Annabel Nugent

Callum Turner repeatedly declined to comment on reports that he is being considered to replace Daniel Craig as James Bond, describing the subject as too “loaded.” Turner is among several rumoured contenders, although casting director Debbie McWilliams reportedly thinks he is too famous for the role. Jack Lowden has since emerged as a leading possibility, according to Richard Osman. Producer Amy Pascal said the filmmakers may identify the next Bond by the end of the year, with Denis Villeneuve directing and Steven Knight writing the next film.

Taskmaster contestant Phil Ellis explained that seeing his balding head from above during filming prompted him to pursue a hair transplant. After receiving the procedure in January, he reported much thicker regrowth and increased confidence, while stressing that people should not feel pressured to alter their appearance. The article also notes the growing popularity and affordability of hair transplants, particularly in Istanbul.

ITV is reportedly moving the 2026 launch of I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! from Sunday 15 November to Monday 16 November at 9pm because England’s UEFA Nations League match against Spain would occupy the original primetime slot. Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly are expected to return as hosts, but the celebrity line-up has not been confirmed. ITV is reportedly under pressure to compete with the BBC’s star-studded The Celebrity Traitors, with several celebrities and influencers rumoured to be under consideration.

The Independent praises Disney+ thriller Furious as a dark, addictive series that substantially surpasses its loose inspiration, Black Widow. The eight-part drama follows FBI agent Alice Black, played by Emmy Rossum, as she pursues Catherine, a serial killer targeting men involved in her childhood trafficking and sexual abuse. Lola Petticrew is commended for making Catherine morally complicated rather than a stereotypical vigilante, while creator Elizabeth Merriweather broadens the story into an indictment of institutional indifference to gendered violence. The series explores trauma, complicity and female rage without offering tidy conclusions or treating Catherine’s revenge as an uncomplicated victory.

AJ Pritchard says he postponed his wedding to continue competing on The Next Pro, a reality contest whose winner earns a place on the US version of Dancing with the Stars. The former Strictly Come Dancing professional described the pressure and sacrifices involved, including his desire to secure an opportunity he has pursued for years. Pritchard proposed to Zara Zoffany in June, but did not disclose the original or rescheduled wedding date. His criticism of Strictly’s international professional cast has drawn a response from judge Oti Mabuse, who disagrees with his comments but supports his right to seek a place on the American show.

Matt Damon said his daughter refuses to watch Good Will Hunting because she is worried it might be good and enjoys teasing him about his films. Damon also recalled her dismissing The Great Wall as having nothing great about it. He said his four daughters keep him grounded and understand how much he values his acting career. He is due to star in Stillwater, scheduled for UK theatrical release on 6 August.

Dawn French posted a strongly worded Instagram video condemning body shaming and bullying, apparently in response to criticism of Marie-France van Heel’s appearance after she accompanied her husband, Andy Burnham, to Buckingham Palace to meet King Charles III. Van Heel’s pastel Victoria Beckham dress and appearance had attracted sexist online comments, prompting support from French and several celebrities. Van Heel, who grew up in the Netherlands and Belgium, met Burnham at Cambridge, married him in 2000, and has worked in marketing and strategy, including involvement in logo designs for the BBC and England Rugby.

Katie Lee Biegel recalled that Chevy Chase mistook her for party staff and shooed her away when she offered him a Jell-O shot at a party she hosted with Billy Joel. She described Jon Stewart as notably kind by comparison. The piece also revisits Biegel and Joel’s five-year marriage, including his alcoholism, her ultimatum that he seek help, and their eventual divorce in 2009; both later remarried.

Rick Moranis received a standing ovation at his Comic-Con debut while promoting Spaceballs: The New One, his first major live-action film role in decades. The actor left live-action work in 1997 to raise his children after his wife's death, later accepting only selective voice roles. He said conversations with Mel Brooks and the involvement of Josh Gad and the Pullmans convinced him to reprise Dark Helmet. The sequel, which also features Brooks and Bill Pullman, is scheduled for release in 2027.

Film director Chuck Russell has died unexpectedly at age 74 at his home in the San Diego area, according to his family and attorney, though no cause of death has been disclosed. Jim Carrey paid tribute to Russell, recalling the joyful and collaborative atmosphere he created while directing The Mask and calling the 1994 film one of the jewels of his creative life. Russell's career included directing A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, The Blob, Eraser, Bless the Child and The Scorpion King, as well as his final film, the 2024 horror remake Witchboard.

Andy Serkis discusses adapting George Orwell’s Animal Farm into a children’s film featuring a more humorous tone that sparked backlash and accusations of diluting the book’s message. He reflects on the polarized reaction in the United States, marketing challenges, and the broader relevance of Orwell’s themes. Serkis also addresses his long career in motion-capture, the evolution of its perception in the industry, and concerns about artificial intelligence and likeness exploitation. Animal Farm will be released in cinemas on 17 July.

Millie Bobby Brown reflects on her evolution while leading and producing Enola Holmes 3, a more mature installment that explores adulthood, romance and Britain’s colonial legacy. The cast and director praise her confidence, leadership and growth, noting how the film and character mirror her personal journey. The new film deepens its social themes while maintaining its family-friendly core, highlighting Brown’s creative influence and commitment to portraying empowering stories for young women.

Celebrities including Cliff Richard, Ellie Goulding, Tom Chaplin, Lucy Bronze and Nick Clegg attended day four of Wimbledon in the Royal Box. The article highlights notable guests from sports, music, politics and broadcasting while explaining the Royal Box’s tradition and role at the tournament.

