Latest news with #AnotherSimpleFavor
Daily Mail
5 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Fans spot member of Blake Lively's inner-circle on dinner date with Taylor Swift and Dakota Johnson
Taylor Swift enjoyed a night out with her new A-list buddy Dakota Johnson in NYC on Thursday - and fans were quick to notice that a member of Blake Lively 's inner circle was also spotted with them. The Grammy winner, 35, has mainly been keeping out of the spotlight in recent months and was notably dragged into Lively's legal battle with Justin Baldoni when the singer was subpoenaed. It has since been withdrawn, but Swift was still been embroiled in an alleged fallout with the Gossip Girl alum - and explosive claims also emerged that Blake threatened to release texts from the singer. Despite Taylor reportedly being 'done' with the actress, fans were shocked to see that Lively's bodyguard was seen assisting Johnson during the dinner date with Swift in the Big Apple. The Bad Blood songstress was accompanied by her own bodyguard as the stars grabbed a bite to eat at the Italian restaurant Via Carota. has reached to Swift, Johnson and Lively's reps for comment. The bodyguard was spotted with Lively as she recently promoted her latest movie Another Simple Favor. Earlier this month, she was seen stepping out in NYC in a white dress and was guided towards the entrance of a building by her bodyguard who strolled directly behind her. He was also spotted with Blake on the set of It Ends With Us which filmed in 2023 and also throughout early 2024. Justin Baldoni both directed and also starred in the movie - which is an adaptation of Colleen Hoover's book of the same name. Johnson has also been cast in the upcoming project Verity, which is based on a 2018 novel written by Hoover. The film from Amazon MGM studios is currently in its post-production stages and additionally stars Anne Hathaway and Josh Hartnett. While enjoying a bite to eat at the hotspot, Taylor was joined by her brother Austin and Dakota also brought along her sibling Jesse. The performer was effortlessly chic wearing a black dress with colorful floral details on the fabric and also slipped into a pair of black strappy heels. Johnson put on a stylish display donning a strapless black dress as well as a dazzling necklace and black pumps. Before joining Taylor, the Fifty Shades Of Grey actress had celebrated becoming a global ambassador for Roberto Coin at a glitzy event. Dakota has previously gushed about the songstress and during an interview with Bustle last year, she expressed that she was a big fan of Swift's Lover album. 'It's such a great album, but I think all of her albums are really great. I just find her existence really radical in the sense of what it literally means. Not rad or cool, but radical, and I'm totally into it. 'She's a fabulous songwriter. She works so hard. She is really kind to the people that love her. I'm just like, do you, girl. I support.' Back in 2016, Johnson was also seen hanging out with Taylor as well as Zoe Kravitz during an outing in NYC at the time. Taylor's dinner outing on Thursday comes not long after a source exclusively told that the singer 'is done' with Lively due to feeling like she had been 'exploited.' It was also unveiled that Blake had allegedly threated to leak private text messages from Taylor unless she sided with the actress amid her legal battle with Baldoni. Earlier this month, the singer was officially subpoenaed in Lively's lawsuit when she was sent a legal notice by Baldoni's lawyer Bryan Freedman as a witness. Swift's team slammed the subpoena as they argued that she was not very involved in the drama on set of 2024 film It Ends With Us. A rep for Taylor gave a blistering response to which read: 'Taylor Swift never set foot on the set of this movie, she was not involved in any casting or creative decisions, she did not score the film... 'She never saw an edit or made any notes on the film, she did not even see It Ends With Us until weeks after its public release, and was traveling around the globe during 2023 and 2024 headlining the biggest tour in history.' The rep noted that the only involvement Taylor had in the film was the use of one of her tracks titled My Tears Ricochet which was off of her 2020 album Folklore. The statement concluded: 'Given that her involvement was licensing a song for the film, which 19 other artists also did, this document subpoena is designed to use Taylor Swift's name to draw public interest by creating tabloid clickbait instead of focusing on the facts of the case.' However, Justin's team soon withdrew the subpoena and a source exclusively told why his attorney did so by stating: 'They got exactly what they were seeking.' Swift made a big announcement on Friday - and revealed that she is now the owner of her entire music catalog. The buy-back deal has been reported to be worth 'between $600million-$1billion' - although sources claimed to MailOnline that number is 'highly inaccurate.' A separate insider informed Billboard that the Grammy winner had purchased back the rights to her music for around $360 million. Her boyfriend Travis Kelce offered subtle support for the songstress who teased the news on Instagram - and the NFL player notably liked the post. The couple - who were first romantically linked in 2023 - were recently spotted on a date night at Harry's Bar & Restaurant in West Palm Beach. A source told People that Swift whisked herself away to Florida to 'support and spend time' with the Kansas City Chiefs tight end. 'Travis was working on Friday before his dinner date with Taylor. He left early to go meet her.' Lively has also been seen hanging out with new A-list pals, and stepped out for dinner in NYC earlier this month with fellow actress Salma Hayek. Blake and Justin's ongoing lawsuit began when she sued him for sexual assault late last year in December. Baldoni responded by filing a $400 million lawsuit against Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds, and is also suing the New York Times for $250 million. The legal battle is scheduled to go to court next year in March 2026.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
How far would you go for friendship?
