Hig (Jacob Elordi) may be the most perfect guy alive, not that he’s got much competition. In Ridley Scott’s simple-minded sociological study “The Dog Stars,” an influenza epidemic wiped out the majority of our squabblesome species sometime during the last decade. The LCD screens outside the Denver Nuggets basketball arena continue to flicker, although weeds and wolves have overrun the fast-food joints in a bit of postapocalyptic product placement.
A former mechanic and construction worker, Hig lives 25 miles north of the city on what appears to be a combination high school football field/rural airport. Periodically, the soft-spoken and generous man flies his Cessna into town to scavenge soda pop for a dozen or so cherubic Mennonite children on a nearby homestead. Those wholesome visits seem to cheer him up a little, what with the kids’ minder (Benedict Wong) striding around in a straw hat and overalls like something out of Norman Rockwell, and the youngsters thanking Hig with crayoned portraits of his doting German shepard, Jasper. Still, he’s bummed out about his dead wife (Sai Bennett), who, like most dead movie wives, appears in flashbacks as beatific, mute and adoring.
The script by Mark L. Smith (“The Revenant”) wants us to fret that Hig may succumb to suicide but whiffs that idea by trying to get it across in a scene where Hig shuts off the Cessna’s engine mid-flight with Jasper happily riding shotgun. Even if we were willing to accept that Hig might deliberately crash his plane, we can’t buy for a second that he’d hurt his sweet pup. Nevertheless, the film’s dystopian beats are so familiar, you’ve probably guessed by now that you shouldn’t get too attached to the dog.
Hig has bunkered down with a grouchy companion, Bangley (Josh Brolin), who thrives in this harsh world. To Bangley, the four essentials of life are “power, food, water and weapons.” Their armory is formidable; their cash supply, a source of comic relief. At night, Hig and Bangley play poker with stacks of $5,000 bills that they throw around as casually as nickels. Patrolling their two-man compound, Bangley insists on killing all outsiders before they might cause any trouble. Adding insult to headshot, he calls his casualties “cockroaches.”
Soon, Hig will meet a freckled widow named Cima (Margaret Qualley) and her suspicious father, Pops (Guy Pearce). The young pair make eyes at each other. Yet these survivors are so hard-wired to be fearful of their neighbors that Hig and Cima’s rusty, tentative flirtation takes place under the gaze of her daddy’s gun, a heck of a chaperone. The most they get up to is heavy spooning.
This is an uncomplicated yarn about a man prying open his heart and nudging other hard nuts to do the same. There’s little tension or drive, just shaggy scenes about paranoia, trust and hope. The characters seem to endure only to get to their next traumatic memory reveal.
At once plain-spoken and vague, the story lacks a firm grip on facts like the distance between places and how long this mess has been going on. It snatches at our attention with no more finesse than a losing fighter fumbling for a weapon. Hig’s Cessna works fine until it’s narratively convenient that it doesn’t. Then when needed, it works again. Meanwhile, Brolin’s Bangley oscillates in personality from miserable bastard to laugh factory.
At 88, Scott remains the cinema’s uneasy philosopher, continually fretting about the technological and societal tools we’ve developed to destroy ourselves. He’s made one genuinely optimistic film, 2015’s “The Martian,” which also happens to be his biggest box office success. Other than that, he’s never seemed confident that the future will turn out all right, although he’s kept on working out his worries onscreen, forever hunting for flakes of hope in the rubble. (If you take Scott’s IMDb as gospel, he’s got seven upcoming features in various stages of preproduction, more than George Lucas has ever made.)
“The Dog Stars” is based on Peter Heller’s 2012 novel of the same name, which, in those naive, pre-COVID times, was received as a rosier take on Cormac McCarthy’s “The Road.” Scott’s version of“The Dog Stars” borrows its title, premise and a handful of proper names. Otherwise, it’s loud where the book was quiet and subtle where the book got sweaty. A barrage of newly concocted action sequences in the second half makes the pacing so off-balance that the film feels like a heron trying to fly with one blinged-out wing.
I’m only half-complaining — those giddy, bloody scenes are the best parts of the movie. But we in the audience could have used some of that pizzazz at the beginning, too, before we spent nearly an hour settling into the idea that we’ve seen all of this before.
The attackers to come are a bizarre grab bag of baddies. One gang wears football pads as armor and comes galloping in on horses, whooping like the Apaches in a John Ford movie. Another horde, the Reapers, runs around shirtless to show off their thick black tattoos. The Reapers look awesome through cinematographer Erik Messerschmidt’s night-vision binoculars that make their skin glow an alien shade of green. Neither group comes across like human beings. The film handles them more like zombies or rabid raccoons, and since these extras are the only characters of color, I won’t fault anyone who finds their treatment morally queasy.
Late in the film, we also meet a third group headed by Allison Janney doing a cap-tip to Nurse Ratched as the soundtrack cues the mind-numbing waltz from “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.” Otherwise, Harry Gregson-Williams’ meddlesome score tells us everything that’s about to happen 30 seconds before it does. Besides Janney and Qualley’s plucky Cima (what in the made-up name is that?), few grown women seem to be left alive for reasons probably better left unsaid. (A goon in the book wears a necklace made of dried labia. Scott sagely omits that detail.)
Elordi nearly shoulders the running time but plays his Hig a bit too humbly. I’ve rarely seen Elordi wearing his lanky, handsome screen presence comfortably; something about the actor usually seems to be apologizing for his own existence. His recessive Hig needs more charisma so we can care about him as a character, not just an idealized hero. But you like him anyway. How can you not when Hig is giving his dog a good scratch?
Having lived through a seismic pandemic himself, it makes sense that Scott would be drawn to the original novel’s blend of patience and poetry. Yet, it’s odd how little of it he’s kept. To hold my own interest, I imagined myself as a hunter-explorer trying to figure out why Scott had bothered to adapt it at all, and turned up a line where Brolin’s Bangley looks back on his old life and admits that he couldn’t understand what he had until it was gone. A lovely moment, although I don’t believe it’s in the book either.
That’s the theme of this rote exercise. But I preferred a minor beat a few minutes later when a character puts down their gun and picks up a guitar. Bad as this world feels, there’s still pleasure in making art. Which is why Scott keeps at it, too — and while I don’t think much of this one, I’m awful glad he does.
US rapper J.Cole has cancelled his show in northern California after one of his crew members tragically died in a major highway crash.
The No Role Modelz rapper was due to hit the stage at Sacramento’s Golden 1 centre but fans learned just hours before the show it would be cancelled due to the fatal accident.
J.Cole cancelled his concert in Sacramento just before it was due to startCredit: GettyIt was cancelled after one of his crew members died in an accidentCredit: Instagram/thefalloff26
“Following the tragic passing of a member of the touring crew in a trucking accident this morning, J. Cole’s performance at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento tonight, August 27, has been canceled,”J.Cole and tour operator Live Nation posted on their respective social media accounts.
“Our thoughts are with the crew member’s family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time.”
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The crew member was driving a semi-truck on the Interstate 5 highway in Yolo County, about a 41 minute drive north-east of Sacramento, when the vehicle veered off the road and overturned, per the Sacramento Bee.
He died at scene, according to the California Highway Patrol.
J.Cole was touring with his The Fall-Off tourCredit: GettyJ.Cole rose to fame in 2011Credit: Getty
The man was later identified as Jarlath Parkinson, 66, of Jackson, South Carolina by the Yolo County Coroner’s Office which said it did not believe drugs or alcohol played a role in the accident.
Parkinson had been driving the truck full of concert gear from J.Cole’s previous show in Seattle down to Sacramento.
J.Cole is currently on the road with his The Fall-Off tour which was scheduled to include 73 shows across the US, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
Live Nation said that those with tickets to the Sacramento show should contact Ticketmaster for refunds.
Jermaine Lamarr Cole, better known as J. Cole, is a a German-born Americanrapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer.
He is thought to be one of the most influential rappers of his generation.
Cole released his debut studio album, Cole World: The Sideline Story, in 2011 which debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200.
He has won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Song, a Billboard Music Award for Top Rap Album, three Soul Train Music Awards, and eight BET Hip Hop Awards.
THE new Ali G film is facing a cinema boycott as a major UK chain “have no plans” to show the sequel.
The movie mockumentary revivesSacha Baron Cohen‘s famous character after the original movie was unveiled 24 years ago.
