moment

Early in “The Drama,” things are still good between Emma (Zendaya) and Charlie (Robert Pattinson). The young happy couple, about a week away from getting married, have enjoyed a whirlwind romance. As this dark comedy’s opening credits roll, they’re blissfully practicing their first dance, laughing and stumbling as they try to get their twirls and steps right.

But the scene’s highlight is the song that plays in the background, airy, gentle and simple. Spare guitar chords give way to a female voice that sounds unpolished but beautiful: “I want to lay with you/ In an open field/ Where yellow flowers are suns of Earth.”

For many viewers, this will be the first time they’ve ever heard “I Want to Lay With You,” one of the most gorgeous love songs of the 1970s. It’s also likely they’ll have no idea who the singer is. Her name is Shira Small, and in 1974, she recorded an incredible album, “The Line of Time and the Plane of Now,” when she was 17. She never recorded another — at least, not yet. Now nearly 70, Small may finally be getting her moment in the spotlight.

“I’m cracking up,” says Small over Zoom from her Cooperstown, N.Y., home, “because I had no idea whatsoever that that movie was coming out until my dear sister informed me via you.” Flashing a relaxed smile and sporting long gray hair, Small knows little about the controversial “The Drama,” an A24 film with a heavily guarded twist.

Robert Pattinson and Zendaya in the movie “The Drama.”

(A24)

But it’s becoming a delightfully frequent occurrence that Small learns after the fact that her music is featured prominently in a movie or television show. “The record company does what they do and then they send me royalties and I get it in a statement,” she explains. “I had a song that HBO bought for ‘Pause With Sam Jay.’ They sent me an email that was not even to me — it was this interdepartmental thing. At the bottom, it said, ‘Oh, by the way, it airs tonight.’”

Jemma Burns, music supervisor for “The Drama,” had been a fan of Small’s album, thinking “I Want to Lay With You” would be perfect for this idyllic scene, right before Emma and Charlie’s relationship implodes over a disturbing revelation that turns their dream wedding into a nightmare.

“He was trying to set up the rom-com tone,” says Burns of the movie’s writer-director Kristoffer Borgli, “one that would contrast with the modernity of the setting and where the film goes. He wanted something that was from a bygone era, but also something that felt disarmingly charming. The two lead characters are very switched-on, fashionable, arty. So it felt like something they would’ve had in their record collection.”

The youngest of five siblings, Small always loved singing. But even as an adolescent growing up in Harlem, she felt like an old soul, her thoughts running deeper than the average kid’s.

“My focus was on not understanding war and hatred and bigotry,” she says. “I was seriously into trying to make love happen everywhere.”

Against the backdrop of the war in Vietnam and the Black Power movement, Small was well on her way to becoming a hippie, a transformation amplified by her enrollment in a private Quaker boarding academy, George School, in Newtown, Penn., on a full scholarship. When she arrived at George School, Small recalls, laughing, it was “very rich and very white. But I’ve always been a flotation device. I can walk around like I don’t have a clue about things.”

Shira Small, photographed in 1971 at George School in Newtown, Penn.

(Courtesy of Shira Small)

At George School, Small sported an Afro and smoked weed. She was drawn to theater and music, impressing music teacher and classical pianist Lars Clutterham, who saw she had talent. They worked on songs together, with Small coming up with the lyrics and vocal melodies. Every student had to complete a senior project, so Small proposed that hers be an album. Not long after, she and Clutterham drove to a Philadelphia studio for a one-day session.

The 10 songs on “The Line of Time and the Plane of Now” — each recorded in only one take — mix folk, soul and jazz, radiating innocence. The arrangements, awash in old-school analog warmth, are straightforward: guitar or piano supplemented with drums, leaving plenty of space for Small’s lilting voice, which contains both idealism and, even as a teen, traces of real-life sorrow.

Her mother died while she was at George School, inspiring “My Life’s All Right,” a ballad about surviving tough times, which later appeared on the Sam Jay show. “Eternal Life” sprang out of her in one burst, celebrating the power of love to transcend life’s harsh realities. As for the movie’s “I Want to Lay With You,” it was about a boy Small liked. She just can’t remember who anymore.

“It was somebody who was just as much a friend as a person that I had a crush on,” she recalls. “I honestly felt that we could have a life together.”

Small laughs at her adolescent self. “Like I knew what it would be like to have a freaking life together! To be able to wake up with somebody and have a beautiful day and always make them smile.”

According to Small, George School’s parents and students raised money to pay for the album and 300 copies were produced. “It was a joyous time,” she recalls. “I was on my way — to somewhere!” After graduation, though, she struggled to find her footing, eventually graduating summa cum laude from the City University of New York with a theater degree. But then she chose pre-med, becoming a physician assistant.

“When I became pre-med, it was so hard for me that I was just tunnel-visioned,” explains Small about why she said goodbye to music. “I had to devote my whole self to it. It was so all-encompassing that I could think of nothing else.”

But there was another reason she walked away from music. From an early age, Small suffered debilitating stage fright. “It was so bad that it would twist my stomach into a knot,” she recalls. She gutted it out to do plays at George School and, later, record her album. After a while, though, “It just got to be too much.”

Still, didn’t she miss singing? “Constantly,” replies Small, who retired about five years ago from the medical profession. “I sang unconsciously a lot. My patients always picked up on it — they’d be like, ‘Every time you come in, you’re singing.’”

But although Small abandoned music, “The Line of Time and the Plane of Now” never went away. In 2006, the Numero Group, an archival record label, put together a compilation, “Wayfaring Strangers: Ladies From the Canyon,” devoted to under-the-radar female singers from the 1970s. Numero Group co-founder Ken Shipley made sure “Eternal Life” was included.

“I was the first person to ever reach out to Shira,” he says proudly in a separate phone interview. Shipley heard “Eternal Life” on a burned CD of femme-folk artists that was making the industry rounds at the turn of the millennium while he was putting together his “Wayfaring Strangers” lineup. “Shira was a top want for me.”

The Numero Group put “Eternal Life” on Spotify in 2013. But when the label released the full album digitally in 2022, “I don’t know that anybody really cared,” Shipley says. Undeterred, he reissued it on vinyl the following year. Maybe listeners just needed time.

“Music finds a way,” Shipley says. “Music’s like water. It’s going to get down the creek into the river into the ocean. It’s going to find its audience.”

Sure enough, strange serendipitous moments started happening for Small. A future bandmate’s ex had one of her songs on a playlist, having no idea it was Small. She recently started working part-time at a local opera house and one of the opera singers adored “Eternal Life,” unaware that Small was an employee.

And now, royalty checks arrive for the usage of her songs in films like “The Drama.” It still feels unreal to Small that her album generates revenue. “It was never for commercial purposes,” she says. “I can’t believe that I am collecting any royalties on that music and that it just keeps going and going.”

Small’s husband died in 2019 after 34 years of marriage. It sent her spiraling, but then something remarkable happened. “The day I came out of it, the music was gushing out of me so fast that I couldn’t keep up with it,” she says. “I had to walk around with a voice memo. I hadn’t spoken to Lars in more than a decade. I sent him all of these voice memos and he sent me a note: ‘Shira, you still got it.’”

