Latest news with #Eric Bana
News.com.au
a day ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
‘Thrilling': Eric Bana dazzles in new must-watch Netflix series
We've sifted through the latest offerings from TV and streaming platforms to find the best shows you should be watching this week. UNTAMED NETFLIX Aussie Eric Bana's steely performance as a damaged, driven special agent is the main reason to seek out this six-part murder mystery set in California's spectacular Yosemite National Park. The ever-reliable Aussie plays Kyle Turner, who has been driven to drink by the memory of his dead son and is jolted into action when a young woman plunges to her death from the park's famous El Capitan rock face. But did she jump or did more sinister motives dating back decades drive her to do it? Turner's quest for answers, assisted by former LA cop turned rookie ranger Naya Vazquez (Lily Santiago) and his long-time friend and colleague Paul (Sam Neill) will take him deep into the wilds as he uncovers a dangerous secret within the tourist hot spot, as well as forcing him to confront his own troubled past and relationship with ex-wife Jill (an excellent Rosemarie DeWitt). While the sometimes grisly action unfolds a pace that might be too sedate for some, regular twists and surprises and the thrilling vistas from one of the world's most picturesque parks ensure it's never less that eminently watchable. BELOW DECK DOWN UNDER WEDNESDAY, 8.30PM, CHANNEL 7 Another season, another spectacular location, another collection of ridiculously good-looking crew and another group of very rich and entitled customers with first world problems – it's plain sailing as usual for one of the biggest guilty pleasure viewing experiences around. This week kicks off with day two of a cruise in the Seychelles and chief steward Lara in tears after day one 'shit show' on the luxury yacht Katina. With a beach excursion planned and a Cowboys and Cowgirls BBQ dinner on the menu, Captain Jason needs the team to lift their game to make sure the guests leave happy. Meanwhile things are heating up in the kitchen between head chef Tzarina and reluctant sous chef Anthony, which threatens to spill over into shore-leave dramas. WASHINGTON BLACK WEDNESDAY, DISNEY+ Adapted from Esi Edugayan's 2018 bestseller, this freewheeling and sometimes fantastical eight-part drama tells the story of how 11-year-old George Washington Black flees the nightmare of slavery on a 19th century Barbados sugar plantation to find a life of adventure. Flipping back and forth in time, with the adult Wash still on the run from bounty hunters while trying to forge a new life and find love in Canada, it kicks into gear with the title character's escape from racism and retribution on a flying machine thanks to a kindly English inventor. As they adventure together with pirates on the Caribbean and sled dogs in the Artic, the brilliant young Wash chases his dream of becoming a revered scientist in a society that's determined to keep him in his place. BETTER MAN SATURDAY, PRIME VIDEO Australian director Michael Gracey took a huge swing in his Melbourne-shot biopic of Robbie Williams by reimagining the UK pop superstar as a chimpanzee. While the bold move failed spectacularly in the cinemas, it deserves a second life on streaming as one of the best and most inventive movies of its type in recent years. Williams himself was heavily involved (most of the motion capture was done by UK actor Jonno Davies) and he is his usual self-deprecating and unflinchingly honest self, even when recounting his appalling actions at his lowest drug fuelled ebbs. With stunning set pieces – the dance on London's Regent St set to Rock DJ is a knockout – and a scarcely believable true story, it's well worth your time. TEENAGE BOSS: NEXT LEVEL SATURDAY, 7.30PM, ABC Former Yellow Wiggle Emma Watkins has headed to the Apple Isle for the second season of the delightful reality TV show that turns over the household budget to teenagers to see if they can balance their own saving goals with the needs of the family. First up is Caitlyn, who is laser-focused on raising the funds to fulfil her potentially expensive dream of joining a school ski trip to the mainland as well as juggling her school, work and volunteer commitments. Wise beyond her years, Caitlyn's spending choices are smart and practical – but her biggest obstacle might be mother Seher, who takes the Turkish custom of feeding and entertaining friends and family seriously, and whose plans for the coming Ramadan threaten to blow the budget. THE BLOCK SUNDAY, 7PM, CHANNEL 9 In its 21st season – and closing in on its 1000th episode – the beloved renovation reality show heads to the rural Victorian tourist destination of Daylesford with a rejigged approach designed to level the playing field. For the first time, each of the five houses is exactly the same size and with exactly the same floor plan, meaning hosts Scott Cam and Shelley Craft and judges Shaynna Blaze, Marty Fox and Darren Palmer will be comparing 'apples with apples' and making each design decision all the more important. There will be tears, tiffs and tantrums among the missteps and masterstrokes, with the fart-joke loving, risqué best mates from South Australia, Robby and Mat, already emerging as the jokers in the pack. AUSTIN SUNDAY, 7.30PM, ABC The first season of this gentle comedy-drama was one of the surprise packages of last year, earning well-deserved Logie nominations for its autistic lead actor Michael Theo in the title role, as well as Ben Miller as his possible long-lost father Julian and Sally Phillips as potential