Latest news with #Becoming
New York Post
5 days ago
- Business
- New York Post
Biden sells memoir for millions less than Obamas, Bill Clinton in embarrassing blow
Former President Biden has sold his presidential memoir for a $10 million advance – far less than the lucrative deals won by the Obamas and Bill Clinton, according to a report. Biden, 82, made a deal with Hachette Book Group for an advance of around $10 million, people familiar with the matter told the Wall Street Journal. The book's publisher, Hachette's Little, Brown & Co., has not yet set a publication date. 3 President Biden delivers his farewell address to the nation from the Oval Office in January. via REUTERS Former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama, meanwhile, sold the rights to their memoirs to Penguin Random House for a record-breaking $60 million in 2017. Alfred A. Knopf, which is owned by Penguin Random House's parent firm Bertelsmann, paid $15 million for former President Bill Clinton's 2004 memoir 'My Life.' President Trump did not publish a presidential memoir after his first term. At an event earlier this month, Biden said he was 'working my tail off' to write a memoir. Biden was represented by Creative Artists Agency, which sold Hachette worldwide rights for the book. The agency also represented Biden for his 2017 memoir 'Promise Me, Dad: A Year of Hope, Hardship and Purpose,' which chronicled his last year with his oldest son, Beau, who died from brain cancer in 2015. 3 Barack Obama's memoir 'A Promised Land.' AP Hachette and CAA did not immediately respond to The Post's requests for comment. In May, a spokesperson for Biden announced that the former president has an 'aggressive' form of prostate cancer, though it 'appears to be hormone-sensitive, which allows for effective management.' It's likely that his health could impact the timeline of his memoir's release. Biden has hinted that the memoir will cover his four years as president. The longtime politician also served eight years as vice president during the Obama administration. He dropped out of the presidential race in late July last year after a disastrous debate performance and freezing episode ramped up accusations that he was mentally unfit to serve. 3 Bill Clinton's memoir 'My Life.' AP Biden's book is set to follow the best-sold presidential memoirs in history. Within its first 24 hours, Barack's memoir 'A Promised Land' sold 890,000 copies in the US and Canada, surpassing Michelle's 'Becoming' at 725,000 first-day copies and Bill Clinton's 'My Life' at 400,000. Just one month after its release in 2020, sales of Barack's memoir had surpassed 3.3 million copies – close to the then-lifetime total of Clinton's and George W. Bush's, at 3.5 million and 4 million copies respectively.
The Hill
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hill
Michelle Obama urges authenticity on social media: Don't be afraid to ‘expose' the ‘messy or more complicated bits'
Michelle Obama says at this point in her life, she's learning to embrace the 'messy' and 'more complicated' parts of life, rather than project an image of perfection. 'Every time we pick up our phones, we see images of families that just look too perfect,' the former first lady said in an interview with Parents magazine for its Next Gen Awards issue released Tuesday. 'It makes you think everyone is doing better than you,' said Obama, who shares 27-year-old daughter Malia and 24-year-old Sasha with former President Obama. 'And that's just not reflective of reality,' she added. 'It's so easy for us to curl up into this protective instinct and not talk about the messy or more complicated bits of our lives,' Obama, who launched her 'IMO' podcast with her brother, Craig Robinson, in March, told the magazine. 'It can feel dangerous to expose those imperfect parts of ourselves. But over the years, I have learned that it's really the opposite,' she said. The 'Becoming' author offered some words of encouragement for parents, saying, 'Each of us has our own style when it comes to raising kids.' 'So if you're doing something different than your friends and neighbors, that's OK,' Obama, 61, said. 'Just like our kids, we're going to have times where we succeed and times when we fail. That's a part of the journey. We have to recognize that, and give ourselves — and each other — a little grace along the way,' she said. 'When we realize that and learn each other's stories, it makes living life, as well as raising kids, so much easier.'
