The Two Popes actor Jonathan Pryce backs new pontiff as ‘Francis's man'
Jonathan Pryce, who was Oscar-nominated for playing Pope Francis, has said he is 'encouraged' by the late pontiff's closeness with Pope Leo XIV.
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The Irish Sun
3 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
The two very different lives of Brangelina 20 years on and why marrying the world's sexiest man put Angelina off men
SHE was the Hollywood hellraiser with a string of red-hot lovers – including Val Kilmer, Jonny Lee Miller and Billy Bob Thornton. From wearing a vial of Billy's blood to tattooing Jonny's name on her left arm, Angelina Jolie was the type of wildchild that fell hard and fast regularly — and cared not what the world thought about her. 6 Angelina got close to Brad on screen and off while filming 2005 movie Mr & Mrs Smith Credit: Alamy 6 Angelina at film festival in Santa Barbara, California earlier this year Credit: Getty 6 Brad's long-awaited Oscar came in 2020 for Once Upon A Time In Hollywood Credit: Getty But 20 years ago she met Brad Pitt as they co-starred in comedy-thriller movie Mr & Mrs Smith — and something changed. The couple instantly formed a relationship which looked from the outside like it was increasingly stable and full of love. Brad took on Angelina's adopted baby son from Cambodia, Maddox, now 23, and together they added to their 'rainbow family' by adopting They later added biological kids And they spent 12 happy years together as the world swooned over two of the best-looking people in the world falling for each other like the love stories Hollywood is famous for. But as with so many blockbusters, young love turned to bitter hatred and Angelina filed for divorce in September 2016 — citing 'irreconcilable differences'. Now, all these years since the 2005 movie that birthed ' And certainly no sign of the wild love life she once enjoyed — in fact, the beautiful A-Lister seems so resolutely single that pals are wondering, has marrying the sexiest man in showbiz ultimately turned her off men altogether? Most read in Celebrity Priority is the kids While Brad has bounced back bigger than ever — living with girlfriend Inés de Ramón and garnering a slew of acting awards — Angelina seems to have become something of a recluse. Except from a few dinner dates with The Weeknd — where neither party confirmed a romance — she has remained resolutely single. Angelina Jolie is in 'goddess mode' with new beau – while Brad Pitt is 'putting on for the cameras' with his, says pro Even rumours she was Despite allegations of abuse by Angelina, Brad has emerged relatively unscathed from the ugly eight-year divorce battle that ensued between them, before they finally Meanwhile Angelina, who turned 50 last week, is still recovering from the turmoil, and the general consensus is that she would be hard-pressed to ever date again. Ange still has difficulty trusting, I don't know if she'll ever fully get over the trauma of her divorce. Source close to Angelina She may have been 'lucky' enough to marry the world's sexiest man but, in the wreckage of their acrimonious split and legal battles, she is now off men for good. Speaking exclusively to the Sun, sources tell us Angelina's scars still remain, and are unlikely to ever heal. 'Ange still has difficulty trusting,' says an insider close to the mum of six. 'I don't know if she'll ever fully get over the trauma of her divorce.' Despite being together for years, it was not until 2014 that Brangelina married, at their French vineyard-estate Château Miraval. She wore a veil emblazoned with doodles by their six children. 'It does feel different,' she told Vanity Fair shortly after. 'It feels nice to be husband and wife.' Yet two years later, the dream was over — its collapse sparked by a now-infamous bust-up on a private jet. Within a week of that, Angelina had filed for divorce, alleging in court papers that Brad, in a series of drunken rages, had attacked her and 'choked one of the children and struck another in the face'. Her lawyers later doubled down on the allegations, stating: Brad's actions on the jet were later investigated but he was not charged. Nevertheless, he has since said that his heavy use of booze — which he later gave up — had a negative effect on his family life. As for the years that followed, it was, until recently, just never-ending mud-slinging and legal attacks. The former couple were locked in a bitter dispute for years surrounding the sale of their Miraval estate, as well as the matter of custody. Even today, despite signing off their divorce, details over Miraval are still murky, though it is believed Brad still owns half of it, while Angelina sold her share. As for the kids, four of the six are now legally adults so no longer qualify for custody — but have evidently distanced themselves from Brad entirely. It is believed Maddox has not spoken to him for years — while last year an old Instagram post by Pax resurfaced, in which he Zahara and Shiloh are also said to have ceased contact with Brad, as they both now go by the surname Jolie — Shiloh even filed legal documents to make it official. At this point, only Vivienne and Knox are believed to have any contact with their father. But while Brad has seemingly lost the most from the Brangelina divorce, he looks to have had the biggest bounce-back. Just look at where he stands today — at the age of 61, with the world still at his feet. Despite all the drama and acrimony around his collapsed marriage, his reputation seems untarnished. I guess I'm in transition as a person. I feel a bit down these days. I don't feel like I've been myself for a decade, in a way. Angelina in 2023 Undoubtedly, there must be pain behind the scenes when it comes to his estrangement from