Robert Pattison sci-fi ‘Mickey 17’ opens in first place at the box office

“Parasite” filmmaker Bong Joon Ho’s original science fiction film “Mickey 17” opened in first place on the North American box office charts. According to studio estimates Sunday, the Robert Pattinson-led film earned $19.1 million in its first weekend in theaters, which was enough to dethrone “Captain America: Brave New World” after a three-week reign.

Overseas, “Mickey 17” has already made $34.2 million, bringing its worldwide total to $53.3 million. But profitability for the film is a long way off: It cost a reported $118 million to produce, which does not account for millions spent on marketing and promotion.

A week following the Oscars, where “Anora” filmmakerSean Baker made an impassioned speech about the importance of the theatrical experience – for filmmakers to keep making movies for the big screens, for distributors to focus on theatrical releases and for audiences to keep going – “Mickey 17” is perhaps the perfect representation of this moment in the business, or at least an interesting case study. It’s an original film from an Oscar-winning director led by a big star that was afforded a blockbuster budget and given a robust theatrical release by Warner Bros., one of the few major studios remaining. But despite all of that, and reviews that were mostly positive (79% on RottenTomatoes), audiences did not treat it as an event movie, and it may ultimately struggle to break even.

Originally set for release in March 2024, Bong Joon Ho’s follow-up to the Oscar-winning “Parasite” faced several delays, which he has attributed to extenuating circumstances around the Hollywood strikes. Based on the novel “Mickey7” by Edward Ashton, Pattinson plays an expendable employee who dies on missions and is re-printed time and time again. Steven Yeun, Naomi Ackie, Toni Collette and Mark Ruffalo also star.

It opened in 3,807 locations domestically where it performed best in New York and Los Angeles. Premium large format showings, including IMAX screens, also accounted for nearly half of its opening weekend. Internationally, it did especially well in Korea, where it made an estimated $14.6 million.

Second place went to “Captain America: Brave New World,” which added $8.5 million from 3,480 locations in North America and $9.2 million internationally. Its global total currently rests at $370.8 million. The Walt Disney Studios is on track to become the first studio to cross $1 billion in 2025 sometime this week.

Holdovers “Last Breath,” “The Monkey” and “Paddington in Peru” rounded out the top five. The weekend also had several other newcomers in “In the Lost Lands,” a fantasy film from Paul W.S. Anderson starring Milla Jovovich and Dave Bautista, and Angel Studios’ “Rule Breakers,” about Afghani girls on a robotics team.

Neon upped the theater count for “Anora” to nearly 2,000 screens after it won five Oscars on Sunday, including best picture, best director and best actress. It earned an estimated $1.9 million (up 595% from last weekend), bringing its total grosses to $18.4 million.

According to data from Comscore, the 2025 box office as a whole is up 1% from where it was last year as of this weekend and down 34.2% from the last pre-pandemic box office year of 2019.

“That is the rollercoaster that is the box office,” said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore. “You have two or three down weeks, it can profoundly impact the bottom line and the percentage advantage. But it will come back again.”

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

Charles Manson True Crime Documentary Makes a Killing on Netflix Debut

Netflix has scored another point in the game of notable true-crime documentaries. The latest true-crime documentary to be released by the platform, CHAOS: The Manson Murders, sits in the third spot on Netflix’s list of most-watched movies at the time of writing.

CHAOS: The Manson Murders presents an alternative theory to the widely known story about the murders that took place in the span of two days in August 1969. The Tate-LaBianca murders resulted in the deaths of seven people in Los Angeles, California. They were perpetrated by several members of the Manson Family, the cult-like group led by Charles Manson.

The film is directed by documentary filmmaker Errol Morris, who goes on a dive into the theory presented by investigative reporter Tom O’Neill. O’Neill’s theories were included in his book CHAOS: Charles Manson, the CIA, and the Secret History of the Sixties (co-written with Dan Piepenbring), and in his version, there’s more to the story of Charles Manson and the mayhem he caused.

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In the early hours of August 9, 1969, four members of the Manson family (Manson was not among them) drove to Benedict Canyon and killed five innocent people. Among the victims was pregnant actress Sharon Tate, the wife of film director Roman Polanski. The next night, Manson joined the group, and they murdered Leno LaBianca and his wife, Rosemary. The Manson murders were an era-defining crime at the conclusion of the ’60s, a decade known for its counterculture movements, such as the hippie culture.

The murders were famously “solved” by the lead prosecutor, Vincent Bugliosi, in his 1974 book Helter Skelter: The True Story of The Manson Murders (co-written by Curt Gentry). But O’Neill, who’s featured in the documentary, doesn’t agree with the theory Bugliosi presents in the book. Instead, the documentary introduces viewers to the idea that Manson and the members of his cult could have been the subjects of brainwashing experiments carried out by doctors who constantly took care of the Manson family. Per the film’s official logline:

“Directed by Errol Morris, ‘CHAOS: The Manson Murders’ untangles a web of conspiracies involving the CIA, LSD, Jack Ruby, the Manson Family, and Vincent Bugliosi, casting doubt on the official story of the 1960’s most infamous killing spree.”

Errol Morris, the famous director behind The Thin Blue Line, The Fog of War and Netflix’s Wormwood, is clever enough to leave space for doubt, but he doesn’t come off as a biased filmmaker who fully supports O’Neill’s version of the story. It’s a compelling and informative movie, but it doesn’t present the alternative theory as a fact that could convince you that Manson or his followers could have been the victims of a major conspiracy related to Project MKUltra.

Netflix Keeps Proving Its Worth in the True Crime Subgenre

CHAOS: The Manson Murders is Netflix’s latest true crime hit. It was released a few days after the streamer added their latest American Murder entry to their catalog. American Murder: Gabby Petito was released on February 17, and the docuseries quickly climbed to the top of the platform’s charts. By the time of writing, it sits in the sixth spot of the streamer’s most-watched TV shows.

Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10 Chaos: The Manson Murders R Documentary Crime Release Date March 6, 2025 Runtime 96 Minutes Director Errol Morris

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How to choose wines to commemorate special occasions, from picking wines to age to finding older vintages

CHICAGO — In the years since my husband and I married, just a handful of mementos from our wedding day remain in our overcrowded city apartment. My wedding dress sits, sadly, crumpled in a garment bag at the back of my closet. A lone slice of cake lingers in the depths of the freezer and somewhere, there’s a video album no one has ever asked to watch.

As my 10th anniversary nears, however, there’s one keepsake I’m excited to revisit — a small collection of wines from the 2016 vintage, our wedding year. There’s nothing outrageously expensive or rare in my stash, just a few bottles of German riesling, some Champagne, Rhône reds and Burgundy. But they’re wines I love and know we’ll enjoy for anniversaries to come.

Wine is, after all, a wonderful and unique time capsule. Vintage bottles — wines produced from grapes harvested in a single year — capture the essence of a particular time and place. Setting aside a nice bottle, or seeking out and purchasing mature ones, can be a meaningful way to commemorate life’s big moments, whether the birth of a child, a wedding, graduation and beyond.

How to choose wines that improve with age

Almost any well-made wine can sustain itself for a few years after bottling. But not all wines get better with time.

“Say you’re a New Zealand sauvignon blanc drinker and your favorite wine is Kim Crawford,” suggests Alisha Blackwell-Calvert, an advanced sommelier and beverage director at the Italian restaurant Madrina in St. Louis. That specific style — wine designed to be fresh, fruity and easy to drink — isn’t built to improve over the long haul, she explains. “But take a white Bordeaux from France, made with the same grape by a top producer like Château Carbonnieux and age it for 10 years? It’s going to be beautiful,” she says.

To identify wines that are built to sustain and even improve for decades to come, it’s important to understand how wine is structured, says Jesse Becker, the master sommelier and Chicago-based U.S. sales manager for the import company Veritable Wines & Estates.

“For any wine that you drink, you want to start with high-quality fruit with an intensity of flavors,” explains Becker. For longer-term aging, however, you also want a high degree of structure — components such as acidity, tannins or residual sugar can help to preserve wine.

Bordeaux, for example, tannic, high-acid reds blended with cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc, or high-acid white blends of sémillon and sauvignon blanc matured in wood barrels, have a historic track record of cellaring exceptionally well, explains Becker. So too does pinot noir and chardonnay from Burgundy, or syrah from the Northern Rhône in France. Germany is famous for the endurance of its high-acid rieslings. And Italy is a veritable treasure trove of structured reds, whether nebbiolo from Barolo or Barbaresco or sangiovese from Brunello di Montalcino and Chianti Classico.

Domestically, cabernet sauvignon from the Napa Valley or syrah from throughout California and Washington state are excellent contenders. Pinot noir from Oregon or riesling and cabernet franc from New York state mature beautifully too.

Beyond still wines, high-acid sparkling wines such as Champagne are long-lasting, as are fortified wines such as port or Madeira and high-quality sweet wines.

Don’t shy away from professional help

All of this may sound overwhelming, but it’s the kind of expertise that most knowledgeable wine professionals at fine-wine retailers are thrilled, even giddy, to share. After all, the best wines for aging aren’t always the rarest or most expensive, explains Blackwell-Calvert. A trusted wine professional, she suggests, is your best ally in guiding you toward age-worthy wines that align with your tastes, regardless of your budget, preferred vintage, wine style or region.

To track down older wines, Blackwell-Calvert looks to online retailers. Chambers Street Wines in New York is a favorite, she says, but you can also contact your favorite wineries directly to inquire about special releases of back vintages. And while most consumers assume that wine auctions deal exclusively with expensive Burgundy or Bordeaux, wine auctions, particularly online, offer older wines at surprisingly affordable prices, says Becker. Auction houses such as Sotheby’s, Christie’s or Acker Merrall & Condit are well known for wine, but “here in Chicago, we’re fortunate to have Hart Davis Hart, one of the premier auction houses in the United States,” he says. Hart Davis Hart also operates an online retail store with a wide selection of both current vintage and older wines.

Don’t buy what you won’t be able to store

Poor storage can ruin even the best wines. If you’re committed to cellaring wines at home for the long term, you’ll need a consistently cool, dark space that’s not too dry and that’s free of vibration, ideally a dedicated wine refrigerator, cellar or basement. The worst spot? “On top of your refrigerator,” says Blackwell-Calvert. “Not only does it vibrate, it’s also usually next to the stove and under the brightest lights in the house,” she says. For larger collections, consider off-site storage, says Becker. And if storage space is a challenge, consider buying wine that’s already mature.

What to expect from mature wines

While well-made wines stored in proper conditions can retain their distinctly primary, fruity flavors and bright color for nearly a decade, sometimes even longer, all wines evolve with time. As wines mature, their fresh-fruit flavors fade into dried or cooked fruit, and both red and white wines eventually adopt shades of brown, says Becker. For those accustomed to only young wines, this transformation can be an acquired taste. “At a certain point, it’s not really about the fruit anymore,” he explains, “but all these new aromas and flavors, complexities of fresh and dried herbs, roasted coffee, chocolate or spice even.”

“Over time, the wine will gain tertiary notes of earth and dust, leather and dried flowers,” adds Blackwell-Calvert, things that might not sound attractive, but have their own amazing beauty too.

Indeed, whether youthful or aged, a special bottle of wine can be a unique snapshot of our past. And like the milestones we celebrate, reminders of our own evolution and transformation too.

10 cellar-worthy wines, both current release and mature for inspiration

Château Carbonnieux Blanc 2023

When looking for wines to cellar, “tune into the wines that you currently love to drink,” advises Blackwell-Calvert, but “invest more by looking to higher-end expressions from the best producers you can find from that region.” Blackwell-Calvert directs lovers of sauvignon blanc to Château Carbonnieux, one of Bordeaux’s oldest wine estates, known particularly for its white wine, a blend of sauvignon blanc and sémillon aged in barrels. Enjoyed young, it’s floral and citrusy, but with age, develops a textural richness and honeyed waxiness that’s sublime.