A major cinema chain is refusing to show the new Ali G filmCredit: YouTubePicturehouse Cinemas have confirmed they ‘have no plans’ to screen the movieCredit: Alamy
The brand new film, Ali G: Who Iz I?, sees Sacha play the character once more in a ‘real-life’ setting.
But in a surprise move, Picturehouse Cinemas, which has 25 cinemas across the UK, will not show the upcoming film after its release in October.
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Media watchdog NewsCord demanded cinemas to refuse to screen the film due to “satire using a cover for enforcing racist stereotypes”.
The platform claimed Baron Cohen had “enforced harmful stereotypes across marginalised communities through his characters”.
NewsCord demanded the film not be show due to ‘enforcing racist stereotypes’Credit: Sony PicturesThe sequel is set to be released in OctoberCredit: YouTube
So far they have sent around 27, 000 emails from supporters to cinemas nationwide to stress their concerns.
In a statement, Picturehouse confirmed to Metro: “We currently do not have any plans to screen this film on its release.”
NewsCord also claimed that the film’s studio Amazon MGM had “revived a racist caricature”.
She filmed the role alongside Sacha in secret over the course of a year and replaces EastEnders star Kellie Bright in the part.
In the movie, she will be revealed to be eight months pregnant – something that the characters struggle to get their head around.
In one of the clips from the film’s preview, they can be seen at a doctor’s office with Ali G begging the doctor to simply say that Julie is “bloated” and not actually pregnant – despite her visible baby bump.
He later puts her positive pregnancy test in his mouth and pretends to use it as a vape.
Elsewhere, the trailer sees Ali G poking fun at Ed Sheeran as he remarks on what the world has ‘survived’ since the original movie’s release in 2002 and insisted things had “turned to c**p”.
Speaking in the trailer, he said: “I’ve been gone for 20 years, chilling.
He continued: “I’m going to get back on top with a brand new thing called a ‘documentary.’
“For the first time ever, this is with real people not actors. For more than a year we let the cameras follow me everywhere.
“Nothing was off limits.”
The film is expected to be released in cinemas on October 23 with the movie being distributed by Amazon MGM.
The character was first introduced by Sacha on Channel 4‘s The 11 O’Clock Show in 1998 before the character became even more widely known for the 2000 sketch comedy series, Da Ali G Show.
A star-studded legal drama, which viewers have described as ‘one of the best shows’, is starting tonight on ITV and ITVX
A star-studded legal drama, which viewers have described as ‘one of the best shows’, is starting tonight on ITV and ITVX(Image: Lionsgate)
ITV viewers looking for their next fix need look no further.
The broadcaster will be airing the legal thriller series, The Rainmaker, on Friday 28 August at 9pm on ITV after acquiring the star-studded US show. The show will air weekly and also be available to stream on ITVX.
A synopsis teases of the legal thriller: “Based on the best-selling novel by John Grisham, Rudy Baylor, who is fresh out of law school, goes head-to-head with courtroom lion Leo Drummond as well as his law school girlfriend, Sarah.
“Rudy, along with his boss, Bruiser, and her disheveled paralegal, Deck, uncover two connected conspiracies surrounding the mysterious death of their client’s son.”
The incredible star-studded cast sees Rivals actor Milo Callaghan as Rudy Baylor, Mad Men legend John Slattery as Leo Drummond, Once Upon a Time’s Lana Parrilla as Jocelyn “Bruiser” Stone and Jumanji star Madison Iseman as Sarah Plankmore.
Other cast members include The Wolf of Wall Street actor P.J. Byrne as Deck Shifflet, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them star Dan Fogler as Melvin Pritcher, Bodkin’s Robyn Cara as Kelly Riker and The Split’s Karen Bryson as Dot Black.
The Rainmaker was first released in the US back in 2025, receiving rave reviews at the time. The show has been confirmed and renewed for a second series.
The first series got an impressive 84% on Rotten Tomatoes with many fans praising the ‘outstanding’ legal drama.
One person said: “This is one of the best shows I’ve seen this year. Anyone interested in a nice show should try it. For this one don’t judge by the rating. Trust me. Its one of the best shows you will find this year, 2025.
“I loved and enjoyed every single episode hour, minute and second. I was honestly angry that I now have to wait for the season 2. Its a very good tv show and i would wish to watch the complete story.”
A different viewer wrote: “This is absolutely the best show I have seen for awhile,I love all the actors they couldn’t not have done a better job on that all great actors.
“I just wish we could binge watch I don’t like waiting a week to see what happens. USA is not a monthly subscription its always a week ahead . Well I really hope I see several seasons of this show . I absolutely love it.”
Another show watcher commented at the time: “I was skeptical since the book and original movie were so good, but this series hooked me from the first episode!
“Love Rudy! He’s young, vulnerable, but knows the law and doesn’t cave under pressure. Outstanding casting and storyline! Bruiser is bad*ss and Deck is the best sidekick! Really hope there is a season 2, can’t wait!!!”
The Rainmaker is available to watch on ITV and ITVX from Friday 28 August
Former footballer Michael Owen has thrown the doors open in his new reality series
Michael Owen with his son James who was born with a rare eye condition(Image: INSTAGRAM)
Viewers tuning in to Michael Owen’s new reality show have been left curious about his son James Owen’s eye condition.
Six-part series Meet the Owens landed on Prime Video today (August 28) and gives audiences a candid insight into the life and family of former footballer-turned-racehorse owner Michael, his wife Louise and their four children Jessica, Emily, James and Gemma. Episode three shines a spotlight on 20-year-old James as it’s revealed that Michael’s son is clinically blind and suffers from a rare, degenerative eye condition.
During the episode, James and his parents all separately open up about their thoughts and feelings about the condition. Many people are curious to know more about the condition – here’s what James has said about it as well as the condition itself.
Michael Owen’s son James’ eye condition explained
James suffers from Stargardt disease, which is a hereditary eye disorder that progressively gets worse. The condition means that he has limited vision, restricted to his peripheral vision.
According to the NHS ’ Moorfields Eye Hospital states: “Stargardt disease is a rare inherited condition affecting one in 8,000 to 10,000 people.” The site goes on to state: “In Stargardt’s the light-sensitive layer of cells in the macular region of the eye degenerate.
“The macular is the area at the back of the eye which is responsible for the fine detailed vision necessary for activities such as watching TV and reading.” The symptoms of Stargardt disease typically develop before the age of 20.
James, who was born with Stargardt disease, only discovered he had the condition when he was just eight after a teacher called his parents into school and told them that their child might be struggling to see at school. It later took the family a while to get the diagnosis.
James said: “Obviously, as you can imagine, it’s been tough growing up. It’s not good in the centre of the view and it makes it hard for me to look straight.” He went on to say: “Quite often people think I’m rude for not keeping eye contact. I’m actually looking at them in the clearest way I possibly can.”
In a heartbreaking admission, James said he’d always wanted to be a professional footballer like his father but his dreams were shattered by the diagnosis. James explained: “That was my dream, to follow my dad’s footsteps: to be a footballer and make a great career.”
He went on to say: “To have a realisation that it’s not possible, it kills you. It used to break my heart.” James added: “Every day coming back from school and I just used to cry and I used to think life was unfair.”
He now works as a trader online, buying and selling gold by himself. However, James said he wanted to put back into his father’s horse racing business Manor House Stables at some point in the future.
Ex-England and Liverpool player Michael, 46, also admitted he felt guilty about his son’s condition because it was genetic. Michael said: “We made James and I don’t think I’d be normal if I didn’t put myself in the mirror and think, ‘You know, it’s down to us that he’s got this eye condition.’”
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The footballing legend continued: “So I did feel guilty for a little while and could say I still feel guilty now.” Nonetheless, Michael said he was looking at the “positives with him” and then the “guilty sort of evaporates”.
Meet the Owens also sees his daughter and Love Island star Gemma taking on her first race after coming from a background in dressage. Gemma had to undergo rigorous training to become a jockey as she planned to take part in the charity race. Moreover, the series sees Michael trying to make a success of Manor House Stables and trying to turn a profit by finding investors to put their money into his business.
Contains spoilers! Recent Emmerdale rumours teased an exit for Dawn Taylor amid a dramatic stunt week that saw one character dead and Joe Tate injured, but will Dawn stay on the show?
07:47, 28 Aug 2026Updated 07:47, 28 Aug 2026
Amid rumours Dawn is leaving Emmerdale, fans feared another character would die(Image: ITV)
Amid rumours Dawn is leaving Emmerdale, fans feared another character would die this week.
