Sheen hopes to get children talking about homelessness
Hollywood actor Michael Sheen has said he hopes his new children's book will get the next generation talking about homelessness.
Sheen is launching A Home For Spark The Dragon, which tells the story of a dragon who loses his home and then goes on a quest to find a new one.
He said he hoped it would help children to start thinking about ways they could make a difference in future.
"I've always believed that telling stories is an important way to make change in the world - and in the long run, stories for children can make the most change of all," said Sheen.
Sheen says banks force people to use loan sharks
Sheen to fund new national theatre for Wales
Michael Sheen writes off £1m of debt for 900 people
Sheen has co-written the book with Jess Webb and with illustrations by Sarah Massini.
The book will help to raise funds for homelessness charity, Shelter, when it is released on 5 June.
Sheen, 56, said: "I feel very fortunate that I got to grow up in a safe and happy home, but knowing that for many people this isn't the case, has increasingly made me want to do what I can to help."
He said he hoped children would enjoy reading about Spark the dragon and his animal friends who live in "a magical woodland world" as they embarked on "a quest to find a new place to call home".
"I hope Spark's adventure is fun to read and at the same time, that his story gives a way in for young readers to talk about what it is to be homeless - and to start to think about ways to make a difference," he added.
The Welsh actor said he was proud to be publishing the book in partnership with Shelter, "supporting the important work they do to fight the housing emergency".
Publisher Puffin and Sheen will give £1 from the sale of each hardback copy and 50p from the sale of each paperback copy of the book in the UK and Ireland to Shelter.
The charity said that the latest statutory homelessness statistics showed that over 164,000 children were currently homeless and living in temporary accommodation in England.
The charity said the figure had increased by 21,650 (15%) in just one year.
Sheen has played historical figures such as former Nottingham Forest and Derby County manager Brian Clough in The Damned United, former British prime minister Tony Blair in three films including The Queen, and comic actor Kenneth Williams in Fantabulosa! on BBC Four.
The actor has more recently been seen on Michael Sheen's Secret Million Pound Giveaway on Channel 4.
In this documentary he used £100,000 of his own money to wipe out £1m-worth of debt for 900 people in south Wales.
In January, Sheen announced he would be funding a new theatre company to fill the gap left by the folding of National Theatre Wales.
He will be the artistic director of Welsh National Theatre, which will aim to tell "big stories on big stages for big audiences".
Sheen: I broke down hearing kids' care stories
Sheen donates £5k for boy with genetic condition
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Geek Tyrant
19 minutes ago
- Geek Tyrant
New Trailer For Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan's FREAKIER FRIDAY — GeekTyrant
Disney has released a new trailer for Freakier Friday , which sees the return of Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan as they once again navigate the challenges of body swapping. But, this time it involves two families with a four-way body swap involving grandkids. In the film, 'Years after Tess & Anna endured an identity crisis, Anna now has a daughter and a soon-to-be stepdaughter. As they navigate the challenges of two families merging, Tess and Anna discover that lightning might strike twice.' There's no doubt that fans of the original film are going to love what this movie delivers. It certainly seems to fave the same quirky and crazy vibe and humor. The movie is directed by Nisha Ganatra and it also stars Mark Harmon, Chad Michael Murray, Ryan Malgarini, Christina Vidal Mitchell, Haley Hudson, Stephen Tobolowsky, Lucille Soong, Rosalind Chao back in their respective roles from the original. It also stars Julia Butters, Manny Jacinto, Vanessa Bayer, and Sophia Hammons. Disney will release the film on August 8th, 2025.
