Selena Gomez has officially joined the ranks of one of the youngest billionaires. According to Deadline, the 'Emilia Perez' actor has achieved this financial feat primarily through the success of her beauty brand, Rare Beauty, alongside other lucrative ventures. Launched in 2019, Rare Beauty has significantly contributed to Gomez's estimated net worth of USD 1.3 billion, positioning her as one of the youngest female billionaires in the United States. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Selena Gomez (@selenagomez) The beauty brand accounts for about 81.4 percent of her overall net worth, according to Deadline. Gomez's wealth is not solely attributed to her beauty brand. The valuation encompasses her stake in the mental health startup Wondermind, revenue from music album sales, real estate investments, and earnings from streaming deals, brand partnerships, concert tours, and acting projects. Although Gomez's last solo tour, the Revival Tour, concluded in 2016 and her most recent album, 'Rare', was released in 2020, she has remained a prominent figure in entertainment. She continues to garner acclaim as both a star and executive producer of the popular Hulu series 'Only Murders in the Building'. The show, which has recently been renewed for a fifth season, has earned Gomez her first Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. Additionally, 'Only Murders in the Building' has been nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series for the third consecutive year. Gomez is also set to revisit her television roots with the upcoming sequel series 'Wizards Beyond Waverly Place'. The new series, set to premiere on October 29 at 8 pm ET/PT, follows the success of her original Disney Channel show, 'Wizards of Waverly Place'. Gomez and her former co-star David Henrie are not only reprising their roles but also taking on executive producer roles for the sequel.
07 September,2024 10:21 AM IST | Mumbai | ANIWeeks after Hollywood singer-actress Jennifer Lopez filed for divorce from Ben Affleck, she attended the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) for the premiere of 'Unstoppable'. Ben, who has produced the film, skipped the event to avoid any awkward moments given their recent split. That being said, JLo commanded attention in a bold outfit on the red carpet. Jennifer Lopez stuns in a racy outfit The 55-year-old gave youngsters a run for their money as she arrived at the TIFF 2024 red carpet in a silver metallic Tamara Ralph dress with side slits secured with black bows. She accessorized her look with Hassanzadeh diamond studs and jewellery, Dolce & Gabbana heels, and let her blonde hair down for a sleek look. Jennifer Lopez files for divorce from Ben Affleck Jennifer filed for divorce from Ben on August 20, which was their second wedding anniversary. Court records showed Lopez filed the petition in Los Angeles Superior Court. TMZ reported further that Lopez listed the date of separation as April 26, 2024. It added that she did not mention any prenuptial agreement. Jennifer Lopez’s previous marriages Jennifer had been married three times before. She was briefly married to Ojani Noa from 1997-1998 and to Cris Judd from 2001-2003. She and singer Marc Anthony were married for a decade, having wed in 2004, and share 14-year-old twins. She started dating former baseball player Alex Rodriguez in 2017, but the couple called off their engagement in 2021. About Ben Affleck-produced ‘Unstoppable’ Jennifer Lopez and Jharrel Jerome will be seen in the wrestling biopic, 'Unstoppable', based on the true story of Anthony Robles. The film revolves around the life of wrestler Anthony Robles (Jerome), who was born with one leg and went on to win a national championship in 2011 while competing at Arizona State University. Lopez portrays Anthony's mother, Judy, while Bobby Cannavale plays his father Rick. Michael Pena, who plays coach Bobby Williams, and Don Cheadle, who plays wrestling coach Shawn Charles, complete the cast. The film is William Goldenberg's directorial debut. He has previously won an Academy Award for his work as an editor on 2013's ‘Argo’. The biopic, based on Robles and Murphy's book 'Unstoppable: From Underdog to Undefeated: How I Became a Champion', is set to release in December.