Catena Alta Malbec 2020

For lovers of Argentinian malbec, for instance, Blackwell-Calvert points to top producers such as Catena Zapata or Achaval Ferrer. Catena’s superb flagship bottlings cost over $100 on release, but this midlevel Alta is an affordably priced but elegant malbec with the persistence and structure to improve well beyond a decade.

Badia a Coltibuono 2019 Chianti Classico Riserva

Chianti Classico Riserva, made primarily from sangiovese grapes, represents the pinnacle of wines from Chianti in Italy’s Tuscany region, explains Blackwell-Calvert. It’s delightfully spry and blackberried in youth with bright acidity and sharp, angular tannins that provide enough backbone for it to develop its distinctly truffled, floral perfume with age.

Lionel Faury 2021 Côte-Rôtie

Asked to recommend a few age-worthy selections, Becker suggests this small-production syrah from Lionel Faury, the newest generation at the helm of the historic Domaine Faury in the Northern Rhône’s Côte-Rôtie region. Enjoyed young, it’s a penetrating wine packed with vibrant cassis and cherry flavors but develops haunting complexities of black olive and charred meat, tar and violet perfume as it matures.

Balthasar Ress 1994 Oestrich Doosberg Auslese Riesling “Recorked”

Many wineries have extensive libraries of back-vintage wines that are released periodically through their distributors, Becker says. At Veritable Wines & Estates, Becker is currently featuring a range of wines from 1989 to 2005 by Balthasar Ress, a historic producer of riesling from the Rheingau region of Germany. Particularly older vintages have been recorked at the winery to maintain their condition. The wines, ranging from $50-$300, can be specially sourced from retailers through Veritable Wines & Estates.

Warre’s 1985 Vintage Port

Port, the famed fortified wines of the Douro region in Portugal, are wildly undervalued even for mature bottles. Bottlings with vintage-specific labels in port indicate a vintage that was officially declared as excellent. 1985 was a particularly well-received vintage and at 40 years of age, this bottle would be a sublime anniversary bottle.

Heitz Cellar 2018 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Increasingly rare in Napa, Heitz offers excellent midpriced options in wide distribution that share the kind of vitality and finesse that made their flagship single-vineyard wines cult favorites. At $65, this bottling won’t be a weekday pick, but is likely to have the intensity and structure to age beautifully for at least two decades.

G.D. Vajra 2020 Coste di Rose Barolo

Barolo, Barbaresco and Brunello di Montalcino are known as the “Killer B’s,” the titan wines of Italy notable for their longevity and grace, explains Becker. Barolo, the legendary nebbiolos from Piedmont, with their intense tannins and slow-opening nature, beg for time in the cellar. Becker suggests this current-release bottling from G.D. Vajra, a leader in organic viticulture in Barolo, as a cellar selection well worth waiting for.

Domaine de la Pépière 2022 Muscadet Cru Clisson

For both value and endurance, few white wines can rival the aging power of muscadet, the bracingly high-acid, saline wines of the Loire Valley in France. Enjoyed young, muscadet is a classic thirst quencher paired with oysters and other seafood. After a decade (or three) in the cellar, they transform texturally, adopting a richness and viscosity that can be thrilling.

Charles Heidsieck 2013 Vintage Brut Millésimé

Blackwell-Calvert, a self-declared “Champagne fanatic,” happened upon a 1996 bottle of Charles Heidsieck’s benchmark Blanc des Millénaires bottling at a cut-rate price during the pandemic. “I’d never had Champagne that old but I took it home and it was indescribably exquisite,” she says. Like port, Champagne houses indicate vintages only in excellent years. While certainly not a bargain, the Brut Millésimé bottling from Charles Heidsieck puts well-aged Champagne within reasonable reach.

King Charles’ verdict on ‘incomparable’ Beyonce – and why Kylie Minogue makes him dance

King Charles has praised the “incomparable” Beyoncé and revealed how he finds it “incredibly hard to sit still” when listening to Kylie Minogue.

The monarch has picked Beyoncé’s 2003 ‘Crazy in Love’ as one of two bonus tracks on his new Apple playlist, The King’s Music Room, which he has created to celebrate Commonwealth Day.

He introduces her as “a performer so exceptional that I just could not resist including her music.”

He goes on to describe Beyoncé, who performed the song at a Prince’s Trust concert in 2003, as “one of the Trust’s most faithful supporters” and adds, “incidentally, I would like to congratulate her for winning her first Album of the Year Grammy.

The other non-Commonwealth track is ‘Upside Down’ by Diana Ross, which Charles describes as “a particular favourite”. He adds: “When I was much younger, it was absolutely impossible not to get up and dance when it was played! So, I wonder if I can still just manage it…?!”

Fifteen of the 17 tracks are by artists from across the Commonwealth, including Australian Kylie, who is an ambassador for the renamed King’s Trust.

Introducing her, the King says: “The song is ‘The Loco-Motion’, and this is music for dancing. Again, it has that infectious energy which makes it, I find, incredibly hard to sit still!”

The King’s playlist spans 10 centuries, five continents and a range of musical genres, from Afrobeats and reggae to pop, disco and calypso.

Artists include Jamaican born Millie Smalls, Davido from Nigeria, Miriam Makeba from South Africa, Michael Bublé from Canada and Dame Kiri Te Kanawa from New Zealand.

Introducing the song ‘Could you be Loved’, The King also reflects on meeting Bob Marley, praising his “marvellous, infectious energy… but also his deep sincerity, and his profound concern for his community.

“I always recall his words ‘The people have a voice inside of them’. He gave the world that voice in a way that no-one who heard can ever forget.”

The Apple Music 1 programme lands two months after the monarch visited Apple HQ at Battersea Power Station and met the singer Raye, who also features on the playlist.

The King and Raye “got on like a house on fire” and he went away and listened to her music before choosing her for the playlist, HELLO! understands.

“Anyone who saw Raye perform at the Grammy Awards will know that she is a great ambassador for British Music. So here she is with ‘Love me again’,” says the monarch.

Hello understands The King spoke to friends and asked for suggestions, but the choice was his own. After whittling the tracks down to a shortlist, he listened to his final selection once more before signing it off.

