SNL and Timothée Chalamet under fire for joking about Hamas in sketch
If you are experiencing feelings of distress and isolation, or are struggling to cope, The Samaritans offer support; you can speak to someone for free over the phone, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch. SNL and Timothee Chalamet are under fire after broadcasting a sketch that involves both suicide and Hamas, despite everything going on in the world right now. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter
2023-11-13 18:49
The Elon Musk biopic is already being called 'the worst film ever made'
It might seem harsh to judge a film before it has even come out but news that an Elon Musk biopic is in the works has not been greeted with a warm reception. News emerged on Friday that Black Swan and Requiem for a Dream director Darren Aronofsky will helm the project which is based on the recently published Walter Isaacson on the tech billionaire. For those who saw Danny Boyle's 2015 film about Steve Jobs, creatively called Steve Jobs, might remember that biopic, starring Michael Fassbender, was also based on an Isaacson biography of a powerful tech individual. The film will be distributed by indie darlings A24, with Variety reporting the several studios and filmmakers were involved in an intense bidding war to option the project. As the film has just been announced there is no release date or cast as of yet but fans have cast their vote, believing that Kevin Durand should play the South African. That being said, the overall response to the film's announcement has not been a positive one with some already calling it 'the worst film ever made.' Musk doesn't need much of an introduction but it will be interesting to see what direction the movie takes and whether it is critical of the tech mogul's more recent activity notably his much-maligned takeover of Twitter. Aronofsky's last film, The Whale was also distributed by A24 and saw Brendan Fraser win the Oscar for Best Actor. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings
2023-11-11 03:26
Ryan Reynolds confirms release date for Deadpool 3
After much delay, thanks to the SAG-AFTRA strike, one of the biggest movies impacted by the action, Deadpool 3, has finally confirmed its release date The hotly anticipated return of the 'Merc with a Mouth' will be the character's first appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and will see Reynolds reprise the role, with Hugh Jackman, also returning to the role that made him famous, Wolverine. Reynolds cryptically confirmed the news that the movie will be released on July 26th 2024 with a post on X/Twitter containing a GIF from the first film, released back in 2016. The post didn't feature much information beyond that. In fact, it barely featured any letters at all and mostly consisted of a skull, poo and several crossed sword emojis which if you squint spell out Deadpool. We'll leave it to your imagination what the crossed swords emojis are supposed to represent... Deadpool 3 will actually be the new MCU film to be released with the latest The Marvels hitting cinemas this week to mixed reviews. It will be the penultimate film in Marvels phase five which will be rounded out by Captain America: Brave New World which is set for a February 2025 release. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings
2023-11-11 01:58
John Lewis Christmas advert singer Andrea Bocelli has unusual link to the Kardashians
Andrea Bocelli has been revealed as the singer behind the John Lewis 2023 Christmas advert, however, the classical singer actually caused a huge row between the Kardashian singers previously. As show in The Kardashians, Kourtney and Kim had a falling out over who was 'copying' who when it came to their weddings, when the Skims owner pointed out that Bocelli was her favourite singer - and both of them had him perform at their big days. The singer responded to the pair saying he loves singing 'for both of them'. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter
2023-11-10 00:56
The trailer for Mean Girls: The Musical is here and fans can't wait for its release
19 years after the release of the original Mean Girls movie, the trailer for the musical counterpart has arrived, and fans are excited to relive the chick flick. Tina Fey will be reprising her role, but there are new Plastics in town, with Reneé Rapp, Angourie Rice, Bebe Wood, and Avantika Vandanapu taking on the roles. The film is set for release in January 2024, and it looks remarkably like the original, just with more music, and a fresh, Gen-Z twist. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter
2023-11-09 00:48
Taylor Swift fans believe 'Reputation (Taylor's Version)' will be announced this week
