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.”

This story originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission

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

Inside Disney’s ‘Snow White’ Fiasco: Death Threats, Beefed-Up Security and a Social Media Guru for Rachel Zegler

Inside Disney’s ‘Snow White’ Fiasco: Death Threats, Beefed-Up Security and a Social Media Guru for Rachel Zegler

Tatiana Siegel

March 25, 2025 at 6:00 PM

On Aug. 12, 2024, three days after Rachel Zegler hit the stage at Disney’s D23 fan event to introduce the first official trailer of “Snow White,” she thanked supporters effusively in an X post for driving the teaser to 120 million views in 24 hours. One minute later, she added an afterthought in the same thread: “and always remember, free palestine.”

That addendum, which amassed 8.8 million views, nearly four times the number for the the initial post, quickly made the rounds, with many inside the studio expressing shock that the “Snow White” star would commingle the promotion of its $270 million tentpole with any kind of political statement. A Disney executive raised the studio’s concerns with Zegler’s team, while the film’s producer Marc Platt flew to New York to speak directly with her. But the actress, whose relationship with the studio began to unravel in 2022 during a contentious “West Side Story” awards season campaign and continued as she trashed the beloved original “Snow White,” stood her ground, and the post remained. Behind the scenes, death threats toward Zegler’s co-star Gal Gadot, who is Israeli, spiked, and Disney had to pay for additional security for the mother of four.

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“She didn’t understand the repercussions of her actions as far as what that meant for the film, for Gal, for anyone,” says one insider.

Three months later, following the presidential election, Zegler posted “Fuck Donald Trump” and “May Trump supporters … never know peace” on Instagram. Disney had had enough, given that the star was signaling to half the potential audience of an already troubled film plagued by costly reshoots to stay home. Platt made the case again to Zegler. After a back and forth, she began working with a social media guru paid for by Disney to vet any posts before the film’s March 21 bow. Disney declined comment. Zegler did not respond to a request for comment.

Now that the film’s dismal opening weekend — $87 million worldwide — is in the rearview mirror, Burbank brass are evaluating what went wrong. To put “Snow White’s” global box office haul into perspective, it’s about $34 million less than Warner Bros.’ “Joker: Folie à Deux” in October but with a bigger budget by $70 million.

“You can’t say that a live-action remake of the most iconic film in the vault that cost [$270] million and has been reshot multiple times opening to $50 million is OK. The math does not work. That movie should be a billion-dollar movie,” said an executive at a rival studio when the film was tracking for a $45 million-$55 million domestic opening. (It ended up at below even the low-end figure, at $43 million.)

The Disney-Zegler standoffs underscore the challenge Hollywood studios face as they attempt to rein in stars who court controversy on social media. For her part, Gadot kept her comments on geopolitics limited to offering support for the civilian hostages taken during the Oct. 7 Hamas attack and did not mix that message with the promotion of the film. Zegler had already strained nerves at both the studio and Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Partners when she complained on social media that she wasn’t invited to the 2022 Oscars as the star of best picture nominee “West Side Story,” a film distributed by Disney. Sources say she had just begun production on “Snow White” in London and Sean Bailey, then-president of Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production, declined to cut her loose for the telecast. After Zegler aired her grievances publicly, the Academy provided her with a ticket even though she wasn’t nominated. (Bailey was gone from the job by February 2024.)

Months later at D23, she criticized the original 1937 “Snow White,” noting that the prince “literally stalks” the heroine. One top agent says that was the moment that Disney allowed Zegler to control the narrative: “The first time she shoots her mouth off, you nip it in the bud.” Instead, the studio said nothing, and purists began to revolt. And as time went on, Disney became increasingly loath to weigh in on anyone’s speech considering that the studio was sued in 2024 by actress Gina Carano, who claims she was fired from “The Mandalorian” for voicing her opinions on hot-button issues.

“They say all press is good press, but in ‘Snow White’s’ case, they were unabashedly wrong,” says box office analyst Jeff Bock of Exhibitor Relations. “Too much negative controversy surrounded this film for years, and it didn’t help that the reviews were subpar, likely rendering this latest live-action adventure to D+ for many potential ticket buyers. A possible saving grace? A feeble marketplace where ‘Snow White’ could stay awhile — as many family films have — despite the lackluster debut.”

Many additional factors contributed to the film’s woes, including a COVID-related production delay and a fire on set, while the actors strike scuttled some reshoots. Meanwhile, Disney’s live-action movies, which were once reliable box office draws, have looked shakier in recent years, with the likes of “Dumbo” and “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil” bombing and “Peter Pan & Wendy” getting shipped to Disney+.