In 2024, she released her first song in 50 years, “Why,” which lays out her fears for the world. Her voice is different, deeper, possessing a lifetime of experience that her teenage self couldn’t have possibly imagined. Small is now plotting out an album and has some shows lined up. Even better, she’s worked through her stage fright.

Eventually, she’ll perform her old songs, but she’s figuring out how to hit that higher register from her youth. “I’ve gone through decades of hormones and cigarettes and all the other things that I did that I’m happy I lived through,” she says, wryly.

“I still have a thing about yellow flowers in open fields,” she admits. “We have these huge sunflower fields here. The whole idea of being in such a beautiful place with yellow flowers that light up a great day is what popped into my head when I wrote that lyric.”

I ask her what she makes of that young woman she hears on “The Line of Time and the Plane of Now” today.

“I know her so well,” replies Small. “You know why? Because she’s still here. I am, at this point, everybody I’ve ever been ever, leading up to this moment.

“I still feel the same way about many things,” she continues. “I’m probably angrier now than I was when I was a child, but I still have this underlying thing about looking at a bigger picture to help me keep my lid on. When I think back on ‘Eternal Life’ and ‘My Life’s All Right,’ that music was born from my core. And my core does not have an age.”

The world famous botanical gardens at Kew offer so much more than plants – we tried a sound bath in the iconic Nash Conservatory

Kew Gardens – the world-famous botanical gardens with the largest collection in the globe.

Internationally renowned and vitally important to our understanding of plant life, not to mention the millions of specimens also held in this stunning corner of West London, Kew also boasts being a World Heritage Site.

This oasis of calm, serenity and beauty is also one of the capital’s most visited tourist attractions – and my ultimate happy place.

Be in the depths of winter, the first blooms of spring, the sun-kissed height of summer or the golden autumn days, Kew always has something to entrance and amaze.

It doesn’t matter how many thousands of people might flood through the gates each day, this vast site always has an air of peace and calm.

So, when it came to my first ever sound bath experience – have no fear there is no water involved – what better place to try it than surrounded by nature at Kew.

And what exactly is a sound bath? In short it’s a meditation experience using gongs, Tibetan bowls and crystal bowls, along with chimes to create a dream-like state somewhere between sleep and waking.

Said to help ease stress and anxiety – and with the state of, well, everything, at the moment – who doesn’t need a bit of that?

On Kew’s website, it states: “Therapeutic sound has been proven to offer a wide range of health benefits, helping to boost your immune system by making you feel more grounded, balanced, and connected.

“No previous experience is needed for this expert-led session, making it the perfect opportunity to try a new way of reaching deep meditation and relaxation.”

It’s also recommended to have a stroll around the incredible gardens before you step into the Nash Conservatory for the hour long session.

Gently strolling through the vast expanse of Kew, surrounded by blossom trees and areas filled with sunshine-coloured daffodils, I could already feel my stress melting away even before the session began.

Held in the glorious Nash Conservatory, close to Kew Palace with the Elizabeth Gate the closest entrance, this sunshine-filled spaced already felt welcoming and calm the moment you stepped in.

You’re advised to bring a blanket, cushion and eye mask so you can be comfortable and fully immersed in the experience, which is led by Jez Smith FRSA, a historical musician and qualified sound therapist, who has been practising for 35 years.

Lying in the space, eyes closed, eye mask on and cosy in my blanket, the session began. Gentle noise filled the room, within minutes I could feel my shoulders relaxing.

As the sound slowly builds – it never feels overwhelmingly loud but does fill the entire space – I could feel every muscle in my body slowly sinking into the floor.

Still awake but only vaguely aware of my surroundings, there was a moment where I felt my entire face and jaw relax – I had no clue I was holding so much tension there.

Advised by Jez to focus on the noise and try to push away thoughts as they popped into your head – something which became increasingly easy to do as the session progressed – I became totally unaware of time and before I knew it, our hour was up.

Brought back to full consciousness by the gentle sound of chimes, as we all slowly returned to sitting I was stunned to feel I not only felt relaxed but more care-free than I had for months.

Another slow stroll through Kew before heading home and I can firmly say sound baths are not only good for easing stress, they’re also good for the soul.

Sound baths at Kew Gardens

Kew is holding regular sound baths on selected dates between now and October.

For more information, visit the website.

After a major national debacle on live TV when she was only 20 years old, Ashlee Simpson Ross finally found a way to win back a small-screen audience’s love: She put a galaxy mask over her head and let the vocals rip.

Forget that 2004 incident where she got caught singing over a backing track in an appearance on “Saturday Night Live.” Sure, she did a weird little dance, then fled the set. Sure, her dad made excuses. But that’s in the past.

The winner of “The Masked Singer,” who is married to Evan Ross, Diana Ross’ singer-actor son, was bubbly as she celebrated her victory in a post-finale interview published Wednesday night. On the season finale, she had sung Olivia Rodrigo’s tune “Good 4 U.”

“I feel like I became Galaxy Girl and I had the best team ever,” Simpson told People. “So I mean, it felt great to do it. It felt great to perform, not being able to see where I’m going. You can hardly see where you’re going. I think just becoming that character of Galaxy Girl and people not knowing who I was, it was just a different way of performing that. I enjoyed that. It was definitely a moment of discovery.”

Back in fall 2004, Simpson, who’s now 41, was about to do her second song as the musical guest on “SNL.” Following in her famous sister’s footsteps as Jessica Simpson’s newlyweds reality show with then-husband Nick Lachey was hitting its stride, she had just released what would become the year’s top-selling album by a female singer.

Then the band started up — and the wrong lyrics started playing out of the ether. Simpson was not singing them. So she did an uncomfortable sort of jig before walking off the set and leaving the band stranded. Cut to commercial.

Lorne Michaels would confirm later that it had been a first for the sketch show.

“What can I say? Live TV,” host Jude Law told the audience during the show’s goodbye sequence that night. Simpson, standing at his side, jumped in with a rapid-fire explanation of what had just happened, throwing her band under the bus and not making much sense at all.

“I feel so bad. My band started playing the wrong song and I didn’t know what to do, so I thought I’d do a hoedown. I’m sorry!” she said.

This was a year after her sister had asked, with cameras rolling, whether a can of Chicken of the Sea contained tuna or chicken, and whether Buffalo wings were made out of buffalo. So what stuck in people’s minds were those lyrics playing out of the ether. Ashlee Simpson, it was clear, intended to lip sync, which sort of implied to casual observers that she couldn’t sing. She became, to many, a laughingstock.

Her dad said afterward that acid reflux had made her vocal cords swell, necessitating the last-minute switch from live to Memorex. He called it a learning experience and said she would prove herself in future shows.

“Unfortunately, that happened to us on Saturday, so just like every other artist in America she has backing tracks … so you don’t have to hear her croaking through a song on national television,” Joe Simpson told Ryan Seacrest in a radio interview.

“She never used them before,” he said of the vocal tracks, but “you have to do what you have to do.”