Taylor Swift delighted fans when she released 1989 (Taylor's Version) last month, but alas there is no rest when you're a Swiftie and no Easter egg unfound... Now, many believe that reputation (Taylor's Version) is set to be released this Thursday (November 9) - 13 days after the recent re-recording. A fan (@notalyssasue) has gone TikTok viral with her presentation on why she believes this to be the case, with supporting evidence to back her theory up. She starts by noting how everyone thinks the announcement will be on November 10 because that's the album's original release date back in 2017. @notalyssasue I love living on clownelia street #taylorswift #reputationtaylorsversion #reputationstadiumtour #swiftie #swifties #Inverted "So I know that you're looking at my crazy, but please hear me out," the TikToker says. On the Midnights album, there is the song on the 3 a.m. deluxe edition called 'Glitch' and has the lyrics: "But it's been two thousand one hundred and 90 days of our love blackout." To which @notalyssasue pointed out that Swift had a famous social media blackout ahead of her reputation era, "until randomly coming back one day." She has then calculated that the number of days between the original release date of reputation on November 10 2017 and November 9 2023 is 2,190 - like in the song 'Glitch.' "Gasp," she commented. Then the number of days between the release of 1989 (Taylor's Version) and November 9 is 13 days - Swift's favourite number. A coincidence? Meanwhile, recent snaps of Swift out and about with friends appear on the presentation as @notalyssasue highlighted how the singer's outfits have been "glitching" between blue and black - maybe signifying the shift from 1989 to reputation. Back in September, Taylor Nation posted a tweet celebrating the two years since the 'Wildest Dreams (Taylor's Version) release, "but they made sure to put emphasis whenever they referred to 'the glitch.'" She also noticed when going to pre-save 1989 (Taylor's Version) the screen "glitched" to black before returning to the blue colour. Swift has a history of announcing a re-recording release during one of her Eras tour shows, and on November 9 she does have a show at Estadio River Plate, Buenos Aires, Argentina. And most importantly of all, the TikTok made her final case: "I really, really want her to." A valid point. Since then, the video has received 1.1m views, 221,000 likes and thousands of comments from Swifties sharing their own theories about reputation. One person wrote: "I don't think she's going to announce it I think she's just going to drop it. No presales or anything. It's the hill I've chosen to die on." "AT THIS POINT I'M GONNA SUPER DISAPPOINTED IF SHE DOESN'T DO ANYTHING THE 9TH OR 10TH, i don't wanna clown again," another person said. Someone else added: "CALENDAR HAS BEEN MARKED." "What if she announces rep tv on Nov 10 then releases on New Year’s Day," a fourth person commented. Meanwhile, other hints that Swift appears to be teasing reputation as the next re-record release include the "S" in 1989 (Taylor's Version) resembling a snake. Additionally, fans who have been buying merch have noticed the star confetti that comes in the parcel is mostly blue, except for one black star. Could Swift really be announcing or potentially dropping reputation (Taylor's Version) so soon? Guess we'll have to wait until November 9 and 10 to find out... How to join the indy100's free WhatsApp channel Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-11-07 23:28
Matthew Perry cut a key Friends storyline over fear fans would 'never forgive' Chandler
Matthew Perry was ready to fight for his most iconic character’s reputation, a fellow ‘Friends’ actor has revealed. Lisa Cash, 54, who was an extra in the series, opened up about how her role in the show was changed and trimmed down thanks to Perry’s intervention – but she thinks it was the right decision. Speaking to TMZ, Cash explained that Chandler Bing (played by Perry) was supposed to cheat on his wife Monica Geller (Courteney Cox) during a Season 5 episode titled ‘The One in Vegas: Part 1’. Cash was hired to play a hotel worker who brings room service to Chandler’s room after he has a major fight with Monica, and the two were supposed to have a secret tryst. “Basically, the scene was Chandler and Monica were arguing In Vegas about Monica having lunch with Richard (Monica’s ex) and initially in our script, Chandler goes up to the hotel room, orders room service and I bring it up as a hotel worker,” the 54-year-old recounted. “And we end up talking and laughing and connecting and… Chandler ends up cheating on Monica with my character.” However, Perry knew his audience too well, and insisted that ‘Friends’ fanatics would be up in arms if the storyline were to go ahead. “We had rehearsed it and everything and then the day before we were shooting it in front of a live audience, I was told that Chandler went to the writers and said the fans will never forgive him for cheating on Monica.” She then conceded: “He was probably right. That would have changed possibly the course of the show and of his character.” Matthew Perry Removed 'Friends' Script Plans To Have Chandler Cheat On Monica | TMZ www.youtube.com Cash admitted that the axed role could have been a “game-changer” for her career, but said she was grateful for not being completely cut from the episode. Instead, she was given the part of a flight attendant who interacts with Ross and Rachel (David Schwimmer and Jennifer Aniston). Indeed, the 54-year-old was full of praise for ‘Friends’s staff and crew, particularly the late great Perry. “It was just so neat to work with him because I was coming in and I was new to the industry and it could have been really intimidating for me,” she explained. “But I just felt so comfortable and he was really likeable and welcoming and just made me feel at ease.” Cash’s revelation came as Perry’s fans and family continue to grieve the comic icon following his shock death, aged 54, on 28 October. The 17 Again star was reportedly laid to rest on Friday (3 November), at a LA cemetery in a service attended by his loved-ones, including his five most famous co-stars: Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer. Mourners gathered at the Forest Lawn cemetery in the Hollywood Hills neighbourhood, less than a mile from the Warner Brothers studio where ‘Friends’ was filmed. The cause and manner of Perry's death are to be determined by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office, upon completion of an autopsy with toxicology tests. His tragic passing came just one year after the publication of his memoir, ‘Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing,’ which chronicled his decades-long struggle with addiction to prescription painkillers and alcohol. At the time, Perry said he had been sober for about 18 months. Also on Friday, a foundation in Perry's name was launched to support people struggling with addiction. The Matthew Perry Foundation "will honour his legacy and be guided by his own words and experiences and driven by his passion for making a difference in as many lives as possible," according its website. The site leads with a quote from Perry, saying: "When I die, I don't want 'Friends' to be the first thing that's mentioned - I want helping others to be the first thing that's mentioned." Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings
2023-11-07 18:23
Six underrated Matthew Perry roles that aren't Chandler in Friends
Matthew Perry’s character from Friends, Chandler Bing, was so beloved by millions that the actor will forever be associated with him and his hilarious one liners. But Perry, who died on 28 October in Los Angeles, wasn’t just a one-trick pony. He was in dozens of films, TV shows and even stage productions that show his legacy is far richer and more varied than just being remembered for the famous sitcom. Here are a couple of his lesser known works, in celebration of Perry's life and career. She’s Out Of Control (1989) Chandler wasn’t even a glint in Perry’s eye when he appeared in Stan Dragoti’s 1989 indie comedy She’s Out Of Control. The coming of age comedy starring Tony Danza and Catherine Hicks is about a father coming to terms with his daughter growing up. A twenty-year-old Perry played Timothy, one of the daughter’s several boyfriends in the film. Unfortunately, it didn’t go down well with the critics. One reviewer wrote: “I became so depressed I actually thought about quitting my job as a film critic.” But 34 years later, the film has a certain charm and certainly carries a few laughs. For diehard fans of Friends it is required viewing. Matthew Perry in She's Out of Control (1989) www.youtube.com The Odd Couple (2015-17) Perry executive produced The Odd Couple, a sitcom based on the 1965 play written by Neil Simon. He also starred in it as the slovenly Oscar Madison, acting opposite Thomas Lennon playing the obsessively tidy Felix Unger. In fact, Perry had been pushing for a version of the show to be made since the late noughties, hoping for a launch in 2010. However, executives passed on it, and Perry was forced to shop it around. Eventually, it got picked up in 2013, and Perry got his show. It ran for 38 episodes across three seasons, marking Perry’s longest-running TV show behind Friends. The Odd Couple Episode 1 01 Pilot Sneak Peek 3 www.youtube.com The End Of Longing (2016) Perry’s stage career wasn’t as extensive as his film and TV appearances, but he still found time to write his own play. The End Of Longing was a dark comedy, starring Perry as an alcoholic named Jack, and was performed both on Broadway and on the West End. Referencing his own struggles with addiction, Perry later wrote that the play was “sort of an exaggerated form of myself” but that it was not an autobiographical part. While it got mixed reviews, one critic said: “The writing is wired, raw, politically incorrect and very funny [...] Perry's a novice playwright, but one of great promise.” Matthew Perry on His Play 'The End of Longing' www.youtube.com The Whole Nine Yards (2000) Being at the peak of his Friends fame didn’t stop Perry from appearing in The Whole Nine Yards, a crime comedy starring Bruce Willis. Perry plays Oz, a mild-mannered dentist who travels to Chicago to inform a mob boss about the whereabouts of his new neighbour, a former hitman with a price on his head. Film critic Roger Ebert wrote: “A subtle but unmistakable aura of jolliness sneaks from the screen during The Whole Nine Yards, and eventually we suspect that the actors are barely suppressing giggles. “This is the kind of standard material everyone could do in lockstep, but you sense inner smiles, and