Although His Majesty famously does not use a mobile phone, he does have an iPad, which he is thought to have used to work on the playlist, which airs globally and for free from today.

The monarch was a “one-take wonder” at last month’s recording in the 18 Century Room, his private office at Buckingham Palace.

A skeleton crew worked on the top-secret project, with a source close to it telling HELLO! they were “thrilled” with the results.

“That warmth and intimacy that comes across in the recording – we were blown away. His choices and his comments on the songs felt really genuine.”

Former James Bond Pierce Brosnan Breaks Silence on Amazon Taking Over 007

The James Bond franchise is being shaken up (not stirred) at Amazon MGM Studios.

The World Is Not Enough for Amazon. Pierce Brosnan, the fifth James Bond actor who starred as 007 in four films between 1995 to 2002, is speaking out following news that longtime Bond producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli formed a new joint venture giving Amazon MGM Studios creative control of the James Bond franchise. (The Jeff Bozos-founded conglomerate has held rights to distribute all of the Bond films since its acquisition of MGM in 2022, but Wilson and Broccoli had retained creative say-so over the 25-film franchise via their Eon Productions.)

“In this world that is moving so fast now, at the speed of light, [the takeover] does come with a certain lament,” Brosnan told The Telegraph of the $1 billion Bond deal announced on Feb. 20.

Brosnan first starred as Bond in 1995’s GoldenEye, also the first Bond film to be produced by Barbara Broccoli after her father, Albert R. “Cubby” Broccoli, entrusted Eon and control of Bond to his children that same year. Brosnan went on to play the secret agent in 1997’s Tomorrow Never Dies, 1999’s The World Is Not Enough, and 2002’s Die Another Day, the final film before the Daniel Craig-led reboot: 2006’s Die Another Day.

“I thought it was coming for some time I guess, but I think it was the right decision for Barbara and Michael,” Brosnan said. “It takes great courage for them to let go. They will still have a say in matters. I hope that [Amazon] handles the work and the character with dignity and imagination and respect.” Brosnan added that “no one really knows” what 007 might look like under Amazon’s control.

Wilson and Broccoli will remain co-owners of the franchise, although the duo will no longer produce the Bond films beyond 2021’s No Time to Die. Amazon’s Bond 26 will introduce the new James Bond actor, and it’s a “given” that Craig’s successor should be British, Brosnan added.

“History has been passed on and I’m very proud to have been part of the history and the legacy of Bond and the movies that I made with Barbara and Michael,” he said. “That we moved the needle, that we brought it back to life. It had been dormant [for] six years and GoldenEye was such a success that it continued and went from strength to strength…You know, everything changes, everything falls apart, and I wish them well.”

Although Brosnan answered “I don’t care” when asked who should be the next Bond in a 2022 GQ interview, he later suggested Oscar-winning Oppenheimer actor Cillian Murphy in a 2024 interview with the BBC.

Holiday wardrobe inspiration to take from The White Lotus season three

The TV phenomenon that is The White Lotus is back for season three, this time in Thailand, delivering some much-needed luxury resort escapism (murder and slightly panic-inducing music aside). For those heading away for real, it also provides plenty of packing inspiration. What the costume design team has nailed is that irrepressible excitement that comes with the chance to wear all your holiday clothes.

While we won’t get Jennifer Coolidge dripping in Dolce, alas, we can be sure of some fashion moments all the same: JW Anderson beach bags, Rachel Comey sundresses and an Alémais cutaway jumpsuit complete with a starfish charm all feature in the new season.

The resort-wear brand Camilla featured in both seasons one and two; now it has collaborated with the show on a collection inspired by the artwork in the opening credits. “Fashion and travel are a truly magical combination,” says its Sydney-based designer Camilla Franks.

In the real world, versatility in a holiday wardrobe is key, says Orlebar Brown founder Adam Brown: “I recommend focusing on pieces that can transition seamlessly from beach to eveningwear. Lightweight linen, a print shirt, a smart pair of sandals.”

Don’t get too bogged down in the idea of a minimalist capsule wardrobe though – there’s so much fun to be had in holiday dressing, and while staples like plain linen shorts and shirts should always go in the case, Brown is predicting a revival of 1970s themes in 2025: “Expect to see geometric prints, fun florals and bright colours.”

Dressing for hot, humid weather does require some practical considerations, too. “It’s all about cotton, cotton, cotton, and prints, prints, prints,” says Molly Russell, the founder of Pink City Prints. “I spend five months a year in India, and dressing for the culture – and the climate – is key. Long skirts are my go-to, as they let me stay cool while respecting local customs.”

It’s also an opportunity to inject some creativity, she says: “Holidays are the ultimate excuse for dopamine dressing – embracing bold colours and having fun. There’s nothing quite like the way bright sunlight brings vibrant hues to life. So go bold, go bright, and let your outfit reflect the joyful holiday mood.”

Shopping by Sophie Tobin

Ben Affleck Jokingly Compares Line Dancing In ‘The Accountant 2’ to Tom Cruise’s Stunt Work at SXSW Premiere | Just Jared: Celebrity News and Gossip | Entertainment

The longtime friends are both producers on the upcoming sequel, while Ben also reprises his role as Christian Wolff.

Also in attendance at the world premiere were Ben’s co-stars Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Daniella Pineda, Allison Robertson, Grant Harvey, Presley Alexander, Vincent Juskalian and Avery Taylor, and director Gavin O’Connor.

While on stage at the event after the screening, Ben talked about his line dancing and jokingly compared it to Tom Cruise doing his own stunts in movies.

Keep reading to find out more…

“For me, the challenge, of course, was the months and months I spent training to line dance. It was a stunt for me,” he said, via Variety. “Tom Cruise has nothing on me.” As the audience cheered at the joke, he sheepishly added, “In terms of line dancing.”

Gavin asked those in attendance not to post spoilers online and Ben cracked another joke, “Please don’t talk about my nude scene.”

Gavin responded, “There was a nude scene but we cut it. He practiced line dancing in front of the mirror,” to which Ben then said, “It was a choice! I liked it!”