stepmother Ingrid. The second season picks up on the season one cliffhanger, with Austin and Julian about to get the results of a DNA that should settle the matter and shape the future of their personal and professional relationships. Meanwhile, Ingrid is still sleeping in the shed and taking notes of her marital positives and negatives – and whether she'd be better of moving to a women's commune. THE ASSASSIN STAN Former Spooks star Keeley Hawes is fantastic in the title role of this action-packed, unashamedly bloody, six-part crime thriller from the creators of the Australian-shot The Tourist. Audiences first meet her character Julie as a one-woman killing machine leaving a huge body count and copping a hellacious beating on a mission in Eastern Europe. Three decades later, she's living a booze-soaked and grumpy retirement on a Greek Island when she's visited by her estranged son (Freddie Highmore), now engaged to be married and with questions about his past she's reluctant to answer. But when someone claiming to be her former handler approaches her with her job she can't refuse, she's dragged back into her old violent ways as her professional and personal worlds collide. MISS AUSTEN SUNDAY, 9PM, ABC This gorgeous, four-part period drama, adapted from Gill Hornby's novel of the same name, purports to answer the question that has long haunted lovers of literature – why did Cassandra Austen burn her famous sister Jane's letters? In a very different role from her turn in The Assassin, the versatile Keeley Hawes plays the older Cassandra, who is trying to rescue the correspondence from her odious sister-in-law Mary to prevent their use in a biography of her husband (and Cassandra's brother), James, while also trying to help free family friend Isabella (Game Of Thrones' Rose Leslie) from the limitations and expectations of unmarried women of the era. As she re-reads the leaders, viewers are taken back to Cassandra's own heartbreak and challenges as a younger woman, as well as those of her talented sister, Jane. It's all bonnets and bows, matchmaking and merriment, tall hats and turns around the room – and right up there with the best Austen adaptations. PLAT DU TOUR MONDAY, 8PM, SBS FOOD Now in their sixth season, French chef Guillaume Brahimi's bite-sized Plat du Tour episodes make a tasty side dish to the Tour de France each year and this half-hour special highlights the best of country's northern region. Starting in Lille and moving through culinary centres including Boulogne-sur-Mer and Rouen, the enthusiastic and affable Brahimi shows how to rustle up the region's signature dishes such as Moules-Frite, Le Carpeaux de Valenciennes and a delicious looking French version of the Aussie pie called Tourte Meyennaise by using the best Australian produce. Along the way he also throws in historical titbits about the food and the regions and chats to celebrated Australian chefs. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT … Streaming, Tubi EVERYBODY wants to get their hands on Buddy 'Aces' Israel (Jeremy Piven). Having negotiated an immunity deal with the FBI that would see him serve up evidence against various Las Vegas underworld figures, Israel is put under the protection of special agents Messner and Carruthers (Ryan Reynolds and Ray Liotta) as assorted thugs and contract killers (played by the who's who of Hollywood) come looking to capture the magician turned mobster. Featuring Jason Bateman as a dodgy lawyer, Chris Pine as a neo-Nazi, Alicia Keys as an assassin and Ben and action sequences.
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Who is Ezra Franky, who plays Lucy Cook in Netflix's Untamed? The indigenous singer-songwriter, actress and filmmaker hails from Vancouver – and she just released her first album, Acoustish
If you've just finished watching Netflix's latest drama murder mystery series, Untamed, and you're wondering who the actress who plays the Jane Doe is, you're not alone. The memorable newcomer is Canadian singer-songwriter Ezra Franky. Untamed – which also stars Eric Bana and Lily Santiago – premiered on Netflix last Thursday, with ScreenRant calling it 'one of a handful of perfect shows to binge-watch in just one weekend'. Ezra Franky has caught audiences' attention with her performance in Netflix's Untamed. Photo: @ Advertisement The series centres on Eric Bana's character, Kyle Turner, a National Park Service agent investigating the brutal death of a Jane Doe in Yosemite National Park – spoiler ahead. Later in the six-part series we discover the Jane Doe's identity to be that of Lucy Cook, a young woman who went missing in the park in 2012. Here's everything to know about Untamed's Jane Doe, Ezra Franky. She's a singer-songwriter Ezra Franky playing The Portside pub in Vancouver in June. Photo: @ Ezra Franky – also sometimes credited as Ezra Sulin – is an indigenous actress and musician from Vancouver, Canada. The songstress performs everywhere from dive bars and record stores to in the street, per her Spotify profile, where she has just 125 followers and 176 monthly listeners at the time of writing. Franky released her first two singles, 'Kanagawa' and 'Curly Boys', in 2024. Her first album, Acoustish, came out just this month on all streaming platforms. She landed small roles before Untamed Ezra Franky posting snaps from her time on Netflix's Untamed. Photo: @ The Canadian actress made her on-screen debut in the 2022 short Going Back to Meet the World, directed by Santi Henderson. She landed her first leading role in the 2024 sci-fi short Waifu 3000, in which she plays an AI robot girlfriend.
