Latest news with #AnimalKingdom
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Star Wars actor Ben Mendelsohn cuts a suave figure in stylish monochrome look at exclusive event in Los Angeles
Ben Mendelsohn looked effortlessly stylish as he stepped out for the exclusive An Evening With Andor event in Los Angeles on Friday to promote his new Disney+ show. The Rogue One actor, 56, rocked a cool monochrome ensemble featuring a light blue polo shirt layered under a sleek black jacket, paired with matching tailored trousers. He completed the look with crisp white sneakers, adding a relaxed yet refined touch to the red carpet appearance. The Emmy-Award winning star exuded quiet confidence as he posed for photos, flashing his trademark smirk and keeping his hands casually tucked into his pockets. The low-key but chic look was a far cry from the darker characters he's become known for on screen - with Mendelsohn having played a string of villains throughout his impressive Hollywood career. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the He is one of Australia's most celebrated actors with starring roles in The Dark Knight Rises, Rogue One and Animal Kingdom. Back in 2018, the critically acclaimed actor revealed he was once forced to work low-paying jobs to pay the bills. He washed dishes at a restaurant in Sydney's Bondi and was also employed at a Brumby's Bakery during a career slump, according to the Herald Sun. Reflecting on his incredible reversal of fortune since then, Ben said: 'It's been extraordinary. But that's what has been very sweet about it - you don't expect that in this business.' He added: 'I still drive around and look back on a lot of years where things were leaner. I am still happily spun out by it.' The Melbourne-born actor has a history of playing villains in films, but recently said he doesn't overthink the roles he plays. In an interview with The Project, he said his penchant for playing bad guys has turned out 'all right' for him so far. However, he said he's 'got a couple more feathers' in his cap and would like to play more diverse characters in the future. He is currently reprising his role as Orson Krennic from the 2016 movie Rogue One in the Disney+ spinoff Andor. The show has been critically praised, with viewers praising its second season 'the best TV show they've seen this year'. Andor follows Cassian Andor, a character who first appeared in the 2016 movie Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. The series serves as a prequel to the film in the early days after the Galactic Republic became the Empire. Among some of the very first to react to season two of Andor was critic Jordan King, who put it in his 'top five' shows. He said: 'It is the best TV you will see this year, and cements the show's place in my all-time Top 5. 'It's mature, it's knotty, it's uncompromising, and it's emotional in ways you won't see coming. And *that* arc? Astonishing.' The Observer echoed Jordan and wrote: 'The second season, somehow, eclipses [the first] in an impressive fashion, building a masterful narrative arc that is undeniable in its prescience to the rising fascism around the world.'
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Transgender influencer refuses to eat meal at Disney World because waiter accidentally called her 'sir'
A transgender influencer has been slammed online after she refused to eat her meal at a Disney World restaurant because the waiter accidentally misgendered her. Transgender woman Lilly Contino has racked up hundreds of thousands of followers for documenting her transition online. She recently took to Instagram and TikTok to share her dismay after a staff member at the Happiest Place On Earth addressed her as 'sir' by mistake. She was eating Tiffins Restaurant at Disney's Animal Kingdom Park and the waiter was explaining the first course when he used the male pronoun. Despite the employee instantly apologizing, Lilly explained in her video about the incident that she 'no longer felt safe' at the restaurant. She ultimately decided she didn't want to eat there anymore because she knew she wouldn't 'enjoy' the food with her 'guard up.' The content creator ended up not having to pay for the food or her drink, but the interaction left some viewers disgruntled. In the now-viral video, Lilly was seen sitting at the table as the waiter brought out her first course, the $18 Tiffins Signature Bread Service. But as the waiter was explaining where all the different breads came from, he called Lilly, who was wearing a blue, cropped tank top, white jean shorts, and pink Minnie ears with a bow, 'sir.' 'It's coconut bread from Thailand?' Lilly asked, to which the waiter replied, 'Yes sir.' 'It's ma'am,' Lilly quickly corrected him. 'Ma'am, I'm sorry. My bad sir,' the flustered waiter said. Afterwards, Lilly reflected on the moment to the camera, explaining, 'That totally sucked the joy out of this bread tower. 'It makes me want to immediately leave because I no longer feel safe here. Now my guard has to be up. 'I'm not gonna enjoy this bread as much because my guard is up. We should be able to go places and not have to worry.' The video then cut to Lilly flagging down a waiter, and telling them, 'I don't think I want this bread tower, actually, I'd rather have the check if that's okay.' 'I think their training says they're supposed to say "friend" and not used gendered language, it's a pretty big thing that Disney has done,' Lilly told the camera in another clip. 