Sydney

SITTING in her ex-fiance’s car, Sydney Sweeney looked a far cry from her usual glamourous self as she screamed during a very heated row.

And now we can reveal that the secret meeting with Jonathan Davino sparked a huge row with her new boyfriend Scooter Braun, who was left feeling “furious” and “disrespected” – and the fallout could have grave consequences.

The 28-year-old Hollywood star had been enjoying dinner with friends and her ex in Santa Monica over the weekend when things appeared to turn sour.

She was later seen in Jonathan’s car and, according to reports from TMZ, she could be heard screaming and telling him: “I don’t believe you. Please leave, leave me alone.”

The unlikely scene raised eyebrows, even more so when just days later Sydney headed out for dinner again – this time with Scooter, putting on a united front after the pair held crisis talks.

“He’s made it clear that he wants her 100%, that she needs to compromise on some things, and that seeing her ex like that crossed a line.”

Scooter Braun insider

An insider close to the couple told us how Scooter, 44, made it clear to the actress that she had ‘crossed a line’.

They explained: “Scooter got really mad. He doesn’t like that kind of behaviour at all, especially knowing the history between her and Jonathan.

“He knows they had a serious relationship, were together for a long time, and even got engaged. So, seeing her with him again — and getting caught on camera getting into his car — really set him off.”

Scooter’s upset is said to stem from just how much he loves the Euphoria star, who we previously revealed he is planning to move in with.

The insider continued: “He’s not controlling, but he wants her to know that he truly cares about her and that his feelings are real.

“He’s deeply in love and serious about building a future together. Scooter’s a man with strong values and morals — and for him, it’s not acceptable for his partner to be seen with other men, especially exes.

“He thought what she did with Jonathan was disrespectful and not cool, and he didn’t want to stay silent about it.

“He was hurt and wanted her to know. What he wants is full transparency between them — and for her to be the same way, but also to act like someone who’s in a committed relationship, not single anymore.

“He’s made it clear that he wants her 100%, that she needs to compromise on some things, and that seeing her ex like that crossed a line.”

Scooter is said to be aware that, given their age difference, he could be considered “old fashioned”.

Our insider says he “does a lot” for the star, stating he’s “present, supportive, and fully committed”.

‘Public humiliation’

Sydney was due to marry businessman Jonathan, 41, earlier this year but called off their engagement after mounting speculation over the state of their relationship.

The pair met in 2018 and got engaged in February 2022.

At the time, the actress spoke at length about their wedding and future before things came to an end.

Our insider added: “It has to be a blow for Jonathan that she has moved on so publicly and seems really ready to settle down this time.

“He feels like he was a huge part of her career to start with, really building up her confidence but now she’s flying without him. It’s painful to see.”

At the time it was reported that they split so she could concentrate on her career.

“He thought what she did with Jonathan was disrespectful and not cool, and he didn’t want to stay silent about it.

Scooter Braun insider

She certainly did that – she’s currently promoting Christy – her new biopic about the female boxing trailblazer Christy Martin – and there’s already been some Oscar buzz round her role.

It hasn’t just been work and no play though… over the summer she was first linked to Scooter – the billionaire businessman and record executive who became public enemy number one for Swifties worldwide in 2019 after he bought pop megastar Taylor Swift’s master recordings.

They started dating back in August after being seen spending time together at Jeff Bezos’s wedding in Italy two months before.

In August they were seen together in public for the first time on a date after having dinner at Jon & Vinny’s restaurant in Los Angeles.

The romance has proved to be more than just a summer fling, and Scooter seems to have well and truly fallen for her charms, even after the public humiliation of her arguing with her ex.

Get the look: Expert tips to swoon like Sweeney

Looking to create that doe-eyed look at home? Here, pro make-up artist Sarah-Jane Froom shares her exclusive top tips on how to achieve Sydney’s signature eyes…

TOP TIPS

• Start with a good primer: This ensures the eye shadow stays in place all day and gives a smooth base for blending.
• Define the crease: Use warm, neutral shades such as soft browns or terracotta to add depth to the crease. This helps enhance the natural shape of the eye without it feeling too heavy.
• Smoky eyes: Sydney often favours a smoky eye, typically with dark eyeliner along the lash line. I recommend blending a dark brown or black shadow into the liner to soften it and create that sultry, lived-in look.
• Lashes are essential: To get Sydney’s eye-popping lashes, I always recommend a volumising mascara. For a more dramatic effect, you can add some natural-looking false lashes that provide length and lift, but without being too over-the-top.
• Highlight the inner corners: This little trick instantly brightens the eyes, making them look more awake and larger – perfect for achieving Sydney’s signature bright-eyed gaze.

RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS

ACTRESS Sydney Sweeney scores a hat-trick in a selection of outfits in one day.

The 28-year-old was spotted switching up her style in New York City while promoting her boxing biopic Christy.

As well as the three outfits pictured, Sydney changed into three more throughout the day for a total of six.

Actress Sydney described her latest role as “one of the most inspiring” experiences of her life.

Talking of the female boxer she said: “Christy’s strength isn’t in all of her punches it’s in her heart.”

Sydney became emotional as she detailed how Christy was shot and stabbed in the chest and left for dead after threatening to leave her abusive spouse.

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She added: “Every one of us has our own fight.

“Christy reminds us strength doesn’t have to look loud sometimes, it’s just about getting up again and again no matter who is watching.

“Playing her taught me it isn’t the end of the story, it’s about re-claiming it.

“And to every young girl out there I hope that you know your power is already within you.”

In her latest film, Christy, she learned to box to play US pro fighter Christy Martin — the first female boxer to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

She won a world title before her husband tried to murder her.

Police in Australia broke up a protest against Israeli companies taking part in a defence show in Sydney. At least one pro-Palestinian protester was seen dragged along the ground by officers.

India’s ageing stars Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli rebounded strongly in what may be their last match on Australian soil.

Rohit Sharma smashed his 33rd one-day international hundred, and Virat Kohli rebounded from back-to-back ducks with a meticulous half-century, as India avoided a whitewash against Australia with a nine-wicket win to close their three-match series, in what may have been their final ODI international in Australia.

Sharma, 38, and Kohli, 36, will not feature in the upcoming five-game T20 series against Australia tour starting on October 29, although neither player has confirmed Saturday’s fixture was their final match Down Under.

Sharma made an unbeaten 121 off 125 balls, with 13 fours and three sixes, and Kohli scored 74 not out, as both batters knocked off 237-1 with more than 11 overs to spare in what could be their last international innings in Australia.

Fast bowler Harshit Rana’s career-best 4-39 bowled out Australia for below-par 236 after India lost its 18th consecutive toss in an ODI, but all six of its bowlers were among the wickets.

Australia had clinched the series 2-0 by winning Thursday’s match in Adelaide by two wickets. That followed a seven-wicket victory in the rain-interrupted opener in Perth.

“We had a near-perfect game,” said India captain Shubman Gill, who scored 24 off 26 balls before falling to Josh Hazlewood. “Rohit and Kohli have done it for so many years – [a] delight to watch.

Sharma, Kohli return to form

Sharma and Kohli got loud cheers from the crowd of nearly 40,000 at the Sydney Cricket Ground as they shared a 168-run partnership – the first century stand between the two since January 2020.

Sharma’s century was punctuated by strong sweeps against the spinners on front of square, and he twice lofted Adam Zampa (0-50) for sixes on either side of the wicket before raising his hundred with a single against the leg-spinner.