With Jimmy King dead, Joe Tate was caught up in an explosion leaving fans wondering if he would be killed off too. Thursday’s cliffhanger saw Dawn Taylor and Nicola King escaping the wedding marquee, that was meant to host pregnant Dawn’s wedding with Joe.
Dawn jilted Joe, and then changed her mind, but before they could reconcile, tragedy struck. Jimmy’s car went speeding into the marquee, injuring himself, Dawn and Joe.
Jimmy eventually died, and Nicola and Dawn were fine, leaving Joe’s fate unknown. As the marquee exploded, it was teased villain Joe had been killed off, as his loved ones watched on in shock.
But is Dawn leaving the show? It was reported earlier this year that actress Olivia Bromley had been written out of the ITV soap after eight years.
Nothing has been confirmed, but reports suggested Dawn would be leaving. It left some fans wondering if Joe would die, causing a grief-stricken Dawn to flee the village.
So while nothing has been confirmed by Emmerdale, scenes this week did tease an exit, when Dawn planned to run off with Billy Fletcher. She changed her mind, so could the exit rumours have been a mistake?
Might the escape plan have led some to think she would leave, but actually Dawn will stay? It’s these reports that sparked the exit claims in the first place, and as we say, they have not been backed up by the show or actress Olivia.
Perhaps the latest episode on Friday could add more to this, with Joe’s fate confirmed. Warning, the rest of this article contains spoilers from Friday’s episode now available on ITVX.
If you haven’t watched the episode yet, look away now! Friday’s visit to the Dales follows the immediate fallout of the explosion, as Graham Foster desperately tries to save Joe.
Joe is rescued and taken to hospital where it is revealed whether he lives or dies. We’ll leave that, and any other twists that air, for your own viewing.
The episode is now on ITVX and will air this evening at 8PM on ITV1. Producer Laura Shaw had teased Joe’s fate with the Mirror in a recent chat, where she appeared to confirm a big new storyline.
Laura hinted that Joe’s feud with his uncle Caleb Miligan would escalate after the wedding week, and would continue into 2027. We’re also expecting a “gothic and dark” autumn for the Tates.
Famous for its walls bearing scribbles and sketches left behind by patrons for over 60 years, El Batey, a bar in Old San Juan, is a Puerto Rican institution serving locals and tourists alike.
It was inside this famed establishment that filmmakers Lorraine Jones Molina and Cristian Carretero first met one night back in 2008. Since then, the two have joined forces in both life and art; they are a married couple, as well as parents and close collaborators on film projects.
Their first feature, “Esta Isla,” which is now available on VOD, made history as the first Puerto Rican film to win at the Independent Spirit Awards in February, taking home the John Cassavetes Award honoring a production made for under $1 million. At the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival, it received three prizes, including best new narrative director.
A politically charged, coming-of-age road-trip movie, “Esta Isla” follows Bebo (Zion Ortiz), a young man from the “caserios,” or projects, and Lola (Fabiola Victoria Brown), a well-off girl unhappy in her bubble of privilege. Violence forces Bebo to run away to the mountains. Lola tags along and together they come across a series of people who expand their worldview.
There’s a grounded, earthy lyricism to the images captured in “Esta Isla” that show a Puerto Rico that’s at once lush and entrancing but also undiscovered and unseen in cinema.
Fabiola Brown, pictured above, plays “Lola” in the new Puerto Rican film “Esta Isla.”
(Experimento Ludico)
Key to their professional success thus far, the filmmakers believe, is their loving personal bond. “We’re always together and talking about ideas. When we were working on ‘Esta Isla,’ it helped a lot to really dig deep and have long conversations about certain details and topics,” Carretero says during a recent video call. “We do mostly everything ourselves, just me and Lorrie. Sometimes I do camera, Lorrie does sound. We keep it pretty small.”
In 2010, Carretero and Jones Molina founded the production company called Experimento Lúdico in the western town of Mayagüez with the intent of decentralizing production on the island. Most opportunities for filmmaking are still based in the San Juan metropolitan area.
“I’m from Arecibo, from the north, and Cristian is from here, from Mayagüez. That’s part of who we are, and we want to tell these stories from here. It’s part of resisting. It feels like somebody has to do this,” Jones Molina says with a laugh, while sitting next to Carretero.
Lorraine Jones Molina and Cristian Carretero are the filmmakers behind the Puerto Rican road trip movie “Esta Isla.”
(Experimento Ludico)
When Carretero and Jones Molina first met, it was the documentary scene that sustained Puerto Rican cinema because those stories could be told with fewer resources. Karen Rossi’s 2007 environmentalist doc “Isla Chatarra,” for example, inspired Jones Molina.
She and Carretero later directed the 2016 medium-length doc “Seeds, Chronicles of the Earth,” about GMO experimentation on the island.
Most of the fiction production on the island then pertained to Hollywood films, such as “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” (2011). In the 2010s, however, a string of fiction films, including Ari Maniel Cruz’s “Under My Nails” (2012) and “Before a Rooster Crows” (2016) and Ángel Manuel Soto’s “La Granja” (2015), pushed local storytelling forward.
And while those movies, just like “Esta Isla,” don’t address the socioeconomic issues facing Puerto Ricans didactically, their mere existence is in itself a statement. “Making Puerto Rican films in Puerto Rico is political,” says Jones Molina. “Talking about who we are, our identity, our culture, our history and saying that we are here and we exist is political.”
Residents in San Juan are currently experiencing a water crisis, and while the scarcity hasn’t directly affected Jones Molina and Carretero in Mayagüez, this problem is not new and has only turned more urgent in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria.
That’s why they deliberately wrote a scene in “Esta Isla” showing people getting water from a water truck.
“It’s crazy that we filmed that a couple of years ago to talk about that issue, and it’s just gotten worse,” says Carretero. “Now we have a drought, and you have to have water rationing. It’s something that is reflective of a bigger problem in the island: the neglect of the most important needs of the citizens.”
Puerto Rico’s status as a colony of the U.S., where the interests of corporations supersede the well-being of the local population, is the source of many of its challenges. And for a long time, even referring to Puerto Rico as a colony was taboo. A history of persecution on behalf of the U.S. government ingrained fear in Puerto Ricans.
“The FBI would keep ‘carpetas,’ or files with information on regular people, who were suspected of organizing or fighting for independence,” Carretero says. “People were being surveilled by the FBI, and they’d pay family members or people they knew to survey them.”
“Esta Isla” touches on the troubled relationship between Puerto Rico and the U.S. via Lola’s deceased father, who is a stand-in for Filiberto Ojeda Ríos, a Puerto Rican revolutionary and leader of the pro-independence militant group Los Macheteros. After years on the run, the FBI assassinated him in 2005. In the film, the character Cora (Teofilo Torres) lives in the mountains and works the land. The location used for his house carries great significance.
“The inside shots, with the bullet holes, and the windows, and the books, all of that is from Filiberto’s actual house where he was assassinated,” says Jones Molina. “When you go there, you see all those bullet holes; it’s heavy.”
To that, Carretero adds: “There’s an inferiority complex that the colony perpetuates, which has to do with not knowing where you come from. Once you know all these names and all the stories of women and men who’ve worked for the good of Puerto Rican people, here and in the States, it opens up this whole other space for inspiration that’s from our ancestors”
Carretero and Jones Molina found the core concept for “Esta Isla” on the first page of Octavio Paz’s seminal novel “The Labyrinth of Solitude,” where the Mexican author discusses adolescence as a moment in a person’s life where they open up to the world, while at the same time noting that societies themselves also go through a coming-of-age.
Zion Ortiz, pictured above, plays “Bebo” in the new Puerto Rican film “Esta Isla.”
(Experimento Ludico)
“Puerto Rico is still an evolving organism. It’s a country, a people and a culture still evolving,” Carretero explains. “We’re still trying to understand who we are and where we’re going. Are we a country? Are we not? Are we part of the U.S., or not? Are we Americanos, or somos latinoamericanos?Tantas preguntas that are still unresolved.”
Jones Molina continues: “There’s this idea that you have to just be grateful that you’re a part of the United States and don’t complain. But when you question that, and when you want to really look at why you love and care about your country and your culture and want to educate yourself, then you’re definitely going through this kind of coming-of-age.”
For this filmmaking couple, reaching maturity as artists forged in the complex context of a modern colony hinges on acknowledging their limitations and still persevering.