The Independent will again serve as exclusive news partner for the Henley Literary Festival, which marks its 20th anniversary alongside the publication’s 40th. The festival will feature more than 140 events, including conversations with leading authors, journalists, public figures and celebrities such as Michael Morpurgo, Kate Mosse, Lorraine Kelly, Zahra Joya and Theresa May. The lineup spans literature, politics, science and entertainment, with The Independent providing extensive coverage and hosting live discussions and a podcast recording. Tickets will become available in early July.

Skepta condemned videos showing adult men crowding North West at Paris Fashion Week, describing their behaviour as inappropriate after one ignored her attempt at a handshake and pulled her into a hug. Responding to comments online, he stressed the importance of respecting boundaries and reading body language while urging parents to protect their children. The article also notes North’s recent public appearances, including a new look at a Vetements show and plans for her first concert tour following her debut album release.

Lena Dunham’s memoir Famesick combines an account of chronic illness—including endometriosis, migraines, colitis, depression and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome—with reflections on creative ambition, celebrity, relationships and public backlash. It alleges that Adam Driver was verbally aggressive and physically intimidating during Girls rehearsals, while also recounting alleged harassment by producer Scott Rudin and Dunham’s delayed responses to abusive situations. The book revisits her romance with Jack Antonoff, her infidelity, her defense of writer Murray Miller, and the controversy surrounding Not That Kind of Girl. Despite its focus on fame and scandal, the memoir’s deepest value lies in Dunham’s candid examination of illness, trauma, guilt and the consequences of public scrutiny.

The four-episode Malcolm in the Middle reboot follows an adult Malcolm, played by Frankie Muniz, who has distanced himself from his family while building a successful life. Although the returning cast remains funny and the premise offers promising conflict, the review argues that the reboot scatters its characters into separate storylines, gives the family too little time together and relies on heavy-handed emotional cues. New characters such as Kelly and Malcolm’s daughter Leah receive disproportionate attention, suggesting a possible spin-off, while the original show’s chaotic chemistry and understated warmth are largely missing. The review concludes that viewers would be better served by revisiting the original series on Disney+.

Halle Bailey discusses moving beyond the racist backlash to her casting as Ariel in Disney’s The Little Mermaid and learning to ignore hostile public opinion. She describes her new romantic comedy, You, Me & Tuscany, as a milestone in portraying herself as an adult woman and highlights the significance of its two Black leads. Bailey also reflects on motherhood, meditation, her solo music, separating creatively from sister Chloe, Beyoncé’s mentorship, and the cancellation of the Pharrell Williams biopic Golden. Her future career choices are increasingly shaped by a desire to make her son proud and promote meaningful representation on screen.

Kate Mara discusses her career, the persistence required to deal with rejection and her latest role as Nancy in Apple TV’s Imperfect Women, alongside Kerry Washington and Elisabeth Moss. She praises the show’s three female leads and all-women directing team, and reflects on motherhood, her marriage to Jamie Bell, and her close relationship with sister Rooney Mara. The sisters will appear together in Werner Herzog’s Bucking Fastard, while Mara is also pursuing her long-held ambition of performing on Broadway.

Actor and comedian Riki Lindhome turned a decade-long struggle to become a parent into the one-woman musical Dead Inside. Her experience included pregnancy loss, failed IVF attempts, seven surgeries, endometriosis, a broken relationship, an unsuccessful adoption process and eventual success through a donor embryo and surrogate. Her son Keaton was born in 2022, and Lindhome later married Fred Armisen. Although performing the autobiographical show was initially emotionally difficult, she now feels able to perform it rather than relive it, while hoping it encourages people to have their fertility checked.

One Battle After Another is portrayed as an ambitious, unusual and technically accomplished film whose shifting blend of father-daughter drama, political satire, comedy and action fully merits its Best Picture Oscar. Paul Thomas Anderson's direction, the performances by Leonardo DiCaprio, Chase Infiniti and the supporting cast, the California-shot action sequences and the VistaVision cinematography are singled out for praise. The win is presented as a deserved first Best Picture triumph for Anderson rather than a sentimental career-achievement award, and as a positive form of industry recognition that could benefit his future work.

The Scrubs reboot deliberately avoids reinvention, returning to the original series’ absurd, earnest blend of medical drama and comedy. Zach Braff, Donald Faison, Judy Reyes, Sarah Chalke and John C. McGinley reprise their familiar roles, with their longstanding chemistry remaining a major strength. Although the series makes predictable jokes about aging and updates its workplace humor for contemporary sensitivities, it largely preserves the show’s original tone rather than becoming a sentimental modern remake. The result is presented as reassuringly silly, nostalgic and emotionally familiar, even if some of its new-generation and “woke workplace” jokes feel formulaic.

Natalie Dormer withdrew from promoting ITV’s drama The Lady after new revelations about Sarah Ferguson’s past relationship with Jeffrey Epstein made the actor unable to reconcile the role with her values. Dormer donated her full salary to two child-abuse charities. The production has received little publicity, while Ferguson and her former husband Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor face renewed scrutiny over their connections to Epstein. The piece also argues that the drama is ethically uncomfortable because it depicts allegations involving living people and is artistically weak, with criticism from The Independent’s Nick Hilton and objections from the family of murder victim Thomas Cressman.

The six-part BBC adaptation of Marian Keyes's Walsh sisters novels brings Claire, Rachel, Maggie, Helen and Anna to television for the first time. Writer and actor Stefanie Preissner and the cast describe the challenge of preserving Keyes's mix of humour, emotional honesty and distinctly Irish sensibility while addressing addiction, IVF, motherhood and family conflict. The series focuses particularly on Rachel's descent into addiction and gives attention to the stigma surrounding difficult experiences of motherhood. Keyes approved of the adaptation after years of stalled options, while a Netflix version of Grown Ups is also in development.