A few months later, she was booed on national TV when she did the halftime show at the 2005 Orange Bowl. Folks joked that it was worse than what happened on “SNL.”

So, yes, her career continued, but it hasn’t been 100% smooth. After a couple more albums, she took a role in a Broadway musical and eventually she returned to acting. She said over and over that she was going to get back into music, but life kept getting in the way.

Then in 2025, after celebrating the 20-year anniversary of her breakout album release with a short gig at a WeHo nightclub the year prior, she announced a residency at the Venetian in Las Vegas. The gig proved popular enough that it was extended into 2026.

And over the course of “The Masked Singer” season, Simpson finally proved to those casual observers that she has a voice and knows how to use it. She even bested her husband, who competed this season as Stingray and was cast out in Episode 10.

“Performing is my happy place, and to be doing that again just feels so nice,” she told People. “I’m inspired to keep playing shows and creating new music. And moments like ‘Masked Singer’ and Vegas, and I’m looking forward to Pride and Stagecoach — those moments just make me realize, ‘Oh, this is what I love to do.’

“I’m happy to be doing it again.”

Good for you, Galaxy Girl.

The UCLA women’s gymnastics team enters the NCAA regionals on Friday in Corvallis, Ore., focused on three principles — calm, confidence and commitment to one another. The Bruins started leaning on the mantra to help them stay dialed in as they took home the Big Ten tournament title, Mika Webster-Longin said.

Now, they will use it as they to push to reach the NCAA championship.

“The Big Ten win really feels good and helps our confidence going [into NCAA regionals],” she said. “It felt great to put everything together because I feel like we really built off of one another and showed what we can do to not only the Big Ten competition, but to everyone.”

“It gives us just the right amount of confidence going into regionals and then seeing where it takes us,” Tiana Sumanasekera said.

UCLA gymnasts Nola Matthews, left, and Tiana Sumanasekera, right, cheer as Jordan Chiles lands a jump during her floor exercise routine at Pauley Pavilion on Jan. 17.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

During the NCAA Corvallis Regional, San José State and Washington will face off for spots in the main pool. No. 4 seed UCLA then competes in one of two sessions on Friday at 7 p.m. against No. 13 seed Minnesota, Iowa and the winner of the Spartans versus Huskies early matchup.

If the Bruins place in the top two, they advance to the regional final on Sunday to face the top two teams in the other regional pool that includes No. 5 seed Alabama, No. 12 seed Utah, Denver and host Oregon State.

The top two teams in the regional final along with the top individual all-around performer and top event finishers not on a qualifying team advance to the NCAA championship.

Last year, UCLA finished in first place during its opening regional matchup and second during the finals, advancing to the championship meet.

The Bruins’ biggest takeaway from last season’s competition has been to be intentional, attack their gymnastics and be aggressive with their routines, UCLA coach Janelle McDonald said.

“The best teams that have the most success at these competitions are the ones that really leave no doubt out there,” she said.

At this point in the season, performing a familiar routine isn’t hard for UCLA. The Bruins’ main focus is on nailing details and to be present during every moment of their routines to score every possible point. With a two-day competition waiting for them in Corvallis, the Bruins also need to make sure they commit to recovery treatment so that they’re as sharp as possible for the second day of competition, McDonald said.

“That’s really been our mentality, be really efficient, very confident, very present and intentional about what we’re doing,” she said.

The stakes are higher, but the conference champions say they will treat this as business as usual. The Bruins want to lock in and highlight the areas that have helped them demonstrate competitive greatness throughout the season.

“Each and every weekend we’re building that mentality,” McDonald said. “We have so many experiences under our belt that we’ve learned from.”

Sumanasekera said hard work all season has helped prepare the team for the test it faces this weekend.

“We’re really excited, we have incredible depth on this team, so I think that really helped us in the long run,” she said.

UCLA teammates cheer as gymnast Jordan Chiles completes her floor routine during the Big Four competition at Pauley Pavilion on Feb. 27.

(Etienne Laurent / For The Times)

Webster-Longin experienced the postseason last year as a freshman. This year, she had a late start due to an illness that kept her out for three meets.

Since returning on Feb. 27, she has competed in all-around events during the last three meets and has improved her scores each week.

That was the moment Webster-Longin remembered just how competitively great she is, McDonald said.

“I’ve seen the details become more consistent, and I’ve just seen her just be excited to go out and help the team in any way they need,” McDonald said, “And boy, has she done just that.”

Webster-Longin was asked to fill in as an emergency injury replacement during her first meet of the season and has figured out how to be successful whenever she’s placed in the lineup.

“At least for me, trusting the work I put in this year and even the experience I’ve had last year helped me be able to step up for those pressure situations and important moments,” she said.

Alipio has turned the page

UCLA gymnast Ciena Alipio celebrates after competing on the uneven bars during the Big Four meet at Pauley Pavilion on Feb. 27.

(Katharine Lotze / Getty Images)

During the Big Ten championship, Ciena Alipio fell during her balance beam routine. It was a moment when she was looking forward to doing her best, McDonald said, but Alipio didn’t have the result she wanted. Instead, it was a great lesson for her to learn — mistakes happen.

“She’s just really been able to turn the page and get back into training,” she added. “She’s had a great week of training. She looked phenomenal and just really dialed in and it kind of put those kinds of mistakes behind you.”

BBC Ambulance viewers were left feeling emotional during the latest instalment of the popular series

Ambulance viewers were left in tears as they watched the “heart-wrenching” moment the parademics helped an elderly man on end of life care.

During Wednesday’s (April 1) instalment of the BBC hit series, which follows ambulance crews in Yorkshire, viewers saw an emergency team receive a call to attend to a 91-year-old man Terry, who was struggling to breathe.

Halifax crew 1671 Siobhan and Ellie rushed to the scene and found Terry lying in a hospital bed in his living room.

It was clear that Terry was uncomfortable as he struggled to breathe and was getting choked up when coughing. To help with the pain, he was given medication.

In a heartbreaking moment, Terry admitted that he didn’t want to go to hospital so Siobhan made a few calls to confirm he was able to do so.

Visibly moved, Siobhan said: “The most valuable job that I go to is an end of life job. They require a level of care and calm and cup of tea making. A hospital is not the place for everybody.

“Sometimes when we go to a patient who is dying, you have to be that patient’s advocate, following somebody’s wishes and keeping them comfortable and happy. No matter how difficult that is.”

Terry was able to stay in the comfort of his own home as Siobhan admitted that “there is nothing more we could do”.

While sitting in the ambulance, She turned to Ellie and said: “I’ve met Terry before and Terry that we went into was so different but I don’t think there is nothing more we could do.”

Ellie replied: “I think we have done the right thing there. He didn’t want to go to hospital and when someone is on palliative care is it the right thing to do – take them out of their nice warm home. Bless him.”

At the end of the show, it was revealed that Terry had spent three days in hospital before returning home, where he died in line with his wishes.

Viewers were left feeling emotional over the heartbreaking scene as they rushed to social media to share their reaction.

