Latest news with #Dictator
Mint
24-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Mint
Sacha Baron Cohen flaunts six-pack abs in new look for Marvel's Mephisto, admits to using Ozempic: ‘This is not AI…'
Actor, comedian Sacha Baron Cohen left everyone surprised on the internet with his drastic physical transformation. He is set to play the Marvel supervillain Mephisto. Opening up about his transformation, Cohen revealed how he achieved his chiselled abs. He also revealed he used Ozempic. He appeared on Men's Fitness UK cover, flaunting his six-pack abs in shirtless pictures. The 53-year-old actor was seen doing pull-ups and working out in gym, giving fans a sneak peek at how he got in shape for his Marvel role. Sharing the pictures, Sacha Baron Cohen clarified, "This is not AI. 'I really am egotistical enough to do this.' Sacha Baron Cohen on his Instagram Stories. Cohen showed his toned back and revealed that he used Ozempic as part of his fitness routine to achieve the physique. He shared, 'Some celebs use Ozempic, some use private chefs, others use personal trainers. I did all three." The Dictator actor also poked fun at himself and said that he is 'hard launching my mid-life crisis'. He added, 'debuting my new character: middle-aged man who replaced beer with protein shakes,' with more photos from the cover shoot. He also thanked his personal trainer, Alfonso Moretti, "for doing the unthinkable — putting up with me for 25 mins a day." Talking about training the actor, Alfonso told the magazine: "To be fair to Sacha, he wasn't out of shape. But visually, he didn't have that 'in-shape' look. He looked more like a ruler – straight up and down. The studio was even thinking about fitting him with prosthetic muscles.' 'I'm not going to take ultimate credit for this,' he added Alfonso. 'Sacha had a good base to start with. He has good muscularity: the shape of his muscles, his insertions (where the muscle fibres attach to the bones via tendons), the length of his attachments – he was like an athlete in hiding. But we had a very short timeframe to achieve the look the studio wanted," he added. 'We kept it simple. Bodyweight exercises, pull-ups, push-ups, squats. Minimal equipment. Sacha is very strong – he can do 10-12 solid pull-ups and chin-ups no problem, which for someone 6ft 3in is rare. But by no means would you have looked at him and said, 'He works out.'' 'High fibre, low sugar, plenty of protein – nothing fancy, nothing extreme. We didn't count calories. We focused on smart choices,' he added.
Daily Record
13-07-2025
- Climate
- Daily Record
TRNSMT day three as festival fans from across world soak up Glasgow sunshine
Festival-goers and performers have praised TRNSMT 2025 as one of the best yet. Music fans from around the world hailed TRNSMT a success as they soaked up the sounds and sunshine. The hottest weekend of the year provided the perfect conditions for revellers who basked in record-breaking temperatures. Over the three days, temperatures peaked at 30C on Saturday. And the unusually hot weather continued into Sunday, bringing tens of thousands of music fans to Glasgow Green in time for performances by dozens of top name and up-and-coming acts. Many had come to see yesterday's headliners Snow Patrol close the weekender's main stage and penultimate act Gracie Abrams. A number of homegrown acts including Dictator, who played the BBC Introducing stage, and Kyle Falconer entertained music fans from around the world yesterday. Postal worker Jack Martin, 28, from Austin, Texas, said: 'We flew to Scotland to enjoy a holiday because my wife is from here and wanted to see family. 'We realised our trip to Glasgow coincided with TRNSMT and decided to buy tickets and it's been one of the highlights of the trip so far. 'My wife has been to TRNSMT twice before and she thinks this is the best one yet.' Shop worker Sarah Brown, 38, from Renfrew said: 'I've been to five TRNSMTs and this one beats all the others. Some of the festivals have had bigger or better headliners but for the fun atmosphere I don't think anything can beat this weekend. 'I've enjoyed all three days and knowing that one of my favourite bands, Snow Patrol, would finish things off is the icing on the cake. Temperatures touched 30C on Saturday, cooling to a mere 26C on Sunday. Taylor Dylan, 26 from Dundee, said: 'We came to our pal Nxdia play. It was a brilliant set on the King Tut's stage. 'I love TRNSMT but they need to do more as a Glasgow festival to promote local talent. We need to see more Scottish talent and more non-males playing the festival. It's a very male dominated line-up.' Emma Kooij, 22, from the Netherlands had flown to Glasgow to see Gracie Abrams for the 20th time this year. She said: 'I absolutely love her music and I couldn't pass up the chance to see her amongst other artists at TRNSMT. She never disappoints'. Mag, 47, travelled all the way from Osaka, Japan, to see Kyle Faulkner – making it her third visit to TRNSMT. 'I'm a huge fan of Scottish music - and this is the festival that really brings it to life,' she said. 'I never feel alone when I'm here because people are so friendly. I love coming over - I'll be back next year'. Scottish drag artist Lola Fierce, 30, from Paisley, flew in from Gran Canaria. They said: 'This is the second time I have played at the Hangout. I did it last year. It's a ball and I would definitely say this is the best gig I've ever done which is why I flew 2,500 miles to come back and do it again. 'You get more variety of acts and stalls each year and there is definitely something for everyone to come along and have a ball and have fun. Beatson volunteers, IT worker Kirsty and wife, salon owner Jennifer Storrie, both 44, from Glasgow, helped people out on the disabled platform during the sets by artists such as . 'We are helping people by running to get their drinks and food so people can enjoy the music. It seems a lot bigger this year and a lot better. There are a lot more places for people to chill out. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. 'I thought we were maybe too old but there is something for everybody ' 'My sister passed away last year with ovarian cancer and Kirsty's mum is going through ovarian cancer so we are giving back. Kirsty climbed the Kelpies and I did the Beatson bobble appeal because last year I was 10 years clear. 'This festival caters to everybody which is great.' Paul Mescal - whose sister Nell Mescal and girlfriend, Gracie Abrams both played the festival yesterday - was also spotted in the crowd. Nathan Evans and the Saint Phnx Band pulled a huge crowd on the main stage. The singer also revealed he will stage a concert at the Ovo Hydro on October 25. He said: 'To be able to announce that I'm playing the Hydro on stage at TRNSMT, in front of the fans who've helped make it happen, is the stuff that dreams are made of. 'Everything these days is about social media so there's something special about telling folk about it live during a show, especially in the beautiful sunshine.' Tom Walker brought Cammy Barnes onto the main stage to play bagpipes during his breakthrough single, Leave a Light On. Tom, 33, said: 'What an amazing crowd and awesome to finally take the main stage at TRNSMT. I brought Cammy Barnes on for the bagpipes on the last song Leave A Light On. 'He's a great artist and a great singer who slams it on the pipes. Bringing the pipes out in Scotland always gets everybody going and Cammy was having the best time of his life. 'The weather has been great and everybody has been really lovely. I love coming here.'
