Helen Mirren fears BBC will suffer ‘terrible fate’ as she weighs in on licence fee debate

Even the Kardashian kids are obsessed with “Encanto”.

X Factor.The pair have pitched in to have their say on the Russian invasion of Ukraine where the harrowing scenes had Edward in tears.The 30-year-old, who is one-half of the duo, Jedward, took to Tiktok to explain how the war had impacted him."It's an upsetting time. I found myself crying when I watch the news," he candidly admitted."We are sending strength and love to everybody affected."He added: "I am getting emotional right now.

EXCLUSIVE: C.J. Cooke’s supernatural family novel The Lighthouse Witches is set to be adapted into a television series after Studiocanal and The Picture Company landed the rights to the book.

ESPN confirmed Wednesday that it has signed longtime Fox broadcasters Joe Buck and Troy Aikman to multi-year deals, securing their roles as the new voices of the network’s Monday Night Football. The deal takes effect with the upcoming season, which will mark the pair’s 21st season in the booth together — the first 20 years at Fox.

Ryan Reynolds just revealed an exciting new project unlike any he's done before! The surprising career move is a move away from acting and proves the sky isn't the limit for the star.MORE: Ryan Reynolds' new movie The Adam Project has fans saying the same thingRyan is no stranger to taking steps back from acting and focusing on other projects. In 2019, he became owner of Mint Mobile when he purchased a majority stake in the company. The actor further diversified his portfolio through his ownership of Aviation Gin.

Glamour's . Read on for her favorite product from the drop, how she takes a moment of peace, and why she doesn't believe in beauty rules. This content can also be viewed on the site it from.Glamour: Tell me about the new chapter! Ariana Grande:  The new chapter expands our color story. We have some new makeup products— we have our cheek and lipstick, we have our metallic little pots of eye shadow, and we have some eye-gel-topper situation.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorESPN spent last year building up Peyton and Eli Manning as the curators of a loose, bar-talk like show meant as an alternative to its traditional “Monday Night Football.” Now the Disney-backed sports giant is focusing on the main event.ESPN has signed the two main figures behind Fox Sports’ football presentations, Troy Aikman and Joe Buck, in a bid to strengthen the main “MNF” booth. The deal, which has been anticipated for several days, will put one of sports’ most-watched game-day figures at the helm of ESPN’s signature offering.“When you have the opportunity to bring in the iconic, longest-running NFL broadcasting duo, you take it, especially at a time when we are on the cusp of a new era in our expanding relationship with the NFL,” said Jimmy Pitaro, chairman, ESPN and sports content for Disney, in a statement.  “The NFL continues to ascend, and we now have more games than ever before, providing additional opportunities for Joe, Troy and our deep roster of commentators.” Signing the pair, who have worked together for two decades and called  called six Super Bowls — only the legendary team of Pat Summerall and John Madden has called more — illustrates the new pressures facing some of the most traditional broadcasters of sports.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentA testament to her fearless nature and boundless determination, Croatian-American filmmaker Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović was nine months pregnant when she traveled from New York to present her feature debut “Murina” at the Cannes Film Festival.At the end of the festival, Kusijanović tool a 12-hour road trip with her husband to her homeland in Croatia, where she gave birth to her first child Petrus, right before scooping Cannes’ Golden Camera award with “Murina,” a double feast which earned her newborn son a lifetime festival accreditation.Eight months later, she sat with Variety to tell us how her life has changed since winning the coveted award and looked back at her journey getting there. Vibrant, bright, restless and forceful like her first feature “Murina,” Kusijanović hasn’t wasted any time.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterAlexandra Daddario has been cast in the lead role of the “Mayfair Witches” series at AMC, Variety has learned exclusively.Based on Anne Rice’s “The Lives of the Mayfair Witches” novels, the show was picked up to series at AMC in December 2021. Daddario will star as Rowan, a brilliant doctor who grapples with her fate as the heir to a family of powerful witches.“Alexandra is a singular talent who has lit up the screen in everything she’s been in and we couldn’t be happier to have her on board leading the cast of a series that will be a centerpiece of an expanding Anne Rice universe on AMC+ and AMC,” said Dan McDermott, president of entertainment and AMC Studios for AMC Networks.

Marc Malkin Senior Film Awards, Events & Lifestyle EditorWelcome to this week’s “Just for Variety.”The Oscars’ hour-long ceremony before the live telecast is getting some major star wattage.I can exclusively reveal that Academy Award nominee Josh Brolin and “Aquaman” star Jason Momoa are in final talks to present all eight categories that have been cut from being shown in real-time during the Oscars telecast on ABC on March 27. The categories include original score, makeup and hairstyling, documentary short, film editing, production design, animated short, live action short and sound.Highlights of the untelevised hour will be edited into the telecast. Momoa and Brolin, who both star in best picture nominee “Dune,” will also make appearances during the live show.

