Mariah Carey Touches Down in London Ahead of Her Brighton Pride Performance, Plus George and Amal Clooney and More
Stars have been everywhere this week. In London, Mariah Carey is all smiles ahead of her performance at Brighton Pride and as the cast of Freakier Friday answers questions from fans live. Meanwhile, George and Amal Clooney are picture-perfect in Italy and back in the States, LL Cool J shows up to support Busta Rhymes as he receives his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Here are the best photos of celebs out and about this week. Come back tomorrow for more of the latest A-list outings!
Icon on the Move
Mariah Carey is iridescent as she boards her tour bus in London on Aug 1 ahead of her performance at Brighton Pride.
Rapper's Delight
LL Cool J joins Busta Rhymes as the latter is honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Aug. 1.
Giving Back
George Clooney and Amal Clooney arrive in Lake Como, Italy on July 30 ahead of their upcoming Clooney Foundation for Justice gala.
The Gang's All Here
Chad Michael Murray, Jamie Lee Curtis, Sophia Hammons, Lindsay Lohan, Julia Butters and Manny Jacinto pose together at a Freakier Friday TikTok Q&A held in London on Aug 1.
Off to Work
Natalie Portman makes her way to set as she continues filming Good Sex in New York City on Aug 1.
Hydration Break
Maya Jama is refreshed and relaxed while grabbing a bottle of water on her way to the airport in London on July 31.
Award-Winning Smile
Giancarlo Esposito poses with the "Colonna d'oro" prize in Soverato, Italy on Aug 1.
Record Breakers
Aaron Pierre, Gabriel Luna, Lake Bell, Jackie Tohn, Tate Donovan celebrate packing a record-breaking 7500 pounds of food for Feeding America at Los Angeles Regional Food Bank on Aug. 1.
Picture Perfect
Dame Prue Leith poses for a portrait during Wilderness Festival at Cornbury Park on Aug. 1 in Charlbury, Oxfordshire.
(Pet)a
Josh Hutcherson shows love to shelter animals as part of NBCUniversal's Clear the Shelters initiative in Pasadena, California on July 31.
Floral Fav
Corinne Bailey Rae shines on stage at the Kendal Calling Festival 2025 in Cumbria, England.
Moves Like Jagger
Adam Levine and Maroon 5 break out the hits at the Today Citi Concert Series in New York City on Aug 1.
The Big Guns
Julia Garner and Josh Brolin make a splash as they arrive at the premiere of their new film, Weapons, in Los Angeles on July 31.
She Wolf
Shakira celebrates the debut of her hair care line, Isima, in Los Angeles on July 31.
Star Power
Mariska Hargitay is back as Olivia Benson while filming Law and Order: Special Victims Unit on July 31 in New York City.
A-Ok
Also on the Law and Order: Special Victims Unit set, her costar and longtime friend Ice T gestures to photographers in between takes on July 31 in New York City.
Faces of Country
A masked up Orville Peck arrives at the Grammy Museum L.A. Live event alongside collaborator and woman of the hour, Noah Cyrus on July 30.
Lethal Looks
Paul Scheer and June Diane Raphael conquer the carpet at the premiere of Weapons in Los Angeles on July 30
Game On
Brie Larson gets her head in the game at EA's Battlefield 6 reveal celebration on July 31 in Los Angeles.
Dinner Date
Nicky Hilton Rothschild attends the Brunello Cucinelli Hamptons Dinner in Sagaponack, New York with her husband, James Rothschild on July 31.
Party Rockin'
LMFAO's Redfoo performed for an audience of Zumba instructors at ZINCON in Orlando, Florida on July 31.
The Way It Is
Keyshia Cole takes the stage in Oakland, California on July 31.
Hot in Here
Nelly brings his hits to the north during his Toronto concert on July 31.
Green Thumb
Suki Waterhouse is shaded up and chic as she searches for a new plant in London on July 31.
Famous Friends
Long time besties Olivia Rodrigo and Conan Gray spend some time out in Notting Hill, England on July 30.
Dazzling Darling
Julia Butters arrives in green for the Freakier Friday red carpet in London on July 31.
Bombshell in Beige
Sara Paxton strikes a pose at the premiere of Weapons in Los Angeles on July 31.
Late Night Livin'
Danielle Brooks is colorful in purple on Late Night With Seth Meyers on July 31.
