Barry Jenkins to Direct Zendaya’s Long-Awaited Ronnie Spector Musical Biopic ‘Be My Baby’

The actress/producer will lead Oscar winner Barry Jenkins’ Ronnie Spector biographical drama “Be My Baby” for A24. This is Zendaya’s third project with the studio after “Euphoria” and upcoming romantic comedy “The Drama” co-starring Robert Pattinson. “Be My Baby” has been in the works since 2020, as late singer Spector hand-selected Zendaya to play her. The project landed at A24 in 2022. Jenkins has now been announced as the auteur directing, as IndieWire confirmed.

Jenkins will direct from frequent Luca Guadagnino collaborator Dave Kajganich’s (“Bones and All,” “Suspiria,” “Bigger Splash”) original screenplay. Jenkins previously helmed A24’s “Moonlight” and produced A24 feature “Sorry, Baby.”

“Be My Baby” is produced by Zendaya, A24, Marc Platt, Adam Siegel, Mark Itkin, and Tom Shelly, with Jonathan Greenfield as executive producer. Adele Romanski and Mark Ceryak, Barry’s partners at Pastel, will also be joining as producers. Before her passing, Spector was also an executive producer on the film.

“Be My Baby” is based on Spector’s 1990 memoir she wrote with Vince Waldron. Zendaya previously wrote a tribute to Spector in 2022 after her death, saying that she was a “true rock star, through and through.” Spector was the famed lead singer of 1960s group The Ronettes and died at age 78. Spector was famously married to music producer and convicted murderer Phil Spector.

Phil Spector has been at the center of various films and docuseries after he murdered actress and model Lana Clarkson. He was serving 19 years to life in prison before his death from COVID in 2021. Ronnie Spector was Phil Spector’s first wife, and cited the violence she experienced by him. There have also been accusations of abuse from Phil Spector’s three adopted children. At the time of his death, Spector wrote that “he was a brilliant producer, but a lousy husband.”

No casting for Phil Spector has been announced yet in “Be My Baby.”

Zendaya is represented by CAA, Monster Talent Management, and Granderson Des Rochers. Jenkins is repped by CAA, manager Jewerl Keats Ross and lawyer Jamie Feldman. Kajganich is repped by Robyn Meisinger at Anonymous Content, Blair Kohan at UTA, and Alan Wertheimer at Jackoway, Austen, Tyerman, and Wertheimer.

Prince Harry resigns from Africa charity after ‘devastating’ row

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, interacts with the children at The Princes foundation for children in Africa, Sentebale in 2019

Prince Harry said he had quit as patron of a charity he founded in southern Africa almost 20 years ago with a “heavy heart” amid a bitter boardroom battle, in a new blow to the royal living in self-exile.

Harry and Lesotho’s Prince Seeiso said they were resigning after a “devastating” dispute between trustees and board chair Sophie Chandauka, who was appointed in 2023.

Relations “broke down beyond repair,” they said in a joint statement late Tuesday.

Harry had vowed not to walk away from the Sentebale charity in his first public speech after he dramatically split from Britain’s royal family in 2020.

He founded the charity in 2006 in honour of his mother Princess Diana with Seeiso to help young people with HIV and AIDS in Lesotho and later Botswana.

“What’s transpired is unthinkable. We are in shock that we have to do this, but we have a continued responsibility to Sentebale’s beneficiaries,” they said.

Trustees on the board had already left the UK-registered organisation and requested Chandauka’s resignation.

It is not clear exactly what is behind the rift, but Chandauka said she was being targeted after raising serious concerns about the charity including accusations of harassment, misogyny and racism.

Sentebale said in a statement to AFP that it had not received the resignations but confirmed a “recalibration of the board.”

Last year, the charity said it was seeking to become a “locally led organisation” and was evolving to focus on “youth health, wealth and climate resilience” in southern Africa.

In December it announced the departure of its London-based CEO and the appointment of a new interim executive director in Johannesburg, in a “first move to place the most critical senior roles in close proximity to its programmes in Southern Africa.”

– ‘Devastating’ –

In their statement, Harry and Seeiso said: “With heavy hearts, we have resigned from our roles as patrons of the organisation until further notice, in support of and solidarity with the board of trustees who have had to do the same.

“It is devastating that the relationship between the charity’s trustees and the chair of the board broke down beyond repair, creating an untenable situation.”

