Adrien Brody hopes The Brutalist ‘reawakens empathy for immigrants’

Adrien Brody said he hopes his new film The Brutalist can “reawaken” empathy for immigrants.

The Oscar-tipped drama focusses on Brody’s Hungarian-Jewish architect László Tóth, a Holocaust survivor who emigrates to the United States.

Brody, 51, said he took inspiration for the role from his mother, the photographer Sylvia Plachy, whose family emigrated to the United States from Budapest in 1958 after the Hungarian Revolution.

“I witnessed my own mother’s journey, how she and her parents fled terrible circumstances only to enter a harsh new reality of being foreigners,” he told the Sunday Times.

“They had the obstacles of assimilation. But most of us in the US have come from such a past – second generation, third generation. So it is incongruous that there can be apathy towards people’s yearning to come over and be a contributing part of my nation.

“I hope this reawakens empathy for immigrants.”

The comments come as Donald Trump’s incoming administration has indicated that raids to detain and deport migrants living in the US without permission will begin on the first day of his presidency.

Brody is a frontrunner for Best Actor at the Academy Awards after winning the equivalent honour at the Golden Globes earlier this month.

In the opening scenes of the three-and-a-half hour film, his character Tóth arrives in New York as a Jewish immigrant, before finding patronage in Harrison Lee Van Buren, as played by Guy Pearce, who tasks him with refurbishing his private library.

Similarities have been drawn between the role and his portrayal of Wladyslaw Szpilman, a Polish-Jewish pianist who survives the Holocaust, in Roman Polanski’s 2002 film The Pianist.

Preparing for that film, Brody became ill after losing unhealthy amounts of weight. For The Brutalist, he has taken a more relaxed approach and said he is now a “grown-up”.

“As a young man I did not feel that I could faithfully honour all that was on my shoulders with The Pianist, so I dug very deep,” he said.

“I abandoned my life, loved ones, home, phone, car, in order to deliver truth. But it’s less toxic now. I no longer think it’s necessary to torment yourself.”

Brody won Best Actor at the Oscars for The Pianist but fled Hollywood soon afterwards for a quiet life on the east coast.

On winning his Oscar, he said: “I had never had that kind of love for my work — from anyone,” adding that the accolade didn’t make a lot of sense to him.

“So I shunned it. I moved. I isolated myself to live in the countryside and be in nature, and to fix up an old pick-up truck and house. I saw how much was coming to me and felt unnerved.”

Jingle jangle: Draft lyrics to ‘Mr. Tambourine Man’ sell for $508K at US auction

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Draft lyrics to Bob Dylan’s song “Mr. Tambourine Man” went for over a half-million dollars as part of a weekend sale of dozens of items related to the iconic American singer-songwriter.

About 60 Dylan items — including photos, music sheets, his guitar, pencil drawings and an oil painting composed by the Nobel Prize for literature winner — were sold on Saturday in Nashville, Tennessee, through Julien’s Auctions.

The items generated nearly $1.5 million in sales overall through in-person and online bidding, the auction house said. Julien’s said 50 of the items, including the lyrics that received the highest sale price, came from the personal collection of late music journalist Al Aronowitz.

The typewritten lyrics, which covered three drafts of the 1965 song, were written on two sheets of yellow paper, with Dylan’s annotation on the third draft.

Dylan wrote the original draft lyrics in the journalist’s New Jersey home, according to Julien’s, citing a 1973 newspaper article by Aronowitz.

Dylan sat “with my portable typewriter at my white formica breakfast bar in a swirl of chain-lit cigaret smoke, his bony, long-nailed fingers tapping the words out” on copy paper, Aronowitz was quoted as writing.

The third draft, while close to the final version, still had significant variations from the final lyrics, the auction house said on its website.

The song appeared as the lead track on the acoustic side of his 1965 “Bringing It All Back Home” album and was the first Dylan composition to reach No. 1 in the United States and the United Kingdom, Julien’s said.

Other high-selling items Saturday included a 1968 Dylan-signed oil-on-canvas painting for $260,000 and a custom 1983 Fender guitar that he owned and played for $225,000.

Dylan, now 83, is garnering attention with last month’s release of the movie “A Complete Unknown,” which focuses on his rise to stardom in the early 1960s. Dylan is played by Timothée Chalamet, who has worked for several years on the role, which involves singing and playing guitar.

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Box office: Keke Palmer comedy ‘One of Them Days’ and ‘Mufasa’ in close race for No. 1

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Keke Palmer buddy comedy “One of Them Days” opened in first place on the North American box office charts on a particularly slow Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend.

The R-rated Sony release earned $11.6 million from 2,675 theaters, according to studio estimates Sunday, beating Disney’s “Mufasa: The Lion King” by a hair. By the end of Monday’s holiday, “Mufasa” will have the edge, however.