Stopping in
Liza Koshy makes an appearance at SiriusXM Studios on July 31 in Miami Beach.
Let Me Blow Your Mind
Eve wows fans as she takes the stage at Budweiser Stage in Toronto on July 31.
Director's Cut
Spike Lee is playful while chatting with Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show on July 31.
Suited Up
Alexandra Daddario arrives in style to the Brunello Cucinelli Hamptons Dinner in Sagaponack, New York on July 31.
Radio Ready
Kat Graham makes an appearance on The Big Tigger Morning Show with Jazzy McBee on Aug 1 in Atlanta.
Mother-Daughter Duo
Christie Brinkley and Sailor Brinkley Cook attend the Brunello Cucinelli Hamptons Dinner in contrasting looks in Sagaponack, New York, on July 31.
Seeing Red
Hilary Swank rocks it in red at the Remus Lifestyle Night in Palma de Mallorca, Spain on July 31.
Star Arrival
Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker arrives in a casual, fun fit at EA's Battlefield 6 reveal in Los Angeles on July 31.
Cast Photo
Film legend Billy Crystal poses with the cast of Heathers: The Musical on July 31 in New York City.
Games and Glam
Amaya Espinal and Ariana Madix are all smiles at EA's Battlefield 6 reveal in Los Angeles on July 31.
Guest Speakers
Marc Maron and Jim Gaffigan pose for pictures ahead of their talk at 92NY in New York City on July 31.
Leading Man
Jeremy Piven is spiffy as ever at the premiere of Numbered Lives in Melbourne, Australia, on Aug 1.
Happy Together
Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis share a laugh while attending the London premiere of Freakier Friday at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on July 31.
Rockstar Attitude
Chad Michael Murray channels his inner motorcycle-riding heartthrob while attending the Freakier Friday premiere at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square in London on July 31.
Wonderful Wednesday
Jenna Ortega continues her goth streak in a brown ruffled dress at the premiere of the second season of Wednesday in Paris on July 31.
Starstruck
Emma Stone wears shades paired with a baseball jersey while walking on the field after the San Diego Padres played the New York Mets at PetCo Park in San Diego on July 30.
Walk in the Park
Natalie Portman wears complimenting shades of blue while strolling in New York on July 31.
Face Value
Mark Ruffalo flashes a dazzling smile while leaving the set of his upcoming movie Good Sex in New York.
Hosing Off
Winnie Harlow cools off in a light brown triangle bikini while on holiday in Formentera, Spain on July 30.
Rocking the Boat
Travis Scott wears a red flannel jacket with bright red pants to team up with Verde Beach for a live performance in Saint-Tropez.
Enter Emily
Emily Blunt gives a wave while leaving the set of The Devil Wears Prada 2 in New York on July 30.
Fearless, Fierce and Fabulous
Brie Garcia, Jade Cargill and Nikki Garcia pose for a stylish image while visiting SiriusXM Studios in New York on July 31.
GOAT Boat
Michael Jordan steps out in a black T-shirt and patterned shorts in Saint-Tropez on July 31.
Stage Star
Nicole Scherzinger is the essence of simple elegance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon days after the closing of Sunset Blvd. in New York on July 30.
Laughing in La-La Land
Longtime friends Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne share some giggles at the premiere of Platonic season 2 in Los Angeles on July 30.
Mama Bear Moment
Mariska Hargitay and her son August Hermann take a break from the heat on the set of Law and Order: Special Victims Unit on July 30 in New York.
I Will Find You
The Naked Gun star Liam Neeson is super suave in a green jacket in New York on July 30.
A Night at the Theater
Ariana Madix looks sharp at the opening night of Some Like It Hot in Los Angeles on July 30.
Glam Girls
Nicole Ari Parker and Veronica Webb deliver a masterclass in summer dressing at the Vanessa Sposi x Laura Brown Collection Launch at Printemps, New York on July 30.
Baby Blue
Jenny Slate looks fashionable in head to toe Thom Browne in New York on July 30, two weeks after receiving her first Emmy nomination for Dying for Sex.
City Slicker
Pamela Anderson is a breath of fresh air in a white dress while promoting The Naked Gun in New York on July 30.
You Better You Bet
Roger Daltrey puts on a show at The Piece Hall on July 30 in Halifax, England.
Anything Could Happen
Ellie Goulding dons a black lace number as she performs at the Citi Strata Elite Card launch celebration in New York on July 30.