Kohli, who was dismissed without scoring at Perth and Adelaide, pumped his fist gently as he drove Hazlewood for a single to wide mid-on from the first ball he faced. Kohli grew in confidence when he cut Zampa to the point boundary and welcomed Mitchell Starc with a straight driven boundary.

Kohli survived a close LBW review on 36 when he went to pull Nathan Ellis’s short ball before completing his half-century off 56 balls.

Kohli also overtook Kumar Sangakkara (14,234), and with 14,255 runs, he is now behind only Sachin Tendulkar’s all-time record of 18,426 runs.

Earlier, Matt Renshaw (56) scored his maiden ODI half-century before Australia collapsed and got bowled out in 46.4 overs.

Australia’s first six batters all crossed the 20-run mark, but could not convert them into big scores. The home team lost four wickets for 18 runs after sitting pretty at 183-3 in the 34th over as India kept picking up wickets with regular intervals.

Travis Head (29) started aggressively before he offered a tame catch at backward point off Mohammed Siraj, and Mitchell Marsh’s promising start came to an end when he gave himself too much room against left-arm spinner Axar Patel and was clean bowled on 41 in the 16th over.

Renshaw and Alex Carey added 59 runs for the fourth-wicket stand, before Shreyas Iyer took a stunning catch while running from backward point. Renshaw was out LBW in the 37th over when he advanced down the wicket to the off-spin of Washington Sundar (2-44), but was hit low on the pads. Ellis played a little cameo of 16 with three boundaries before Australia got bowled out.

“We needed one more stand in the back-end of our first innings,” Marsh said. “Had a great platform at 183-3, but couldn’t cash in.”

NICOLE Kidman and Keith Urban’s lawyers have a big job ahead of them in splitting the couple’s mammoth property empire after their bombshell split.

Nicole, 58, and Keith, 57, have called it quits after 19 years of marriage, with the Babygirl actress filing divorce papers on Tuesday, September 30.

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The couple, who share two daughters, have reportedly been living separately since the beginning of summer.

Just days ago, Nicole was seen still wearing her wedding ring and in good spirits at Cle de Peau’s event in Los Angeles as she appeared as their new brand ambassador.

The pair will have to spend time dividing their assets after almost two decades of marriage.

They mainly resided with their daughters, Sunday Rose, 17, and Faith Margaret, 14, in Tennessee.

Nicole is also mom to Isabella and Connor, whom she adopted during her marriage with her ex-husband, Tom Cruise.

The couple has spent millions on a property portfolio now worth more than $250million, according to online real estate sites.

Their main 20-room mansion is located just outside of Nashville and was purchased in 2008 for $4.89 million, two years after they tied the knot.

They married on June 25, 2006, at Cardinal Cerretti Memorial Chapel, located on the grounds of St. Patrick’s Estate in Manly, a suburb of Sydney, Australia. 

MILLION-DOLLAR LISTINGS

The lavish abode has seven bedrooms and eight bathrooms, along with a fully-equipped gym, a large tennis court, and a swimming pool, which were installed by the couple.

During the same year, Nicole and Keith also snapped up a Beverly Hills home for $6.77 million that has five bedrooms and five bathrooms.

The estate was built in the 1960s and sits on a 1.25-acre lot with celebrity neighbors Adele and Jennifer Lawrence in the desired neighborhood.

Listings show it has a flat-top roof, a pool, and a second-floor wraparound deck. 

They also bought their Australian farmhouse in 2008 for $6.5million, called Bunya Hill, which is located in the Southern Highlands village of Sutton Forrest.

The 45-hectare black Angus cattle farm features a large Georgian-style house built in 1878.

The home has sandstone verandas, a cedar staircase, and 10 marble fireplaces.

It sits on a private hilltop and includes a guest cottage.

The property has been updated with a swimming pool, tennis court, and gym.

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Two years after buying their main properties, the couple splashed out $13.53 million for a Manhattan duplex in the upscale Chelsea neighborhood.

It’s located in a stainless-steel tower and includes three bedrooms, a “double-height great room with a cathedral ceiling,” and two terraces with views of the Hudson River.

One of its most appealing qualities is its private “sky garage” with an elevator for apartment-level parking.

They also reportedly own two penthouses that were combined in the Latitude Building in Sydney’s Milsons Point. 

The first was bought for almost $6 million in 2009, while the second was around $7 million in 2012.

They also snapped up four more apartments in the same building.  

Last year, they also bought yet another residence in the same complex for $7.7million.

In 2020, they added to their New York portfolio after snapping up a two-bedroom apartment in Tribeca for $3.5 million.

According to the New York Post, there are three separate entrances into the building for added privacy.

The residence offers a 75-foot indoor lap pool, rooftop gardens, and a 2,200-square-foot fitness center.

Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban’s Relationship Timeline

Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban have been one of Hollywood’s ‘It

January 2005 – Nicole and Keith were introduced by actor Geoffrey Rush during the G’Day LA gala ball.

February 2006 – The couple made their public debut as an item at the 48th Annual Grammy Awards.

May 2006 – Keith’s publicist revealed that he and Nicole were “very happily engaged.”

June 2006 – The twosome tied the knot at a chapel in Manly, Australia, surrounded by many famous guests.

October 2006 – Keith checked himself into rehab for drug and alcohol issues at the urging of his new wife.

December 2006 – Model Amanda Wyatt claimed that Keith had cheated on Nicole with her multiple times, leading up to their nuptials.

In January 2008 – Nicole’s rep revealed that she and Keith were expecting their first child together.

July 2008 – Keith and Nicole welcomed their first child, a daughter named Sunday Rose.

December 2010 – The duo introduced their second child, Faith Margaret, to the world, whom they welcomed via surrogate.

July 2015 – Nicole confessed to Vogue that she’d wished she’d met Keith earlier in life, so that they could’ve had more children together.

June 2016 – Keith opened up to Rolling Stone about how Nicole helped him get sober by insisting that he go to rehab a decade earlier.

October 2018 – Nicole gushed about her simple, quiet life in Nashville with Keith, and said that was the secret to their happy marriage.

June 2021 – Keith shared a sweet Instagram post, commemorating his and Nicole’s 15th wedding anniversary.

July 2024 – Keith, Nicole, and their daughters were seen enjoying the Gymnastics Women’s Team Final at the Paris Olympics.

April 2025 – Nicole referred to Keith as her “deep, deep love” during an interview with People, and said she was “lucky” to have the musician.

September 2025 – TMZ announced that Nicole and Keith had separated and were no longer living together.

There’s also a wine cellar with its own private dining room.

Since the couple’s split, their two children have been in Nicole’s care, and she is “holding the family together through this difficult time since Keith has been gone,” according to reports.

It is currently still unknown what led to the pair’s separation.

Sources claim that Nicole was “blindsided,” as she had been desperate to save their marriage, one of the longest in Hollywood.

Insiders also said that “Keith has acquired his own residence in Nashville and has moved out of their family home,” although this has not yet been confirmed.

The U.S. Sun has reached out to Nicole and Keith’s reps for comment but did not hear back.

Both Nicole and Keith grew up in Australia, but did not meet until 2005 at a gala.

Keith swooned over his wife in an interview with CBS News in 2016.

Nicole told Ellen DeGeneres in 2017: “I had such a crush on him, and he wasn’t interested in me.

“It’s true! He didn’t call me for four months.”

The actress has spent a considerable amount of time filming in England recently, which may have put strain on their relationship.

She has been shooting scenes for the Practical Magic sequel and reportedly shelled out $87,288 a month to stay at Boy George’s luxurious mansion – without Keith.

