Everything is sweet and light with the anticipated release of Wonka – the origin story of Roald Dahl’s eccentric candy man.
Critical feedback has been positive (so far) and it’s on track to make at least $40 million in its opening weekend in the US on a budget of $125 million: not stratospheric, but not too shabby either.
However, you don’t have to drink too much from the chocolate fountain to notice a slightly bitter aftertaste.
At first there was surprise – and some ridicule – when trailers for the Warner Bros. film were released that didn’t feature any singing. The film is a musical and lead actor Timothee Chalamet can actually sing, but you wouldn’t know it from the commercials.
Film research guru Kevin Goetz told the website Puck that it was likely a deliberate strategy to avoid losing potential viewers. “Musicals haven’t worked in the last few years,” he said.
And then, seriously, there’s the clumsy “joke” about Hamas that Chalamet made when he began the promotional tour for the film almost a month ago. On November 11, 35 days after the terrorist group’s mass murder in Israel that sparked a war, Chalamet performed a skit on Saturday Night Live in which he pretended to be the frontman of a band called Hamas (pronounced “Haymus”) be. .
There’s the clumsy “joke” about Hamas that Chalamet made when he began the promotional tour for the film almost a month ago
Critical feedback has been positive (so far) and the film is on track to gross at least $40 million in its opening weekend in the US against a budget of $125 million
Since the SNL sketch aired, hundreds of negative comments have been posted on Chalamet’s Instagram account – where he is followed by 18.4 million fans
Suicidal because no one is listening to his music, he changes his mind (on the window ledge) when three passersby offer to post it on social media. Until he spells their name.
Since the SNL sketch aired, hundreds of negative comments have been posted on Chalamet’s Instagram account – where he is followed by 18.4 million fans. Dozens are simply saying “Boycott Wonka.” Others accused the actor of “supporting genocide” and displaying “white privilege.” Many say they will never see a film with Chalamet and are no longer fans. Some comments contain the Palestinian flag or the phrase “Free Palestine.”
One poster read: “Tell me, how does it feel to make jokes about genocide like it’s nothing.” This attracted 2,167 likes. Another says: “Unfollowed you.” Maybe you don’t care, but you can’t support someone who thinks there’s some kind of humor in killing children.”
Chalamet himself has not yet commented on the controversy.
Buckle up, Timmy! The famous five are driving again
Timmy the dog is one of Enid Blyton’s Famous Five – along with two-legged pals Julian, Dick, George and Anne – and the BBC has tapped Kip, a bearded collie mix (and film veteran), to play the role in an upcoming one Adaptation casts its Christmas highlights.
The BBC has cast Kip, a bearded collie mix (and film veteran), in the role in an upcoming adaptation, one of its Christmas highlights
So far, Kip’s work has been exclusively commercial, mostly in vacuum cleaners (he has appeared in advertisements for both Shark and Dyson). But everyone involved said he enjoyed the BBC filming in Cornwall and got on brilliantly with the children. Handler Rosie Ison, who lives in Bracknell, Berks, said: “He really loved filming on the beach.”
The first of three 90-minute dramas, The Curse Of Kirrin Island, arrives on CBBC and iPlayer on December 9 (a broadcast on BBC One follows), with the others arriving early in the new year.
The shows were directed by Nicolas Winding Refn of Drive and produced by Matthew Read of Peaky Blinders.
Nicolas Cage is receiving some of the best reviews of his career for his work in “Dream Scenario,” in which he plays a mild-mannered college professor who becomes a literal overnight sensation after appearing in everyone’s dreams.
Nicolas Cage is receiving some of the best reviews of his career for his work in “Dream Scenario,” in which he plays a mild-mannered college professor
Cage says he had a similar experience in real life when film clips of him went viral. The actor said he woke up one morning and “made the mistake” of Googling himself. What he found was “this mash-up called “Nic Cage Loses His You-Know-What””. “It was just a matter of picking out all the moments of crisis in the different characters I played.”
Cage described the experience as “memeified.” “I couldn’t stop it. I couldn’t control it. It just started growing exponentially… and then it went into memes and t-shirts. And I thought, “Boy, I don’t know what to do with this.”
“But when I read Dream Scenario, I thought, ‘Yes, I could apply this experience to this person.'”
J-Lo brings us Bennifer, the album… and the movie!
Many famous people complain about focusing on their personal lives, but J-Lo – actress, singer, businesswoman – has gained attention by making an album AND a film about her extraordinary marriage to actor Ben Affleck.
Lopez and Affleck were engaged back in 2004 (when they were collectively known as “Bennifer”) but split.
She subsequently married three times (to actor and producer Ojani Noa, choreographer and dancer Chris Judd, and singer-songwriter Marc Anthony), while he married actress Jennifer Garner (they divorced in 2018). You might think that would be enough walking down the aisle for anyone, but after rekindling love in 2021, the two tied the knot last year and now have a blended family – and a $60 million marriage. Mega mansion in Beverly Hills.