Chadwick Boseman’s brothers Kevin and Derrick discuss the UK revival of his 2005 play Deep Azure, which runs at Shakespeare’s Globe through 11 April 2026. Inspired by the police killing of Boseman’s friend Prince Jones, the hip-hop drama explores grief, police brutality and communal healing. The brothers describe Boseman’s ambitions as a playwright and director, his commitment to Black representation and the arts, and the difficulty of grieving someone whose public image remained omnipresent after his death. They view the production as a continuation of his artistic and humanitarian legacy.

Michael Imperioli and Steve Schirripa discuss the enduring appeal of The Sopranos, the possibility of a reunion that ended with James Gandolfini’s death, and their pandemic-era podcast Talking Sopranos. They recall intense fan devotion, strict secrecy around major plot developments and the difficult working conditions surrounding Gandolfini, while protecting his legacy and emphasizing the fondness they retain for the set. They also reflect on the series’ themes of criminality, capitalism, immigration and the American dream, and consider how its characters might respond to contemporary US politics.

Madeline Cash’s debut novel, Lost Lambs, has made her one of the year’s most acclaimed new literary voices. The novel combines a collapsing family, suburban malaise, terrorist plots, corporate evil and conspiracy theories in a deliberately dreamlike and darkly comic portrait of American dysfunction. Cash discusses the book’s inspirations, her working-class upbringing with a single mother, and her resistance to being reduced to autofiction or treated as a nepo baby. She has already completed a second novel but is keeping its details private.

Canadian musician Peaches, whose real name is Merrill Nisker, discusses her four-decade career of sexually explicit, gender-bending and politically charged music and performance. She describes her forthcoming album No Lube, So Rude as a continuation of her commitment to bodily autonomy, reproductive rights, queer identity and transgender inclusion, with tour profits supporting the Trans Funding Project. Nisker also reflects on ageism, surviving thyroid cancer, her experiences opening for Marilyn Manson, and her growing influence on mainstream pop culture. The album is scheduled for release on 20 February, followed by a tour beginning 17 April.

Freida McFadden, the pseudonym of a Harvard-trained doctor, has become one of the world’s most commercially successful thriller writers, selling more than 36 million copies and placing numerous titles high on Amazon and Kindle bestseller lists. Her breakthrough came with The Housemaid, whose 2022 release sold more than two million copies and whose film adaptation starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried earned $300 million. McFadden’s self-published career was built on prolific output, psychological suspense and deliberately implausible twists, attracting devoted “McFans” despite criticism that her work prioritizes shock and entertainment over realism. After signing with Poisoned Pen Press in 2022 while retaining ebook and audiobook rights, she has largely shifted from medicine to writing, though she still works occasional doctor shifts and plans to reduce her publishing pace in 2027.

The article presents advice from leading authors on reading more during a period of declining recreational reading among UK children and adults. Their recommendations focus on pleasure rather than obligation: choosing enjoyable books, abandoning those that do not engage, establishing short daily reading periods, limiting phone use, creating comfortable reading spaces, and embracing audiobooks, graphic novels, poetry and rereading. The 2026 National Year of Reading campaign, led by the Department for Education with more than 60 partners, is supporting the effort through library funding, newborn library cards and book distribution, while the Queen’s Reading Room continues to promote reading internationally.

Jennette McCurdy discusses her transition from child actor to writer, the success of her memoir I’m Glad My Mom Died, and her new novel Half His Age. The novel follows a 17-year-old Alaskan girl’s affair with her married 40-year-old creative-writing teacher and draws partly on McCurdy’s own past age-gap relationship. McCurdy says writing helped her process anger, trauma and unhealthy patterns, while years of therapy helped her build healthier relationships. She is also serving as showrunner on the Apple TV adaptation of her memoir and insists on maintaining creative control to preserve its balance of humor and emotional seriousness.

Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value explores the damage caused by an absent, self-absorbed artist father and the difficult reconciliation he seeks with his daughters. Stellan Skarsgård, Renate Reinsve, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas and Elle Fanning discuss the film’s family themes, their personal connections to the material and Trier’s rehearsal-based approach, which builds trust and encourages actors to take risks. The film’s Cannes ovation and Golden Globe nominations have positioned it as a major Oscar contender, while Skarsgård also criticizes Netflix’s limited theatrical ambitions and argues that awards prestige may help protect cinemas.

Malachi Kirby discusses embracing high-profile roles, including Hezekiah Moscow in the second season of Disney+’s A Thousand Blows. He reflects on the emotional demands of portraying traumatised characters, particularly the physically and psychologically overwhelming flogging scene in Roots, and argues that acting requires pursuing emotional truth rather than merely pretending. Kirby also addresses the responsibility of British actors portraying stories from the African diaspora, the lack of mental-health support in drama training, his upbringing and career path, and his desire to explore comedy alongside more dramatic work.

Josh Finan discusses leading the BBC drama Waiting for the Out, adapted from Andy West’s memoir Life on the Inside. The series follows philosophy teacher Dan as he begins teaching in prison and confronts the effects of the experience, his students and his troubled family history. Finan describes the drama as an exploration of prisoners using intellect rather than violence, while also examining contemporary masculinity and emotional repression. He explains how visiting a prison lesson helped him prepare and how the role’s differences from West’s real-life story gave him creative freedom. The interview also traces Finan’s rise from small television parts and drama-school training to acclaimed roles in The Responder and Say Nothing, as well as his working-class upbringing in the Wirral and hopes that his work will provoke meaningful discussion.