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TOKYO — When Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone powered though the final curve of the 400-meter final at world championships, she glanced to her right and saw something that hadn’t been there in a while.

Another runner.

She had a race on her hands.

The best way to explain how McLaughlin-Levrone became the first woman in nearly 40 years to crack the all-but-unscalable 48-second mark in the 400 is that the opponent she beat Thursday night on a rain-glistened track in Tokyo, Marileidy Paulino, broke 48 seconds, too.

“You don’t run something like that without amazing women pushing you to it,” McLaughlin-Levrone said.

The final numbers in this one: McLaughlin-Levrone 47.78 seconds. Paulino 47.98.

They are the second and third fastest times in history, short only of the 47.60 by East Germany’s Marita Koch, set Oct. 6, 1985 — one of the last vestiges from an Eastern Bloc doping system that was exposed years after it ended, but too late for the records to be stripped from the books.

McLaughlin-Levrone, who stepped away from hurdles to see what she might be able to do in the 400 flat, said she was every bit as focused on winning the title in a new event as going after a record that had always been thought unapproachable.

American Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone reacts after winning gold medal in the women’s 400 meters final at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo on Thursday.

(Eugene Hoshiko / Associated Press)

And Paulino, the reigning Olympic and world champion in this event, wasn’t just going to give it away.

This was an even race, the likes of which McLaughlin-Levrone hadn’t been part of in at least three years in the hurdles, as the runners rounded the stretch. McLaughlin-Levrone opened a gap of about four body lengths with 30 meters left, but Paulino was actually gaining ground when they both lunged into the finish line.

“At the end of the day, this wasn’t my title to hold onto, it was mine to gain,” McLaughlin-Levrone said. “Bobby uses boxing terms all the time. He said, ’You’ve got to go out there and take the belt. It’s not yours. You’ve got to go earn it.’”

Bobby is Bobby Kersee, the wizardly coach who helped transform McLaughlin-Levrone into the greatest female hurdler ever and might be doing the same in the 400. Brutal training sessions with one-time UCLA quarter-miler Willington Wright were part of the regimen.

“I felt that somebody was going to have to run 47-something to win this,” Kersee told The Associated Press. “She trained for it. She took on the challenge, took on the risk. She’s just an amazing athlete that I can have no complaints about.”

As the times came up on the scoreboard, the crowd roared. The enormity of the moment wasn’t lost on anyone.

Nobody had come within a half-second of Koch’s mark until this race. Third-place finisher Salwa Eid Nasar clocked 48.19, a time that would have won the last two world championships.

“It’s just amazing what the 400 has become the last couple years,” said Britain’s Amber Anning, who finished fifth in 49.36. “I love it, it makes me want to step up my game. To see it done, it gives hope to us that anything’s possible in the 4.”

Paulino, meanwhile, was more focused on her unique place in history than not winning the race.

“I’m thankful for having the opportunity to break 48,” she said. “I still feel like a winner. I’ve spent five years every day training for this.”

McLaughlin-Levrone took up the 400 flat in 2023, but injuries derailed her run at a world championship that year. She focused on hurdles last year for her second Olympic gold medal in the event, then came back to the flat for 2025.

When she ran 48.29 in the semifinal, she broke a 19-year-old American record and said she still felt she had “something left in the tank.”

Then, with a push from Paulino, she let it loose.

“Today was a really great race for track and field, and I’m grateful to put myself in position to bring an exciting event to our sport,” McLaughlin-Levrone said.

It’s still an open question as to whether she will stick around in this race long enough to go after Koch’s record, or return to the hurdles, where the number “50” hangs out there much like “48” did in the race she won Thursday night.

Nobody had thought much about 50 seconds in hurdles until McLaughlin-Levrone started breaking the record in that event on a semi-regular basis. Four years ago at the Olympics, she lowered it to 51.46 in the empty stadium in Tokyo.

American Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone crosses the finish line, winning the women’s 400 meters final at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo on Thursday.

(David J. Phillip / Associated Press)

She broke it three more times and then, in Paris last year, took it down by another .28 seconds to 50.37.

Over time, those races became mere matters of McLaughlin-Levrone against the clock.

This time, something different — a bona fide showdown for the gold medal that knocked down a once-unthinkable barrier in racing.

Whatever McLaughlin-Levrone’s next move is, it’s bound to be fast.

“I think, now, 47 tells her that she can break 50,” Kersee said. “Knowing her, she’s probably going back to the hurdles and try to take what she learned now in the quarter(-mile) and try to execute a plan to run 49.99 or better.”

Pells writes for the Associated Press.

ADOLESCENCE star Owen Cooper has earned a major honor as the youngest male winner ever at the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards.

The actor nabbed the award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie.

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This was also the first nomination for the 15-year-old.

Owen tearfully hugged his parents and colleagues before approaching the stage where actress Sydney Sweeney presented him with the gold trophy.

He then delivered a heartfelt speech, acknowledging all those who had worked on the project.

His words touched host Nate Bargatze, who appeared to stop the countdown he’d set during his opening monologue, penalizing those who went over the allotted 45-second acceptance speeches.

The comedian jokingly threatened to take away money from his $100,000 donation to the Boys and Girls Club for every second an Emmy winner extended their speech.

Owen, however, didn’t have those same rules, despite it being an ongoing bit throughout the show.

Nate addressed the change in rules afterward, revealing that he hadn’t penalized the teenager, although his speech had exceeded the time limit.

Owen was up against some heavy hitters in the category, including his co-star Ashley Walters, Presumed Innocent’s Bill Camp and Peter Sarsgaard, Javier Bardem in Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, and Rob Delaney for Dying for Sex.

Before Owen, the youngest actor to win the award was then-23-year-old Michael A. Goorjian, for his portrayal in 1994’s David’s Mother.

Adolescence premiered on Netflix in March 2025 and also stars Stephen Graham, Erin Doherty, and Faye Marsay.

The psychological drama had gained recognition not only for its intense storyline but also for its impressive filming.

All four episodes of the series were shot in one continuous take, with no cuts.

Owen played Jaime, a 13-year-old boy accused of murdering his classmate in Northern England.

Ahead of the star-studded awards ceremony, the young star spoke with People about making his acting debut on the project.

2025 EMMYS NOMINEE’S GIFT BAG

The Emmy Awards Giving Suite will provide an exclusive backstage experience for presenters, nominees, and winners with a generous swag bag worth a fortune. The gifting suite will be open on Emmys rehearsal days as well as during the live telecast on Sept. 14. Among some of the items the stars will get to take home include:

Miage Skincare set – $200 

Alma hair restoration treatment – $3,900 

Hasbro game pack – $150

Krovblit Fine Art – ranges from $100 to $10,000

Peta x Miomojo vegan leather bag – $400 

Beboe marijuana basket – $300

Brightharbor disaster relief for LA fire victims still struggling – Up to $1m in relief 

DESUAR day spa experience – $400

Helight Sleep device – $140  

Johnnie Walker Blue Label Blended Scotch Whisky – $230

LifeRegen skincare bundle – $200

Senorita THC-infused drinks – $100

SKANDINAVISK candles – $150 

Training Loft personalized training, coaching, nutrition & wellness services for one month – $1,000

“It’s my first role — it’ll be the best role of my life,” Owen gushed to the outlet.

“It was the best summer of my life to film, and I just can’t wait to be there on the night of the Emmys. I can’t wait.”

The U.S. Sun exclusively revealed in March that the streamer is exploring options to extend the series after its rave reviews.