Lady Gaga dazzles arriving at SNL after party in New York City

Lady Gaga had all eyes on her in a racy sparkling shoulder-padded bodysuit as she arrived at the SNL after party in New York City on Saturday.

The Paparazzi hitmaker, 38, showed off her ample assets in the black dazzling number, which featured a very plunging neckline and long sleeves.

The pop legend added a matching dramatic with feathers and enhanced her endless legs with glossy tights and towering black heels.

The American singer flashed a gentle beam as she was snapped holding hands with her fiancé Michael Polansky – who helped her get out of the chaffeur car.

The Joker actress looked ravishing and once again proved to be the queen of glamour as she whisked off to the A-list party after her performance on the beloved sketch comedy show.

The music icon poked fun at the box office flop of her film Joker: Folie à Deux and also brought up her 2013 SNL performance with disgraced singer R. Kelly as she hosted the show.

Lady Gaga, 38, had all eyes on her in a racy sparkling bodysuit as she arrived at the SNL after party in New York City on Saturday

The Paparazzi hitmaker showed off her ample assets in the black dazzling shoulder-padded number, which featured a very plunging neckline and long sleeves

The Grammy winner – who recently dropped her seventh studio album Mayhem on Friday – was also the musical guest during the episode which kicked off with her humorous opening monologue.

The performer is no stranger to the SNL stage in NYC, and has previously been a musical guest on the show four times beginning in 2009.

Gaga – whose full name is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta – was greeted with cheers applause from the live audience and wowed in a shimmering silver dress and feathery shawl.

She gushed that she was ‘excited’ to be hosting and said, ‘I’m so happy to be back at SNL. The last time I hosted was in 2013.’

‘And every aspect of my performance aged amazingly,’ she said before joking, ‘Because there’s no need to Google SNL 2013 featuring R. Kelly.’

Kelly is currently serving a 30-year prison sentence on charges of sex trafficking and racketeering.

Lady Gaga continued as the crowd laughed, ‘I won’t bring it up. Because that would be bad. Anyway, I’m an actor now.

‘And I’ve been very diligent about selecting films that would showcase my craft as a serious actor…films such as Joker 2,’ the star said, referencing to her 2024 movie also starring Joaquin Phoenix.

The pop legend added a matching dramatic with feathers and enhanced her endless legs with glossy tights and towering black heels

The American singer flashed a gentle beam as she was snapped holding hands with her fiancé Michael Polansky – who helped her get out of the chaffeur car

The Joker actress looked ravishing and once again proved to be the queen of glamour as she whisked off to the A-list party after her performance on the beloved sketch comedy show

The couple pack on the PDA holding hands as Gaga put on a typically fashionable display on her way in

Upon its release, the movie – which was also a musical and a sequel to Joker (2019) – was panned by critics and garnered two Razzies: Worst Screen Duo and Worst Remake, Rip-Off or Sequel.

‘Apparently people thought it was awesome,’ Gaga said. ‘Joaquin and I even got nominated for a Razzie, which is an award for the worst film of the year.

After a quick pause, she continued: ‘We won. For worst screen duo. But joke’s on them. I love winning things.’

The songstress then explained to the audience, ‘And my Razzie brings me one step closer to an EGORT. It’s like an EGOT [Emmy Grammy Oscar Tony] but it’s hurtful.’

She also briefly revealed how she first met her fiancé Michael Polansky – whom she became engaged to last year in April.

‘I got engaged!’ the star gushed while flashing her diamond engagement ring on her left hand. ‘My mom set us up.

‘And it’s a true story. My mom called me one day and she goes, “I met your husband.” And I said “What does he do?” And she said “He works in cancer research.” And while we were talking, I was literally smoking a cigarette,’ Gaga recalled.

The singer poked fun at the box office flop of her film Joker: Folie à Deux and also brought up her 2013 SNL performance with disgraced singer R. Kelly as she hosted the sketch comedy series

‘And every aspect of my performance aged amazingly,’ she said before adding, ‘Because there’s no need to Google SNL 2013 featuring R. Kelly’; seen above in 2013 on SNL

‘And I’ve been very diligent about selection films that would showcase my craft as a serious actor…films such as Joker 2,’ the star said, referencing to her 2024 movie also starring Joaquin Phoenix

‘Apparently people thought it was awesome,’ Gaga said. ‘Joaquin and I even got nominated for a Razzie , which is an award for the worst film of the year’

Read More Lady Gaga makes VERY revealing joke on SNL

‘And then we went on three dates and I never smoked again. Except when I’m drunk.’

A hand popped out in front of the singer and placed a lit cigarette in her mouth as she took a quick puff.

The House Of Gucci actress also talked about how SNL cast member Bowen Yang was a big fan of hers.

‘Tonight I’m the host and the musical guest, which means someone must introduce me for music. I asked Bowen to do it, because apparently he’s a superfan. But I think I make him nervous.’

She then turned to look off stage where the comedian was standing and asked, ‘Bowen, are you happy I’m here?’

The Wicked actor then prematurely introduced Lady Gaga for her musical guest performance which prompted her to say, ‘That’s a little early. But great job, Bowen, yay!’

Towards the end of her monologue, the Bad Romance singer talked about how she was born in New York.

‘I’m from New York City, so hosting SNL is so extra special to me. I respect everyone here so much. Tonight, I promise to act, to sing, and to not do Joker 3,’ she joked.

Inside King Charles’ bond with top pop star as he unveils eclectic playlist

Charles is a fan of seven-time Brit award winner Raye and her music

King Charles has formed an unlikely bond with pop star Raye, the Mirror can reveal.

The monarch met the 27-year-old singer at an event for Apple at London’s Battersea Power Station last year and has since fallen in love with her music. A source told the Mirror: “They got on like a house on fire and he went away and discovered her music. He’s a fan.”

Charles, 76, has now included the seven-time Brit award winner’s hit Love Me Again in a new playlist of 17 of his favourite songs in order to celebrate Commonwealth Day. During the one-hour recording, which is called The King’s Music Room and is now available to listen to on Apple Music, Charles pays tribute to Raye and speaks for the first time about meeting her.