“We also wanted to show that you can make films with very little; you don’t have to wait for the perfect moment or all the different resources. That’s what we call tropical realism. Not only the style of the filmmaking, but it’s also the means, and how that matches your reality,” explains Carretero. “We cannot pretend to be something that we are not. We have to develop our own language, our own way of filming, our way of telling our stories.”
Peter Cullen, the voice actor whose regal timbre as the heroic Optimus Prime in the “Transformers” franchise and deep tone as the gloomy Eeyore in “Winnie the Pooh” projects who was beloved by generations, has died. He was 85.
Cullen died Wednesday in his Los Angeles home, his agent Kevin Motley confirmed to The Times on Thursday. A cause of death was not given.
He “passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family — and held in the hearts of his many friends and countless fans worldwide,” his family said in a statement. They ask “that you honor his remarkable legacy by serving your communities and leading others with compassion, integrity, and loyalty and always remember ‘be strong enough to be gentle.’ ”
A prolific voice actor whose work spanned television shows, movies, video games and even theme park rides, Cullen amassed more than 200 credits over his career. This includes the eponymous giant ape in the 1976 remake of “King Kong,” the villainous vehicle KARR (Knight Automated Roving Robot) in the “Knight Rider” TV series and the clicks and trills of the deadly alien hunter in the original “Predator” film.
But Cullen is best known for his work in animation and children’s cartoons in the 1980s and ‘90s.
His signature role was Optimus Prime, the leader of a heroic faction of sentient alien robots known as Autobots who battle the villainous Decepticons in the “Transformers” franchise. Cullen often spoke about how his voice for the leader — who transforms into a truck — was inspired by his older brother, Larry, a Marine who had served in Vietnam.
On the day of his “Transformers” audition, Cullen had mentioned to Larry, his roommate at the time, that he was on his way to try out to be the voice of “a hero truck.”
Larry responded, “Well, if you’re gonna be a hero, be a real hero. Don’t be a jerk … Be strong enough to be gentle. Be understanding. Be compassionate, and be able to kick ass — in a good way,” Cullen previously told The Times.
“He said it in a voice that was subdued and calm,” Cullen continued. “He’s 13 months older and 6 inches taller. Made of steel. He was my hero. [His words] weighed heavily on me. So I’m at the audition reading the breakdown of the character and what I have to say in the audition. I can just feel Larry’s words coming out of my mouth. So, I took his sound — my first words were, ‘My name is Optimus Prime.’ ”
“Transformers” voice actors Peter Cullen, left, and Frank Welker at the 2024 Comic-Con Fan Expo in Rosemont, Ill.
(Rob Grabowski / Invision/Associated Press)
Cullen originated the role in the 1980s animated “Transformers” series, referred to by fans as “G1” or “Generation 1.” The era also includes the big-screen “The Transformers: The Movie” (1986), which featured the beloved character’s controversial death, but the character eventually returned after fan outcry.
He told NPR that returning to play Optimus Prime in these films was “like slipping into an old pair of shoes that you hid in the back of your closet.”
Cullen was nominated for a Daytime Emmy for his work as Optimus Prime in the TV series “Transformers: Prime” in 2011 and won a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Children’s and Family Emmy Awards in 2023.
Peter Claver Cullen was born on July 28, 1941, in Montreal, to American parents Henry and Muriel Cullen. One of four children, he graduated from the National Theatre School of Canada in 1963. He later did Shakespeare for a summer in Stratford, Ontario, before working for a year at the Crest Theatre in Toronto as a member of the repertory company, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
He told NPR he discovered his talent for doing different voices while working on a farm as a child and imitating animals.
Besides Optimus Prime, one of Cullen’s favorite roles was Eeyore, the endearing but pessimistic donkey from “Winnie the Pooh.” Cullen first voiced the character in “The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh” series, which aired from 1988–1991. He continued his work as Eeyore through numerous franchise installments, including “The Tigger Movie” (2000), “Piglet’s Big Movie” (2003) and “The Book of Pooh” series.
“I enjoyed doing Eeyore because he was simply charming,” Cullen said to NPR. “And I get an awful lot of reactions from, especially, young kids, when I go up and just say [in Eeyore’s voice], ‘Hello. Thanks for noticing me.’ And to see their faces light up, that to me is one of the great joys.”
Cullen is survived by his four children, Angus, Claire, Pilar and Clay, according to the Associated Press.
Eight months have passed since Rob and Michele Reiner were killed and their youngest son was arrested and charged with murder, but the couple’s eldest son still feels he “will never understand why this happened.”
The children of film director Rob Reiner and photographer Michele Reiner mostly have kept mum despite extensive coverage of the brutal stabbings of Dec. 14, 2025.
In a television interview with KABC-TV’s Marc Cota-Robles, Jake Reiner, the eldest son, described the aftermath of the slayings and the arrest of his brother, Nick, as a “living nightmare.”
“Nobody really understands what it’s like to go through something like that until you’re living it,” said Jake, 34. “It’s been eight months. It feels like eight years at the same time. And it also feels like eight minutes because every moment that I wake up, I’m reminded of my reality.”
Jake said he learned the night of their deaths that the Los Angeles Police Department was looking at Nick as a prime suspect. A grand jury indicted Nick last month on murder charges with special allegations of committing multiple murders and lying in wait, making him eligible for life without parole or the death penalty if convicted.
“He’s in jail,” Jake said. “It’s like, I physically lost my parents, and then Nick was arrested. Now it’s just me and Romy, and we have to navigate this by ourselves essentially.”
Asked whether he was surprised that Nick was suspected in the crime, Jake declined to answer. He also declined to discuss his brother’s attempt to use family trust money to fund his legal defense. Instead he discussed the anger he is feeling.
“It manifests into rage, into how unfair this was, how I didn’t get a say in what happened. I didn’t get to stop it from happening. I had no choice in the matter,” Jake said. “I just have to accept the reality of it. And to me, that is just one of the most infuriating parts of all of this.”
He said he learned of his parents’ deaths while attending a celebration of life event for a high school friend at Union Station. His sister, Romy, tried to call him.
“I screened it because I thought, at the time, I’m in the middle of something, you know, I’ll call her back,” he recalled, “and then she called immediately again, and I knew at that point that something was wrong.
“Romy told me our dad was dead, and then she said, ‘I can’t find mom.’ I immediately went into shock.”
Investigators found the body of Rob Reiner in the master bedroom. Michele Reiner subsequently was found in the bedroom area as well.
Romy, 28, has not publicly commented.
Nick’s struggles with addiction and mental health were public knowledge. In 2015, he partnered with his father on the film “Being Charlie,” about a drug-addicted son, which Nick wrote and Rob directed. It was loosely based on Nick’s life.
Jake was no stranger to crime scenes — as a longtime television news reporter he said he witnessed plenty, but nothing could have prepared him for his parents’ home that night.
“As a reporter, I did it for 10 years; I came up on crime scenes all the time,” he said. “But when it’s your crime scene, a crime scene at your childhood home, it’s like the most surreal thing I’ve ever seen.”
Nick has pleaded not guilty. A pretrial hearing is slated for Sept. 15, a day after his 33rd birthday.
“I’ll never understand. I don’t care how it’s explained to me. I don’t care what facts come out, ” Jake said. “My parents had unconditional love for all three of us. I can tell you they never stopped wanting to help him. They never stopped helping him.”
Jake and Romy made their first public appearance together since the tragedy on Aug. 2 at Dodger Stadium, where they took part in the ceremonial first pitch. Dodger Stadium meant a great deal to their father.
“One of the great pleasures I have is walking into Dodger Stadium. It’s like I feel at peace,” Rob Reiner once said.
“He had season tickets for the Dodgers,” Jake said, “and we would go anywhere from three to four games a week, and it was just the greatest time with him.
“It was an emotional thing that we did. I don’t know if I really could take in the moment, because everything happened kind of fast, but I was really happy that we got to do that.”
Fabares was known best for her television roles , including Christine Armstrong on the ’90s sitcom “Coach,” Francine Webster on the 1970s sitcom “One Day at a Time” and Mary Stone on “The Donna Reed Show,” as well as her Billboard Hot 100 song “Johnny Angel” and appearances opposite Elvis Presley in “Spinout,” “Clambake” and “Girl Happy.”