The relationships between friends are an integral part of many movies. In Friendship, Nonnas and Another Simple Favor, friends are everything. 'Men shouldn't have friends' is the tagline for the comedy Friendship, which follows a lonely man named Craig (Tim Robinson) in his attempt to befriend his charismatic neighbor, Austin (Paul Rudd). Kate Mara plays Craig's often-ignored wife, whose many meaningful friendships are showcased in a pivotal party scene to contrast how bizarre and alone Craig is. Mara told Yahoo Entertainment that the movie feels so funny because its absurdity is strangely accurate, especially in its portrayal of male friendship. 'My relationships with my girlfriends are so honest and we talk about our feelings all the time,' she said. 'With men, conversations are much shorter and less emotional. … I think some of that is probably beneficial! Men move on very quickly from quarrels.' All that Craig's male acquaintances seem to want to talk about is 'the new Marvel' movie, which he hasn't seen yet, so he goes all in on Austin, who takes him to explore underground tunnels and introduces him to his ancient tool collection. Craig pays $100 to lick a toad in the back room of a cellphone store to investigate Austin's interest in ayahuasca. Ultimately, Craig's investment in furthering their bond threatens to ruin both of their lives. Men weren't laughing as much as women at the screening of Friendship that Geoffrey Greif attended, he told Yahoo Entertainment. Greif is a social work professor at the University of Maryland who has written widely about male friendship. He described it as 'cringey,' but also felt that it accurately portrayed how 'men have shoulder-to-shoulder friendships and women have face-to-face friendships.' 'Men get together and do things facing out, while women feel more comfortable sitting down and talking and looking at each other while they do this,' he explained. Friendship takes that to the extreme, but Greif said that 'extremes often get at what's going on.' 'Men do not feel comfortable pursuing other men for friendships. … They don't like for other men to come across as too needy,' he continued. 'Whether or not it will have universal appeal to all men, I doubt it. But if you move the needle 5 or 10% for men who see the movie and say, 'You know what, this helps me understand my friendships a little better.' … I think that can have a benefit.' Another recent film, Nonnas, shows men going to extremes for friendship, though it has a much more lighthearted tone. The movie centers around a man named Joe (Vince Vaughn) who hires real-life Italian grandmothers to make home-cooked meals at his restaurant. His relationship with his best friend, Bruno (Joe Manganiello), is central to the success of his business venture, though he struggles to express that at times. 'Men are terrible communicators, especially Italian men who have machismo. They have to kind of battle against that, but I think Italians have great capacity to have heart,' Manganiello told Yahoo Entertainment. 'They've got to kind of like wear themselves out before they get to the heart.' Bruno and Joe are longtime pals, and they see each other constantly, but they rarely go deep on their feelings. That makes it hard for them to reconcile after they fight. 'They don't even know how to look at each other,' Nonnas director Stephen Chbosky told Yahoo Entertainment. 'Just being a guy from Pittsburgh, it was very easy for me to relate to.' Though they struggle to communicate fully, their love for one another transcends their social conditioning. At the end of the movie, Bruno makes a major sacrifice for Joe to be able to keep the restaurant in business. Nonnas screenwriter Liz Maccie told Yahoo Entertainment that she wanted to show 'how good we can really be to each other.' Vaughn is something of an expert on male friendship, given how many buddy comedies, including Swingers and Wedding Crashers, he's starred in, . 'A good friend is loyal. … You can trust a friend,' he told Yahoo Entertainment. 'But a real friend will also let you be who you are. They're not trying to make you fit into your life. They'll accept you for whatever you are.' Nonnas aims to break the stigma that male friendships face onscreen and off. Sekoul Krastev, a decision scientist, told Yahoo Entertainment that the intimacy gap in male friendship 'isn't innate, it's learned.' 'Studies show that boys are just as emotionally expressive as girls until around age 6,' he said. 