Historical novel ‘The Pretender' sends a boy into a treacherous world
What happens when the foundations of your identity are taken away? After her science fiction debut ('Tell Me an Ending'), Jo Harkin pivots to historical fiction to chronicle the poignant odyssey of a farm boy taken from the only family he knows, groomed as a claimant to the English throne, then reduced to a menial servant in the victorious king's household.
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Los Angeles Times
2 hours ago
- Los Angeles Times
Teacher, magician, performer: Gonçalo Fino de Sousa brings magic to every role he plays
There are three Gonçalo Fino de Sousas. On weekdays, he takes the form of an excited calculus teacher with derivatives and integrals galore. He shifts personas on Friday nights, donning a suit and just the right amount of melodramatic flair for a weekend of pure magic. In between the two, there is a hidden version of Sousa, flitting between his passions to find his next adventure. There's no doubt about it: Gonçalo Fino de Sousa was born to perform. Born in Portugal, Sousa made his debut on stage at a piano recital when he was four years old, years before he became a magician. 'At the time, my feet didn't even touch the floor when I played,' Sousa said. 'My mother would show me the photo time and time again as my first experience on stage.' Sousa soon found a new outlet for his creative artistry: magic. Fervently searching up YouTube tutorials, he found his undying love for the craft. 'Then, I was living and breathing magic tricks day in and day out,' Sousa recalled. 'In Portugal, there wasn't much of a magic community — I think I was one of 12 Portuguese magicians.' Sousa regards that time as an era of comfort, where he was free to perform for the sake of performing. His daily routine consisted of blowing the dust off his magician's table and creating tutorials as well, tracking the progression of his proficiency. These videos served a second purpose: they were also how he learned English. 'I was having the time of my life performing on the ground in front of my iPad for the internet void,' Sousa laughed. His target audience shifted from online viewers to a live, tangible crowd when he attended a cultural exchange and English program the summer he turned 12. 'It was my first big show, at their talent showcase,' Sousa said. 'There were kids from Germany, Austria and all around the world.' Sousa felt like a performer for the first time. 'This was when I first felt the butterflies on stage, and the high after,' he said. In the summer of 2015, Sousa left Portugal's crystal shores for the promise of California, finding himself at the center of the Hollywood scene. It was in the heart of Los Angeles that he found his next big dream: to perform for the Magic Castle. As he went to watch his first live magic demonstration, he envisioned himself on stage. With the applause ringing in his ears, he made up his mind — he was going to audition. The first time he auditioned, he was rejected. His failure was accentuated in big, bold letters, with the text 'Thank you for trying out for the Magic Castle' scrawled in type across the paper. But Sousa was not resigned. He auditioned again. 'I still keep the rejection letter with me, as remembrance,' Sousa said, drawing out the envelope from his pocket. 'Because really, it changed my life.' Sousa was accepted to the Magic Castle on his second attempt. He was overjoyed. 'That was my first intro to the real magic world,' Sousa said. 'Suddenly, I was 16 years old and part of the most exclusive magic community in the world.' Then, COVID-19 hit. The global pandemic abruptly halted all live performances, leaving the industry in limbo. Sousa took this time to refine his work. 'Every morning I would read, and every afternoon I would write. Every day I would learn, learn, learn more magic.' He even took this opportunity to start his own podcast with friends, 'Ungimmicked,' analyzing and discussing performance theory, scripting and the philosophy behind magic as a performing art. As the performing world slowly whirred back to life, Sousa was ready. He dabbled in magic consulting, creating the 'magic behind the magic' with the production and presentation of shows. 'This was really my first teaching role,' Sousa said. 'I was consulting for kids who wanted to audition for the Magic Castle.' Going back to the start of it all, Sousa even orchestrated his own magic show titled 'Stepping Stool,' a nod to the stool next to the piano bench as he dazzled his first audience. Now, Sousa has found yet another sea of inquisitive faces — this time, in the classroom. He notes how attendees to his magic show and the students in his math classes share similarities, both wanting 'to be simply entertained for an hour.' For his plans now, Sousa refuses to be limited. 'I plan as far as lunch tomorrow,' Sousa admits. 'I don't want a career; I want careers. I have dreams, I have goals and I spend each day chasing those for happiness.' But for now, let the lights shine and the curtains open. Gonçalo Fino de Sousa is ready to perform. Related
Fox Sports
3 hours ago
- Fox Sports
FOX Sports and FIFA Present ‘FIFA World Cup 26™: One Year to Go' Live on FOX, Friday June 13, From South Beach - Fox Sports Press Pass
Charissa Thompson, Alexi Lalas, Stu Holden and Tom Rinaldi Host Star Soccer Celebration in Primetime from South Beach Live Musical Performances, FIFA Legends, Celebrities and More Commemorate One Year to Go to the World's Greatest Sporting Event LOS ANGELES – FOX Sports, America's English-language home for the FIFA World Cup 26™, today announces plans to celebrate reaching the one-year-to-go mark until the world's greatest sporting event with a live one-hour broadcast special airing Friday, June 13 at 8 PM ET / 8 PM PT on FOX. FIFA World Cup 26™: One Year to Go will originate from the sand on Miami's famed South Beach and feature a celebration with live performances, FIFA legends, celebrities and more hosted from multiple stages. FOX Sports' Charissa Thompson and former U.S. Men's National Team (USMNT) star Stu Holden will serve as hosts for the event with National Soccer Hall of Famer and FOX Soccer analyst Alexi Lalas and 17-time Sports Emmy winner Tom Rinaldi providing interviews with FIFA dignitaries, international and U.S. soccer legends and more throughout the night. Show highlights include an exclusive sit-down interview with USMNT Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino and Rinaldi, and live musical performances and special guests to be announced. From Thursday, June 11, 2026 to Sunday, July 19, 2026 , FOX Sports presents the biggest ever edition of the world's great sporting event with 48 teams and 104 matches being played across North America in the FIFA World Cup 26™.
Engadget
3 hours ago
- Engadget
Watch 22 minutes of Death Stranding 2 gameplay from Summer Games Fest
To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here and view the "Content and social-media partners" setting to do so. Hideo Kojima doesn't really go for half measures. Following a 10-minute trailer that unveiled some early details, the game creator participated in a beefy 80-minute panel discussion with Geoff Keighley about Death Stranding 2: On the Beach on the final day of Summer Games Fest 2025. The wide-ranging conversation included some clips from the sequel to the acclaimed Death Stranding , including its first five minutes, which sparked lots of cheers as people recognized performers' names in the opening credits. Kojima also showed the English language version of a scene that was revealed during the Tokyo Game Show, highlighting the performances of Elle Fanning as Tomorrow and Shioli Kutsuna as Rainy. Fans also got a chance to see Tomorrow in action as she literally gets down and dirty in the tar to take out some robotic combatants. There was also a live gameplay demo, first showing Sam in combat with a blood boomerang and a tar cannon, then a more challenging fight against Neil that showed off some stealth attacks as well as some more weaponry. Death Stranding 2: On the Beach will be available on PlayStation 5 starting June 26.
