you work?
Absolutely. I had no idea how to parent myself before I parented another person. I’ve learned that, especially as an artist, you have to be your own protector, own advocate, and give yourself unconditional love to be able to tap into what makes your art your own. My experience writing this movie has been entirely different from in the past, when I let fear and outside pressure take the fun out of creating. This time, I allowed myself room to play and to make mistakes, just like I encourage my daughter to do. I think my work has benefited greatly from that gentle parenting.
The original “Guild” and the way you’ve mounted this campaign feels like the work of friends, like Mickey and Judy getting the gang together in a someone’s uncle’s barn to put on a show. (Which isn’t to say “amateur.”)
The heart of everything I do is this: I just want to play with my friends and my fans. I want to delight them with new ideas. I want to surprise them with laughs. The industry often divorces us from what got us into the business in the first place: making believe. Creating together. I like my work to embody the kind of spirit you can’t have in more mainstream media where there are levels of approvals over everything and the budgets are so high that the pressure takes the fun out of it. Yes, it’s challenging to make anything with fewer resources, but the community can see the ins and outs of my process and I hope that empowers them, in turn, to create their own things with their own friends one day.
What inspired your new graphic novel?
Being cut off from Hollywood over COVID made me brave enough to write a story I knew wouldn’t be anything an executive would care about if I pitched it. For many years, I didn’t allow myself to develop ideas like that. What was the use if they didn’t find it useful? But in allowing myself the space to write this story set in the world of Greek mythology, I’ve found new confidence as a writer. I want to keep telling stories only I can tell, in whatever format I can. I never want to discard them again because other people won’t find them useful. I hope that anyone reading the book feels the same encouragement to follow their inner muse. Because everyone deserves to be loved for exactly who they are, even our stories.
The Disney theme parks are entering their fan feedback era.
This past weekend’s all-things-Disney fan event at the Anaheim Convention Center was the first with Josh D’Amaro installed as CEO. And D’Amaro’s message to fans was clear: We’ve heard you, we know what you want and we’re working on it.
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That means Disneyland Park is at long last getting its Tomorrowland makeover, a top fan request for much of the last decade-plus. Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom is fixing its broken yeti, the star of thrilling roller coaster Expedition Everest that has been busted for about 20 years. Epcot’s fan favorite purple dragon Figment will soon be starring in a brand new attraction that resurrects his bearded creator, Dreamfinder, saving fans from suffering through its current half-hearted iteration in which “Monty Python’s” Eric Idle essentially treats the beloved character as a pest. (I ride it because I adore Figment, but I cringe throughout, and not just because at one point we’re annoyingly blasted with the smell of a skunk.)
And Disneyland Paris is yanking the marketing-driven “Star Wars” overlay Hyperspace Mountain from Space Mountain to return the coaster to its superior Jules Verne-inspired original. Disneyland officials take note: We don’t want Hyperspace Mountain here, either, but at least ours isn’t semi-permanent.
The long-broken yeti on Walt Disney World’s Expedition Everest will eventually be fixed. The above is an artist rendering of the attraction released by Disney Experiences.
(Disney)
It’s a sharp move, and may seem like a no-brainer, but following fan feedback doesn’t come without some risks. Fans, after all, rarely know best, often prioritizing nostalgia and lore over evolution. And Walt Disney Imagineering has remained one of the most respected corporate creative institutions for a reason. In short, fans, don’t let this go to your head.
But D’Amaro is also showing that he understands something not all Disney leaders have appeared to be well-versed in. And that’s the fact that the best IP of the Disney theme parks are the parks themselves.
Disneyland Park’s biggest selling point is not “Star Wars,” “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” “The Princess and the Frog” or “Peter Pan.” It’s Disneyland itself, a temple dedicated to our narrative myths and communal play.
For too long Disney parks seemed to be, if not led, steered by its marketing teams. A franchise here, a franchise there. That thinking led to lesser designs such as a misguided remake of Paradise Pier into Pixar Pier at California Adventure, in which Pixar characters are basically treated as decals. It’s led me to argue in the past that Disney’s IP was squeezing the theme out of its theme parks.
Tomorrowland in its current state is a mess of ideas with a number of underutilized buildings.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Disneyland last attempted to revamp Tomorrowland in 1998, and while the concept was on point — a retro-futuristic, Verne-inspired look of sci-fi fantasy — the company didn’t fully commit to it and the land has largely been a mess of ideas since. Space Mountain remains a symbol of optimism dedicated to the joy and unpredictability of galactic exploration. But the rest of the land, save for the monorail, one of Disneyland’s most recognizable monuments, should be considered fair game.
Tomorrowland has become such an eyesore that even Disneyland President Jill Estorino recognized its negative press at a pre-D23 media event. “Painful to read,” she said to the assembled media as she rattled off stories observing the “little tomorrow in Tomorrowland” and describing the land as “tired.” Estorino conceded it was “all true.”
That made this past weekend’s announcement even more of a surprise. The reimagining, as Disneyland is calling it, is in good hands. Imagineer Emily “Emo” O’Brien, the creative producer overseeing the Disneyland Resort, recently worked on Fantasy Springs at Tokyo Disneyland, a highly acclaimed modern take on a Fantasyland-like area home to fresh takes on “Frozen,” “Tangled” and “Peter Pan.” O’Brien has been with Imagineering for about 30 years, and one of her first projects was hand-shaping the armrests of the approximately 2,000 seats of Disney California Adventure’s Hyperion Theater. The little details at a Disney park matter.
Promotional art for a reimagined Tomorrowland released by Disney. The project, according to Imagineers, is in its infancy.
(Disney)
“I grew up in my career with this legacy,” O’Brien said. “I understand the kind of gravitas and the responsibility that I have with our team to guide us through this journey of reimagining the only Tomorrowland that Walt [Disney] actually envisioned, designed and walked in.”
A remade Tomorrowland, to be clear, is years away. No questions were answered on Tomorrowland at D23, so fans will have to wait to hear what this means for the long out-of-work PeopleMover. And as previously reported, Estorino said the reworking of the original Disneyland area will come after California Adventure opens its “Avengers” and “Coco” attractions. The former two were given a 2028 date, while “Coco” still does not have an opening window. After Tomorrowland, the resort intends to tackle “Avatar.”
The fan favorite purple dragon known as Figment at Walt Disney World’s Epcot. The attraction Journey Into Imagination With Figment has been earmarked for renovations.
(Todd Martens / Los Angeles Times)
At a Disney parks presentation Saturday evening, the Tomorrowland announcement received arguably the largest applause. But it was closely followed by the reveal of a reworking of what is currently known as Journey Into Imagination With Figment at Epcot. That ride has been a shadow of its former, glorious self since the late ’90s, even as the squeaky-voiced Figment has remained a popular mascot for the park. That’s no real surprise, but I, of course, am biased, as I have a Figment tattoo and the character was my childhood favorite.
Figment is a dreamer, his very existence the result of a dreamer. While I don’t necessarily trust the memory of my 10-year-old self, I remember Figment becoming an astronaut one moment and pretending to be a ship’s captain in the next. Visions of that ride are burned into my brain. Figment was a reminder to a video-game-obsessed kid that while you can’t do everything, you can at least envision anything.
And Imagineering appears to be doing just that at the moment. The projects, of course, will have to be conceptualized, designed and built, and there’s still time to make mistakes, such as attaching a known IP to the reimagined Imagination (don’t do it).
Concept art for the Maleficent attraction coming to Villains Land.