The actor died Saturday in Los Angeles surrounded by loved ones after battling pneumonia, her family told The Times on Thursday. In the 1990s, Fabares fell ill, but doctors struggled to pin down what the problem was. After years of health problems, she was diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis. Doctors ultimately discovered severe liver deterioration, and she spent nearly two years on a waiting list for a liver transplant. She received the lifesaving surgery in the fall of 2000.
In 2011, Fabares told PBS Houston that after suffering liver failure and facing death, her outlook on life completely changed. “It really brought home the fragility of life and how fast everything can change and how extraordinarily lucky we are to be alive, and to have this opportunity to be here, and in my case, to get really an entire second chance,” she said during the appearance. “It does make things more precious.”
She said that, after the close call and lengthy recovery, she feared death less.
“To her family and friends, Shelley was a source of love, strength, laughter, and comfort,” Fabares’ husband, “MASH” actor Mike Farrell, said in a statement.
“She was a devoted wife, cherished stepmother, daughter, sister, niece, aunt, family member, and loyal friend whose warmth, generosity, humor, and grace made an enduring difference in the lives of everyone who knew her. She had a remarkable ability to make people feel welcomed, valued, and cared for.
“For millions, Shelley was a beloved actress whose work became part of the fabric of American television and film. … But to those closest to her, her greatest legacy was personal: the love she gave so freely, the friendships she treasured, and the family bonds she held dear.
“We will remember Shelley for her kindness, loyalty, wit, courage, and beautiful spirit. We will miss her deeply — not only as a celebrated performer, but as the loving and extraordinary person she was in our everyday lives.
“We are heartbroken by her loss, yet profoundly grateful for the years we shared with her and for the joy, compassion, and love she brought to so many. We ask that our family’s privacy be respected as we grieve. We take comfort in knowing that Shelley’s work and the memories she created with those who loved her will continue to live on.”
She is survived by her husband and her daughter, Erin.
Sarah Platt decided to take drastic measures for her children from her prison cell in the latest episode of Coronation Street in another twist for the soap legend
Sarah Platt decided to take drastic measures for the sake of her children in the latest episode of Coronation Street
Sarah Platt decided to take drastic measures for the sake of her children in the latest episode of Coronation Street. The legendary soap character, who has been played by Tina O’Brien since 1999, is currently serving time in prison having been charged with the murder of Theo Silverton.
The factory supervisor has made some sort of friend in fellow inmate Kacey, who has previously tried to use Sarah’s former romance with DC Kit Green (Jacob Roberts) to her own benefit. On the latest episode of the world’s longest-running TV soap, Sarah was horrified to find photographs of her son Harry had been vandalised.
Kacey immediately denied that it was her and quickly turned to the news that some pool balls had been stolen from the recreation room. Just then, Kacey pulled out her phone and found that photos of Harry and another boy had popped up on social media, causing immediate panic. Sarah punched a number into her phone and instructed Harry via voice message to go to Adam Barlow’s house.
Kacey then said: “I don’t want anyone to get hurt. I just need one small favour from your ex. For Harry’s sake, and Bethany’s too.”
All this time, Adam had innocently dropped Harry off at a new friend’s house, and his partner Alya seemed to think nothing of it. Clearly stressed out, Sarah phoned Adam and he explained: “I told you, her name’s Lottie. Her son joined Harry’s holiday club last week.” Sarah demanded Adam go and collect him right now, but Lottie was already dropping Harry off as Alya demanded to know what was going on.
She confirmed she had removed the pictures from social media, and claimed to only vaguely know Kacey but said she had no idea she was behind bars. Adam did not believe her and accused her of posting the photos just so that Kacey would see.
When Adam voiced his concerns to Kit in the pub, he brushed it all off but, back in prison, Sarah was seen loading the stolen pool balls into a sock, ready for action.
Reacting to the dramatic scenes, one fan wrote on X: “Sarah stole the pool balls to make a weapon for self defense. And they do need to watch Harry now more. And I bet Sarah will end up attacking Kacey in tomorrow’s episode.”
Another said: “Poor Sarah Lou [crying emoji],” and a third said: “Good thing Alya and Adam, were jumping into Lottie’s a*** for posting photos of Harry. She can lie but we all know she knows Kacey, and it was to help her mess with Sarah.
A fourth wrote: “Kacey using Harry and Bethany’s names against Sarah, she knows is working cause it does scare Sarah. Makes her fear for their safety.”
Another seemed to be more amused by the fact that Sarah had a phone in her cell that she could use at will as they said: “Sarah has a landline in her cell? Perks of being a murderer.”
Teen sisters Cat and Honor Black were among the youngest entrepreneurs ever on BBC Dragons’ Den at just 16 and 17.
The two sisters shared their groundbreaking business(Image: BBC)
A Dragons’ Den contestant has shared a powerful message after making history on the programme, becoming one of the youngest-ever entrepreneurs to walk away with five investors. Cat Black and her sister Honor Black were just 16 and 17 years old when they entered the Den, putting forward their brand Maiden to Steven Bartlett, Deborah Meaden, Touker Suleyman, Peter Jones and guest Dragon Gary Neville.
The sisters pitched their venture business Maiden, a brand committed to empowering girls and women. Their company, which creates cricket clothing, teamwear and equipment exclusively for women and girls, had been established following their own experiences.
“We started Maiden because we were tired of being at the sidelines,” Honor explained. “We felt when playing at every level that we were forced to make kit with boys’ kit or unisex gear that wasn’t designed for us. And so we decided that we would make something that worked for us and others like us.”
Cat recalled a moment that left her wanting to quit cricket, after a “humiliating” experience during her time of the month where the other players laughed and she felt misunderstood. “The kit we had was not designed for such a situation,” she went on. “This pushed me to help create something that made girls feel confident and comfort in the sport they play.”
They had walked in asking for £15,000 for a 10% stake in their business, having launched in 2024 to roaring success from girls like them, parents and schools. “The message was clear, we weren’t alone,” Honor said.
Talking about scaling their business, Cat went on: “Women’s cricket is going, the timing is perfect and we’re at the forefront of change. We want Maiden to be the go-to brand for female cricket.” Honor added: “And as our brand does always say, it’s ok boys, we will take it from here,” reports Wales Online.
Leaving the Dragons more than impressed, Cat and Honor secured five investments, giving away a total of 25% of their business. Their product was hailed as “fantastic” by Touker Suleyman, who admitted: “I’m very impressed.” Steven meanwhile praised: “If you’re this capable at 16/17 years old, I can’t imagine what you’re going to be like at 18/19/20.”
In an exclusive interview, Cat spoke to The Mirror about the experience, and building the company with her sister. She said: “When we ended up getting all five Dragons, we were like, oh my god, no way. We’d never even thought about what would happen if we had got Dragons!”
After filming in the Den, Cat was given the opportunity to meet the other Dragons. “It was hugs all around, I met all of them, definitely a bucket list moment ticked off,” she said.
She added: “I remember hugging them so many times, I was so overwhelmed. Peter Jones really understood the situation more than the others, just because he started a business at 16, so he was like, ‘This is an amazing achievement, and I hope it all goes well for you’.”
Talking about their journey to build Maiden into what it is today, she continued: “You always look up to other business, and aspire to be bigger and aspire to be better. I didn’t know that I’d been the youngest contestant on Dragons’ Den [to receive five offers].”
Cat continued: “I don’t think I realise how far we have come until someone tells me, which is always amazing. I am honestly proud that we’ve managed to do this and inspire other women to do the same.
“It’s such a big thing because it’s not just around cricket. The whole Maiden mission is more like for women who see a problem, you can fix it, you can do something about it.
“That’s what inspires me and hopefully it inspires lots of other women, not just in the sports industry but everywhere. You can change and you can do something.”
Dragons’ Den is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
Leah Remini is joining the cast of “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.”
The “King of Queens” star confirmed rumors that she was joining the 16th season of “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” with an Instagram post on Wednesday, writing alongside the announcement, “It’s true.”
Remini’s team didn’t comment on whether the Emmy-winning actor would be a full-time cast member on the series. Tracy Tutor, a luxury real estate broker from “Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles,” will also join the all-star cast, which includes Kyle Richards, Erika Girardi, Dorit Kemsley, Bozoma Saint John, Rachel Zoe and Sutton Stracke. Kathy Hilton and actor Jennifer Tilly also will return in a recurring “friend” role.