'Nothing was wrong with the bread, I just don't want it anymore. Just because they apologized doesn't mean [I] don't feel sad or offended. 'Have you accidentally ever hurt someone and said, "I'm so sorry, it's an accident?" Do you expect them to be like, "Oh, it was an accident, of course, no problem whatsoever. All of that hurt is now undone." That's not how it works.' It appeared that Lilly didn't have to pay for the uneaten bread or her soda. In one final clip, a staff member at the restaurant was heard apologizing to Lilly once again, before he told her that her drink was 'also on him,' seemingly confirming the bread was free too. 'They meant well but it still hurts,' Lilly captioned the clip. In March 2022, it was announced that Disney World staff members, as well recordings throughout the parks, would no longer include 'gendered greetings' like 'boys and girls' or 'ladies and gentleman.' Instead, they opted for gender neutral terms such as, 'Hello, everyone,' or, 'Hello, friends.' 'We don't want to just assume because someone might be, in our interpretation, presenting as female, that they may not want to be called "princess,"' Disney's diversity and inclusion manager Vivian Ware said in a leaked conference call with employees. 'So let's think differently about how do we really engage with our guests in a meaningful and inclusive way that makes it magical and memorable for everyone,' she added. Lilly's interaction with the waiter has since gone viral, gaining million of views on both of her platforms. And while some viewers were on her side, many were quick to slam her. 'The waiter was genuinely sincere and apologized,' one user pointed out. 'I understand that being misgendered can be painful, and everyone deserves respect. But it's also important to recognize that not every mistake is meant to offend,' another added. 'Most people are just responding to what they perceive based on appearance and voice - it's not always intentional or hateful. 'Expecting strangers to immediately identify you the way you see yourself, especially without any communication, isn't realistic. Lilly's interaction with the waiter has since gone viral, gaining million of views on both of her platforms. And while some viewers were on her side, many were quick to slam her 'Filming these interactions and publicly calling people out for honest mistakes doesn't build understanding - it alienates people who might otherwise be willing to listen and learn.' 'Patience and acceptance goes both ways,' someone else wrote. 'The waiter literally apologized. GROW UP,' a fourth comment read. A fifth said, 'So they went through all that trouble to make that [bread] just for you to return it because u were misgendered. 'Now they have to throw it out. Honestly, how do you sleep at night?'
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
After 103 years, this L.A. prop maker finds new success freeze-drying dead pets
In a room inside a North Hollywood warehouse, dozens of pets are ready for their owners to take them home. Boots, a young black-and-white domestic shorthair cat, lies on his back, pawing playfully at the air. A trio of red, yellow and green parrots and cockatiels sit on wooden perches, oblivious to the piercing stare of a blue-eyed feline a few feet away. Princess, a senior Chihuahua, rests with her eyes closed and body curled into a tight cocoon, as a frenetic hamster named Ponby stands upright, his eyes bulging. There's a naked guinea pig, a giant red macaw and an adorably chunky pit bull named Messy. All of these animals are loose, liberated from the confines of cages and leashes, and yet no havoc has ensued. These animals are also all dead. It's an everyday scene at Bischoff's the Animal Kingdom, a Los Angeles taxidermy business that has been preserving animals for 103 years. The business is multifold — Bischoff's creates and rents out prop animals to film studios, museums and nature centers. Posters on the lobby walls boast the company's work on shows like 'American Horror Story' and 'Westworld.' But in recent years, a bulk of its taxidermy requests now come from bereaved pet owners, those willing to shell out thousands of dollars for a tangible commemoration of their late "fur babies.' From full-body taxidermy to partial mementos — skulls, bronzed hearts or freeze-dried paws, for example — such services provide closure in ways that, clients say, traditional burials or urns cannot. 'It was honestly really comforting to have her back, and just be able to touch her and, in a sense, talk to her too,' said Bischoff's customer Zoe Hays of the preservation of her Chihuahua-Yorkie mix Pixie. 'She was a great little dog — also a menace to society, for sure — but she's still with me, and she always will be.' Read more: This superfan is buying VHS copies of 'The Mummy.' The size of his collection is shocking Bodily preservation, beyond the ashes or cemented paw prints offered by veterinarians and animal hospitals, has become a growing facet in the world of pet aftercare, with traditional taxidermists fulfilling many of the niche requests. Redlands business Precious Creature initially only offered full-body taxidermy of pets until customers started suggesting other ideas, such as lockets containing patches of fur and cat-tail necklaces. (Most recently, owner Lauren Kane sewed a zippered pillowcase using the black-and-white fur of a rescue named G-Dog, or, as his owner fondly called him, "Fluffy Butt.") In her documentary "Furever," filmmaker Amy Finkel explores the lengths to which pet preservationists will go, asking, "Who decides what kind of grief is acceptable, or appropriate?" Ace Alexander, 40, and Rey Macias, 55, the fourth owners in Bischoff's long history, have steered the company to meet the new demand. Describing each other as 'good friends,' the two men dress similarly in unofficial uniforms of black T-shirts and black pants, and they're so in sync they sometimes finish each other's thoughts. Since taking over the business, both have transitioned to primarily vegan diets. 