Hometown Heroes
Violinist Nicola Benedetti and Brian Cox attend the premiere of the play Make It Happen, marking the opening of the 2025 Edinburgh International Festival on July 31.
Star Quality
Bryan Adams enjoys the sun during the unveiling of his star on the Alley of Stars in Krakow, Poland on July 31.
Fro-Yo Time!
Demi Lovato dresses the cool girl part while grabbing a frozen treat in Los Angeles on July 30.
For the Youth
WBA Champion Lamont Roach Jr. shows off his perfect smile while at the Washington Commanders Training Camp to inspire D.C. youth on July 29.
Glad to Meet You
PinkPantheress brings some Brit style as she performs on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in New York on July 30.
Spooky Siren
Wednesday star Jenna Ortega waves as she attends the after party of the hit series' premiere in Los Angeles on July 30.
Wednesday Is Back
Jenna Ortega serves spooky-glam at the Wednesday season 2, part 1 global premiere in London on July 30.
Happy Lovebirds
Newly confirmed couple and costars in The Naked Gun, Pamela Anderson and Liam Neeson cuddle up SiriusXM Studios on July 30 in New York.
Magnificent Morticia
Catherine Zeta-Jones is radiant in a black gown and intricate jewelry as she attends the Wednesday season 2, premiere on July 30 in London.
Together Forever
Husband and wife duo Alison Brie and Dave Franco are seen on July 30 in New York as they promote their new movie Together.
Coach Lasso!
Jason Sudeikis reps The Second City comedy group as he's back on set for Ted Lasso in Kansas City on July 30.
Check Mate
Joe Manganiello's girlfriend, Caitlin O'Connor steps out on July 29 in Los Angeles sporting a printed mini dress.
Summer Star
The Summer I Turned Pretty actor Sean Kaufman is joined by his sister Aika for a birthday dinner in New York.
Beachy Keen
Janelle Monáe enjoys the sea breeze in an orange ensemble in Ibiza, Spain on July 29.
Vermonters
Ana de Armas and Tom Cruise seem to confirm their action-star power couple status while out and about, holding hands in Vermont on July 27.
Welcome to Wednesday
Luis Guzmán and Joonas Suotamo, who respectively portray Gomez Addams and Lurch in Wednesday, arrive for the global premiere of season two of the series in London on July 30.
King of Goth
Tim Burton signs autographs while arriving for the global premiere of season 2 of Wednesday in London on July 30.
Belt It Out
Wrestler Tiffany Stratton stops by SiriusXM Studios while donning a plaid set on July 30 in New York.
Switching It Up
Scottie Pippen took to the green with Cynthia Mitchell-Heard at the Los Angeles Urban League's Celebrity Golf Classic on July 28 in Calabasas.
They're a Riot!
Hannah Berner and Paige DeSorbo bring the laughs during a chit-chat for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on July 29.
Keeping it Classic
Pamela Anderson is pretty in pink while strolling in SoHo in New York City on July 29.
Friendly Costars
Costars Taron Egerton and Ana Sophia Heger are friendly for a photo at Lionsgate's New York screening of She Rides Shotgun on July 29.
Giving Hourglass
Nicole Scherzinger turns the streets of New York into her runway while out and about in Midtown on July 29.
Ski You Later!
Sydney Sweeney is seen making waves on a jet ski with a mystery man on July 29 in Idaho, Indiana.
Laced Up in Leather
Alison Brie is a vision in black leather while arriving for Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen on July 29.
Dressed Down
Lindsay Lohan looks cool and casual while at JFK airport in New York City on July 29.
#TeamBellyandTay
Jenny Han, Lola Tung and Rain Spencer are all smiles while posing at Machine Hall in Sydney, Australia on July 30.
Going Stateside
PinkPantheress strikes a cute pose while visiting SiriusXM Studios on July 29 in New York City.
Leading Man
Dave Franco is dashing in a bright red jacket as he heads into ABC Studios in New York City on July 30.
Black and White
Donna Karan and Christie Brinkley have a great time at the Cinema Society screening of Neon's Splitsville, held at Karan's home in East Hampton, N.Y.
Good Side
Sam Rockwell is playful while backstage at The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on July 29.
Stylish Stroll
Olivia Wilde and friend Saul Germaine enjoy a relaxing stroll in Primrose Hill, London.
Hi!
Comedian Drew Dunn gives a wave to the audience at The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on July 29.