Still, there was no bad blood between the two “Snow White” leads despite press reports to the contrary. Sources say the actresses got along well during production, and things only got awkward during the run-up to release. Case in point: Zegler referred to Gadot as “a professional pageant queen” in one Instagram reply that followed their joint appearance as presenters at the Oscars this month, considered a dismissive way to describe a fellow actress.

Some observers say Disney fueled the perception of a feud by scheduling the actresses for separate events during junketing. At the March 15 premiere, which eschewed traditional red-carpet interviews and opted for photos only, the two stars were mostly kept apart. Inside the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles, Zegler sat two rows ahead of Gadot and her family.

But by that point, Disney had given up hope that the film could overcome the backlash that had been brewing like a fairy tale cauldron for years.

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Frankie Muniz and Bryan Cranston Return: ‘Malcolm’ Magic Strikes Again

Hold onto your remote controls, darlings — the television gods have finally answered our collective prayers. In what might be the most anticipated family reunion since the Kardashians’ last Christmas card, Disney+ is bringing “Malcolm in the Middle” back to our screens. And honey, this isn’t your garden-variety reboot cash grab.

The beloved sitcom that gave us one of television’s most wonderfully chaotic families is returning for a limited four-episode special that’s already generating more buzz than a barista’s morning rush. Frankie Muniz — yes, that adorable genius who made us all feel slightly inadequate about our own IQ scores — is stepping back into Malcolm’s shoes, though this time with a few more laugh lines and a daughter of his own.

But here’s where it gets really interesting. Bryan Cranston and Jane Kaczmarek are reprising their roles as Hal and Lois, proving that some on-screen chemistry simply refuses to fade. (And let’s be honest — after Cranston’s post-Malcolm transformation into television’s most notorious chemistry teacher, watching him return to his beloved goofball dad persona feels deliciously meta.)

The premise? It’s refreshingly straightforward, though packed with dramatic potential. Malcolm and his daughter find themselves drawn back into the family’s trademark chaos when Hal and Lois demand their presence for their 40th wedding anniversary celebration. In true Wilkerson fashion, nothing’s quite as simple as it seems.

Christopher Masterson and Justin Berfield are returning as Francis and Reese, bringing their particular brand of lovable troublemaking back to the screen. Though — and here’s a tidbit that’s had entertainment blogs buzzing since the announcement dropped last month — there’s been a changing of the guard in the Dewey department. Newcomer Caleb Ellsworth-Clark is stepping into the role, with Erik Per Sullivan having traded Hollywood’s spotlight for a quieter life since 2010.

The casting department hasn’t stopped there. Anthony Timpano takes on the role of Jamie (last seen barely out of diapers), while Vaughan Murrae tackles the intriguing role of Kelly — that mysterious sixth Wilkerson child whose existence was teased in the series finale. Perhaps most notably, rising star Keeley Karsten joins as Malcolm’s daughter Leah, bringing what insiders describe as a perfect blend of her father’s genius-level intellect with an emotional intelligence that might actually help her navigate life better than her dad ever did.

Behind the scenes, it’s practically a reunion of television royalty. Original creator Linwood Boomer returns to the writer’s desk, while Cranston pulls double duty as both star and executive producer. The legendary Ken Kwapis — fresh off his latest streaming hit — will direct all four episodes, ensuring the series maintains its signature style while speaking to today’s audience.

What’s particularly fascinating about this revival is how it’s positioning itself to bridge the gap between millennials who grew up with the show and Gen Alpha viewers who’ve discovered it through endless streaming binges. While the original series captured the essence of early 2000s family dysfunction, this new iteration seems poised to explore how those dynamics have evolved (or stubbornly refused to change) in our increasingly connected yet somehow more isolated 2025 landscape.

Production kicks off in Vancouver next month, and the anticipation is practically palpable. This isn’t just another nostalgia play — it’s a carefully orchestrated return to a world that helped define an entire generation’s understanding of family comedy. And in an era where genuine laughs feel more precious than ever, the timing couldn’t be better.

After all, darlings, if there’s one thing Hollywood loves more than a comeback story, it’s a comeback story that proves some families — even fictional ones — never really grow out of their beautiful chaos.

Harry Potter TV series casts Hagrid

The forthcoming Harry Potter HBO series has found the actor who will play half-giant Rubeus Hagrid.

British actor-comedian Nick Frost, 52, has been tapped to fill the role, originally embodied by the late Robbie Coltrane, who died in late 2022 at age 72.

According to a Deadline report, Frost is close to finalizing the deal to sign on for the TV adaptation of the beloved fantasy books.

In a statement to the publication, HBO said, ‘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.’