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Who is Lily Santiago, who plays Naya Vasquez on Untamed? The daughter of director Ruben Santiago-Hudson grew up in the theatre and earned her breakout role as Veronica Castillo in La Brea
The success of the Netflix drama murder mystery series Untamed has fans speculating about a second season, and one of the show's leads, Lily Santiago, 29, says she's equally excited at the possibility. Lily Santiago says she is 'overwhelmed by the immense support' for Untamed. Photo: @lily_santiago/Instagram 'I am waiting for the phone call. I'm like, 'Find me on the horse on the mountain. I'm ready to go,'' Santiago told Us Weekly last week. Advertisement The show, likened to Paramount's hit show Yellowstone , takes place in Yosemite National Park, where a National Park Service agent (Eric Bana) is investigating a young woman's brutal death. Lily Santiago plays a National Park Service ranger in Untamed. Photo: @lily_santiago/Instagram The role will surely propel Santiago's fame to new heights. The actress – whose breakout role was as Veronica Castillo in NBC's La Brea in 2021 – plays rookie park ranger Naya Vasquez on Untamed, accompanying Bana's character on the case. But what do we know about Lily Santiago? Read on to find out. Her father is an award-winning actor and director Lily Santiago and her family – her father is award-winning actor, playwright and director Ruben Santiago-Hudson. Photo: @lily_santiago/Instagram Lily Santiago was born in April 1996 to Jeannie Brittan and award-winning playwright, actor and director Ruben Santiago-Hudson.
Forbes
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
‘Sullivan's Crossing' Dethroned In Netflix's Top 10 List By A Great New Mystery Show
Untamed While Netflix's licensed series Sullivan's Crossing returned to #1 this week after being unseated by wrestling earlier, now it's lost the top spot again to a new show that has debuted at #1, and may stay there a while. That show is Untamed, a new murder mystery starring Hulk veteran Eric Bana. Here's the synopsis: My favorite thing I've seen is the official logline on Wikipedia being 'A body is discovered in Yosemite National Park.' Well, that's one way to leave things a mystery! I am a little surprised that this is not based on a book, but rather created by Mark L. Smith and Elle Smith. You might recognize Mark L. Smith's name from creating and writing the recent American Primeval series on Netflix, which did very well on the service. He also wrote, Twisters apparently. Also Martyrs? The super messed up 2015 horror movie that I love? Wow, pretty cool. In addition to Bana, who hasn't really been in many high profile projects for a number of years now, the show stars Sam Neill (Jurassic Park), Rosemarie DeWitt (Smile 2, Percy Jackson) and a cool addition, Wilson Bethel, currently doing a great turn reprising his role as Bullseye in Daredevil: Born Again. Is he the killer? I feel like he's the killer. Sorry man, I guess I'm stereotyping. Top 10 Untamed is a six episode miniseries, so it is not looking for viewership to land it a season 2. But if this is yet another hit for Mark L. Smith (and now Elle Smith, who I presume is his wife), that bodes well for his future prospects on Netflix between American Primeval and now this. Untamed is reviewing great, a certified fresh 83% ciritc score and an 89% audience score. So, Sullivan's Crossing? Big success on Netflix, season 3 is already done and has aired on the CW, and should be on Netflix next month, I believe. Season 4 is already greenlit. Expect to see a lot more of this series in the future, and it airs yearly without long gaps in between seasons. In between Untamed and Sullivan's Crossing on the list is the new True Crime series, Amy Bradley is Missing, about a 23-year-old girl who vanishes from a cruise back in 1988. It's three 40-50 minute episodes, but spoiler alert, this is not a solved case, so you might want to expect that going in. I am curious to see how big of a hit Untamed managed to be, as it seems like it's going to do quite well. Good for Mark L. Smith and Eric Bana. Follow me on Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram. Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy.