Gizmodo
26 minutes ago
- Gizmodo
DC Studios Might Be Close to Finding Its ‘Clayface' Star
Chad Stahleski discusses why John Wick is going anime. Charlie Cox teases how Jessica Jones enters the world of Daredevil: Born Again. Plus, more creepy Alien: Earth teases, and Mortal Kombat II's writer discusses trying to balance the sequel's expanded roster of kombatants. To me, my spoilers! Clayface According to THR, the George MacKay, Tom Blyth, Jack O'Connell and Leo Woodall are the top contenders to play the title character in Clayface. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Deadline has word Jordan Peele, Osgood Perkins, and Taylor Sheridan are pitching their respective takes for a new Texas Chainsaw Massacre film–although primarily as producers, rather than directors–as the franchise rights' go under auction today. Mortal Kombat II Speaking with Comic Book, Mortal Kombat II screenwriter Jeremy Slater discussed balancing the upcoming sequel's 20-fighter roster 'for maximum emotional impact.' I was adamant that we had to have this tournament in the movie. We can't make people wait another movie and then be like, 'Come back for the finale.' It was finding a structure to make the tournament as satisfying as you want it to be because this had years of build-up. It's figuring out who the individual matches are going to be, which characters do you pair off for maximum emotional impact, but also for the most dynamic fights. Then, also, what is the larger story you are telling between the tournament? It's a cast of 20 people. It's very easy for these things to become three-to-four-hour, sprawling epics, so you always have to be judicious in cutting things down and [focused on] what's the emotional story we are telling, and what is the story the audience cares about. Then making sure when you get to those moments that matter — the fights, the fatalities, the surprises, the deaths — that they land and they are as satisfying as everyone wants them to be. I think we nailed it. O.T.H.E.R. After returning to her childhood home, Olga Kurlyenko finds someone has installed 'a high-tech surveillance system' that 'tracks her every move as a dark presence lurks in the shadows' in the trailer for O.T.H.E.R. Freakier Friday Bodies get swapped for another whimsical cosmic reckoning in the latest trailer for Freakier Friday. Nyaight of the Living Cat We also have another trailer for Takashi Miike's Nyaight of the Living Cat. Daredevil: Born Again In conversation with Deadline, Charlie Cox seemed to imply Jessica Jones already knows Daredevil isn't dead following the events of The Defenders. When did Jessica Jones find out that I'm not dead? At the end of Defenders, everyone assumes I'm dead. There's a mutual respect for one another. She finds him overly serious and too much of a choir boy, and he finds her to be crass and making light of too many serious situations; she's more antihero than hero. Untitled John Wick Anime Speaking with THR, Chad Stahleski stated the upcoming John Wick prequel series is animated because 'Keanu and I are not interested in going backwards.' Keanu and I are not interested in going backwards. With the anime, you don't have to de-age, you don't have explain weird stuff, you don't have to add a backstory. You accept anime in its own language without explanations. Anime just goes pop. Resident Alien As his humanity worsens, Harry can't get the hang of drinking milk in a clip from this week's episode of Resident Alien. Alien: Earth FX has also released a couple more teasers for Alien: Earth. Rick and Morty Finally, Jerry becomes extremely buff after punching his way out of a crystal prison in the trailer for next week's episode of Rick and Morty.
Cosmopolitan
an hour ago
- Cosmopolitan
Words for penis: a ranking of the 30 weirdest (and funniest)
Wiener? Willy? Weenie? These are just a few nicknames used to affectionately (we hope) refer to the more anatomically correct 'penis.' But while many prefer to use the p-word when describing the external sex organ, others like to get a little more creative. Seriously, have you ever heard of baloney pony? Us neither. And thanks to the internet, it means that access to weird and wonderful words has never been easier. So, whether you're searching for something new to call your package, or you're looking for a cute, private pet name for your boyf's 'thing,' we've got you covered. Here are 30 different words for penis... Of course we start with this one. It's the most common informal word, after all. Also, why not begin with one that everybody knows, just to ease us in a bit? Did you know the term 'phallus' actually originates from the Ancient Greeks? Back then, it was a symbol of strength and power... Dual meaning, here. While 'dick' is another common nickname for penis, it can also be used as an insult. Although, in British humour, if someone calls you a 'dick,' it probably means you're funny and they like you. When it's hidden beneath clothes, it's called a package. Simple as that. Well, if it gets the job done, as Chappell Roan would say, it's a fair description. The same as dick, including the affectionate insult. " (that's shorthand for, 'same as above.') OK, this one's actually quite cute. It can stay. This is more American, we reckon. But in Germany and Austria, a wiener is a sausage. So again, kind of makes sense. It also seamlessly brings us to our next word... Slang, innuendo, whatever you want to call it. It's basically due to the physical resemblance between the two. Who doesn't remember the lads in school casually throwing this word around every two minutes? Oh, the nostalgia. Or, if you put the word 'Magnum' in front of it, you're suddenly transported to the iconic It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia scene, where Danny DeVito, aka Frank Reynolds, drops his "monster condom" that he uses for his "magnum dong." Maybe because it rhymes with slang? Who knows? Bit vulgar, but not completely offensive because it is true. Not really what we'd want an adult calling their penis, but not the end of the world. Because sometimes you just forget words... This one's more of an offensive euphemism, we'd say. Maybe best to avoid. Yep, the internet is home to some creative brains. Bit smutty. Bit funny. Not suitable for vegetarians. We'll never understand why these typically middle-aged men's names are always used as innuendos. Maybe it's because they feel quite approachable? We don't even need to explain this one. This just does not sound nice AT ALL. Cock... rooster... You get the association. Any food item that has a remote phallic resemblance will not escape a penis nickname. See? Not wrong. Anatomically speaking, a penis is a sexual organ. In the words of Lady Gaga's "LoveGame"... If anybody ever referred to their penis seriously as a 'love gun', there would never be a second date. Stand up to attention and all that. Also incredibly cringe. Best left in the past. Yes, it's very childish, we know. Sophie Williams is a Freelance Journalist and Copywriter, covering everything from Fashion to Entertainment to music, Lifestyle and Features. She has interviewed a range of musical artists and authors including Alyssa Edwards, Courtney Barnett, Confidence Man, The Vaccines, Loyle Carner, Gabrielle, and John Niven, and has written for publications like Metro, Reader's Digest, ITV's Woo! and Vice's NBGA. She is also working on a book for HarperCollins about Taylor Swift, due to be published in 2024.