Fans initially suspected Nick would join the production last week when he posted in an Instagram caption: ‘What a bloody lovely day! It’s happening, it’s actually happening. Stay cool.’

The forthcoming Harry Potter HBO series has found the actor who will play half-giant Rubeus Hagrid, originally embodied by the late Robbie Coltrane

The Harry Potter television series will come to small screens in 2026; original cast Rupert Grint, Daniel Radcliffe, and Emma Watson pictured L-R in 2001

The note, accompanied by a close-up selfie, was void of context.

But social media users noticed that he’d begun following stars who have already been confirmed in the Harry Potter HBO cast — John Lithgow and Paapa Essiedu.

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Nick most recently starred in the slasher comedy movie Get Away, which he wrote and Steffen Haars directed.

Last month it was announced that Lithgow hd been picked to play the new Professor Dumbledore.

Following the news, the 79-year-old star said stepping into the shoes of the magical headmaster, first played by Richard Harris and Michael Gambon, ‘came as a total surprise to me.’

He told Screen Rant, ‘I just got the phone call up at the Sundance Film Festival, and it was not an easy decision because it’s going to define me for the last chapter of my life, I’m afraid.’

The veteran entertainer added, ‘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.’

British actor-comedian Nick Frost, 52, has been tapped to fill the role; pictured in January

Last month it was announced that John Lithgow has been picked to play the new Professor Dumbledore; pictured in January

Dumbledore, played by Michael Gambon in the last six of eight Harry Potter films, is the headmaster of the wizarding school Hogwarts and a mentor to the titular character

Dumbledore, the fictional headmaster of Hogwarts and a mentor to the titular character, has become one of the most-beloved figures among fans of J.K. Rowling’s original books and the film series.

In early March it was revealed that Emmy-nominated actress Janet McTeer is ‘in talks’ to take over from the late Maggie Smith as Professor McGonagall in the highly-anticipated HBO adaptation.

Janet, 63, is best-known for her role as Mary Jo Walker in the 2000 comedy Tumbleweed.

She also starred as attorney Helen Piece in the hit TV Netflix drama Ozark.

June Carter Cash Finally Claims Country Hall of Fame Glory

Nashville’s music community gathered yesterday for what might be remembered as one of 2025’s most poignant moments in country music history. The Country Music Hall of Fame’s latest announcement carried a special weight in the air — perhaps because of the perfect storm of talent represented in this year’s inductees.

The legendary June Carter Cash leads the 2025 class as the Veteran Era Artist, finally stepping out of what many have long considered an unfair shadow. During the press conference, Hall of Fame member Vince Gill didn’t mince words about this long-overdue recognition. “Johnny once said that his wife was one of the most neglected artists in country music,” he shared, his voice carrying just a hint of emotion. That oversight ends now.

Truth be told, Carter Cash’s influence runs deeper than many casual fans might realize. Beyond the famous “Ring of Fire” — which she co-wrote, thank you very much — she penned over 100 songs and carried forward the Carter Family’s musical legacy into a third generation. Her daughter Carlene put it best, describing her mother as “a force of nature” who remained “anchored in love.”

Then there’s Kenny Chesney, whose selection as the modern era inductee feels both inevitable and somehow surprising. Here’s a guy who’s racked up 16 platinum albums and more than 50 Top Ten country hits — numbers that almost don’t seem real. Standing before the crowd, Chesney showed that same humble spirit that’s marked his decades-long career. “I just wanted to record and write songs that reflected the lives of a lot of people that came to our shows,” he said, somehow making a stadium-sized career sound like a simple front-porch conversation.

The non-performer category welcomes Tony Brown, one of those behind-the-scenes maestros without whom modern country music wouldn’t sound quite the same. From playing keys for Elvis (yes, that Elvis) to producing hits for Reba McEntire and George Strait, Brown’s fingerprints are all over country music’s evolution. His take on the honor? “You make records and you make some money, but this is better than money,” he reflected. “This is about making an impact.”

The announcement wasn’t all serious business, though. Gill lightened the mood with a story about being Carter Cash’s impromptu “purse-handler” at an awards show — a title he jokes about adding to his resume. These little moments of levity, scattered throughout the formal proceedings, reminded everyone that country music, at its heart, is about real people and real stories.

Come fall 2025, when the formal induction ceremony rolls around, Nashville will witness something special. It’s more than just three remarkable careers being honored — it’s a testament to country music’s ability to embrace its roots while pushing forward into new territory. From Carter Cash’s pioneering spirit to Chesney’s modern-day empire, and Brown’s golden touch in the producer’s chair, this year’s class tells the story of country music itself: traditional, revolutionary, and everything in between.

