Paul Mescal On 'Lazy And Frustrating' Film Criticisms
The Oscar nominee is currently in Cannes promoting his new film The History Of Sound, in which he and Josh O'Connor play two men who fall in love in the early 20th century, while travelling around recording the folk songs and stories of American countrymen after World War I.
Speaking at a Cannes press conference, Paul was asked by Metro about the film being compared to Brokeback Mountain, another romantic drama set in a similar period, which centred around a same-sex love story.
The Normal People star responded: 'When I look at Brokeback Mountain, it's dealing with repression. This film is pointed in the opposite direction. To be honest, I find those comparisons lazy and frustrating.'
Paul Mescal finds comparisons between his new film with Josh O'Connor 'The History Of Sound' and 'Brokeback Mountain' 'lazy and frustrating' #Cannes2025 pic.twitter.com/TJ0wYhSxXR
— Deadline (@DEADLINE) May 22, 2025
Deadline / Via x.com
Brokeback Mountain premiered at the Venice Film Festival 20 years ago, winning the Golden Lion and later scoring Oscar nominations for its leads Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal, as well as their co-star Michelle Williams.
Director Oliver Hermanus insisted in Cannes that Brokeback Mountain 'wasn't in our heads' when he and his team were making The History Of Sound.
He added that the comparison 'just shows there should be more forms about these nuances of queer relationships, beyond the context most movies deal with'.
The History Of Sound premiered in Cannes on Wednesday night, where it received a standing ovation that lasted between six and nine minutes (depending on which outlet you believe).
It's also been well-received by critics, landing an enviable score of 75% on the review aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes the morning after its premiere.
Both Paul and Josh have appeared in big-screen queer love stories before, with the former sharing the screen with Andrew Scott in 2023's All Of Us Strangers.
Josh also had his breakthrough moment in Francis Lee's God's Own Country, before he was cast in the likes of The Crown and Challengers.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
43 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Ryan Paevey is returning to 'General Hospital 'after 7 years
The actor explained that the idea of returning to the series was kickstarted by receiving a text from "General Hospital" executive producer Frank Valentini. More than seven years after his departure, Ryan Paevey is returning to General Hospital. The actor, who starred as Detective Nathan West from 2013 until 2018, is set to appear in new episodes of the hit ABC sudser starting this September, Entertainment Weekly has learned. Deadline was the first to report the news. EW has reached out to representatives for General Hospital and Paevey for comment. It is currently unclear what role Paevey will play in his grand return to the series, given that Nathan was killed at the end of his five-year run. (Not that death has ever stopped anyone from returning to General Hospital before.) Speaking to Deadline, Paevey explained that he began to explore the idea of potentially returning to the series after receiving an unexpected text from executive producer Frank Valentini. 'We talked a bit and he asked would I consider returning for awhile, talking story, floated different story ideas involving different time commitments of me, and I thought, 'if we're going to do this we should really do it and surprise the fans with a meaty storyline,'' Paevey told the outlet. 'I was surprised by my excitement for a homecoming and reuniting with familiar faces after seven years. I still have my last call sheet from my final taping day on January 18, 2018, tacked up in my home office.' The announcement comes just four days after Paevey teased on Instagram that he had 'some news to share' with fans after attending a fan event in Georgia. 'I've got some irons in the fire,' he said at the time. 