the children, but he has played down any notion of enduring trauma. Brad said as much in his recent interview with GQ magazine, claiming the divorce, after all the drawn-out wrangling, was not 'that major of a thing'. He added it was 'just something coming to fruition, legally'. Angelina has remained silent since signing on the dotted line, but she has previously hinted at the chokehold that their fractured relationship has continued to have on her. In 2023, she told Vogue magazine: 'I guess I'm in transition as a person. I feel a bit down these days. I don't feel like I've been myself for a decade, in a way.' Her life has been solely focused around her kids, and they are — by all accounts — her greatest joy. That has been clear enough whenever she has walked the red carpet in recent years, always flanked by at least one of her children. Still, it's her priority as a mother that has also kept her undercover - and stuck in a city she hates. Last year, she complained that she was forced to stay in LA, where Brad is based, while her twins were still underage. 6 Brad with girlfriend Inés de Ramón Credit: Rex 6 Angelina was snubbed by the Oscars for her role in Maria, as opera singer Maria Callas 'I am here because I have to be here from a divorce,' she told The Hollywood Reporter. 'But as soon as they're 18, I'll be able to leave. When you have a big family, you want them to have privacy, peace, safety.' Snubbed by Oscars The subtext is that she neither feels privacy, nor peace, nor safety in her current surroundings. As for her acting career, she's tentatively dipped her toes back in - but the actress has failed to match the blockbuster success she had in the nineties and noughties. There's a reason Angelina is still single, and it's not for a lack of men lining up to date her A source We're told her performance as In 2020, he won his long-awaited He's since seen box office success with Bullet Train, while early critics who have seen summer blockbuster' - adding that Brad is back on top. The optics are that - while Angelina is stuck, Brad is soaring. And the same rules apply when it comes to romance. For his part, Los Angeles mansion. Meanwhile, Angelina hasn't dated anyone publicly since splitting from Brad. Ange is not in the same place as Brad since the divorce, even though she is over him. She's focused on her children, finding peace and keeping her life private. Source close to Angelina As our source explains, she's prioritised her kids and career over romance. That doesn't mean she's not over Brad - it just means that, having been burned before, she's unwilling to jump out of the frying pan and into the fire. 'Ange is not in the same place as Brad since the divorce, even though she is over him,' they said. 'She's focused on her children, finding peace and keeping her life private.' Another insider recently weighed in, 'There's a reason Angelina is still single, and it's not for a lack of men lining up to date her. "Fact is, she keeps them all at a distance because she's so terrified of getting hurt again the way she did with Brad.' Needless to say, this year is a pivotal one for Brangelina. It's now been 20 years since they went head to head as lovers-slash-enemies in Mr & Mrs Smith - before reality dramatically imitated art. Now, the divorce is final, the Brangelina era is over, and it's time for both to move on. Brad may be several steps ahead of his ex, but - with another movie, Couture, in the pipeline, as well as a successful clothing brand, For the moment, it seems she's biding her time and counting down the days until her twins turn 18, and she can make some big changes in life - including leaving LA. In the meantime, we're told she's happy surrounding herself with a 'very small circle of trusted friends' and keeping any dating options on the back burner. Read more on the Irish Sun That former wild child may have baulked at the lack of her headline-grabbing antics, but the bottom line is Ange will always choose peace. Once a hellraiser, she then went through hell. And as the trauma subsides, she's licking her wounds and biding her time. And rubbishing any idea that she needs a man to make things better. 6 Angelina in Hackers from 1995 Credit: Rex
Sunday World
6 hours ago
- Sunday World
Murder suspect Ian Bailey to have his remains scattered in Cork later this month
Bailey became the chief suspect in the murder of 39-year-old French woman Sophie Toscan du Plantier in West Cork in 1996 Ian Bailey was the chief suspect in the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier Murder suspect Ian Bailey's ashes will be scattered in west Cork later this month at a ceremony in which his film director pal Jim Sheridan is one of the invitees. But insiders reveal that of the 40 invites so far sent out none have been issued to his former partner Jules Thomas. The discreet service will be held close to where Bailey lived near Schull. It comes nearly a year-and-a-half after the Englishman was cremated in a private ceremony in Cork. No one bar crematorium and funeral director staff in attendance in January last year. Sophie Toscan du Plantier was murdered in Ireland in 1996 Bailey became the chief suspect in the murder of 39-year-old French woman Sophie Toscan du Plantier in West Cork in 1996. He collapsed of a heart attack in Bantry on January 21 last year aged 66. He had twice suffered two prior heart attacks and autopsy was conducted, with the cause of death recorded as natural causes. Dubliner actor Colm Meaney is set to play Bailey in Jim Sheridan's upcoming movie Re-Creation about the unsolved murder. Oscar-nominated Sheridan previously oversaw a documentary series on Sky about the killing, Murder at at The Cottage: The Search for Justice for Sophie. The French woman's badly beaten body was found by neighbours