'After that, societal norms begin nudging boys toward independence and emotional restraint, leading to adult friendships that are often less verbally intimate.' Media portrayals can reflect and reinforce these friendship norms, he explained, 'sometimes encouraging closeness, and other times stigmatizing it.' In contrast with the male friendship movies of the moment, Another Simple Favor goes all in on exposing the many bizarre, unspoken rules of female friendship — especially between moms. In the original movie A Simple Favor, Anna Kendrick plays a mommy blogger named Stephanie who offers to help Emily (Blake Lively), the fabulous parent of her son's friend, with a basic task. It spirals out of control and Stephanie ends up putting Emily behind bars. That's why it's so bizarre when, in the sequel, Emily shows up at Stephanie's book signing to ask her to be her maid of honor at her destination wedding. Stephanie agrees, saying it'll be great content for her fans, but it's clear that she also feels an emotional bond with Emily that makes her willing to go to great lengths — in this case, a possibly mob-affiliated wedding in Capri — to uncover what's really going on with her. Paul Feig, who directed A Simple Favor, Another Simple Favor and other seminal works about female friendship like Bridesmaids and The Heat, told Yahoo Entertainment he became fascinated with the concept because he grew up with mostly girls and women as friends, and as an only child, was very close to his mother. 'I just find female friendships to be really wonderful and interesting,' he said. 'There's something fascinating to me about it versus male friendship, which … can be great too, but there's a 'bro-iness' about that kind of thing that I'm not interested in.' 'I'm such a sensitive person that I think I just enjoy [female] relationships — I find them very fun and funny. The way women bond and interact with each other is really lovely. … It doesn't tend to be as aggressive as male friendship and bonding can be,' he added. He's not the only person who sees the gender divide. As a clinical psychologist and mental health researcher, Ehab Youssef sees how deeply friendship can shape people's emotional well-being and how differently it plays out for men and women. 'Female friendships tend to be emotionally expressive, built on shared vulnerability and verbal connection, while male friendships often emphasize shared activities and loyalty through action rather than words,' he said. 'Neither is better, just shaped by cultural norms and socialization.' Seeing these dynamics portrayed onscreen — even if they're taken to extreme lengths — 'reflect or challenge what we experience in real life,' he said. 'When films capture the raw honesty, humor or heartbreak of real friendships, especially ones that defy stereotypes, it resonates,' Youssef said. 'It helps us feel seen, and sometimes, it even shows us new ways of being with the people we love.'
Perth Now
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Henry Golding was inspired by TV series Nine Perfect Strangers to explore wellness retreats
Henry Golding is "going to look into [doing]" wellness retreats because of TV show 'Nine Perfect Strangers'. The 38-year-old actor would avoid the structured programs that aim to improve a person's mental, physical and spiritual wellbeing if they contained the "shenanigans" the characters got up to in the Hulu thriller that sees nine guests meet up at a wellness retreat, set up by Masha (Nicole Kidman) in the Austrian Alps - with her hiding secrets. But the idea of getting respite in his "adult life" appealed to Henry because he was told to not "bother anybody with your troubles" growing up. The 'Another Simple Favor' star - whose alter ego on the show Peter looks to gain approval and decide what he wants in his life - explained to radio presenter Kent 'Smallzy' Small, 41, on the 'Smallzy's Surgery' podcast: "I mean, if a wellness retreat, sort of, included some of the shenanigans that these characters, sort of, get up to, I think I would stay away too. "But, you know, we've been, sort of, talking about the discussion of therapy and how advanced it's become and how part of the zeitgeist it is. "And it's normal now to, sort of, open up. And back, way back, growing up, I was, kind of, taught to be like, you know, don't bother anybody with your troubles. "It's very down, kept it all paddled up. And so this idea of going to a retreat later in my, sort of, adult life seems a little bit more, kind of - I'm curious about it now. "So after the show, I think I'll be looking into - he's [Mark Strong] been to a couple of things. "So, I'm going to look into it." Henry's on-screen dad is Mark Strong, 61, who plays a ruthless billionaire intelligence expert David, and Mark loved his experience of going to a wellness retreat that focused on "relaxation" and a "little bit of medical intervention" to determine how healthy the guests were. 'The King's Man' star said: "I went to one, which was relaxation, coupled with a little bit of medical intervention in order to see how healthy you were. And you ate well, slept well, and had these, sort of, timetable every day of things that you did, like hydrotherapy and shiatsu, and all of this. "There was no mental health examination involved in that. It was really medical and physical."