More from this section

S. Africa seeks to balance pride with interests as US ties sour

S. Korea govt responsible for international adoption fraud: inquiry

Israel presses ground offensive in Gaza

Chandauka alleged she had faced a backlash after trying to air concerns about the charity’s governance.

The Zimbabwe-born lawyer said this was “the story of a woman who dared to blow the whistle about issues of poor governance, weak executive management, abuse of power, bullying, harassment, misogyny, misogynoir — and the coverup that ensued.”

“For me, this is not a vanity project from which I can resign when I am called to account,” she said.

Chandauka said she had reported trustees to the UK’s Charity Commission regulator and taken her case to the High Court in London.

Harry and Seeiso said Chandauka had “sued the charity” to remain in her position after trustees asked her to step down, adding that they would also share their concerns with the Charity Commission.

The regulator told AFP it was “aware of concerns about the governance of Sentebale”.

“We are assessing the issues to determine the appropriate regulatory steps,” it said.

After Harry and his wife Meghan announced they were stepping down as working members of Britain’s royal family in 2020, the prince was stripped of his royal and honorary military positions.

But his role at Sentebale was one of a small number of private patronages he held onto.

Following the split, Harry told a private dinner for the charity’s supporters in January 2020: “What I want to make clear is, we’re not walking away, and we certainly aren’t walking away from you.”

Harry chose the name Sentebale as a tribute to Diana — it means “forget me not” in the Sesotho language and is also used to say goodbye.

Meanwhile, his wife Meghan this week launched a new podcast “Confessions of a Female Founder” as she seeks to rebrand her image and focus on her new company “As Ever”.

Her new lifestyle Netflix series “With Love, Meghan” has also been renewed for a second series, despite being mostly panned by the critics.

lcm/jkb/giv

Lady Gaga Reveals ‘The Mayhem Ball’ Tour With Dates in North America, Europe and U.K.

Lady Gaga Reveals ‘The Mayhem Ball’ Tour With Dates in North America, Europe and U.K.

Ellise Shafer

March 26, 2025 at 1:12 PM

Lady Gaga is officially taking “Mayhem” on the road, revealing tour dates across North America, Europe and the U.K.

Following Gaga’s previously announced spring shows in Mexico, Brazil and Singapore, the “Mayhem Ball” tour will see the pop star play cities including Las Vegas, Seattle, New York City, Miami, Toronto, Chicago, London, Paris, Berlin and more.

More from Variety

Doechii Presents Lady Gaga With Innovator Award, Taylor Swift Wins Artist of the Year at iHeartRadio Music Awards

Lady Gaga’s ‘Mayhem’ Launches to No. 1 as Her Biggest Debut on Streaming Yet

Jenna Ortega Says Working with Lady Gaga on ‘Wednesday’ Season 2 Has Been ‘The Best’: ‘Definitely One of the Most Talented Individuals I’ve Ever Worked With’

The tour will kick off in Vegas in July and includes three dates at New York City’s Madison Square Garden and two at Chicago’s United Center. In September, Gaga will head to Europe where she’ll play three shows at the O2 in London before gracing arenas in Stockholm, Milan, Barcelona, Berlin, Amsterdam and Paris, among other cities.

The tour follows the release of her sixth studio album, “Mayhem,” which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, and marks her first trek across North America, Europe and the U.K. since her 2022 “Chromatica Ball” tour.

“This is my first arena tour since 2018,” Gaga said in a statement. “There’s something electric about a stadium, and I love every moment of those shows. But with the Mayhem Ball, I wanted to create a different kind of experience — something more intimate, closer, more connected — that lends itself to the live theatrical art I love to create.”

Tickets for the North America dates will go on presale March 31, with an artist presale beginning April 2 at 12 p.m. local time (sign up here). General tickets go on sale April 3 at 12 p.m. local time.

In Europe and the U.K., tickets for select shows will be available through Mastercard’s presale on March 31, with various presales running throughout the week. General onsale begins April 3 at 12 p.m. local time.

See all the “Mayhem Ball” dates below.