(Disney)
Tomorrowland has been flawed since the early 2000s and Disney can survive without touching it. Its attractions — Star Tours, Autopia, Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters — still, after all, draw crowds. The commitment to redesign it may be a crowd-pleasing one, but it’s also a reminder, a symbol of understanding.
If something’s broke, you correct it. You don’t let it sit in a derelict state simply because the financial math doesn’t justify new guest spending or increased crowds. The Disney parks are a home away from home for many a visitor, and they should be treated as such.
D’Amaro, of course, as CEO will be evaluated on much more than simply how he leads the parks. But he and and his partner Thomas Mazloum, the chairman of Disney Experiences, came to this D23 with one message: We’re one of you. Expect the Disney die-hards to hold them to it.
One more D23 thought
An Imagineering research and development project in which Grogu and the character of Hugo are represented as robotic figures serving guests.
(Todd Martens / Los Angeles Times)
The Imagineering booth on the convention floor was full of delights and wonders, especially in its research and development section. I tend not to devote a ton of newsletter space to R&D, only because I’d rather focus on what guests can or will be seeing in the future, but the two “Star Wars” attractions shown not only deserve their props, but belong in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
One is a no-brainer, and it’s a snack stand featuring Grogu and Hugo from “The Mandalorian and Grogu.” The latter, voiced by Martin Scorsese in the film, is largely asleep and snoring in the food truck-like stand, while Grogu uses the Force to whisk orders across the counter. Fan were transfixed. And this seems like the perfect mix of corporate and creative desires, as no doubt many a Disney guest would order an extra soda if it came with a show featuring “Baby Yoda.”
An Imagineering research and development project featuring robotic Anzellan mechanics that can interact with guests.
(Todd Martens / Los Angeles Times)
The other was an Anzellan work bench. Anzellans are tiny creatures introduced in “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” known for their engineering skills, and here they were seen working on droid parts. But they also interact with guests.
Get close enough, and they’ll stop what they’re doing to quizzically look at you, ask you a question or maybe even repeat what you said to them. They’re as lifelike a robotic as Disney ever created, and the 14-acre Galaxy’s Edge is never not in need of more activity. Here’s hoping these little guys find a destination in the parks soon.
This week in SoCal theme parks
The vibrant, dance-focused “Magic Happens” parade will return to Disneyland in 2027.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Halloween is here! While the temperature may not feel like it, the fall Halloween season has arrived, and the Disneyland Resort’s Oogie Boogie Bash begins Tuesday evening. Additionally, the resort-wide Halloween Time launches Friday. There are still tickets available for many an Oogie date, and new this year is a Haunted Mansion-inspired street festival as well as the arrival of Yzma, the villain from “The Emperor’s New Groove.” Oogie is a good time, especially if you haven’t done it before.
Looking ahead to Disneyland in 2027. With the new Avengers Campus not opening until 2028, the Disneyland Resort in 2027 will rely heavily on entertainment to lure locals back to the park. That means the fantastic “Magic Happens” parade is returning before next summer season. While it has the requisite mix of Disney characters, it’s also notable for its use of contemporary dance. Also returning is the original “World of Color” to Disney California Adventure and a refreshed version of the fireworks show “Remember… Dreams Come True” at Disneyland Park. Both are expected in February, shortly after the holiday season concludes.
A blow to the in-park games of Disneyland. Reports surfaced Monday that the Walt Disney Co. was killing the Play Disney Parks app, which is home to the enjoyable Star Wars: Datapad game Batuu Bounty Hounters. The app was largely designed to give fans activities while they waited in lines, and was also meant to turn Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge into a live-in video game. The app will go offline Sept. 16, according to Disneyland officials.
A new window on Main Street. Former Disney CEO and future Los Angeles Lakers co-owner Bob Iger has received a window on Disneyland’s Main Street, U.S.A. The honor is reserved for those who have heavily impacted the Disney parks, and Iger certainly qualifies, as his many acquisitions — Marvel, Pixar, Lucasfilm — changed the tenor of Disneyland and beyond. Look for Iger’s window above the Emporium gift shop, where he is heralded as a “new century builder.”
Good news for Disneyland’s ‘Monsters, Inc.’ fans. With the announcement that Disney California Adventure’s “Avatar” experience won’t arrive until after Tomorrowland’s redo, the attraction Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue! will get to remain open a little longer. Previously, the attraction was supposed to close in early 2027, but Disneyland officials now say the dark ride will remain open for the foreseeable future. A closing window will be announced at a later date.
Tell us your stories. Ask us your questions.
Have a theme park tale to share? Whether it was a good day or less-than-perfect day, I would love to hear about it. Have a question? A tip? A fun photo from the parks to share? Email me at todd.martens@latimes.com. I may feature your note in an upcoming newsletter.
Ride on,
Todd Martens
P.S.
A still from the Smugglers Gambit game in Fortnite.
(Image from Disney)
The Disney theme parks this past weekend deepened its connection to “Fortnite” as part of a partnership with Epic Games. The latter’s Unreal Engine already fuels Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, as well as a new Pirates of the Caribbean audio-animatrionic. And now guests who utilize the Disneyland app and connect it to their Epic Games account can receive in-game rewards for experiencing the Millennium Falcon attraction, including the recovery of a unique crate on the ride.
I had a chance to play the “Fortnite” experience inspired by the ride, “Smugglers Gambit,” and appreciate the way park worlds are being used to fuel connection to them at home. “Fortnite,” admittedly, is not my game of choice, but “Smuggler’s Gambit” was more robust than I expected, and I’m happy see aspects of the fictional planet of Batuu represented in the digital space. Business writer Samantha Masunaga has more on Disney’s relationship with Epic Games.
NEW YORK — It was 2023 when Laufey, the Icelandic singer-songwriter known for her neoclassical jazz-pop, decided to create a global fan event. Her second album, “Bewitched,” was soon to be released and she wanted to do something big to celebrate it. But more than that, she says, she “wanted to find a way to get my fans out of their homes, and to really follow an itinerary of my perfect idea of a day and have the music from ‘Bewitched’ follow it.”
And thus, “A Very Laufey Day” was born. Each year, the Grammy-winning singer curates itineraries for different locations across the globe for her listeners to follow. It’s “anywhere I have been and loved,” she says. It allows them to live what she refers to as “a perfect day,” but also to connect with their community offline and in person. And as she approaches its fourth edition, it has only grown larger.
“It became much bigger than I anticipated, really,” she says. She sought to inspire her audience to find “third spaces,” and explore some of her favorite locales: museums, bookstores, cafes, concerts and the like, and foster community in the process. And each year, it has only grown bigger, with fans dressing up in their favorite Laufey-themed vintage fashions to celebrate the unofficial holiday.
And Aug. 23 will mark the fourth annual “A Very Laufey Day.”
“It is a fun puzzle every year,” she says.
‘A Very Laufey Day’ 2026
This year, “A Very Laufey Day” will include experiences in 75 cities across 25 countries, centering on the theme of “A Celebration of the Arts.”
“Wherever in the world you’re spending your day, I hope you feel inspired and invigorated,” Laufey wrote in a note on her “A Very Laufey Day” website.
Fans can expect performances spanning symphony orchestras, ballet, jazz, opera and theater as well as events with libraries, bookstores, coffee shops, yogurt/ice cream shops and more. Her concert film, “A Night at the Symphony: Hollywood Bowl,” will be screened at select theaters. And she’s partnered with many museums around the world, including New York City’s Guggenheim, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, London’s Tate Modern and National Gallery, Chile’s Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Seoul’s Daelim Museum and more. At some participating businesses, fans will be able to acquire limited-edition merchandise and Laufey-themed specialty drinks.