Having Fun
Hilary Duff looks fit and fresh while stepping out in Los Angeles on July 29.
Dynamic Duo
Kristen Wiig and Tituss Burgess get close while backstage at Oh, Mary! on Broadway at The Lyceum Theatre in New York City on July 29.
The Girls are Back
Anne Hathaway and Emily Blunt are serving looks while chatting together on the set of The Devil Wears Prada 2 in New York City on July 29.
Blowing Kisses? Groundbreaking
Meryl Streep blows a kiss at the cameras as she is all glammed up on the set of The Devil Wears Prada 2 in New York City on July 29.
Is it Casual Now?
Chappell Roan keeps it cool and casual while she is out and about in California on July 29.
Cat Eye
Sofia Carson looks sharp in an all black look as she is spotted at Madison Square Park in New York City on July 29.
Date Night at the Theater
Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra take in Aladdin on Broadway, and pose with the stars of the cast following the July 27 show.
London Girl
Lily Gladstone attends the European Premiere of FX's Alien: Earth, at the Barbican Centre in Central London on July 29.
Black Magic
Timothy Olyphant dons an all black suit as he attends the European premiere of FX's Alien: Earth, at the Barbican Centre in central London on July 29.
He Rules
Ja Rule is spotted on his way to Montauk to be the first-ever guest on The Memory Memo, a new podcast from the Memory Motel, launching July 30th on Spotify and YouTube.
Action!
Octavio Pisano means business while on the set of the Law and Order: Special Victims Unit TV Series on July 29 in New York City.
Batter Batter Swing
Dermot Mulroney threw the first pitch at a Winnipeg Goldeyes baseball game in Winnipeg, Canada on July 28 as he is there filming a new movie.
Dapper Stan
Stanley Tucci is a man in action on the set of The Devil Wears Prada 2 in New York City on July 29.
Brady in Blue
Tom Brady looks handsome in blue as he celebrates the launch of his new series, Built in Birmingham: Brady & the Blues at Soho Beach House in Miami on July 28.
Vacation by the Sea
Melissa Joan Hart and her husband, Mark Wilkerson, smile together as they celebrate their wedding anniversary with a Caribbean getaway to Sandals Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
Brad Who?
Brad Pitt is nearly unrecognizable in full character as he reprises his role in the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood sequel.
Hakuna Matata
Kristen Wiig poses with cast membors as she takes in The Lion King on Broadway, on July 27.
For the Applause
Lady Gaga smiles out at her fans during The Mayhem Ball Tour at The Kia Forum on July 28 in Inglewood, California.
Dynamite Duo
Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson are cheesing together atThe Naked Gun New York premiere on July 28.
'Freaky Friday' Crew
Lindsay Lohan, Jamie Lee Curtis and Chad Michael Murray are together at the Freakier Friday New York special screening held at Hudson Square Theater on July 28.
Sweer Reunion
Former Veep costars Timothy Simons, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Tony Hale lean in for a photo at the world premiere of Sketch on July 28 in Los Angeles.
Movie Night
Elizabeth Gillies looks stunning in a backless blue gown at The Naked Gun premiere in New York City on July 28.
The Best Place
D'Arcy Carden opts for a pink summer dress at the the world premiere of Sketch at Cinemark Playa Vista and XD on July 28 in Los Angeles.
Singer Sisters
Victoria Monét and Jessie Reyez pose together as they are spotted at the GRAMMY Museum L.A. Live on July 28 in Los Angeles.
Little Black Dress
Chase Sui Wonders looks so chic in a black mini dress as she is seen out on the town in Chelsea, New York City on July 28.
Happy to Be Here
Katie Holmes is seen cracking up while filming on the set of Happy Hours in Brooklyn on July 28.