July 16 – Las Vegas, Nev. – T-Mobile Arena

July 18 – Las Vegas, Nev. – T-Mobile Arena

Aug. 6 – Seattle, Wash. – Climate Pledge Arena

Aug. 7 – Seattle, Wash. – Climate Pledge Arena

Aug. 22 – New York, N.Y. – Madison Square Garden

Aug. 23 – New York, N.Y. – Madison Square Garden

Aug. 26 – New York, N.Y. – Madison Square Garden

Aug. 31 – Miami, Fla. – Kaseya Center

Sept. 1 – Miami, Fla. – Kaseya Center

Sept. 10 – Toronto, Ontario – Scotiabank Arena

Sept. 11 – Toronto, Ontario – Scotiabank Arena

Sept. 15 – Chicago, Ill. – United Center

Sept. 17 – Chicago, Ill. – United Center

Sept. 29 – London, U.K. – The O2

Sept. 30 – London, U.K. – The O2

Oct. 2 – London, U.K. – The O2

Oct. 7 – Manchester, U.K. – Co-Op Live

Oct. 12 – Stockholm, Sweden – Avicii Arena

Oct. 13 – Stockholm, Sweden – Avicii Arena

Oct. 19 – Milan, Italy – Unipol Forum

Oct. 20 – Milan, Italy – Unipol Forum

Oct. 28 – Barcelona, Spain – Palau Sant Jordi

Oct. 29 – Barcelona, Spain – Palau Sant Jordi

Nov. 4 – Berlin, Germany – Uber Arena

Nov. 5 – Berlin, Germany – Uber Arena

Nov. 9 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Ziggo Dome

Nov. 11 – Antwerp, Belgium – Sportpaleis Arena

Nov. 13 – Lyon, France – LDLC Arena

Nov. 14 – Lyon, France – LDLC Arena

Nov. 17 – Paris, France – Accor Arena

Nov. 18 – Paris, France – Accor Arena

Nov. 20 – Paris, France – Accor Arena

Best of Variety

The Best Celebrity Memoirs to Read This Year: From Chelsea Handler to Anthony Hopkins

New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week

Oscars 2026: First Blind Predictions Including Timothée Chalamet, Emma Stone, ‘Wicked: For Good’ and More

Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Prince Harry resigns from southern Africa charity

London (AFP) – Prince Harry has quit as patron of a charity he founded in southern Africa almost 20 years ago in honour of his mother Princess Diana after a bitter boardroom battle.

Harry founded Sentebale in 2006 with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho to help young people with HIV and Aids in the southern African kingdom and later Botswana.

But relations have soured between the UK-registered charity’s trustees and board chair Sophie Chandauka, who was appointed in 2023.

Harry and Seeiso decided to resign after the relationship “broke down beyond repair”, they said in a joint statement on Tuesday.

“What’s transpired is unthinkable. We are in shock that we have to do this, but we have a continued responsibility to Sentebale’s beneficiaries,” the statement said.

Several trustees have already left the organisation and requested Chandauka’s resignation.

It is not clear exactly what is behind the rift but Chandauka said she was being targeted after raising serious concerns about the charity.

Sentebale said in a statement to AFP that they had not received the resignations but confirmed that it was evolving from a “development organisation focused on addressing the impact of HIV/AIDS on the lives of children and young people in Lesotho and Botswana, to one that is addressing issues of youth health, wealth and climate resilience in Southern Africa”.

Regulator

In their statement, Harry and Seeiso said: “With heavy hearts, we have resigned from our roles as patrons of the organisation until further notice, in support of and solidarity with the board of trustees who have had to do the same.

“It is devastating that the relationship between the charity’s trustees and the chair of the board broke down beyond repair, creating an untenable situation.”

Chandauka alleged she had faced a backlash after trying to air concerns about the charity’s governance.

The Zimbabwe-born lawyer said this was “the story of a woman who dared to blow the whistle about issues of poor governance, weak executive management, abuse of power, bullying, harassment, misogyny, misogynoir — and the coverup that ensued.

“For me, this is not a vanity project from which I can resign when I am called to account,” she said.

Chandauka said she had reported trustees to the UK’s Charity Commission regulator and taken her case to the High Court in London.

Harry and Seeiso said Chandauka had “sued the charity” to remain in her position after trustees asked her to step down, adding that they would also share their concerns with the Charity Commission.

The regulator told AFP it was “aware of concerns about the governance of Sentebale”.

“We are assessing the issues to determine the appropriate regulatory steps,” it said.

Ben Affleck has ‘lost interest’ in the ‘Batman’ franchise,…

Ben Affleck won’t be responding to the Bat Signal — ever again.

The Oscar-winning actor made his debut as the Dark Knight in 2016’s “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” before reprising the role in films like 2017’s “Justice League” and 2023’s “The Flash,” but he’ll never be Batman.

“There are a number of reasons why that was a really excruciating experience,” Affleck shared with GQ in an interview published on Tuesday, March 25. “And they don’t all have to do with the simple dynamic of, say, being in a superhero movie or whatever.

