Film News in Brief: AFI Teams With Universal on Free ‘Black Stories Matter’ Series

EastEnders actress Lorraine Stanley looked worlds away from Karen Taylor when she attended her on-screen son Keegan's (Zack Morris) leaving do. Lorraine, 45, traded Karen's classic up-do for a glamorous curly hairstyle, which saw her tresses down and relaxed – something that viewers of the show would have to take a double glance at.

Helen Mirren, 76, is acting royalty! The Hitchcock star has appeared in tons of beloved and critically acclaimed movies throughout her career. From her early career as Hermia in a 1967 adaptation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream to more recent roles in mystery dramas like The Good Liar in 2019, there’s no slowing the British star down. Throughout much of her career she’s had one man by her side: her husband Taylor Hackford, 77, who she’s been with since 1986 and married to since 1997. Find out more about Taylor and his marriage to Helen!

Lionel Richie has the kind of music career only few can dream about.  The 72-year-old legendary singer/songwriter rose to fame in the 70s as a founding member of the band Commodores before venturing off on a solo career. His first three albums sold over 30 million copies and spawned such mega hits as “You Are,” “”All Night Long (All Night)” and “Say You, Say Me.” While recording his own music, he also wrote/produced such chart-toppings singles as Kenny Rogers’ “Lady,” “Endless Love” featuring Diana Ross and “We Are the World” with Michael Jackson. His talents brought him four Grammys, an Academy Award nomination and the Songwriters Hall of Fame’s highest honor, the Johnny Mercer Award. Fans can now see him as a judge on American Idol, as he returns for his fifth season on Sunday (Feb. 27).

The wait is nearly over for fans of Steven Knight’s epic Birmingham gangster drama Peaky Blinders.  Sunday 27 February sees the return of the legendary Tommy Shelby, played by Cillian Murphy, and his mob for the sixth and final series of the smash hit saga. But what can we expect from Tommy and his friends – and enemies – when we catch up with them? Fans are also keen to know about the new arrivals joining the series for its finale, including acclaimed star of Time and Line of Duty, Stephen Graham. Get exclusive celebrity stories and fabulous photoshoots straight to your inbox withOK!'s daily newsletter .

James Brown documentary produced by Mick Jagger and Questlove in on the way.A&E Network announced the four-part documentary yesterday (February 26) and said it’s expected to arrive in 2023.James Brown: Say It Loud will be directed by Deborah Riley Draper and will be executive produced by Mick Jagger, Questlove and Black Thought, among others.In a statement, Jagger said he was “thrilled” to executive produce the project, saying: “He was a brilliant performer who inspired me from the beginning and was deeply committed to the Civil Rights movement. I have always admired James and learned so much from him.”Questlove and Black Thought added: “The life of James Brown is significant not only to understand his immense musical impact, which inspires us and other artists to this day, but also for the deep and lasting impression he has had on American culture.“Brown’s life is a crucial and timely story of struggle, redemption, and self-identity and we are honoured to have the chance to share it.”In 2014, the late Chadwick Boseman starred as James Brown for the biopic Get On Up, which Jagger also produced.

Eddie Vedder was joined by The Police drummer Stewart Copeland at a California show this weekend to perform ‘Message In A Bottle’ – check out footage below.Vedder and his all-star band The Earthlings, which features Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith and former RHCP guitarist (and current Pearl Jam touring member) Josh Klinghoffer, are currently towards the end of a short US tour behind Vedder’s new solo album, ‘Earthling’.At Friday night’s (February 25) show at the YouTube Theater in Inglewood, California, Copeland joined the band on drums for an extended run through one of The Police’s biggest hits.It also saw Chad Smith, usually drummer for the band as he is in Red Hot Chili Peppers, taking up guitar duties instead.See footage of the performance below.At an earlier show on the tour in Seattle, Vedder paid a moving tribute to the late Mark Lanegan following the grunge icon’s death.The former Screaming Trees frontman passed away yesterday morning at his home in Killarney, Ireland.There was an outpouring of grief from artists across the music world from the likes of Manic Street Preachers, The Charlatans frontman Tim Burgess, Anton Newcombe and many others.Vedder, who was performing at the Benaroya Hall, paused his show to honour the late 57-year-old.“I got here about four o’clock and all of a sudden my body started shaking a little bit,” he told the audience. “I started to feel really terrible and I think it was because I was having an allergic reaction to sadness.“Because we lost… there’s a guy called Mark Lanegan.

