Latest news with #Freddie Highmore
The Sun
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
The Assassin fans gobsmacked after spotting soap legend in new Prime Video drama
THE Assassin fans were left stunned after spotting a soap legend in the Prime Video series. The crime thriller stars Keeley Hawes and Freddie Highmore in leading roles. 4 4 4 It follows a retired assassin now living in Greece, who reunites with her estranged son when he comes looking for answers. Long-time soap fans recognised a familiar face among the cast members. New Zealand star Alan Dale, 78, appears as supporting character Aaron Cross. Previously, Alan played patriarch Jim Robinson, one of Neighbours' original characters. One viewer wrote on X: "jim robinson died in neighbours and was reborn as the shady bad guy in every series in the last 2 decades." He appeared from the Aussie's soap launch in 1985 until leaving the show in 1993. Jim was also the father of Neighbours stalwart Paul Robinson (Stefan Dennis). The actor briefly reprised this role in 2018 by appearing in a dream to his on-screen son. After his departure from Neighbours, Alan began working extensively in US television. He notably had a recurring role as villain Charles Widmore in the sci-fi drama series LOST. Alan Dale stars in The Assassin on Amazon Prime Alan appeared in a total of 17 episodes spanning from 2006 until the show's 2010 conclusion. As well as this, he made prominent appearances in The OC and Ugly Betty. Earlier this year, The Sun revealed Neighbours would be coming to an end - for a second time. It came just two years after Amazon brought the soap back to life after it was axed by Channel 5 after 37 years. The revival started filming in 2023 and was shown on Amazon Freevee worldwide. Neighbours stars who made it big The long-running Aussie soap has launched the careers of some of Hollywood's biggest stars. Here are some of the Neighbours alums who went on to make it big after starring on the soap... Kylie Minogue Before she hit the big time with her music career, Kylie shot to fame playing Charlene Mitchell on Neighbours. Shortly after her arrival, Kylie began an on and off-screen romance with co-star Jason Donovan, who played Scott Robinson, which gained the couple an army of adoring fans. Jason Donovan After his stint as Scott, singer and actor Jason became an international popstar and had his pick acting of roles. He moved to the U.K., married, had children and has since starred in over a dozen West End show, most notably Joseph and his Technicolour Dreamcoat. Alan Dale New Zealand born actor Alan was one of Neighbours 12 original cast members having made his debut as Jim Robinson on the soap's first episode on 18 March 1985. As the head of the Robinson clan, widower Jim lived at Number 26 Ramsay Street with his children Paul, Julie, Scott and Lucy, and was a real anchor in the community. He stayed with the show for eight years, before his character was killed off in dramatic scenes aired in 1993 but which still reverberate through the soap to this day. Margot Robbie Way before she was Barbie or Harley Quinn, Margot was best known as Ramsay Street resident Donna Freedman. Her notable storylines included her marriage to Ringo Brown and becoming a young widow following his tragic death. After three years she bid farewell to the soap and Australia with a plan to make a name for herself in Hollywood which she did when she bagged the role of Naomi Lapaglia opposite Leonardo DiCaprio in The Wolf of Wall Street. Jesse Spencer Jesse rocked up on Ramsay street in 1994 with the rest of the Kennedy clan. He stayed for five years, literally growing up in front of the camera, but in 2000 felt it was time to spread his wings and head for Hollywood. It was certainly a smart move as he went on to bag leading roles in popular shows like House and Chicago Fire. Russell Crowe New Zealand-native Russell had a brief arc on Neighbours, appearing in four episodes of the soap 1987 as Kenny Larkin, the former cellmate of Street resident Henry Ramsay. The role obviously got him noticed though because he quickly went on to become a fully-fledged Hollywood A-lister, winning the Best Actor Oscar for his standout performance as Roman General Maximus Decimus Meridius in Gladiator. The Sun exclusively revealed that Amazon have told Fremantle that their venture into soaps hasn't worked and they are pulling funding A source said at the time: 'Amazon gave Fremantle two years to see if it worked but sadly they just didn't get the viewers. 'It's a really sad day especially for the cast and crew who work on the show in Melbourne. 'This really is the end of Neighbours just as it's celebrated it's 40th birthday.'