Harry Potter’s Jason Isaacs Has A Wild Pick For Who Should Play Lucius Malfoy On The Harry Potter Show (And I Kinda Want To See This)

Just when you think you heard every kind of Harry Potter fan casting.

Jason Isaacs may be getting a lot of attention right now for his stellar performance in Season 3 of White Lotus, but we can’t forget when he played Death Eater wizard Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter movies. That regal stance and sharp delivery he brought out in his antagonist character still gives me chills just thinking about it. But as a Harry Potter TV series is in the works to appear on your Max subscription, the British actor has a wild pick for who he’d like to take on the wizard baddie and I kinda want to see this happen.

While Jason Isaacs didn’t get a lot of screen time in the Harry Potter movies, he still managed to give a memorable performance as Lucius Malfoy. His cold, hard stare into the camera and his authoritative voice when conjuring up evil spells showed you exactly where Draco got his arrogance and bleach-blond locks from. Considering how iconic Isaacs’ role was as Lucius, it’s hard to picture anyone else donning the long blonde wig. However, Variety asked The Patriot actor who he’d pick as his antagonist character in the upcoming Harry Potter series, and here was his wild answer:

Now, this I want to see! We know that Meryl Streep can play one of the best female villains in film history, The Devil Wears Prada’s Miranda Priestly, and a wicked witch in Into the Woods. Let’s not lie – she can play anything, as Jason Isaacs said. I would love to see her wear the long blonde wig and give that signature sneer that Lucius Malfoy gives when things don’t go his way. I know Streep is capable of playing a man considering she once played a rabbi in the HBO miniseries Angels in America. Seeing how unrecognizable she was in that role, it wouldn’t be a far stretch for her to achieve the same effect as the spoiled pureblood wizard.

Meryl Streep really is one of the most phenomenal actresses out there who never gives a bad performance. Her best movies demonstrate her ability to absorb each character’s wide range of emotions, movements, and fine details like a sponge. She made you cry in Kramer Vs. Kramer, laugh in Florence Foster Jenkins, and mad in The Devil Wears Prada. Streep is a master of many accents, can sing and dance, and spans her screen presence across a variety of genres. There’s seemingly nothing this woman can’t or isn’t willing to take on.

The cast of the Harry Potter film series hasn’t held back their opinions of what they’d like to see in the upcoming HBO series. Daniel Radcliffe’s thoughts for the producers of the series include making sure the new child actors still act like kids and Bonnie Wright’s advice for the Max cast is for their interpretation of their characters to be considered. As for Jason Isaacs, his advice for the new show would honestly be no advice:

It seems to me that Jason Isaacs has full faith in the new Harry Potter team that he trusts they know what they’re doing. So far, we’ve got 3rd Rock From the Sun’s John Lithgow officially cast as Dumbledore who would perfectly portray the wise wizard’s gentle authority and warmth he’d give The Boy Who Lived. There are also reported frontrunners for Snape and Professor McGonagall.

Gangs of London’s Paapa Essiedu is apparently closing in on the new deal as the Slytherin professor and Kaos’ Janet McTeer is reportedly in talks to play the late Maggie Smith’s iconic role. The young actors of the iconic trio haven’t been selected yet but with thousands of kids trying out, I’m excited to find out which of the young talent will fit the magical roles we’ve known and loved.

As wild as Jason Isaacs’ fan casting is of wanting Meryl Streep to step into the role of Lucius Malfoy, I would still be intrigued to see that happen. The Academy Award winner has proven time and time again that she’s as versatile as a chameleon on the big screen; why not add the villainous Death Eater to her list of credits? We can see which lucky actors will raise their wands with HBO’s Harry Potter series expected to premiere sometime in 2026.

James Bond bosses share major update as Harry Potter producers take the reins – The Mirror

Spider-Man and Harry Potter producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman are to produce the next film in the James Bond series for Amazon MGM Studios. It comes after Amazon gained creative control of the British spy franchise in February, following a deal which saw Eon Productions, run by Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli – who have produced the franchise since the death of Albert “Cubby” Broccoli – become co-owners with Amazon MGM Studios.

Speaking about taking on the next film, Pascal and Heyman said in a joint statement: “James Bond is one of the most iconic characters in the history of cinema.

“We are humbled to follow in the footsteps of Barbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson who made so many extraordinary films and honoured and excited to keep the spirit of Bond very much alive as he embarks on his next adventure.”

Pascal, who is best-known for her work on the last three Spider-Man films, is currently working on the Phil Lord and Christopher Miller-directed Project Hail Mary, starring Ryan Gosling, for Amazon MGM Studios.

She has also produced the Luca Guadagnino-directed Challengers, and is working on Narnia alongside Mark Gordon, which Greta Gerwig is directing for Netflix.