'Bischoff's used to be taxidermists to the stars in the trophy era, but now we're taxidermists in the pet preservation era,' Alexander said. 'People no longer hunt. Now they just love their pets.' In 1922, when Al Bischoff first opened the business on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, he'd stuff and plaster any animal brought to him. Most of the time, that meant trophies from hunting and safari trips, but it also included beloved pets owned by Hollywood elite. Roy Rogers used Bischoff's to preserve his co-stars Trigger the horse and Bullet the dog. Buck — the dog from 'Married with Children' — also got the Bischoff's treatment. Under Alexander and Macias' tutelage, that's still the case. They'll preserve any animal you bring them — so long as it is not a protected species or an illegal pet. They'll even make you a unicorn or a sasquatch or a wearable Velociraptor costume that roars and can open and close its jaws. The largest animal Alexander and Macias have preserved was an 11-foot-long buffalo, while the smallest, not including insects, was a hummingbird. Off the top of their heads, the only animal they haven't preserved — yet — is the genetically rare white tiger. The majority of Bischoff's clientele still comes from Hollywood. Due to federal and state laws, as well as industry regulators like the American Humane Association, it often makes more sense to use body doubles for animals when filming and is occasionally mandatory (such as scenes that involve roadkill or drowning incidents). On a recent Wednesday, Alexander fielded calls from studios about the types of snake skins in stock, how to clean dirt off a rented coyote and the particular body poses of their turkeys. 'So what are you thinking?' Alexander said, talking on the phone. 'Turkeys in flight? Perched? Or did you need a floppy version?" As for the pet sector, which accounts for around 40% of their business, dogs and cats, unsurprisingly, make up the majority of the preservations, but the team has also worked on rabbits, rodents, chameleons and roosters. And although they will preserve your pet goldfish, they will strongly encourage you to consider having a synthetic version made of it due to the oils in the scales, which inevitably lead to deterioration. Read more: 18 places in L.A. where your dog is more welcomed than you Bischoff's works on pets shipped from around the country as well as overseas. Dr. Xanya Sofra, who is based in Hong Kong, has had at least half a dozen of her papillons preserved by Bischoff's. Another client, who was an avid hiker, had Bischoff's preserve his golden retriever in an upright position so that he could carry it in his backpack on his treks. Neither Alexander nor Macias had a background in taxidermy when they started working at Bischoff's. They were both musicians, which is how they initially met. Macias also owned an auto shop and has been taking apart and fixing appliances from a young age. Alexander picked up jobs at Bischoff's when it was owned by the previous owner, Gary Robbins. The pay was good, the work interesting and he realized he had a knack for airbrushing and sculpting. In 2017, when Robbins was ready to retire, Alexander and Macias, who by then had also started working there, decided to buy the business. Bischoff's specializes in a form of hybrid taxidermy, incorporating traditional techniques with the more new-fangled freeze-drying process. The results are not only more lifelike and long-lasting than the standard gut-and-stuff method, but it also allows for the bulk of the original animal to remain, including the skeletal structure, toenails, whiskers, eyelids, nose and teeth. The eyes, however, are made of glass. The method leaves room for error. Water can be used to dampen and repose the body and paint can be removed or retouched. 'You can definitely backpedal,' Alexander said, making a note to check the texture of the preserved hearts on sticks in the next 24 hours. Read more: Birdman | Taxidermist specializes in preserving birds Alexander credits this attention to detail to his predecessors, former owner Robbins and then-main taxidermist Larry Greissinger, who taught him the trade. Strict in their teachings, Robbins and Greissinger emphasized getting every bodily facet correct: from recreating the natural anatomy to sewing the perfect hidden stitch to making sure the eyes looked right. 'That's where the emotion is,' Alexander said. 