Latest news with #CountryStrong
Scoop
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Christchurch's Steffany Beck Embraces Her Inner Cowgirl On Her Rollicking New Anthem, ‘Country Strong'
Christchurch's very own rising country-pop star Steffany Beck has released her first song of 2025, the rocking 'n' rowdy anthem, ' Country Strong '. 2025 is indeed looking strong for Steffany, having grabbed the attention of music consultant Steve Guest, who has worked with Dolly Parton for over 20 years, and now resides in NZ, when he saw her play her hit ' What Would Dolly Do?' randomly at a fair in Rangiora last year. Steve is now mentoring Steffany in the ways of international country music alongside Bianca Lindstrom - ex Sony Australia - who is a marketing genius in the music industry. There are plans afoot to elevate Steffany as the country music scene continues to explode. Beck is one of the first performers to be confirmed to play at The Isaac Theatre Royal in Christchurch (date to be announced), as part of the theatre's initiative ' Live and Local', and NZ Music Month, which gives artists the opportunity to showcase their talents and their voices onstage at the prestigious venue and help them on their musical journeys. Steve Guest said, " Steffany is a talented singer and songwriter with a relentless work ethic. Her songs are very good. She reminds me of a young Dolly Parton, and we all know how her hard work paid off. Stef has a promising future ahead, with opportunities in Nashville, Europe, and beyond. I'm glad to be part of her journey.' Bianca Lindstrom from Issac Theatre Royal said, " Steffany is the real deal - equal parts talent, grit, and pure country heart. She writes with authenticity, performs with joy, and works like someone who knows exactly where she's going. ' Country Strong' isn't just a great song - it's a statement. I'm thrilled to be supporting her journey as she sets her sights on the world stage.' A rock 'n' roll, toe-tappin', ode to country music, ' Country Strong ' was co-written with longtime collaborator Nick Burson, who stumbled across the song's killer riff while playing around with some song ideas at home in Steffany 's living room. 'I was like 'Woah! What was that? Play it again',' Steffany says. 'Once I heard it the second time the lyrics and melody just started pouring out of me. When inspiration strikes, it strikes hot, and this song was like lightning.' Steffany says that the inspiration for the lyrics for ' Country Strong ' comes from the phenomenal popularity of country music right now. 'Country music has always been cool. But there is a worldwide movement right now and this song embodies it - connecting our country roots to the worldwide modern country music fever,' she explains. The palpable energy of ' Country Strong ' is captured in a slick music video made by Neato Productions. It features members of the Christchurch Western Riding Association and saw Steffany brushing up on her horse wrangling and riding skills and embracing her inner cowgirl. 'I had four riding sessions and literally practiced daily for a couple of weeks to improve my lasso skills. I was so determined to look like a natural born cowgirl. The horse, Elle, which I was blessed to ride, was perfect for me. She was a patient, experienced showgirl, who knew how to make a rookie look like a pro,' says Steffany. Supported by NZ on Air and recorded and produced by Andy and Victoria Knopp (The Response), ' Country Strong ' is the first single from Steffany this year, and follows the release of her 2024 EP, PILLARS, which received a rave review from MuzicNZ: ' It's hard to find fault in the songwriting… Beck proves she has a knack for writing a catchy hook, all while telling compelling and heartfelt stories.' PILLARS and now ' Country Strong ' have established Steffany as 'one to watch' on New Zealand's country-pop music scene and showcase a talented artist, who's enjoying the ride. 'I feel strong and confident in who I am and ' Country Strong ' reflects me embracing being strong, loving country music and having a hell of a good time doing it.' To celebrate the release of ' Country Strong ', Steffany is playing a string of shows, including this weekend's Country Rock Music Festival in the Bay of Islands (May 9 and 10), the Live and Local Showcase in Christchurch (May 11) and Go Live Festival (August 23). About Steffany Beck: Steffany Beck is a country pop singer-songwriter with an impressive list of career highlights, including her country debut EP, PILLARS, recorded with multi-award winning producer Ben Edwards. The EP charted at #6 in The Top 20 NZ Albums. Steffany has written with celebrated New Zealand singer-songwriter Bic Runga and has performed live with legends such as Jason Kerrison and Anika Moa. She has won a national songwriting competition and is a semi-finalist for the International Songwriting Competition. This past summer, Steffany performed at Christmas in the Park, NZ Spirit Festival, Summer Sundays, South Island Wine and Food Festival, opening for Kaylee Bell, and many more! On top of that Steffany Beck partnered up with Miranda Easten to release girl power country duet single ' Hell & Back ' charting at #12 on the Tasmanian & OZCMR Top 40 Country Chart.