Amanda Frances of Season 15 will not be returning. She announced the news and a forthcoming memoir via Instagram on Aug. 5, writing, “I am taking the clarity, the lessons, the plot twists, the spiritual warfare, and the occasional deeply unnecessary dinner party drama into all that God has for me next. … And to anyone watching, please know: Your next move does not require anyone’s approval.”
“The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” turned 20 this year and has the distinction of most-watched of the franchise, with “Real Housewives of Atlanta” coming in second after carrying the torch for a decade.
Per Variety, “RHOBH” began filming earlier this summer with much of the cast — sans Remini and Tutor — jet-setting off to Ghana for Saint John’s wedding to Keely Watson last week. Remini will begin filming in Los Angeles this week.
Remini and her former husband, Angelo Pagán, announced back in 2024 that they were divorcing after nearly 30 years together. In a joint statement, the exes said they’d both changed, “as people do.”
“This decision came after a lot of thought and care, and as hard as divorce is, we are approaching this with a positive outlook because we know it’s what’s best for us,” they said in the joint statement.
The pair had publicly shared their relationship in TV specials that aired on VH1’s “Inside Out: Leah Remini” and on Remini’s TLC series, “It’s All Relative,” which aired for two seasons.
Nigella Lawson will be joining Paul Hollywood on the upcoming series of Bake Off and now insiders have claimed that their “flirty and fiery” relationship will play out on screen
21:25, 27 Aug 2026Updated 21:26, 27 Aug 2026
Nigella Lawson will be joining Paul Hollywood on the upcoming series of Bake Off(Image: Instagram)
The “flirty and fiery” relationship between Nigella Lawson and Paul Hollywood on The Great British Bake Off will have viewers gripped, according to insiders.
Newly arrived Nigella, who has replaced Dame Prue Leith on the hit show, is not afraid to poke fun at Paul or engage in flirty banter – and he is said to enjoy it. At one point, when they disagree on something, she challenges him to a physical challenge. And another time, when the bakers are toiling over a particular cake, she compares it to his sun-tan.
One insider said: “Paul just loves the attention! He’s met his match with Nigella because she might be new but she’s not afraid to poke fun at him.
She then challenges him to an arm wrestle. And she also makes a joke about a walnut cake being the same colour as him.
“She can come across as seductive and flirty – not just with him, with everyone – but that’s just who she is, she can’t help herself! It’s her trademark. Some of the things she comes out with are so funny. There are some iconic moments.
“The great thing is that Nigella hasn’t changed anything about herself for the show, and the show hasn’t changed anything for her. She’s come along and done her thing and it’s worked wonderfully.
“Their chemistry gives this series a whole different feel which gives it a freshness. Viewers are in for a treat.”
Yesterday Channel 4’s director of content strategy Kiran Nataraja said she was “really excited” to have Nigella on the show. And referring to a report suggesting she’d been dismayed to see Paul arriving on the set in Berkshire using his own personal mode of “showing off” transport, Kiran added: “She and Paul are not arguing about helicopters the whole time.”
In a clip shown at the Edinburgh TV Festival Nigella, 60, is heard telling one contestant: “Don’t let the sugar shout. Let it sing.”
And she tells another: “I like the fact that there is something a bit sort of jumbly about them. A treat to look at and a treat to eat.” Another critique she provides is: “There is nothing wrong in restraint. Restraint is a very good partner to indulge.”
She and Paul are also shown sitting back and relaxing as, for the first time, they are not called upon to set the Technical Challenge – thanks to the newly introduced “audience choice week”.
Paul, 66, previously got on well with both Dame Prue and her predecessor, Dame Mary Berry. The long-running series, presented by Noel Fielding and Alison Hammond, already has a reputation for being packed with saucy innuendoes.
The Great British Bake Off is due to air on Channel 4 next month.
Emmerdale star Nick Miles, who played Jimmy King on the ITV soap for more than two decades, has addressed final scenes which saw the beloved character killed off in a crash
Nick Miles has left Emmerdale after 22 years as Jimmy King
Nick Miles has addressed his exit from Emmerdale – just hours after his character was killed off in explosive scenes. The actor, 63, has played Jimmy King on the long-running soap since 2004, but departed the Yorkshire-based serial in scenes that aired on Thursday evening.
Viewers will know that, in recent times, Jimmy and wife Nicola had been looking to the future, and had even planned to renew their wedding vows. Jimmy had not disclosed to Nicola about his financial troubles though, but tragedy struck when he crashed crashed into the wedding marquee where Joe Tate and Dawn Taylor were having a heart-to-heart.
No explanation has been offered yet as to what caused the fatal crash but actor Nick, who previously starred in The Bill, has spoken out about the sudden departure.
Asked by co-star Nicola Wheeler, who plays his on-screen wife, in a video that appeared on Emmerdale’s official Instagram why his character had to go, he simply reasoned: “Everybody I know who read that script, the first thing they said was that it made me cry.”
Nicola was with him in his final moments, telling Jimmy she loved him and holding his hand, as he imagined their vow renewal. With Jimmy gone, Nicola wept before fleeing the marquee just as it exploded.
Just moments before, everything played out as Nicola raced into the marquee to find her husband, was in a bad way and suggested he might not be making it out.
In heart-wrenching scenes, Jimmy shared his love for his wife, but sadly he succumbed to his injuries and died in the car. Moments later the marquee looked as though it was about to be engulfed in flames.
Fans were certainly not impressed with the shock death, with one writing: “He deserved better.” Another said: “I’m still in bits what an episode. Bravo to the cast,” as a third added: “I can’t get over the episode. I was in tears.”
Another fan commented: “I hate that they are getting rid of [name].” A further post read: “He deserved something more epic,” as a final fan said: “You’ve done [name] dirty!”
Other fans confessed they couldn’t believe the show was getting rid of the character. Another fan said they were “fuming” given the character had been a apart of the show for so long.”
Emmerdale airs weeknights at 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX.*
DOLLY Parton’s late husband’s will has revealed clues into how the music icon will divide up her massive $650 million fortune in the months after her death.
In Carl Dean’s last will and testament obtained by The U.S. Sun, he set out his wishes for his property, including what should happen to Dolly’s estate.
Dolly Parton’s husband Carl Dean’s will, gives insight into how the icon’s massive estate may be dividedCredit: DollyParton.comDolly’s husband allocated property to their 19 nieces and nephewsCredit: AFP
Carl’s will claimed Dolly would have trusted him with her estate should she have died first, so his will appears to have been done in coordination with the music legend.
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In his 2013 will, Carl set out a directive specifically about Dolly’s personal effects relating to her “music and entertainment career.”
Carl said that if Dolly does not survive him, all of her career artifacts “including…pictures, costumes, jewelry, musical instruments and equipment and souvenirs” are to be distributed according to the terms of the Carl Thomas Dean Trust.
The actual terms of that trust, however, are not public.
Carl then directed that for the rest of his belongings, in the event that Dolly died before him, should be distributed among their nieces and nephews.
At the time of his will, which was updated in 2013, Carl acknowledged five of his own nieces and nephews, and then another 14 on Dolly’s side, who are named to be beneficiaries of the estate.
Dolly and Carl had no children together.
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Dolly transferred ownership of her main Tennessee properties into a consolidated trust just four months before she died, The U.S. Sun previously exclusively revealedCredit: Google MapsOne of Dolly’s largest assets is her 50% stake in her theme park, DollywoodCredit: Getty
The philanthropist’s husband also set out a specific clause for the allocation of money to charity.
Under a section titled Payment of Debts and Administration Expenses, Carl authorized his executor to make decisions to pay out any “unpaid charitable pledges” at their sole discretion.
Carl essentially was leaving the door open for his executor to pay any charity that may have had an outstanding donation promise from his and Dolly’s estate.
As The U.S. Sun exclusively reported, Dolly was quietly getting her affairs squared away during her final months.
Public records show that her expansive Willow Lake Plantation property was transferred to the DP Dean Trust on April 21 of this year for $0.
A county clerk noted that the estate was previously held under the DP Spousal Trust before being shifted into the DP Dean Trust.
Since Dolly served as the trustee for the spousal trust, it seems clear she was actively rearranging her real estate holdings just four months before her passing.
Recent 2025 tax records assessed her main home in Brentwood, Tennessee, at $10,700,400, while her neighboring property was appraised at $1,282,800.
Dolly was the sole beneficiary of the Carl Thomas Dean Trust.
Forbes estimated her net worth at roughly $450 million in 2025.
