Someone is on strike! Imelda Staunton, who plays the Queen in the prestigious Netflix series “The Crown,” will not be involved in promoting the series in the coming weeks because she is a member of the Hollywood actors union SAG-AFTRA and is therefore on strike .
Several other key members of the show’s cast are also SAG members, and that union has been taking industrial action since mid-July. Therefore, they will not walk the red carpet or do interviews on talk shows or radio to promote the show. They will also have to miss the show’s red carpet premiere next month.
Sources at Netflix indicate that Staunton will still be at the center of their campaign thanks to promotional materials, including photo shoots, conducted earlier this year before the strike took effect. And they promise a lot of advertising.
It is not yet clear who will be available to support the show, which costs £10 million per episode to produce, this autumn. Australian actress Elizabeth Debicki reprises her role as Princess Diana and Dominic West is back as Prince Charles.
The first episodes focus on Diana’s death in a car accident in Paris and the series ends with the wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla.
Imelda Staunton, who plays the role of the Queen in the prestigious Netflix series The Crown, will not be involved in promoting the series in the coming weeks as she is a member of the Hollywood actors union SAG-AFTRA and is therefore on strike . She is pictured on the picket line in July with her husband Jim Cartyer
Sources at Netflix indicate that Staunton will still be at the center of their campaign thanks to promotional materials, including photo shoots, conducted earlier this year before the strike took effect. And they promise a lot of advertising. She is depicted as the queen in “The Crown.”
A source says: “They don’t have a cast supporting the show.” . It’s an industry-wide problem.” Last month, the streamer launched the final series of its hit Sex Education without interviews from the cast, including Gillian Anderson and new Doctor Who Ncuti Gatwa.
This summer, Staunton appeared at a SAG-AFTRA solidarity protest in the UK with her husband Jim Carter, who plays the butler Mr. Carson on Downton Abbey.
She seemed to take direct aim at her paymasters at Netflix, saying: “The streaming services seem to be paying themselves and not the creators.” The AI issue is there. We need to talk about what impact it will have on people’s financial situation.
“Most actors and most writers and performers seem to be at the bottom of the list when it comes to salary.”
Husband Carter said, “I’ve been here today as an Equity member for over 50 years to stand behind SAG-AFTRA.” I fully support it. Most Equity members do this because their fight is our fight. What they are doing is absolutely right and I applaud them.” He explained: “It’s about the remaining stocks.” “We are not being paid properly for our work.”
Negotiations between the studios and streamers as well as the actors’ union are ongoing. (Although the writers’ strike has since been resolved.) This means The Crown writer Peter Morgan can support the show.
Maya’s offer of her life – to her father
Nobody imagines a mobster, but actor Ethan Hawke has explained that daughter Maya made him an offer he couldn’t refuse… to direct her new film Wildcat.
The film is about American writer Flannery O’Connor and was a passion project for Maya, 25, his daughter and his first wife, actress Uma Thurman.
Hawke said Maya, who plays Robin Buckley in Stranger Things and recently starred in Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City, considered the author a “spirit guide” and had been a fan since she was young.
Ethan Hawke has explained that daughter Maya made him an offer he couldn’t refuse… to direct her new film Wildcat. Maya Hawke is pictured during Paris Fashion Week last month
The film is about American writer Flannery O’Connor and was a passion project for Maya, 25, his daughter and his first wife, actress Uma Thurman. Ethan and Maya Hawke are pictured at the 2018 Film Independent Spirit Awards in Los Angeles
The 52-year-old actor said: “When Stranger Things came out, Maya started having success.” She wanted to acquire the rights to Flannery O’Connor and wanted to make a film about her.
‘My wife [Ryan Shawhughes] and I run a small production company – and she approached us. She had the rights and said, “I want you to help me make this movie.” And how are you going to say no, right?’
Reviews for “Wildcat” were mixed to say the least, but Hawke enjoyed the experience.