07 September,2024 09:21 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentMichael Keaton is considering a change to his professional name after more than 30 years in the industry, according to People. The actor had to adopt the name "Keaton" when he started his career because the Screen Actors Guild doesn't allow members to use the same name, and both "Michael Douglas" and "Mike Douglas" were already taken. Speaking with People magazine, Keaton revealed that his famous stage name was chosen on a whim. "I was looking through -- I can't remember if it was a phone book," he said. "I must've gone, 'I don't know, let me think of something here.' And I went, 'Oh, that sounds reasonable.'" Now, Keaton told People he was ready to update his stage name to "Michael Keaton Douglas." He intended to debut the name in his recent film Knox Goes Away, but the plan didn't go through. "I said, 'Hey, just as a warning, my credit is going to be Michael Keaton Douglas.' And it totally got away from me. And I forgot to give them enough time to put it in and create that. But that will happen," he said. However, his credit in the upcoming Beetlejuice sequel will appear as "Michael Keaton." At a press conference during the Venice Film Festival, Keaton talked about returning to his iconic role in Beetlejuice. He joked about how the character has "matured" in the new movie. "As suave and sensitive as he was in the first, I think he's even more so in this one. Just his general caring nature and his sense of social mores and his political correctness," he said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
07 September,2024 07:52 AM IST | Washington | ANIReese Witherspoon has confirmed her relationship with German financier Oliver Haarmann, as the two were spotted holding hands during a stroll in New York City, according to Page Six. The Legally Blonde actor, and Haarmann were seen together on Wednesday, confirming their relationship after months of speculation about their relationship. The couple was photographed leaving their hotel and heading towards an SUV, with Witherspoon holding onto Haarmann. According to Page Six, their relationship first made headlines in July when they were seen having dinner at L'Artusi in the West Village. Sources at the time revealed Page Six that the pair had been secretly dating for months, spending an entire weekend together. Despite the growing rumours, another insider told People that the two were "just friends" and that Witherspoon was taking things slow. "She enjoys it but doesn't want it to be a big focus. She's busy with work and her son," the source said. This marks Witherspoon's first public relationship since her divorce from Jim Toth, finalised in August last year, after 12 years of marriage. Haarmann, on the other hand, was previously married to Mala Gaonkar, with whom he shares two sons. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
07 September,2024 07:47 AM IST | Washington | ANIHarvey Weinstein, who was spared from prosecution in Britain on Thursday, now faces the prospect of a new indictment in New York, where prosecutors retrying the disgraced movie mogul’s rape case are taking steps to potentially charge him with up to three additional sex assaults. Britain’s Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), which authorised two charges of indecent assault against Weinstein in 2022, announced that it decided to discontinue the proceedings because there was “no longer a realistic prospect of conviction.” On the other hand, the Manhattan district attorney’s office in New York has begun presenting evidence to a grand jury of up to three previously uncharged allegations against Weinstein—two sexual assaults in the mid-2000s and one in 2016. The New York grand jury’s term expired yesterday, and a vote on an indictment is expected this weekend, though it is possible the process could extend beyond that. Prosecutors said they would seek to combine any new charges with ones previously brought against Weinstein, 72, so that they could be tried together. In April, New York’s top court overturned Weinstein’s rape and sexual assault convictions and ordered a new trial. The state’s Court of Appeals found that the judge in the 2020 trial unfairly allowed testimony from women whose claims against Weinstein weren’t part