The star — who is making the rounds promoting “The Accountant 2,” the follow-up to the 2016 thriller — explained he’s “not interested in going down that particular genre again.”

For him, it’s “not because of that bad experience, but just: I’ve lost interest in what was of interest about it to me. But I certainly wouldn’t want to replicate an experience like that.”

Affleck continued by listing everything that went wrong while putting some of the blame on himself.

“A lot of it was misalignment of agendas, understandings, expectations. And also by the way, I wasn’t bringing anything particularly wonderful to that equation at the time, either. I had my own failings, significant failings, in that process and at that time,” he said.

“I mean, my failings as an actor, you can watch the various movies and judge,” Affleck continued. “But more of my failings of, in terms of why I had a bad experience, part of it is that what I was bringing to work every day was a lot of unhappiness. So I wasn’t bringing a lot of positive energy to the equation. I didn’t cause problems, but I came in and I did my job and I went home. But you’ve got to do a little bit better than that.”

The actor was facing several personal issues around the time he filmed “Batman v Superman” in 2014.

His 10-year marriage to Jennifer Garner crumbled in June 2015, with the pair announcing their separation. The actor was also struggling with alcohol.

In March 2017, he announced that he had again “completed treatment for alcohol addiction” following his 2001 rehab stint.

Affleck told GQ that he started his production company, Artists Equity, in an attempt to “avoid” what he experienced during his days as Batman.

“I want to put together partnerships and filmmakers and cast and a studio apparatus that’s aligned, where precisely that kind of misalignment doesn’t happen and you have a much better work experience,” he stated.

The actor also explained that while he enjoyed playing a “sort of older, broken, damaged Bruce Wayne,” it wasn’t necessarily what the DC Universe or the studio wanted.

“What happened was it started to skew too old for a big part of the audience,” Affleck said. “Like even my own son at the time was too scared to watch the movie. And so when I saw that I was like, ‘Oh s-t, we have a problem.’ Then I think that’s when you had a filmmaker that wanted to continue down that road and a studio that wanted to recapture all the younger audience at cross purposes. Then you have two entities, two people really wanting to do something different and that is a really bad recipe.”

Affleck’s comments mirror that of Robert Pattinson, who recently said he’s concerned he’ll be “too old” to play the Caped Crusader in “The Batman Part II” by the time production begins.

The original release date of director Matt Reeves’ sequel to the 2022 flick has been pushed back years for undisclosed issues.

“The Batman Part II” was originally slated for an October 2025 release, reported Collider, but was moved aside before landing the newest date of October 1, 2027, and hasn’t even started filming yet.

When asked by Hero magazine earlier this month, “Are you going to do Batman again soon?” the actor responded, “I f-king hope so. I started out as young Batman and I’m going to be f-king old Batman by the sequel.”

Pattinson followed up by saying, “I’m 38, I’m old.”

Affleck’s latest comments on the superhero franchise weren’t the only tea he spilled in his interview with GQ.

He also dished on his failed marriage to Jennifer Lopez, revealing they had different “temperaments.”

Affleck and Lopez married in 2022. She filed for divorce in 2024, on the two-year anniversary of their second wedding ceremony. The exes settled the end of their marriage months ago, in January.

But she wasn’t his only ex-wife who entered the chat.

Affleck gushed over his relationship with Garner, whom he finalized his divorce with in October 2018, saying he’s “really lucky” to co-parent their three children with such a “wonderful” partner.

Hamdan Ballal: Oscar-winning Palestinian director released from Israeli detention

An Oscar-winning Palestinian director who was attacked by Jewish settlers and detained by Israeli forces has been released from detention.

Hamdan Ballal and two other Palestinians left a police station in the West Bank settlement of Kiryat Arba, where they were being held on Tuesday. Ballal had bruises on his face and blood on his clothes.

The three had spent the night on the floor of a military base while suffering from serious injuries sustained in the attack, according to Ballal’s lawyer, Lea Tsemel.

He told reporters that the settlers beat him in front of his home and filmed the assault. Ballal said he was held at an army base, blindfolded, for 24 hours and forced to sleep under a freezing air conditioner.

“All my body is pain,” he told The Associated Press. “I heard the voices of the soldiers, they were laughing about me … I heard ‘Oscar’ but I didn’t speak Hebrew.”

Lea Tsemel, the attorney representing the three men, said they received only minimal care for their injuries from the attack and said she had no access to them for several hours after their arrest.