The Independent previews 16 books scheduled for release in the first quarter or early months of 2026, spanning fiction, short stories, memoir, investigative nonfiction, music history and health. Highlights include Jennette McCurdy’s debut novel, new fiction from Colm Tóibín, Douglas Stuart, Tayari Jones and Leïla Slimani, and memoirs from Melissa Auf der Maur and Lena Dunham. Nonfiction selections address a mysterious teenage death, London youth violence, Black contributions to alternative music and healthy ageing, while Han Kang’s first book after her Nobel Prize is also featured.

The Independent’s culture team presents a personal, unranked selection of songs that resonated with its writers in 2025. Highlights include Chappell Roan’s grandiose dream-pop track “The Subway,” Justin Bieber’s lo-fi R&B single “Daisies,” Kingfishr’s emotionally charged folk-rock song “I Cried, I Wept,” Sam Fender and Olivia Dean’s rock-soul collaboration “Rein Me In,” Lily Allen’s sharply detailed “Pussy Palace,” Addison Rae’s unexpectedly vulnerable “Headphones On,” Brandi Carlile’s anthem of self-reclamation “Returning to Myself,” and RAYE’s theatrical “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!” The selections emphasize diverse songwriting, production and vocal styles rather than defining an objective best-of list.

Lola Petticrew discusses starring in Channel 4’s adaptation of Louise Kennedy’s Trespasses, playing a Catholic teacher involved in a forbidden relationship with a Protestant barrister during the Troubles. They argue that the term “the Troubles” understates the conflict, emphasize its continuing effects through poverty, suicide and intergenerational trauma, and criticize the British government’s failure to fund adequate mental-health services. Petticrew also reflects on their Irish identity, non-binary and bisexual experiences, the pressures facing LGBTQ+ actors, and a career spanning Say Nothing, Tuesday and forthcoming international projects.

Caroline Flack’s mother, Christine, has helped produce the Disney+ documentary Caroline Flack: Search for the Truth to investigate the circumstances surrounding her daughter’s 2019 arrest and 2020 suicide. The documentary argues that police and prosecutors treated Flack differently because of her celebrity status, that the case was worsened by inaccurate or sensational media coverage, and that her mental-health concerns were inadequately addressed. The CPS maintains that the prosecution was properly brought and was not influenced by celebrity, while the Metropolitan Police says independent reviews found no misconduct. Christine hopes the film will correct the public narrative around Flack and encourage greater kindness.

David Harewood, Toby Jones and Caitlin FitzGerald discuss Tom Morris’s new National Theatre production of Shakespeare’s Othello, in which Harewood plays Othello, Jones plays Iago and FitzGerald plays Desdemona. They describe how a drama therapist helps the cast safely explore the play’s racism, misogyny, violence and psychological intensity. Harewood reflects on his historic 1997 National Theatre performance as the first Black actor to play Othello there, the legacy of Blackface in British theatre and the challenge of portraying Othello’s transformation into a jealous murderer. FitzGerald seeks a more forceful and self-possessed Desdemona, while Jones considers Iago’s technical and emotional demands. The production aims to connect the tragedy’s themes of racism, toxic masculinity and emotional repression with contemporary society.

Joe Keery discusses his parallel careers as actor and musician under the name Djo, emphasizing that music provides greater creative freedom and a more direct way to process his emotions. He reflects on the viral success of “End of Beginning,” his evolving sound across The Crux and its deluxe edition, and his ambivalence toward social media and the pressure to market himself online. Keery also addresses privacy, candid songwriting, the influence of his acting career on his music, and the impending end of Stranger Things, which he says concluded in a deeply satisfying way.

Nia DaCosta’s film adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler relocates the story to 1950s England, makes Hedda biracial and bisexual, and transforms Eilert Løvberg into Eileen, played by Nina Hoss. Tessa Thompson describes Hedda as a complex, misunderstood woman shaped by social constraints, female rage and the struggle for agency. Thompson and Hoss say DaCosta’s screenplay became an independent work rather than a straightforward theatrical adaptation, with the film centering queer and female perspectives. Hedda screens at the BFI London Film Festival and begins streaming on Prime Video on 29 October.

Marina Abramović discusses her new Manchester performance Balkan Erotic Epic, which draws on Serbian sexual folklore and rituals. She expects the work’s explicit imagery to provoke Britain’s tabloids, while describing it as both a cultural return to her roots and a reckoning with her strict communist upbringing. The interview also reflects on landmark works including Rhythm 0 and The Artist Is Present, her views on criticism, fame, money, motherhood and feminism, and the effects of serious illness and aging on an artist whose body is central to her practice.

Patricia Lockwood discusses her new novel, Will There Ever Be Another You, which she wrote while experiencing severe mental and physical disorientation after contracting Covid. The fragmented book reflects that experience and represents a move away from the more accessible narrative structure of her memoir Priestdaddy. Lockwood also reflects on her literary career, the cultural legacy of No One Is Talking About This, the decline of Twitter, and the way online language and political extremism may be interpreted by future generations. She discusses rape, the freedom of fiction, her complicated but affectionate portrayal of her Catholic priest father, and the changing relationship between religion, beauty, sexuality and American politics. Although she has no wish to return to the Catholic Church, she says its rituals and aesthetics remain deeply embedded in her experience.

Elizabeth Gilbert’s new memoir, All the Way to the River, recounts her intense relationship with Rayya Elias, including Elias’s cancer, drug addiction, abusive behavior and Gilbert’s fleeting, unfulfilled plan to kill her by tampering with her medication. The book frames their relationship as the collision of Elias’s drug addiction and Gilbert’s addiction to love and sex, followed by recovery through 12-step programs. The review praises Gilbert’s frank, witty and compelling writing but argues that her attempt to present this highly specific story as universally relatable is less convincing than the more open-ended universality of Eat, Pray, Love. It also observes that Gilbert has shifted from an everywoman memoirist toward a spiritual guru, a transformation that changes the relationship between her and her readers.