'I've got all kinds of fun stuff coming up. So stick around and, yeah, I hope to see you guys at another. And I'll share some news with you as soon as I can.' Paevey previously announced that he would be taking a step back from acting in 2024 in order to protect his mental health and to be closer to his mother after she was diagnosed with breast cancer. 'The industry hasn't felt like the place for me in quite some time now, and my mental health has suffered from it,' he said in a statement to Heavy. 'It's taken me to a bit of a dark place, made me into a version of myself I don't like very much.' He added, 'I've had bank accounts hacked, money embezzled, investments stolen….things that, while difficult, can be recovered from. But after all that, my mother was diagnosed with lung cancer. I left Los Angeles to be closer to her, and feel the need to devote more of my time, energy, and resources closer to home.' Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly
New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
Inside Terence Stamp's high-profile trysts, links to Princess Diana and Michael Caine — and why he never became a true Hollywood star
He put his stamp on it. 'Superman' actor Terence Stamp, who died at age 87 on Sunday, had a life that was even more colorful behind the scenes than it was onscreen. Born in London in 1938, the late actor grew up with a working-class background. He rose to the spotlight in the 1960s, and had several claims to fame, including a friendship with Princess Diana, being roommates with Michael Caine, and rumored trysts with many of the era's iconic beauties, including Brigitte Bardot, Julie Christie and Jean Shrimpton. 14 Terence Stamp on December 6, 2012 in Marrakech, Morocco. WireImage About rooming with Caine when the two young actors were looking for their big break, Stamp told The Guardian in 2015, 'Caine gave me all my early values, like making sure you were doing good stuff, waiting for the right things.' He didn't mince words when he noted, 'as soon as he got away he did exactly the opposite. Went from one movie to another.' 14 Terence Stamp in 1965. Getty Images Perhaps unsurprisingly, Stamp and Caine's friendship wasn't lifelong. Stamp explained, 'We just went different ways. I can understand it: in many ways he was much more mature than me.' The Oscar-nominated actor had been rumored to be romantically linked to Princess Diana. However, in a 2012 interview with Daily Mail, he said he regretted that piece of gossip. 'We were just really good chums, yet I still get asked questions alluding to something more. She was a lot of fun – we used to have lunch at San Lorenzo and her company was heaven.' 14 Michael Caine on the set of 'Going In Style' in Williamsburg, Brooklyn , in 2015. Paul Martinka 14 Princess Diana on vacation in Majorca, Spain on August 10, 1987. Getty Images In his 2017 memoir, 'Ocean Fell Into The Drop,' Stamp said they met through a mutual friend, art dealer Oliver Hoare. 'We got on amazingly well… I saw the sadness in her because she'd gone into a marriage believing – she was a believer in marriage. And it didn't turn out the way she expected it to.' He insisted there were no sparks. 'It wasn't like that. I thought that was the last thing she needed really. She just wanted somebody to talk to that was a guy, who would give her objective opinions. And because of that we just kind of opened up to each other. It wasn't a formal thing, we'd just meet up for a cup of tea, or sometimes we'd have a long chat for an hour.' 14 Princess Diana at a dinner at the British Embassy in Washington DC in 1985. Getty Images 14 Terence Stamp in 1980's 'Superman II.' ©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection During his 2015 interview with The Guardian, Stamp recalled that his relationship with Julie Christie, 85, happened before they both rose to fame. The pair starred in the 1967 film 'Far From The Madding Crowd' together. 'We met, and we had a romance. That was it. When I got my first movie, I knew it was my destiny to be a film actor, so that became my motivation in life.' He insisted that while filming the movie, the fact that she was his girlfriend 'never came up.' 