Earlier this month Ballal and the other directors of No Other Land, which looks at the struggles of living under Israeli occupation, appeared on stage at the 97th Academy Awards in Los Angeles to accept the award for best documentary film.

Tsemel said Ballal and the other detained people had been accused of throwing stones at a young settler, allegations they deny.

All three Palestinians were driven to a hospital in the city of Hebron.

The film’s co-director Yuval Abraham posted on X: ”After the assault, Hamdan was handcuffed and blindfolded all night in an army base while two soldiers beat him up on the floor, his lawyer Leah Tsemel said after speaking with him just now.”

Related: ‘Like a punishment’: witnesses describe Israeli settler attack on No Other Land director

Palestinian residents said about two dozen settlers – some masked, some carrying guns and some in military uniforms – attacked the West Bank village of Susya on Monday evening as residents were breaking their Ramadan fast.

Soldiers who arrived pointed their guns at the Palestinians, while settlers continued throwing stones, they said.

The Israeli military said on Monday it had detained three Palestinians suspected of hurling rocks at forces and one Israeli civilian involved in “a violent confrontation”. On Tuesday, it referred further queries to police, who did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Lamia Ballal, the director’s wife, said she heard her husband being beaten outside their home as she huddled inside with their three children. She heard him screaming, “I’m dying!” and calling for an ambulance. When she looked out the window, she saw three men in uniform beating Ballal with the butts of their rifles and another person in civilian clothes who appeared to be filming the violence.

“Of course, after the Oscar, they have come to attack us more,” Lamia said. “I felt afraid.”

West Bank settlers are often armed and sometimes wear military-style clothing that makes it difficult to distinguish them from soldiers.

On Tuesday, a small bloodstain could be seen outside their home, and the car’s windshield and windows were shattered. Neighbours pointed to a nearby water tank with a hole in the side that they said had been damaged by the settlers.

Witnesses and residents in Susya said one of the settlers who took part in the attack, from the outpost “Ancient Susya,” has participated ”since 7 October in dozens of events in which Palestinians were attacked, expelled from their land, or had their property damaged. In many of these events, he was also documented wearing military uniform or accompanied by others in uniform.

Abraham posted a video on X showing one of the masked settlers throwing a stone at what appeared to be a CCTV camera. He wrote: ”The group of armed KKK-like masked settlers that lynched No Other Land director Hamdan Ballal caught here on camera.”

He added: ”Hamdan Ballal is now free and is about to go home to his family.”

No Other Land, which won the Oscar this year for best documentary, chronicles the struggle by residents of the Masafer Yatta area to stop the Israeli military from demolishing their villages.

The joint Israeli-Palestinian production has won a string of international awards, starting at the Berlin International film festival in 2024. It has also drawn ire in Israel and abroad. Miami Beach in Florida proposed ending the lease of a movie theatre that screened it.

Basel Adra, another of the film’s co-directors who is a prominent Palestinian activist in the area, said there had been a massive increase in attacks by settlers and Israeli forces since the Oscar win.

“Nobody can do anything to stop the pogroms, and soldiers are only there to facilitate and help the attacks,” he said. “We’re living in dark days here, in Gaza, and all of the West Bank … Nobody’s stopping this.”

Masked settlers with sticks also attacked Jewish activists in the area on Monday, smashing their car windows and slashing tyres, according to Josh Kimelman, an activist with the Center for Jewish Nonviolence. Video provided by the group showed a masked settler shoving and swinging his fists at two activists in a dusty field at night.

Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 war, along with the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem. The Palestinians want all three for their future state and view settlement growth as a major obstacle to a two-state solution. Most of the international community considers the settlements illegal.

Israel has built well over 100 settlements, home to more than 500,000 settlers who have Israeli citizenship. The 3 million Palestinians in the West Bank live under seemingly open-ended Israeli military rule, with the western-backed Palestinian Authority administering population centres.

The Israeli military designated Masafer Yatta in the southern West Bank as a live-fire training zone in the 1980s and ordered residents, mostly Arab Bedouin, to be expelled. About 1,000 residents have largely remained in place, but soldiers regularly move in to demolish homes, tents, water tanks and olive groves – and Palestinians fear outright expulsion could come at any time.

The Palestinians also face threats from settlers at nearby outposts. Palestinians and rights groups say Israeli forces usually turn a blind eye to settler attacks or intervene on behalf of the settlers.