One fan wrote: “#ambulance Aw Terry. Heart wrenching.” Another said: “Terry is breaking my heart #Ambulance.” Someone else commented: “The hardest thing is watching people you love gradually fade away. #Ambulance.”

A fourth fan admitted: “It’s a tough watch tonight #Ambulance. One emotional viewer said: “Sobbing watching this #Ambulance.”

Meanwhile a fifth person added: “Tonight’s episode is just…. tough to see the elderly people nearing the end of their lives and all the paramedics being so caring & dignified in treating them.”

Ambulance airs on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Wednesdays at 9pm

Judy Reyes is making every moment count.

Earlier this year, the Bronx-born Dominican actor reprised her breakthrough TV role as Carla Espinosa on the reboot of the beloved ABC medical sitcom, “Scrubs.” For just four episodes, she returned to Sacred Heart Hospital as head nurse and an exhausted mother of four daughters, whom she parents alongside her onscreen hubby, chief of surgery Dr. Christopher Turk (played by Donald Faison).

While fans only caught a quick glimpse of Carla — who is said to be picking up extra shifts elsewhere — her name lingers in the script.

“I’m like the Lord,” said Reyes on a recent video call with The Times. “Just when you think you’re getting away with something, there’s Carla!”

In reality, Reyes has been splitting her time on set with another ABC workplace drama. Now in its second season, “High Potential” sees Reyes leading a top-notch team of crime solvers as Lieutenant Selena Soto, opposite Kaitlin Olson and Daniel Sunjata. “I don’t know any other way to be!” she said of the role. “Latinos are lieutenants and nurses and doctors, et cetera!”

When The Times connected with Reyes, she was crouched down backstage at the Lovinger Theatre at Lehman College in the Bronx. We spoke merely hours before the debut of “Freestyle: A Love Story,” a stage production that follows two lovers who meet at a freestyle show — then reconnect at a concert 20 years later.

Created and directed by George Valencia, with Reyes as one of the executive producers, the story interlaces the history of freestyle music: a Latin hip-hop and pop hybrid genre popularized in the 1980s by acts like Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam, George Lamond and Judy Torres.

“Our very existence is political no matter what. Our joy is a problem for a lot of people,” said Reyes. “It’s really important for us to tell our stories.”

Between the passion project and two highly-rated Hulu shows, which continue to stream on the platform despite eventual plans to merge into the Disney+ app, Reyes is not taking her spotlight for granted — especially amid a sinking Hollywood industry model that’s made it difficult for some to find work — “I’m milking it for all it’s about,” she said.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

How were you able to film both the “Scrubs” reboot and Season 2 of “High Potential”?
ABC was willing to make it work. “Scrubs” had been in the works for a long time. From Zach Braff and Donald Faison doing their podcast [during the pandemic], to the T-Mobile commercials … A whole new generation became interested in and got hitched to “Scrubs.”] It just so happened at the same time that “High Potential” was happening. My manager was wonderful about making sure [filming] was accommodating.

“I’m so honored and so thrilled to be part of what I consider a television history,” said Judy Reyes of her role as Carla Espinosa on the ABC medical sitcom “Scrubs.”

(Jeff Weddell / Disney)

 Did it feel natural to return as your character Carla on “Scrubs”?
 It did. They did right by making all these characters older. We were all older with each other. We’re all friends that don’t necessarily talk to each other every day [except] Zach and Donald — they’re pretty much married — but it was like we never left.

 What has changed in Carla — and what hasn’t changed?
What’s changed in Carla is that she’s got four kids and she’s tired and she’s older. The consuming passion of her work is not what it used to be because it’s physical. Life is catching up. Her kids are older, so everything changes and she’s not able to work her ass off the way she used to and she has to confront that.

In season 2 of “High Potential,” your character Lieutenant Soto faces a moment of defeat when she’s not chosen to be captain. What thoughts popped into your head as you rehearsed the scene?
It’s extremely well-written. Defeat is very relatable as a woman — [and] as a woman of color, as a woman of a certain age and as a woman of a certain position. I think we can all, as actors, relate to not getting something you are sure you deserved. But there’s also the surrendering. It’s opening up to all the [possibilities] because if you don’t do that, then you get paralyzed. It stops you in your tracks. “Well, what if I feel this defeat again?” You might, you know, but what’s your alternative?  You gotta eat s— to move ahead.

Judy Reyes portrays Lieutenant Selena Soto in “High Potential,” leading a top-notch team of crime solvers opposite Kaitlin Olson and Daniel Sunjata.

(Jessica Perez / Disney)

There are some moments in “High Potential” when your character is holding up a mug with the Dominican Republic flag. How do you find other ways to incorporate your Latinidad in the story?
When we did the “High Potential” pilot, the props department said I got a mug in the scene and if I wanted anything on it. I was like, “Hmm, no one ever asked me before. Can you do a Dominican flag?” That was in Vancouver and I’ve had it since. The Dominicans lose their f— minds on social media and I love it. It fills my heart.

The other stuff is just being me, which is the purpose of being an artist. I don’t know how much sense it makes to throw in the Spanish word, unless you have other Latino people with you.

Latinos haven’t historically been represented as leaders in Hollywood. Has it evolved?
Things progressed before DEI collapsed. There was an active attempt and pursuit of putting people of color in leadership roles. I’m grateful it’s happened. I’m sad it’s retreated a little bit, but I think it has to start behind the camera. We need to champion writers, directors, producers and the stories or get risky and daring with casting.

 What has changed in Hollywood and what has not changed in your perspective?
Many things have changed from the way we view television. Everything is streamed. Now everything is a limited series. There’s such a political impact in what gets seen and what doesn’t. It’s very hard for people right now and I feel challenged to say how it is better, because I’m working. I see how hard it is. The best thing I can do is seize the platform and connect with other creatives who want to go ahead and take a chance and make investments in stories.

Now with the growing monopolies in the entertainment industry, I’m sure that’ll likely change Hollywood too.
It continues to affect the workforce. The workforce is gonna be severely impacted. The more you merge, the more people you fire and the more machines you put in their place. It’s a frightening moment.

I’m grateful I saw Noah Wyle represent against the [Paramount-Warner Bros.] merger. I’m motivated, because I think we ultimately have to protect each other and protect the art for as long as we can.

What grounds you and your art in an era that is often trying to strip you away from your creative liberties?
My company GoodTalk Films, myself and my partner and husband George Valencia are working with the Watford F.C. Women’s League to launch a Latina Women’s Football Club here in L.A.. We [want to] train Latinas to be coaches. That’s another way to reach out to the community and help people see themselves. That keeps you grounded in the creative process.

I see a lot of theater. I make a lot of trips to New York. I just saw [the Broadway adaptation of] “Dog Day Afternoon,” produced by Stephen Adly Guirgis. My kid is in the arts and I hang out a lot with him and help him sing and perform.  The process is what brings joy in working with other people interested in the same thing.

Viewers of the BBC documentary were left in tears after watching paramedics battle to save a 67-year-old man

Viewers were left emotional after a man tragically died during TV show Ambulance on Wednesday’s episode.