Heyman produced all eight film adaptations of JK Rowling’s Harry Potter books, as well as the three Fantastic Beasts films, and has also worked on Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood and Gravity, as well as Paddington and Paddington 2.

He is currently in pre-production on a Harry Potter television series and in post-production on Taika Waititi’s adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguru’s Klara And The Sun, starring Jenna Ortega and Amy Adams.

Amazon MGM Studios head of film, Courtenay Valenti, said of the announcement: “We are approaching every creative decision with James Bond, which Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson have so masterfully steered, with the greatest sense of responsibility.

“Part of an elite group of producers who have developed and managed massive film franchises to box office success and critical acclaim, Amy Pascal and David Heyman are two of the most accomplished, experienced, and respected film producers in our industry.

“We are honoured to be working with them on James Bond’s next chapter and are excited to deliver to global audiences storytelling that upholds the impeccable legacy of this beloved character.”

Pascal will produce the film via Pascal Pictures, and Heyman will produce via Heyday Films.

Amazon MGM Studios have agreed a deal with the Broccoli family behind 007 and producer Michael Wilson to take over the creative rights of the movies, in a move likely to end speculation over the future direction of the storied spy franchise. However, Broccoli and Wilson will remain co-owners of the franchise.

It comes following rumours over who may succeed actor Daniel Craig, who last portrayed the iconic James Bond in the 2021 movie, No Time To Die. But the franchise will no longer be controlled by the mastermind behind the movie, Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson, who have announced they are stepping down.

Ben Affleck sets record straight about Jennifer Lopez split, praises ‘wonderful’ Jennifer Garner

Celebrity matchmaker Alessandra Conti told Fox News Digital Garner and Affleck are incredible co-parents.

Ben Affleck set the record straight on the “root causes” of his divorce from Jennifer Lopez.

Affleck and Lopez finalized their divorce in January, roughly two years after getting married at the actor’s Georgia estate. The “Argo” star noted that while people have speculated about the issues that led to his divorce from JLo, the real reason is much more ordinary than anyone might believe. Affleck and Lopez’s different approaches to fame have been mentioned as the cause of their split after the premiere of Lopez’ documentary, “The Greatest Love Story Never Told,” but the “Air” director emphasized it “wasn’t the cause of some major fracture.”

“Part of it was, ‘OK, if I’m going to participate in this, I want to try to do it in an honest way and in a way that’s interesting.’ Because I thought it was an interesting examination,” Affleck explained in a cover story for GQ magazine. “There are a lot of people who I think have handled celebrity more adeptly and more adroitly than I have, Jennifer among them.

“My temperament is to be a little bit more reserved and private than hers. As happens in relationships, you don’t always have the same attitude towards these things. And so I thought, ‘Oh, this is interesting, because how do you reconcile that?

JENNIFER LOPEZ, BEN AFFLECK DIVORCE AFTER TWO YEARS OF MARRIAGE

“I love and support this person. I believe in them. They’re great. I want people to see that,” he continued. “And I think the thing that I said in that documentary or the piece that they used was where I said, ‘You don’t marry a ship captain and then say, ‘Well, I don’t like going out in the water.’ You’ve got to own what you knew going into any relationship. And I think it’s important to say that wasn’t the cause of some major fracture. It’s not like you can watch that documentary and go, ‘Oh, now I understand the issues that these two had.’”

The actor later shared that there was no big moment that brought their marriage to an end.

“I have nothing but respect [for Lopez]. I guess there’s a tendency to look at breakups and want to identify root causes or something. But, honestly, like I said, the truth is much more quotidian than probably people would believe or would be interesting.”

Affleck emphasized there was “no scandal, no soap opera, no intrigue” about his divorce from Lopez.

“The truth is, when you talk to somebody, ‘Hey, what happened?’ Well, there is no, ‘This is what happened,’” the “Accountant 2” star said. “It’s just a story about people trying to figure out their lives and relationships in ways that we all sort of normally do. And as you get older, this is true for me. I assume it’s true for most people. There is no ‘So-and-so did this’ or ‘This was the big event.’ It’s really, it sounds more like a couple’s therapy session, which you would tune out of someone else’s couple’s therapy after a while.

“For one thing, you start going, ‘OK, clearly this person has got these issues. Clearly, they have these issues.’ And the reason I don’t want to share that is just sort of embarrassing. It feels vulnerable.”

“The truth is, when you talk to somebody, ‘Hey, what happened?’ Well, there is no, ‘This is what happened.’ It’s just a story about people trying to figure out their lives and relationships in ways that we all sort of normally do.”