Sitting at his desk in His Majesty’s office at Buckingham Palace, he tells how he was “particularly pleased” to meet the star, who he describes as “one of our most exciting and acclaimed contemporary singer-songwriters”. He adds: “Anyone who saw Raye perform at the Grammy Awards will know that she is a great ambassador for British music.”

The King also revealed he and Raye discussed her mother’s Ghanaian heritage, which brought back fond memories for him of being given a bow and arrow as a boy at Balmoral by the then Ghanaian Prime Minister, Kwame Nkrumah. He recalled: “I went straight out and fired into a nearby pine tree and then couldn’t get the arrow out again!”

Music-loving Charles added: “In the 1970’s, I first visited Ghana and discovered ‘Highlife’ and the urge to dance to that pulsating rhythm”. Charles has included prolific Ghanaian star Daddy Lumba’s track Mpempem Do Me in his playlist, which includes songs from ten different decades.

Charles’ other choices include The Loco-Motion by Kylie Minogue, Beyonce hit Crazy in Love and Diana Ross chart-topper Upside Down. He describes The Loco-Motion as “music for dancing”, adding: “It has that infectious energy which makes it, I find, incredibly hard to sit still! There is such an irresistibly joyous feeling to that song.”

On his love for Diana Ross hit Upside Down, which he describes as “one of my particular favourites”, Charles said: “When I was much younger, it was absolutely impossible not to get up and dance when it was played! I wonder if I can still just manage it!?”

Speaking about Ross’ fellow US star Beyonce, who performed Crazy in Love at his Prince’s Trust “Fashion Rocks” concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 2003, Charles said: “I just could not resist including her music.” Describing her as “incomparable” and one of the now King’s Trust’s “most faithful supporters”, he added: “Incidentally, I would like to congratulate her for winning her first “album of the year” Grammy.”

Charles has also included a range of other songs from artists from around the Commonwealth, including Could You Be Loved by Bob Marley & The Wailers, My Boy Lollipop by Millie Small, and Hot Hot Hot by Arrow. Speaking about Jamaican-born Marley, Charles recalled meeting the reggae icon, who he calls “the great man”, at an event in London.

He said: “Bob Marley would have been eighty this year. That marvellous, infectious energy, of course, he had, but also his deep sincerity, and his profound concern for his community. I always recall his words ‘The people have a voice inside of them’. He gave the world that voice in a way that no-one who heard can ever forget.”

Charles added Could You Be Loved reminds him of he and Queen Camilla’s last visit to Jamaica in 2008. He said: “The wonderful Rita Marley helped organise a concert in which she recreated some of Bob’s best-known hits before a large crowd in the then-Prime Minister’s residence in Kingston.

“It was one of those unforgettable moments. And I recall too, the Commonwealth service in 2023 when I heard British saxophonist Yolanda Brown performing ‘Is This Love?’ in Westminster Abbey.”

Charles, who grew up playing the piano, cello and trumpet and was also part of the school choir and orchestra at Gordonstoun school in Elgin, Scotland, as a teenager, described Marley’s fellow Jamaican star Millie Small as “an unexpected gift” with an “extraordinary voice”.

And he paid tribute to the Caribbean, telling listeners: “I am always mindful how much we owe to the Windrush Generation, whose gifts have so greatly enriched our country.”

Charles told how he is also a fan of Haven’t Met You Yet by Michael Bublé, KANTE (feat. Fave) by Afrobeats star Davido and The Very Thought of You by Al Bowlly, which he revealed reminded him of his late grandmother. He said: “For me, there is something equally irresistible about music from the 1920’s and 1930’s that reminds me of my much-loved grandmother, because she used to play these sorts of music a lot, and also never fails to lift my spirits.

“This was an era of songs made memorable by brilliant lyrics, incredible bands and unstoppable rhythm.”

Speaking about Davido’s song KANTE, Charles said it “features lyrics in pidgin, which I love in all its forms, and in which I attempted to make a speech when I last visited Nigeria. I understand that thanks to Afrobeats it is becoming ever more popular around the world.”

Charles’ eclectic list also includes La Vie En Rose by long-time pal Grace Jones, The Click Song by Miriam Makeba, My Country Man by Jools Holland & Ruby Turner, Indian Summer by Anoushka Shankar, Anta Permana by Siti Nurhaliza and E Te Iwi E (Call to the People) by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa.

Those involved in the making of Charles’ Apple Music playlist revealed it was recorded shortly after last month’s Grammys following months of talks between the streaming giant and the Palace. They added Charles originally chose more than 17 songs, but his selection had to be cut down in order to fit a one-hour time slot.

Speaking about the project, Charles admitted: “I was rather surprised, but delighted when I was asked whether I might be prepared to share some of the songs which I have enjoyed over many years which have originated from across the Commonwealth family, and other parts of the world.

“This seemed such an interesting and innovative way to celebrate this year’s Commonwealth Day. I particularly wanted to share with you in this collection songs which have brought me joy. They evoke many different styles, and many different cultures.

“But all of them, like the family of Commonwealth nations, in their many different ways share the same love of life, in all its richness and diversity.”

Charles added: “Over many years, I have travelled to a large number of the different countries of the Commonwealth, thus experiencing the astounding richness of their many cultures. I can only hope you have enjoyed these few songs I have had time to share with you.

“Perhaps you have heard some of your own favourite pieces and perhaps you may have discovered something new and interesting from the wonderfully diverse tapestry that makes up the modern Commonwealth, with its rich pattern of cultures that it continues to share with peoples across the entire world.”

*Listen to The King’s Music Room premiere on Apple Music 1 on Monday, March 10, at 10am, 1pm and 6pm for free. Or enjoy anytime on demand with an Apple Music subscription.

‘The White Lotus’ Season 3, Episode 4 recap: Pick up the phone, some answers are calling

“The White Lotus,” Mike White’s black comedy anthology series, is back on HBO for a third season. Times staffers love an escape, but since we can’t take a trip to Thailand to stay at a luxury resort, the next best thing is to immerse ourselves in the new season. Follow along with us for each episode as we discuss theories, observations and our favorite moments leading up to the finale. (Read our recaps: Episode 1, Episode 2 and Episode 3.)