“One of Them Days” cost only $14 million to produce, which it is expected to earn by Monday. The very well-reviewed buddy comedy stars Palmer and SZA as friends and roommates scrambling to get money for rent before their landlord evicts them. Notably it’s the first Black female-led theatrical comedy since “Girls Trip” came out in 2017 and it currently carries a stellar 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

But the marketplace was also quite weak overall. The total box office for Friday, Saturday and Sunday will add up to less than $80 million, according to data from Comscore, making it one of the worst Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekends since 1997.

“For an individual film like ‘One of Them Days’ this was a great weekend,” said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore. “You can still find success stories within what is overall a low grossing weekend for movie theaters.”

The Walt Disney Co.’s “Mufasa” was close by in second place with $11.5 million from the weekend, its fifth playing in theaters. Globally, the Barry Jenkins-directed prequel has made $588 million. It even beat a brand-new offering, the Blumhouse horror “Wolf Man,” which debuted in third place with $10.6 million from 3,354 North American theaters.

Writer-director Leigh Whannell’s monster tale starring Christopher Abbott and Julia Garner did not enter theaters with great reviews. It currently carries a 53% on Rotten Tomatoes. Reviews don’t generally affect the success of horror movies in their first weekend, but audiences also gave it a lackluster C- CinemaScore in exit polls. The Blumhouse production and Universal Pictures release cost a reported $25 million to make and is expected to reach $12 million by the close of Monday’s holiday.

“Sonic the Hedgehog 3” was in fourth place with $8.6 million and “Den of Thieves 2” rounded out the top five with $6.6 million.

In specialty releases, Brady Corbert’s 215-minute post-war epic “The Brutalist” expanded to 388 screens where it made nearly $2 million over the weekend. A24 reported that it sold out various 70mm and IMAX showings. The studio also re-released its Colman Domingo drama “Sing Sing” in theaters and prisons, where over 1 million incarcerated people in 46 states were able to view the film.

The Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend has seen major successes in the past. Dergarabedian noted “Bad Boys for Life,” which had a three-day opening of $62.5 million in 2020, and “American Sniper,” which earned $89.3 in its first weekend in wide release in 2016.

“This is a year that’s going to get a big boost starting with ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ and ‘Paddington in Peru’ in February,” Dergarabedian said.

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

Sir Mark Rylance’s wife, Claire van Kampen, dead at 71

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The ‘BFG’ star’s beloved spouse Claire van Kampen passed away at the age of 71 in Kassel, Germany, on Saturday (18.01.25) – the actor’s 65th birthday – “surrounded by her family” after battling cancer.

Mark and Claire’s daughter Juliet – who she had from her marriage to architect Christopher van Kampen – remembered the theatre director and composer as “one of the funniest and (most) inspiring women we have ever known”.

They added in a statement: “We thank her for imbuing our lives with her magic, music, laughter, and love.

“Ring the bell, sound the trumpets reverie, something is done, something is beginning. One of the great wise ones has passed.”

Claire studied at the Royal College of Music on London before joining the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1986. A year later, she joined the Royal National Theatre and later became artistic associate to her actor husband at Shakespeare’s Globe theatre from 1996 to 2006.

When Mark left the theatre, Claire stayed on as a musical consultant and resident composer to his successor Dominic Dromgoole, from 2007 to 2015.

Most recently, she worked as a creative associate at the Old Vic Theatre in London and was also involved with TV series ‘Wolf Hall’ as a Tudor music advisor and arranger.

Claire and Mark married in 1989, the same year she composed the music for the RSC’s production of ‘Hamlet’, which the ‘Ready Player One’ actor appeared in.

She also composed the original scores for a number of Broadway productions, including ‘True West’, Boeing-Boeing’ and ‘La Bete’, and adaptations of ‘Twelfth Night’ and ‘Richard III’.

Claire was nominated for a number of Olivier Awards and Tony Awards after writing the play ‘Farinelli And The King’, which her husband starred in as King Philippe V of Spain.

The couple experienced tragedy in 2012 when Claire and Christopher’s other daughter, Natasha, passed away at the age of 28 after suffering a brain haemorrhage.

Mark previously credited his wife for having “completely changed” his life.

He told The Guardian newspaper in 2023: “Claire completely changed my life. We met at the National Theatre when she was musical director of a play I was in.

“She introduced me to that world of classical and modern music, and it was very much around music that we fell in love.

“We’ve always loved working together, from Phoebus Cart, our own theatre company in the 90s, to our years at the Globe, to ‘Farinelli and the King’.

“From the beginning, we were always imagining stories that we could tell together. I’ve lost count of how many projects we’ve imagined, sitting there at our kitchen table.”

Justin Baldoni’s lawyer issues furious response to Blake Lively

By SAMEER SURI and RUTH STYLES IN LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

Justin Baldoni’s lawyer has issued a furious response to Blake Lively’s statement about his $400 million lawsuit against her.

Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds were sued for defamation Thursday by Baldoni and his publicists, who say the actress cooked up a scheme to kill their careers and discredit them by making false accusations of sexual harassment.

Court papers obtained exclusively by DailyMail.com accuse Lively and Reynolds of using their combined star power to hijack the domestic abuse movie It Ends With Us, which Baldoni co-starred in and directed.