in a laneway beside her holiday home in Schull on December 23, 1996. Nobody has ever been charged in Ireland with her death. Bailey who was once the chief suspect in the murder and was arrested twice for questioning, however, the Director of Public Prosecutions decided there was insufficient evidence to charge him. He was a former journalist who lived two miles away from du Plantier's holiday home in the town. He was one of the first reporters to arrive at the scene following her murder. Bailey was convicted in absentia of the murder by a French court in 2020, which put a 25-year sentence on him. He stringently denied any involvement in du Plantier's murder and, due to not present being in court for the French proceedings, he could not appeal the verdict. However, the High Court in Ireland ruled that he should not be extradited to France to face that jail term. Jim Sheridan Sheridan, who met Bailey several times and plays a juror in the upcoming film, previously said: 'To say Ian Bailey died of natural causes is the Irish phrase for 27 years of torture. 'He died of a bad heart, brought on by excessive drinking and smoking, but there was no doubt he had post-traumatic stress from all of this.' English woman Jules Thomas was in a tempestuous relationship with Bailey for over 30 years, before kicking him out. The Association for the Truth about the Murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier vowed to continue their campaign for justice despite Bailey's death. Ian Bailey was the chief suspect in the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier Today's News in 90 Seconds - 08 June 2025 'Despite this trial and France's repeated requests for his extradition, Ian Bailey remained free, never facing charges from the Irish justice system,' it said. 'Throughout these years, Ian Bailey refused to answer the questions of French investigators, entangling himself in lies and contradictions. Provoking and taunting the police, the judiciary, and the media, Ian Bailey always avoided telling the truth about this murder, of which, beyond any reasonable doubt, he knew every detail. 'Irish judicial authorities never wanted to charge him or extradite him to France, in disregard of European commitments based on the principle of mutual trust between states, which Ireland signed and ratified.' 'With Bailey's death, Sophie's family and our association will never be able to obtain a confession from Ian Bailey. 'We continue our efforts for truth and justice. An investigation is underway in Ireland, and we are confident that the discovery of new elements, the hearing of new witnesses, and the revelation of possible complicity will enable Irish police to close the case, 27 years after the murder.'
RTÉ News
8 hours ago
- RTÉ News
Studio Ghibli's top five films as anime giant turns 40
Japan's Oscar-winning anime house Studio Ghibli turns 40 this month. Here are the studio's top five films that have delighted fans over the decades: Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984) Studio Ghibli was founded in 1985, but this post-apocalyptic story featuring a young, independent princess curious about giant insects is considered its first film. It was based on a comic-strip series that Ghibli co-founder Hayao Miyazaki wrote for a magazine targeted at anime fans. Set 1,000 years after a war that destroyed human civilisation, the story takes place in a valley protected from toxic air emitted from poisonous forests. Miyazaki won critical acclaim and a cult following for the film about Nausicaä, who discovers the forests' secrets after getting embroiled in conflicts between countries trying to revive a lethal "giant warrior". My Neighbour Totoro (1988) This beloved Ghibli classic is set in the 1950s Japanese countryside where two young sisters with a sick mother move from the city. They encounter the cuddly yet mysterious forest spirit Totoro and Catbus, a 12-legged grinning cat with a hollow body in the form of a bus - two characters who have become the Studio Ghibli mascots. The film was turned into a play for the first time by Britain's Royal Shakespeare Company in 2022. Princess Mononoke (1997) The tale of a girl raised by a wolf goddess in a forest threatened by humans was a smash hit in Japan and raised Miyazaki's profile internationally. A young prince on a journey to find a cure for his curse meets San, also known as Princess Mononoke - meaning a spirit or monster in Japanese. The prince sets out to find ways to avoid wars between destructive humans and animal gods, centred around the ultimate god - nature itself. Ghibli expert and Tufts University professor Susan Napier described Princess Mononoke to AFP as "serious, dark, and violent". Spirited Away (2001) Miyazaki won his first Oscar with this film about a girl who gets lost in a mystical world of gods and spirits where she tries to save her parents, who are turned into pigs. In order to survive, 10-year-old Chihiro is told by a mysterious boy to get a job at an enormous Japanese bathhouse run by a witch. In a story infused with Japanese beliefs and traditions, Chihiro gains confidence through her work and solves the boy's curse before rescuing her parents. The Boy and the Heron (2023) Miyazaki's second Oscar-winning film - and likely the 84-year-old's last feature - follows a boy struggling to accept his new life after his mother dies in the haunting fire-bombing of Tokyo during World War II. Everything changes when he meets a talking heron and embarks on a journey to an alternate universe, shared by the living and the dead, to find his missing stepmother. In a documentary, Miyazaki, visibly affected by the 2018 death of Ghibli co-founder Isao Takahata, said the pair had had a "love-hate relationship" and that he had based the character of the grand-uncle on him.