Tinie Tempah explains his eight-year break from music, saying he prioritised family life, normal experiences and avoiding the pressure of becoming a one-hit wonder. Now 36, married with two children, he is returning with “Eat It Up,” a drum-and-bass collaboration with Skepsis, while supporting the Last Night Out campaign against the decline of UK clubs and music venues. He reflects on how his pop-influenced approach to grime was initially criticised, his Nigerian and British cultural influences, the growth of British rap internationally, and his continuing ambitions as he approaches what he sees as a potential artistic peak.

Julio Torres is presented as a distinctive actor, writer and director whose surreal comedy attracts major stars including Tilda Swinton, Steve Buscemi, Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling. His work spans Saturday Night Live, Los Espookys, Fantasmas, Problemista and the stage show Color Theories, blending absurdist humor with themes of alienation, bureaucracy, immigration and resistance to capitalist systems. Raised in El Salvador, Torres describes how magical realism and childhood toy-worlds shaped his imagination, while his own difficult visa experience informed the bureaucratic obstacles depicted in Problemista and Fantasmas. As his profile grows, he remains more interested in unusual, creator-led projects than conventional Hollywood franchises, although he expresses enthusiasm for a possible film about the obscure Batman villain Calendar Girl.

Season two retains Wednesday's distinctive gothic style and benefits from stronger involvement by the Addams family, with praise directed at Catherine Zeta-Jones, Joanna Lumley and Fred Armisen. However, the review finds the season overlong and narratively predictable, with repetitive deadpan humor, underused Steve Buscemi and a plot assembled from familiar teen, supernatural and murder-mystery conventions.

Sean Hayes discusses bringing his Tony-winning performance as troubled pianist Oscar Levant to London in Good Night, Oscar, explaining how the role challenged the public image established by Will & Grace. He reflects on being typecast as Jack, his long effort to pursue more demanding work, his classical piano training and difficult childhood in Chicago. Hayes also speaks candidly about mental-health struggles, therapy, atrial fibrillation and the therapeutic value of openness, while expressing acceptance about whatever opportunities follow the play’s run.

Billie Eilish’s London O2 Arena show reimagines pop spectacle through a central figure-eight stage, sparse but striking visuals and a giant illuminated cube. Her restless energy and expressive presence make the performance feel spontaneous despite its scale, while moments of stillness showcase her control. The stadium arrangements sometimes sacrifice the intricate details of her and Finneas O’Connell’s recordings, though songs including “Ocean Eyes” and “Happier Than Ever” retain their impact. The review praises the show overall but criticizes ending with “Birds of a Feather” rather than the more powerful “Happier Than Ever”.

Abby Elliott discusses how becoming pregnant during The Bear’s second season led creators Christopher Storer and Joanna Calo to incorporate her pregnancy into Nat’s storyline. She reflects on the show’s acclaim, her character’s evolution into motherhood, and the demanding experience of working on Saturday Night Live, where she was ultimately dismissed after initially asking to leave. The transition helped her move beyond sketch comedy into more nuanced acting roles. Elliott also describes balancing her career with family life, developing an interest in writing, and hoping her father, comedian Chris Elliott, will appear on The Bear.

Primavera Sound Barcelona is portrayed as a forward-looking festival that embraces contemporary pop rather than nostalgia. Charli XCX and Chappell Roan deliver standout performances, while Haim, LCD Soundsystem, Wet Leg, Kim Deal and Turnstile are among the strongest supporting acts. Sabrina Carpenter’s set is undermined by serious sound problems, and FKA twigs’ carefully staged performance loses impact on the open main stage. Central Cee performs confidently but connects less strongly with the international crowd. The festival’s late-night rave programming and generally efficient organization are praised, although the lack of free water stations is identified as a major shortcoming.

Mark Hoppus discusses his diagnosis and recovery from stage 4A diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, including accidentally publicizing his cancer treatment on Instagram. He reflects on Blink-182’s rise from the Southern California punk scene, the departures and reunions involving Tom DeLonge and Travis Barker, and the band’s history of breakups. Cancer helped repair Hoppus’s relationship with DeLonge, leading to the band’s current reunion and new music. His memoir, Fahrenheit-182, also explores family difficulties, marriage, fatherhood, fame and the tension between Blink-182’s juvenile humor and more emotionally candid songs.

Ewan McGregor, Elizabeth Debicki and Kate Fleetwood discuss rehearsing My Master Builder, a new play by Lila Raicek directed by Michael Grandage. Set in the modern-day Hamptons and inspired by Henrik Ibsen’s The Master Builder, the production explores sexual politics, memory and power within a marriage involving an architect, his wife and a former lover. The actors describe the intensity and intimacy of creating a new work, while defending the casting of film stars on the West End stage and arguing that their visibility can help new theatre get produced. They also share frustrations about disruptive audiences, including phone use, filming and noisy behaviour in theatres and cinemas.

Sean Baker’s Anora is presented as a worthy 2025 Best Picture winner, combining comedy, romance and drama with commentary on class, labor, sex work and the limits of the American dream. The film’s location shooting and mix of professional and nonprofessional actors give it an unusually authentic quality, while Mikey Madison’s performance is identified as its central strength and a major star-making turn.

Eliza Scanlen discusses becoming famous at 18 through Sharp Objects, the pressure and anxiety that followed, and her growing confidence at 26. She reflects on roles in Little Women, Babyteeth, The Starling Girl and The Importance of Being Earnest, as well as playing undercover police officer Violet in BBC’s Dope Girls. Scanlen says she is increasingly wary of being cast as teenage “shy quirky” characters, argues that women in the industry are afforded less room for difficult behavior than men, and stresses the responsibility of people with power to speak up about problems on set.