The war in Gaza has brought a surge of violence in the West Bank, with the Israeli military carrying out widespread military operations that have killed hundreds of Palestinians and displaced tens of thousands. There has been a rise in settler violence as well as Palestinian attacks on Israelis.

Prince Harry resigns from his own charity after ‘unthinkable infighting’ with board chair

Prince Harry has made the “devastating” decision to resign from his charity after “unthinkable infighting” with the board chair, it is understood.

The Duke of Sussex, 40, set up African charity Sentebale in 2006 in memory of his mother, Princess Diana, along with friend Prince Seeiso of Lesotho.

In a statement seen by The Times, Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso have now revealed they are siding with the charity’s trustees after they unanimously resigned following a row with board chair Sophie Chandauka.

Speaking to The Sun, the Zimbabwean lawyer, who was appointed last year, said she had acted with integrity as a “proud African” despite facing “bullying, harassment, misogyny”.

She is understood to be suing the trustees over calls for her to stand down from the post.

In the Princes’ statement, which is yet to be publicly released, they said: “With heavy hearts, we have resigned from our roles as patrons of the organisation until further notice, in support of and solidarity with the board of trustees who have had to do the same.

“It is devastating that the relationship between the charity’s trustees and the chair of the board broke down beyond repair, creating an untenable situation.”

They added: “What’s transpired is unthinkable. We are in shock that we have to do this, but we have a continued responsibility to Sentebale’s beneficiaries, so we will be sharing all of our concerns with the Charity Commission as to how this came about.”

The Charity Commission has confirmed that an investigation is underway into the charity, which was set up to support those living with HIV and AIDS in Africa.

A spokesperson told The Sun, “We can confirm that we are aware of concerns about the governance of Sentebale.

“We are assessing the issues to determine the appropriate regulatory steps.”

Sentebale has not received formal resignations from either of the royal patrons, it is understood.

However, it confirmed to The Sun that a “restructuring” of the board had taken place.

Harry, who has also undertaken charity work with Meghan as part of The Archwell Foundation, set up Sentebale after visiting Lesotho on his gap year in 2004.

It was on the trip that he met his future co-founder, Prince Seeiso, who had also lost his mum the year before.

In the statement, the pair said they had started the charity, which means “forget-me-not”, in honour of their mums.

They added that they had no choice but to support the trustees, who had acted in the best interest of the charity.

A statement provided to The Times by former trustees Timothy Boucher, Mark Dyer, Audrey Kgosidintsi, Kelello Lerotholi and Damian West stated that Chandauka’s lawsuit had been initiated to “block us from voting her out.”

A spokesperson for Sentebale said: “We are pleased to confirm the restructuring of our Board on 25 March 2025 to introduce experts with the capabilities and networks to accelerate Sentebale’s transformation agenda as announced last year.

“In April 2024, Sentebale signalled its evolution from a development organisation focused on addressing the impact of HIV/AIDS on the lives of children and young people in Lesotho and Botswana, to one that is addressing issues of youth health, wealth and climate resilience in Southern Africa.

“Our highly successful Return to Southern Africa (RTSA) campaign with prospective international funders in October 2024 demonstrated Sentebale’s potential in these domains.

“The RTSA was followed by the announcement of Carmel Gaillard as our Interim Executive Director based in Johannesburg in December 2024.

“This followed Sentebale’s confirmation of its strategy to redeploy senior roles to be proximate to most of the team and programs in Southern Africa.

“The recalibration of the Board is, therefore, part of Sentebale’s ambitious transformation agenda.”

It is not the first time the Duke has faced controversy over his charity work, after the Archwell Foundation was accused of failing to submit records – and pay a bill last year.

Harry and Meghan responded with a chipper message about their recent charity trip to Nigeria.

A statement on their website read: “The Duke and Duchess would like to extend their deepest gratitude to all the event organisers, military officials and the whole Nigerian community for their tremendous hospitality and the first of many memorable trips.”

Nick Frost ‘nearing deal’ to play Hagrid in new Harry Potter TV show

Nick Frost is reportedly in talks to play half-giant Rubeus Hagrid in HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter TV series.

According to Deadline, the Dagenham-born actor and comedian, 52, would join John Lithgow, Janet McTeer and Paapa Essiedu who are set or in negotiations to play Professor Albus Dumbledore, Professor Minerva McGonagall and Professor Severus Snape, respectively.

Based on the popular fantasy books by author JK Rowling about a boy who discovers that his late parents were wizards and is sent to a special school to hone his own skills, the TV adaptation has been slated to span seven seasons across a decade.