'I saw her as Bathsheba, the character she was playing, who all the men in the film fell in love with. It wasn't hard, with somebody like Julie.' 14 Terence Stamp and Julie Christie in 1967's 'Far from The Maddening Crowd.' Courtesy Everett Collection 14 Terence Stamp in 2008's 'Get Smart.' He told Daily Mail in 2012 that supermodel Jean Shrimpton, 82, was 'the love' of his life. 'It was in Hollywood in 1964. Just to lay eyes on her was a joy. We were together for three years,' Stamp recalled. In his memoir, he said, 'She left me because she saw I was a lunatic. I wasn't ready for a twin-soul relationship.' 14 Jean Shrimpton, and actor Terence Stamp, arrive at Essendon Airport in Melbourne, October 30 1965. Fairfax Media via Getty Images 14 Jean Shrimpton with Terence Stamp in 1965. Getty Images Despite his colorful array of romances and friends, and his impressive resume, which also included 1962's 'Billy Budd,' the role that earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor, Stamp never became a huge star, and all but vanished from the spotlight in the '70s. He was his own worst enemy, reportedly missing out on the opportunity to replace Sean Connery as James Bond. Reflecting on that period, he told The Guardian, 'It's a mystery to me. I was in my prime. When the 1960s ended, I just ended with it.' 14 Terence Stamp in 'Superman II' in 1980. ©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection Stamp recalled that his agent told him that movies were 'all looking for a young Terrance Stamp.' And I thought: 'I am young.' I was 31, 32. I couldn't believe it.' He added, 'It was tough to wake up in the morning, and the phone not ringing. I thought: this can't be happening now, it's only just started. The day-to-day thing was awful, and I couldn't live with it. So I bought a round-the-world ticket and left.' Stamp went on an extended trip to India, where he got involved in yoga, vegetarianism, and living at an ashram. He told the outlet how, in the '60s, his friend Federico Fellini introduced him to the Indian mystic Krishnamurti, which sparked his interest. 14 Italian actress Monica Vitti and Terence Stamp during the filming of 'Modesty Blaise' in 1965. Getty Images Stamp's career bounced back in 1978 when he played General Zod in 'Superman,' opposite Christopher Reeve, a role he would reprise in the 1980 sequel. His final movie was in the trendy 2021 thriller 'Last Night in Soho.' Although his career continued after his hiatus, it never saw the highs that his early years promised. 'During that time away from the screen, I had transmuted myself,' he told The Guardian. 'I no longer saw myself as a leading man. What had happened inside of me enabled me to take the role, and not feel embarrassed or depressed about playing the villain,' he said, referring to 'Superman.' 14 Terence Stamp in the 1968 film 'Teorema.' Sunset Boulevard He explained, 'I just decided I was a character actor now and I can do anything.' Stamp also had some eccentric habits. He didn't own a home because he was living the 'stroller player life' as he called it. 'Where I came from, to own a house was something unreal – so when I had money, I gave houses to everyone: my parents, my aunt. But I never felt I needed to own one,' he said. 14 Julie Christie and Terence Stamp in 1967's 'Far from the Maddening Crowd.' Courtesy Everett Collection Despite his high-profile relationships, he married just once, to Australian pharmacist Elizabeth O'Rourke, from 2002 to their 2008 divorce, and had no children. At the time of their marriage, she was 29 and he was 64. His roles didn't seem to indicate a career strategy, as he played a villain in 'Superman,' a drag queen in 'The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert,' and a grandfather in later films. 'I don't have any ambitions,' he said. 'I'm always amazed there's another job, I'm always very happy. I've had bad experiences and things that didn't work out; my love for film sometimes diminishes but then it just resurrects itself,' he told the Guardian. 'I never have to gee myself up, or demand a huge wage to get out of bed in the morning.'
