How Rajinikanth, a 74-year-old actor, drives fans into a frenzy
F OR FANS of Rajinikanth, or Rajini, it is not enough to simply buy a ticket to one of his films and turn up at the right time and place. No: preparations begin days in advance. Ahead of his latest release, 'Coolie', on August 14th, some fans prostrated themselves in front of shrines, seeking a divine blessing for the Indian actor. Others bathed giant cardboard cutouts of him in milk, a sign of reverence usually reserved for Hindu gods.
'Tart', a new memoir, is a woman's take on 'Kitchen Confidential'
Our recommendations this week explore mythmaking
A hit Broadway show brings 'The Crucible' into the era of #MeToo
He won a Nobel prize in 1968 for his work on particle physics. But his interests ranged far beyond that field
What lies beneath the pumice in the ancient city is magnificent
Young people, in particular, want audiobooks, podcasts and videos to go faster
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Wales Online
9 hours ago
- Wales Online
This Morning viewers distracted by Hollywood legend's appearance minutes into interview
This Morning viewers distracted by Hollywood legend's appearance minutes into interview Mark Hamill is well known for playing Luke Skywalker in the legendary film series Star Wars This Morning viewers were somewhat distracted by the appearance of Star Wars legend Mark Hamill as he discussed his latest television endeavour. The 73 year old actor is renowned for portraying one of the most iconic characters in science fiction history, Luke Skywalker, in the legendary film series. Having embodied this character for many years, he is now set to appear in the new film Life of Chuck, alongside Tom Hiddleston, who portrays the titular Chuck Krantz. Chiwetel Ejiofor and Karen Gillan will also feature in supporting roles. On Tuesday's (August 19) episode of the popular ITV chat show, hosts Sian Welby and Craig Doyle welcomed the actor to discuss his latest TV project. This Morning viewers were left distracted by Mark's appearance (Image: ITV) Strictly Come Dancing star chokes back tears as he opens up on romantic proposal READ MORE: As anticipated, the conversation quickly veered towards Star Wars, with Mark confessing that he initially believed the film was a parody upon receiving his script, reports the Mirror. Article continues below Craig highlighted: "When you went into that on the first read of that movie with Harrison Ford, you thought it was a parody of some sort of Sci-Fi movie." He elaborated: "The thing is I didn't get the full script, I was going to do the screen test and there were only 8 pages and I was thinking 'who talks like this?' so I asked Harrison 'is this some sort of paradise?' "Do you know what he said?" Mimicking Harrison's voice, he continued: "'Hey kid, let's just get it done.' He was no help at all." He added, "Harrison was the leading man to me, so I just assumed he was the leading character and I was his annoying psychic. Mark is well known for playing one of the most iconic characters in sci-fi history (Image: Corbis via Getty Images) "Then I got the movie and they sent me the script and I realised 'oh my God it's from my point of view' which was really unusual to talk from a teenage point of view." However, This Morning audiences tuning in from home were particularly captivated by Mark's looks. They quickly took to social media to express their admiration for the celebrity. One fan posted on X, previously Twitter: "Great guest Mark Hamill. #ThisMorning." A second person remarked: "#ThisMorning he still looks good even now." Someone else declared: "#This Morning was a great interview with Mark Hamill." Another viewer noted, "Mark Hamill. What a great guest #ThisMorning." Article continues below In addition, a further fan commented: "@MarkHamill is definitely a Hollywood legend and still looks handsome as ever #Thismorning." This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV1 and ITVX and The Life of Chuck comes to UK cinemas on Wednesday 20th August.
Evening Standard
10 hours ago
- Evening Standard
We Out Here 2025 review: Gilles Peterson throws a damn good party
Music is only half the story here. This is a festival where you can stumble from a bass-heavy tent into a fine dining dinner. Food and drink offerings were as diverse as the crowd. Jerk chicken sat next to vegan Indian comfort food, and local producers such as Cranborne Chase Cider poured vintages from wooden barrels, while El Rayo's frozen margarita quickly became the unofficial drink of the weekend. For the hardcore foodies, the On Rotation pop-up restaurant was the place to be. They hosted three-course dinners curated by rotating chefs, soundtracked by their favourite records. The only snag? If you're in need of the toilet, you're forced to leave the stylish confines of the restaurant to find a stinky festival loo, because there wasn't a designated toilet. Not ideal mid-meal.
Scotsman
10 hours ago
- Scotsman
Launch date twist for Guillermo del Toro's Edinburgh-shot film as cinema run revealed
The film will now show in selected cinemas ahead of its Netflix release Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Guillermo del Toro's new film Frankenstein is heading to selected UK cinemas ahead of its Netflix premiere in November. The unexpected cinema release for the adaptation of Mary Shelley's classic gothic novel has been announced for October 17 before launching on the streaming platform on November 7. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Viewers will now be able to watch the film in select theatres, instead of streaming-only, in a rethink of Netflix's launch plans for the hotly anticipated film. Frankenstein filmed on location in Scotland, with large parts of Edinburgh shut down last September. Locations included the Royal Mile, Parliament Square, St Giles Street and the High Street. Film crews took over Edinburgh's Old Town in September last year | Getty Images Filming also took place at Dunecht House in Aberdeenshire, Hospitalfield House in Arbroath and Glasgow Cathedral. Oscar Isaac leads the cast playing the mad scientist Victor Frankenstein, while Saltburn's Jacob Elordi takes on the role at Frankenstein's Monster. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Other stars include Mia Goth (X), Felix Kammerer (All Quiet on the Western Front), Lars Mikkelsen (The Witcher, Ahsoka), David Bradley (Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio, the Harry Potter films) and Christian Convery (Sweet Tooth). Oscar Isaac as Victor Frankenstein in the film directed by Guillermo del Toro | Ken Woroner / Netflix Charles Dance, Christoph Waltz and Burn Gorman, who was seen during filming in Edinburgh, have also been confirmed. Writer and director Guillermo del Toro is a three-time Oscar winner, most recently winning best animated feature for his stop-motion adaptation of Pinocchio in 2023. He also won an Oscar for the 2017 film The Shape of Water. He has been inspired by Shelley's books since he was a child, previously describing his fascination with monsters in a 2008 interview with The Scotsman. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad He said: 'Even as a kid, I knew that monsters were far more gentle and far more desirable than the monsters living inside 'nice people'. I think being a monster, and accepting that you are a monster, gives you the leeway to not behave like one. 'There are truths about oneself that are really bad and hard to admit. But when you finally have the courage and say them, you liberate yourself. And monsters are a personification of that." Del Toro has been working on a Frankenstein film for more than a decade.