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Geek Tyrant
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Is Marvel and DC's New Crossover The Big-Screen Pitch Hollywood Should Pay Attention To? — GeekTyrant
The age-old Marvel vs. DC debate is about to hit a whole new level, and for once, it's not about who's better. It's about what happens when these two universes collide. For decades, fans have dreamed of a crossover event, and while Hollywood has never delivered, Marvel Comics and DC are stepping up in a way that should make Marvel Studios and DC Studios pay attention. Starting this September, the ultimate team-up kicks off with Deadpool/Batman #1, published by Marvel, followed in November by DC's Batman/Deadpool #1. You can't get more high-profile than the Merc with a Mouth and the Dark Knight, and both one-shots come loaded with all-star creative talent. Zeb Wells and Greg Capullo headline the first issue, while DC returns fire with its own stacked lineup. But the crossover doesn't stop there. Backup stories bring even more iconic pairings together: Daredevil teams with Green Arrow in a story by Kevin Smith and Adam Kubert; Jeff the Land Shark meets Krypto courtesy of Kelly Thompson and Gurihiru; and perhaps the most symbolic matchup of all… Captain America and Wonder Woman, crafted by Chip Zdarsky and Terry Dodson. Dodson even delivers a stunning cover featuring Cap and Diana side by side, a visual that screams cinematic potential. And that's the thing. Comics are giving fans what they've craved for decades, but why stop there? Hollywood is sitting on a goldmine. Marvel Studios is trying to regain its momentum after a rocky stretch, while James Gunn's DC Universe is just getting started with Superman. A crossover event on the big screen could be the ultimate box office play, injecting fresh energy into both franchises and breaking records along the way. When previously talking about the idea Gunn said: 'We've talked about it a billion times. That could easily happen, but simultaneous to that, I think it would be interesting. But I also think people are a little over it.' Gunn then offers a smart outlook on things: 'I think people wanna see good stories with their superheroes and that's what matters. And they wanna see different types of stories with their superheroes. And people love superheroes. That's obvious, but they need more variety, and they need just more quality storytelling. 'And just having Spider-Man and Superman team up isn't gonna do it if it's sh-t. So it's gotta come from a real place, and it's really hard to make that work.' I 100% agree, and while it would be pretty awesome to see a Marvel and DC crossover on the big screen, it's not going to happen for a very very long time… if ever. It sure is fun, though, to imagine Wonder Woman and Captain America sharing the screen along with Batman and Deadpool bantering in live-action. It's the kind of cinematic event fans, and box office analysts, dream about. Variant covers tease even more jaw-dropping face-offs: Artgerm pits Magik against Catwoman, Steve McNiven unleashes Wolverine versus Batman, and Peach Momoko pairs Elektra with Batgirl. These aren't just cool covers—they're blueprints for billion-dollar matchups. Do you think the studios should start jumping into this crossovers, or should they stay in their respective universes?
New York Times
27 minutes ago
- New York Times
Ann Harris, Who Edited a Stack of Best Sellers, Dies at 99
In 1969, after a career writing comedic novels and screenplays, William Peter Blatty wrangled a $10,000 advance to write a decidedly unfunny book, 'The Exorcist.' He wrote a manuscript so scary, he would later tell a British newspaper, that his secretary 'was too spooked to work on it when she was alone in the house.' Before the novel could be published, though, the finer points of plot, character and demonic possession had to be shaped by an editor. The job went to the fastidious Ann Schakne Harris, who in the 1960s was among a group of women to gain recognition for their burnishing skills at Manhattan's publishing houses. For six weeks, Mr. Blatty and Ms. Harris bivouacked at a hotel in New York to sculpt the novel that became the defining entry in a hybrid genre that The New York Times called 'theological horror.' 'The Exorcist,' published in 1971 by Harper & Row (now HarperCollins), became one of the best-selling novels of the decade and sold 13 million copies in the United States. Mr. Blatty died in 2017. Ms. Harris died on June 1 at her home in Manhattan, her daughter Katherine Harris said. She was 99. 'The Exorcist' was her breakthrough after she was in and out of the book business for 20 years, assisting other editors, working part time while raising two children. She was happy in that role, she said, but acknowledged that it 'was a heady thing to have a great big best seller.' 'From the beginning, I knew absolutely that it was going to the top of the list,' Ms. Harris said in Al Silverman's 'The Time of Their Lives: The Golden Age of Great American Book Publishers, Their Editors, and Authors' (2008). 'And I knew that I could make it happen.' A raft of best sellers attended her six-decade career. Among them were 'The Thorn Birds' (1977) by the Australian writer Colleen McCullough; Stephen Hawking's 'A Brief History of Time: From the Big Bang to Black Holes' (1988); autobiographies of Betty Ford and Warren Buffett; a smuggled manuscript by the Soviet-era composer Dmitri Shostakovich; and two Pulitzer Prize winners — 'Why Survive? Being Old in America' (1975) by Dr. Robert N. Butler, and 'Toms River: A Story of Science and Salvation' (2013) by Dan Fagin. 