Much of that fortune stemmed from her 50 percent ownership of the Dollywood theme park, alongside a prized music catalog featuring over 3,000 songs—including massive hits like 9 to 5 and I Will Always Love You —which was valued at around $120 million.
Beyond her music and business ventures, she also founded Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, a beloved charity that mails free books to young children across five countries.
Netflix viewers have been gifted an exclusive first look at Grand Theft Auto VI
Netflix exclusively streamed an extended look at Grand Theft Auto VI(Image: Rockstar Games)
Netflix viewers have issued the same complaint just seconds into the new GTA 6 stream.
Gamers have been waiting patiently for the new Grand Theft Auto VI extended teaser, which was shown exclusively on the streaming giant on Thursday evening (August 27).
In a first-of-its-kind collaboration, Rockstar Games gave Netflix viewers an early glimpse at the gameplay months before its launch this November. The new game will see main characters Jason and Lucia forced to rely on each other “more than ever”.
A synopsis teases: “Jason and Lucia have always known the deck is stacked against them. But when an easy score goes wrong, they find themselves on the darkest side of the sunniest place in America, in the middle of a criminal conspiracy stretching across the state of Leonida – forced to rely on each other more than ever if they want to make it out alive.”
While fans were counting down the days until the extended look finally dropped, many were left baffled when Netflix crashed just as they were trying to tune in.
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Upon clicking on the 26-minute episode, viewers immediately received an error message that read “something went wrong”.
Taking to X, formerly Twitter, one fan complained: “NETFLIX WHAT THE F***, ITS NOT EVEN BEEN 1 SECOND.”
Another added: “Why was Netflix not ready for this?? They should’ve known that GTA would crash their app.”
Someone else chimed in with: “What’s up #Netflix? We are up for #gtavi extended look but you’re down!”
But other gamers have been more struck by just how “gorgeous” the gameplay looks. One fan confessed: “Nah I’m blown away. #gta6.”
Someone else shared their excitement, commenting: “There isn’t another game in existence that looks graphically as good as #GTAVI #GTA6. Wow.”
And a final fan raved: “I’m literally smiling ear to ear right now. #GTAVI #ExtendedLook.”
The sixth GTA iteration comes 13 years after Grand Theft Auto V debuted, making it a hugely anticipated launch. Grand Theft Auto VI is set to arrive for PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X|S on November 19.
Grand Theft Auto VI: An Extended Look is available to stream on Netflix
Emmerdale fans will remember John Barton’s dramatic exit following a romantic reunion with his wife Moira
John was killed off just as he’d reconciled with wife Moira (Image: ITV)
Emmerdale icon James Thornton has a very famous wife who sitcom fans will instantly recognise.
It’s been 17 years since James Thornton arrived in the Dales as dashing John Barton, and alongside his wife, Moira (Natalie J Robb), he became the new owner of Butlers Farm.
The farmer took over the agricultural business from the iconic Sugden family, kick-starting a new dynasty on the ITV soap and a long-standing feud between the two families.
Before his arrival, series producer Gavin Blyth described James’ character, John, as “a very charismatic and modern farmer”.
However, despite the Bartons initially appearing as the perfect, hardworking family unit, cracks began to show in John and Moira’s marriage.
John’s kiss with Eve Jenson (Suzanne Shaw) and Moira’s subsequent affair with Cain Dingle (Jeff Hordley) tested their relationship. Despite struggling to forgive Moira for her infidelity, John eventually realised he couldn’t live without her.
When the couple reconciled in February 2012, their happiness was short-lived when a harrowing incident saw John and Moira’s car crash following a skid on ice, leading to a tragic plunge off a ravine. John died in the incident, leaving Moira heartbroken.
Speaking to Digital Spy in 2012 about his dramatic Emmerdale exit, James thought the storyline was “brilliant” and said: “As I learned more, I discovered that the scale of John’s departure was going to be huge, and that the amount of money they were spending was massive.
“So I was really, really pleased. As an actor, you always want to do something that’s going to grab the audience’s attention.”
Famous wife
James married Welsh actress Joanna Page, famous for her role as Stacey in the BBC hit Gavin & Stacey, in December 2003, four years after they both starred in the two-part BBC drama David Copperfield – he was Ham Peggotty, and she was Dora Spenlow.
The couple share four children – Eva, Kit, Noah, and the youngest, Boe, who was born in 2021.
It was having children that, Joanna says, completely changed their relationship. She told Woman magazine: “It completely changes you. You’re really close and a unit, then you have kids, and it kind of completely splits you because they’re now the focus.
“We know that romance is going to be on the back burner for now and life is exhausting and hectic, but in 15 years’ time it’s just going to be and him and then we’re going to get to go travelling around the world.”
Road accident
In February 2010, James was hit by a motorist in London and received medical treatment for leg injuries. Emmerdale producers rewrote scenes involving his character. At the time, an Emmerdale source told the Daily Star the entire cast was shocked.
James now works as a voice artist and has narrated several documentaries, including BBC series This Farming Life. He has narrated and appeared in the documentary Benefits By the Sea: Jaywick (2015–2016), narrated the Channel 5 series The Motorway, and has been the voice of Talk TV.
He also narrates ad campaigns for high-profile brands like Ford, Amazon, Shell, and BP.
Where are Big Brother stars Saskia Howard-Clarke and Maxwell Ward now after they defied critics with their romance off screen?
Saskia Howard-Clarke and Maxwell Ward had a rollercoaster time on Big Brother(Image: Getty Images)
It’s hard to believe, but it is officially 21 years since the sixth season of Big Brother – and arguably one of the most iconic in history – graced our screens.
The competition, which aired in 2005, saw romances galore as winner Anthony Hutton enjoyed a memorable night in the jacuzzi with Makosi Musambasi – which almost led to the first ever Big Brother baby – while Kinga Karolczak got up close and personal with a wine bottle…
Viewers also had a front-row seat to the blossoming bond between Saskia Howard-Clarke and Maxwell Ward, who fell in love in front of the cameras and kept things going long after Davina McCall bid them farewell.
The promotions girl, 23, and the maintenance engineer, 24, both entered the infamous house on the first day, and sparks soon flew. However, while they quickly became besotted, their romance left viewers – and their castmates – divided.
Kemal Shah called the pair out for their closeness in the bedroom, prompting Maxwell to pour water over him, which earned the engineer a stern warning from Big Brother bosses.
However, in scenes slightly reminiscent of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, they were forced to face off against each other in a Big Brother first after receiving the most nominations from their fellow housemates, meaning they were both up for eviction.
Their romance was briefly put on pause when Saskia axed on day 36, after receiving 71% of the public vote. But it wasn’t long before they were reunited, as her beau was booted out the following week.
The pair dated for over a year, and even purchased a home together, before their relationship came crashing down. Maxwell confirmed their split in an episode of After They Were Housemates in 2007, announcing he was moving out.
Three years later, he appeared to take a swipe at his former flame in a chat with Heat Magazine, claiming that he could have won the show if they had remained single.
“I’m not blowing my own trumpet, but if I hadn’t got with you [Saskia], I would’ve won the show hands down,” he said, via the Sun.
“If I had the time again, and I’m sure you’d say the same thing, I wouldn’t have got with you and you wouldn’t have got with me.”
Touching on his time in the house in an interview in 2020, he said: “You’re going to be propelled to the best looking bird with a massive pair of, you know…
“She was the best of a bad bunch. We were [an item for a white], we bought a house together. When you’re on Big Brother and you meet someone like that, I was insecure. There’s 12million people watching that series.”
While Maxwell has remained out of the spotlight since the show, Saskia embraced the fame and has since worked as a glamour model.
She initially stepped back from the public eye when she became a mum to her son, Phoenix, with her ex-husband, but has since turned to OnlyFans. In a rare 2023 interview, she also revealed that she had found love again on Tinder.
Unpacking her TV romance with Maxwell with the Sun, she said: “He laughed me into bed, that’s the best way to describe it. “He’s a really nice, funny guy and very persistent, I’ll give him that, but time in there is slow, right? I think I was in there for five or six weeks and you’ve been away hiding for two weeks before with no contact with your family, it’s a long time. Then to get close to somebody…
“It happened organically but, listen, if I’d met him on the outside, I don’t mean to be horrible, but he wouldn’t have been my type at all.”
Reflecting on their split, she explained that she found the reaction from the public more difficult than their romance ending for good, adding: “What was frustrating for me was more the ‘told you so. I knew she wouldn’t be with him,’ and I felt bad for him because he had a lot of stick saying that he was punching, which is not nice.”