The most recent instalment of the BBC series, which follows ambulance crews in Yorkshire, saw an emergency team respond after receiving a call reporting that 67-year-old Steve had stopped breathing.

Critical care paramedic John was amongst those who raced to the location. As the team began CPR, John informed Steve’s partner Penny: “At the moment, the heart rhythm, Steve’s heart, there’s no electrical activity at all. It’s really not good I’m afraid.”

“I think you need to prepare yourself,” he continued. Penny mentioned that Steve was “quite stubborn”, with John responding: “So maybe, maybe he’ll prove me wrong. We’re not there yet.”

However, following 32 minutes of CPR, the decision was taken to stop and John had to deliver the devastating news to Penny, reports Yorkshire Live.

“Penny we’ve stopped,” he informed her. “I am really sorry.”

As they discussed what had happened, John reassured her: “Don’t second guess it. It wouldn’t have changed anything. Nothing you could have done, would have stopped that from happening.”

Penny recalled that there had been an “incredible sunset” that week, saying: “At least he saw that.”

Audiences were left devastated by the scenes, with one sharing on social media: “Sobbing for Steve and Penny. So glad he saw the beautiful sunset. With love.”

“I can’t deal with cardiac arrests,” one viewer wrote on X, including a crying emoji.

“This is brutal,” another individual commented on the platform. “This programme never fails to have me in tears,” admitted one viewer. “So much respect for the call handlers and paramedics.

“Awww wee Penny xxx, bless that paramedic man for his words of comfort,” wrote another, as a fellow viewer remarked: “Oh my goodness this programme Ambulance is so hard to watch.”

“Poor Penny,” said another moved viewer, while one more observed: “Such a dignified response from this lady to her partner just dying. Bless her heart.”

Ambulance airs on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Wednesdays at 9pm.

MOLLY-Mae Hague was left speechless after boyfriend Tommy Fury called her a “piece of a***” in front of their daughter Bambi.

The Love Island icon, 26, is currently pregnant with their second baby after the couple got back together last year.

The couple are getting ready to welcome baby number two, after their daughter Bambi, three, was born in 2023.

Molly-Mae and Tommy often keep fans up-to-date with their family life at home, since reuniting after their split.

Today they shared a hilarious moment in the boxer’s latest YouTube vlog called: “Spend a weekend with me.”

In the video the couple were seen in the car with Bambi in the backseat.

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The conversation then turned to Molly saying that she “never looked worse”.

Tommy then quickly said that he “disagreed”.

“I think you look very beautiful. All of your luscious long blonde locks.” the boxer told Molly.

“And it’s very nice to have a piece as good as you in the front seat of the car.”

Molly then quickly asked; “A piece? What do you mean a piece?

To which Tommy replied with a grin: “One piece of a**!”

Molly then chuckled: “Babe, I’m your pregnant missus!”

She then added: “Terrible!”

It comes as Molly-Mae and Tommy quietly broke their baby news to family and close pals months ago, but shared a surprise video with fans in February.

The mum posted a sweet black and white clip on Instagram filmed on January 23, captioning it: “Soon to be four.”

It included Bambi who was wearing a “big sister” jumper.

Molly had previously expressed her desire to expand her family with Tommy in scenes aired on her Amazon Prime documentary in January.

Opening up about the future, she revealed: “All I want in this life is to be with him, and to have another baby with him, and to grow old as a family.

“And to live in a nice house together and have a nice life together. That’s all I want.”

Molly also dropped various clues about her pregnancy before announcing her joyous news, which is said to have strengthened her relationship with boxer Tommy.

A source told The Sun: “Finding out Molly is pregnant has really helped bring them close together again.

“Tommy is determined to do things right this time he has cancelled all of his summer trips with his friends, as he wants to stand by Molly every step of the way.

“Their new home is in a better place for both of them and has more than enough space for two children.”

The couple co-parented Bambi following their messy split in August 2024 – following reports Tommy cheated on her during a lads’ holiday.

Molly-Mae and Tommy Fury’s relationship timeline

From Love Island to a diamond ring and baby – we look at how Molly and Tommy have got to where they are today.

Rescuers have pulled a man alive from the rubble after US-Israeli strikes hit a residential area on the outskirts of Tehran, the Iranian Red Crescent said. The US and Israel have continued to strike Iran, despite President Trump’s claims of diplomatic progress.

CCTV footage shows an Israeli soldier throwing a stun grenade into a shop during a night raid near Ramallah.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog was forced to take cover as a missile struck nearby shortly after he gave a press conference in the northern Israeli town of Kiryat Shmona. During the speech, Herzog aid Israel cannot return to last year’s ceasefire and must secure “strategic depth inside Lebanon.”

COLUMBIA, S.C. — When you look at the USC Trojans, one might think they’re setting the table for next year.

Buying time until JuJu Watkins returns. Keeping the ship afloat until the talented recruiting class that includes Saniyah Hall makes its way to campus.

But the Trojans showed Saturday that’s not the case. They’re making a plate and eating now.

The No. 9 seed Trojans gutted out a 71-67 overtime win over No. 8 seed Clemson in what USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb described as “a culture win.”

That game featured many tests for a young team in March and the Trojans responded well to the challenges. They are advancing on the back of freshman Jazzy Davidson’s 31 points and senior Kara Dunn’s 22.

Davidson, who appeared to be on the verge of tears as the referees reviewed the final play of regulation to determine whether she had committed a foul that would have set Clemson up for game-winning free throws, said on Sunday there’s a standard that this year’s Trojans feel they are responsible for meeting.

“I think our expectations, you know nobody wanted to lose JuJu, we all love her, but we have to keep going as you said and just holding that same expectation that they had last season. Just the program standard,” Davidson said. “And just resiliency and making sure that we’re doing our best every game.”

Dunn said the deck has been stacked against the Trojans all season and it’s forced them to grow stronger as a unit.

USC guard Kara Dunn drives to the basket in front of Clemson guard Taylor Johnson-Matthews during the first round of the NCAA tournament on Saturday in Columbia, S.C.

(Nell Redmond / Associated Press)

“I think this year has just been about focusing on going against all odds,” Dunn said. “A lot of people didn’t expect much from this team and they might have turned away at certain times when we had lower moments this season and I think that it built our own culture for this season specifically. I feel like we had to come together, we had to support each other when it didn’t feel like we had much support and I think that that’s been really important.”

She added that moving through the season with just the support of each other and their die-hard fans works in their favor as they prepare to take on powerhouse South Carolina on the Gamecocks’ formidable home floor.

“We have everything to gain, nothing to lose going into this game, so I feel like this has really helped us,” Dunn said.

The NCAA tournament game against the No. 1 seed on the Trojans’ side of the bracket will be a rematch of the unofficial “Battle of the Real USC” in November. The Gamecocks claimed a 69-52 win during that meeting.

USC guard Jazzy Davidson drives under pressure from Clemson guard Rachael Rose Saturday in Columbia, S.C.

(Nell Redmond / Associated Press)

Gottlieb said Sunday she scheduled that game to prepare her team for moments like Monday’s tough matchup.