The new defamation action is the latest broadside in an increasingly labyrinthine legal battle that began just before Christmas when Lively sued Baldoni, claiming he sexually harassed her and created a toxic work environment on the set of the film. He has staunchly denied the allegations.

In response to Baldoni’s new lawsuit, Lively’s attorneys issued a fiery statement to DailyMail.com, declaring: ‘This latest lawsuit from Justin Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios, and its associates is another chapter in the abuser playbook.’

Now Baldoni’s counsel Bryan Freedman has fired back, denouncing Lively’s ‘revoltingly false sexual allegations’ against his client, via Deadline.

Justin Baldoni’s (left) lawyer has issued a furious response to Blake Lively’s (right) statement about his $400 million lawsuit against her

‘After my clients filed a comprehensive lawsuit packed with almost 200 pages of undeniable facts and documentary evidence which crushed their false allegations of a smear campaign by providing doctored communications to the New York Times, Blake and her legal team have just one heinous pivot left, and that is to double down on the revoltingly false sexual allegations against Mr. Baldoni,’ Freedman said.

‘The mere fact that Ms. Lively feels that she can publicly destroy Mr. Baldoni’s reputation in an attempt to devastate his future career and then deny him or his team their own ability to defend theirselves against her is preposterous,’ he added.

Read More Ryan Reynolds looks sheepish as he’s seen for first time since new Justin Baldoni lawsuit against Blake Lively

‘Mr. Baldoni never once publicly attempted to call Ms. Lively out for her own many wrongdoings during filming, he kindly addressed all her concerns during filming in the correct manner despite the fact that he wholly disagreed, he himself was committed to do things differently and to keep the peace as she specifically admitted to in her own lawsuit,’ Freedman insisted further.

‘We will not only continue to defend our clients against Blake’s power, privilege and all out lies, but we will now fight even harder for the voiceless in the DV community who are unfairly suffering while she continues to push on her own self-serving and selfish vendetta in the media.’

Freedman’s new remarks are a counterattack to a statement by Lively’s lawyers saying: ‘This is an age-old story: A woman speaks up with concrete evidence of sexual harassment and retaliation and the abuser attempts to turn the tables on the victim. This is what experts call DARVO. Deny. Attack. Reverse Victim Offender.’

The statement alleged Baldoni’s production company Wayfarer Studios ‘opted to use the resources of its billionaire co-founder to issue media statements, launch meritless lawsuits, and threaten litigation to overwhelm the public’s ability to understand that what they are doing is retaliation against sexual harassment allegations.’

Lively’s attorneys added: ‘They are trying to shift the narrative to Ms. Lively by falsely claiming that she seized creative control and alienated the cast from Mr. Baldoni. The evidence will show that the cast and others had their own negative experiences with Mr. Baldoni and Wayfarer.

‘The evidence will also show that Sony asked Ms. Lively to oversee Sony’s cut of the film, which they then selected for distribution and was a resounding success.’

Baldoni’s lawyer Bryan Freedman, who lost his home in the Palisades fire, is pictured

They continued: ‘Their response to sexual harassment allegations: she wanted it, it’s her fault. Their justification for why this happened to her: look what she was wearing.’

The statemetn concluded: ‘In short, while the victim focuses on the abuse, the abuser focuses on the victim. The strategy of attacking the woman is desperate, it does not refute the evidence in Ms. Lively’s complaint, and it will fail.”

In Baldoni’s new lawsuit, he accuses Lively muscling in on production despite allegedly failing to read the book until filming was well under way.

The hijack allegedly went as far as relegating Baldoni and his family to the basement after arriving on the red carpet for the movie’s premiere on August 6, 2024, because ‘Lively demanded he not attend’.

The suit said: ‘Security personnel, acting as though there was a risk of “escape,” escorted Baldoni’s group to the basement of the building.

Lively is pictured with Reynolds at the 2014 Met Gala

‘There, they were confined to a makeshift holding area surrounded by concession stand stock, with only foldout tables and chairs arranged in a square.’

In addition to not reading the book before filming started, the lawsuit claims she initially pushed back on having to read it at all.

And despite the novel’s dark subject matter, Lively allegedly failed to take it seriously during the promotional campaign – even naming a cocktail after the abusive lead male character.

This, the filing says, is evidence of the ‘insensitivity’ that sparked an ‘organic backlash to the actress last summer.

She also refused to meet with the domestic violence charity Baldoni had paired up with while promoting the film.

The hijacking of the movie It Ends With Us allegedly went as far as relegating Baldoni and his family to the basement when they arrived at the premiere on August 6, 2024, because ‘Lively demanded he not attend’

The lawsuit against Lively and Reynolds was filed in New York on Thursday

Baldoni’s suit claimed Lively hadn’t read the book before filming started and she initially pushed back on having to read it at all citing

The suit said Lively allegedly failed to take it seriously during the promotional campaign – even naming a cocktail after the abusive lead male character

Baldoni and his family were relegated to the basement after arriving on the red carpet for the movie’s premiere on August 6, 2024, because ‘Lively demanded he not attend’

Lively’s sexual harassment claims first appeared three weeks ago in a New York Times story that included texts sent between his publicists that they now say were cherrypicked and stripped of context to make it appear Baldoni was orchestrating a ‘smear campaign’ against the actress.