Mint
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Mint
How to make knitwear cool for summer
International as well as homegrown brands are breathing new life into an old craft: knitwear. Over the past few weeks, several designers have presented, both on and off the runways, their unique experimentations with knitwear using colours, shapes and techniques. Weaves like jacquard, crochet, macrame and lace have been seen across beach twinsets, holiday dresses and rompers. At the Chanel's cruise show in Lake Como, for instance, models presented a range of lace and crochet pieces, which looked perfect for a lazy brunch as well as a resort getaway. Back home, designers like Shivan & Narresh, Ranna Gill, NOIB and Rareism, too, dropped summer collection focused on knitwear. Also read: How to cinch it with a cummerbund like Shah Rukh Khan According to Shivan Bhatiya, founder and head designer of Shivan & Narresh, knitwear is a 'key trend" for the summer season, with several celebrities opting for them for both on and off-camera. Actor Blake Lively, for example, wore a butter yellow short sleeve sweater top worn with a silk maxi while promoting her recent release, "Another Simple Favor", in New York City. Ananya Panday is often seen in knitted pieces during media appearances and in her vacation photographs on social media. One of the reasons for kintwear's popularity is its tactile quality that gives a distinctly summer vibe. Plus, they fit perfectly well with the current trending relaxed yet polished aesthetic. 'You can turn the most basic knitwear item into a statement outfit with printed accessories—think silk scarves or statement totes," says Bhatiya. 'And they are a great option for the holiday wardrobe." Small wonder then crochet has become a beachwear essential. It's being used to create cover ups, dresses, ready-to-wear pieces, even accessories. 'Crochet brings in a nostalgic yet contemporary vibe—it's handmade, intricate, and unique," says designer Ranna Gill, who's currently experimenting with crochet. 'Jacquard allows for bold patterns and structure without compromising fluidity. Macramé, with its knotted elegance, introduces a touch of bohemian sophistication. Designers are drawn to these weaves not just for their beauty, but for the craftsmanship and storytelling they represent." Gill offers a styling tip: pair a detailed crochet top with high-waisted linen trousers or denim for a modern contrast. 'A full-length crochet dress works beautifully with sleek sandals and minimal accessories to let the texture shine," she says. "For beachwear, a crochet cover-up over a solid swimsuit feels timeless yet on-trend." The other reason for the growing experimentations with knitwear is that they offer a refreshing departure from conventional summer fabrics like cotton and linen, believes Surabhi Vaidya, founder of the brand NOIB, which has used digital printing on crochet in its recent collection. 'Knitwear is moving beyond clothes to accessories and belts," says Vaidya. 'It's an indication of the kind of interest it is generating in the design community. You know the biggest thing about knits is that the focus remains on the fabric, its drape, its movement, and the natural character of the weave. Heavy embellishments or accessories aren't that necessary, because the fabric is telling the story." Manish Mishra is a Delhi-based writer and content creator. Also read: Are ballet flats the 'it' shoes of 2025?
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Disingenuous Charade': Blake Lively Mocks Justin Baldoni's Long Delayed HR Probe Of Her Sexual Harassment Claims
Days after a federal judge quickly shot down a Taylor Swift circus of sorts that seemed poised to take took over the multiple lawsuits battle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, the Another Simple Favor actress is calling out her It Ends With Us co-star for using an investigation on her sexual harassment claims to gum up the legal works. Lively lawyer Esra Hudson sent a letter to Judge Lewis J. Liman Monday seeking 'documents and witness recordings concerning Wayfarer's purported 'neutral' workplace investigation into Ms. Lively's sexual harassment and retaliation claims (the 'Investigation').' Telling the federal judge something he likely already knows, the Manett attorney added: 'Wayfarer is withholding such documents and recordings, claiming (at least for now) attorney-client privilege and work product.' More from Deadline Sean "Diddy" Combs Jury Hears Of Cassie Ventura Beating At LA Restaurant Attended By Music Superstars & Execs Ryan Reynolds Shares Update On John Candy Doc: "A Beautiful Man" Sean 'Diddy' Combs Sex-Trafficking Trial Updates: Cassie Ventura's Testimony, $10M Hotel Settlement, Drugs, Violence, & The Feds Insisting the 'so-called 'Investigation' is a disingenuous charade,' Hudson explained that 'the Investigation Materials are highly relevant, are necessary for Ms. Lively and the Court to ensure that witness engagement has been proper, and have been put at issue by Wayfarer. They must be produced.' With reference to the now tossed out Swift bullying accusations of May 14, Lively's team are also seeking sanctions against Baldoni's Wayfarer Studios, his execs and PR teams for an amended complaint that supposedly has 'no reasonable basis in law or fact and clearly were brought for an improper purpose.' In a statement released Monday mere minutes after the probe mocking letter hit the federal court docket, a spokesperson for Lively took a further kick at Baldoni and Wayfarer's credibility when it comes to looking clear-eyed into their own alleged actions. Does anyone believe that Wayfarer is genuinely investigating a film set workplace that no longer exists? Since Wayfarer is now suddenly interested in conducting a workplace 'investigation,' here's a reminder of some of the things Ms. Lively raised years ago during the filming of the movie, all of which are alleged in her amended complaint:· The boss, Mr. Baldoni, described his pornography addiction to his employee, Ms. Lively.