LACMA is offering a discount code, AVLD, for museum visitors on Aug. 23. As of Aug. 16, the code took $2 off tickets. “Come spend the day enjoying something beautiful,” LACMA wrote on Instagram.
“This year it was really about focusing on the arts and culture and finding ways to bring this barrier of entry down between my audience — which is mostly Gen Z and Gen A — and these kind of so-called high cultural experiences,” she says. “Whether it’s going to see an orchestra show … museums or galleries, we really want to find ways to connect with those institutions.”
Some of these spaces can be intimidating for younger fans, and Laufey says this year was all about making these rooms, some of her favorites, inviting to her audience.
“It doesn’t have to be this scary thing. And so, I’ve kind of made it my life’s mission to make spaces like that fun and accessible,” she says.
Sixth in a series of stories profiling top high school football players by position. Today, Godschoice Eboigbodin, JSerra defensive lineman.
“Bro, we need you.”
That was the heartfelt message from JSerra High football players directed toward Godschoice Eboigbodin as he walked around campus looking like a high school version of Thor with his bulging muscles.
He played basketball for the Lions, but after his sophomore season he decided to try football, since his physical play in basketball led to fouls, something that was legal in football.
“People say I’m aggressive. I fit in with football,” he said.
He has grown to 6 feet 5 and 260 pounds. He still has trouble putting on football pads — “I’m still trying to figure it out” — but as an edge rusher, there’s no telling how far his journey will take him. He committed to UCLA during the summer. He works relentlessly in the weight room gaining strength.
Godschoice Eboigbodin of JSerra makes a shot against Rolling Hills Prep.
(Craig Weston)
“The guy can move,” coach Hardy Nickerson said. “He’s an athlete at defensive end. You see that talent playing on Sundays.”
He could be the next success story from Nigeria, where he was born and lived until coming to the area as a freshman while living with a host family, the Franklins. He is the sixth of seven siblings.
He got his first name from the woman who delivered him as a baby while his mother was in labor. He made his first dunk in his backyard when he was 12. The rim didn’t last long.
He has been a very good basketball player for JSerra. Last season, he had a 46-point performance.
But football is the sport he intends to master. He came in as a blank sheet last season and tries to learn every day. He had 2 1/2 sacks in his first season.
“He’s growing as a football baller,” Nickerson said. “He’s made tremendous strides this offseason. He’s going to get turned loose.”
Imagine being a quarterback and seeing Eboigbodin charging ahead with his size and agility.
“I’ve learned you’re fighting against time,” Eboigbodin said. “You got to go fast and get the quarterback before he passes. You got about three seconds.”
He enjoys the Friday night football atmosphere and is fueled by fans cheering.
“The football stands and fans are a different feeling,” he said.
He’s had so many people helping him and rooting for him during his stay. That’s because of his friendly demeanor. He might look intimidating, but his smile and willingness to participate in school gatherings propels others to immediately embrace him. He’s always looking to learn on and off the field.
“I’m excited to just get better,” he said.
And that’s what is exciting about Eboigbodin. He’s not a finished product, but the signs of progress and what he can do with his body on a football field have everyone predicting big days ahead.
LA28 hopes to raise the bar for the Paralympic movement when the Paralympic Games open in SoFi Stadium on Aug. 15, 2028. The city that already changed the Olympic movement by hosting the most commercially successful Games ever in 1984 could leave an equally indelible mark on the Paralympic movement.
“In the opening ceremony in two years’ time, we will be about to witness the Paralympic Games that can really put our movement in a higher step,” International Paralympic Committee president Andrew Parsons said, “in a higher position as a sport movement.”
While the Olympics were blossoming in L.A. in 1984, the Paralympics that year were hosted in New York and Stoke Mandeville, England in a patchwork plan that came to be known as the “Last-Minute Games” because a U.S.-based organizing committee failed to secure funding to host the Paralympic Games at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
The LA28 Olympics and Paralympics logos are featured on a sign outside an event in 2024.
(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
Forty years later, the Paris Paralympics solidified the movement’s position as one of the largest sporting events in the world. The 2024 Paralympics sold 2.5 million tickets, the most for a Paralympic Games, and had a record 12,941 global broadcast hours. The overall live audience for the Paris Paralympics grew by 40% compared to 2021 and 117% from 2016.
Seeing the Paralympics leaves a lasting impression on fans. A Nielsen Sports study commissioned by the IPC found that 73% of people thought the Paris Paralympic Games positively changed their attitudes toward people with disabilities.
LA28 wants to build on that momentum.
“I really would love to see the change of perception of what people with disabilities can do, but also most importantly see the athletes perform,” said Ileana Rodriguez, the LA28 vice president of Paralympic strategy and relations and a 2012 Paralympic swimmer. “Because oftentimes we forget the sport side of the athletes and put the disability in front, and I really hope that this is reversed in our Games.”
American Alexandra Truwit competes during the women’s 400-meter freestyle during the Paralympics on Sept. 5, 2024, in Nanterre, France.
(Adam Pretty / Getty Images)
It didn’t take long for Ali Truwit to see the Paralympic standard. The former Yale swimmer had always respected Paralympians for their grit, courage and strength, but after she lost the lower part of her left leg in a shark attack in 2023, Truwit had her own Paralympic awakening.
She realized that to even make the U.S. team for Paris, she needed to swim faster with one leg than she did with two.
“A lot of people would come up and say, like, “Oh well you could do the Paralympics,’” said Truwit, who had 15 months between having her leg amputated on her 23rd birthday and the opening ceremony of the Paris Paralympics. “I’m like, ‘Well, you can’t just do the Paralympics actually!’ It’s elite and it’s fast.”
Her American record time of 1 minute, 8.98 seconds seconds in the S10 100-meter backstroke at the 2024 U.S. Paralympic swimming trials was faster than the times she was putting up to be recruited for Division I schools. Also the U.S. record holder in the S10 400-meter freestyle (4:31.39), Truwit won silver medals in both races in her first Paralympic Games.
But as she starts training for 2028, Truwit knows even her national record times might not be enough to get on the podium in L.A.
In Paris, 175 world and 218 Paralympic records were broken across 22 sports. The quality of the performances are better than ever, Parsons, the Paralympic president, pointed out. Athletes have become more refined with their training techniques.
“If you raise the expectations for what high performance is, for what an athlete is, then gosh, that’s just going to open up so many more opportunities,” said Brent Hardin, an associate professor of kinesiology at the University of Alabama and director of Alabama Adapted Athletics. “The Paralympics has the ability to do that like no other sporting event in the world for athletes with disabilities.”
The last time the Summer Paralympics were in the United States, in 1996, the event was run by a separate committee from the Olympic organizers. Disorganized and under-publicized, the event was underwhelming, Hardin said. Since 2002, organizing committees have been required to put together joint bids to host both the Olympic and Paralympic Games, using the same venues, facilities and infrastructure.
LA28 will rely on mostly existing venues for both the Olympics and Paralympics, relieving many of the biggest headaches that have plagued previous organizing committees. But hosting 4,480 Paralympians in one village is an especially unique challenge.
UCLA students walk up and down stairs on a campus that features many hills. The school is scheduled to host the athletes’ village for the 2028 Paralympics.
(Al Seib/For The Times)
LA28 will host the Olympic and Paralympic villages at UCLA. While renowned for its red brick buildings and lush green lawns, UCLA’s campus is also notorious for its steep hills. In 2025, two students who used wheelchairs sued the university and the UC Board of Regents for discrimination, citing, in part, elevators that are often out of service, insufficient signage and dangerous conditions in pedestrian paths of travel.