But the actor says it was Lively who was the real orchestrator of a negative publicity campaign – alleging that she had been working with her own publicist Leslie Sloane and the New York Times for months before the article was published.

Baldoni is already suing the outlet for $250million for libel and defamation, saying in his lawsuit that the story relied on Lively’s ‘self-serving narrative’.

The new filing is a cross-complaint to Lively’s own, and notes that Baldoni and his publicists were even served papers while trying to evacuate their homes during the devastating LA wildfires that ripped through the city last week.

Lively, the complaint added, was safely at home in New York, even as she deployed process servers’ in the midst of the infernos.

The home of Baldoni’s lawyer Bryan Freedman was among the casualties of the Palisades Fire.

The filing also details how Baldoni’s publicists Melissa Nathan and Jennifer Abel endured death threats and a torrent of abuse after Lively’s allegations were aired, some of it anti-Semitic.

An industry source told DailyMail.com: ‘The only question to ask now that we can see the full picture is why did Blake make the decision to do this?

The suit notes Baldoni and his publicists were even served papers while trying to evacuate their homes during the devastating LA wildfires that ripped through the city last week

Lively and Reynolds are pictured at the New York premiere of It Ends With Us

Read MoreEXCLUSIVE Justin Baldoni’s explosive fightback against Blake Lively revealed: Claims her team smeared HIM, ‘weaponised’ WhatsApps and lawsuit is ploy to rebuild her image. Read ALISON BOSHOFF’S bombshell world exclusive

‘There can be only two reasons, one she did not think the other side would fight back or two, she herself was shown edited and doctored messages from her own team of advisors.

‘It will be interesting to see how she handles herself moving forward now that the public has the fully unedited communications in full.’

In a statement released exclusively to DailyMail.com, Nathan and Abel described the impact of Lively’s allegations as ‘devastating’ and accused the actress of bullying them.

‘It is devastating that we are forced to answer this viciously selfish ongoing litigation littered with documented and provable lies in the midst of the tragedy impacting California where we reside,’ the statement read.

‘Five months ago Ms. Lively chose to promote a film about domestic violence in a way that caused instant negative and organic backlash due to her own highly publicized actions.

‘Instead of accepting responsibility, she decided to cruelly blame us. This malicious attack on private individuals by Ms. Lively and her team in which they chose to spoon feed The New York Times with doctored, out of context and edited text messages in an effort to paint herself as a victim set off a chain of events that has been harmful beyond measure,’ they continued.

Baldoni’s suit alleged that Lively’s publicist Leslie Sloane (pictured), one of Hollywood’s most influential women, tried to smear Baldoni by planting stories with news organisations

It Ends With Us, based on the 2016 bestseller by Colleen Hoover, was released in August and was a box office hit, grossing more than $350million against a $25million production budget

‘To be clear, Ms. Lively and her team initiated this smear campaign in the media for the sole intention of gaining undeserved public sympathy for her own missteps.

‘Over the last month, we have received death threats, abhorrent abuse and vile anti-Semitic slurs hurled at us due to her decision to use us as scapegoats for her own choices promoting her film in which she made millions of dollars.

‘With this filing, we lift our own curtain of what happens when the entitled weaponize power, fear and money to destroy, intimidate and bully those who get in their way.’

The new filing also sheds fresh light on Lively’s behavior during filming, including an incident where the actress threatened Baldoni by emphasizing her celebrity connections and hinting that they could make life difficult for him.

Comparing herself to Game of Thrones heroine Khaleesi, Lively allegedly described them as ‘my dragons’ during a row over her rewrite of the film’s rooftop scene.

Baldoni claims he would have agreed to make the changes she suggested without the additional pressure and was taken aback by the threatening approach.

The new filing also sheds fresh light on Lively’s behavior during filming, including an incident where the actress threatened Baldoni by emphasizing her celebrity connections and hinting that they could make life difficult for him

Comparing herself to Game of Thrones heroine Khaleesi, Lively allegedly described them as ‘my dragons’ during a row over her rewrite of the film’s rooftop scene

The suit goes on to say that she tried to force Baldoni to issue a statement where he would ‘take accountability’ in the face of the backlash and when he refused, plotted to drive him out of the industry altogether via a ‘false allegations of sexual harassment’.

It Ends With Us became one of the most talked about movies of the year following its release in August, but for all the wrong reasons.

Also included in the filing are the full versions of text conversations between Baldoni’s publicists which the lawsuit claims were obtained when Sloane seized Abel’s phone after she quit her job with her PR firm and selectively edited.

Included in the papers are copies of entire conversations, all of which contain extra messages that contradict Lively’s claims of an orchestrated smear campaign.