Director Osgood Perkins discusses how the deaths of his father, actor Anthony Perkins, and mother, photographer Berry Berenson, shaped his filmmaking. He explains how family history informs films such as The Blackcoat’s Daughter, Longlegs and his new adaptation of Stephen King’s The Monkey, which uses wildly comic deaths and tragedy to explore grief, estrangement and healing. Perkins also reflects on his father’s sexuality, fame and legacy, his own brief acting career, and his preference for empowering performers behind the camera.

Krept and Konan discuss their 15-year career, the obstacles faced by Black British rappers, and their role in helping UK rap gain mainstream recognition. Their new album, Young Kingz II, revisits their road-rap roots while incorporating dancehall influences and deeply personal songs about family, grief and trauma. The duo also describe leaving Virgin to become independent, expanding into businesses and founding the Positive Direction Foundation. They reflect on Konan’s therapy for PTSD, Krept’s 2019 stabbing, the changing media treatment of rappers, opposition to drill criminalisation, and their decision to accept BEM honours while continuing to pursue recognition and a lasting legacy.

Mo Amer discusses the difficult creation of the second season of his Netflix series Mo amid the Israel-Gaza war, explaining why the show’s Palestinian family story does not directly address the post-7 October violence. Drawing heavily on his own experiences as a Palestinian refugee, including family trauma, a visit to Palestine and the challenge of filming Palestinian scenes in Malta, the season continues to combine humour with themes of displacement and identity. Amer also reflects on his early stand-up tours for US troops, his encounter with Eric Trump, and fears over Donald Trump’s second-term immigration policies. Despite deep mistrust surrounding the Israel-Hamas ceasefire, he expresses hope for compassion and a better future.

The Independent ranks 20 films considered especially comforting and feel-good, spanning romantic comedies, classic Hollywood, animation, musicals and family dramas. The selection favors films that provide laughter, romance, emotional release or renewed faith in human connection, while arguing that uplifting cinema can be as artistically valuable as challenging or provocative work. It’s a Wonderful Life takes the top position, followed by What’s Up, Doc? and Addams Family Values, with Spirited Away, Amélie, Sullivan’s Travels and other widely rewatched favorites completing the list.

Tom Hanks’s once-unmatched box-office appeal has weakened, with Here becoming a major flop despite reuniting him with Robin Wright, Robert Zemeckis and Eric Roth, the team behind Forrest Gump. Although Hanks has delivered acclaimed or successful performances in films such as Captain Phillips, Sully, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood and A Man Called Otto, much of his recent work has been inconsistent, overlooked or released directly to streaming. The piece argues that Hanks is partly affected by the decline of the traditional bankable movie star, but also needs better quality control, fewer projects and more challenging roles. A turn toward villainous or unconventional characters could help prevent his career from becoming stagnant.

Season two of Severance successfully follows the fallout from its first-season cliffhanger, with the innies exposing Lumon's inhumane working conditions and taking on new objectives, including rescuing Mark's wife. The season expands beyond Lumon's surreal office, develops the innie-outie conflict through characters including Helly and Dylan, and continues its sharp but understated satire of corporate and cult-like workplace culture. Despite occasional slower episodes and the show's deliberately withholding approach, its faster-moving twists, striking visuals, strong ensemble cast and playful writing make it an engrossing and highly recommended return.

Brooke Shields’s memoir presents ageing as something to embrace, drawing on her medical history, fertility struggles, mistreatment by doctors and changing experiences of beauty and fame. The book is valued for its candid accounts and encouraging message, but the review finds its relentlessly optimistic, self-help tone repetitive and its treatment of the links between youth, beauty, misogyny and ageism insufficiently developed. Shields acknowledges that her modelling career helped perpetuate unrealistic beauty standards, yet the book ultimately relies too heavily on personal acceptance and positive thinking rather than examining the broader systems that continue to disadvantage older women.

Jade Thirlwall discusses Little Mix’s hiatus and her emerging solo career, including the provocative dance-pop single “IT Girl,” which addresses scrutiny, sexism and control in the music industry. She describes drawing on pop icons and LGBTQ+ culture while trying to remain authentic as an ally. Thirlwall also reflects on the intense pressures and mental-health risks associated with The X Factor, the protective sisterhood of Little Mix, online abuse, and her regret at previously hiding her Yemeni and Egyptian heritage because of racism and anti-Muslim prejudice. Her solo work represents a more personal, outspoken chapter in her career.

Season two cannot reproduce the original Squid Game’s shock, but it deliberately replaces surprise with dread by showing familiar brutality through Gi Hun’s perspective. Lee Jung Jae’s empathetic performance anchors a story that expands beyond the arena to explore guards, organizers and the human mechanisms sustaining the games. New contestants bring conventional but effective personal tragedies, while the season deepens its anti-capitalist critique of economic inequality, class stratification and the illusion of choice. Though its violence remains extreme and some mysteries are left unresolved, the review finds the sequel compelling because it broadens the show’s scope while retaining its sharpest strengths.

Annabel Scholey discusses taking more sexually charged and professional roles in her forties, crediting The Split with helping broaden television portrayals of older women. She reflects on playing Nina Defoe through addiction, relationship breakdown and motherhood, while drawing on her own divorce and experiences as a working mother. Scholey also discusses her Yorkshire roots, pressure to lose her accent at drama school, roles in Doctor Who, The Sixth Commandment and other dramas, and the forthcoming two-part Christmas special The Split: Barcelona.