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TORONTO — Welcome to a special daily edition of the Envelope at TIFF, a newsletter collecting the latest developments out of Canada’s annual film showcase. Sign up here to get it in your inbox.

Our photo gallery’s latest includes Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, Richard Linklater and more.

But click through for our video interviews, including Mark Olsen’s sit-down with Sydney Sweeney and the crew of her boxing movie “Christy,” which required a total transformation.

Sydney Sweeney in “Christy,” a portrait of boxing champ Christy Martin, having its world premiere at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival.

(Allie Fredericks / TIFF)

Here’s a taste of their exchange:

Sydney, people are already really talking about the physical transformation you make in the movie, the training that you did. What was it about the role that made it seem like you wanted to make that kind of commitment?

Sydney Sweeney: I mean, I couldn’t let Christy down, and I also love transforming for characters. That’s the whole reason of being an actor, is to be something different from yourself and to challenge ourselves.

So I had like two months of training. I built gyms in my house and I had a boxing trainer, I had a weight trainer, I had a nutritionist and would work out and train every single day.

And it was amazing. I loved it. Being able to completely lose yourself for somebody else and then have that person there next to your side. It was transformative.

Katy O’Brian, co-star: It was exhausting watching her do it.

Ben Foster, co-star: And in tribute to Syd, we’d shoot a 12-hour day that was dense, we’ll say, that would be a gentle word. She would then go train and choreograph the fights that she would do back-to-back after, one after another.

Sweeney: I’d be put in the middle of a ring and I’d have like nine girls and they would just drill me with all the different fights, one after the other for like two hours after we would wrap.

Because I really wanted the choreography to match the exact fights that she had in real life. So we would watch all the footage from her fights and memorize all the combinations and then implement those into the fight.

So everything you see were her actual fights. And so I’d wrap, I would do that for two hours, and then I would weight train.

David, there is something very unflinching about the movie. Why was it that you wanted to tell Christy’s story in a way that wasn’t afraid to explore these really dark and disturbing moments in her life?

David Michôd, director: In a way, the dark and disturbing was what made me want to make the movie. I had a clear sense that in this really wild and colorful story of a ’90s boxing pioneer was actually, underneath, it was a very important story to tell about how these coercive control relationships function.

And trying to wrap my brain around what keeps them functioning over, in this case, 20 years. And I knew that where Christy’s story went, it was harrowing.

And what the challenge for me then as a filmmaker was just to go, how do I do this being very conscious of not wanting to step into a world of representations of violence against women and all that kind of stuff, but not shying away from the horror that is very much there and is very palpable.

I could see a big sprawling movie that would start almost as a kind of conventional underdog pioneering sports movie and then morph into something that was deeply moving and important.

Sydney, Ben, what was it like for the two of you performing some of those darker scenes in the film and how did you keep some sense of humanity between the two of you?

Sweeney: There were so many conversations around a lot of those moments, and both Ben and I, we don’t like to rehearse and we kind of just want to feel it. And I think we both became very connected to who we were portraying and —

Foster: Listening.

Sweeney: We just listened

Foster: And Dave created a space where we could do that. And we would block it, we did a lot of talk privately, and then we would come in and jam and nudge. But the truth is Dave is quality control and would fine-tune moments.

The day’s buzziest premieres

‘EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert’

Elvis Presley performing live, as seen in Baz Luhrmann’s archival concert movie “EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert.”

(TIFF)

How deep did Baz Lurhmann go researching his 2022 movie “Elvis”? Forty stories. That’s the depth of the Kansas salt mine where Warner Bros. had stored 59 hours of unseen recordings from Elvis Presley’s seven-year stint in Las Vegas.

Lurhmann studied it for his Oscar-nominated biopic, which mourned Presley as an artist in a cage and wondered who the curious, music-loving boy from Tupelo might have become if Col. Parker had let him, say, visit an ashram with the Beatles.

This time, the “Moulin Rouge!” director has said that he wants to use found footage to “let Elvis sing and tell his story” — as in, Lurhmann’s own spectacular sensibilities will cede center stage to Presley himself, who can still wow a crowd even during a late-career moment when his own fans feared he had more jumpsuits than ambition.

I’ll definitely be at the premiere to pay my respects to the King. — Amy Nicholson

‘Hamnet’

Jessie Buckley, center, in director Chloé Zhao’s “Hamnet.”

(Agata Grzybowska / Focus Features)

You’re going to be hearing a lot of Oscar buzz in the coming months about various movies, along with people insisting that — seriously — this is the one you need to see. “Hamnet” is, far and away, that film, for three specific reasons.

First, Paul Mescal has now done three masterful turns, between this, “Aftersun” and “All of Us Strangers” confirming what a truly special talent he is. Mescal and the “Hamnet” crew came through our TIFF studio.

Clockwise from right: Paul Mescal, Noah Jupe, Jacobi Jupe, director Chloé Zhao, Jessie Buckley and Emily Watson, photographed in the Los Angeles Times Studios at RBC House during the Toronto International Film Festival.

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

Second, I needed director Chloé Zhao to rebound after the mess that was “Eternals” to the confidence she displayed on “Nomadland” — and she’s done exactly that. Read our Telluride interview with her.

Finally, Jessie Buckley has uncorked one of the year’s most impressive turns: a grief-stricken plunge that elevates her to the level of Casey Affleck in “Manchester by the Sea.” Do not be surprised if, like Affleck, she goes all the way. — Joshua Rothkopf

A man has died on a Sydney beach after being bitten by a suspected “large shark”, Australia’s New South Wales police has said.

In a statement, the police said emergency services pulled the man out of the morning surf onto the shore at Long Reef Beach – but he “died at the scene”.

“Two sections of a surfboard have been recovered and taken for expert examination,” the statement read.

Saturday’s incident has resulted in a string of closures in the popular area known as the Northern Beaches.

The state police said the emergency services acted after receiving reports shortly after 10:00am local time on Saturday (00:00 GMT) that “a man had suffered critical injuries”.

The victim’s identity was yet to be confirmed.

Local police officers and experts would work together to “determine the species of shark involved”.

The last deadly shark attack in the Sydney area in 2022, when Simon Nellist – a British diving instructor – was mauled by a great white shark.

Prior to that, there had not been a fatal attack since 1963.

Australia typically records about 20 shark attacks each year, with most in New South Wales and Western Australia.

Historically, dying from a shark bite is uncommon. In over a century of records, Australia’s shark attack mortality rate is 0.9 – less than one person per year.

Sept. 1 (UPI) — Australian police on Monday arrested a man accused of driving an SUV into the gates of Sydney’s Russian consulate, according to authorities and Russian officials.

Russia’s Consulate General, located on Fullerton Street in Sydney, confirmed the crash in a statement on Telegram, stating the incident occurred at about 8:05 a.m. AEST.

It said the driver had parked the SUV so as to block access to the premises and refused police orders to exit the vehicle. He then “deliberately rammed the gates” of the mission, it said.

No consulate general employees reported injuries and operations continued as normal, the consulate added.

“Thanks to the coordinated actions of the competent Australian authorities, the intruder was promptly neutralized,” the consulate general said.

“He has been arrested and is providing testimony regarding the motives for his actions.”

New South Wales Police identified the driver in a statement as a 39-year-old man.

He has been charged with a slew of offenses, including three counts of damaging property, three counts of resisting arrest and possession of a knife in a public space.

No motive was mentioned.

Police said the suspect had parked the SUV in the consulate’s driveway, then jumped the mission’s fence and entered the consulate grounds before re-entering his vehicle.