'The Thorn Birds,' a generational family saga set in the Australian Outback, was a particular triumph for Ms. Harris. She had essentially discovered Ms. McCullough, who was then a professor and researcher at Yale University. Ms. Harris had acquired Ms. McCullough's first novel, the modestly successful 'Tim' (1974). For 'The Thorn Birds,' Ms. Harris immersed herself in the editing process, as she had with Mr. Blatty. Ms. McCullough would travel to Manhattan from New Haven, Conn., sometimes staying at the Harris family's apartment while they smoothed the novel's contours. In a dedication to Ms. Harris, her son Nicholas Harris said in an interview, Ms. McCullough wrote that the collaboration was 'hard' and 'painful' but invaluable. The Times gave 'The Thorn Birds' — sometimes called the American 'Gone With the Wind' — a mixed review, but it had sold more than 30 million copies worldwide by 2015, when Ms. McCullough died at age 77. The paperback rights sold at auction for $1.9 million, then a record. To edit Ms. McCullough's third novel, 'An Indecent Obsession' (1981), Ms. Harris traveled nearly 9,000 miles to Norfolk Island, an Australian territory in the Pacific, and spent six weeks with the author. 'She was a classic, old-style editor,' Frances McCullough, who worked with Ms. Harris as an editor at Harper & Row, said in an interview. 'She took time and pains with authors.' Today, Ms. McCullough said, 'books that need that kind of intense attention tend to be farmed out to freelance editors, who can work on them full time.' The author Stephen Fried, who wrote four books for Ms. Harris, said her editing style was 'active but not aggressive' as she guided writers to make changes in their own voice. He called her nurturing and invariably excited about new ideas, even if trendiness was not immediately suggested by her schoolmarmish appearance. 'She was like if your grandma read everything and knew everything,' Mr. Fried said in an interview. Ann Schakne was born in Manhattan on Sept. 22, 1925. Her father, Harry Schakne, worked at his in-laws' dressmaking business and earlier ran a Jewish newspaper in Detroit. Her mother, Alice (Siegel) Schakne, was a schoolteacher. Ann's interest in medicine as a teenager was impeded by a lack of affinity for chemistry, putting her on course for publishing. She graduated from Hunter College in New York in 1946 with a bachelor's degree in English and received her master's degree from Radcliffe College in 1948, having taken its inaugural publishing course to learn the basics of editing, sales, cover design and publicity. In 1952, she entered the publishing business as a 'reader,' evaluating manuscripts. By the mid-1960s, she had become an editor. In 1980, Ms. Harris left Harper & Row and later that decade joined Bantam, where she edited Dr. Hawking's hugely popular, layman-accessible 'A Brief History of Time.' It sold 10 million copies but her working relationship with Dr. Hawking, the renowned University of Cambridge physicist who died in 2018 after a decades-long struggle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, was described by some as complicated. For a subsequent book, 'The Universe in a Nutshell' (2001), an apparently frustrated Ms. Harris sent 'a disorganized collection' of Dr. Hawking's writings to Kitty Ferguson, his biographer, asking if it could be assembled into a coherent manuscript, as recounted by Declan Fahy in 'The New Celebrity Scientists' (2015). For one of the Hawking books that their mother edited, Katherine and Nicholas Harris said, a disagreement arose between Ms. Harris and the physicist. A computational error was discovered when the book was sent for peer review, Katherine Harris said, and her mother insisted that it not be distributed until a correction was made. 'Hawking was furious,' she said in an interview. 'As far as I know, he never forgave her.' However, Beth Rashbaum, who edited Dr. Hawking after Ms. Harris left Bantam, and Leonard Mlodinow, a collaborator of Dr. Hawking's, said they did not recall any tensions between the two of them. So captivated was Ms. Harris by Dr. Butler's Pulitzer-winning book about aging in the mid-1970s, she left publishing briefly to work at a longevity clinic he established in 1990 at Mount Sinai Medical Center. (When Ms. Harris was in her 40s, Katherine Harris said, she scrubbed every public reference to her age that she could find. 'Her only plan for retirement was not to retire,' she said.) Along with her daughter and son, Ms. Harris is survived by three grandchildren. Her husband Cyril M. Harris, an acoustical engineer who shaped the sound of many important concert halls, died in 2011. They married in 1949. Her second Pulitzer-winning book, Mr. Fagin's 'Toms River,' was one she acquired, but she retired before it was published by Bantam in 2013. Still, Ms. Harris helped to define the book, Mr. Fagin said in an interview. As he wrestled with whether to tell a local story about chemical leaks, smokestack belches and cancer in a New Jersey town or to more broadly examine the environment and chronic disease, she urged him to 'think big.' 'She believed in the power of books to tell big stories and make a big difference,' Mr. Fagin said.