Glasgow Times
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
TRNSMT 2025 pre- and afterparties to take over King Tut's
With only one week to go until the music festival on Glasgow Green opens its doors, party-goers are now invited to the pre- and afterparties of the event. Guests will be able to catch Indoor Foxes, Fright Years and Dictator performing live on Thursday, July 10. READ NEXT: Here's what you can eat and drink at TRNSMT 2025 Then, on Friday, July 11, at the first afterparty, the iconic venue will host Glasgow's own Twin Atlantic with an intimate set . On Saturday, July 12, another Glaswegian band will be playing. The Rooks will delight the McChuills audience. Finally, on Sunday, July 13, indie-rock band The Lathums will return to King Tut's for the final afterparty.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Hear Daron Malakian and Scars on Broadway's New Song, ‘Killing Spree'
Daron Malakian has strong opinions about what's missing in heavy music today: danger and risk. 'I think you have a generation of fans who are very easily offended,' he tells Rolling Stone. 'Offensiveness and shock should not be taken away from rock music in general.' Those qualities are inherent in 'Killing Spree,' the bloodthirsty first single off Addicted to the Violence, the new album from Daron Malakian and Scars on Broadway, due out July 18. 'Insanity/Controlling me,' he sings in the song's chorus, 'Society/The kids are on a killing spree.' Built on manic, strobing guitars and undulating waves of distortion, the music feels both cutting and brutalizing. 'It's gonna feel like a Jesus comin' back,' he sings, stretching the last word heavenward with giddy, helium-like aplomb. 'It's gonna feel like the devil's on the attack.' More from Rolling Stone Watch Julien Baker Join Jasmine.4.t to Cover System of a Down's 'Toxicity' System of a Down Jokingly Confirm Glenn Close Was a Bandmate Following Golden Globes Shout-Out Serj Tankian Asks If Imagine Dragons Would Play Nazi Germany Amid Azerbaijan Concert 'I think the song 'Killing Spree' is a subject that I don't think a lot of people want to touch,' Malakian, 49, says via email. 'I don't care, I'll touch it because it exists. It's not to be shocking or offensive, but it exists, and that's what I'll write about if I want to. I'm not going to edit myself if someone is going to be offended. I think that's missing in heavy metal music.' He's reluctant to explain the song — 'Your kids are on a killing spree, so your kids have something to do with it,' he says vaguely — partially because he doesn't see anything controversial about the subject matter of killing sprees. 'We live in a world, and things happen in this world, and killing sprees are one of those things that I've seen happen kind of often in the last 15 years or so — but I actually wrote the song way before that,' he says. Moreover, he looks at the song as commentary more than a transgressive statement. 'It's not for or against anything,' he says. 'It just is.' These days, Malakian says he just writes songs for the sake of it. As guitarist-singer for System of a Down, he's been keeping busy touring with them. Since that band has reached a creative stalemate, at least when it comes to making a new album (they did record a couple of songs a few years ago), he has been slowly working on a follow-up to the last Scars on Broadway album, Dictator, which came out in 2018. That album contained songs he had once hoped to record with System of a Down; Addicted to the Violence, he says, is more general. 'At this point in my life, I don't write any songs for System or for Scars,' he says. 'I just write songs. I think if System was making an album, some of those songs would probably end up on a System album, but System does not make albums these days, so they go to Scars.' Malakian had recorded Dictator as a distraction from 'some personal things going on with my family and my life,' so he recorded a bunch of songs in the space of two weeks, doing everything himself, from the vocals and guitars to the drums. Addicted to the Violence has been a more considered affair that found him collaborating on songwriting with his friend, multi-instrumentalist Orbel Babayan, drummer Roman Lomtadze, and saxophonist Matthew 'Narducci' Silberman. 'This album probably took me longer than any album I've ever made to decide it was done,' Malakian says. 'On this one, I did more home demos, recorded some stuff at home, picked the songs in my rolodex of songs that were like, 'Let's record this one, see how it goes.'' Scars on Broadway first recorded the songs at Malakian's home, but it didn't sound right, so they went to a studio, recutting everything but the vocals. He estimates it took close to two years to get everything the way he wanted it. 'I was in no rush,' he says. 'I'm never in any rush. I'm sure people who like what I do realize I don't put out an album every year. … That's just my process.' So will people be able to hear these songs in a concert setting? 'I have plans to play live, but I don't have any tours scheduled or anything like that,' he says. 'But I definitely have plans to play live.' Best of Rolling Stone The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