Rodriquez recognized the campus’ geographical challenges that organizers can’t change. LA28 said in a statement it is focused on building upon UCLA’s existing accessibility foundation while exploring additional modifications and services to support Paralympic athletes and team officials, such as temporary ramps and modified restrooms. Construction is expected to begin this year, trying to minimize impact on normal campus activities.
“One solution is not going to solve it for everyone, but a system of different ones hopefully will for most of them,” said Rodriguez, an architect consulted on previous Games before working with LA28. “We’re aiming, of course, for 100% of the users, but it doesn’t mean that there might be challenges in some points.”
The Games will also need to accommodate millions of fans traveling around Southern California. The FIFA World Cup tested the transportation system and it was largely a success, but it presented problems for some fans.
Kate Scott, founder of Only Everywhere, a directory providing accessibility information about more than 400 venues in California, heard from fans who paid hundreds of extra dollars for accessible parking and a shuttle to the stadium only to learn later that a free shuttle option was available. Fans struggled to secure wheelchair accessible seats, especially after they were sold at astronomical resale values, and couldn’t get clear answers about what accommodations would be available in the stadium.
Fans pack SoFi Stadium during a World Cup match between the United States and Paraguay on June 12.
(Kelvin Kuo/Los Angeles Times)
SoFi Stadium aced the physical infrastructure with working elevators, wheelchair escorts and accessible seating with clear sightlines on every level. It was mostly an information gap that left fans wanting.
“It’s not a problem if you say there’s no way to get to the cafe on the second floor. It is a problem if they find that out at the bottom of the stairs,” Scott said. “They can plan ahead if you just give them the information. It’s not about perfection. It’s about telling people what to expect.”
Of the 400 California venues Scott has added to Only Everywhere’s directory, more than half don’t publish anything online about accessibility. Only 7% cover accommodations for mobility limitation, hearing disability, vision impairment and sensory disabilities.
Disability advocates hope the Paralympics can lead to improved access to social services and structures for people with disabilities during and after the Games.
“Not just a one-in-every-four-years kind of event,” said Juliann Anesi, an associate professor of gender studies at UCLA and an affiliate faculty member with the disabilities studies department.
After the 1984 Olympics helped fund youth sports in L.A. for decades with a $230-million surplus, the 2028 Games have already jump-started adaptive sports opportunities as part of the PlayLA program.
Hunter Woodhall from the U.S. wins the men’s 400-meter T62 final at the 2024 Paralympics on Sept. 6, 2024, in Paris.
(Thibault Camus / Associated Press)
The program is run by L.A. Department of Recreation and Parks and will have 12 adaptive sports (adaptive archery, athletics, kayaking, skateboarding, lacrosse, pickleball, para swimming, blind soccer, goalball, para surfing, wheelchair basketball and wheelchair tennis) for the 2026-27 season. The program is on track to reach 5,000 total adaptive sports program enrollments in 2027, LA28 said.
“LA28 is an opportunity not only to think about people with disabilities as part of [society], but instead to really reshape the conversation around disability, especially in sport,” Truwit said. “… We don’t look at Paralympians as an inspiration or as something where they’re overcoming a limitation, but rather as just part of human diversity and potential.”
At the halfway mark of the Olympic quadrennial, Truwit is already dreaming about L.A. The Connecticut native can picture the opening ceremony in SoFi Stadium, where she will be flanked by her fellow American Paralympians. That group could even include several athletes who received grants from her nonprofit Stronger Than You Think, which helps provide prosthetics to girls and women experiencing limb loss. Being at the Paralympics together would be a dream, Truwit said.
Parsons will open what will be the final Paralympic Games of his IPC presidency. He envisions going out on a high note.
“The best Paralympic Games,” Parsons said of his 2028 expectations, “ever.”
In his first address to the Disney faithful as chief executive, Josh D’Amaro pledged that Walt Disney Co. would create new stories and experiences at the D23 fan event Wednesday night in Anaheim.
D’Amaro was greeted like a rock star during the Burbank media giant’s film and TV presentation as the assembled crowd of more than 12,000 Disney super fans at the Honda Center gave him a rousing round of applause and cheers. He beamed at the audience, while clasping his hands together in front of him.
“I believe that in order to lead this company, you have to understand what it actually feels like to be a fan,” he said onstage. “And, I do. ”
D’Amaro is no stranger to the D23 stage; in his past role as parks chief, he would give updates on the latest news for the experiences division.
But now, as CEO, he said the company would deepen its connection with fans by continuing to develop fresh stories and new experiences.
“We are not here waiting for the future,” he said. “We’re building it … we’re actually building it right now.”
While Disney unveiled several upcoming original stories, including an animated supernatural flick from Pixar called “Ghost Market” set for release in spring 2028 and “Clay,” a Disney Animation film coming later that year about a mentor-mentee relationship, many of its projects are related to existing franchises.
The company unveiled details about Pixar’s “Coco 2” and “Incredibles 3,” both of which got huge applause from the audience, as well as a live-action “Lilo & Stitch 2.” Fans cheered for the return of the Jonas Brothers reprising their original Disney roles in “Camp Rock 3.” Even a teaser from “The Bluey Movie” elicited screams from the largely adult audience.
Earlier in the day, Disney executives revealed additional plans about its streaming strategy during a series of panels.
The company plans to lean more on creators with its new Verts vertical video feed on Disney+, a new feature designed to increase engagement. So far, it has grown in popularity among users, said Erin Teague, executive vice president of product management at Disney Entertainment and ESPN.
“What we’re seeing is as users are engaging with their vertical video experience, they are actually engaging in the overall product experience, double the amount of time,” she said onstage. “That means that we’re meeting users where we are.”
The company also plans to invest more in local international content to help grow the Disney+ service around the world. Disney has seen its local Korean shows perform well in Asia, as well as Brazil, executives said. And shows that do well in one country can often be remade in other regions.
Over the next three years, Disney plans to roughly triple the number of local original series on Disney+.
Marvel’s new X-Men are ready for their close-up — finally. The cast of the upcoming superhero film took the stage together for the first time Friday night during the Disney Entertainment Showcase at D23.
Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige capped off his portion of the presentation by formally introducing Sadie Sink, whose role in “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” had been kept under wraps before its release, as Jean Grey. Then, along with “X-Men” director Jake Schreier, they welcomed the rest of the cast.
Joining Sink in “X-Men” are Kit Connor as Cyclops, Christopher Abbott as Professor Charles Xavier, Samara Weaving as Emma Frost, Inde Navarrette as Rogue and Maya Boyd as Storm. Adam Driver, who appeared at the event in a recorded video bit, will be playing Nathaniel Milbury, better known to fans as Mr. Sinister.
“X-Men” is expected to hit theaters May 5, 2028.
Held at the Honda Center, the Disney Entertainment Showcase is one of the marquee presentations of the three-day D23 fan event where the various arms of Walt Disney Studios — including Lucasfilm, Pixar and Disney Animation — take the stage to promote their upcoming film and television projects. New CEO Josh D’Amaro received a rock star’s welcome from the more than 12,000 Disney faithful attending this year’s showcase, which was emceed by “Zootopia 2” stars and self-proclaimed “super fans” Ke Huy Quan and Ginnifer Goodwin.
Among the stars tapped to help promote their upcoming projects were Anne Hathaway (“Princess Diaries 3”); Joe, Kevin and Nick Jonas (“Camp Rock 3”); Benjamin Bratt (“Coco 2” and “Kingdom Hearts IV”); Kathryn Hahn (“Tangled”); Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans and Hayley Atwell (“Avengers: Doomsday”); Ryan Gosling (“Star Wars: Starfighter”); and Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel and Josh Gad (“Frozen III”).