Killing Eve will return to our screens for its fourth and final series over the coming days.

Drivers in Monklands are again facing major disruption as more roads are to be closed for repairs.

A body has been found in the search for missing Saltcoats teenager Jamie Cannon.

To stay up to date with all the latest news, make sure you sign up to one of our newsletters here.The bar's exclusionary actions have not gone unnoticed with many condemning the behaviour. Local Australian TV channel WA Today reports that a dress code sign had been posted inside the bar warning people with mullets to stay away.

Emergency services raced to a fire in Ferguslie in the early hours of this morning.

A man is fighting for his life in hospital after being punched and knocked unconscious at the end of a night out in Rochdale town centre.

A mushroom cloud has been seen billowing in the sky after an explosion at a gas pipeline near a Ukrainian city.

Police have issued an appeal for help to find a wanted man from Leigh.

Naman Ramachandran Terence Blanchard, Oscar and BAFTA-nominated for Spike Lee’s “BlacKkKlansman,” and a Grammy winner for the “Blood and Soil” track from the film’s original soundtrack, will receive the Venice Film Festival’s Campari “Passion for Film” award this year.Blanchard also composed the score for Lee’s Netflix film “Da 5 Bloods” and Regina King’s “One Night in Miami,” which is playing out of competition at Venice.The award, instituted two years ago at the 75th Venice Film Festival, seeks to highlight the contribution of the director’s closest collaborators to the fulfilment of the artistic project that each film represents.American film editor Bob Murawski, Oscar and BAFTA-winner for “The Hurt Locker,” won the inaugural award

Girls Trip director Malcolm D. Lee has signed with A3 Artists Agency.

Jamie Lang In today’s Global Bulletin, San Sebastian announces it will screen all eight episodes of Luca Guadagnino’s “We Are Who We Are” and finalizes its competition sections; Venice selects legendary composer Terence Blanchard as its third Campari Passion for Film winner; Big Light Productions gets a new COO; Small World International licenses “Big in Japan” in Russia; and Fugitive signs on as Topic’s international distribution representative.HBO has doubled down at this year’s San Sebastian, with Luca Guadagnino’s “We Are Who We Are” set to world premiere alongside HBO España’s original drama series “Patria.” An HBO-Sky co-production, all seven hours and 50 minutes of “We Are Who We Are” will screen at San Sebastian in the festival’s

The American Film Institute and Universal Pictures are partnering on a week-long AFI Movie Club event, “Black Stories Matter.” Following the recent collaboration honoring Spike Lee and his film Do the Right Thing, the series will spotlight Lee’s BlacKkKlansman, Jordan Peele’s Get Out, Malcolm D. Lee’s Girls Trip, Jeff Nichols’ Loving and F.

Oscar-nominated film composer and multiple Grammy-winning jazz musician Terence Blanchard will be honored at this year's Venice International Film Festival with the Campari Passion for Film award. Blanchard frequently collaborates with Spike Lee and wrote the scores to such features as Jungle Fever (1991), Malcolm X (1992) and Inside Man (2006).

Tom Grater International Film ReporterThe Venice Film Festival, kicking off September 2, will present composer Terence Blanchard with its Passion for Film Award, which recognizes the contribution given to a director’s closest collaborators.Blanchard is noted for his collaborations with Spike Lee, from Malcolm X to Inside Man, BlacKkKlansman, and recently Da 5 Bloods. He also composed the score for Regina King’s One Night In Miami, which screens Out of Competition at Venice this year.

Variety Staff Follow Us on TwitterComposer Terence Blanchard will receive the TIFF Variety artisan award at the TIFF Tribute Awards, scheduled to air Sept. 15 on CTV.The news was announced Wednesday by Joana Vicente and Cameron Bailey, the co-heads of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).