Radio Times: "I said, 'Look, I’m not Jewish – and really, really think about it because if you want to withdraw the offer to me, I have absolutely no hard feelings."'I would absolutely understand if you want to go another route.'"He did think about it and he said, 'Yes, I want you to do it,’ and so that gave me, in a way, the confidence to go forward.'The movie star added that casting has "sort of exploded from the inside out", but she does agree that "it’s all about opportunity"."Without opportunity, you can do nothing," she smiled."And if the discussion has to be had around my performance then – oh my God – I hope that I’m all right as Golda, because if I’m not..."While Mirren may feel a little apprehensive about her debut, we are without doubt that her portrayal will be nothing short of fantastic.She is undeniably one of Britain's most iconic actresses, having starred in countess movies and TV series, won an Oscar and 126 other awards alongside 134 nominations for her portrayals on-screen.While working on Golda, the 76-year-old has also got another film out this year; one that she hopes will help her "break free" from a character she's been associated with for a decade.The Duke, which is set in 1961, follows 60-year-old taxi driver Kempton Bunton, who steals Goya's portrait of the Duke of Wellington from the National Gallery in London.He sends ransom notes saying that he will return the painting if the government invests more in care for the elderly.Mirren spoke about her character in the comedy-drama, the final film from director Roger Michell, who died last September.She plays Dorothy Bunton, a charlady who's married to real-life character Kempton Bunton, played by Jim Broadbent, and Dorothy's drab, worn-down

Sony Pictures Classics has pushed back the release for Roger Michell’s film The Duke, starring Academy Award winners Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren, by a month—from March 25 to April 22, 2022. It will be released in theaters in New York and Los Angeles on the latter date before expanding to additional cities over the following weeks.

Queen Elizabeth II, in an iconic performance that won her an Oscar, a Golden Globe, a BAFTA and a SAG Award, among others.The film follows the Royal Family as they try and deal with the series of events that happened after the tragic death of Princess Diana in 1997.And even thought she's honoured to have had the opportunity, she was eager for people to see her in a different light on-screen.Of Dorothy, she explained: "I loved the character and because the Queen is sticking to me like an old band-aid...

Speaking about her role, Helen explained: “I swore to myself that I would never play a character that is described as the long-suffering, but she is, and she is a great character.”The Oscar-winning performer continued: “This turned out to be Roger Michell's last film.“He was a great film director and I think it is wonderful to have this as his last because it is very funny, but at the same time it has great emotional depth.”Helen is also set to star as former Israeli prime minister, Golda Meir, in the upcoming biopic Golda.However, the casting of Helen for the role attracted some controversy.Fellow actor Maureen Lipman claimed Helen should not play a Jewish character as she is not Jewish herself.Speaking about the choice of casting, she explained: "With that, I disagree because the Jewishness of the character is so integral.“I’m sure she will be marvellous, but it would never be allowed for Ben Kingsley to play Nelson Mandela."You just couldn’t even go there," she told The Jewish Chronicle last month.Maureen later clarified her remarks, stressing that they were aimed at the casting team and not Helen.She said: "I have nothing against Helen playing it."My query is should the casting directors have looked first, and maybe they did, at Bette Midler or Streisand or Jennifer Connelly or Scarlett Johansson… or Tracey Ullman?"Helen admitted that she had also pondered whether she would be right for the role and addressed her concerns with director Guy Nattiv.She said: "It was certainly a question that I had before I accepted the role."I said, ‘Look Guy, I’m not Jewish, and if you want to think about that and decide to go in a different direction, no hard feelings.

Helen Mirren and her husband Taylor Hackford made the most of spending lockdown together in America.

Helen Mirren kicks up her heel while dancing with Jim Broadbent on the red carpet at the premiere of The Duke held at The National Gallery on Tuesday (February 8) in London.

upcoming biopic about former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir.Mirren, 76, was called out by actress Maureen Lipman in January, who asserted that a Jewish actress should play the role of Meir.“The Queen” actress — who is not Jewish — broke her silence and told the Daily Mail that the ethnicity question was brought up in casting.“It was certainly a question that I had, before I accepted the role,” Mirren said.Meir was the first woman to hold top office in the Jewish state’s government. Mirren added that Meir “is a very important person in Israeli history.”“Golda” is set to premiere later this year and will chronicle her role as Prime Minister during the Yom Kippur War in 1973.

K.J. Yossman Helen Mirren, who plays Israeli prime minister Golda Meir in an upcoming biopic, has broken her silence on the debate around her casting.“Golda,” which wrapped in December and also stars “Call My Agent’s” Camille Cottin, is directed by Israeli filmmaker Guy Nattiv (“Skin”).However, there was disquiet over the casting around the time the film was shooting in London, last winter, after photographs emerged of Mirren looking drastically different for the role.Actor Maureen Lipman (“The Pianist”) told Variety in Jan.: “Helen will be great.

Helen Mirren is addressing the controversy surrounding her latest role.

Helen Mirren has been engulfed in controversy due to her latest role, former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir, in the upcoming biopic “Golda”.

Educating Rita actor Lipman had previously told how she was uncomfortable with Mirren, who is not Jewish, playing Meir.Speaking about the choice of casting, she said: "With that, I disagree because the Jewishness of the character is so integral.“I’m sure she will be marvellous, but it would never be allowed for Ben Kingsley to play Nelson Mandela."You just couldn’t even go there," she told The Jewish Chronicle last month.However, Lipman later addressed her comments, clarifying that they were aimed at the casting team and not Mirren.She said: "I have nothing against Helen playing it."My query is should the casting directors have looked first, and maybe they did, at Bette Midler or Streisand or Jennifer Connelly or Scarlett Johansson… or Tracey Ullman?"The biopic is set during the Yom Kippur war in 1973 and focuses on Meir who was Israel's prime minister between 1969 and 1974.