Here are the biggest reveals and takeaways from Disney’s studios showcase.
Marvel’s television future remains unclear
As expected, Marvel Studios turned its spotlight to “VisionQuest,” the upcoming Disney+ series starring Paul Bettany (Vision) and James Spader (Ultron). Picking up after the events of “WandaVision,” the show will see Vision “beginning to ask rather more complicated questions” about his identity and humanity, according to Bettany.
After several movie announcements at San Diego Comic-Con last month, fans had been anticipating Marvel’s D23 presentation would focus on its series slate. But “VisionQuest” was the only TV show represented at the event. (Marvel’s presentation also included a new “Avengers: Doomsday” clip and a mention of the upcoming game “Marvel’s Wolverine.”)
The lack of new series announcements, along with the recent cancellation of “Wonder Man” Season 2 and reports that Marvel is cutting back on live-action Disney+ shows, has cast a shadow on the MCU’s TV future. “VisionQuest” will premiere Oct. 14.
‘Star Wars’ fans still love Hayden Christensen
Lucasfilm President Dave Filoni brought the cast and creatives of “Ahsoka” Season 2 and “Star Wars: Starfighter” for his portion of the showcase, along with new footage from both projects.
When “Ahsoka” star Rosario Dawson invited Hayden Christensen (Anakin Skywalker) and Eman Esfandi (Ezra Bridger) to join her on stage, fans had an especially warm welcome for the prequel trilogy star.
“As always, it is such an honor to get to play Anakin Skywalker,” said Christensen. “In this new season. Anakin continues to advise Ahsoka. He challenges her and pushes her to answer the most important question in her life: Are you or are you not a Jedi?”
“Star Wars: Starfighter” director Shawn Levy, left, and Ryan Gosling, who is showing the symbol of his character Kade on his jacket.
(Kevin Mazur / Getty Images for Disney)
Director Shawn Levy and Ryan Gosling were on hand to discuss “Star Wars: Starfighter,” which will be set during a time period in the galaxy far, far away that has not yet been shown before. Gosling plays Kade Auberon, a Starfighter pilot (and possible mechanic), in the standalone film that will be set some time after the sequel trilogy.
Disney is leaning on the magic of nostalgia in live-action and animation
Mira Sorvino, right, and Lisa Kudrow appeared onstage as Romy and Michele, respectively, to tease their sequel.
(Jesse Grant / Getty Images for Disney)
Much of Disney’s studio showcase focused on sequels of franchises past and present. “Romy and Michele 2” (2027) stars Lisa Kudrow and Mira Sorvino showed up in character to tease their upcoming sequel to the much-loved 1997 original, proclaiming they were now Disney princesses.
“Princess Diaries” star Anne Hathaway made an appearance to reassure fans the team was hard at work to make sure “Princess Diaries 3” was getting done right, while “Camp Rock” stars Joe, Kevin and Nick Jonas came to plug “Camp Rock 3” and its new stars. A brief first-look teaser for the live action “Tangled” (2028) concluded on a shot of Kathryn Hahn as Mother Gothel calling out to Rapunzel, right before the “Agatha All Along” star took the stage.
Even one of Disney’s oldest characters is getting a revival, thanks to filmmaker Jon Favreau. The “Mandalorian and Grogu” director shared a first look at his miniseries, “Oswald the Lucky Rabbit,” a hybrid live-action and hand-drawn 2D animated show expected to hit Disney+ in February.
On the animation side, Pixar’s Pete Doctor came armed with news about “Incredibles 3” (2028) and “Coco 2” (2029), while Disney Animation’s Jared Bush announced “Zootopia 3” before turning it over to “Frozen III” (2027).
According to Benjamin Bratt, who is returning to voice Ernesto de la Cruz, “Coco 2” is set some time in the future, where a teenage Miguel is sent back to the land of the dead for another adventure. “Frozen III,” meanwhile, will see Anna and Kristoff finally get married before the sisters meet a mysterious stranger who also wields ice magic. Olaf is also expected to find love.
The event also featured teases for “Ice Age: Boiling Point” (2027), “The Bluey Movie” (2027) and a “Kingdom Hearts” anime series.
But don’t worry, Pixar and Disney are still making original movies
Billie Doe (Hailee Steinfeld) and Beef Roger Crummchuk (Walton Goggins) in “Hexed.”
(Disney)
Fans of animated originals can rest assured that both Pixar and Disney Animation have new stories on the way. In addition to “Hexed,” a magical coming-of-age adventure about a young girl named Billie who discovers she’s a witch that will hit theaters Nov. 25, Disney Animation announced “Clay” for 2028. According to Jared Bush, “Clay” is a story about a mentor and student named Flip and Mushi.
“I believe that new stories, new characters, new worlds are vital to the future of Disney Animation,” said Bush.
Pixar, meanwhile, announced “Ghost Market” will hit theaters in 2028. Set in Hawaii, “Ghost Market” will follow a young content creator named Kyle who encounters hungry ghosts. The studio also has “Gatto,” from “Luca” director Enrico Casarosa, on deck for 2027.
The Lakers are being sold … by the Dodgers owner who was supposed to save them?
The Lakers are being sold … to one guy who owns an underachieving women’s professional soccer team and another guy who owns a piece of the hated San Francisco Giants?
Los Angeles sports fans awoke Wednesday to the news that one of their two crown jewels was being sold for the second time in a year, a transaction valued at $12.5 billion and accompanied by at least that many worries.
This doesn’t feel good. This doesn’t feel right. Something stinks here, and it might just be the future of a franchise that once seemed in such good hands.
On Wednesday it was stunningly and ingloriously fumbled, and for what?
There are two main unknowns here, and both should send shivers through a Laker fan base that could be watching their team become the Portland Trail Blazers.
First, why did Mark Walter sell just 10 months after buying? Yes, he made a $2.5 billion profit, but 10 months? Who owns a major sports franchise for just 10 months?
Second, what sort of owners will Bob Iger and Josh Kushner be? Iger is known for running Disney, and Kushner is known for running with President Trump’s son-in-law, who happens to be Kushner’s brother, Jared.
So crazy. So scary.
Does all this mean the Dodgers are also for sale? Will courtside seats be converted to spinning teacups? Is President Trump going to show up for a ceremonial opening tip?
Mark Walter, chairman and controlling owner of the Dodgers, acknowledges a fan before a game in Chicago on Aug. 4.
(Melissa Tamez / Associated Press)
Lots to dig in here, starting with Walter, who brought much hope to the struggling franchise after buying it from the Buss family last summer.
In his short tenure the Lakers racked up a bunch of off-court wins. They revamped their scouting department, increased a focus on analytics and rid themselves of LeBron James without the usual noise of an ugly breakup.
Under Walters, the Lakers didn’t fire Rob Pelinka, didn’t fire JJ Redick, brought back Austin Reaves, and actually set the team up for a pretty exciting playoff run next season.
Walter was clearly building the Lakers into the image of the Dodgers, which makes it so shocking that he would so easily cast them aside.
Could this be the result of outside forces? Walter is under federal investigation for tax fraud by companies controlled by the billionaire, and perhaps he sold the Lakers as a peace offering to the feds. The fact that he sold to somebody so close to President Trump could also help his federal case.
Remember last month when Walter embarrassingly groveled at Trump’s feet during the Dodgers visit to the White House, even giving the president a championship ring? It feels like the Lakers sale to a group co-led by Kushner is an outgrowth of that pandering.