— Ben Affleck

BEN AFFLECK RELISHES JENNIFER GARNER FAMILY TIME, STARK TURNAROUND FROM RED CARPET LIFE

Affleck has dealt with celebrity and fame since the start of his career and his breakout role in “Good Will Hunting.” The actor still hasn’t figured out why the public is so interested in his daily life.

“I’m aware that it’s absurd, and it’s ridiculous,” he told the outlet. “There’s nothing newsworthy at all about the day-to-day events of my life or the conversation I have with one person or another person that’s photographed.

“And often it’s like the big trick is to say, ‘So-and-so does this amid that,’ imply some correlation between the two. In other words, some broad event is taking place in some way, whether globally or around this person’s life. And, look, here they are frustrated with the parking meter. I’m definitely aware of the cosmic joke of it all.

“What I’ve ended up focusing on is: Look, I know what’s going on in my life. And, also, really more importantly, my kids know. We used to have a thing, my ex-wife [Jennifer Garner] and I, when they would see something on a supermarket stand, we would say, well, ‘You know this isn’t always true because if it were, you would have 15 brothers or sisters or whatever the number of stories is where they said that your mom was pregnant.’”

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The actor noted the attention is “more of a headache than anything else, and there certainly are worse things.”

He also praised Garner, whom Affleck married in 2005.

“And I’m really lucky that I have a really good co-parent and partner in Jennifer Garner, the kids’ mom, who’s wonderful and great, and we work together well,” he said.

“And I’m really lucky that I have a really good co-parent and partner in Jennifer Garner, the kids’ mom, who’s wonderful and great, and we work together well.”

— Ben Affleck

Affleck and Garner announced their separation in 2015. However, the two didn’t finalize their divorce for another three years. During that time, Affleck went to rehab twice, and the two underwent marriage counseling.

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After his divorce from Garner, Affleck rekindled his relationship with Jennifer Lopez. The couple’s marriage lasted roughly two years. Lopez and Affleck married in 2022 and finalized their divorce in January 2025.

June Carter Cash, Kenny Chesney and Tony Brown to join the Country…

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – June Carter, Kenny Chesney and Tony Brown have been invited to join the Country Music Hall of Fame.

The Country Music Association announced the new 2025 inductees on Tuesday in Nashville, Tennessee.

Carter, the Grammy-winning member of one of country music´s pioneering families and the wife of country giant Johnny Cash, joins as this year’s veteran era artist. Chesney, who has won the CMA Awards entertainer of the year four times, joins as the modern era artist. And Brown, a Nashville producer who has supervised a wide array of best-selling hits by Vince Gill, Reba McEntire, George Strait and many others, will join the non-performer category.

The three will be formally inducted during a ceremony in the fall.

Tuesday’s celebratory ceremony focused on their contributions to country music over the decades, highlighting their influence, even when they were overlooked at times.

“Johnny once said that his wife was one of the most neglected artists in country music,” said country singer Vince Gill, who introduced the inductees. He said Cash worried that his wife’s contributions would “under-recognized simply because she’s my wife.”

FILE – In this Oct. 16, 1992, file photo, singers June Carter Cash and husband Johnny Cash perform at New York’s Madison Square Garden. (AP Photo/Ron Frehm, File)

“That changes as she takes her rightful place among family, friends and legends in the Country Music Hall of Fame,” Gill said.

Some of Carter’s accomplishments include writing more than 100 songs, including co-writing “Ring of Fire,” a top hit for Cash. The two married in 1968 and recorded several Grammy-award winning hits like “Jackson” and “If I Were a Carpenter.”

But Carter had been singing since she was 10, long before marrying Cash. Her mother, Maybelle Carter, was in the Carter Family music act with her cousin Sara Carter and Sara´s husband, A.P. Carter. The family act broke up, but mother and daughters June, Helen and Anita continued on as Mother Maybelle & the Carter Sisters, with little June playing autoharp.

The Carters went on to become staples of the Grand Ole Opry country music show in Nashville.

Carlene Carter described her mother as a “force of nature” who was “anchored in love.”

“Anything that´s good about me is because of that mom,” said Carlene Carter, who continued in the family business as a country singer and songwriter.

Chesney, who grew up in eastern Tennessee, told the crowd on Tuesday that if someone had said he would one day be inducted into the same Hall of Fame class as June Carter Cash, he would have called it “unbelievable.”

Chesney’s career includes 16 platinum albums and more than 50 Top Ten country hits. After receiving a standing ovation, he said he was just hoping to spread love and positivity through his music.

“I had a really big dream and I´m still pushing that dream as far as I can,” Chesney said. “I just wanted to record and write songs that reflected the lives of a lot of people that came to our shows.”

