Ten TV character deaths that shocked fans through history
Fans unfamiliar with the George R.R. Martin books lost their heads when Ned Stark (Sean Bean) was executed in the first season of Game of Thrones.
The big twist in The Last of Us wasn't the first to completely upend a TV show and its fandom. Here's a look at some other notable exits.
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Otago Daily Times
29-05-2025
- Otago Daily Times
‘Pike River' trailer released, first screening in Sydney
Robyn Malcolm takes on the role of Sonya Rockhouse in the movie Pike River. PHOTOS: SUPPLIED Greymouth is set to host the New Zealand premiere of the upcoming Pike River film this October, although it will screen first at the Sydney Film Festival next week. The trailer for the film was released yesterday, offering a glimpse into a retelling of the events leading up to the November 2010 explosion that killed 29 men underground at the Pike River coalmine, and the long battle the families of the miners have faced since. The New Zealand movie opens locally on October 30. New Zealand actresses Melanie Lynskey (Two and a Half Men, Yellowjackets, The Last of Us, Heavenly Creatures) and Robyn Malcolm (After the Party, Far North, Outrageous Fortune) play Anna Osborne (Lynskey) and Sonya Rockhouse (Malcolm), who both lost their loved ones in the disaster and became leading voices in the long fight for truth and accountability. The film also features Lucy Lawless (Xena, My Life is Murder) as unionist Helen Kelly, and Tim Gordon (The Kick) as Pike families spokesman Bernie Monk. Pike River was partly shot on location in Greymouth in 2023, and some families were closely involved in the production. The film is supported by the Families Committee and Families Reference Group. Film-makers say they have chosen to premiere the movie in Greymouth to honour the community at the heart of the story, though it will have its world premiere in Sydney on June 7, as a "special presentation" at the 2000-seat State Theatre. Some Pike River families from New Zealand and Australia will be attending that screening, along with members of the cast and crew. Melanie Lynskey stars as Anna Osborne. Greymouth Mayor Tania Gibson watched the trailer yesterday morning. "It's going to be an emotional time — watching the trailer was hard in itself." The film would be good for the community to see, 15 years on. "I'm sure there will be some mixed emotions around." Director Rob Sarkies, originally from Dunedin, commented: "After working closely for more than five years with many of the Pike River families it's gratifying to be sharing the first glimpse of the film. I hope Pike River will give New Zealanders an insight into the determination of these families and an understanding of what they went through, and why. "Melanie and Robyn have done an extraordinary job capturing Anna and Sonya's inspiring friendship that transformed them into leaders for their community." — Greymouth Star
Scoop
27-05-2025
- Scoop
Trailer Released For Kiwi Feature Film Pike River Ahead Of Nationwide Cinema Release On October 30
Aotearoa audiences will get the first look at one of the year's most anticipated local films, with the official trailer for Pike River released today. The powerful drama, based on the November 2010 Pike River Mine tragedy that took the lives of 29 men underground, will open in cinemas nationwide on October 30, 2025. The trailer offers a glimpse into the strength of performances from an all-star New Zealand cast. Pike River marks three-time Emmy nominee Melanie Lynskey's (Yellowjackets, The Last of Us, Heavenly Creatures) homecoming to work on a New Zealand feature, working alongside BAFTA nominated NZ actress Robyn Malcolm (After the Party, Far North, Outrageous Fortune). The film also features Lucy Lawless (Xena, My Life Is Murder) as Helen Kelly, and Tim Gordon (The Kick) as Pike families spokesperson Bernie Monk. Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Rob Sarkies (Out of the Blue, Scarfies), Pike River tells the true story of Anna Osborne (Melanie Lynskey) and Sonya Rockhouse (Robyn Malcolm) – two women who lost their loved ones in the disaster and became leading voices in the families' long fight for truth and accountability. Pike River was filmed on location in Greymouth, Wellington and Auckland. Pike River families have been closely involved in the production from its inception with the film supported by the Families Committee and Families Reference Group. Prominent Pike family members Sonya Rockhouse and Anna Osborne, whose friendship the film focuses on, have endorsed the film. The New Zealand premiere of Pike River is set to be held in Māwhera Greymouth in October, honouring the community at the heart of the story. The film will have its World Premiere at Sydney Film Festival on June 7, as a 'Special Presentation' at the 2,000 seat State