'You can get the perfect body pose, but if the eyes aren't sitting well or don't carry any emotion, then the animal will never look alive.' A few of Bischoff's early taxidermy pieces are still on display, including a dog, which looks more like a cross between a wolf and a baboon, dating to the 1920s. Its plaster interior, an old taxidermy technique, gives it a stiff visage and makes it exceedingly heavy. Bischoff's prices reflect its modernized techniques, as well as the amount of time and attention to even the smallest of details required to make a dead pet come back to life. The cost for a fully preserved cat or a small dog like a Chihuahua starts at $2,640, with small birds, like a budgie, starting at $850. Although most customers order full-body taxidermy, an "a la carte" menu has expanded over the years with jars of whiskers or fur, bundles of bones tied in a bow and, the most recent addition, freeze-dried hearts, which come mounted inside of a glass cloche. Bischoff's also offers cloning services through its Texas-based affiliate Viagen Pets, to whom they send the pet's skin tissues. Costly though their work is, Alexander and Macias see it as an investment. Pets, they point out, are friends you look at every day. You're intimately aware of their nuances and quirks, like how their left ear might curl back more than the right one or the way their nose tilts ever-so-subtly upwards. Entrust their preservation to a novice or lower-cost taxidermist, and you risk losing some of the elements that made your pet who they were. Bischoff's has seen its share of people who've preserved their pets with budget taxidermists only to be disappointed. 'It's unfortunate because at that point, there's not much we can do,' Alexander said. Such pets are cremated "because they just can't stand to look at them.' In the back of Bischoff's warehouse is where the equipment resides and the smells of the oils running the machines permeates the space. The company has one aquamation machine that uses alkali solution, heat and pressure to break down the organic material into ashes. With interior chambers lined with perforated metal walls, the contraption somewhat resembles a fast-food restaurant's deep fryer. Except, one taxidermist notes, when the process is done, instead of having golden fried potato strips in each basket, all that is left are bones. Oftentimes at the ends of these processes, Bischoff's workers will find inorganic remnants from the pets, such as microchips, metal plates or orthopedic screws. They give them to their owners as keepsakes. Macias' son, 29-year-old Chris Macias, works alongside his dad at Bischoff's. He started helping out to make extra money while attending nursing school, but when business picked up, he decided to transition fully into the taxidermy business. He does a little bit of everything — recently, it was prepping a seal pelt for the San Pedro Marine Mammal Care Center — but tends to do pet pickups the most. Less technical though it may be, it is more emotionally taxing as he's interfacing with grieving clients who might still be in shock or confused as to what exactly they want to do with their late pets. 'Everybody's different, but I just try to be there for them,' Chris said. 'Their pet was part of their family, so I totally understand. Because all of us here, we have our own pets as well. We get it.' Though Alexander never imagined building a career out of preserving dead pets, he said, 'We've found joy in this work and we just see preservation as another form of art.' It's that art that is helping keep the memories of beloved pets alive — for generations even. Hays, the owner of Chihuahua-Yorkie mix Pixie, already has a contingency plan in place for Pixie's taxidermy upon her own death. It will be 'adopted' by another family member. Her daughter has already called dibs. And many of Bischoff's pet preservation customers are repeat clients, which is something that Alexander and Macias take pride in. Two women picking up the taxidermy body of their late cat recently chatted with Alexander about their newest rescue, a diabetic stray cat burnt in the Altadena fires. They couldn't help but comment on the 'beautiful bone structure' of the feline, still very much alive. 'I was like, 'Hmm, you're definitely going on the altar some day,'' one of the women said. Sign up for The Wild newsletter to get weekly insider tips on the best of our beaches, trails, parks, deserts, forests and mountains. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Best Disney World Rides for 7 Year Olds, According to a Second Grader
As someone who has personally experienced Disney at nearly every age and stage — from my first visit as a toddler in a stroller to various trips throughout grade school (it was even the destination for my senior-year spring break!) and a post-college excursion as an adult — I knew without question I wanted to take my kids to Disney World. I just didn't know exactly when. By the time my son reached toddlerhood, the pandemic set in and disrupted any travel plans we had for the foreseeable future. Then I gave birth to his little sister and it would be a few more years before I'd entertain the idea of bringing them both to the most magical place on earth. For my now 7-year-old son, it was high time he got to experience the joy the iconic amusement park has to offer. So this past January, we headed down to Orlando for our inaugural family trip to Disney World and packed in as many rides as we could across all four parks in three days. More from SheKnows I'm a Disney-Obsessed Shopping Writer - Here Are 7 BaubleBar Accessories I'm Getting for My Next Park Visit, Starting at $15 We came back exhausted, yes, and for my poor husband with a nasty case of the stomach bug (more on that later) but also with a solid understanding of the best Disney World rides for 7 year olds after