· The boss, Mr. Baldoni, described his sex life in detail to his employee, Ms. Lively, including instances where he had sex without asking for consent or ignored someone saying no.· The boss, Mr. Baldoni, made degrading and sexual comments to his employee, Ms. Lively, including descriptions of his genitalia and remarks that she looked 'sexy' and 'hot.'· The boss, Mr. Baldoni, asked his employee, Ms. Lively, about her sex life and her orgasms with her partner.· The boss, Mr. Heath, showed his employee, Ms. Lively, a video of his naked wife in labor—without first asking for her consent.· The boss, Mr. Baldoni—head of the studio, director of the film, and co-star—improvised intimate physical contact with his employee and co-star, Ms. Lively, without warning or consent. This included sucking and biting her lip, kissing her forehead, rubbing his face and mouth against her neck, putting his thumb to her mouth and flicking her lower lip, and caressing her.· The boss, Mr. Baldoni, cast his best friend to place his face between the legs of his employee, Ms. Lively, for an intimate birth scene.· The boss, Mr. Heath, refused to turn around when asked to, while his employee, Ms. Lively, was having body makeup removed—and instead stared at her while she was topless. What was going on during the production of the domestic violence themed IEWU and the alleged astroturfing campaign that followed last year has seen Lively claiming she was smeared to shut her up about Baldoni's misbehavior on set and beyond. Even as Baldoni's publicists state they never had to do any smearing or anything else against the actress because the Internet unprompted hated Lively, the actress has said there were threats against her, husband Ryan Reynolds and their four children, and her hair product launch was financially disrupted, So, on December 20, Lively filed a sexual harassment and retaliation complaint with California's Civil Rights Department against Baldoni, his Wayfarer Studios, execs, and PR chiefs Melissa Nathan and Jennifer Abel with California's Civil Rights Department. Within just over a week, the lawsuits started flying — including evidence retention letters to Deadpool & Wolverine distributors Disney and $400 million defamation and extortion claims from Baldoni against Lively, Reynolds, the couple's PR chief Leslie Sloane and the New York Times. As everyone has now filed for dismissal and the case has slightly stepped back from the headlines due to Sean 'Diddy' Combs' ongoing sex-trafficking trial, this case is set to start its own trial on May 9, 2026. None of this needed to happen, and if Baldoni's company had done its job, almost none of it would have happened. 'If her complaints were promptly investigated, as the law requires, she may also have been spared the retaliatory smear campaign by Wayfarer and its Co-Defendants,' the four-page letter Hudson send to Judge Liman today declares. 'Instead, Wayfarer waited years, until late January 2025, to initiate this Investigation. By that time, Wayfarer had already forcefully publicly denied Ms. Lively's allegations and sued her and several others for $400 million for making the very same allegations that are now the subject of this 'neutral' investigation (for a workplace that no longer exists, the Film set).1 What's more, by January, its counsel had repeatedly called Ms. Lively a liar in widely-circulated media interviews.' Hudson's letter for Lively goes on to say: 'Under the guise of the Investigation's 'neutrality,' Wayfarer is conducting one-sided interviews of unsuspecting third parties—potentially tainting the ongoing litigation while reserving for itself the option of whether it will release its findings or bury them behind a cloak of attorney-client privilege. Meanwhile, the Investigation has dragged on for nearly five months, conveniently providing a pretextual basis for Wayfarer to refuse to produce otherwise patently discoverable information.' Reps for Baldoni and his Wayfarer inner circle did not respond to request for comment from Deadline on today's filing and claims. In terms of the now sought sanctions, Lively's Manett and legal team say in that filing: 'As to an improper purpose, that the FAC (First Amended Complaint) was filed principally as a vehicle to seed harassing media narratives against Ms. Lively is obvious. The examples are legion – from its legally meaningless 178-page 'Exhibit A,' to Counsel's ghoulish taunt that Ms. Lively should testify about her degrading experience of sexual harassment at Madison Square Garden before 20,000 spectators and streamed for the world, to using the Court's docket to level baseless allegations of extortion and spoliation of evidence against Ms. Lively and her counsel.' So, with no one interesting in any mediation or settlement talks here , expect a lot more of this scorched docket approach in the months to come. 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