“Maybe if we hadn’t played Notre Dame, UConn and South Carolina, maybe our record would be a little better coming in, but it doesn’t make you a better program,” she said. “Our goals remain the same; which is to win a national championship. So if you’re skipping those people in nonconference hoping to manipulate it, it doesn’t work that way. You have to see the best. You have to elevate your program to be the best, then ultimately, you have to beat the best to get to where you want to be.”

South Carolina is trying to avenge last season’s championship loss to UConn and secure its fourth national championship in program history and the third in five years. USC, meanwhile, is trying to match the Cheryl Miller era when she led the Trojans to back-to-back national titles in 1983 and 1984.

Trojan culture will be tested more than ever, but Dunn feels good about where the team is heading.

“Obviously that was the beginning of the season, now it’s towards the end and we’re two very different teams,” she said of the previous loss to South Carolina. “We’ve grown in a lot of ways, but we’re using that scout just to see what we did well and what we could’ve done better. We just want to make sure that we control those things first and then adjust.”

Davidson will have the chance to play in another legacy defining game during her second NCAA tournament appearance.

“I feel like I have nerves a little bit before every game, [Monday] especially because it’s a big game,” she said. “My teammates are always just making sure I’m calm and in the moment. The confidence that they instill in me every day really helps.”

Watch the moment an Iranian strike hits what appears to be a bridge in central Tel Aviv, startling pedestrians nearby with the loud blast.

This Morning presenter Alison Hammond has confessed to an ‘awful’ moment on Strictly Come Dancing.

Alison Hammond has revealed a mortifying Strictly Come Dancing confession, admitting to an embarrassing incident during her time on the programme.

The This Morning host shot to prominence on Big Brother in 2002, and has subsequently featured on shows including Strictly, I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, and as presenter of The Great British Bake Off.

Alison graced the Strictly dance floor in 2014, paired with Aljaz Skorjanec, with the duo placing 10th overall. She has now owned up to “breaking wind” during the competition.

The 51-year-old recounted a particular incident from the show whilst appearing alongside Gavin and Stacey star Ruth Jones, Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s Sarah Michelle Gellar, comedian Richard Ayoade and Ready or Not 2’s Kathryn Newton on The Jonathan Ross Show, broadcasting tonight (Saturday).

She recalled performing to Robin Williams’ Friend Like Me during week seven of the competition, hoisting Aljaz off the ground at one stage, before confessing: “Oh, it was awful. At the time he couldn’t lift me so we thought don’t worry I’ll lift you, I can do it,” reports Birmingham Live.

“There is a moment where he does a cartwheel and I had to kind of pick him up and then help him over. He goes into this cartwheel and I pick him up and I break wind. I look at him and I go, ‘Let’s never talk about this again.’

“I didn’t realise that he’s quite a heavy guy – it literally took the wind out of me.” Alison has previously spoken about her experience on Strictly, and her bond with her former dance partner, Aljaz.

Amid several scandals Strictly has faced in recent years, including Graziano Di Prima and Giovanni Pernice being dropped from the professional line-up, Alison said: “I had Aljaz Skorjanec and he was absolutely incredible and as you know going back into Strictly.

“He was so amazing to me and gentle as well and kind. I’ve never experienced anything bad really.”

Elsewhere on The Jonathan Ross Show, Alison speaks about her new programme, Your Song.

She explains: “Your Song is exactly that. It’s your song that you feel emotionally attached to – it got you through a rough time at school or you know, it reminds you of someone who has passed on. A song that really means something to you.

“People come from around the country and perform it on a stage. People go on stage who have never sung before and they sing a song to a random audience. It’s just one of the most beautiful shows ever.”

The Jonathan Ross Show airs tonight from 10pm on ITV1 and ITVX.

THIS is the moment Justin Timberlake is put in cuffs as the body cam footage of his arrest for drink driving is released.

The pop star, 45, was arrested in Sag Harbor, New York, in June 2024 after he failed to stop at a stop sign and could not stay in his lane.

Shortly after leaving The American Hotel following a night out with friends, the singer was pulled over while traveling southbound on Madison Street, a public highway in the Hamptons village.

Cops, often stationed nearby, noticed Justin swerving on the road and blowing through a stop sign.

They later smelled alcohol on his breath and noted that he was unsteady on his feet and also had slowed speech and glassy eyes.

The body cam footage of his arrest was released on Friday after the star’s legal team reportedly tried to previously prevent its release.

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In the video, an officer can be seen shining a flashlight in Timberlake’s face at the roadside before the star performs poorly on sobriety tests.

He is asked to walk in a straight line but has difficulty with the instructions, appearing confused.

Timberlake tells them: “Guys, I’m just following my friends back to my house. I’m not doing anything.”

While attempting the sobriety test, he stumbles before apologising and saying ” I’m a little nervous”.

When asked to do the next test, the officers are forced to explain multiple times before Timberlake says “sorry, my heart is racing” while clutching his chest.

Looking unsteady on his feet, the singer is then heard saying: “By the way, these are like, really hard tests.”

After failing the roadside tests, an officer is then seen asking Timberlake “turn around for me please”.

Saying nothing and looking resigned, he slowly turns before he’s put in handcuffs.

A friend appears and is shocked when police tell her Justin is going with them, saying: “You’re arresting Justin Timberlake? Stop it. What?”

She pleads with the officers to speak with him and give him his phone before she takes his car home.

She begs: “Can you guys please do me a favour because you loved Bye Bye Bye or Sexy Back, do me one favour. This is insane.”

At the end of the footage, the 10-time Grammy winner can be seen in the back of a cop car behind bars.

He was taken into custody that night and arraigned in Sag Harbor Village Justice Court the following morning.

He was released without bail on his recognizance and was also charged with one count of DWI due to his refusal of the breathalyzer, according to Justin’s lawyer.

Timberlake’s lawyers previously sued the Village of Sag Harbor to prevent the release as it showed him “in an accutely vulnerable state”, reports CBS.

It was later agreed it would be released with redactions.

That September, Timberblake reached a plea deal to bring the case to an end.

The judge sentenced Justin to a $500 fine with a $260 surcharge, and 25 hours of community service at the nonprofit of his choosing.

After the sentencing, Justin said: “Even if you’ve had one drink, don’t get behind the wheel of a car.

“There are so many alternatives. You can call a friend [or] take an Uber.”

He added: “This is a mistake that I made, but I’m hoping that whoever is watching and listening right now can learn from this mistake. I know that I certainly have.”

During the proceedings the star remained standing throughout and gave a statement in which he expressed remorse for his actions.

SOPHIE Habboo has been left sobbing after her husband Jamie Laing’s Mother’s Day present backfired.

The couple welcomed their baby boy Ziggy in December and this year marks Sophie’s very first Mother’s Day.

However, things didn’t end up going so well when Jamie presented his wife with a photo album of their son.

The former Made in Chelsea took to TikTok to share a video to capture the moment in question.

In the short clip, Sophie, 31, is seen bawling her eyes out as Jamie, 37, asks: “Wait, why are you upset?”