After police attempted to speak to the man, he allegedly “accelerated the vehicle — ramming the front gate of the property — causing significant damage.”

The suspect was then removed from the vehicle, arrested and transported to the Surry Hills Police Station, it said.

Two constables — ages 22 and 25 — suffered minor injuries in the incident, NSW Police said, without specifying exactly how they were injured.

The suspect is to make his first court appearance Tuesday.

Police say a 39-year-old man has been taken into custody over the incident in Sydney’s Woollahra suburb.

Australian police have arrested a 34-year-old man after he drove his car into the front gate of the Russian consulate in Sydney, according to police and local media.

In a statement, the New South Wales Police Force said the crash took place on Monday morning after officers responded to reports of an “unauthorised vehicle” parked in the driveway of the consulate in the Sydney suburb of Woollahra.

Officers tried to speak with the driver, but he “drove his vehicle into the gates of the property”, the statement said.

A 24-year-old constable was injured on his hand during the incident, it added.

Television footage from Sky News and Nine showed a car with a smashed window abandoned next to a Russian flagpole.

There was no immediate comment from the Russian consulate.

Ron Howard’s new film “Eden” is a true story about disenchanted Europeans, who, in the 1930s, escaped from their society and decamped on a lonely rock in the Galapagos, only to see their handmade utopia devolve into petty power struggles and murder. It’s also lurid proof that Charles Darwin missed out on the truly juicy survival-of-the-fittest action by about a hundred years.

This is certainly unusual material for a mainstream stalwart like Howard, who knows his way around heroic problem-solving narratives (“Apollo 13,” the Thai cave rescue movie “Thirteen Lives”). But in screenwriter Noah Pink’s melodramatic imagining of incidents both well-documented and mysterious, one can see this Hollywood veteran on a mission to loosen the shackles of his reputation and have some nasty, brutish fun. To wit: A perma-sneering Jude Law greets intruders naked; a wild-eyed Ana de Armas insults and tries to seduce everyone; Vanessa Kirby lets foreplay include the pulling of her diseased tooth; Sydney Sweeney gives birth alone while growling at a pack of wild dogs.

The result may not be terribly illuminating about the (sub)human condition, despite the shout-outs to Nietzsche and Schopenhauer. “Eden” is probably closer to an expensive reality show about mismatched survivalists. But as August fare goes, it’s a sticky, sweaty hoot, well cast and paced like a disreputable beach read, even if you might sporadically wish Werner Herzog had gotten first crack at this material. (It was also covered in a 2013 documentary.)

The first transplants to the uninhabited island of Floreana were German botanist Dr. Friedrich Ritter (Law) and his devoted, ailing partner, Dore (Kirby). Scolds who glorified suffering against the world’s wrong turns, the pair sought a radical reboot of society in rugged isolation, save the inconvenient fact that Ritter’s grandstanding philosophical missives back home were published in newspapers, turning them into eccentric folk heroes. Soon, their precious suffering took the form of new neighbors: idealistic war veteran Heinz Wittmer (Daniel Brühl) and his wide-eyed young wife Margret (Sweeney), who are looking for a new, self-sufficient way of life for their budding family.

It’s difficult to imagine a worse addition to this oil-and-water mix of high-minded nonconformist cranks and hard-toiling middle-class settlers than a capitalist sybarite. Enter the grandiose Baroness Eloise (De Armas), carried like Cleopatra onto the beach by her male lovers (Toby Wallace and Felix Klammerer), and ready to claim Floreana as the future site of an exclusive luxury resort called Hacienda Paradiso. Her first order of business, however, is pitting the scowling Ritter and bland, industrious Wittmers, who had managed a bearable distance so far, against each other.

The island, given an appropriately sickly, uninviting sheen by cinematographer Mathias Herndl, clearly wasn’t big enough for all of these new-world experimenters. But the movie’s two hours offer plenty of room for their portrayers. Howard’s generosity with his actors keeps this ensemble a charged group of clashing molecules. You wouldn’t mistake anybody’s turn for a full-throated or, conversely, subtle characterization — there’s a messiness to the cutting that prioritizes motion over stillness — but the broad strokes of personality are fun.

At its most raw (or is it overcooked?), when de Armas’ loaded-gun vibe veers toward camp or Law peacocks his pomposity with a hint of desperation, the situation may remind you of some insane pre-Code potboiler like 1932 “The Most Dangerous Game,” when a tale of people at their worst seemed all the more fascinating for unfurling in an exotic locale. Just because this corrupting pity party doesn’t crescendo so much as peter out isn’t any more of a reason to dismiss “Eden.” A little time spent with the farcical maneuverings of isolated megalomaniacs means you can skip reading the news that day.

LUKE LITTLER has learned to block out the haters and hecklers, saying: I just let my darts do the talking.

The Nuke is heading to Auckland for part two of his Down Under jaunt this summer.

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The 18-year-old banked £30,000 on Saturday when he beat Belgian thrower Mike De Decker 8-4 in the final of the Australian Darts Masters in Wollongong.

It was his fourth success on the World Series of Darts circuit and was equally impressive given that he had not practised ahead of this 21,000-mile round trip.

Every time he failed to hit a treble during the evening’s three games, a group of locals shouted out “rubbish, rubbish” and someone even bizarrely said he was “washed”.

This comment perplexed Littler but it is believed to mean he is supposed to be washed-up and not as good as he used to – which is clearly not the case.

The more he wins, the more he will be targeted by irate punters but even for someone so young, he has learned to rise above it all.

There have been times in Germany where he has been singled out and he was asked if he had gotten used to dealing with a portion of the crowd being on his back.

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Littler, in his second season as a pro, said: “For myself, the first time I hear it, I will obviously do something, but then I will let it go by.

“Just do my darts. Let the darts do the talking.

“No-one has taught me how to deal with much. I just get on with things. You are on stage alone.

“No-one else is with you. No-one else is going to help you unless it’s a few guys from the crowd. Yeah, you have just got to get on with it.”

Littler – who is on the two-week trip with new girlfriend Faith – is in good form and in a good mood, telling his rivals that his confidence is sky high.

No-one else is with you. No-one else is going to help you unless it’s a few guys from the crowd. Yeah, you have just got to get on with it.

Luke Littler on dealing hecklers while on the stage

An early-morning flight to Kiwi country means shifting his body clock by another two hours – he has already said he struggles with jetlag on the other side of the world.

Last year, the Warrington teen was defeated in a last-leg decider 7-6 by world No.1 Luke Humphries in the semi-finals at the Globox Arena in Hamilton.

Littler, the newly-crowned World Matchplay champion, says he has a policy of practising hard for the big TV events but for the smaller ones, he will simply rock up and do his thing.

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The world No.2 said: “I’m very happy. My debut last year in Australia didn’t go to plan. But second time lucky.

“I want to be winning things. We look to New Zealand next week.

“I will enjoy this. But then it’s an early flight again. An extra two hours ahead – so I will definitely be needing some sleep.

“It’s only my second time coming to New Zealand. I didn’t do much last year.

“We can make the most of four to five days and then once it comes to Friday that is when the darts starts again.

“I’m feeling confident. This is the most confident I have felt in a very long time.

“For myself I know how much I will practise, how much I have been doing.

“But yeah I practised really well for the World Matchplay and won it. I think I will practise for the big ones.

“As a player, you are on stage for a long time. You practise leading up to it and when you are on stage, you gain that confidence.

“You get warmer and you find those four or five gears.”

As “Madame Web” star Sydney Sweeney remains mum on allegations of promoting eugenics via her American Eagle advertisement, she has seemingly stirred up even more support from far-right figures after recently gaining the favor of President Trump.