The new lawsuit comes after months of tit-for-tat battles between Lively and Baldoni who fell out dramatically over It Ends With Us which the actress has been accused of hijacking.

According to the new lawsuit, the backlash she got during the film’s publicity campaign was the direct result of her using it to promote her own brands, including a booze company, in a tone-deaf way – but not as a result of a smear campaign.

The suit said the backlash Lively got during the film’s publicity campaign was the direct result of her using it to promote her own brands, including her booze company, Betty Buzz, in a tone-deaf way – but not as a result of a smear campaign

The suit goes on to say that she tried to force Baldoni to issue a statement where he would ‘take accountability’ in the face of the backlash and when he refused, plotted to drive him out of the industry altogether via a ‘false allegations of sexual harassment’

The romantic drama follows Lily Bloom, played by Blake Lively, as she becomes embroiled in an abusive relationship with Justin Baldoni’s Ryle Kincaid.

One alleged point of contention was how the movie should be marketed, with Lively reportedly wanting to make the tale more upbeat in contrast to Baldoni, who felt it should be more focused on the abuse aspect.

As rumors of the feud persisted, social media reaction began to turn against Lively, who has been repeatedly criticized for her responses in interviews promoting the movie.

She was blasted as ‘tone deaf’ and ‘shallow’ after she hosted an interview with her It Ends With Us costars and failed to discuss the serious message behind the movie.

Another clash came when Baldoni asked how much Lively weighed prior to a scene in which he was supposed to lift her.

The A-list actress reportedly said this made her feel ‘fat-shamed’, while those close to Baldoni insisted that he was just trying to protect his back following an injury.

Unlike many project where controversy affects the box office, It Ends With Us still emerged a box office hit, despite mixed reviews from critics.

More to Follow…

Lady Gaga, Billie Eilish, No Doubt to perform at FireAid benefit in LA: How to watch

A slate of music superstars including Lady Gaga, Billie Eilish, Green Day, Joni Mitchell and a reunited No Doubt will help raise money for victims of the Los Angeles wildfires with dual high-profile concerts.

The FireAid benefit will take place at 6 p.m. PT Jan. 30, with performances happening at both the Intuit Dome, a new arena in Inglewood, and the nearby Kia Forum, a longtime landmark.

Tickets for both shows go on sale at noon PT Jan. 22 through Ticketmaster. Other artists participating include Katy Perry, Finneas, Earth, Wind & Fire, Lil Baby, Pink, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Stevie Nicks, Rod Stewart, Sting and performing together for the first time, Dave Matthews and John Mayer.

More than 20 artists – more will be announced ‒ are expected to play the two venues. The fundraisers will be held simultaneously and are scheduled to be broadcast and streamed live on Apple Music, Apple TV app, Max, iHeartRadio, KTLA+, Netflix/Tudom, Paramount+, Prime Video, Amazon Music Channel on Twitch, SiriusXM (exclusively on the Life with John Mayer channel), SoundCloud, Veeps, YouTube, and at select AMC Theatre locations in 70 US markets. iHeartRadio will serve as the national audio partner to FireAid.

More: Milo Ventimiglia, Joshua Jackson and Paris Hilton, more celebrities lose homes in LA fires

Many of the artists involved have roots in Southern California, such as Eilish, who was born in Los Angeles and Stefani, who grew up in Anaheim.

The shows are being produced by Irving and Shelli Azoff in conjunction with Live Nation and AEG Presents.

Contributions made to FireAid at fireaidla.org will be distributed under the advisement of the Annenberg Foundation for short-term relief efforts and long-term initiatives to prevent future fire disasters. All proceeds from the FireAid benefit concert at Intuit Dome and Kia Forum will go directly to the event’s designated beneficiaries and the LA Clippers, which calls the Intiut Dome home, will cover the millions in expenses associated with the event, organizers said.

The LA wildfires are among the most destructive and costly in state history.

More: Celebrities volunteer to help Southern Californians recover from wildfires

The concerts will take place three days before the 67 annual Grammy Awards, held at Crypto.com Arena in downtown LA. Numerous events associated with Feb. 2 celebratory music event have been canceled. But the show, as well as the Jan. 31 MusiCares concert honoring The Grateful Dead and the Feb. 1 Clive Davis Pre-Grammy Gala, is proceeding with a focus on fundraising and supporting first responders.

The Recording Academy and MusiCares recently established the Los Angeles Fire Relief Effort to Support Music Professionals and have raised and pledged more than $2 million in emergency aid to music people affected by the wildfires.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: FireAid concert will feature Lady Gaga, Billie Eilish: How to watch

David Lynch’s children to honour film-maker with ‘worldwide group meditation’

David Lynch’s children have invited fans of the film-maker to join in a “worldwide group meditation” to honour his legacy “by spreading peace and love across the world”.

His children Jennifer, Austin, Riley and Lula Lynch have organised the event to take place for 10 minutes on Monday at 8pm (12pm PST), on what would have been his 79th birthday.