witnessing firsthand what he did and didn't like. I also asked him to rank his favorites at each park, interviewed him on why he enjoyed them, and then had him fact-check this article to make sure I accurately captured everything from his POV — so you can ensure these rides are vetted by an actual second grader. Best Disney Hollywood Studios Ride: Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance Best Magic Kingdom Ride: Space Mountain Best EPCOT Ride: Mission: SPACE Best Animal Kingdom Ride: Kilimanjaro Safaris My husband and I had my 7-year-old son and 3-year-old daughter along for the trip, and while there are more all-ages rides than not, my son definitely got to enjoy a wider array of attractions than my toddler. He's on the tall side for his age at 51 inches and easily surpassed all of the height requirements (the final one is the 48 inches needed to go on Tron). The only things holding him back were fear — he's not a huge fan of roller coasters — and his little sister. Most of the time, my husband and I would divide and conquer so one of us could go on a height-requirement ride with our son that our daughter couldn't. On the last day of our trip, my husband came down with norovirus (PSA: if you go during the winter months, wash your hands constantly!), which meant I had both kids in Animal Kingdom by myself. My son didn't get to go on Avatar Flight of Passage because of that, but I'm sure if he did that would be his favorite ride there. Second graders are right at the cusp of becoming 'big' kids but still young enough to enjoy the fantasy aspect of Disney. For example, my son still got a kick out of meeting the characters but had we waited longer to take him, I'm not sure this would have been as much of a highlight. It's hard to compete with the Magic Kingdom, which is home to his overall favorite ride, Space Mountain, and also has the most attractions of any park. But if I had to pick a park that had the highest ratio of rides well-suited for seven year olds, it would actually be Hollywood Studios. The Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge area is like walking directly onto the movie set and my son was totally captivated by the Storm Troopers marching around. The Toy Story section of the park is also adorable and the family-style dinner we had at Roundup Rodeo BBQ was the best meal of our trip. The spread of corn bread, mac 'n cheese and a platter of house-smoked meats managed to please both parents and picky eaters. All of the parks offer something great for second graders and you honestly can't go wrong. To that end, here are the best rides for 7 year olds at Disney World at each park, ranked in order by my son, as well as an attraction you can skip to save yourself time. My son loved this ride so much he used not one but two Lightning Lane passes to ride it twice in the same day. And he's not even a Star Wars fan! He does, however, love anything space-related (a running theme of his top-rated attractions, as you'll discover) and also has a huge imagination — both contributing factors for why this immersive ride earned top marks. You get to pretend you're a member of the Resistance on a mission to escape the First Order while aboard a slow-moving vehicle that's almost captured by an army of Storm Troopers. You'll of course emerge victorious, providing a dose of exhilaration without any adrenaline-inducing drops. Another Star Wars simulation, this ride assigns you one of three jobs — pilot, mechanic or gunner — depending on your place in line and puts you to work on a flight mission aboard its namesake starship. My husband and son got the coveted roles of pilots, who sit up front and get an unobstructed view of the objects whizzing towards the aircraft. 'You go way up in the air and then straight down like woah,' my son recounted of his favorite moment. The whole experience has a video game-like quality to it, making it perfect for second graders who are squarely in their Minecraft era. This was the first ride of our Disney World trip and it ended up being a favorite for both my 7- and 3-year-old, making it an all-ages crowd pleaser (honestly, I enjoyed it too!). My son's absolute favorite part was when an immersive screen tricks you into feeling like you're falling down a waterfall 'like, a thousand feet down' as well as a tour through a factory that 'is so funny because it crushed rocks.' The train car gently swaying side to side in a Cha Cha move guided by Daisy Duck also got lots of laughs. If my son could have a nemesis in ride form, this would be it. On the surface, it looks completely harmless: the adorable Slinky Dog from Toy Story races along an outdoor roller coaster track that's filled with gentle dips, twists and turns. And yet something about being able to see and anticipate these adrenaline-inducing features laid out before him had my 7-year-old seized with anxiety before we even stepped foot in the car. I somehow convinced him to go through with it (we used a Lightning Lane pass!) but he was frozen with fear the entire time. His displeasure was so evident that a kind cast member noticed and offered us the chance to ride again without having to wait on line — to which he said absolutely not! After speaking with a few other second-grade moms, I found out my son isn't the only kid his age who is terrified of this ride — although I also know of a 3-year-old who loved it. This one really depends on the temperament of your child and serves as an