Julianne Moore ’s new role sees her touting a gun on screen, for the first time in 15 years. The Oscar winner takes the role of Madeline in Sharper , a movie she also co-produced. She co-stars with Sebastian Stan and John Lithgow in the thriller, which premieres in selected cinemas on February 10, before launching on Apple TV+ a week later. It will be novel to see Moore using a weapon, as she has avoided taking such roles for over a decade – in line with her activism for gun control in the US. Her last known role with a firearm was in 2007, in the thriller Next . She told the Times in London : “It’s not something I feel drawn to at all. I don’t find it appealing.” What made Sharper okay? Apparently, that it offers a kind of morality tale, with everything in the story going wrong as a result of her use of a weapon. Off-screen, Moore is the co-founder of pressure group Everytown for Gun Safety, whose website explains “10 million everyday Americans who … [Read more...] about Gun Control Campaigner Julianne Moore Holds A Firearm On Screen For First Time In 15 Years In ‘Sharper’
Opening night toronto film festival
‘Leaving Neverland’ Director Condemns New Michael Jackson Biopic
The proposed new Michael Jackson biopic will glorify a man who abused children, according to the director of Leaving Neverland . Filming is due to begin on the story of Jackson’s life, produced by Graham King (who previously produced the Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody , as well as The Departed ), with the cooperation of John Brace and John McClain, the co-executors of Jackson’s estate. Leaving Neverland ‘s director Dan Reed released his searing documentary in 2019, in which he interviewed at length two men – Wade Robson and James Safechuck – both of whom had been invited as children to stay with Jackson at his California ranch, and to accompany him on tour. In the four-hour documentary, Robson recounted how he was seven years old when the singer first raped him. Safechuck said he was aged 10 when he first suffered abuse by Jackson. In the UK’s Guardian, Reed writes : “No one is talking about “cancelling” this movie, which will glorify a man who raped … [Read more...] about ‘Leaving Neverland’ Director Condemns New Michael Jackson Biopic
New Podcasts On The Decline With ‘80% Drop Over Two Years’ – New Data Reveals
New podcasts are on the decline, according to numbers published by data provider Chartr . Analysts of international production figures have revealed that 2022 saw 219,00 podcasts making their debut – a sharp decline on the year before, when 729,000 new titles were released. This was already down on 2020 – peak pandemic lockdown – which saw the launch of 1,109,000 new podcasts. Kate Taylor, the founder of Feast Collective network supporting freelance podcasters, told the UK’’s Guardian : “It feels like we’re in that ‘difficult second album’ moment now, and of course there’s a lot to worry about. I would say sponsorship is harder to find now and that getting investors to understand the amount needed to do something properly is also harder.” To put things in perspective, the Guardian notes that an estimated three million podcasts are currently available across the world, mostly created in America and Brazil. Established titles are meanwhile continuing to create new … [Read more...] about New Podcasts On The Decline With ‘80% Drop Over Two Years’ – New Data Reveals
‘SNL’ Pokes Fun at Shooting Down of Chinese Spy Balloon
"Saturday Night Live" jumped on the Chinese spy balloon caper ... insinuating we made a way bigger deal of it that it actually was. Chloe Fineman played MSNBC's Katy Tur , conducting an interview with Bowen Yang , who was dressed as a large spy balloon that was bobbing in the ocean. "Well, you got me, congrats, you shot a balloon," Yang mockingly said. Fineman's response, "Wow, balloon, I'm sorry you're in the water, but thank you for speaking to us." Yang continued, “I entertain you people for four days, and then get shot by Biden. I can’t believe that I’m Joe’s Osama!" Earlier in the sketch, Fineman was joined on set by Keenan Thompson , playing a Pentagon official who detailed how the US shot down the spy balloon , and it's kinda hilarious. … [Read more...] about ‘SNL’ Pokes Fun at Shooting Down of Chinese Spy Balloon
Jennifer Hudson Honors Whitney Houston at Grammy party with ‘Greatest Love of All’
Jennifer Hudson brought the house down at Clive Davis 's pre-Grammy party Saturday night, with a rendition of "Greatest Love of All" that would have surely left Whitney Houston impressed. Kevin Costner , Whitney's "The Bodyguard" co-star, hopped on stage with a super emotional tribute to both Whitney and Clive. Speaking to Davis from the stage, Costner said, "Neither one of us, in the end, could protect your beloved Whitney." TMZ.com Costner went on ... "But your fingerprints on her life are clean my friend. You were a miracle in her life. Thank you for being her bodyguard, Clive. Everyone in this business has a mom, but not everyone has a Clive." Getty TMZ broke the story ... Whitney died of an overdose at the Beverly Hilton hotel back in 2012, just hours before Clive Davis's annual pre-Grammy bash. Davis was moved almost beyond words. … [Read more...] about Jennifer Hudson Honors Whitney Houston at Grammy party with ‘Greatest Love of All’