of the case. Prosecutors shared some information about the additional allegations that the grand jury is weighing at a court conference on Tuesday. They include alleged sexual assaults at the Tribeca Grand Hotel, now known as the Roxy Hotel, and in a Lower Manhattan residential building between late 2005 and mid-2006, and an alleged sexual assault at a Tribeca hotel in May 2016. Judge Curtis Farber elicited the details as Weinstein’s lawyers weighed potentially having him testify before the grand jury, which they said he’d wanted to do. Weinstein, 72, was not present at the conference. He has denied that he raped or sexually assaulted anyone. He remains in custody in New York while awaiting a retrial in Manhattan that’s tentatively scheduled to begin November 12. He is expected back in court for a pretrial hearing September 12. Weinstein became the most prominent villain of the #MeToo movement, which took root in 2017 when women began to go public with accounts of his behaviour. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
07 September,2024 06:14 AM IST | Washington | AgenciesFilm: In the Land of Saints and Sinners Cast: Liam Neeson, Kerry Condon, Ciarán Hinds, Jack Gleeson, Colm Meaney, Sarah Greene, Desmond Eastwood, Conor MacNeillDirector: Robert LorenzRating: 3/5Runtime: 106 min. Set in the ‘70s, in Donegal, a part of troubled Northern Ireland, we see three types of killers here. Doireann (Kerry Condon) and her cadre are fighting for an independent Ireland and have that as a reason to behave as they do. Finbar (Liam Neeson) is apolitical, an assassin for hire willing to kill anyone, as long as he is paid. Once he renounces the profession, he becomes a conscience keeper of sorts. And the third one is Kevin (Jack Gleeson) who has become a hitman because he likes what he is doing and is good at it. This is one of Liam Neeson’s better movies in the latter half of his career. It’s not as generic and a little more subtle and nuanced than what we’ve seen of late from him. The setting is what gives this film its depth. Set during early days of The Troubles, the darkest period of recent Irish history, Neeson may not be a recognisable hero because he is playing an amoral assassin who eventually seeks absolution by avenging the abuse of a girl child only to find bloodshed forestalling his penance. In the film, Finbar has been supposedly killing people as a career since around the end of World War II, with Robert (Colm Meaney) setting him up with the contracts. The film opens in 1974, Belfast, in which we see IRA terrorist Doireann McCann and her confederates plant a car bomb outside a pub that kills two children and their mother (unsuspecting bystanders) along with many others. The group of four seek a hideout in the coastal town of Glencolmcille, where Doireann’s sister-in-law lives. Finbar Murphy and Kevin also reside there. Finbar, in fact, has just decided to call it quits in pursuit of a quiet life as a potential gardener. Doireann’s brother, Curtis June (Desmond Eastwood) interferes with that decision with his abusive ways. So Finbar comes out from retirement blues to put him away for good and Doireann, wants to avenge that. So the stage is set for a showdown in another pub. Director Robert Lorenz does well to make the placid look becoming. There’s an underpinning of suspense in the manner in which the narrative plays out. The sense of impending doom, hints of political, moral, and, other concerns lend a sense of heft that may eventually be belied. The issue about the little girl may seem manipulative but given the atmosphere of distrust and hatred during those times, it’s hard to question Finbar’s decision of going for broke. After all, he knows no better and being an assassin is what he does best. While The Troubles form the backdrop for this setting, we don’t get much information about that time - other than Doireann’s reason for staying back and avenging her brother’s murder even though she and her confederates are at risk after having been exposed. The screenplay by Mark Michael McNally and Terry Loane is fairly gritty and Neeson seems a lot more involved in this seemingly straightforward thriller aiming for a climactic standoff. This may not be an excellent film but it certainly is a good solid thriller accentuated by able performances.