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Gwyneth Paltrow Talks Acting Return: ‘It's Different When You're Reprising an Avengers Thing'
Gwyneth Paltrow is set to star in the upcoming A24 film Marty Supreme, a role that sees Paltrow return to the world of movies for the first time in over a decade. This is not counting the MCU, however, which is something she does not count fully. Speaking to Vanity Fair in a recent interview, Paltrow opened up about what it was like to step back into a role in which the actress would be going all in for. According to Paltrow, the last time she feels like she did that was in 2010's Country Strong, which to her is the last time she was 'laying it all on the line and accessing a kind of vulnerability.' Despite the comments, Paltrow has appeared in several movies since 2010, including many Marvel Studios projects, like the Iron Man franchise and various Avengers films. However, Paltrow noted that there was a difference in those projects versus something like the upcoming Marty Supreme. 'It's different when you're reprising an Avengers thing,' said Paltrow. Sign-up today for access to Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ Learn More Marty Supreme is co-written by Safdie and Ronald Bronstein. The cast also includes enn Jillette, Odessa A'zion, Kevin O'Leary, Abel Ferrera, and Sandra Bernard. Safdie, Bronstein, and Chalamet serve as producers alongside Eli Bush, Anthony Katagas, and A24. 'The movie was rumored to be a biopic about iconoclastic ping-pong player Marty Reisman, and now we're hearing it's not exactly that,' reports from Deadline on the movie read. 'More loosely based. The pic is being billed as a cross between Wolf of Wall Street and Catch Me If You Can.' Safdie made his feature film directorial debut in 2008 with The Pleasure of Being Robbed. He went on to direct a handful of movies alongside his brother, Benny, including 2017's Good Time and 2019's Uncut Gems. They've since decided to embark on solo projects, as Benny is now working on The Smashing Machine with Dwayne Johnson. The post Gwyneth Paltrow Talks Acting Return: 'It's Different When You're Reprising an Avengers Thing' appeared first on - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Gwyneth Paltrow told intimacy coordinator to 'step a little bit back' during sex scenes with Timothée Chalamet
Gwyneth Paltrow did not hold back when discussing intimate scenes with Timothée Chalamet in the upcoming movie 'Marty Supreme.' Paltrow, 52, put it bluntly: 'I was like, 'Okay, great. I'm 109 years old. You're 14.'' Paltrow and Chalamet, 29, star in the upcoming Josh Safdie-directed movie loosely based on the life of table tennis champ Martin "Marty" Reisman. The internet was buzzing after paparazzi photos of the two actors kissing in character made the rounds in October, when they were shooting in New York. In an interview for Vanity Fair's April cover, Paltrow divulged the first details about her character, saying she is 'married to someone who is in the Ping-Pong mafia, as it were' and becomes entangled with Chalamet's Marty. 'They meet and she's had a pretty tough life, and I think he breathes life back into her, but it's kind of transactional for them both.' She also said the 'transactional' entanglement involves the two characters having 'a lot of sex in this movie.' 'There's a lot — a lot,' she added. Paltrow, who became a defining figure of the #MeToo movement in 2017, also said she has been slow to embrace one of the changes to the industry that came out of that period: the rise of intimacy coordinators. Read more: How do you make a sex scene sexy? (And keep the actors safe?) Five intimacy coordinators explain their craft 'There's now something called an intimacy coordinator, which I did not know existed,' she said. When the coordinator on set for 'Marty Supreme' asked Paltrow if she'd be OK with a particular interaction, she recalled, 'I was like, 'Girl, I'm from the era where you get naked, you get in bed, the camera's on.'' 'We said, 'I think we're good. You can step a little bit back,'' Paltrow continued. 'I don't know how it is for kids who are starting out, but … if someone is like, 'Okay, and then he's going to put his hand here,' I would feel, as an artist, very stifled by that.' Paltrow spoke highly of Chalamet, the latest leading man to play opposite the Oscar winner. He joins the company of Brad Pitt, Jude Law, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr. and more. 'He's such a thinking man's sex symbol,' she said. 'He's just a very polite, properly raised, I was going to say 'kid.' He's a man who takes his work really seriously and is a fun partner.' Read more: Timothée Chalamet wins best actor SAG Award, shaking up Oscar race Paltrow's role in the film marks her emergence from semiretirement, as she has been focused on parenting and her wellness and lifestyle brand Goop for much of the last decade. She said her role in the 2010 film 'Country Strong' was her most recent serious acting venture, despite appearing in several Marvel movies and in a supporting role on the series 'The Politician' since then. 'Marty Supreme' also stars musician Tyler, the Creator, Fran Drescher and Sandra Bernhard. The A24 title hits theaters Christmas Day. Sign up for Indie Focus, a weekly newsletter about movies and what's going on in the wild world of cinema. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