“It is extremely easy to give instructions to your daughter because the love is there.” And I observe not only our love, but also the love of performing and the love of writing. This film is largely a celebration of the power of literature. But when love is in the room, all these lesser powers are weakened.”
The cast of Ghosts picked up plenty of souvenirs from the set of the hit BBC One sitcom, which is coming to an end after five series.
Actor Laurence Rickard grabbed the severed head of Sir Humphrey Bone, who he played.
“It’s sitting in a clear box in my living room while I decide where to put it,” he said.
“My five-year-old son suddenly has a lot of questions!” I’m waiting for the day when he goes to school for a show and tell and says, “Look, I brought my father’s head with me.”
The cast of Ghosts picked up plenty of souvenirs from the set of the hit BBC One sitcom, which is coming to an end after five series
The Disney duo behind Frozen are hoping their biggest wish will come true
Will Disney’s wishes soon come true? The studio, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, is expecting to release a new animated film, Wish, from the makers of the mega-hit “Frozen.”
A trailer for the film, which mixes traditional watercolor-style animation with cutting-edge CGI, is the company’s most-watched trailer since Frozen II in 2019.
Within days of its release this week, it racked up 66.5 million views online and counting, and is the most viewed Disney trailer on TikTok.
That bodes well for next month’s release and means Disney’s luck could soon change, after the recent disappointments of Indiana Jones: The Dial Of Destiny, Haunted Mansion and Encanto; Not to mention last year’s mega-flop Strange World.
Disney’s Chief Creative Officer Jennifer Lee came to London earlier this year to show some footage from Wish and share her enthusiasm for the project, which is about a young woman named Asha who grants a wish to a star – and in the end has a sentient star as a girlfriend.
Lee said: “It’s been five years since we’ve talked about anything for the Disney 100th anniversary this year.” This film is about wonder and the possibility of hope. It’s about celebrating life – and also having some delicious villains.”
Chief among these villains is Chris Pine as King Magnifico, who rules over the magical kingdom of Rosas. He has two songs that Lee believes will surprise audiences (in a good way) since he has a great singing voice.
Disney, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, is expecting to release a new animated film, Wish, from the makers of the mega-hit “Frozen.” Pictured is a scene from Wish
Chris Buck – who co-directed “Frozen” with Lee and created the adorable snowman Olaf – introduced them to the cute sidekick in that film: a goat in pajamas named Valentino. He helps Asha, played by West Side Story star Ariana DeBose.
There are many references to Disney classics. Asha, for example, has seven friends – based on the seven dwarves from Snow White.
But it’s not all nostalgia. The music comes from Julia Michaels, the 29-year-old singer-songwriter behind Justin Bieber’s “Sorry” and hits for Selena Gomez and Britney, among others. I expect music to be part of many school runs by the end of the term.
Oh, and the Lego sets based on the characters were released this week in time for the festive market.
Lee, who rose to the top at Disney with considerable grace, said to me, ‘Can you believe it’s been 10 years since Frozen? And I haven’t aged a day.’
Reverend Kate Bottley suffers from misophonia – meaning she gets a “loud rage” when she hears people chewing loudly.
The TV and radio presenter says she had to move carriages after she was annoyed by a loud apple eater.
And crunchies, soup slurpers and chewing gum fans should also beware… especially when they see her taking off her office collar.
Pastor Kate Bottley (depicted in this cartoon) suffers from misophonia – meaning she gets a “loud rage” when she hears people chewing loudly
Bottley told That Gaby Roslin Podcast: “Sometimes you just think, ‘I’m done being nice today.’ I have to take the dog collar off because otherwise I’m going to lose it. I’m PR for Jesus here, so I’m going to let him down, that’s what I always think.’
It seems that not even the family is safe. “I’ve been with my husband for 30 years and some days I have to choose to love this boy.” “He eats chips and I want to punch him in the head.”
How a dog named Six-Thirty is about to become famous worldwide
He’s one of the most famous literary dogs, so great care was taken in casting Six-Thirty, the canine hero of Lessons In Chemistry, when Apple TV+ made its prestige drama series from Bonnie Garmus’s hit book.