Sources told The Times’ Bill Shaikin that the Dodgers are not for sale, but if Walter was troubled enough to sell arguably America’s most glamorous sports franchise after owning it for less time than it takes for Edwin Díaz to walk to the mound, who knows if the Dodgers are really safe?
In Walter, the Lakers had a proven champion who forged a partnership with the fans and rewarded them with sustained success.
In Iger and Kushner, the Lakers have two rich guys who have never been the majority owners of a team, never run a team and never done much more than cheer for a team.
Iger, 75, an entertainment genius who ran Disney for much of the last 20 years, has failed in his previous attempts to buy a sports team. A decade ago, he was in the finals to bring an NFL team to Los Angeles, but lacked the gravitas to pull it off.
In 2024, Iger and his wife, USC journalism dean Willow Bay, bought a controlling stake in the Angel City Football Club in the National Women’s Soccer League. But the team has yet to make any sort of local splash, missing the playoffs in each of the last two seasons.
Former Disney CEO Bob Iger, in white shirt, has been a longtime basketball fan. In 2025 he sat courtside for a Clippers game at Intuit Dome.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Kushner, meanwhile, is a 41-year-old billionaire venture capitalist who is best known for his brother’s father-in-law and his super-model wife Karlie Kloss. He owns a minority stake in not only the Giants, but the Miami Heat, which he must sell.
There is no indication whether they will be good owners, and they will clearly have to hire a seasoned NBA executive to serve as president to run the show. The identity of this person will be the first sign of their seriousness in restoring a championship culture, but there will be other signs as well, and not all could be positive.
There should be fear that these new wonders will follow the path of the most recently minted NBA owner, Portland’s Tom Dundon, who unapologetically cheapened the organization by doing everything from firing 70 business employees to bucking NBA tradition by refusing to pass out free T-shirts to the fans during playoff games. He even showed the door to both the club’s radio and TV play-by-play announcers in a dramatic cost-cutting move that could be a blueprint for other struggling teams.
Which is to say, nobody has any idea how Kushner and Iger will run things. They have no history here. They have no experience. They have no credibility. This isn’t Disney. This isn’t some hedge fund.
These are the 17-time NBA champion Lakers. This is a national monument forged on the sweat of everyone from Jerry West to Magic Johnson to Kobe Bryant.
This is a community’s heartbeat. This is a region’s touchstone.
For the Lakers, it really could end happily ever after.
Because we’re realizing you probably shouldn’t put all your proverbial eggs — or both of a city’s most beloved sports teams — in one guy’s basket. Especially if that one guy happens to be at the center of a federal loan investigation.
And if all it took, really, to get Walter to relinquish his ownership of the Lakers was $2.5 billion more than the reported figure he paid for them, then he wasn’t the right owner for the franchise anyway.
He wasn’t actually going to spin blue into purple and gold.
And Disney did give us some pretty great stories under Iger, didn’t it?
A native New Yorker, Iger, 75, grew up a Knicks fan. But he has also long been an L.A. basketball fan — though he has identified as a Clippers supporter. (Sorry, Clips, I think you’re down a fan.)
Lakers great Magic Johnson said he’s known Iger since the Showtime era, and gushed in an interview Wednesday with The Times’ Broderick Turner: “The great thing for Laker fans is Bob Iger loves basketball, loves the Lakers and I think that we couldn’t have a better person.
“Somebody that don’t know the Lakers, the tradition, that don’t know the city, that don’t know the passion that the fans have for the Lakers here in L.A.? Then I would have been like, ‘Oh man. They gotta learn all that.’
Bob Iger, then chief executive of Disney, addresses the media during the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge media event in 2019.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
“Well there’s no learning curve for Bob.”
And Angelenos know Iger. We don’t know Kushner except for his family ties. But Iger, we do.
Walter isn’t selling the Lakers to some rich guys without any L.A. cred. He’s selling to a basketball fan whom we’ve seen courtside at Lakers games. Someone who joined us in sharing our heartbreak on social media when Kobe Bryant died in 2020, calling him “a friend and a fan of ours, full of life and taken from us too soon.”
We recognize Iger; he’s the Disney guy. We know him for his successful tenures as chief executive of that beloved company, which were highlighted by innovative storytelling, savvy investment and expansion — including into sports. We know he helped turn ESPN into a TV juggernaut.
Before the sale to Walter, the Buss family, which owned and ran the Lakers for 46 years, was having trouble keeping up in a booming NBA. Player salaries are capped, but ownership’s resources matter much in terms of creating a competitive infrastructure of coaches, basketball operations, medical and scouting staffs.
So we were looking forward to seeing sweeping improvements when Walter took control and provided the organization with a much-needed financial infusion. After all, his Dodgers have won three World Series crowns and clinched the National League West in 12 of 13 seasons since 2012, when he and his partners bought the club for a then-MLB record $2.15 billion.
But as of Wednesday morning, we were still looking.
We thought the new Lakers’ regime would get to work without a second to spare. Yeah, they added a second row of seats courtside. And laid off more than a dozen employees.
We expected they’d beef up their scouting department. But they moved the G League team from the South Bay way out to the Coachella Valley, so even the most ardent fans in L.A. will have a hard time keeping an eye on the team’s prospects.
We expected, under Walter, that the Lakers would give their basketball brain trust an obvious boost.
But they’ve only flirted with filling the job of second assistant general manager. And they failed to poach anyone from the league’s most innovative front offices like the Dodgers did when they hired Andrew Friedman. Their big get was Rohan Ramadas, from the … New Orleans Pelicans, a team that made the playoffs only twice in the last eight seasons.
Iger and Kushner can do better. They better do better.
Joshua Kushner, founder and chief executive of Thrive Capital, speaks onstage during the Big Bets panel at the Fortune Global Forum 2024.
(Jemal Countess / Getty Images for Fortune Media)
I think they will.
This isn’t a fly-by-night proposition for Iger, who headed an effort by the Chargers and Raiders to build a stadium in Carson before Stan Kroenke built $5-billion SoFi Stadium in Inglewood.
In 2024, Iger and his wife, Willow Bay, who is dean of the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, acquired a controlling stake in the Angel City Football Club of the National Women’s Soccer League for $50 million, pushing its valuation to $250 million, a record for a women’s sports team.
Angel City hasn’t been winning, but they doubled the staff and wasted no time setting up a sizable new performance center at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks. The WNBA’s Sparks, which Walter has owned since 2014, are still waiting for their own practice facility, which is now finally under construction in El Segundo.
“As lifelong NBA fans,” Kushner and Iger said in a statement, “we are deeply honored for the opportunity to become stewards of the Los Angeles Lakers, one of the most iconic sports franchises in the world.”
Iger knows as much as anyone about successfully stewarding an iconic brand.
Now he could be the Imagineer to bring the 17-time champion Lakers back to the happiest place on earth — the NBA’s mountaintop.
Emmerdale star Christopher Coghill, who plays villain Kev Barton, was once struck over the head with a handbag by a fan who was horrified at his on-screen behaviour
Emmerdale’s Kev actor Chris Coghill has opened up about his bizarre fan encounters(Image: ITV)
Soap star Christopher Coghill has discussed what happened during a bizarre fan encounter in Selfridges.
The actor, who portrays Kev Barton in ITV soap Emmerdale, describes his character as “a sympathetic psychopath, if you will”, adding he remains unfazed about being typecast as a villain following his stint playing paedophile Tony King in EastEnders in 2008.