A black-and-yellow banner covering a billboard on the 91 Freeway in Corona boldly states: “Proud Boys Love Sydney Sweeney,” according to a photo that one Corona resident shared with ABC7.

The banner, which uses the neo-fascist group‘s signature colors, also references the hot-button American Eagle ad. “She has the best blue genes,” the banner says. Note “genes,” not “jeans.” It’s worth remembering that President Trump during a 2020 presidential debate ordered the Proud Boys to “stand back and stand by” when pressed about condemning right-wing violent extremists.

It’s unclear who put up the banner bearing the far-right group’s name, according to ABC7.

A representative for Sweeney did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment on Friday.

Earlier this month, jeans retailer American Eagle dropped a string of commercials for its latest campaign featuring the “Euphoria” star. In one advertisement, the Emmy-nominated actor who is blond says, “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality and even eye color. My jeans are blue,” she says.

Posters for the American Eagle campaign also featured the totally innovative, never-before-seen wordplay on “jeans” and genes.” A slogan reads, “Sydney Sweeney has great genes,” with the final word crossed out and replaced with “jeans.”

Sweeney, who seems to have a penchant for odd marketing opportunities, and the ads quickly faced criticism on social media, with users alleging the campaign leaned into the language of eugenics. Eugenics is a discredited practice that essentially touted the idea of improving the human race through selective breeding. It gained traction in the early 20th century and was used as a justification for Hitler’s Nazi Germany to wipe out millions of Jewish people, and U.S. authorities to forcibly sterilize more than 60,000 people in California and more than 30 other states.

In an attempt to quell the ire, American Eagle posted a statement stating that its campaign “is and always was about the jeans.”

Sweeney and the American Eagle campaign notably found support among the conservative crowd — it wasn’t the first time for the 27-year-old “Immaculate” actor. Days after the ad dropped, public records revealing her most recent voter registration history resurfaced, unveiling she registered as a Republican in June 2024. Trump found that irresistible to post about on his Truth Social platform.

“Sydney Sweeney, a registered Republican, has the ‘HOTTEST’ ad out there. It’s for American Eagle, and the jeans are ‘flying off the shelves.’ Go get ‘em Sydney!” he posted Monday. In an earlier version of his post, Trump misspelled the actor’s name as “Sidney Sweeney.”

He also used the post to diss brands he claimed used “woke” marketing, including Jaguar and Bud Light. Trump also couldn’t resist throwing shade at pop star Taylor Swift, who openly endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris during the 2024 presidential election.

Amid the fashion fracas and social media discourse, it seems neither Sweeney nor American Eagle had anything to lose.

Sweeney shrugged off her latest bout of controversy last week as she was spotted doing karaoke with some “Euphoria” co-stars in Santa Monica. She also hit the red carpet on Monday to promote her latest film, “Americana,” from writer-director Tony Tost.

American Eagle, on the other hand, saw its stock surge this week.

Thanks to a lazy pun that’s as uninspired as the jeans it’s meant to sell, a series of American Eagle Outfitters ads starring 27-year-old actor Sydney Sweeney have sparked a culture war.

In one of several videos associated with the retailer’s campaign, the accomplished performer who also happens to be a blond bombshell says, “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality and even eye color. My jeans are blue,” she says, as the camera pans from her blue denim outfit to her blue eyes.

In another video, Sweeney defaces an American Eagle billboard that reads “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans,” crossing out the word “jeans” and replacing it with “genes.”

Jeans. Genes. Get it? Of course you do. It’s as basic as it gets. But that didn’t stop folks from assigning incredible complexity to the ads.

American Eagle Outfitters is accused of leaning into the language of eugenics to sell its mall wear. Eugenics is the absurd and bigoted theory that the human race can be perfected (i.e. made more Caucasian) through selective breeding. Eugenics gained traction in the early 20th century, most notably in Nazi Germany, where Hitler sought to create a master Aryan race, perpetrating unspeakable atrocities including the Holocaust.

Now there’s an argument across social media: Did Sweeney and the retailer play fast and loose with eugenics to sell jeans? Or is it just another distraction from a much scarier reality that “the great replacement theory” — a touchstone conspiracy among white supremacists that an “inferior” non-white population will displace them — is driving American policy and state-sanctioned actions? I pick Option 2.

Sleuthing for hidden white-power messaging in an otherwise playful commercial is easier than contending with the militarized xenophobia right in front of us. It’s happening on our streets, where immigrants with no criminal record are being kidnapped, then locked up and, in many cases, deported with no due process.

Too heavy? Let’s get back to the jeans/genes (again, who thought this pun was clever?). Commentary about the ad has proliferated across social media, where lefties, MAGAs and nondenominational Sweeney haters are chiming in, calling the ad a “Nazi dog whistle,” an excuse for a “woke freak out,” more evidence that “Western ideals of beauty” still dominate, and indisputable proof that Sweeney should remain a perennial target for those who still can’t separate the actor from the insufferable characters she played so well on “Euphoria” and “White Lotus.”

The American Eagle Outfitters’ fall campaign features “the Sydney Jean,” which was created in partnership with Sweeney, and revenue from sales of the jeans will be donated to the Crisis Text Line. According to its website, it’s a “nonjudgmental organization that champions mental well-being and aims to support people of every race, ethnicity, political affiliation, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, socioeconomic status, and other backgrounds.”

Hardly Third Reich fare.

Yet the clothing line’s ad has been called “regressive” and racist, and one critic wrote in Slate: “These days, a blond, blue-eyed white woman being held up as the exemplar of ‘great genes’ is a concept that maybe shouldn’t have made it past the copywriters room.”

Never missing a chance to complain about complainers, White House communications manager Steven Cheung posted: “Cancel culture run amok. This warped, moronic and dense liberal thinking is a big reason why Americans voted the way they did in 2024. They’re tired of this bull—.” Former Fox News host Megyn Kelly took the opportunity to troll the opposition when she wrote Tuesday on X, “I love how the leftist meltdown over the Sydney Sweeney ad has only resulted in a beautiful white blonde girl with blue eyes getting 1000x the exposure for her ‘good genes.’”

American Eagle posted on Instagram Friday that it stands by its campaign. “‘Sydney Sweeney has great jeans’ is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story,” said the statement. “We’ll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone.”

It’s not the first time Sweeney’s actions have been used as fodder in a culture war. Her 2024 hosting gig on “SNL” included a sketch where she was dressed as a Hooters waitress, complete with ample cleavage. The skit satirized her standing as a sex symbol. MAGA bros saw it as the end of woke because Sweeney is “hot” and she made a joke about her boobs. Yes, even that was politicized.

So now that I’ve spent all this space explaining the unnecessary freak-out over a jeans ad, can we focus on a campaign that should spur just as much, if not more, condemnation?

The Department of Homeland Security has been posting images on its X account with captions that the father of eugenics, Sir Francis Galton, would have approved. On July 23, the DHS posted an image of a 19th century painting titled “American Progress” depicting Manifest Destiny, the religious belief that it was the right and duty of the United States to expand from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. The DHS caption (with its curious usage of uppercase letters): “A Heritage to be proud of, a Homeland worth Defending.” If you aren’t Indigenous, of course.