From the opening moments of Episode 4, the characters telegraphed duress through some phone calls. Whatever Jaclyn (Michelle Monaghan) is feeling about her bestie Kate (Leslie Bibb), who might be a Trump supporter, takes a backseat when a call (and text) to her younger husband goes unanswered. Meanwhile, Belinda (Natasha Rothwell) connects with her son, Zion, as he prepares to board his flight to meet up with her: “Please be safe,” she tells him.

But it’s when genial hotel guard Gaitok (Tayme Thapthimthong) is given access to a gun and encouraged to familiarize himself with it after a robbery (and a lecture from his bosses) that the puzzle pieces seem to start locking into place.

This episode moves many of the characters outside the White Lotus resort. In an effort to keep from spiraling about her husband, Jaclyn rallies the ladies for a shift in scenery. But when another resort’s pool turns out, to Jaclyn’s extreme dismay, to be an oasis for older normies, she insists Valentin (Arnas Fedaravičius) take them on a better excursion. He obliges, leading them into the city center as Songkran, a celebration of the Thai New Year that involves water fights, is underway. In a moment crafted to provide us with endless GIFs, the friends are chased by kids armed with super soaker guns who hose the women in water, but you can’t wash away entitlement. They eventually meet up with Valentin and some of his friends at a party — what happens next remains to be seen.

However, the main event is a boat bash hosted by Greg/Gary (Jon Gries) and Chloe (Charlotte Le Bon), teased in last week’s episode. Despite Chelsea’s (Aimee Lou Wood) initial misgivings that something bad could await her there — “Things happen in threes. The robbery. The snake show. This could be some ‘Final Destination’ s — . Death is coming for me.” — she decides to attend after guilt-tripping Rick (Walton Goggins) into making an appearance before his flight to Bangkok. At the boat party, Chelsea manages to get Rick to share why he’s Bangkok-bound: “The dude who murdered my father owns this hotel,” he says.

Elsewhere, the Ratliff family continues to win the record for the most insane stories to share in therapy. Timothy (Jason Isaacs), who’s been self-medicating with Victoria’s Lorazepam, unintentionally flashes Piper (Sarah Catherine Hook) and Lochy (Sam Nivola) before breakfast — let this be a lesson to double-knot your robe belts, people. But the slip of skin didn’t derail the maritime festivities. At the boat party, Saxon (Patrick Schwarzenegger) continues to be an ick monster and Tim winds up swiping Victoria’s entire bottle of pills. We also learn that Tim’s grandfather was the governor of North Carolina, his father was a successful businessman, and both his parents are dead.

Back on dry land, after Victoria (Parker Posey) stresses to Piper how lucky she is that, unlike the men on the boat, her father is a respectable man, Tim’s guilty conscience leads him to retrieve his phone from Pam. Messages come flooding in. And another phone call signaling doom takes place: Tim calls his attorney and learns that Kenny Nguyen, his associate in the scandal he is caught up in, is cooperating with the feds. Tim is advised to plead guilty to embezzlement and fraud so that he can cut a deal where, if he’s lucky, he’d only serve a few months in prison. “I would rather die. I would rather f — ing die. What am I supposed to tell my family?” he says. That’s when he spots the gun Gaitok left unattended in the nearby security shed.

Then there’s Belinda, who can’t shake the feeling she has about the ubiquitous rich bald guy. She does an internet search on Tanya McQuoid, which brings up news articles about her death and how authorities want to question Greg/Gary. In the episode’s closing moments, we see Greg/Gary scrolling through Belinda’s Instagram grid, stopping at a photo of her with her son. To quote Saxon, “S — ‘s about to get crazy!”

Before we begin this week’s analysis, we’re saying bon voyage to Meredith Blake, who has departed The Times after more than 12 years. Much like Tanya McQuoid, we won’t forget her. Now it’s time for Maira Garcia, this week’s sub-in, Greg Braxton and Yvonne Villarreal, platinum-status members of “The White Lotus” frequent guest program, to break it all down.

Who do we think is the corpse this week? Does the gun that’s loaned to Gaitok give us a clue?

Garcia: As much is at it would make sense to put my money down on someone from the Ratliff family, knowing how this show has played things in previous seasons, I’m not certain it’s one of them just yet. Tim is obviously experiencing a crisis, but Chelsea’s speech to Rick is awfully ominous. But that may also be too on the nose. Chelsea is very sweet and she appears to be benign compared to everyone else, but sadly, bad things happen to good people.

Braxton: I’m sticking with my previous pick of Victoria having a premonition. Although Chelsea’s mention of her possible “Final Destination” fear may ring true. It would be a cruel outcome. But those movies have no mercy.

Villarreal: I’m going to keep shifting my answer just so I can have a better shot of claiming that I guessed correctly. With that said, given all of poor Gaitok’s bad luck and this added detail about the gun, I thought maybe the dead body could be Mook in one of his blundered attempts to save the day. But with Tim taking possession of it, I don’t think that’s it. I also am skeptical the corpse was a victim of a gunshot. Maybe someone ate the fruit from the pong-pong tree, or suffered a snake bite, or a death glare from one of the monkeys was extra strong that morning.

It’s made clear again in this episode that Tim and Rick do not like each other. Is it just vibes or do you think there’s more to it?

Garcia: You know, I hadn’t given this much thought until you raised it, Yvonne. I think I’ve been more focused on the vibes between Rick and Greg/Gary, but I need to know what you think.

Braxton: Look at how Rick treats his girlfriend. Rick doesn’t like anybody unless they’re providing him with weed. He’s miserable, and sometimes misery does not love company.

Villarreal: Rick is very much the Hugh Grant of this trip — annoyed by everything around him in a way we can’t help but relate to — so I can see this tension stemming from something as slight as Tim breathing too loud or talking by speakerphone on his cell during that first boat trip to the resort. But it’s obvious we’re supposed to sense it, and I want to know why!

Speaking of Rick, what do you make of the story he tells Chelsea about his dad?