KASABIAN’S Leeds Festival headlining slot is under threat as bosses have sent an urgent warning to “take cover”.
The annual festival kicked off it’s four-day extravaganza today, with revellers expected to turn up in their thousands to see their favourite acts perform live.
Kasabian’s headlining slot at Leeds Festival is under threatCredit: Michael SchofieldOrganisers shared a statement as a a thunderstorm is set to hit LeedsCredit: Instagram/officialrandl
Iconic rock band Kasabian, which consists of members Sergio Pizzorno, Chris Edwards, Ian Matthews and Tim Carter, are set to perform tonight at on The Grid stage from 9:20 to 10:50pm.
However, it’s been revealed that a thunderstorm is going to happen in Leeds and it could derail the highly-anticipated performance.
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The organisers took to Instagram to share a statement for those attending the festival today.
They penned: “Weather update. There will be a thunderstorm in Leeds today.
“Please take cover where you can including in your camping tents and avoid sheltering under trees.”
Festival-goers took to the comments section to share their thoughts as they urged bosses not to cancel acts because of the weather.
One person wrote: “I better see no acts cancelled because of this weather.”
Another reveller commented: “Is this a joke.”
The band are supposed to be performing on The Grid stage from 9:20pmCredit: GettyThe iconic festival kicked off it’s four-day extravaganza todayCredit: Getty
Somebody else said: “Please don’t do what you did last time and shut the stages down. Hopefully the stages aren’t affected much.”
Yet another joked: “It wouldn’t be Leeds Festival without rain!!”
The iconic event began at 10am this morning and will be running until Sunday evening.
Other stars set to perform over the next few days are Charli XCX, Chase and Status, Dave, Florence + The Machine and Raye.
As well as this, sombr, Skepta, Jade and Declan McKenna will also be crooning to some of their biggest tracks.
The iconic event is taking place at Bramham Park, which is located between Leeds and York.
The competition will air live on the streaming platform and there is a huge cash prize at stake.
Richard Osman is excited for Netflix’s live competition show(Image: Getty)
Fans of tense competitions are in for a treat as Netflix has announced a new show with a life-changing cash prize.
Netflix has unveiled an intense competition that could see one person win £501,000, with none other than Richard Osman and Gary Lineker at the helm. The show is a “high-stakes” darts competition that will see amateurs go up against the world number one, Luke Littler.
Beat Luke Littler is the name of the Netflix show in question, and it offers people one chance to win one perfect leg of 501, earning them the £501,000 prize if they are able to beat the 19-year-old champion.
A nationwide hunt to find the 20 competitors brave enough to take on the challenge has opened, with regional heats due to be held in Manchester and London in September. The show will air live on Netflix on October 30, with Lineker as host and Osman as the expert analyst.
Darts prodigy Luke ‘The Nuke became the youngest world champion in the sport’s history at just 17 years old. A two-time PDC player of the year, he was recently named in TIME’s 100 Most Influential People in Sports 2026 list. He featured in the Netflix sports documentary series Matchroom: The Greatest Showmen and appeared as a guest on The Rest Is Football.
The show marks Lineker’s return to live sport following his departure from the BBC last year. He shared in a statement: “I am delighted to be deepening my relationship with Netflix after such a brilliant experience with The Rest Is Football at the World Cup, and Beat Luke Littler feels like exactly the kind of unpredictable, live event television that gets me excited – I cannot wait to see who fancies their chances.”
Osman, who will star in a role similar to that on Pointless, said: “As a huge darts fan, and proud owner of a signed photo of Jocky Wilson, I couldn’t be more excited to join the amazing Beat Luke Littler live show.
“He’s the greatest player in the world. But 20 legs in a row? I honestly think someone is going to win that £501k. It’s going to be an incredible night.” Littler will be asked to play 20 separate legs against the 20 different opponents, meaning each qualifier only needs one successful leg to beat him.
However, this will still be a huge challenge given the level Littler has reached in 2026. The 19-year-old has won every PDC major staged so far this year, according to dartsnews.com, retaining both the World Championship and World Matchplay, and his Blackpool title came with a record-breaking 111.04 tournament average.
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He teased to Netflix’s Tudum: “Everyone thinks they can beat me. Now they get a chance to prove it.” Fans have taken to X, formerly Twitter, to share their thoughts on the concept and the interesting choice of experts. One joked: “That classic darts expert… Richard Osman.” Another quipped: “So Lineker buys a dartboard for the Rest Is Football studio and is now hosting darts shows? Come on.”
To watch Beat Luke Littler, viewers just need an active Netflix subscription. Once signed in, they will just need to select the Beat Luke Littler stream to tune in.
Beat Luke Littler arrives on Netflix on October 30
Production services vendor Quixote stunned Hollywood in April when it said it was winding down most of its Los Angeles soundstage business, delivering another blow to an industry already buffeted by steep losses in film and TV production.
Now, one of those facilities is attempting to stage a comeback.
Film and TV producer Manny Halley said he has taken over a 125,000-square-foot former Quixote North Valley complex on Montague Street in Pacoima under a 25-year lease with an option to buy, and plans to reopen it this fall under the name Imani Studio. The land is owned by Rexford Industrial Realty, which is not a party to the production business.
Halley’s credits include the “True to the Game” film trilogy that featured Vivica A. Fox, and the BET reality TV series “Keyshia Cole: The Way It Is,” which ran on BET from 2006 to 2008.
In an interview, Halley declined to disclose the price he paid, but said the lease is worth more than $25 million and that the cost to build the facility three years ago was about $19 million. The deal was financed with capital from his Imani Media Group.
“Right now is a unique time for independent producers because we don’t have to sit back and wait for a studio,” he said. “And in order for us to build a library and keep going, we have to keep costs down. So having your own stage is going to keep costs down.”
Producer Manny Halley has taken over ownership of one of the former Quixote North Valley studio facilities in Pacoima.
(Dae Howerton and Dallas J. Logan)
Halley said he was also motivated by the ongoing production crisis in L.A. and the continued loss of industry jobs. His company has shot 18 productions in California, 14 of which received a state production incentive.
“Somebody’s got to believe in Hollywood,” Halley said. “It’s a sad industry right now, and I want to change it.”
He is making a long bet on a market a much larger company has struggled with. Former owner Hudson Pacific announced it was shutting down most of its L.A. soundstages as well as operations in Atlanta as part of a cost-reduction move.
The Los Angeles-based real estate company bought Quixote in 2022 for $360 million, saying at the time that the acquisition would address the growing demand for soundstage space. Quixote was originally founded in 1995.
Though L.A. area soundstages had average occupancy rates of about 90% from 2016 to 2022, their business plunged in 2023 amid the work stoppages of the writers’ and actors’ strikes, according to data from the nonprofit FilmLA, which tracks on-location shoot days in the Greater L.A. area. In 2024, the average occupancy rate was 63%.
“Keeping production infrastructure active and investing in California’s capacity to support film and television is essential to our long-term competitiveness,” California Film Commission Executive Director Colleen Bell said in a statement. “Facilities like this help keep productions here, sustain good-paying jobs, and support the thousands of businesses and workers that make up our entertainment economy.”
Halley said he plans to invest $2 million to $6 million into the facility, including additional staff and LED volume walls. He retained three employees to help run operations and hopes to hire others who previously worked there.
He said he plans to use the facility, which has four soundstages, to shoot his own shows and movies, but also intends to rent out space to other productions, including student projects.
“I just want to give everybody their opportunity to shine,” he said. “I want to give them their own playing field to create and make their visions come to life with affordable stages.”
But even if outside productions don’t rent the space, he said the facility could sustain itself on his company’s projects. Imani Media Group has a distribution arm that has worked with Amazon, Tubi and the major theater chains.
By late September, Halley said he intends to start shooting a “True to the Game” TV series at the Pacoima facility, as well as the BET comedy “Lot Patrol,” which the network recently picked up for an additional five episodes.
“Supporting Black ownership and entrepreneurship across the entertainment industry remains deeply important to BET,” Brian Rikuda, BET’s executive vice president of enterprise growth strategy, business operations, and programming strategy, said in a statement. “As Manny Halley expands Imani Studios into a 125,000-square-foot production home, we’re proud to continue our partnership rooted in a shared vision to create culturally impactful entertainment and expand opportunity in our industry.”