It was announced on Thursday that the acclaimed Oscar-winning director, known for the surreal TV series Twin Peaks and films such as The Elephant Man, Mulholland Drive and Blue Velvet, had died age 78.

His children remembered their “beloved dad” as a “guiding light of creativity, love, and peace” as they announced the celebratory event in a joint statement shared on his X account.

“On Monday, January 20th — what would have been his 79th birthday — we invite you all to join us in a worldwide group meditation at 12:00pm NOON PST for 10 minutes”, the family statement added.

“Let us come together, wherever we are, to honour his legacy by spreading peace and love across the world.

“Please take this time to meditate, reflect and send positivity into the universe. Thank you for being part of this celebration of his life.”

The US film-maker’s death comes five months after he revealed he had been diagnosed with emphysema, a chronic lung disease, after “many years of smoking”.

Following his death, the world of film and TV hailed Lynch as a “visionary” film-maker who approached his projects with “two guns blazing”.

Oscar-winning British film-maker Sir Steve McQueen shared his admiration for Lynch’s approach with BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Saturday, saying: “He did it his way. He designed nightclubs, he painted, he did what he wanted to do.

“I tip my hat to him, he went out with two guns blazing, he did it, end of story. And he tapped in to the mainstream, which is extraordinary.”

Sir Steve, whose 2013 drama 12 Years A Slave won the best picture Oscar, also said Lynch brought “evil to the forefront of our narrative” within his work.

Lynch achieved worldwide stardom with the release of Twin Peaks, co-created with Mark Frost, following FBI agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) who visits a quaint town to investigate the murder of a 17-year-old.

The director returned to develop and write Twin Peaks: The Return, released in 2017, as MacLachlan came back to the role.

MacLachlan said he “owed” his “entire career, and life really, to his vision” after Lynch originally cast him in 1984 sci-fi film Dune based on the Frank Herbert novel, before starring in Lynch’s 1986 film Blue Velvet.

Lara Flynn Boyle, who played Donna Hayward in Twin Peaks, said “there goes the true Willy Wonka of film-making” in a statement.

Oscar-winning filmmaker Martin Scorsese was also among the film-makers reflecting on Lynch’s back catalogue, including Eraserhead, Wild At Heart, Lost Highway, The Straight Story and Inland Empire, which he said will keep “growing and deepening” as the decades go by.

Scorsese said the word “visionary” has become a catch-all phrase but feels it was accurate in Lynch’s case.

“The word could have been invented to describe the man and the films, the series, the images and the sounds he left behind,” he said in a statement.

Scorsese said Lynch made “everything strange, uncanny, revelatory and new” which were “right on the edge of falling apart but somehow never did”.

The Oscar-winner added that it was a “sad day for moviemakers, movie lovers, and for the art of cinema” following Lynch’s death.

Other stars paying tribute were Italian-born star Isabella Rossellini, British actress Naomi Watts, Sir Ringo Starr, Wolverine star Hugh Jackman, The Police singer Sting and Oscar winner Nicholas Cage.

Mystery movie Blue Velvet launched Lynch into the mainstream but prompted controversy with its violent and sexual content, despite securing him an Oscar nomination for best director.

He was known for the dreamlike, surreal quality of his work, epitomised in 1980 film The Elephant Man – which secured Lynch Oscar nods for best director and best writing, and was loosely based on the life of Joseph Merrick, a severely deformed man who lived in London in the late 19th century.

Following three Oscar nominations, the Academy presented Lynch with the honorary award in 2019 for “fearlessly breaking boundaries in pursuit of his singular cinematic vision”.

Born in Missoula, Montana, Lynch began a career in painting before switching to making short films during the 1960s.

He was also known for the 1970s feature-length film Eraserhead, a black and white, surrealist body horror which follows Henry Spencer as he navigates a strange and gloomy industrial landscape filled with characters such as The Lady In The Radiator.

He also directed 1997’s Lost Highway and 1999’s The Straight Story, and made a foray into music, releasing three of his own studio albums, working with Yeah Yeah Yeahs singer Karen O and Swedish singer Lykke Li.

Keke Palmer comedy ‘One of Them Days´ and ‘Mufasa´ in close race…

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Keke Palmer buddy comedy “One of Them Days” opened in first place on the North American box office charts on a particularly slow Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend.

The R-rated Sony release earned $11.6 million from 2,675 theaters, according to studio estimates Sunday, beating Disney´s “Mufasa: The Lion King” by a hair. By the end of Monday’s holiday, “Mufasa” will have the edge, however.

“One of Them Days” cost only $14 million to produce, which it is expected to earn by Monday. The very well-reviewed buddy comedy stars Palmer and SZA as friends and roommates scrambling to get money for rent before their landlord evicts them. Notably it´s the first Black female-led theatrical comedy since “Girls Trip” came out in 2017 and it currently carries a stellar 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

But the marketplace was also quite weak overall. The total box office for Friday, Saturday and Sunday will add up to less than $80 million, according to data from Comscore, making it one of the worst Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekends since 1997.