For Brown, getting the call about his induction into the Hall of Fame almost knocked him over. He called it one of the biggest accomplishments of his career.

Every year, the Country Music Hall of Fame chooses just three inductees, one of which rotates between songwriters, recording/touring musicians and non-performers.

Brown backed Elvis Presley until his death in 1977, then played with Emmylou Harris & The Hot Band, as well as Rodney Crowell & The Cherry Bombs. But he’s being honored more for his production work, as president of MCA Nashville, with RCA Records and eventually as co-founder of Universal South Records.

“You make records and you make some money, but this is better than money,” Brown said. “This is about making an impact.”

FILE – Kenny Chesney performs during the iHeartRadio Music Awards, on Monday, March 17, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File)

FILE – Record producer Tony Brown speaks at the Americana Honors & Awards show Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski, File)

‘The Studio´ is the defining portrait of modern Hollywood

NEW YORK (AP) – The studio head has historically been seen as a fearsome and all-powerful figure, capable of ending a career with the snap of a finger or changing lives with an impulsive greenlight. In “The Studio,” though, Seth Rogen´s studio chief is more Selina Meyer (“Veep”) than Louis B. Mayer.

As much as Rogen´s Matt Remick, head of the fictional Continental Studios, sits in a sought-after seat of power, he´s helpless against larger trends in the film industry. He wants to be making “Chinatown,” but instead his most important task is getting a Kool-Aid movie off the ground. Bryan Cranston´s Continental chief executive asks: Can he do this? “Oh, yeah!”

“As pitiful as it is, the conflict that my character lives and breathes every second of his life is one a lot of people with his job are facing in real life,” Rogen says. “They love movies. They´re also responsible to a very specific bottom line and they have to defend the choice they make to a board of people who don´t give a s— about movies.”

“The Studio,” the 10-episode series debuting Wednesday on Apple TV+, may be the definitive portrait of contemporary Hollywood. If movies like “Singin´ in the Rain” and “The Player” captured the movie industry in full swagger, “The Studio” belongs to a more desperate chapter where even the all-powerful feel impotent. Studio heads, too, must tolerate conversations with people who haven´t been to the movies in ages, but who loved “The Bear.”

In a recent interview, Rogen and Goldberg, the longtime writing, producing and directing duo behind “Superbad,” “Pineapple Express” and “This Is the End,” said “The Studio” isn´t quite a Hollywood postmortem, no matter how much Cranston´s performance in the helter-skelter CinemaCon-set finale verges toward “Weekend at Bernie´s” territory.

“We´re people who have been given great lives from this industry who, in general, though it´s been very frustrating, have gotten to do what they want,” Rogen says. “The show is very specifically written from the perspective of people that think things can work out in Hollywood.”

Chase Sui Wonders, from left, Kathryn Hahn, Seth Rogen, Ike Barinholtz and Catherine O’Hara, cast members in the Apple TV+ series “The Studio,” pose together on Thursday, March 20, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

There always is, and probably always will be, reason for optimism in Hollywood. The next big hit is perpetually just around the corner. But as audiences have become increasingly distracted by streaming, TikTok and video games, the film industry – or at least the major studio version of it – has turned into an IP-factory, hoping that franchises, superheroes and horror can sustain itself.

There´s still time for a turnaround (there´s that optimism again), but ticket sales in 2025 are down 6.9% from last year and 38.6% from 2019, according to Comscore. The trends are worse if you look at tickets sold rather than dollars earned, since large-format screens beef up ticket prices.

More than that, though, “The Studio” – with a boatload of cameos of everyone from Martin Scorsese to Netflix chief Ted Sarandos to Zoe Kravitz – taps into a deeper demoralization. Flanked by a team of executives (Kathryn Hahn, Ike Barinholtz, Chase Sui Wonders), Remick finds himself – when not directly obstructing filmmakers he adores, like Scorsese and Sarah Polley – beset with questions over whether they´ve cast a racist Kool-Aid movie, if their “Smile” knockoff “Wink” can work or how to sell a movie with zombie diarrhea.

Matthew Belloni, the former editor of The Hollywood Reporter and founding partner of the media company Puck, appears as himself in the series. He says that there´s truth underlying almost every scene in the “The Studio,” “for better and mostly worse.”

“It captures the existential dread that seems to permeate every conversation,” says Belloni. “People recognize that the glory days of Hollywood are over and the whole concept of what Hollywood even means is being redefined. And that has caused everybody in town to go completely crazy. This show captures that craziness very, very well.”

“The Studio” isn´t the first time Rogen and Goldberg have had a role in revealing the inner workings of a Hollywood studio. When their 2014 North Korean comedy “The Interview” led to the hacking of Sony Pictures, the studio´s private correspondence landed on the internet.