you suspect the actors are enjoying themselves.” It’s a romp, and well worth a watch. The Whole Nine Yards (2000) Official Trailer - Bruce Willis, Matthew Perry Movie HD www.youtube.com Serving Sara (2002) Perry didn’t do quite so well in Serving Sara, the romcom starring him and Elizabeth Hurley. The film follows a server given the assignment to serve a British socialite with divorce papers. However, he is bribed to serve her husband instead so that she can get a big divorce payout – and all manner of chaos ensues. Sadly, the film was thoroughly panned and didn’t do well at the box office, where it grossed only $5.8m on opening weekend. Check out the trailer and judge for yourself. Serving Sara Trailer www.youtube.com Scrubs (2004) And finally, from one era-defining sitcom to another, Perry went from Friends to a guest appearance in Scrubs. The medical comedy, which starred Zach Braff, went on for nine seasons through the noughties, and became one of the best-loved shows of its era. Perry played an air traffic controller, Murray. See a clip of Perry and Braff, the comic duo you didn’t know you needed, here. Scrubs - Matthew Perry In Scrubs - Aeroplane www.youtube.com Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter How to join the indy100's free WhatsApp channel Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings
2023-10-31 00:25
Adele pauses song after spotting special guest in Las Vegas audience
Adele emotionally paused her Las Vegas residency show after spotting someone very special in the audience. Dressed as Morticia Addams for her Halloween-themed concert, the star waded through the crowd singing her hit 'When We Were Young'. In the middle of the song, she can be heard saying "shut up" as she apologised and said: "Sorry! Will you sing it for me? That man delivered my baby! I haven’t seen you for years." She hugged the doctor, as the audience erupted into "awwws". Footage of the heartwarming moment soon spread to social media, with one fan writing: "Adele has the most audience awareness ever." Another added: "Adele be giving the most shout-outs during her shows and doesn’t give a damn how it changes the flow." Meanwhile, a third wrote: "Adele is so kind and so loving. She's a real super star." @mu5icology 🫶 #adele #music #concert During the same show, Adele acknowledged the tragic death of Friends star Matthew Perry. "It is always so shocking, especially someone that made you laugh and who brought so much joy to your life that you don't know," she said. "This is what I find so strange, I never met him in my life. There is something, you feel so sad about it especially because you don't necessarily know what was going on." She added: "I'll remember that character for the rest of my life," before praising him for being "incredibly, incredibly brave" for being open about his "struggles with addiction and sobriety". How to join the indy100's free WhatsApp channel Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-10-30 21:50
Friends star Matthew Perry's cause of death 'inconclusive' after post-morten
Matthew Perry’s cause of death remains uncertain, after an initial post-mortem came back “inconclusive”. The cause of death has been “deferred,” and a toxicology report is needed to work out what happened, according to a report released by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner. An official conclusion isn’t likely to be released for several weeks, the medical examiner’s office said. However, it added in a statement that the body was ready to be released to Perry’s family. The Friends star died on Saturday at his home in Los Angeles, seemingly having drowned in a jacuzzi. He was 54. Since then, tributes have poured in from both his Friends colleagues and others for an actor who earned himself a cult following thanks to his sarcastic quips as fan-favourite Chandler Bing. Included in those was Friends co-star Maggie Wheeler, who played Perry’s on-off girlfriend Janice Hosenstein during the early series of the TV show and often appeared to perform her catchphrase: “Oh! My! God!” She said: “What a loss. The world will miss you Matthew Perry. The joy you brought to so many in your too short lifetime will live on. I feel so very blessed by every creative moment we shared.” Perry, who was nominated for an Emmy for his role in Friends, starred alongside Jennifer Aniston, Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer and Courteney Cox – who played Perry’s on-screen wife Monica Geller. The five co-stars were set to release a joint statement following the death of their “brother” Matthew Perry, sources said on Monday. “The cast is reeling from the loss of their brother, because that’s what Matty was — their brother,” an industry source told Page Six. A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Fire Department said first responders went to a home in Pacific Palisades on Saturday based on a 911 call responding to a “water emergency”. How to join the indy100's free WhatsApp channel Sign up to our free indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-10-30 17:46
Why were Matthew Perry's last 7 Instagram posts all about Batman?
