Russell Brand’s lawyer has told the jury there is “no evidence” that the comedian is “some kind of psychopath who rapes people and thinks it’s normal” in his closing argument. “The fact he behaved normally during and after all of those ‘rapes’ tells you what you need to know. He believed they were all consenting,” […]
Russell Brand’s lawyer has told the jury there is “no evidence” that the comedian is “some kind of psychopath who rapes people and thinks it’s normal” in his closing argument. “The fact he behaved normally during and after all of those ‘rapes’ tells you what you need to know. He believed they were all consenting,” […]
Raye is set to headline BST Hyde Park in London this summer with special guest Sienna Spiro. The singer — who just won the U.K.’s prestigious Mercury Prize for her latest album, “This Music May Contain Hope” — will play the festival on Saturday, July 10. Sienna Spiro is the first opener to be announced, […]
Karim Akalay’s “6TM” won the New Visions Award for the most promising European project at Ji.hlava Documentary Film Festival. Variety spoke to Akalay at the festival. Set during a scorching summer at Brussels’ largest housing estate, Cité Modèle, the story follows three intertwining narratives within one family. Two kids chase a magic key to prevent […]
German director and screenwriter Isabelle Stever’s “I Rarely Wake Up Dreaming” has won the Tokyo International Film Festival’s Ethical Film Award. The award, set up in 2023 with sponsor Sumitomo Corporation, highlights films that shed light on issues such as the environment, poverty and discrimination. A jury picks the winner from three nominees drawn from […]
“Harry Potter” agent The Blair Partnership has appointed Will Obbard and Alex Flanagan to senior roles as the company eyes a new phase of growth. “I’m delighted to welcome Alex and Will to The Blair Partnership,” said Neil Blair, founding partner of The Blair Partnership. “Both bring exceptional experience in their respective fields and their […]
Jesse Eisenberg’s “The Debut,” starring Julianne Moore as a shy housewife who is cast in a community theater musical and transforms into a zealous Method actor, has been set as the opening film of the 23rd Marrakech International Film Festival. Eisenberg and Moore are both expected to be on hand for the out-of-competition gala. The […]
Palestinian-Jordanian filmmaker Darin J. Sallam has no regrets about making “Farha,” her debut feature about a Palestinian girl coming of age during the Nakba, the mass displacement and dispossession of Palestinians surrounding the creation of the state of Israel in 1948. The film sparked controversy that Sallam was warned could derail her career before it […]
Mickey & Friends are getting ready to head to Super Bowl LXI with a new lineup of limited-edition merchandise. Through their collaboration with the NFL, Disney launched three new collections on Thursday: Disney x Champion, Disney x FOCO and Disney Pinnacle by Dapper Labs. Featuring an array of T-shirts and crewnecks, the Disney x Champion […]
The story of how a small Dublin bookmaker turned into one of the world’s most recognizable betting companies is being made into a feature film, with a quartet of Irish actors attached to star. Brian Gleeson (“Under Salt Marsh,” “Logan Lucky”), Colm Meaney (“Law Abiding Citizen,” “Layer Cake”), Alex Murphy (“Saipan,” “The Young Offenders”) and […]
Jack Lowden is keeping relatively quiet about the possibility of becoming the next James Bond, even as speculation mounts that the “Slow Horses” star is among the frontrunners to replace Daniel Craig as 007. In an interview with British GQ, the Scottish actor addressed the ongoing casting rumors, including recent comments from his “Slow Horses” […]
The 13th Sharjah Intl. Film Festival for Children and Youth wrapped Sunday with Paul Negoescu’s “Atlas of the Universe” taking best feature film and Celia Catunda’s “My Grandfather Is a Nihonjin” winning best animated feature. The jury described “Atlas of the Universe,” a Romanian-Bulgarian coming-of-age drama about a 10-year-old boy whose errand to buy school […]