06 September,2024 07:12 PM IST | Mumbai | Johnson ThomasFilm: Strange DarlingCast: Willa Fitzgerald, Kyle Gallner, Ed Begley Jr., Barbara HersheyDirector: JT MollnerRating: 3/5Runtime: 96 min A serial-killer movie about a lesser known criminal’s tail-ending murder spree gets documented in this colorful and strangely gorgeous, lurid, over-the-top work. The form is compelling enough to take you in with its hyphenated jumbled-up presentation of what went on at that time. Writer-director JT Mollner crafts a clever genre subverting thriller grandly assisted by striking performances from Willa Fitzgerald and Kyle Gallner. A sophomore effort of writer/director JT Mollner, ‘Strange Darling’ uses a non-chronological non-conformative gendered dynamic to tell the story of the final killings of a purported (real life) serial killer in rural Oregon. The narrative is divided into six chapters but the story begins with Chapter 3, and later, proceeds to go back and forth before eventually concluding with Chapter 6. The title card proclaims “shot entirely on 35mm film” and the DOP here is non other than prolific character actor Giovanni Ribisi. Given his non-traditional ascendance to DOP, he sure has done some amazing work. Both production designer Priscilla Elliott and Ribisi use blue and red colors and lighting alternatively to designate terror and depravity. If reassembled in correct chronological order the story would have played out as a straightforward serial killer thriller. Given the jigsaw puzzle treatment, the interest is kept going and for almost one-thirds of the runtime we are clueless as to the twist that is set to come. It’s a tale of power dynamics with a sexual romp, murder, and insanity highlighting the dysfunctions inherent within. The format here is obviously influenced by ‘Pulp Fiction’ and it is smart enough to subvert genre expectations and keep the audience guessing as to the real identities of “The Lady” (Willa Fitzgerald), and the “The Demon” (Kyle Gallner). The narrative opens with a car chase. The Demon is in hot pursuit of the lady dressed in red, driving a red car. The jumbled up sequences eventually start unraveling with back story segments. We see the lady in a lengthy interplay with the Demon first in his car and later, in a motel room. The lady is willing but she has some things she wants done before she removes her clothes and that’s when we start getting an inkling that things are going to go south. There are some leading conversations here that attempt to subvert the real dynamics between the Lady and the Demon. One such is - “Do you have any idea the risks a woman like me takes whenever she decides to have a little fun?” As an audience we go along with that playful note, having been made to think about what the Lady is risking. But it’s not much later that we see that dynamic changing and what we presume as stereotypical in terms of gender dynamics, predatory relationships and dangerous implications thereof, gets subverted completely. Ribisi’s skilful colourful cinematography and Craig DeLeon’s giddy score lend a fair deal of atmosphere to the tonal shifts and character nose-dives. The action, gore, wardrobe are appropriate to the cause here. The narrative doesn’t play out the way we expect it to. Issues of consent, gender superiority etc are all twisted around to make what we thought was apparent, seem farcical. Obligatory drug use and sadistic violence trump the sexual interplay here. You discover the savage psychopath - but there’s a thin line delineating the definitions of aggressor and victim here. Fitzgerald stamps her presence with great elan. Her performance intermingling with that of Gallner’s, keeps the narrative afloat and interesting. Barbara Hershey and Ed Begley Jr, the much older hippy couple who we see romancing each other over an overly indulgent breakfast before all hell breaks loose, are a treat to watch. “Strange Darling” may not have been celebrated yet but chances are that it will go on to become a cult classic. It’s a film that just cannot be ignored.
06 September,2024 07:02 PM IST | Mumbai | Johnson ThomasFilm: Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Cast: Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Catherine O'Hara, Justin Theroux, Monica Bellucci, Jenna Ortega, Willem Dafoe, Arthur ContiDirector: Tim BurtonRating: 3/5Runtime: 104 min This sequel to the 1988 horror comedy about a renegade “bio-exorcist” liberated from the afterlife, is inventive, appropriately ghoulish and humorous. Burton may not have been at his best of late but with this sequel, he appears to have resuscitated his form. This sequel is a fun outing with a fairly valid reason to exist. That can’t really be said of the numerous sequels that many cinema IP’s have generated over the years. Jenna Ortega and Monica Belluci are among the welcome new additions to the old crew of Keaton, Ryder, Catherine O’Hara and shrunken-headed Bob. Three generations of Deetz family return to Winter River. Ryder as Lydia Deetz is now a widowed mother famous for hosting a