As readers will recall, the mixed-breed rescue dog learns more than 900 words and is an important part of the family unit in the novel about Elizabeth Zott, a chemist who takes on a second role as host of a TV cooking show in the 1950s.
Brie Larson plays Zott: an unusual TV star and a role model for women’s liberation. In the new show, Six-Thirty is played by a Goldendoodle named Gus, who lives in Georgia with owner Steve Berens.
Brie Larson (pictured earlier this week at Paris Fashion Week) plays Zott: an unlikely TV star and a role model for women’s liberation. In the new show, Six-Thirty is played by a Goldendoodle named Gus, who lives in Georgia with owner Steve Berens
Gus filmed the series when he was just a year old and was “very relaxed about filming,” even though it was his first time in front of a camera.
Sources on the show say that Gus was a dream to work with and that he “loves everyone he meets.” Off camera, he enjoys playing ball and hanging out with his friends (a couple of Dobermans and a bulldog).
Series creator Lee Eisenberg said Gus was an accomplished performer. “He’ll probably be nominated for the award. We’re submitting him for all categories.”
Garmus said that Six-Thirty was based on her old dog Friday, who passed away. “Friday knew a lot of words like 5:30,” she said. “The only difference is that we didn’t teach her those words – she learned them by listening.”
“When we were transferred abroad to Switzerland, Freitag learned German. No joke.’
- Chemistry class will be streamed on Apple TV+ starting next Friday.
Don’t read too much into Paul McCartney’s Las Vegas weekend.
Last Friday, Macca attended the opening night of spectacular new music venue the Sphere to see U2. And the night after that he saw Adele at Caesars Palace.
But the former Beatle would “never” play in Las Vegas, pals say, no matter how much money was offered.
Paul McCartney (pictured in June 2022) would “never” play in Las Vegas, his friends say, no matter how much money was on offer
Cozy Crime is in its imperial phase, with Richard Osman’s latest installment of Thursday Murder Club, The Last Devil To Die, the fastest-selling adult fiction of the year. Osman is pictured in October 2015
Cozy Crime is in its imperial phase, with Richard Osman’s latest installment of Thursday Murder Club, The Last Devil To Die, the fastest-selling adult fiction of the year.
Now Rev. Richard Coles has signed a three-book deal for more of his Canon Clement crime novels.
Coles notes that his fictional village of Champton St. Mary is “already the second most dangerous settlement in England – after Midsomer.”
The Wild Boys betrayed
Duran Duran’s former manager will chronicle the band’s formation – and his sacking following the drum yacht disaster – in a film he is writing.
Michael Berrow was the group’s first manager along with his brother Paul. The pair ran the Rum Runner nightclub in Birmingham, where the band formed and had their first breakthrough in 1980.
Roger Taylor, the drummer, was commissioned to paint the Broad Street entrance to make money; and Simon Le Bon’s former girlfriend worked behind the bar and suggested her ex as frontman.
Duran Duran’s former manager will chronicle the band’s formation – and his sacking following the drum yacht disaster – in a film he is writing. Pictured: Members of the band Duran Duran, from left, Andy Taylor, Roger Taylor, Simon LeBon, Nick Rhodes and John Taylor in August 2003
Michael mortgaged his house so the band could appear as the support act for Hazel O’Connor’s megahype tour of the UK in 1980… which led to them signing with EMI in December of that year.
Five years of extraordinary success followed, during which the band and managers became extraordinarily rich.
Duran Duran split from the Berrows in 1986. No official reason was given at the time, but bassist John Taylor said in his 2012 autobiography that they felt the brothers were a bad influence on Le Bon and encouraged him to take part in the Whitbread Round The World Regatta.
The singer almost died when Drum, the yacht he co-owned with his managers, capsized during the 1985 Fastnet Race. Le Bon and the crew were trapped before being airlifted to safety by helicopter.