“For an individual film like ‘One of Them Days´ this was a great weekend,” said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore. “You can still find success stories within what is overall a low grossing weekend for movie theaters.”

The Walt Disney Co.´s “Mufasa” was close by in second place with $11.5 million from the weekend, its fifth playing in theaters. Globally, the Barry Jenkins-directed prequel has made $588 million. It even beat a brand-new offering, the Blumhouse horror “Wolf Man,” which debuted in third place with $10.6 million from 3,354 North American theaters.

This image released by Sony Pictures shows Keke Palmer, left, and SZA in a scene from “One of them Days.” (Anne Marie Fox/Sony Pictures via AP)

Writer-director Leigh Whannell´s monster tale starring Christopher Abbott and Julia Garner did not enter theaters with great reviews. It currently carries a 53% on Rotten Tomatoes. Reviews don´t generally affect the success of horror movies in their first weekend, but audiences also gave it a lackluster C- CinemaScore in exit polls. The Blumhouse production and Universal Pictures release cost a reported $25 million to make and is expected to reach $12 million by the close of Monday´s holiday.

“Sonic the Hedgehog 3” was in fourth place with $8.6 million and “Den of Thieves 2” rounded out the top five with $6.6 million.

In specialty releases, Brady Corbert’s 215-minute post-war epic “The Brutalist” expanded to 388 screens where it made nearly $2 million over the weekend. A24 reported that it sold out various 70mm and IMAX showings. The studio also re-released its Colman Domingo drama “Sing Sing” in theaters and prisons, where over 1 million incarcerated people in 46 states were able to view the film.

The Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend has seen major successes in the past. Dergarabedian noted “Bad Boys for Life,” which had a three-day opening of $62.5 million in 2020, and “American Sniper,” which earned $89.3 in its first weekend in wide release in 2016.

“This is a year that´s going to get a big boost starting with ‘Captain America: Brave New World´ and ‘Paddington in Peru´ in February,” Dergarabedian said.

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

1. “One of Them Days,” $11.6 million.

2. “Mufasa: The Lion King,” $11.5 million.

3. “Wolf Man,” $10.6 million.

4. “Sonic the Hedgehog 3,” $8.6 million.

5. “Den of Thieves 2: Pantera,” $6.6 million.

6. “Moana 2,” $6.1 million.

7. “Nosferatu,” $4.3 million.

8. “A Complete Unknown,” $3.8 million.

9. “Wicked,” $3.6 million.

10. “Babygirl,” $2 million.

This image released by Sony Pictures shows Keke Palmer, right, and SZA in a scene from “One of them Days.” (Anne Marie Fox/Sony Pictures via AP)

Henry Cavill Steps Into Fatherhood While Khloe Kardashian Revisits Old Flames: A Tale of New Beginnings and Heartfelt Reunions

Henry Cavill, the dashing face of Superman, has donned a new cape of responsibilities as he embraces his latest role—fatherhood. The 41-year-old actor and his girlfriend, Natalie Viscuso, have joyfully welcomed their first child into the world. While details like the baby’s name, sex, and birthdate are as secretive as a Clark Kent identity swap, what’s clear is the couple’s shared joy as they embark on this new chapter.

Images captured by paparazzi show Cavill and Viscuso in Australia, engaging in a quintessential parenthood ritual—a leisurely stroller walk. Decked out on set for his current cinematic project, a live-action Voltron movie, the “Man of Steel” appeared every bit the multitasking superhero, balancing on-screen battles with off-screen diaper duties. Parenthood seems to be a role that Cavill relishes. Expressing his excitement back in April, he remarked, “I’m very excited about it. Natalie and I are both very excited about it,” during an interaction with Access Hollywood as they graced the red carpet of “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.”

Their journey from a chess game flirtation—when they first went Instagram official in 2021—to this shared experience of parenthood highlights the couple’s evolving bond. As Viscuso playfully conceded on Instagram, “Just teaching my dear Henry how to play some chess…or…maybe he let me win? 🤷🏼♀️,” a sweet nod to their dynamic partnership. And who could resist a kitchen dance party or two with bottles of wine—sans the vino during pregnancy, as Cavill humorously noted to E! News.

Meanwhile, in another corner of the celebrity galaxy, a more nostalgic reunion was being teased for fans of the Kardashians. Khloe Kardashian was seen reconnecting with her past—that being Lamar Odom, during an emotional moment on the upcoming season of ‘Kardashians.’ The official trailer managed to stir the public’s curiosity when Khloe candidly shared, “You guys are never going to believe who I met with,” leading to a suspense-filled reveal of Odom, roses in hand.

Kris Jenner didn’t hold back her tears, whispering to the camera, “That was the love of her life.” This sentimental saga dates back to 2009 when Khloe and Lamar’s whirlwind romance saw them marrying after just a month. But life, as it often does, threw curveballs in the form of divorce filings and traumatic health battles. Yet, there they were—capturing a moment that was as much about the past as it was about navigating the waters of the present. Khloe’s poignant voiceover summarized it well: “It’s the truth! The truth hurts one time. A lie hurts 7,000 times.”