paranormal reality show called Ghost House, where she invites viewers to dare to share chilling experiences of unexplained phenomena in their homes. From triggering visions of Keaton’s Beetlejuice sitting among the studio audience we learn of her still unresolved haunted past. Lydia’s strained relationship with her teenage daughter, Astrid (Ortega), who chafes at her reluctance to divulge information about her late father, Richard (Santiago Cabrera), is the cause of great resentment. Astrid wants Lydia to communicate with Richard’s ghost and Lydia’s reluctance makes Astrid believe that her mother’s powers are all hokum. So its Astrid who accidentally opens the portal to the Afterlife.There’s a different dynamic now between Lydia and her artist stepmother Delia (O’Hara) who has shifted from sculpture to mixed media and uses her own body as a canvas. We see Monica Bellucci as a demoness who stitches-up her hacked-up body parts that have shaken loose from crates in the afterlife - while the BeeGees ‘Tragedy’ plays on. This is just one of the many callbacks to the original- all laced with pop-culture references and inspired set-pieces. Bellucci as Delores is there to suck the soul out of the netherworld, in her mission to claim the soul of her husband, Beetlejuice. The reappearance of shrunken-headed stooges and deadly sandworms are hints that there’s a linkup to the original film. The narrative feels scattered at the start and then begins to take some shape as Burton’s characters start to gain some meaning in the byplay. Screenwriters Alfred Gough and Miles Millar working on Seth Grahame-Smith’s story make it a crafty stitch-up of subplots that come at you from different directions and find cohesion in the recurring elements from the original 1988 film. The film also keeps it real by using more of practical animatronic effects and less of CGI. The pacing is bouncy, there’s a steady stream of humour and the actors play-up to the out-of-control grisly comic riffs bordering on lunacy. This sequel may not be as monster-happy as the original but it certainly gets you in a rollicking frame of mind. It’s ideal in terms of fan service.
06 September,2024 06:54 PM IST | Mumbai | Johnson ThomasWill Smith has reportedly quit his role in the new action movie, Sugar Bandits. The film, from director Stefano Sollima, focuses on a former Special Forces soldier who joins a vigilante squad in an effort to wipe out the drug trade in Boston. As per reports in Deadline, Smith left the project as its lead star due to scheduling conflicts, but will remain on board as a producer through his production company. Sugar Bandits was set to start filming in the next few months in Montreal, though plans had remained on hold due to uncertainty over whether Smith would still star in it. The unit apparently plans to recast the role with the intention of starting filming next year—though there is uncertainty about the movie’s future altogether. Smith recently starred in Bad Boys: Ride or Die, which became a box-office success upon its release in June and has taken over $400 million globally. Speaking about a potential follow-up movie, the Oscar winner told Entertainment Weekly earlier this year: “Well, these younger actors are going to need to do more of the stunts, that’s for sure. It is a world and characters that are just an absolute joy to be with.” He admitted that he likes to do sequels if “there is something to say” and characters are developed in a way that “will be interesting and fun to watch and maybe even a little helpful”. Meanwhile, Smith was recently confirmed to be starring in sci-fi thriller Resistor, which will see him team up with studio Sony once again. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
06 September,2024 07:13 AM IST | Washington | AgenciesHollywood icons Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga attended the premiere of their film 'Joker: Folie a Deux' at the prestigious Venice Film Festival. The musical psychological thriller directed by Todd Phillips received an incredible 10.5-minute standing ovation. However, mid-way through the applause, Joaquin exited the chaos. Joaquin Phoenix left the #Joker2 Venice premiere a few minutes before the 11-minute standing ovation ended. pic.twitter.com/H2mvtNqUoF — Variety (@Variety) September 4, 2024 Joaquin Phoenix leaves ‘Joker 2’ premiere amid a standing ovation A video of Joaquin Phoenix and his entourage leaving the film’s premiere mid-way through the standing ovation has surfaced on social media and has received mixed reactions. While some called him rude and disrespectful, others spoke in support of his move and questioned why would anyone stand and clap for that long. One user wrote on X, "Because he knows an 11-minute standing ovation is totally stupid and ridiculous for anything. Give me a break." “He doesn’t like adulation he’s a private, awesome, and humble guy. Love him so much," added another. One user commented, "Joaquin has always done things like this. He’s not the Hollywood type everyone expects him to be." About