Elle
2 hours ago
- Elle
Ana de Armas's Dating History, From Early Roles to Hollywood Fame
Every item on this page was chosen by an ELLE editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy. THE RUNDOWN Ana de Armas has experienced a stratospheric rise in Hollywood over the past decade. 2015's Knock Knock—a thriller movie starring Keanu Reeves—provided the Cuban, American, and Spanish actress with her stateside breakout role. Since then, de Armas has appeared in numerous box office and critical hits, such as 2017's Blade Runner 2049, 2019's Knives Out, 2021's No Time to Die, and 2022's Blonde, in which she portrayed Marilyn Monroe. Following the release of 2025's John Wick spin-off Ballerina, de Armas has found herself in the spotlight once again—this time for her seemingly budding romance with Tom Cruise. Here's what you need to know about Ana de Armas's dating history. Prior to making it big as a Hollywood actress, de Armas relocated from Havana to Spain where she met her first husband, Marc Clotet. The Ghosted star began dating the Spanish model and actor in 2010, with the pair marrying the following year in July 2011, Hola! magazine reported. Unfortunately, the couple's marriage didn't last. During an appearance at the 27th Goya Awards in Spain on Feb. 17, 2013, Clotet revealed, 'Yes, we've broken up. It was by mutual agreement. I'm calm.' According to Diez Minutos, Clotet also shared that he and de Armas were 'still friends' despite the split. According to La Razón, de Armas started dating Spanish screenwriter and director David Victori in August 2013. The publication also noted that the couple lived together in Los Angeles, but had returned to Spain in March 2014 for the Málaga Film Festival. Although it's unclear when Victori and de Armas ended their relationship, it's been reported that they split sometime in 2014. Following her breakups from Clotet and Victori, de Armas decided to move to Los Angeles full-time to further her career, telling The Hollywood Reporter, 'I don't like feeling stuck, like I'm not going anywhere. I wanted more.' After permanently relocating to America, de Armas began 'a serious relationship with agent Franklin Latt,' Vanity Fair reported. During her interview with the publication, the War Dogs actress was quick to dispel the idea that dating a successful Hollywood agent—Latt now manages Pedro Pascal at Creative Artists Agency—aided her career in any way. 'For anyone who ever did I get to do this or that, fuck them,' she said. 'They will not get to spend their New Year's with me. They are not the people whose opinion I should care about. They are not the people I share my happiness with.' According to The Daily Mail, Latt and de Armas started dating in 2015 following the release of the movie Knock Knock. The outlet reported that the pair got 'engaged soon after, off the wedding' and broke up in 2016. In 2017, de Armas started dating artist Alejandro Piñeiro Bello, who was also born in Havana. During their relationship, the pair regularly posted photos of one another on social media, which have since been deleted from their respective accounts. In February 2018, de Armas marked the launch of Piñeiro Bello's pop-up exhibition in Los Angeles by writing on Instagram, 'So proud of you,' and he returned the favor, thanking the actress for all of her 'hard work and love,' according to Antena 3. Porter later confirmed that de Armas had split from Piñeiro Bello in 2019 after two years of dating. After meeting on the set of thriller Deep Water in late 2019, de Armas started a very public relationship with Ben Affleck. In March 2020, a source told People that the pair had 'great chemistry right from the start,' but 'there were no signs of romance' until filming had wrapped. In a March 2020 interview with Vogue Spain (translated by People), de Armas discussed working with the Oscar winner, saying, 'His talent is infinite.' The same month, de Armas made her relationship with Affleck official when she shared photos of him on Instagram. Affleck and de Armas were regularly photographed walking their dogs together in Los Angeles, where the couple quarantined together during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. At the time, a source told Us Weekly, 'Ana is very happy with Ben. She loves spending time with him and they have great chemistry and a lot of fun together.' The two Hollywood stars quickly became inseparable. In June 2020, de Armas and Affleck attended a Black Lives Matter march together, per People. Following a double date with Affleck's best friend, Matt Damon, and his wife, People reported that de Armas officially moved into her boyfriend's property in August 2020. 'She's aware that his family comes first,' a source told the outlet. 