He said: “You’ve got to give people a bit of credit. When I started in EastEnders, there were people who were like, ‘You know, there are people out there who really can’t tell the difference between what they see on telly and real life, and because of the character you’re playing, you’re going to get a lot of shit, and you might need police protection’.
“And then you go out, and people go, ‘Oh, you’re brilliant in EastEnders’, and that was kind of it. I did get hit over the head with a handbag in Selfridges, but apart from that..”
His Emmerdale colleague William Ash, who takes on the role of Caleb Miligan, said he’s encountered similar reactions, adding: “People are genuinely generally really nice. You don’t get any grief, really. I did have one woman at the at the petrol station going ‘oh, you’re right horrible to Moira’.”
The duo, who previously shared the screen in the 2003 drama Burn It and portrayed brothers in both the 2006 one-off comedy Magnolia and a 2016 episode of Moving On, find themselves embroiled in an Emmerdale storyline centred on an assault on Billy Fletcher (Jay Kontzle) at the depot.
Kev is responsible for the attack and Caleb possesses CCTV footage of the incident, but has been concealing it so he can pin the blame on his bitter rival, Joe Tate (Ned Porteous).
Coghill said of the footage: “I hold my hands up, it does look bad – I am bent over him with a crowbar and he’s in a pool of blood.”
Yet it might not prove to be the leverage that Caleb believes it to be.
Ash said: “I think [Caleb and wife Ruby, played by Beth Cordingly] just don’t know how to handle him, like most people in the village. It’s like he’s such a loose cannon. You just don’t know what you’re going to get from him.”
Coghill is equally insistent that he wants no further singing scenes for his character, following his on-screen serenade to estranged husband Robert (Ryan Hawley) with If You’re Not The One by Daniel Bedingfield, and his subsequent attempt to convey his emotions to long-lost son Lewis (Bradley Riches) through a rendition of Boyzone’s Father And Son.
Coghill said: “Do you know what, [producer] Laura Shaw did say to me the other week, do you want to do All I Want For Christmas Is You? And I said, if you keep me till Christmas 2029, I’ll do it then. That’s how my contract negotiations are going. But no, it’s excruciating. Horrible.
“If I could sing, I wouldn’t be an actor. If I could sing, I would have been in a band in the 1990s.”
Emmerdale airs weeknights at 8pm on ITV1 and STV, and is available to stream from 7am on ITVX, STV Player and YouTube.
Whitney Houston is the latest addition to the world of Barbie.
The El Segundo-based toy company is honoring the late pop star with a new Barbie Signature doll. The toy, which debuted over the weekend in Atlanta, is wearing the recognizable look from Houston’s 1987 hit music video, “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me).” The Houston doll wears a lilac-hued tank dress, colorful drop earrings and vibrant eye makeup, and comes with a microphone stand. The collectible costs around $60.
Houston’s estate worked closely with Mattel to create a doll that captures the late singer’s essence and glamour. The release lands about 40 years after the New Jersey-raised musician appeared in the music video for the popular song.
“Whitney Houston’s music has been the soundtrack to countless moments for fans around the world. Barbie is proud to honor her extraordinary legacy with the latest addition to the Barbie Signature Series,” Mattel Vice President and Head of Barbie Nathan Baynard said in a statement. “We hope it gives fans a meaningful way to celebrate the artist whose voice and influence continue to resonate around the world.”
The doll arrives at an uneasy moment for the brand it’s built on. In second-quarter results reported Aug. 4, Mattel’s worldwide gross billings for dolls fell 5% to $318 million, driven primarily by a decline in the Barbie brand — the same story as the first quarter, when doll billings dropped 8%, and as 2025, when the category slid 7% for the full year on Barbie declines. In March, Mattel laid off 65 employees, roughly a year after cutting 120 jobs to reduce costs. Shares of Mattel hovered around $14.72 midday, down 0.5%.
Mattel hopes to appeal to adult collectors and fans of Houston with its latest release.
Throughout her career, Houston earned the nickname of “The Voice” because of her unparalleled vocal abilities. Some of her biggest hits include “Saving All My Love For You,” “I Have Nothing,” and her cover of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You.” To this day, Houston holds the Guinness World Record for the most awards won by a female artist, with more than 400 prizes, including six Grammys. The singer died unexpectedly at age 48 in 2012.
Houston is joining other iconic female musicians as Barbie dolls. In recent years, Mattel released dolls that resemble Tina Turner, Stevie Nicks, Gloria Estefan and Mariah Carey. Mattel’s Signature Series appeals to collectors of all kinds, as the company releases dolls of athletes such as LeBron James and Angel Reese, fictional characters such as Cher from the 1995 feature film “Clueless,” Supergirl and historical figures such as Ida B. Wells.
“The new Whitney Houston Barbie honors a woman whose voice, grace, beauty, and spirit inspired generations around the world,” Pat Houston, the executor of Houston’s estate, said.
“May this doll remind every child and every collector that dreams have no limits, excellence leaves a lasting imprint, and true greatness never goes out of style.”
A HIGHLANDER legend was rushed to hospital in an ambulance after collapsing at an event in America.
The actor and producer, 69, was also forced to scrap photo opportunities with fans as his health issue took centre stage.
Highlander legend Christopher Lambert was rushed to hospital in an ambulance after collapsing at an event in AmericaCredit: GettyHe reportedly fell ill while signing autographs at the Steel City Con in PennsylvaniaCredit: X/@RDAF2
Actor Christopher Lambert, who played Highlander’s main character Connor MacLeod in the 1986 movie, reportedly fell ill at the Steel City Con in Pennsylvania on Saturday.
According to TMZ, he had been signing autographs with fans before he collapsed and was whisked away.
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The event organisers then took to their Facebook page to confirm: “Christopher Lambert had to leave the event due to a personal issue.
Christopher who played Highlander’s main character Connor MacLeodCredit: AlamyThe Mortal Kombat actor has been confirmed to appear at today’s eventCredit: Getty
The Sun has gone to the Mortal Kombat actor’s rep for comment.
They did tell TMZ the screen star is “perfectly OK” – and his fall was due to low blood sugar after a lack of food.
In news that will delight fans – and suggest he is on the mend – event organisers also confirmed he will appear at the convention today [Sunday] as planned.
In a message posted to Facebook they wrote: “Christopher Lambert will be attending Sunday. He will be there at 11:30 AM. Lisa & Louise Burns will do 12 PM Panel. Also, Karen Gillan will be doing Solos and Duos on Sunday (with Arthur) as well”.
One fan was quick to comment: “Glad he’s okay. That was scary!”
A second put: “Very happy to hear this”.
A Facebook user then added: “Hope he’s going to be all right. Highlander is my favourite movie of all time, and I wish he didn’t have to go through that scare today”.
Whether you care or not about your own college reunion, we all keep getting invited to the one for the comedy troupe Broken Lizard, whose movies are always the same thing: frat guys who never grew out of the same jokes, taunts and pranks. That isn’t to say “Super Troopers 3” doesn’t also exhibit genuine appreciation for a tight bond nurtured over time, but you need to have been there (that is, enjoyed one or two of these) to revel in tapping that aggressively overpumped keg of R-rated comedy nostalgia.
The gang’s longevity, well into late middle age, is indeed impressive, even if it’s relegated to reviving their most beloved incarnation, a quintet of adolescent-minded Vermont highway patrolmen who torment citizens, razz each other and routinely examine their stunted life choices when confronted with the noxious personality of the most extreme among them, Farva (Kevin Heffernan).