important reminder that just because your kid is tall enough to ride doesn't mean they should. Based on our experience with the Slinky Dog Dash, you'd think my 7-year-old wasn't a fan of roller coasters and would therefore not like Space Mountain, right? Wrong. If you ask him what his absolute favorite ride in all of Disney World was, he'll tell you it was this one every time without fail. This is partly because we had the privilege of being among the first to ride the iconic roller coaster on its 50th anniversary, which was a very special milestone moment. But I also think the sensory deprivation of riding in the pitch dark made it more enjoyable for him: he couldn't see what twists and turns were ahead, forcing him to surrender to the thrills as they came. Context is everything. Ever since my son was 2 years old, he's loved riding around our property on his motorized vehicles (he has a red Jeep and a John Deere tractor, and he still takes them out for a spin even though he's comically too large to fit in them now). So it should be no surprise that he loved this classic racetrack ride — kids get a kick out of being behind the wheel, even if it's a gas-powered hot rod that clunks along a guard rail at 7.5 MPH. Subjecting his dad in the passenger seat to bouts of reckless driving only amped up the fun and peels of laughter. While we're likely a few years away from visiting a true Halloween-style haunted house, Disney's iconic version that's more spooky than scary was the perfect way for my son to dip his toes into the world of fright-inducing attractions. He squealed in anticipation as we cruised through the ghost-filled mansion in a slow-moving car past bulging doors and dancing specters. The only time I sensed genuine fear from him was when the ride randomly paused for a few minutes in front of a headless statue in the graveyard. 'Goodbye to that guy,' he said with relief once we started up again. This seated show featuring animatronic bears performing a variety act is super nostalgic for me (perhaps because it reminds me of a childhood spent at Chuck E. Cheese?) so I was bummed my kids were not as into it as I was when I was their age. My 7-year-old found this incredibly boring and wanted to bail almost the second we stepped foot into the theater. Not even the alluring Teddi Barra descending from the ceiling could dazzle him, and it wasn't that he just didn't have the patience to sit through performances — he actually loved the Frozen Sing-Along Celebration at Hollywood Studios, which surprised me! With so many attractions to choose from at the Magic Kingdom, you can keep walking past this one if you have a second grader in tow. Another space-journey simulation (told you there'd be a theme!), this ride is very similar to the Millennium Falcon in Hollywood Studios. You get assigned one of four roles (engineer, pilot, navigator or commandeer) before boarding an enclosed rocket ship that embarks on two missions — one to Mars, and one orbiting Earth. You're seated in front of a control panel and have ample opportunity to press the buttons before you, which is like catnip for a 7-year-old boy who just wants to be part of the action. The seats move up and down to re-create various flight sensations but my son described this as an overall 'calm' experience. More flight simulation! Except instead of traveling to a galaxy far far away, this immersive ride re-creates the sensation of flying through the air while you're seated in a hang glider that's raised high above the ground. As your feet dangle in the air, you'll take a (virtual) journey around the world through a video tour of iconic landmarks projected on an 80-foot IMAX screen. 'You get to see polar bears and at the end Tinker Bell flies through Epcot and you land near the Spaceship Earth ball,' my son excitedly recounted. Epcot's first-ever roller coaster — and Disney's first-ever reverse coaster — is extremely popular for good reason: it's a fast-moving, exhilarating and incredibly smooth whip around the galaxy with a great soundtrack to boot (you'll fondly recall the ride every time you hear Tears for Fears' 'Everybody Wants to Rule the World'). I'll admit, my 7-year-old had some anxiety going into this. 'Is this a fast roller coaster?' he asked with trepidation after seeing a sign that alluded to its 60 MPH top speed. I somehow managed to assure him it would be nothing like the Slinky Dog Dash, and while his eyes looked like they were about to pop out of his skull when the coaster spun around a planet like we were water going down a drain, he overall did enjoy it. I mean, how could he not, it's space! Now don't get me wrong, my son has no beef with Nemo — in fact, it was one of his favorite movies when he was a preschooler. This ride is just so slow-moving and uneventful, he found it incredibly boring (it barely held my 3-year-old daughter's attention too, if I'm being honest). You sit in a clamshell car as it gently tours through a retelling of the Finding Nemo storyline and 'says the same thing over and over and over again,' according to my 7-year-old. On the positive side, it's part of a larger attraction that includes an actual aquarium with jellyfish, sharks and clownfish, as well as a reef-themed play area that I couldn't tear both my kids away from. My second grader loves reading non-fiction books about animals so it should be no surprise that he got a kick out of spotting them in their 'natural' habitat in the Harambe