There have already been eight mega-successful films which were released between 2001 and 2011 and expectations for this latest iteration are high.

Hagrid was previously portrayed on screen by the late actor Robbie Coltrane. The character is wizarding school Hogwarts’ warm and friendly gamekeeper and groundskeeper who eventually becomes the Care of Magical Creatures professor.

Online forums such as Reddit have been full of chatter of Frost’s potential involvement owing to cryptic post shared by him on Instagram on March 20 in which he wrote: “It’s happening, it’s actually happening.”

Other eagle-eyed fans also noticed that Frost is now following potential cast mates Lithgow and Essiedu.

Currently, HBO have declined to comment, saying: “We appreciate that such a high-profile series will draw a lot of rumour and speculation. As we make our way through pre-production, we will only confirm details as we finalise deals.”

Fans will still have a little wait on their hands as the series is to begin filming this summer and is not expected to air until 2026 or 2027.

The hunt is still also believed to be underway to find the three child leads who will play Harry and his school friends Ron and Hermione.

An open casting call note circulating online stipulates that the actors must be between the ages of nine and 11 in April 2025.

Daniel Radcliffe was cast in the Harry Potter film franchise when he was 11. His co-stars, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, were 10 and 12, respectively.

Prince Harry ‘Devastated’ as He Quits African Charity He Founded in Princess Diana’s Honor: ‘What’s Transpired Is Unthinkable’

Prince Harry ‘Devastated’ as He Quits African Charity He Founded in Princess Diana’s Honor: ‘What’s Transpired Is Unthinkable’

Simon Perry

March 26, 2025 at 12:24 PM

Prince Harry has shared that he’s “devastated” after stepping down from his beloved African charity following reported infighting.

The Duke of Sussex, 40, set up Sentebale alongside his friend Prince Seeiso of Lesotho in 2006 in memory of both of their late mothers. The charity focuses on lifting up young people caught in the HIV/AIDS crisis in Lesotho and further afield in southern Africa.

But now both have stepped down amid claims about the charity’s governance, according to U.K. newspaper The Times. The Charity Commission, based in the U.K., is investigating, per the outlet.

Their departures reportedly stem from a breakdown in relations between chairwoman Dr. Sophie Chandauka and the board of trustees. The trustees — who include Harry’s close friend Mark Dyer, who introduced him to Prince Seeiso and and the country of Lesotho — have also stepped down.

In a joint statement, Harry and Prince Seeiso said, according to The Times, “What’s transpired is unthinkable. We are in shock that we have to do this.”

“Nearly 20 years ago, we founded Sentebale in honor of our mothers. Sentebale means ‘forget-me-not’ in Sesotho, the local language of Lesotho, and it’s what we’ve always promised for the young people we’ve served through this charity. Today is no different,” the statement continued.

“With heavy hearts, we have resigned for our roles as patrons of the organization until further notice, in support of and solidarity with the board of trustees who have had to do the same. It is devastating that the relationship between the charity’s trustees and the chair of the board broke down beyond repair, creating an untenable situation,” the statement concluded.

The two princes went on to thank the trustees for their “service over the years” and added they’re “truly heartbroken they’ve had to follow through with this act.”

Harry set up Sentebale two years after visiting Lesotho during his gap year after school and before joining the army. He saw it partly as continuing the legacy of his late mother, Princess Diana, who had campaigned to help those with AIDS.

Related: Prince Harry Says ‘Africa’s in My Soul’ as He Discusses Desire to ‘Give Back’ During Surprise Panel Appearance in Miami

A spokesperson for the Charity Commission, which registers and regulates charities in England and Wales so the public can support charities with confidence, told PEOPLE in a statement, “We can confirm that we are aware of concerns about the governance of Sentebale. We are assessing the issues to determine the appropriate regulatory steps.”

Dr. Chandauka said in a statement that she had been “guided by the principles of fairness and equitable treatment for all,” the BBC reported.

“There are people in this world who behave as though they are above the law and mistreat people, and then play the victim card and use the very press they disdain to harm people who have the courage to challenge their conduct,” the statement continued.

Can’t get enough of PEOPLE’s Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!

Related: Prince Harry Celebrates Relationship with Beloved African Country That Began 20 Years Ago: ‘Home Away from Home’

Dr. Chandauka added that this is “the story of a woman who dared to blow the whistle about issues of poor governance, weak executive management, abuse of power, bullying, harassment, misogyny, misogynoir – and the coverup that ensued.”