Joaquin Phoenix-starrer ‘Joker’ The first 'Joker' was a huge critical and commercial success. It was nominated for 11 Oscars, with Joaquin Phoenix winning Best Actor and Hildur Gudnadottir winning for Original Score. It became the highest-grossing R-rated movie ever. The first installment earned over 1 billion dollars at the worldwide box office and bagged Phoenix a Best Actor Oscar. ‘Joker 2’ introduces Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn Joaquin Phoenix reprises his role as Joker in the sequel, and Lady Gaga joins as Harley Quinn. The supporting cast includes Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, Jacob Lofland, and Harry Lawtey. Zazie Beetz returns as Sophie from the first film. The sequel is said to be a musical, building on Phoenix's dancing scenes from the original. Gaga plays Lee, who eventually becomes Harley Quinn, a patient in Arkham State Hospital, a mental institution where Phoenix's Arthur Fleck is a maximum-security inmate. When Arthur, who is awaiting trial for the murder of five people, joins a music therapy group, they quickly develop a romantic relationship. Lee recognises Arthur as the Joker and attempts to reawaken his alter-ego. 'Joker: Folie a Deux' releases on October 4. (With inputs from ANI)
05 September,2024 05:22 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentHugh Jackman impressed all with his physique as he made a comeback as Wolverine for the Shawn Levy directorial 'Deadpool & Wolverine'. Over a month after the successful run of the movie that also saw Ryan Reynolds as 'Deadpool', Jackman took to social media to share a nearly four-minute voice note to express his appreciation to his eight-member personal team who heled him get ready for the film and look the way he did in the film. He also praised Shawn Levy ad Ryan Reynolds. I am grateful. pic.twitter.com/1OdGjhe3HF — Hugh Jackman (@RealHughJackman) September 4, 2024 Jackman on his diet Jackman began the audio note in his soothing voice by saying, "I’ve had a lot of people who talk to me and ask me questions about how I got into shape, “What I did, what I ate, how I trained, how hard is it at your age? Just wanted to take a second and say, yeah I had to turn up, I had to do those deadlifts, I had to eat those meals but I had an incredible team who helped me. There’s no hope in hell I would have gotten there without them. When I say team, I'm going to mention like eight people." "First I mainly want to mention Beth Lewis, who's been my trainer for five years now, and has trained me for doing an arena show, for doing a Broadway musical, and for doing this," he said. "I am in better shape, and when I say shape, what I mean is physical health. My knees, my shoulders, which have bothered me for years, are gone. She's helped me get through this, get the results I needed, but feeling fantastic. She never makes me overwork. She made me realize that I had been overworking in the past. She always was present, thoughtful, kind, and then when it was time to push me, she could push me. Beth, you really were the quarterback for this whole thing, and I am beyond grateful that I have you supporting me on these journeys that I am on. And there was a period when I was in London, where my friend Michael Ryan came in to train me for about a month. Beth had to go back and we were on hiatus because of the strike." He further praised Michael. "Mike and I have been training together since I was 21. So that was just awesome. And then, I want to talk about the people who helped me eat right. Because for a year, I didn't have to think about what I was cooking. I just had someone counting up my macros. For a year and a half, I had someone preparing me meals, which made it so much easier." The lubes for Hugh joke Jackman also spoke about his make-up artist who ensured he looked perfect in every frame. "Then there was Whitney, my makeup artist, who was called in to put on some kind of oil to make my skin glisten. You would hear Shawn Levy yell out, 'fresh lube on Hugh', and everyone would sort of cringe a little bit. Not cringe, laugh." The climax scene "While I'm at it, Ryan and Shawn, and I'm saying this as producers, as directors, who are like, constantly like, tell me the date you want it, when we're doing that power room scene with your shirt off, what date is it?" said Jackman recalling the climax scene which sees him flaunt his tones body in close up shots. "On the day, because I was grumpy, I was not having water the night before, I was eating tilapia and beans for days. And how to make that day work best for me. Everyone on set was just making it easy. So if you're still listening, thank you. But it's really important to me that I acknowledge those people who have spent a lifetime doing what they do. I mean, they're at the top of their game. They're the best in the world and I feel so privileged to have them in my corner and I would not have achieved that result without them. So thanks." he concluded.
05 September,2024 11:58 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