Wildlife Reserve. During our 20-minute guided tour on an open-air vehicle, we spotted several giraffes running around as well as a flock of flamingos, an elephant, swimming hippos, rhinos and a pride of lions. That's just a small sampling of the 34 different species of African wildlife that call the reserve home, and you never know which animals will (or won't) reveal themselves, which is part of the fun. In order to reach this animal-centric attraction, you'll need to take the 7-minute long Wildlife Express Train, which meanders past a series of unremarkable veterinary buildings. Once you arrive, there's loads to do: take photos with Lion King characters Pumba and Timon; view reptiles, amphibians and even a live veterinary procedure (we saw a sedated Cheetah get a wellness visit) behind the glass exhibits; or pet docile goats in the small petting zoo called the Affection Section. As you can see in the photo above, my son especially enjoyed grooming the goats with one of the coarse-bristled brushes they have on hand — something our dogs at home would (literally) never stand for! This live theatrical performance was high on our list of things to do at Animal Kingdom for my Lion King-obsessed toddler, and I was a little nervous my 7-year-old would get fidgety and bored. Not so! He actually enjoyed the Broadway-style singing and circus-level theatrics — maybe even more than his little sister because he's old enough to appreciate the skill. The action-packed segments featuring flame throwers and monkey acrobats totally captivated his attention. For the record, it's me who's recommending you pass on this dinosaur dig–themed playground, not my son — he had an absolute ball climbing the ropes courses, straddling fossilized dinosaurs and going down slides in an infinite loop. Neither of my kids wanted to leave this place! But of all the incredible attractions, shows and rides that Disney World is legendary for, I simply would not prioritize a glorified version of a park playground. You can do that at home. 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Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘The Pitt' star Shawn Hatosy loves ‘ER cowboy' Dr. Abbot as much as you do
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways Shawn Hatosy has been a mainstay in the John Wells Cinematic Universe for 19 years. He guest-starred in an episode of ER in 2006, playing a patient with dissociative identity disorder, before the prolific producer recruited him for Southland, Animal Kingdom, Rescue: HI-Surf, and now The Pitt. The actor calls it a "full circle moment," as he started as a guest star on a Wells medical drama starring Noah Wyle and is now — billing-wise — a special guest star on another Wells medical drama starring Wyle. But there's nothing impermanent about the impact Hatosy's Dr. Jack Abbot has had in just five of 15 episodes in Season 1. After appearing in the pilot, in which Dr. Robby (Wyle) finds the former combat medic dejected on the roof following a tough night shift, Abbot doesn't come back until the 12th episode to help with the mass casualty. And he instantly became a fan favorite. "It's been overwhelming and so incredibly positive," Hatosy tells Gold Derby of the fan response. More from GoldDerby If you've seen the last four episodes, you probably found yourself wondering, why hasn't Abbot been in every episode (besides, you know, it being the day shift)? Quietly confident, mischievous, and just an all-round rock star, Abbot is clearly in his element during the mass casualty, shifting from patient to patient with laser focus and problem-solving on the fly with tricky procedures. When he returns, he tells Robby he heard about the Pittfest shooting on the police scanner and just grabbed his go bag, full of handy gadgets he used in the military. When the doctors start donating blood amid the chaos, Abbot straps his blood bag to his left leg so he can continue working on patients. That move takes on more resonance in the final minutes of the finale — after we've seen Abbot in action — when it's casually revealed that he has a prosthetic right leg. SEE How Taylor Dearden made Dr. Mel King your favorite character on The Pitt "It is such a master class in writing without having to give too much exposition," Hatosy says. "You learn that he's at home listening to a police scanner, which just says so much. Not only that his DNA is this world of combat medicine and preparedness, but also that we just saw him leave a shift where it weighed on him heavily what he experienced. He was having a hard time dealing with it, but he still goes home and listens to a police scanner because he's so addicted to the work. He says it in [Episode] 15: We're the bees that protect the hive." Being a single-leg amputee "doesn't define him," Hatosy adds. "Abbot is a incredibly talented physician who you want when the storm is brewing. He's the guy that is calm, and he's defined by his leadership and his ability to protect the hive." Protecting the hive answered a question that Abbot himself asked Robby on the roof in the pilot, when he remarked that he's not sure why he keeps coming back to work — and one that Robby is asking on the roof in the finale after his own taxing shift, during which he had suffered a breakdown. Unlike other characters on the show, Abbot is Robby's equal, someone who offers a steady hand (and his therapist) when he's adrift, flipping what you think you know about their