The boorish, puerile Farva — imagine an “Animal House” character its writers would have discarded as too crude — is the catalyst this time around by falling in love. His shock engagement to Sarita (Hannah Simone), the brainy, beautiful sister of de facto trooper leader Thorny (director Jay Chandrasekhar), pits brother against family and bro against bro, even if Farva doesn’t register his colleague’s disgust. Thorny will do anything to keep Farva from marrying into his family, which is admittedly one of the easier campaigns for an audience to get behind.
That’s not a sentiment against true love; it’s more a nod to strained credibility and a feeling of general exhaustion. “Super Troopers 3” hardly feels like some long-awaited third go-round in a franchise spanning 25 years. Rather, it plays like the 84th episode of a time-killing cable series that people forgot was still on the air. Whatever raw charm existed in the original underdog sleeper hit from 2001 (and found some purchase in the agreeably goofy 2018 sequel) has been hardened here into a piece of machine-stamped plastic, likely in the shape of a male organ sporting a traditional sherwani, considering the incessant swirl of infantile body humor and offensive-adjacent Indian culture gags on offer.
Besides the main storyline and a dull, time-padding smuggling operation to uncover, there’s little to do for the rest of the Broken Lizard team: Paul Soter, Eric Stolhanske and Steve Emme. Inexplicably, EV cars and food-ordering apps become running gags. Marisa Coughlan is back as a cop’s wife, and the joke must be that she never gets to be funny.
There’s good news in Brian Cox returning as their cranky superior, except it looks like two days of work, tops. The best new face is Nat Faxon as the station’s insecure captain. He gets more easy, unforced laughs than anyone, especially when it comes to a bout of “scromiting.” It still isn’t enough.
“Enough” is a good retort, though, for “Super Troopers 3” overall, except for the dispiriting promise before the closing credits that more mediocrity might be coming. But fans might want to savor this one, because according to Vermont law, highway patrol mandatory retirement age is 57, the age the youngest Broken Lizard member hits this month. Sorry, guys — can we have those badges back?
‘Super Troopers 3’
Rated: R, for sexual content, nudity, language throughout and drug content
Minnie Driver’s Paris adventures went awry this week when she was involved in a car accident that she’s describing as a frightening close call.
On Thursday, the actor — who has posted a series of “Paris Update” videos for her fans over the last two months while filming the sixth season of “Emily in Paris” — updated fans with a video posted to Instagram in which she appeared in a neck brace and recounted a harrowing close call. “Paris update is that I am actually back in London,” the video began.
“I got into a really bad car accident a few days ago with my friend Ben, and we somehow walked out of it,” she said. “Well, we didn’t walk out of it. We crawled out of it, but we did get out of it alive.”
Driver said the accident wasn’t their fault, and that they were cruising down a country road in the middle of France when another vehicle failed to stop at an intersection.
“We just T-boned it,” she said. “I’m fine. I’ve got a sprained neck, and I’m really in shock and sort of cry all the time, but I’m going to heal.”
According to Deadline, production on “Emily in Paris” will continue as planned aside from one scene involving Driver that had to be rescheduled. She plans to return to her role as Princess Jane when she recovers.
“The reason that I’m not dead, honestly, is the car that we were driving,” she continued in her update, adding that 360-degree airbags in the “tiny Kia” she was riding in saved their lives. “The fact that the entire car didn’t just concertina and crush us is down to the design of that car, which is frankly astonishing.”
Driver assured her followers that the video wasn’t a car ad — “Can you imagine if that’s what I was doing?” — but the actor appeared grateful and wanted to give due credit, all with her sense of humor still intact.
“I’m a mini driver, pun intended. I need to celebrate the car that saved us, because we’ve got families and people who love us, and I am so grateful to be alive,” she said. “So, Kia, you are a baller car company.”
Just a day before the Head in the Clouds Music & Arts Festival takes over the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, a member of the headlining pop group Katseye has announced she is taking a hiatus from performing.
Sophia Laforteza announced on Instagram on Friday that she’ll be stepping away to take care of her mental health.
“It truly breaks my heart to have to miss out on a lot,” she wrote in an Instagram story. “You know how much I love being on stage, performing, and sharing these moments with you. Making this decision wasn’t easy, but I’m learning that health has to come first. I’m realizing that if I don’t take care of my mind and body now, I won’t be able to keep doing what I love the most for so long.”
Laforteza thanked her fans for being “patient, understanding, and always showing me so much love,” and said she’d be joining Katseye fans, aka “eyekons,” in cheering on the group in the meantime.
“I promise I’m going to work as hard as I can to get through this, heal properly, and come back stronger,” she wrote.
A post on the group’s official Instagram account said Laforteza “will be temporarily unable to participate in upcoming promotional activities.”
“We understand how much EYEKONS were looking forward to seeing Sophia on stage, but it is imperative that her mental health and wellness are prioritized,” the post stated.
According to the statement, the pop star has been working with medical professionals who advised that she take “dedicated time for extended rest and ongoing care to ensure a full recovery.”
While Laforteza is eager to get back to work with her fellow Katseye members, the post said her “health, safety, and long-term well-being” will always be top priority.
Laforteza’s progress will be monitored and she’ll be reassessed in September — just as the group is slated to kick off their world tour. Fans can expect an update around that time, according to the post.
Earlier this year, Katseye member Manon Bannerman also hit pause on performing with the pop group, meaning Saturday’s headlining performance in Pasadena will feature four of the group’s original six members. Daniela Avanzini, Lara Raj, Megan Skiendiel and Yoonchae Jeung are still set to take the stage.
Laforteza’s announcement followers similar decisions from actor-musician Ariana Grande, who told fans earlier this week that she would be stepping away from the public eye and that “human beings can need a break sometimes.”
Country music star Jelly Roll also announced a hiatus this month, saying he needed “to heal” following news that he finalized his divorce from Bunnie XO after nearly 10 years of marriage.
Forget high prices or website glitches. With more than 12 million people registering for 2028 Olympics tickets, even getting a chance to browse the ticket shelves was hard to come by.
LA28 said in a statement Friday that more opportunities to buy Olympic tickets will come in 2027, including the first first-come, first-served ticket sales.
The first two ticket drops this year drew historic interest, with fans from more than 200 countries registering. LA28 sold 4 million tickets in its first drop in April, and time slot notifications hit inboxes Wednesday and Thursday for Drop 2, which lasts from Aug. 10-20. The 48-hour purchasing windows were granted through random lottery, but even a guaranteed slot to purchase didn’t prevent headaches as the ticketing system was fraught with technical glitches and high website traffic.
The next year will bring significant movement in the Games ticketing process as Olympic sales continue, Paralympic tickets are made available for the first time and the official ticket resale platform opens.
Fans who have already registered for Olympic tickets are automatically entered into the Paralympic ticket process, which will begin with the same draw system that started the Olympic ticketing process. The Paralympics, which will come to L.A. for the first time, open on Aug. 15, 2028, at SoFi Stadium and close on Aug. 27 at the Coliseum.
AXS and Eventim are LA28’s official secondary ticket marketplace, and other verified resale platforms will include Ticketmaster and Sports Illustrated Tickets. The secondary market allows fans to re-sell their tickets, potentially opening chances to see sold-through or popular sports, but the prices could fluctuate drastically. Secondary ticket resale prices will not be capped, LA28 said in a statement, as the organization’s ticket process “will follow federal law and regulations.”
Ticket prices stayed consistent between the first and second drops. LA28 said it would not use dynamic pricing for the early stages of ticketing, but prices could change as the Games get closer.
LA28 expects to sell 14 million tickets between the Olympics and Paralympics, which would break a sales record, eclipsing the 12 million tickets sold for Paris 2024 Games.