Newsweek
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Barack Obama, Michelle Share Update on Divorce Rumors—'Hard Times'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama, shared an update on divorce rumors during a new episode of her podcast. Newsweek reached out to the Obamas' representative via email for comment on Wednesday. The Context Barack Obama was the 44th President of the United States and served two terms from 2009 until 2017. The former president, 63, and former first lady, 61, got married on October 3, 1992 and share two children together: daughters Malia Obama, 27, and Sasha Obama, 24. At the start of this year, Michelle Obama did not attend former President Jimmy Carter's state funeral, and she skipped out on President Donald Trump's inauguration, too. Meghan McCain—the daughter of the late Republican Senator John McCain—added fuel to the fire on her Citizen McCain podcast, claiming she heard rumors that they were splitting up "by reputable people." What To Know On Wednesday's episode of IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson—which Michelle Obama co-hosts with her older brother, Craig Robinson—Barack Obama appeared as a guest, and the spouses addressed their relationship. President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama greet parents, trick-or-treaters and local school children at the north portico of the White House in Washington, D.C., during a Halloween celebration on October 31, 2009. President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama greet parents, trick-or-treaters and local school children at the north portico of the White House in Washington, D.C., during a Halloween celebration on October 31, 2009. Kristoffer Tripplaar-Pool/Getty Images "Welcome to IMO, look at you," Michelle Obama said to her husband, to which Robinson teased: "Wait, you guys like each other?" "Oh yeah really, huh. That's the rumor mill," the Becoming author replied. "It's my husband, y'all." "She took me back!" Barack Obama joked, which prompted his wife to say: "Now don't start." "It was touch and go for a while," the politician playfully added. As the trio laughed, Robinson chimed in: "It's so nice to have you both in the same room." "I know because when we aren't, folks think we're divorced," Michelle Obama said. Later on in the podcast, she further shut down any rumors. "There hasn't been one moment in our marriage where I've thought about quitting my man, and we've had some really hard times," the attorney shared. "We've had a lot of fun times, a lot of adventures, and I have become a better person because of the man I'm married to." In response, Barack Obama told her not to "make me cry right at the beginning of the show." "Don't let me start tearing up now," he said. This isn't the first time Michelle Obama has touched on split rumors. In June, she pushed back on speculation during NPR's Wild Card with Rachel Martin. "It's like, OK, so we don't Instagram every minute of our lives," the Harvard Law School graduate said. "We are 60. We're 60, y'all. We just, you just are not gonna know what we're doing every minute of the day, you know?" What People Are Saying IMO teased the Barack Obama episode on Tuesday with a video posted to Instagram. In the comments, fans shared their excitement for the conversation. Black Panther actor Ricky Barksdale wrote in a note with 6,964 likes: "Hey man we need you back here, this babysitter is crazy." HBCU Symphony founder, who goes by @sirthebaptist on Instagram, said in a message: "Man I miss this guy being in charge of America." @_fabulousray shared in a reply with 56 likes: "I AMMMMMMMM SO ELATEDDDDDDDDD THAT OUR FOREVER PRESIDENT WILL FINALLLLLLLLY BE ON THE @imopodcasts. I have been waiting on his appearance since this podcast launched 4 months ago! God really does answers prayers. I am ready to see the swag and hear the laughter and jokes all while gaining more wisdom. I love y'all so much." @thenajahall remarked: "Mom and Dad!!!" @gemstone2014 added: "Very good conversation." What Happens Next IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson airs new episodes on Wednesdays on platforms like Spotify, YouTube and Apple Podcasts.
Hans India
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hans India
Exclusive: Jitin Gulati on Working with Kajol, Jungle Laughs, and Playing a Cop in Maa
Jitin Gulati, who has carved a niche for himself in the entertainment industry with a mix of charm, intensity, and grounded performances, recently opened up about his experience working on Maa, a film that blends mythology and fantasy with horror. From sharing the screen with Kajol to navigating through dense jungles in uniform, Jitin offers a behind-the-scenes look into a shoot that was hilariously memorable. Kajol: The Fireball On and Off Camera 'She's a fireball,' Jitin says with a grin, when asked about working with Kajol. 'She has two personalities. When she's on the camera, she remains the character. But when she's not on the camera and she's behind the scenes, she's literally laughing out loud. And making us laugh out she's full of energy.' Recalling the most funny moments while shooting with Kajol, Jitin added, 'The funniest would be all our scenes.' Becoming the Cop: A Story Beyond the Uniform In Maa, Jitin plays a police officer, a role that required more than just wearing a uniform. For him, the character-building process was about finding the man beneath the badge. 'I mean, one part of it was understanding the basics of what a cop is like. The other is, who is this cop? I mean, there's a human being, in uniform. So, the backstory where he comes from. And the rest of the preparation, honestly, it was in the writing. We had rehearsals and we had our readings with the writers and the director, Mr. Vishal. So, while talking, you start forming the character. And of course, everything comes into place once you're with the other actors on the set.' More Cop Roles and Stepping into Telugu Films Laughing about the types of roles that keep coming his way, Jitin quips, 'There have been so many cop and army parts coming my way. I think I'm going to be in uniform for a while now.' Jitin also has two Telugu projects in his kitty, the details of which he has kept under wraps for now. 'One, I've shot a bit of it. And the second one, I have started (shooting).' For the unversed, directed by Vishal Furia, Maa stars Kajol in the lead role and is produced by Ajay Devgn and Jyoti Deshpande.
Broadcast Pro
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Broadcast Pro
Red Sea Film Foundation-backed films to premiere at Locarno Film Festival
The Red Sea Film Foundation supported these projects through its Red Sea Fund and Red Sea Souk initiatives. The 78th Locarno Film Festival, which will take place from August 6 to 16, 2025, has selected three films supported by the Red Sea Film Foundation. The selected titles, Irkalla – Gilgamesh's Dream by Iraqi director Mohamed Al-Daradji, Becoming by Kazakh filmmaker Zhannat Alshanova and Exile by Tunisian director Mehdi Hmili, showcase bold storytelling from emerging voices across the Arab world and beyond. Each film received backing through the Red Sea Fund or the Red Sea Souk, initiatives created by the foundation to foster innovative, diverse narratives in global cinema. Irkalla – Gilgamesh's Dream reimagines the ancient Mesopotamian epic through a modern lens, following a diabetic street child who urges his fierce companion Gilgamesh to take him to the mythical underworld, Arkala. Becoming explores themes of identity and self-discovery in contemporary Kazakhstan, tracing a young woman's struggle for independence under the direction of London-based filmmaker Alshanova. In Exile, Hmili paints a haunting picture of grief and resilience set inside Tunisia's largest steel factory, where four workers grappling with physical and mental trauma are bound together by the mysterious disappearance of a colleague. The Red Sea Film Foundation said that they are proud in supporting these projects and hailed their inclusion at Locarno as a major achievement for regional cinema and emerging talent.