dynamic from the pilot on its head. "As we kind of push towards the end and we see these roles reversed and Robby's now up on the roof, Abbot comes out and he says, 'You're in my spot.' And it's such a light thing to say to a guy in that position, but what he's really saying is, 'I see you. You're literally in my spot. I've been there.' And so these two get the chance to explore this dynamic in a way that that Robby doesn't get with anybody else," Hatosy says. "They get each other. ... It's putting one on the roof in the beginning and one on the roof at the end. One's night shift, one's day shift. Not a lot of people can go up to Dr. Robby and say, 'Hey, look, man, the bullet tore through her heart,'" he continues, referring to Robby's futile efforts trying to save the girlfriend of his ex's son. "But Abbot can. The others don't have the authority to do it. Dana (Katherine LaNasa), as hard as she tries, or Whitaker (Gerran Howell), or anybody else who's there — they just [can't]. Robby's not necessarily going to listen to Abbot, he has to take what he says [to heart]." Credit: Warrick Page/Max - Credit: Warrick Page/Max Warrick Page/Max While The Pitt shoots in continuity, the rooftop scenes were shot on location in Pittsburgh in September midway through production on the season. At the time, scripts for the final four episodes had not been written. Hatosy didn't know specifically how or why Abbot returned, and Robby's speech that Abbot compliments him on did not exist. "That scene, I found that if I could just get out of the way of trying to create something and just sort of let myself into the role, then it would work for some reason," Hatosy says. "When you're creating a character as an actor, you're trying to figure out these tricks and just things that don't matter. And there's something about just trusting your instinct that can be incredibly successful. And so, having not known everything that was going on, and just sort of delivering and being there and experiencing Noah, who's such a brilliant actor, who's always listening, who's incredibly collaborative, and just sort of like giving all the time — that's what worked for me." Another character-revealing moment occurs in an episode without Abbot. In the premiere, Abbot tells Robby that a 17-year-old was coming in later for a medication abortion. In the fifth episode, Dr. Collins (Tracy Ifeachor) realizes that Abbot had lowballed the fetal measurements so the teen could get the abortion. She brings it up to Robby, who takes no issue with Abbot's actions and in fact does the same. "I found out when I watched it on the air," Hatosy shares. "I think there are a number of things that occur between Robby and Abbott in that first exchange when they're coming down the elevator. One of them is he hands him the letter to the family the veteran he lost, and that he talks about the Kraken, and then he talks about the teen who is going to come back for mifepristone. And I think, really, it does two things. One, it illustrates that he's an ER cowboy, much like Robby. They're very similar. They're kind of mirror images of each other. He doesn't have to explain to Robby that he fudged the measurements. He just knows it's an unspoken understanding between these two that Robby is going to handle it, because that's what they do. So it really kind of cements this relationship, this bond that they have." The second thing it accomplishes is viewers get a better sense of Abbot, so his return "provides the audience with a bit of relief that there's somebody competent there who's going to be able to to handle things." SEE For The Pitt breakout star Patrick Ball, the show's success is 'beyond my wildest dreams' Abbot's roguish ways also extend to his teaching. He mildly warns Dr. Santos (Isa Briones) not to do an unassisted REBOA again before whispering that it was badass and she saved a life. And then he guides Dr. Mohan (Surpiya Ganesh) through a tricky heart procedure, telling her when it's over that it was too risky for him to do himself. It's flirty and charming, and Hatosy thinks "there is something there." "He has a quiet admiration for Mohan. There was a line in the first episode where somebody makes a comment about her being slow. It didn't make it into the cut, but Abbot stands up for her. He's like, 'She's the smartest one here, you know,'" he says. "For him to say that — and I believe it to be true — I think he has incredible respect for her. And sometimes that's intoxicating in that setting. You're dealing with somebody that you respect and can do amazing things with their mind. So that's the way I envisioned it." Hatosy has no idea what's in store for Abbot in Season 2, which will take place on the Fourth of July, but he's up for anything, even if it means Abbot having to work a day shift. "I've performed on stage and that has an energy to it. But this [show] is like a unit of people working together — instinct, background artists and crew and actors and doctors. It's not like anything I've ever experienced. They've made it so everybody feels like they're involved in such a in such a meaningful and powerful way. And it's landing," he says. "My hats off to them for doing this. What's happening on Stage 22 in Burbank is is amazing. Whatever they provide me, I'll be there ready with my go bag." Season 1 of The Pitt is streaming on Max. Best of GoldDerby Sign up for Gold Derby's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article.