Forbes
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Eric Bana Battles Evil In The Vast Wilderness In Netflix's ‘Untamed'
Eric Bana in 'Untamed' on Netflix. Eric Bana stars as Kyle Turner, a special agent for the National Park Service Investigative Services Branch (ISB), in the new Netflix mystery Untamed. He's highly skilled in his job, but a string of deaths makes him question everything he thinks he knows. Set amidst the stunning scenery of Yosemite, the six-episode series uncovers a dark side where long-held secrets come to light, starting with the brutal murder of a young woman. Kyle is tasked with solving the case while simultaneously grappling with his grief after a devastating loss. Untamed is a gripping, fast-paced thriller that grabs the viewer in the very first gut-wrenching scene. It was created by father-daughter writing team Mark L. Smith and Elle Smith, who also served as co-showrunners and executive producers alongside Bana and John Wells. Also starring are Rosemarie DeWitt, Sam Neill, Lily Santiago, and Wilson Bethel. Rosemarie DeWitt and Eric Bana speak about their characters' complicated relationship in 'Untamed' ... More on Netflix. Though this is a fun ride, Untamed is much more than a murder mystery. It's also a story of grief and the aftermath of unfathomable loss. Kyle and his ex-wife, Jill Bodwin (DeWitt), suffered the ultimate tragedy when their young son died. Though his death permanently fractured their marriage, the two are unable to let go of one another. Bana and DeWitt each spoke with me about why the relationship between Kyle and Jill was such an important part of the overall story and why the dynamic between these two characters drew them to their respective roles. Kyle still sees his son everywhere he goes, and Bana felt that there was a connection between Kyle's grief and his determination to find out who killed the young woman at the heart of the show's murder mystery. 'I think there was definitely a subconscious, emotional connection between the victim and what he's been through. I think he's so good at his job, and I think the job is his therapy. The only way that he can really cope is by being in nature and continuing to put one foot in front of the other, personally and professionally. That's how he's going to deal with what has happened to him,' he explained in a sit-down interview. In a separate phone interview, DeWitt talked about the complicated, codependent relationship between Kyle and Jill. Though divorced, they remain intricately connected because of their painful past. Though Jill is married to someone else, there's still a deep love between them. Rosemarie DeWitt in 'Untamed' on Netflix. 'I think these two are bonded. They were just dealt a really bad hand, but they are each other's person. There's still great love there. I think they wish the world were different and that they could be together, and they can't tolerate it, because what they share is just too painful. They're the only person that each needs and the only person that they can't have. That's torture. They're both in the middle of hell, and there's no with you, and there's no without you,' DeWitt clarified. As for Kyle's struggle to move forward after the death of their son, DeWitt contends that it's partly because he's not facing his pain. 'It's a very feminine journey in our culture that women are given space and time to feel their feelings. Maybe, in some way, we're still raising men and boys to compartmentalize their feelings and not deal with them. I think Kyle's journey is figuring out a step forward and not letting his past haunt him.' If he were able to do that, DeWitt believes he'd be able to move forward. 'So many people spend their lives trying to fix things they can't. I think Kyle is caught in all the parts of life he can't control, but he thinks he can. Nothing about that park can be tamed, and that's where he believes he can exercise the most control. If he can do it there, then maybe he can rework his past, or his future, or his marriage.' DeWitt said she enjoyed the challenging dynamics of these complex characters. 'I love a script when I don't have any idea what I'm going to do with it, when it's surprising or unknowable to me. When I'm like, 'Why does she do that? Why is there still so much love there? Why can't they move away from each other?' I love a puzzle.' Eric Bana in 'Untamed' on Netflix. Though Bana's character in Untamed is a good guy, he also enjoys portraying bad guys, such as the psychopath he portrayed in Dirty John. I asked which he enjoys more, and he said he likes to mix it up. 'I like to be open. I don't want to be one of those actors that people know exactly what they're gonna get. Maybe I'm gonna die, maybe I'm not. Maybe I'm a good guy, maybe I'm the bad guy. I think it's more interesting; it's certainly more interesting for me. It means you can do a lot of different work. I don't know what's going to come tomorrow. I don't know what that script is going to be like that I'm about to read. It's exciting and fun bouncing between the two.' When asked if he has to find a way to like the unsavory characters he takes on, Bana answered definitively. 'I don't have to find a way to like them, but I have to find a way to be them. And I have to be able to fight for them and justify them, and really get in their skin and play their game. That's the job. That's the challenge. But I don't have to like them to do that. I don't have to agree with anything they do, but I do have to feel for them.' As for Kyle, Bana said he wanted to portray him ever since he first read a script in 2019. Throughout the interview, he repeatedly credited the writers with creating such dynamic, multi-layered characters who are each working through tragedy and loss. He also spoke about the complexities of the relationship between Kyle and Jill. 'I thought it was beautiful and unique. When I read the interplay between them, I realized I hadn't seen that kind of relationship on screen before. It's quite often a cliché, a combative thing. In this case, people who have experienced a shared loss will be able to empathize with the dynamic of their relationship. I thought it was touching.'