As she holds her head in her hands, she emotionally expresses: “He’s never going to be that small.”

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He captioned the post: “Reminder… Don’t make your wife a photo album of your newborn baby for Mother’s Day.”

Fans flocked to the comments section as one said: “So valid. You blink and they aren’t the little baby you brought home.”

Another person commented: “That’s the baby bond burrowing it’s way through all the tired days, the hard times and the cray cray. It’s painfully beautiful.”

Somebody else penned: “Bless her, we all know this feeling but the best is yet to come as his little personality develops.

“The days are long but the years are short so just treasure every second.”

Yet another follower gushed: “That’s so sweet. Bless your heart Sophie you’re such a lovely mum.”

While a fifth social media user added: “This was me yesterday, sending you a big hug Sophie.”

The pair announced the arrival of their first child back in December as they took to Instagram to share the news.

Alongside a photo of their baby boy, Jamie wrote: “Ziggy, you have our whole hearts.”

They were flooded with messages from fans and famous pals as Rylan Clark said: “Congrats you two xxx.”

“Congratulations guys,” weighed in Strictly judge Motsi Mabuse. “A new journey begins.”

“You did it mama,” wrote Jessie J.

“Oh my goodness so many congratulations. So excited for you and this amazing new chapter for you all! Biggest hugs,” added This Morning regular Alice Liveing.

Sophie recently opened up about her motherhood journey while attending the Brit Awards with Jamie earlier this month.

During an interview with Chloe Burrows for KISS FM, she was asked: “Is there anything you’re not loving about being a new mum?”

The new mother responded: “The constant mum guilt.”

“You just feel guilty for being here, but then feel guilty… yeah, that’s not good.”

While Jamie added: “The hardest thing about having a baby is the burping.”

Rolling her eyes, Sophie chimed in: “The mums do everything.”

But to that, Jamie claimed: “I mean, this is a joke.”

Moments later, Sophie then shared: “I have the better instincts.”

Stunned by his wife’s claims, Jamie clapped back and snapped: “No, I have better instincts.”

Joking around, the Made in Chelsea icon laughed: “I feel him. I can feel him right now.”

It’s been described as Game for a Laugh meets Saturday Night Takeaway – but Joel claims he was terrified during one particular challenge

Joel Dommett said he experienced “one of the most frightening moments of my life” after being disguised as a set of dog toys while trying to get a collar off a Great Dane in new show Celebrity Sabotage.

The Masked Singer star is joined by fellow disruptors GK Barry, Judi Love and Sam Thompson for the new Saturday night series which has been dubbed Saturday Night Takeaway meets Game for a Laugh. And at one point he was tasked with trying to grab the collar while GK tried to distract the owner from realising what was going on.

“I think it’s genuinely one of the most frightening moments of my life because we had this lady who had a Great Dane and so she was there with the dog. And so GK was there trying to distract the owner whilst I was dressed as dog toys, trying not to get caught by the owner, but trying to get the collar off the dog without being noticed.”

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The dog, at the time, was wearing a wig. “It turns out, not that safe,” he laughed. “Obviously the dog just wanted to eat me. Face to face with a dog, I can’t remember if I fell. You would bloody panic if you were on the floor. It’s called a Great Dane for a reason.”

GK admitted she was worried for him, telling him at the time. “Honestly, it’s not that deep, but I’d love you to still have a face after this episode. And he was like, ‘I’m going to go again’.”

Another time comedian Joel was made to hide inside a chair. “I dressed as that chair and I was just hidden in a room and we were all there. The entire time I was just thinking, ‘Please, nobody sit on me.’ That was all I was thinking.”

For the series, producers took over a manor house where they staged six fake reality shows, each with its own celebrity host, who were all in on the joke. Once the unsuspecting contestants arrived to take part, the four saboteurs set about carrying out missions being set for them by producers, with each set of players genuinely believing they were taking part in a brand new show for ITV. They were – but not the one they thought.

The good news for all of them, however, is that every time the saboteurs were successful, they were winning money for the unwitting contestants worth up to £30,000. Joel, 40, said that when they finally worked out what was going on, it made for great TV. “The reveal at the end when they realise that they’re winning money. It’s just like so heartwarming.” And he added “We just cause absolute chaos, carnage. I don’t know about you guys, but it’s the most fun I’ve had working on a show in a really long time.”

One of the challenges sees the team tasked with ruining the face masks being applied to people who were in on the joke in a fake spa – by lacing it with green dye, which stained their faces and left them filled with fake fury.

Judi said that one of the saboteurs spent a lot of time using one particular disguise. “We dress up as mad stuff. Basically every single episode GK is dressed as a bush,” she laughed. For herself, she said: “I think the skill I learned is that I can roll quite well. I’ll just leave it at that.”

Over the weeks the team are joined by guest saboteurs, one of whom was Jo Brand. ‘She was so funny. She just did not care about what we were saying,” they laughed. “There was one bit we were like, ‘Don’t get caught.’ She was just wandering around the corridors.

-Celebrity Sabotage starts on Saturday March 21 at 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX.

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

COUNTRY music heartthrob Riley Green furiously kicked a “jealous boyfriend” out of his gig after being hit with a phone that left him with a bloody ear.

Riley needed five stitches to piece his ear back together following the Melbourne show on his Cowboy As It Gets tour.

During the gig, he was struck by a phone pelted from the pit which caused him to stop the performance and take off his guitar.

He then pointed out the offender and directed security to haul him out. Smiling with blood running down his neck, Riley then slung his guitar back on before being cheered by the raucous crowd.

The 37-year-old told them: “Damn, am I bleeding? See how tough I am?”

He then said: “You can get your phones out, and you can turn the flashlight on – but don’t throw them at me.”

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The violent incident certainly did no harm to Riley’s aura. His smitten fans sent messages of support on Instagram.

One said: “My babyyyyyy was bleeding.”

Another wrote: “Brother, don’t hurt my wife’s boyfriend!”

A third said: “He was bleeding but he’s a Bama boy…that’s just a little scratch. He can do anything he wants!”

While on one video, a fan wrote: “PSA to the jealous boyfriends., don’t throw your phones at Riley Green xx.”

Riley had a fun time despite the incident and regretted not being able to play for longer.

He wrote on Instagram: “Ole buddy ’bout ran outta anytime minutes last night… but a hell of a time was had.”

Riley’s become a global phenomenon in recent years.

Heartfelt songs like I Wish Grandpas Never Died, There Was This Girl, and Different ‘Round Here (feat. Luke Combs) have resonated thanks to their honest storytelling and southern drawl.

He supported Morgan Wallen at his BST Hyde Park gig in 2024 but put on a headline-worthy show.

Speaking about his summer in the capital, he told Entertainment Focus: “I wasn’t nervous but I certainly didn’t expect what happened! I thought that there would be, maybe, a handful of folks that knew a couple of my songs but they knew every word to every song.

“To see the size of the crowd……. especially when you go to another country and Canada had been the only other time I had played outside the States….. things are usually gradual in building up a fan base, right? It was shocking to see how passionate people were about country music over here.”