Garcia: It’s heartbreaking because I think he’s being truthful. As grouchy as Rick can be, he doesn’t seem like the type to lie, especially not to Chelsea. But you have to wonder whether his mother told him a tall tale as a child to comfort him. Trauma can be strange like that.

Braxton: That’s a hell of a burden to carry around all your life. I suspect the story is true, but I also suspect it goes deeper than that. That could definitely be revealed before we reach the end.

Villarreal: Not to throw his dead mother under the bus, but because this show makes me question everything it presents to me, I feel like maybe his mom told him that story on her deathbed to make him feel better about why his dad wasn’t in his life. Am I being too cynical?

Garcia: No, I’m with you on this.

Do you find it strange that Belinda hadn’t known about Tanya’s passing until now?

Garcia: Incredibly. Meredith raised this point in last week’s recap. Wouldn’t this have been news around work at least? I’d like to say most people scroll the news, but we know that’s not true [cries in falling subscription revenue]. That’s the only logical reasoning I can come up with.

Braxton: What’s bothering me even more is that Belinda recognizes Gary/Greg from two years ago. I can’t recall any significant interaction between then. One element of Jon Gries, which makes his acting and his character, is his physical ordinariness. Gary/Greg is a guy who could easily fade into the background in a crowded environment — there’s nothing distinctive about his look that would have set him apart from the hundreds of other ubiquitous bald guys who passed through the White Lotus where Belinda works. Walk into any supermarket and you’ll see at least five guys who look like Gary/Greg. Belinda’s nagging suspicion that she recognizes him is a stretch for me.

Villarreal: I don’t know that I agree with you on that, Greg. Women remember weird dudes. And Greg/Gary is a weird dude. I do find it strange that Belinda would not have heard about Tanya’s death through the work grapevine. I also definitely paused the screen. And the headlines about the death were from 2022, but there was one headline from CNN in the mix that was from 2024, which is clearly closer to when these events take place. So roughly two years have passed. And that CNN headline was about a Hollywood production company landing the rights to Tanya’s story — so I feel like that says this got enough public attention for that to happen? Maybe Belinda is just not doomscrolling like the rest of us. And if that’s the case, I need her master class on that now more than ever.

Jaclyn and her pals do not have a good experience when they finally venture outside the White Lotus. What is Mike White saying about culture clash and class?

Braxton: Although the women the trio meet at the other resort they visit are polite, they and the other guests are depicted as unattractive, almost grotesque. “Something is off,” Jacklyn whispers to her friends. They are way “above” these folks and can’t wait to get away from them. To me, it speaks to the elitism and shallowness of the trio that they are repelled by folks who are not as upscale as they are — they are repelled by “the great unwashed.” Their discomfort increases when they venture into town for Thai New Year. The native children sense their discomfort and escalate the watery attack, sending the women running for cover. Their horror indicates to me a rejection of the culture they have thousands of dollars to travel to. They are more comfortable being around the wealthy white tourists at the resort.

Garcia: And that scene at the other resort also reflects their ageism, a topic that came up in Episode 2 when Laurie and Kate talked about Jaclyn’s “waxy” face. We also know Jaclyn married a younger man, and she seemed aghast at being among older common folk. There are a few layers at work here, of course. These scenes were a vivid reflection of the show’s examination of race, culture and class.

Villarreal: Considering how much time White spent studying Thai culture and observing the kinds of tourists that visit, it’s exactly the depiction I’d expect of privileged travelers who want the photo op more than they want to explore the island and experience its offerings. They don’t care to actually understand another culture or truly bask in its surroundings, they just want to feel enough culture to post Instagram stories that will make you envious while you’re stuck at home.

Kate’s tight smile while being questioned about politics in last week’s episode was a masterclass in facial acting. But Chelsea’s sad face work with Rick over breakfast was just as inspiring. Do we need to start handing out Best Facial Expression awards?

Garcia: Only if I can give one to Mook for when she politely friend-zoned Gaitok.

Braxton: My candidate would be Amrita (Shalini Peiris), the spiritual counselor who always looks at Rick with interest and concern even as he is horribly rude to her. And when she tells him her story has touched his heart, it’s almost like she is smitten. If I were Chelsea, I’d keep a very close eye on her.

Villarreal: Chelsea’s pout to Rick was top-tier. But the one that had me cackling was Victoria’s reaction in taking stock of the odd couplings on the boat — the raised eyebrows, the sucking of her teeth and the sigh was an exquisite display of subtle judgment.

Greg/Gary somehow manages to feel even more dark and menacing. Why do you think he was looking at Belinda’s Instagram?

Garcia: OK, this gave me the heebie-jeebies. There was also that ominous shot of him on the boat looking down at the party. Dude’s nefarious and slimy and anything shady seems to have to do with him. With that said, Jon Gries’ talent is on full display in this role.

Braxton: Evil people often do research on their victims before laying the trap.

Villarreal: He’s definitely up to no good, trying to find her weak spot to keep her from gabbing to authorities. To quote Belinda, motherf — !

Who will party harder: our ladies Kate, Jaclyn and Laurie, or Saxon and Lochy?

Garcia: Nothing gives me more joy than seeing middle-aged women have fun, so I can’t wait to see how they party with Valentin and his crew.

Braxton: Girls just wanna have fun. They just wanna, they just wanna …

Villarreal: Let’s take notes for our next work lunch. Also, speaking of Saxon, how has Erewhon not announced a ridiculously priced smoothie in his honor by now?

Garcia: I hope you get a commission for this million-dollar idea.

Whose storyline do you find most compelling four episodes in?

Garcia: I’m going with Rick. He remains an enigma, though his revelation to Chelsea gives us more to look forward to. I want to know what he does, who he knows and whether he meets Sritala’s husband, who we’re being led to believe killed his father.

Braxton: I vote for Gaitok. He’s such a good guy, but a dark cloud is following him. The theft of the gun while he was out of the guardhouse will be another black mark. Things will not end well for him.

Villarreal: I’m with you, Greg. I want to protect Gaitok at all costs. But Rick’s troubled aura has me so intrigued. I want him to get the answers he needs to move on in life, but I worry he’ll get answers that will only do more to harden him.