She also went on to say that her work with the charity was “not a vanity project from which I can resign when I am called to account”,according to the outlet.

A spokesperson for Sentebale said it could not confirm the resignations of the royal patrons, but added in a statement, per the outlet. “We are pleased to confirm the restructuring of our board on 25 March 2025 to introduce experts with the capabilities and networks to accelerate Sentebale’s transformation agenda as announced last year.”

Harry regularly visits Lesotho and was last there in October. He has also taken part in annual polo matches to raise money for Sentebale. It’s thought this has brought in around $10 million over the last 10 years.

PEOPLE has reached out to a spokesperson for Prince Harry and Sentebale for comment.

Read the original article on People

Harry Potter fans spread major theory after Hagrid reboot casting is ‘revealed’

In April 2023 it was announced that a reboot of the fantasy book series about the world-famous boy wizard was in the works at HBO.

Since then, speculation has grown over which acting legends will be cast in the beloved roles, as well as the new young actors who will play Harry, Ron and Hermione.

Now, it has been rumoured that British actor-comedian Nick Frost is nearing a deal to play the iconic role of half-giant Rubeus Hagrid originally portrayed by Robbie Coltrane, with the casting claim prompting fans to suggest a major theory for the upcoming adaptation.

As HBO continues to put together a cast for the series, it’s been claimed by Deadline that Frost is close to joining the likes of John Lithgow, Janet McTeer and Paapa Essiedu, who are in negotiations to play Professor Albus Dumbledore, Professor Minerva McGonagall and Professor Severus Snape respectively.

However, fans of the book series believe Frost’s comedy sidekick Simon Pegg could also potentially be cast alongside him, considering their many collaborations in the past.

While HBO continues to keep a tight lip over castings, comments about Frost joining the show started to circulate online last week.

Reddit fans highlighted a cryptic post by Frost on March 20, which said: ‘It’s happening, it’s actually happening’, and also noticed that he had followed rumoured cast members Lithgow and Essiedu.

But fans were also quick to suggest that Pegg – who has starred alongside Frost in Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Paul and The World’s End – should be cast alongside him.

Commenting on Reddit, L0ch_ness_monster said: ‘If Nick Frost is in this, then they need to find a role for his BFF Simon Pegg. He could be Filch.’

Desperate_Ad_9219 added: ‘He could be Arthur Weasley. He’s a goofy actor, but I have seen him play serious as well. So he can do both.’

Proof_Surround3856 echoed this, saying: ‘Exactly! He’d be perfect and actually portray him as the sweet yet protective patriarch of the Weasleys.’

A_man_potato also wrote: ‘Simon Pegg played Phineas Black in Hogwarts Legacy. Not a big role, but I’d be happy to see him return to play his portrait.

‘And given that I believe WB is on record saying they want HL to tie into the show, I’d hazard a guess they’re thinking the same.’

HBO declined to comment on the casting speculation, but said in a statement reported by Deadline: ‘We appreciate that such a high-profile series will draw a lot of rumor and speculation. As we make our way through pre-production, we will only confirm details as we finalize deals.’

Hagrid is Hogwarts’ friendly groundskeeper who eventually becomes the Care of Magical Creatures professor.

In all eight Harry Potter films, Coltrane – who passed away in 2022 – played the beloved figure.

After starring in the AMC action drama series Badlands, Frost will next be seen in the live-action remake How to Train Your Dragon in June.

Last month, Warner Bros Discovery CEO David Zaslav addressed the future of the Harry Potter TV show, revealing the intention for it to air for a whole decade.

‘When we launch Harry Potter in a year, a little over a year, we’ll have 10 consecutive years of Harry Potter, and be able to amortize that globally, around the world,’ he said, according to sports media outlet Awful Announcing. The drama is expected to launch in 2026 or 2027.

Given that Lithgow is currently 79, it means that by the time the Harry Potter TV series ends he could be in his early nineties.

Speaking about playing Dumbledore, Lithgow told Screen Rant: ‘Well, it came as a total surprise to me. I just got the phone call up at the Sundance Film Festival for yet another film, and it was not an easy decision because it’s going to define me for the last chapter of my life, I’m afraid.

‘But I’m very excited. Some wonderful people are turning their attention back to Harry Potter. That’s why it’s been such a hard decision. I’ll be about 87 years old at the wrap party, but I’ve said yes.’

The HBO production will be filmed in the same Warner Bros Studios in the UK where the films were also shot.

If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.