Theatre. Some Pike River families from New Zealand and Australia will be in attendance along with members of the cast and crew. Director Rob Sarkies commented: 'After working closely for more than five years with many of the Pike River families it's gratifying to be sharing the first glimpse of the film. I hope Pike River will give New Zealanders an insight into the determination of these families and an understanding of what they went through, and why. Melanie and Robyn have done an extraordinary job capturing Anna and Sonya's inspiring friendship that transformed them into leaders for their community.' Written by (Consent, Bliss, Piece of My Heart), Pike River was produced by Vicky Pope (Savage, Went Up The Hill, Gardening with Soul) and Timothy White (Muru, Out of the Blue The Dark Horse) with Executive Producers Melanie Lynskey, Robyn Malcolm, Paul Wiegard, Paul Gough, James Dean, Jennifer Sutton, Doug Gold, William Watson, Ella Field, Elizabeth Williams and Rob Sarkies. Madman will distribute theatrically in New Zealand and Australia, with Capture Entertainment handling international sales. The film has been made in association with the New Zealand Film Commission, NZ On Air, Signature Entertainment, Park Road Post Production, Fulcrum Media Finance, Madman and Nude Run.
1News
22-05-2025
- 1News
US judge rejects that AI has free speech in teen's death case
A federal judge has rejected claims made by an artificial intelligence company that its chatbots are protected by the First Amendment — at least for now. The developers behind are seeking to dismiss a lawsuit alleging the company's chatbots pushed a teenage boy to kill himself. The judge's order would allow the wrongful death lawsuit to proceed, in what legal experts said was among the latest constitutional tests of artificial intelligence. The suit was filed by a mother from Florida, Megan Garcia, who alleged her 14-year-old son Sewell Setzer III fell victim to a chatbot that pulled him into what she described as an emotionally and sexually abusive relationship that led to his suicide. Meetali Jain of the Tech Justice Law Project, one of the attorneys for Garcia, said the judge's order sent a message that Silicon Valley 'needs to stop and think and impose guardrails before it launches products to market". The suit against Character Technologies, the company behind also names individual developers and Google as defendants. It has drawn the attention of legal experts and AI watchers in the US and beyond, as the technology rapidly reshaped workplaces, marketplaces and relationships despite what experts warnws were potentially existential risks. "The order certainly sets it up as a potential test case for some broader issues involving AI," said Lyrissa Barnett Lidsky, a law professor at the University of Florida with a focus on the First Amendment and artificial intelligence. The lawsuit alleged that in the final months of his life, Setzer became increasingly isolated from reality as he engaged in sexualised conversations with the bot, which was patterned after a fictional character from the television show Game of Thrones. In his final moments, the bot told Setzer it loved him and urged the teen to "come home to me as soon as possible", according to screenshots of the exchanges. Moments after receiving the message, Setzer killed himself, according to legal filings. In a statement, a spokesperson for pointed to a number of safety features the company had implemented, including guardrails for children and suicide prevention resources that were announced the day the lawsuit was filed. "We care deeply about the safety of our users and our goal is to provide a space that is engaging and safe," the statement said. Attorneys for the developers wanted the case dismissed because they said chatbots deserved First Amendment protections, and ruling otherwise could have a "chilling effect" on the AI industry. In her order US Senior District Judge Anne Conway rejected some of the defendants' free speech claims, saying she was "not prepared" to hold that the chatbots' output constituted speech "at this stage". Conway did find that Character Technologies could assert the First Amendment rights of its users, who she found had a right to receive the "speech" of the chatbots. She also determined Garcia could move forward with claims that Google could be held liable for its alleged role in helping develop "We strongly disagree with this decision," said Google spokesperson José Castañeda. "Google and Character AI are entirely separate, and Google did not create, design, or manage Character AI's app or any component part of it." No matter how the lawsuit played out, Lidsky said the case was a warning of "the dangers of entrusting our emotional and mental health to AI companies". "It's a warning to parents that social media and generative AI devices are not always harmless," she said.