And he returned to these shores last year for some sold out gigs of his own.

OSCARS host Conan O’Brien has taken a dig at Timothee Chalamet in his opening speech after the actor’s controversial comments about the arts.

The Marty Supreme star found himself facing serious backlash after claiming “no one cares” about opera or ballet.

Conan, 62, kicked off the Oscars with a dig at Timothee, 30, as he smiled and laughed next to girlfriend Kylie Jenner, who arrived at the show dressed to the nines in a slinky red gown.

He joked about heightened security amid ongoing uncertainty in the world, pointing to an unexpected source of tension.

The former late night TV host quipped: “Security is extremely tight tonight…I’m told theres concerns about attacks from both the opera and ballet communities.”

He looked down at Timothee, who was giggling slightly.

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Kylie, 28, shifted slightly in her seat, smiling although she looked slightly uncomfortable.

Conan then added: “They are just mad you left out jazz!”

Later in the show, the Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend host circled back with Timothee, seemingly trying to smooth things over.

“I’m vibing with Timothee right now, we’re vibing, right?!” he asked, looking down at the Willy Wonka actor.

The camera did not pan to the star, but it doesn’t seem like he was feeling the same vibe.

Conan added: “He doesn’t think so, alright!”

At this point, Timothee must be somewhat used to the blowback.

He’s been taking heat for his comment for days now.

The Oscar-nominee was chatting with Matthew McConaughey at the University of Texas about efforts to preserve cinema back in February.

“I don’t want to be working in ballet, or opera, or things where it’s like, ‘Hey, keep this thing alive, even though like no one cares about this anymore’,” he said.

“All respect to all the ballet and opera people out there,” he added.

Since then, he’s taken heat from ballet and opera stars, as well as other big figures in Hollywood.

Steven Spielberg, for example, disagreed vehemently.

According to Page Six, he said of the arts during a 2026 SXSW panel: “At the end of a really good movie experience, we are all united with a whole bunch of feelings that we walks into the daylight with, or into the nighttime with.

Biggest Oscar Nominees of 2026 Academy Awards

Everyone in Hollywood hopes to snag a nod on the industry’s biggest night but only few get that honor. Here are the nominees from the major categories of the 2026 Academy Awards:

Best Picture

• Bugonia
• F1
• Frankenstein
• Hamnet
• Marty Supreme
• One Battle After Another
• The Secret Agent
• Sentimental Value
• Sinners
• Train Dreams

Best Director

• Chloé Zhao — Hamnet
• Josh Safdie — Marty Supreme
• Paul Thomas Anderson — One Battle After Another
• Joachim Trier — Sentimental Value
• Ryan Coogler — Sinners

Best Actor (Leading Role)

• Timothée Chalamet — Marty Supreme
• Leonardo DiCaprio — One Battle After Another
• Ethan Hawke — Blue Moon
• Michael B. Jordan — Sinners
• Wagner Moura — The Secret Agent

Best Actress (Leading Role)

• Jessie Buckley — Hamnet
• Rose Byrne — If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
• Renate Reinsve — Sentimental Value
• Emma Stone — Bugonia
• Kate Hudson — Song Sung Blue

Best Supporting Actor

• Benicio Del Toro — One Battle After Another
• Jacob Elordi — Frankenstein
• Delroy Lindo — Sinners
• Sean Penn — One Battle After Another
• Stellan Skarsgård — Sentimental Value

Best Supporting Actress

• Teyana Taylor — One Battle After Another
• Wunmi Mosaku — Sinners
• Amy Madigan — Weapons
• Elle Fanning — Sentimental Value
• Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas — Sentimental Value

Best Original Screenplay

• Bugonia — Yorgos Lanthimos & Will Tracy
• Marty Supreme — Josh Safdie & Ronald Bronstein
• One Battle After Another — Paul Thomas Anderson
• Sentimental Value — Joachim Trier & Eskil Vogt
• Sinners — Ryan Coogler

Best Adapted Screenplay

• Blue Moon — Richard Linklater & Glen Powell
• Frankenstein — Guillermo del Toro
• Hamnet — Chloé Zhao
• The Secret Agent — Kleber Mendonça Filho
• Train Dreams — Clint Bentley & Greg Kwedar

Best Animated Feature

• Arco
• KPop Demon Hunters
• The Magnificent Life of Marcel Pagnol
• Zootopia 2
• The Night Gardener

Best International Feature Film

• The Secret Agent — Brazil
• Sentimental Value — Norway
• It Was Just an Accident — Iran
• Universal Language — Canada
• Sujo — Mexico

Best Documentary Feature

• The Alabama Solution
• Come See Me in the Good Light
• Four Daughters
• No Other Land
• The Perfect Neighbor

“And there’s nothing like that. It happens in movies, and in concerts. And it happens in ballet and opera, by the way.”

Timothee is nominated for two Oscars during the 2026 awards show.

He’s up for Best Actor for his role in Marty Supreme and Best Picture.

He will be up against Michael B. Jordan in Sinners; Leonardo DeCaprio in One Battle After Another; Wagner Moura in The Secret Agent; and Ethan Hawke in Blue Moon in the Best Actor category.

In Best Picture, Timothee is up against The Secret Agent, Bugonia, Train Dreams, F1, and Sinners.

CCTV footage released by Israeli police shows the moment an Iranian missile struck a street in Tel Aviv. Emergency crews say at least three people were injured, and several vehicles were destroyed.

CCTV shows the moment a car hits a Muslim woman in broad daylight in southeast London before the driver speeds away. The woman survived, and an investigation is ongoing, but no suspects have been arrested yet.

ZENDAYA grows back in time with a classic floral dress.

The actress, 29, posed in the gown, featuring a gilded ­hibiscus flower on the shoulder, at an awards bash this week.

Sarah Jessica Parker’s character Carrie Bradshaw strutted in it in 2008’s Sex and The City film.

And Whitney Houston wore a similar dress on a tribute issue of Life magazine in 2012.

Zendaya appeared to confirm she has wed Spider-Man co-star Tom Holland, 29, at the Essence Black Women in Hollywood Awards in LA.

The host asked for “a signal” on whether she should send a wedding gift, prompting Zendaya to show a gold band on her ring finger.

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NEWLYWEBS

Secrets of Zendaya & Tom Holland’s low-key relationship as stars ‘tie knot’

Zendaya’s stylist Law Roach has told how the A-List couple, both 29, have gotten hitched after getting engaged last year.

The singer has now been snapped at a Louis Vuitton fashion show, flaunting what appears to be her “wedding ring.”

She was spotted donning a thin gold band on her ring finger hidden among three huge silver rings.

Zendaya looked incredibly chic, flashing her legs in a white bubble skirt.

The US star wore a long sleeved white shirt with dramatic collars and cuffs and finished the outfit off with a chunky black belt and matching heels.

Her short brunette locks were tightly curled and tucked behind her ears.

Speaking on the red carpet at the Actor Awards earlier this month, Law told Access Hollywood: “The wedding has already happened. You missed it.”

When asked to spill more details by the reporter, the stylist laughed and said: “It’s very true.”