In the glamorous world of headlines and flashbulbs, both Henry Cavill and Khloe Kardashian remind us of life’s full circles. Whether it’s a baby carriage stroll along Australian streets or a heart-stirring reunion full of old bonds and new realizations, each tells a story about love’s enduring power and the personal narratives of those who live in the glare of public attention.

Disneyland Paris unveils spectacular nighttime show using Paris Games laser technology

CHESSY, France (AP) — A cutting-edge nighttime show at Disneyland Paris is heralding a bold new chapter for Europe’s most-visited theme park, as a raft of ambitious developments comes to fruition under a 2 billion euro ($2.05 billion) expansion plan.

The overhaul includes the completed revamp of the luxury Disneyland Hotel, the upcoming renaming and doubling in size of Walt Disney Studios Park, and the much-anticipated arrival of The World of Frozen and a first-of-its-kind The Lion King land — cementing the resort’s gains after the wilderness years for theme parks during the pandemic.

Disney Tales of Magic was unveiled this month. It’s a dazzling 20-minute spectacle blending drones, synchronized fountains, high-definition projections and ultra-bright lasers.

“For the very first time, not only will we be projecting onto Sleeping Beauty’s Castle, but also Main Street USA,” said Tim Lutkin, artistic director of the production, referring to the park’s main commercial artery lined with boutiques and merchandise.

The show’s standout feature — ultra-bright lasers — has been used only once before, at the Paris 2024 Olympics at the Eiffel Tower during the iconic opening ceremony that featured a performance with Celine Dion. The lasers, which travel 23 miles (37 kilometers), deliver extraordinary power while remaining safe near crowds.

“The Paris Olympics used it first. But we saw it first,” said Dana Harrel, executive entertainment director at Disneyland Paris.

Featuring Disney and Pixar tales brought to life by drone-made 3D figures, synchronized fountains and a 100-piece orchestra, the show is elevated further by the original anthem “Live in Magic.”

Audiences have been awestruck. “It’s marvelous. We’ve never seen such a beautiful light show,” said Sacha Tellier, a 33-year-old mother visiting with her family. “It gave me goosebumps,” added Nathan Ruiz, a graphic designer from Madrid. “The combination of music, lights, and the drones felt like pure magic. I’ve been to Disney before, but this show is on another level.”

The spectacle also reflects Disney’s storytelling evolution. Lutkin noted the shift from classic ballgown tales to modern narratives like “Encanto” and “Inside Out 2,” which delves into deeper themes such as anxiety and depression. The latter’s unexpected box office success, Lutkin said, proved that “the world and its relationship with Disney are ready to embrace more complex stories.” This shift is mirrored in the show’s selection of movies, spanning Disney’s timeless classics and emotionally resonant modern hits.

At the heart of Disneyland Paris’ expansion is the transformation of Walt Disney Studios Park, doubling in size and reimagined as Disney Adventure World. Opening in spring 2025, a new park entrance, World Premiere, will greet visitors with the glamour of a Hollywood film premiere, leading them into immersive themed areas.

“These projects reflect our commitment to innovation and storytelling,” said Natacha Rafalski, head of Disneyland Paris, adding that they will further strengthen it as Europe’s top tourist destination.

Already Europe’s most-visited theme park and France’s top tourist attraction outdrawing the Louvre, Disneyland Paris welcomed over 10 million visitors in 2023.

The expansion includes two eagerly awaited themed lands. The World of Frozen, debuting in 2026, will transport guests to Arendelle with a central lake hosting water performances and the Frozen Ever After boat ride, alongside themed dining, shopping, and accommodations. Meanwhile, The Lion King land will bring the Pride Lands to life with a log flume cascading from Pride Rock and encounters with beloved characters like Simba and Timon.

The COVID-19 pandemic delivered one the toughest challenges to Disneyland Paris, as with all resort parks around the world, forcing an eight-month closure in 2020 and another in 2021.

But Disney doubled down.

The ongoing €2 billion expansion is part of a $60 billion global investment announced in September 2023, aiming to redefine Disney parks, cruises and attractions over the next decade.

A centerpiece of the Paris overhaul is the revamped Disneyland Hotel, with suites themed around classic Disney royalty.

Disneyland Paris opened in 1992 under its original name, Euro Disney Resort. Situated just outside Paris in Marne-la-Vallée, it marked Disney’s first foray into Europe. However, the park’s early years were fraught with challenges, including cultural missteps, financial struggles and lower-than-expected visitor numbers. Critics in France derided it as an American cultural invasion, dubbing it a “cultural Chernobyl.”

To reverse its fortunes, the park underwent significant rebranding, changing its name to Disneyland Paris in 1994 to emphasize its French location and connection to the capital. Over time, strategic changes, including the addition of new attractions and a shift in marketing, helped the resort recover. It is now a cornerstone of Disney’s global operations.

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