“Without ‘The Interview,´ a show like this would have been much harder for us to write,” Rogen says, chuckling. “We got to the CEO-level of problem.”

Those problems ultimately included Sony Pictures co-chair Amy Pascal stepping down. Pascal, who has since been a highly successful producer, has remained a mentor to Rogen and Goldberg. In “The Studio,” she´s fictionalized by Catherine O´Hara as a savvy producer and Remick´s former boss.

“One of the biggest misconceptions people seem to have with Hollywood is that it´s run by people who only care about money and don´t at all care about film,” Rogen says.

“There´s a few of those people,” Goldberg chimes in.

“They are out there, for sure,” continues Rogen. “But in general, the people who have ascended to Amy´s level to run studios are people who love movies and can sit in a room with the greatest filmmakers on earth and have an on-the-level conversation about filmmaking.”

Rogen and Goldberg, who created the show with Frida Perez and a pair of “Veep” veterans in Peter Huyck and Alex Gregory, began developing “The Studio” during the pandemic. Then, they thought it really might be a satirical elegy for Hollywood. The twin blockbusters of “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer,” though, prompted them to give the series a more hopeful spin. But they were never short on fodder.

“Most of it is very directly from our lives,” Goldberg says.

“As soon as we thought of it, we thought of a hundred episode ideas,” adds Rogen.

That includes one episode where Remick joins a date at a hospital fundraiser attended by doctors. That came from Rogen´s own experience attending galas for the Alzheimer´s disease charity he runs with his wife, Lauren Miller.

“I find myself at a lot of medical galas and at a lot of tables with doctors who save people´s lives. And they seem to take particular joy in diminishing what I do for a living,” Rogen says laughing.

Those scenes – the doctors are the ones who love “The Bear” – unfold with Remick claiming that what he does matters, even if that includes a movie that sounds not too dissimilar in vulgarity to his and Goldberg´s R-rated animated comedy “Sausage Party.”

“What´s funny about Hollywood is how people have imbued every moment with life-altering stakes that could last forever,” says Rogen. “People seem to take their jobs in Hollywood more seriously than the people who are actually making nuclear decisions. That´s what´s terrifying.”

As much as it lampoons Hollywood, “The Studio” is also an ode to it. An episode about a missing reel is done in the style of “Chinatown.” Most of the series, which Rogen and Goldberg directed, are shot in long, balletic takes – even the episode in which Remick keeps fouling up an ambitious long take attempted by Polley.

Those are just some of the ironies of “The Studio,” which, at the next fundraising gala in Los Angeles, is sure to be, more than any new movie, what most people are talking about.

This image released by Apple TV+ shows, from left, Ike Barinholtz, Kathryn Hahn, Seth Rogen and Chase Sui Wonders in a scene from “The Studio.” (Apple TV+ via AP)

Seth Rogen, left, and Evan Goldberg, co-creators of the Apple TV+ series “The Studio,” pose on Thursday, March 20, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Seth Rogen, a cast member, co-creator, executive producer, director and writer of the Apple TV+ series “The Studio,” poses for a portrait on Thursday, March 20, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

This image released by Apple TV+ shows, from left, Ike Barinholtz, Seth Rogen and Martin Scorsese in a scene from “The Studio.” (Apple TV+ via AP)

Catherine O’Hara, a cast member in the Apple+ series “The Studio,” poses for a portrait on Thursday, March 20, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Ike Barinholtz, a cast member in the Apple TV+ series “The Studio,” poses for a portrait on Thursday, March 20, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Chase Sui Wonders, a cast member in the Apple TV+ series “The Studio,” poses for a portrait to promote the show on Thursday, March 20, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

This image released by Apple TV+ shows Rebecca Hall, left, and Seth Rogen in a scene from “The Studio.” (Apple TV+ via AP)

This image released by Apple TV+ shows, from left, Ike Barinholtz, Steve Buscemi, and Seth Rogen in a scene from “The Studio.” (Apple TV+ via AP) in a scene from “The Studio.” (Apple TV+ via AP)

Evan Goldberg, from left, James Weaver and Seth Rogen, the executive producers of the Apple TV+ series “The Studio,” pose for a portrait on Thursday, March 20, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Catherine O’Hara, a cast member in the Apple+ series “The Studio,” poses for a portrait on Thursday, March 20, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Ike Barinholtz, a cast member in the Apple TV+ series “The Studio,” poses for a portrait on Thursday, March 20, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

This image released by Apple TV+ shows Bryan Cranston in a scene from “The Studio.” (Apple TV+ via AP)