Zoe Saldaña discusses overcoming imposter syndrome and seeking more creative challenges after years of major franchise roles in Avatar, Marvel and Star Trek. She describes Emilia Pérez as a demanding career change that has brought her major recognition, including a Cannes Best Actress award and a Golden Globe nomination, while also speaking about the difficulties of performing in Spanish, dyslexia and being overlooked for awards for digitally created performances. Saldaña addresses gender and Latina representation in Hollywood, the pressures of working motherhood, and her belief that people should be allowed redemption rather than being quickly condemned or canceled.

Harrison Patrick Smith, who performs as The Dare, discusses his rise from substitute teacher and indie-rock musician to a prominent figure in New York’s indie-sleaze revival. He attributes the resurgence of loud, hedonistic club music to the effects of Covid, social-media surveillance and boredom. Smith explains his deliberately provocative lyrics and image, reflects on backlash to The Sex EP cover, and describes collaborations with Charli XCX and Billie Eilish. Although he views the “indie sleaze” label as limiting, his debut album What’s Wrong with New York? and growing profile have made him a polarising poster boy for the scene.

Kim Deal discusses her first solo album, Nobody Loves You More, and reflects on her career with Pixies and The Breeders. The album grew out of years marked by sobriety, caring for her seriously ill parents and the loss of both, with Steve Albini contributing before his death. Deal rejects the idea that she was merely a sidelined victim in Pixies, while acknowledging the complexity of addiction, missed opportunities and her changing relationship with the past. She also comments on Dayton’s shift toward Donald Trump and the barriers facing women in music and politics.

UB40’s founding members discuss the band’s shift from politically charged reggae to a more feel-good mainstream sound, while maintaining their anti-racist commitments. They reflect on their early Birmingham beginnings, surveillance by MI5, major commercial successes including Labour of Love and UB45, and frustration that the band receives less cultural recognition than acts such as Oasis. Members reject accusations of cultural appropriation, describing their reggae as cultural exchange. The long-running feud with former singer Ali Campbell remains unresolved after his 2008 departure, subsequent legal disputes and Astro’s death, making a reunion unlikely.

Sophie Thatcher discusses starring opposite Hugh Grant in Heretic, in which she plays a Mormon missionary drawn into a dangerous confrontation with Grant’s religious scholar. She reflects on leaving the Mormon church as a teenager, while aiming to portray Mormon characters as educated and open-minded. Thatcher also describes Grant as candid and supportive, discusses the lasting impact of playing Nat in Yellowjackets and Juliette Lewis’s departure from the series, and recalls facing hostile online fandom after appearing in The Book of Boba Fett. Although she wants to move beyond horror and demonstrate greater range, she continues to be drawn to complex, darker roles.

David Oyelowo discusses playing the physically demanding role of Coriolanus at London’s National Theatre, his career in Britain and the United States, and the influence of his Nigerian immigrant father’s work ethic. He explains that limited opportunities for Black British actors helped drive his 2007 move to America, where he has built a career in projects including Selma, Lawmen: Bass Reeves and Nightingale. Oyelowo praises Ava DuVernay’s approach to Selma, reflects on representation and the different emphases of the British and American acting industries, and expresses concern about divisive US politics and the focus on personality over policy. He also describes his marriage, family, Christian faith and the miscarriages that challenged but ultimately deepened his beliefs.

Bernardine Evaristo discusses the BBC adaptation of her novel Mr Loverman, which stars Lennie James as Barrington, a closeted Caribbean man in Hackney. She reflects on her 2019 joint Booker Prize win with Margaret Atwood as the first Black woman to receive the award, noting that no Black woman has won it since and criticizing the literary establishment’s historic lack of diversity. Evaristo also addresses debates over whether writers and performers should portray characters outside their own identities, her experiences of racism and homophobia, the candid memoir Manifesto, and her efforts to promote inclusion through her role as president of the Royal Society of Literature.

Natasha Lyonne, Elizabeth Olsen and Carrie Coon discuss making Azazel Jacobs’s Netflix drama His Three Daughters, in which three semi-estranged sisters reunite to care for their dying father. The actors describe forming a close bond during the short Brooklyn shoot, including through the New York Times Spelling Bee, and explain how their real trust enabled the film’s intense screaming match. They reflect on being cast against or within familiar screen personas, the limited roles available to women in stories about grief, the pressures of working parenthood, and the nonlinear nature of personal mourning. Lyonne also discusses how the role prompted reflection on self-destructive habits and her relationships with Nora Ephron and Lou Reed.

Corinne Bailey Rae discusses moving beyond the soft-spoken, middle-of-the-road image imposed on her by the press. Her album Black Rainbows, inspired partly by Chicago’s Stony Island Arts Bank and confronting Black history, beauty standards and exploitation, earned her a second Mercury Prize nomination. She describes how label pressure and male-dominated songwriting sessions damaged her confidence after The Heart Speaks in Whispers, while the death of her first husband, Jason Rae, exposed the British press’s intrusive and sensationalist treatment. Bailey Rae says Black Rainbows ultimately helped her reclaim her name and identity as an artist.

Non-binary Swedish musician Karin Dreijer discusses the elaborate costumes and psychological preparation behind Fever Ray’s performances, their experimental albums Radical Romantics and Plunge, and the role of music in exploring gender and identity. Dreijer reflects on parenthood, collective childcare and the restrictive nature of Sweden’s family structures, arguing that the country remains unsafe for queer people. They also criticize right-wing efforts to reduce trans rights and culture funding, particularly after the Sweden Democrats gained significant political influence in the 2022 elections.