'And appreciates that. They work very hard at that balance.' For Affleck's 48th birthday, the Overdrive actress gifted her beau a custom-built BMW motorcycle, according to People. In November 2020, the pair traveled to New Orleans for re-shoots of their movie, Deep Water. As de Armas appeared to be wearing a diamond ring in photos from the set, rumors started to swirl regarding a possible engagement. However, according to People, the jewelry item was simply a prop for the film. The very same month, de Armas and Affleck spent their first Thanksgiving together, along with the actor's three children—Violet, Seraphina, and Samuel—whom he shares with ex-wife Jennifer Garner, E! News reported. Unfortunately, by January 2021, de Armas and Affleck had called it quits. 'Ben is no longer dating Ana,' a source told People. 'She broke it off. Their relationship was complicated. Ana doesn't want to be Los Angeles based and Ben obviously has to since his kids live in Los Angeles.' While People reported that the break up occurred 'over the phone,' Page Six suggested the relationship ended as Affleck 'would not commit to having more kids.' Soon after the split, Affleck reconnected with his ex, Jennifer Lopez. Following her split from Affleck, Page Six confirmed de Armas was dating Tinder executive Paul Boukadakis in June 2021. Sources told the outlet that Boukadakis had already introduced the actress to his family after several months of dating. In December 2021, an insider told E! News that the couple's romance was 'very serious.' A July 2022 profile of de Armas in ELLE revealed that she met her new boyfriend 'during the pandemic through a mutual friend.' With the majority of bars and restaurants closed during lockdown, they 'spent their first dates at each other's homes, drinking wine and talking.' As for how she spent her 34th birthday in April 2022, de Armas told ELLE that she celebrated with 'my man, my dogs, Chris [Evans] and the crew [of Ghosted].' She continued, 'I wasn't home having a romantic dinner; I was on set with my people doing what I love and at the beach and having a shot of it is the happiest I've been.' The pair were pictured arriving at Venice Film Festival in September 2022, and they posed for photos on the red carpet at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on March 12, 2023. While it's unclear when de Armas and Boukadakis ended their romance, People reported the split in November 2024, when the actress was spotted kissing another man. The Exposed star surprised fans when she started dating Manuel Anido Cuesta, the stepson of Cuba's president, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez. Having graduated with a law degree from the University of Havana in 2019, Anido Cuesta reportedly 'became part of the Cuban regime's inner circle,' La Nación reported. The outlet further explained, 'Although he does not hold official positions in government institutions, he has been seen at numerous events and on official trips accompanying his stepfather and mother.' Rumors began circulating about a potential romance between de Armas and Anido Cuesta in May 2024, when a Cuban influencer claimed the pair had spent 10 days together on the island of Cayo Santa María, off the north coast of Cuba, per Periódico Cubano. While the majority of de Armas's romance with Anido Cuesta remained private, Hola! published photographs of the pair kissing one another during a night out in Madrid in November 2024. Throughout their romance, de Armas faced backlash for dating Anido Cuesta, with whom she was last seen in February 2025. Although it's unclear when the couple split, a source told Us Weekly in May 2025 that de Armas and Anido Cuesta were no longer dating. According to Us Weekly, Mission: Impossible icon Tom Cruise first met de Armas in February 2025 to discuss the possibility of working together. An insider told the outlet that Cruise was instantly 'super smitten' with the actress. 'It's low-key, still new and in the early stages,' they explained. 'Their romance is definitely on the down-low.' The source also suggested that, while Cruise was most definitely 'courting' de Armas, the actress was 'more cautious.' 'She isn't looking for anything to move too fast, she's taking it really slow,' they told the outlet. While promoting her John Wick spin-off Ballerina in June 2025, de Armas commented on her connection with Cruise, telling Variety, 'We're working together, so he got to see Ballerina and he actually really liked it.' She continued, 'It is very special that someone like him is supporting [Ballerina].' In mid-July 2025, a source downplayed the romance rumors, telling People that de Armas and Cruise simply had 'a special work relationship.' According to the insider, the pair had been spending extended periods of time together while preparing to costar in forthcoming thriller Deeper, from the director of 2005's Mr. & Mrs Smith, Doug Liman. 'Tom is an incredible mentor to Ana,' the source alleged. 'She has nothing but amazing things to say about him.' The end of July brought two eyebrow-raising outings for de Armas and Cruise. On July 26, the pair made an unexpected cameo at an Oasis concert in London, appearing in the background of an Instagram video shared by music producer Goldie. The following day, de Armas and Cruise materialized in Vermont, where they were photographed holding hands, eating ice cream, and shopping together.
