By Lisa Respers France, CNN (CNN) — Ian McKellen is beloved as Gandalf in the “Lord of the Rings” franchise, but he almost missed out on the role. In an interview with Variety, the esteemed actor shared that he was not the first choice to play the character. “I don’t think you’re ever the first
Continue Reading Review by Brian Lowry, CNN (CNN) — When it comes to horror, there’s really no substitute for atmosphere, and the murky doorways and long dark hallways that come with old European buildings in the 1950s. Enter “The Nun II,” a slick if familiar addition to the very fertile “Conjuring” universe that, by deftly expanding on
Continue Reading By Alli Rosenbloom, CNN (CNN) — Actor Danny Masterson was sentenced on Thursday to 30 years to life in prison after he was convicted on two counts of rape earlier this year in a Los Angeles courtroom, according to Deputy D.A. Reinhold Mueller of the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office. Masterson received the maximum “aggregate”
Continue Reading By Alli Rosenbloom, CNN (CNN) — Austin Butler is leaving his “Elvis” persona behind as he takes on a grittier role in upcoming movie “The Bikeriders.” Starring alongside Tom Hardy and “Killing Eve” star Jodie Comer, Butler plays Benny, a devoted member of the Vandals biker gang in 1960s Chicago. In what feels like an
Continue Reading By Alex Rees, CNN New York (CNN) — While Naomi Campbell is widely reputed to be among those supermodels and industry figures for whom the term “fashionably late” is, well, an expectation, on this occasion she arrived early. On Tuesday night in New York City, Campbell debuted a collection designed with the fast-fashion brand PrettyLittleThing
Continue Reading By Marianne Garvey, CNN (CNN) — The boys are back with more drama. The powerful British series “Top Boy,” which streams on Netflix, has returned for a final season. The series is set in the fictional Summerhouse estate in East London, and focuses on the lives of Dushane and Sully, along with their rivals in
Continue Reading By Lisa Respers France, CNN (CNN) — People keep saying it, but we need to hear it from Keanu Reeves. “John Wick: Chapter 4” director Chad Stahelski said in a recent episode of the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast that star Keanu Reeves is on board to do another film in the franchise. Host Josh Horowitz
Continue Reading By Lilit Marcus, CNN (CNN) — Alison Sinclair’s trip to Turks and Caicos was supposed to be one of the best times of her life. But while on an island getaway with her best friend, she skipped beach time and swimming in favor of the bar, getting so drunk every day that she alienated her
Continue Reading By Lisa Respers France, CNN (CNN) — Britney Spears is reflecting on one of her most memorable performances. More than 20 years after she danced with a python draped around her shoulders at the 2001 MTV Video Music Awards, the singer is revealing how she felt about it. “One of my favorite performances was with
Continue Reading By Jack Guy, CNN (CNN) — “Gossip Girl” star Taylor Momsen has opened up about how “alienating” she found being a child actor. At the start of her career, Momsen appeared as Cindy Lou Who in the 2000 movie “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” directed by Ron Howard and starring Jim Carrey. Although a festive
Continue Reading By Tamara Hardingham-Gill, CNN (CNN) — Splashing out an apartment in the south of France and renovating it yourself may sound like a difficult – and hugely expensive – task. But this couple have managed to do it twice, all while on a relatively tight budget. Eric Freeze, originally from Canada, and his wife Rixa,
Continue Reading By Lamide Akintobi, CNN Lagos, Nigeria (CNN) — Architect Tosin Oshinowo is no stranger to versatility. She has designed one of the largest malls in Lagos, Nigeria, beach houses on the city’s coast and homes for internally displaced people in the north of the country. She also runs a bespoke furniture design company, and the
Continue Reading By Forrest Brown, CNN (CNN) — Death Valley is the driest national park in the United States, receiving an average of about 2.2 inches of rain a year. It’s also regarded as the hottest place on Earth. So it might come as a bit of a shock to learn the park been closed for more
Continue Reading By Dan Heching, CNN (CNN) — Bruce Springsteen is postponing the rest of his concerts in September with the E Street Band as he deals with a gastrointestinal condition. The musician, 73, shared on his verified Instagram on Wednesday that he “is being treated for symptoms of peptic ulcer disease and the decision of his
Continue Reading By Ayanda Ntuli, CNN (CNN) — Featuring Idris Elba, Angela Bassett and Naomi Campbell, the latest edition of the prestigious Pirelli calendar is the first to have been shot by a Black photographer in its more than half-century history. Prince Gyasi, a 28-year-old Ghanaian visual artist, is also the first African to receive the prestigious commission, which
Continue Reading By Dan Heching, CNN (CNN) — Four of the women who inspired the term “supermodel” are getting some majorly overdue recognition in a new docuseries set to premiere on Apple TV+ later this month. The first trailer for “The Super Models” premiered on Wednesday, featuring a mix of old and new footage of models Naomi
Continue Reading By Alli Rosenbloom, CNN (CNN) — Hey, Upper East Siders. “Gossip Girl” here. Penn Badgley was spotted discussing a certain iconic wedding scene featured in the original CW “Gossip Girl” series finale during his “Podcrushed” SiriusXM podcast on Wednesday, and the subject of his real-life ex-girlfriend Blake Lively of course came up. Badgley played Dan
Continue Reading By Carlie Porterfield (CNN) — A vast collection of art, furniture, silver, ceramics, and jewelry long held in the private collection of the Rothschild banking dynasty sold for more than $62.6 million over several auctions at Christie’s New York. The sales, which concluded on Tuesday, marked the first dedicated auction in North America of works
Continue Reading By Alli Rosenbloom and Dan Heching, CNN (CNN) — Kourtney Kardashian is full of gratitude after experiencing a scary medical complication during her pregnancy. “As someone who has had three really easy pregnancies in the past, I wasn’t prepared for the fear of rushing into urgent fetal surgery,” she wrote on her verified Instagram page
Continue Reading by Samantha Tse, CNN (CNN) — Last week, the 80th edition of the Venice Film Festival opened amid the actors’ strike that has Hollywood at a standstill, rendering the usually glitzy red carpet a more muted affair. Venice is one of the biggest events of the film festival circuit. Often seen as the launchpad to
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