Cherry Jones discusses her long career across theatre and television while rehearsing Ma Joad in Carrie Cracknell’s National Theatre production of The Grapes of Wrath. She explains her reluctance to participate in increasingly violent productions, including 24 and The Handmaid’s Tale, and reflects on playing a queer character in Transparent, where she advocated for limits on explicit sexual scenes. Jones speaks proudly about transgender visibility, describing trans people as among the bravest groups facing a continuing social taboo, and recalls her own coming out and marriage to Sophie Huber. In political remarks made during the UK election and the US Independence Day period, she says Joe Biden should step aside despite admiring him, arguing that voters need a candidate who can defeat Donald Trump, and criticizes misinformation and white privilege.

Glass Animals frontman Dave Bayley discusses the extraordinary global success of “Heat Waves,” including an abandoned attempt to have Rihanna record it, and reflects on the pressure that followed. He describes the band’s new album, “I Love You So F***ing Much,” as a more emotionally vulnerable record built around stories of love, loss and human connection. Bayley also recounts writing much of the album while isolated during a life-threatening storm in Los Angeles, his growing acceptance of his introverted nature, his decision to pursue music instead of medicine, and drummer Joe Seaward’s recovery from a serious cycling accident.

Jeremy O Harris’s controversial play Slave Play is making its UK debut at London’s Noël Coward Theatre after provoking protests, walkouts, death threats and sharply divided critical and audience reactions in the United States. The production examines race, sexuality and the psychological legacy of slavery through deliberately shocking plantation-era roleplay. Its planned Black Out performances for predominantly Black audiences drew criticism from former prime minister Rishi Sunak, but Harris and supporters argue they provide a more comfortable and focused environment for Black theatregoers in a sector where representation remains low. Discounted pay-what-you-can tickets and targeted outreach are part of Harris’s broader effort to diversify theatre audiences, while the play’s ongoing debate reflects tensions over artistic provocation, representation and who Black art is made for.

Tom Glynn-Carney discusses playing Aegon II Targaryen in the second season of House of the Dragon, arguing that the character is emotionally complex rather than simply villainous. He contrasts Aegon’s frantic insecurity and empathy with Joffrey Baratheon’s calculated cruelty, while describing the pressures of fan scrutiny and the secrecy surrounding the production. Glynn-Carney says the series has moderated the graphic violence, sex and nudity associated with Game of Thrones, suggesting that the original show sometimes came close to oversexualising women and that its prequel takes a more restrained and sustainable approach. He also reflects on his preparation, his rapid viewing of all eight Game of Thrones seasons, his positive assessment of the controversial finale and his experiences working on Dunkirk and other stage and screen projects.

J Balvin discusses his rise from Medellín to global reggaeton stardom, his determination to succeed in Spanish without crossing over into English, and the role of artists such as Daddy Yankee in expanding the genre. He reflects on racism encountered during an exchange year in Oklahoma, the challenge of being a Colombian, middle-class outsider in reggaeton, and his efforts to change stereotypes about Latinos. Balvin also addresses controversies over the Afro-Latino Artist of the Year award and the removal of the “Perra” video, acknowledging the latter as a serious mistake. He describes depression, social-media addiction and the pressure of performing masculinity in reggaeton, saying fatherhood and launching the bilingual OYE mental-health app helped him regain perspective.

Eugene Levy discusses the second season of Apple TV+’s The Reluctant Traveller, saying that the show has helped him confront his lifelong shyness and become somewhat more open to travel and new experiences. He reflects on his six-decade comedy career, including American Pie, SCTV and the Emmy-winning Schitt’s Creek, which he created with his son Dan Levy. Levy also discusses changing standards in comedy, his preference for less demanding roles, and his willingness to consider retirement, while ruling out involvement in the planned Spinal Tap sequel for now.

Donald Glover and Maya Erskine discuss starring in and, in Glover’s case, co-creating Prime Video’s new Mr & Mrs Smith series. Unlike the 2005 film associated with Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s romance, the actors are married to other people and describe their on-screen chemistry as a product of professional rapport. They explain how the project changed after Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s departure, why their version prioritizes intimacy and tenderness over glamour, and how race and representation are acknowledged without becoming the show’s sole purpose. Both actors also reflect on marriage, parenthood, aging and the difference between their private relationships and social-media portrayals of romance.

Sophie Wilde discusses her rapid rise after starring in the hit horror film Talk to Me, along with her roles in Netflix’s Everything Now and Boy Swallows Universe and her upcoming A24 film Babygirl with Nicole Kidman. She reflects on the commercial and cultural impact of Talk to Me, her openness to being called a “scream queen,” her preference for unusual and dark material, and her ambition to work in period and supernatural films. Wilde also describes her childhood training at Sydney’s National Institute of Dramatic Art, the challenges of drama school, and her growing recognition following a BAFTA Rising Star nomination.

The article recounts the 1972 crash of a plane carrying Uruguay’s Old Christians rugby team in the Andes, including the survivors’ extreme cold, starvation, avalanche, cannibalism and eventual rescue after 72 days. It explains how Nando Parrado and Roberto Canessa crossed the mountains to find help and describes the physical condition of the survivors. The piece also examines J A Bayona’s Spanish-language Netflix film Society of the Snow, based on Pablo Vierci’s book and survivor testimony, presenting it as a compassionate and potentially definitive retelling of the tragedy.

Gracie Abrams discusses her rapid rise from bedroom-pop songwriter to internationally touring artist, including opening for Phoebe Bridgers and Olivia Rodrigo and attracting support from Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Lorde and Post Malone. She describes the difficulty of writing candidly about real relationships while respecting the people involved, the anxiety that shaped her second EP, and the restorative impact of writing at Aaron Dessner’s Long Pond studio. Abrams also reflects on her Hollywood family, her close relationship with fans and her willingness to use her platform in support of vaccination and abortion rights despite online abuse.