19-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Gwyneth Paltrow told intimacy coordinator to ‘step a little bit back' during sex scenes with Timothée Chalamet
Gwyneth Paltrow did not hold back when discussing intimate scenes with Timothée Chalamet in the upcoming movie 'Marty Supreme.' Paltrow, 52, put it bluntly: 'I was like, 'Okay, great. I'm 109 years old. You're 14.'' Paltrow and Chalamet, 29, star in the upcoming Josh Safdie-directed movie loosely based on the life of table tennis champ Martin 'Marty' Reisman. The internet was buzzing after paparazzi photos of the two actors kissing in character made the rounds in October, when they were shooting in New York. In an interview for Vanity Fair's April cover, Paltrow divulged the first details about her character, saying she is 'married to someone who is in the Ping-Pong mafia, as it were' and becomes entangled with Chalamet's Marty. 'They meet and she's had a pretty tough life, and I think he breathes life back into her, but it's kind of transactional for them both.' She also said the 'transactional' entanglement involves the two characters having 'a lot of sex in this movie.' 'There's a lot — a lot,' she added. Paltrow, who became a defining figure of the #MeToo movement in 2017, also said she has been slow to embrace one of the changes to the industry that came out of that period: the rise of intimacy coordinators. 'There's now something called an intimacy coordinator, which I did not know existed,' she said. When the coordinator on set for 'Marty Supreme' asked Paltrow if she'd be OK with a particular interaction, she recalled, 'I was like, 'Girl, I'm from the era where you get naked, you get in bed, the camera's on.'' 'We said, 'I think we're good. You can step a little bit back,'' Paltrow continued. 'I don't know how it is for kids who are starting out, but … if someone is like, 'Okay, and then he's going to put his hand here,' I would feel, as an artist, very stifled by that.' Paltrow spoke highly of Chalamet, the latest leading man to play opposite the Oscar winner. He joins the company of Brad Pitt, Jude Law, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr. and more. 'He's such a thinking man's sex symbol,' she said. 'He's just a very polite, properly raised, I was going to say 'kid.' He's a man who takes his work really seriously and is a fun partner.' Paltrow's role in the film marks her emergence from semiretirement, as she has been focused on parenting and her wellness and lifestyle brand Goop for much of the last decade. She said her role in the 2010 film 'Country Strong' was her most recent serious acting venture, despite appearing in several Marvel movies and in a supporting role on the series 'The Politician' since then. 'Marty Supreme' also stars musician Tyler, the Creator, Fran Drescher and Sandra Bernhard. The A24 title hits theaters Christmas Day.
Express Tribune
18-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Gwyneth Paltrow talks steamy scenes with Timothée Chalamet
Oscar-winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow is making a major return to acting in Josh Safdie's upcoming A24 film, Marty Supreme. Starring alongside Timothée Chalamet, Paltrow plays the wife of a rival professional in a high-stakes ping-pong underworld. She recently shared details about the film's numerous intimate scenes and her experience working with an intimacy coordinator for the first time. 'We have a lot of sex in this movie,' Paltrow told Vanity Fair. 'There's a lot—a lot.' The actress admitted she was unfamiliar with intimacy coordinators, a now-standard industry role that ensures actors feel comfortable during intimate scenes. While filming, she opted for a more traditional approach. 'I'm from the era where you get naked, you get in bed, and the camera's on,' she explained. 'I think we're good. You can step a little bit back.' Paltrow praised Chalamet, calling him 'a thinking man's sex symbol' and commending his professionalism. 'He's a very polite, properly raised man who takes his work seriously and is a fun partner,' she said. Marty Supreme, set for release on December 25, 2025, marks Paltrow's first major acting role since 2010's Country Strong. Encouraged by longtime friend Cameron Diaz, who also recently returned to acting, Paltrow embraced the challenge. 'I've gone through a lot since the last time I was on screen in a real way,' she reflected. Director Josh Safdie praised Paltrow's on-screen presence, stating, 'She's a movie star in the cosmic sense. Her absence has lent a vulnerability to her abilities.'