Comic genius often comes with a dark side, as Matthew Perry knew all too well. The Friends star, who died on Saturday, aged 54, battled against addiction to prescription drugs and alcohol for decades. And yet, he was known as a funny man – whose biting wit and mastery of sarcasm made him an icon in the eyes of millions. These two distinct, yet intrinsically linked, sides of his character no doubt helped him empathise with another legend of the big and silver screens: Batman. Indeed, Perry’s last Instagram post, shared just five days before his death referenced the comic book character – with the 54-year-old dubbing himself “Mattman”. Mourning fans were also quick to point out that the accompanying photo of Matty (as his friends called him) showed him relaxing in his outdoor hot tub at home in LA. On 28 October, that same jacuzzi would become the scene of his death, according to law enforcement sources. But this final post wasn’t the only indicator of the 17 Again actor’s fixation with Batman – his previous six were all allusions to the caped crusader. The first of the series, shared a week before his death, showed a home cinema room, with three screens set up to show the latest film in the franchise: The Batman. Others showed the iconic bat symbol in various settings, including carved into a Halloween pumpkin, with Perry repeatedly referring to himself as Mattman. The American-Canadian actor had long, and openly, celebrated his love of the comic book character. In a 2022 interview with GQ, he admitted that he once bought a 10,400-square-foot LA penthouse simply because it resembled the home of Christian Bale’s Batman in The Dark Knight. Perry’s reasoning at the time was apparently: “Bruce Wayne had a penthouse – I’m going to have one.” During the interview, he also revealed that he was building a dedicated Batman room in his new house (which he branded “a Matt cave”), with a pool table, large TV, and black sofa surrounded by shelves of his Batman paraphernalia. Probed on the reason for his obsession, Perry replied: “I am Batman.” He then explained: “Well, he’s a rich loner. We both drive black, cool cars.” He then conceded: “I don’t solve crime. But I’ve saved people’s lives.” In one of GQ’s ‘10 things I can’t live without’ segments, Perry shared further insight into his batty mania, saying that it began with the Christopher Nolan movies but extended to the latest instalment, staring Robert Pattinson. During the deadpan runthrough, he admitted that he had “too much Batman stuff”, but then ended the video by joking that after seeing all his essential items, viewers “should probably know by now that I'm Batman.” 10 Things Matthew Perry Can't Live Without | GQ www.youtube.com Perry’s fans and many of his 8.1 million Instagram followers speculated whether his most recent run of themed posts was more than just another outpouring of adoration for the franchise. They thought it was a hint that he’d been cast in a new Batman role, particularly given that one of the captions penned by Perry read: “Do you understand what I'm trying to tell you?” Still, all we know for sure is that Perry saw a lot of himself in Batman – or should that be, he saw a lot of Batman in himself? Regardless, the similarities are striking, especially when you consider what Perry once responded when asked what he’d like his legacy to be. “I would like to be remembered as somebody who lived well, loved well, was a seeker and his paramount thing is that he wants to help people,” he replied. The sentiment is an undeniable echo of one of Batman’s most famous quotes: “It's not who I am underneath, but what I do that defines me.” And what Perry did was make people laugh and cry and, ultimately, save lives. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings
2023-10-29 17:23
This Taylor Swift '1989 (Taylor's Version)' Vault track was teased a decade ago
With the release of '1989 (Taylor's Version)' today, comes five 'From the Vault' tracks for Swifties to enjoy - but there is one vault song in particular that was teased nearly 10 years ago. (We're talking before the original '1989' was released). The second of the five vault tracks called "Say Don't Go," was written by Swift and legendary songwriter Diane Warren and the heartfelt pop track has been a hit with Swifties. Warren has written some of the biggest hits in music for other notable female artists such as Cher, Beyoncé, Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston. In January 2014, Warren herself spoke to Billboard about collaborating with Swift on a "great song,” adding that she was “excited" about it. When the interviewer commented on the fact Swift had said the songs for 1989 had come along quicker than expected, Warren replied: "Yeah I have no idea... I have no idea what she [Swift] has done but I'm excited about the one [song] that we did it's pretty cool." Though when October 27 rolled around that year, the collaboration didn't feature on the album. Luckily for us, this “pretty cool” track finally got to see the light of day. Of course, Swifties are praising both Swift and Warren about "Say Don't Go." Taylor Swift's '1989 (Taylor's Version)' is out now. How to join the indy100's free WhatsApp channel Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-10-27 20:20