Many famous people complain about focusing on their personal lives, but J-Lo – actress, singer, businesswoman – has turned heads by making an album AND a movie
The album – J-Lo’s first new studio release in ten years – is titled This Is Me… Now. Released on February 16th, it is a riff on their 2002 album This Is Me… Then and features a track called Dear Ben Pt II, a follow-up to the earlier album Dear Ben.
And that’s not all. Inspired by the album, she has also written a film about their love story with the help of her Oscar-winning husband, which will feature music from the LP (are you joining us?).
Also coming to Prime Video on February 16, This Is Me… Now: The film will tell the slightly fictionalized version of their love story – with J-Lo and Affleck playing themselves.
A number of celebrity cameos are promised, and speculation suggests that everyone from Matt Damon to Ellen DeGeneres could be involved.
A trailer released this week shows J-Lo repeating Gene Kelly’s famous twirl around a lamppost from Singin’ In The Rain.
Richard Osman says it is unlikely he will make a cameo appearance in Steven Spielberg’s upcoming film adaptation of his hit novel The Thursday Murder Club because he is too famous and too big.
“I guess in a country where they don’t show Pointless I could almost get away with it.” But if the film were shown in the UK it would look strange. A scene with Richard Osman lurking in the background. I’m six feet tall, so I’m not easy to hide.’
Filming for the film “Thursday Murder Club” begins in the spring.
Holly Willoughby, who left This Morning this year, is in a row with HMRC over her Girl Power talent agency.
Willoughby, 42, founded Roxy Management in 2020 after deciding to take charge of her own management.
Holly Willoughby, who left This Morning this year, is in a row with HMRC over her Girl Power talent agency
However, the company has been issued an initial termination notice by HMRC because its invoices are overdue.
A friend of Willoughby said the reports were not filed due to the trauma resulting from the alleged kidnapping plot, which led to her leaving the show.
Gruffudd’s Ex: I have to work at Starbucks to feed our kids
Actress Alice Evans is in financial dire straits – and has told friends she can’t pay her rent or afford food and is considering taking a job at Starbucks.
Evans, 55, is in the middle of a marathon divorce battle with actor Ioan Gruffudd. She has told friends that the money she received from the sale of her marital home in Los Angeles, believed to be $100,000, is gone – much of it going to lawyers – and she is now in a financial crisis.
A friend said: “Alice was extremely upset, saying that she couldn’t afford to pay the rent when the rent was due later this month – at least not if she wanted to eat – and that she was just hitting rock bottom financially “I’ve achieved it.” She has nothing… not even health insurance.
“This week she was talking about getting a job at Starbucks, but she thinks they might not want her since at 55 she’s probably too old for them. Besides, her agent doesn’t want her to do it because it looks bad.’
Actress Alice Evans, who is in the middle of a marathon divorce battle with actor Ioan Gruffudd, is in financial dire straits – and has told friends she can’t pay her rent or afford food
The friend added: “She’s desperate and has no idea how to cope. “She cried herself to sleep.”
Evans and Gruffudd (pictured) are divorced, but custody, spousal and child support for their daughters Ella, 14, and Elsie, ten, have yet to be resolved and the next hearing in the case is scheduled for March.
Her life imploded two years ago after the sudden end of her marriage to Gruffudd, whom she met on the set of the film 102 Dalmatians. Evans announced on Twitter in January 2021 that he was leaving his family.
Gruffudd, 50, famous for the ITV drama Liar and the film Fantastic Four, went public in October 2021 with his new girlfriend Bianca Wallace, 31, an aspiring actress.
In June 2022, Evans started a Go Fund Me page asking for $25,000 to pay her bills. She was granted a restraining order following a hearing in August 2022 after Gruffudd claimed her social media posts were false and amounted to harassment. In June this year, daughter Ella filed for a restraining order against Gruffudd after a disagreement arose during a custody visit at the home he shares with Wallace. This was later withdrawn.
In August, a judge granted Gruffudd’s request to appoint an “evaluator” by a child psychiatrist and ruled that Evans must take Ella and Elsie to weekly sessions with a “reunification therapist.”
Media personality turned media personality Fred Sirieix surprised some I’m A Celebrity viewers with his toned body. It turns out his secret is boxing – although he has a checkered history in the ring.
In 2012, before he found fame on Channel 4’s First Dates, he decided to organize a charity boxing show, the highlight of which was a fight between himself and MasterChef star Marcus Wareing.
Media personality turned media personality Fred Sirieix surprised some I’m A Celebrity viewers with his toned body
“I told him a little about the tournament and then said, ‘Hey Marcus, do you want to fight me?'” Sirieix recalled in his 2017 memoir Secret Service. Wareing’s response to his challenge was, “You’re going to the hospital , Dude!”
Wareing was actually declared the winner after a “shambolic” final lap in which both men dueled on the field. But it was Wareing who went to hospital… after breaking his foot in the scuffle.
Sirieix commented: “Admittedly not the sort of injury you would associate with boxing.” “The rest of us went to a club and danced until the early hours of the next day while Marcus was in the accident and emergency department .”