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- Forbes
The Three Crumbling Pillars Of The MCU: What's Going On?
It has not been a great year for Marvel, with three films ranging from 'not great' to 'pretty decent' at the box office in the space of Thunderbolts, Captain America: Brave New World and now Fantastic Four. Add onto that a couple shows that were lobbed out without much fanfare (Ironheart, Eyes of Wakanda) and a supposed fan-favorite that was underwatched (Daredevil: Born Again), and 2025 was not ideal. But of course, the general sense is that post-Endgame, the MCU has been lost at sea to some extent, and has not and likely will not reach the peak of Endgame and everything that came before. Why? You can say the ever-cited 'superhero fatigue' or the fact that movie tickets cost too much, but in the context of Marvel, it's more than that. In my view, there are three main pillars of the MCU that have had cracks shooting through them for years now. Too Many Releases, And Too Many Disconnected Releases Even Marvel realized eventually that dumping out something like three shows and three movies a year was overkill, and will allegedly tone that down from here, but it took more than a half decade to figure it out. It was overwhelming and many fans would just throw up their hands and be content to miss one film or another. Marvel has previously said that their movies felt too much like 'homework,' where'd you have to watch X other movie or show to know what's happening in the next movie. While that was true to some extent, The Marvels had three characters that required viewing of a first film, and two separate TV shows to know all the leads, that didn't happen all that often. Rather, it was that the stories were mostly disconnected, not leading toward any sort of ultimate goal that made any amount of sense. There was this vague idea for a minute that Kang would be the new Big Bad, first introduced in Loki, of all places, and then he showed up in the third Ant-Man movie, of all places, and was beaten by…ants. You can see the problem. Elsewhere, what did we have? Black Widow, a prequel film that should have been made years earlier for it to make sense. The Eternals, a moonshot full of people no one had ever heard of. Now more recently Thunderbolts, an assembled cast of C-listers from over the past 6-8 years or so. While they are throwing many of these characters together for the new Avengers movies, this has not been a coherent, connected plan. Abandoned Heroes This has two meanings, namely that post-Endgame, characters were simply lost. Iron Man was famously killed. Captain America time traveled, aged and has never been seen again. Hulk showed up in co-star and cameo roles at best, and was never the full focus of a film. Thor had one great movie and one so bad it killed hype for his character. There has not been an ability to build up a core cast like this again. Recently, Sam Wilson's new Captain America (mantle passing, in that case, was also a big problem) was tasked with assembling a new Avengers. Which would be…who, exactly? After all these years, it feels like we don't have a re-formed cast that makes any sense. Also by 'abandoned heroes,' we have one-and-done offerings. That would be the aforementioned Eternals, but also Shang-Chi, who was built up to be a hugely important character and then never got any sequel. None of these new-era heroes have gotten more than one movie focused on them specifically, something that was not the case with Iron Man, Captain America and Thor especially in the run-up to the various Avengers movies. The Nostalgia Trap Card One point here is that well, there are still huge-earning movies in this era, two of the highest being Spider-Man: No Way Home and Deadpool and Wolverine. These movies were entertaining, sure, but they both relied heavily on audience connections not with the story, but with the mere appearance of characters they used to love. In Spider-Man, of course, that was two previously Spider-Man in the form of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield. In Deadpool and Wolverine, it's easy to even lose count, from Chris Evans taking up the mantle of Johnny Storm, Ben Affleck-era Jennifer Garner Elektra, Blade. They threw everything at the wall. You are eventually going to run out of nostalgia to pull from here. Even now, what's the big focus of the upcoming Avengers Doomsday? The return of a slew of FOX-era X-Men past the Deadpool and Wolverine ones, and then the return of Robert Downey Jr. himself, which I would consider a different form of nostalgia, in this case for a better era of the MCU itself, even if he's playing a different role. The story is that the MCU's biggest star is somehow back. Those are my takeaways from what's going on. There's more past that, but it's been rough, and I'm not sure when it's going to get better from here. Follow me on Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram. Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy.