A week or so before that, “A Prayer for a New Life,” artist Morgan Weistling’s westward-expansion-era scene featuring a white family in a covered wagon making their way across golden plains. The DHS shared the image with the caption, “Remember your Homeland’s Heritage.” Aside from getting the name of the painting wrong, they inferred that this was the heritage we all share. There was no footnote for First Lady Melania Trump, Sen. Marco Rubio, Trump advisor Stephen Miller, Vice President JD Vance’s wife, Usha, SCOTUS’ Clarence Thomas and millions more whose American origin story doesn’t resemble “Little House on the Prairie.” So can we freak out about that, instead?

Apparently not, because now armchair Nazi hunters are pivoting to a Dunkin’ Donuts ad featuring “The Summer I Turned Pretty” star Gavin Casalegno, who delivers a tongue-in-cheek monologue about his role as the “king of summer.”

“Look, I didn’t ask to be the king of summer, it just kinda happened,” he says. “This tan? Genetics.”

Maybe just stick with the Ben Affleck Dunkin’ ad, where nary a g-word is spoken.

Australia may join more than a dozen other nations in recognising the state of Palestine.

Tens of thousands of demonstrators have marched across the Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia, calling for peace and aid deliveries in the war-ravaged Gaza Strip, where a humanitarian crisis of man-made starvation has been worsening as a result of Israel’s punishing blockade.

Pro-Palestinian protesters braved heavy winds and rain on Sunday to march across the bridge, chanting “Ceasefire Now” and “Free Palestine”. Some of those attending the march, which the organisers dubbed the “March for Humanity”, carried pots and pans as symbols of the forced starvation wracking Gaza.

The protest came less than a week after a joint statement by Australia and more than a dozen other nations expressed the “willingness or the positive consideration … to recognise the state of Palestine as an essential step towards the two-State solution”.

France, Britain and Canada have in recent weeks voiced, and in some cases qualified, intentions to diplomatically recognise a Palestinian state as international concern and criticism have grown over the hunger crisis in Gaza.

At least 175 people, including 93 children, have died of starvation and malnutrition across the territory since Israel launched its war on Gaza after the Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel in October 2023, according to the latest Gaza Health Ministry figures.

Australia has called for an end to the war in Gaza, but has so far stopped short of a decision to recognise a Palestinian state.

Police said that up to 90,000 people had attended the protest while the organiser, Palestine Action Group Sydney, said in a Facebook post that as many as 300,000 people may have marched.

Marchers ranged from the elderly to families with young children. Among them was WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who did not address the crowd or speak to the media.

Mehreen Faruqi, the New South Wales senator for the left-wing Greens party, addressed the crowd gathered at central Sydney’s Lang Park, calling for the “harshest sanctions on Israel”, accusing its forces of “massacring” Palestinians.

Antony Loewenstein, author of The Palestine Laboratory, a book on the Israeli arms and surveillance industry, who spoke at the rally, told Al Jazeera that protesters are “outraged” not just by what Israel is doing in Gaza, but also by the Australian government’s “complicity”.

Loewenstein said that Australia has, for many years, including since the start of the war, been part of the global supply chain for the F-35 fighter jets that Israel has been using in attacking the besieged territory.

“A lot of Australians are aware of this,” he said. “We are deeply complicit, and people are angry that their government is doing little more than talk at this point.”

The program for the upcoming Toronto International Film Festival came into sharper view with Monday’s announcement of the majority of titles for the event’s galas and special presentations section. Along with TIFF’s news, some of the larger fall festival and awards season is also beginning to take shape.

Toronto, long known as a powerful showcase for launching awards-hungry and commercially ambitious fall titles, has been seen as losing some of its strength in recent years to festivals in Cannes, Venice and Telluride. This year’s TIFF program, which marks its 50th edition, will be closely watched for how its titles are received not only at the festival itself, but in the months ahead.

Among the notable world premieres in Monday’s announcement are Aziz Ansari’s feature directorial debut “Good Fortune,” a comedy of identity-swapping and self-discovery starring Ansari and Seth Rogen with Keanu Reeves as an inept angel, and James Vanderbilt’s “Nuremberg” starring Russell Crowe as imprisoned Nazi Hermann Göring, with Rami Malek as the psychiatrist tasked with interviewing him.

Maude Apatow will make her feature directorial debut with “Poetic License,” starring her mother Leslie Mann alongside Andrew Barth Feldman and Cooper Hoffman. “True Detective” creator Nic Pizzolatto will also make his feature directing bow with “Easy’s Waltz,” a drama of down-on-their-luck entertainers starring Vince Vaughn and Al Pacino.

TIFF will host the world premiere of Bobby Farrelly’s comedy “Driver’s Ed,” starring Kumail Nanjiani, Sam Nivola and Molly Shannon. Alex Winter directs and also appears in the comedy “Adulthood” alongside Josh Gad, Kaya Scodelario and Billie Lourd. David Mackenzie’s crime thriller “Fuze” stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Sam Worthington, Theo James and Gugu Mbatha-Raw.

Baz Luhrman will unveil “EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert,” which utilizes previously unseen footage the director discovered while researching his 2022 film “Elvis.” The result is what Luhrman has described as “not specifically a documentary, nor a concert film.”

Saoirse Ronan stars in “Bad Apples,” which is premiering at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival.

(Republic Pictures )

Other world premieres include Jonathan Etzler’s “Bad Apples,” starring Saoirse Ronan; David Michôd’s “Christy,” starring Sydney Sweeney as boxer Christy Martin; and Alice Winocour’s fashion world drama “Couture,” starring Angelina Jolie.

At this stage in the season, interpreting how a Toronto title is announced can give some clues as to where it may be popping up beforehand. “International Premiere” can mean a title is also first playing a week earlier at Telluride, while “North American Premiere” can mean something is playing first at Venice. “Canadian Premiere” means it is likely playing both Telluride and Venice (or already premiered at Cannes) before coming to Toronto.

The only title listed as an international premiere is Clint Bentley’s “Train Dreams,” which premiered earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival.

North American premieres likely headed to Venice include Gus Van Sant’s “Dead Man’s Wire,” starring Bill Skarsgård and Colman Domingo; Guillermo del Toro’s “Frankenstein,” starring Oscar Isaac and Jacob Elordi; Mark Jenkin’s “Rose of Nevada,” starring Calum Turner and George MacKay; Mona Fastvold’s “The Testament of Ann Lee,” starring Amanda Seyfried; and Benny Safdie’s “The Smashing Machine,” starring Dwayne Johnson.

Canadian premieres include Edward Berger’s “Ballad of a Small Player” starring Colin Farrell; Jafar Panahi’s Cannes-winning “It Was Just an Accident”; Richard Linklater’s “Nouvelle Vague,” about the making of Jean-Luc Godard’s “Breathless”; Kleber Mendonça Filho’s “The Secret Agent,” which won best actor at Cannes for Wagner Moura; Daniel Roher’s “Tuner,” starring Leo Woodall and Dustin Hoffman; and Joachim Trier’s “Sentimental Value,” starring Stellan Skarsgård and Renate Reinsve.

Michaela Coel, left, and Ian McKellen star in “The Christophers,” which is premiering at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival.

(Department M / Butler & Sklar Production)

Toronto’s previously announced titles include the opening night selection “John Candy: I Like Me,” a documentary on the beloved Canadian-born actor, directed by Colin Hanks and produced by Ryan Reynolds, as well as the world premiere of Rian Johnson’s third Benoit Blanc film starring Daniel Craig, “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery.”

Other previously announced world premieres include Derek Cianfrance’s “Roofman,” starring Channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst; Nicholas Hytner’s “The Choral,” starring Ralph Fiennes; Paul Greengrass’ “The Lost Bus,” starring Matthew McConaughey; Hikari’s “Rental Family,” starring Brendan Fraser; Nia DaCosta’s “Hedda,” starring Tessa Thompson; Steven Soderbergh’s “The Christophers,” starring Ian McKellen and Michaela Coel; and Agnieszka Holland’s “Franz,” a biopic of Franz Kafka.

Other titles already announced for TIFF that will be premiering elsewhere include the Canadian premiere of Chloé Zhao’s highly anticipated “Hamnet,” starring Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley; and the North American premiere of Rebecca Zlotowski’s “A Private Life,” starring Jodie Foster, which premiered at Cannes.

More of the Toronto program will be announced in the coming days and weeks, including the Platform section for emerging voices and the popular Midnight Madness section. This year’s Toronto International Film Festival runs from Sept. 4 to 14.

CAPTAIN COOK’S ship, HMS Endeavour, which the adventurer used to explore Australia, has been identified after a 250 year long mystery.

The vessel was the first European ship to reach Eastern Australia, in 1770, and went on to circumnavigate the main islands of New Zealand.

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It was then sold, renamed the Lord Sandwich and was last seen in the US in 1778, during the American War of Independence.

During the war, the ship was scuttled (intentionally sunk) to create a blockade to prevent French ships from entering the harbour and supporting the American forces. 

And it has now been confirmed that a shipwreck off Newport Harbour, Rhode Island, USA, called RI 2394, is in fact the HMS Endeavour.

In a new report the Australian National Maritime Museum (ANMM) announced the verdict, after 25 years of studying the wreck.

“This final report is the culmination of 25 years of detailed and meticulous archaeological study on this important vessel”, said museum director Daryl Karp.

“It has involved underwater investigation in the US and extensive research in institutions across the globe.”

“This final report marks our definitive statement on the project.”

The ship was hard to identify because anything that would have been of value, such as a bell, would have been stripped from the boat before it was intentionally sunk.

However, experts were able to determine that the shipwreck is the lost ship by comparing it with plans for the Endeavour.

For example, they discovered timbers which matched with the placement of the main and fore masts of the ship.

Additionally, measurements from the wreck corresponded to those taken during a 1768 survey of the ship.

Analysis of the ship’s wood also revealed that it had come from Europe, which is consistent with records show that the Endeavour was repaired there in 1776.

ANMM archaeologist, Kieran Hosty, said: “We’ll never find anything on this site that screams Endeavour. You’ll never find a sign saying ‘Cook was here’. 

“We will never see a ship’s bell with Endeavour crossed out and Lord Sandwich inscribed on it.

“We’ve got a whole series of things pointing to RI 2394 as being HMB Endeavour. 

“The timbers are British timbers. 

“The size of all the timber scantlings are almost identical to Endeavour, and I’m talking within millimetres – not inches, but millimetres. 

“The stem scarf is identical, absolutely identical. 

“This stem scarf is also a very unique feature – we’ve gone through a whole bunch of 18th-century ships plans, and we can’t find anything else like it.”

However, the Rhode Island Marine Archaeology Project previously said the identification is “premature” and has not yet ruled out that the Endeavour could be another shipwreck .

Only 15 percent of the ship remains and researchers are now focused on what to do to preserve it.

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JAI OPETAIA inflicted the “worst broken jaw ever seen” by the doctor who saved Caludio Squeo’s face.

Australia’s 29-year-old cruiserweight king had to defend his IBF crown against the brave Italian on Sunday night.

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And he did so with his trademark ruthless brilliance, battering the previously unbeaten man inside five one-sided rounds.

A body shot dropped Squeo in the fourth and a lead right hook from the South Coast southpaw in the fifth broke his mouth and dreams.

Opetaia’s Tasman team looked after the 34-year-old, rushing him to hospital where he got expert care and the diagnoses that left him needing a minimum of THREE metal plates to reinforce his jaw.

“He has two breaks,” Dr Shannon Webber explained to the team in a video shared – with full permission – with SunSport.

“He was obviously clipped here and then it’s gone ‘BANG’.

“And, when there is one fracture, there is always an exit break. It’s like a ring that always breaks in two spots.

“And there is a piece of fragmented bone left floating in his left cheek.”

Despite the brutal injuries suffered, as soon as Squeo came out of theatre, he helped praise on Opetaia and his classy team for their phenomenal assault on thr 14st 4lbs division and their decency outside the ropes.

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“I just came out of surgery to fix the two fractures I sustained in my jaw during the match,” he explained.

“The operation went very well. I’m fine.

“I learned right after the match that Opetaia was concerned about my condition and told his team to take care of me in every way possible.

“This shows us who the current IBF heavyweight champion truly is – not just a boxing phenomenon – but a real man, endowed with great sensitivity and heart.

“This is a boxing story driven by extreme men, filled with incredible tension, but also by boundless mutual respect.”

Opetaia – who overcame a broken jaw during his gruelling 2022 win over Mairis Briedis – now has a unification against Gilberto Ramirez on his wish list.

“Next fight Zurdo Ramirez, he’s mentioned me, he’s told me he will fight me next after his mandatory,” Opetaia said.

“Let’s get it on, I’m chasing that belt, let’s go.”

4

4

OK, which focus group asked for soap made from Sydney Sweeney’s dirty bathwater? Because y’all are in trouble.

In announcing the limited-edition Sydney’s Bathwater Bliss product Thursday, boutique soap company Dr. Squatch said on social media that it exists because “y’all wouldn’t stop asking” for Soap á la Sweeney after the actor did a viral ad for the company last October. “And Sydney said, ‘Let’s do it.’”

So whoever “y’all” is should have to stay up late writing apologies to the rest of us. In cursive.

The soap is said to smell like Sweeney’s childhood homeland, the Pacific Northwest, so anyone who has a warm and innocent association with that area’s pine, Douglas fir and earthy moss essence is likely to have that completely ruined. Of course, if you associate those scents with the parfum de décolleté et de parties féminines — that’s some kind of French for the “scent of cleavage and lady parts” — this soap should make perfect sense.

“Nice humiliation ritual you’ve got going here,” X user @AzBeto1997 tweeted Friday about the soap, which the company swears includes bathwater that has actually touched Sweeney’s naked body. “Way to demean and diminish your customer base. If it were a joke it’d be funny.”

“Weird and gross. I’ve enjoyed the pine tar soap for several years now, but this is goodbye. Enjoy your bath water fetishist customers,” user @MarvinOMars wrote.

“I guarantee you most straight men find the Sydney Sweeney soap thing pretty gross,” @UnderstanderArt said. “She’s not appealing to all straight men with it, but a very particular group that I want nothing to do with.”

Over on Instagram, comments about the limited run of 5,000 bars of soap, on sale next week, seemed more charitable. One poster said the Dr. Squatch marketing department and Sweeney “need an award for this. Hilarious and awesome.”

“We’re not going to heaven, but this is close enough,” another wrote.

“Never will I be in a greater state of absolute bliss than whilst I use this holy concoction, in the form of a bar of soap, to rub across my body,” wrote a third.

Some comments invoked the infamous bathtub scene from “Saltburn.” Many alluded to masturbation. A lot of them were seriously hilarious. All of them suggested in their own quiet ways that the fall of Western civilization was imminent.

“This bar is bizarre, unexpected, and intended to get guys to think more deeply about the ingredients in the products they are putting on their bodies,” said John Ludeke, the Dr. Squatch executive who heads the company’s global marketing department.

So buy the soap, don’t buy the soap, we really don’t care. Remember, this is the same company that insured Nick Cannon’s testicles for $10 million.

Irish Spring, here we come.