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'The Assassin': After 7 seasons of 'The Good Doctor' Freddie Highmore shines with Keeley Hawes in British show
A retired assassin and her estranged son find themselves unexpectedly on the run in twisty, heartfelt crime thriller A high stakes, deadly adventure, told with appealing sarcastic and witty dialogue, the U.K. series The Assassin (on Crave in Canada) is a unique take on the popular crime thriller genre. Starring Keeley Hawes and Freddie Highmore as a mother-son duo, this exciting show is full of dangerous twists, but a lot of heart. Created by Harry Williams and Jack Williams, who both worked on The Tourist and Fleabag, it's no surprise that the writing is the perfect foundation for this show. Something that really appealed to the actors. "They had just gone from strength to strength over the years, and I really enjoyed The Tourist, and so I started reading this and at that time Freddie's name was also mentioned. So really, the whole package was sort of very exciting," Hawes told Yahoo Canada . "And five lovely months in Athens, the tone of the show, the characters so well drawn, it was all a bit of a gift. While Highmore was quick to stress that he was excited about working with Hawes, an actor he really admires, he was also excited about getting on to a British show, particularly after filming The Good Doctor in Vancouver for a number of years. "I just long admired [Keeley's] work, and having been in Vancouver and doing a different show for a long time, it was so exciting to get back to working in a British environment with the icon that is Keeley, and also Harry and Jack, and their writing," Highmore said. "They're both just brilliant at bringing the high stakes." "I think underneath it, what really matters about the show is this mother and son duo, and how the two of them started off in a place that seems quite conflicted and messy and complicated, but hopefully figure out that, in some ways, they are quite similar. ... [It's] exploring this nuanced mother-son arc that's not stereotypical or trope-y." What is 'The Assassin' about At the beginning of The Assassin we meet Julie (Hawes), living on a Greek island now that she's retired from her work as an assassin. While she doesn't have a close relationship with her son Edward (Highmore), who lives in England, he's set to come visit her. But Edward arrives with questions about who his father is, which Julie is still not going to answer. It's during Edward's visit that Julie gets a call that brings her back to a job as a hitwoman, but that results in both Edward and Julie being on the run, with a web of secrets for both of them starting to unravel. It is particularly compelling to meet Julie when she's at a place where she's been away from her job for some time. "She has no intention of going back, ... but she sort of can't resist it, really, because it's just part of her DNA," Hawes said. "It's a really lovely setting off point, rather than meeting her in the middle of any action. So we're kind of not aware of what she's been doing at all. So that is part of the story in itself." 'What you need is that heart' While revealing much more will veer into too many spoilers, we'll tease that the witty banter between Julie and Edward is absolutely a highlight, especially paired with these really risky and deadly circumstances of the story. "I think the humour, even if it's not necessarily laugh out loud, I think there's always a sort of dark humour that is underneath it, and it just adds to the texture and nuance," Highmore added. "Brits and Canadians definitely kind of share a similar comedic sensibility, I think, and there's something that's sort of in that more deadpan humour that is funny, but without being too broad or trying too hard." "And I think we were always aiming for that as a tone, nothing that kind of completely undercut the tension of the scene, but just gave it another level. And with Keeley as a scene partner, it was just great fun to sort of mine that and to find that together." Ultimately, what's incredibly impressive about The Assassin is that it's a thrilling action-packed journey, but always keeps the heart of the mother-son relationship central in the story. "I love a bit of action, ... but what you need is that heart, I think, to keep people's interest," Hawes said. "I think that was what really hooked me when I first read the script. You love the fun stuff. It's great. You look forward to doing it. But actually, the scenes with Freddie are meaningful ... and we should be rooting for them." "There's something really authentic about them both. We don't see their best selves straight away, but we know that they are good people, and we're rooting for them and their relationship. And I think that's what will ultimately keep people watching, is to see their journey, along with the big set pieces. I think there's a set piece in almost every episode that's a huge, fabulous, exciting extravaganza. ... I love it, but it's that relationship that's at home to it, and that's why it works."
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'The Assassin': After 7 seasons of 'The Good Doctor' Freddie Highmore shines with Keeley Hawes in British show
A retired assassin and her estranged son find themselves unexpectedly on the run in twisty, heartfelt crime thriller A high stakes, deadly adventure, told with appealing sarcastic and witty dialogue, the U.K. series The Assassin (on Crave in Canada) is a unique take on the popular crime thriller genre. Starring Keeley Hawes and Freddie Highmore as a mother-son duo, this exciting show is full of dangerous twists, but a lot of heart. Created by Harry Williams and Jack Williams, who both worked on The Tourist and Fleabag, it's no surprise that the writing is the perfect foundation for this show. Something that really appealed to the actors. "They had just gone from strength to strength over the years, and I really enjoyed The Tourist, and so I started reading this and at that time Freddie's name was also mentioned. So really, the whole package was sort of very exciting," Hawes told Yahoo Canada . "And five lovely months in Athens, the tone of the show, the characters so well drawn, it was all a bit of a gift. While Highmore was quick to stress that he was excited about working with Hawes, an actor he's really admires, he was also excited about getting on to a British show, particularly after filming The Good Doctor in Vancouver for a number of years. "I just long admired [Keeley's] work, and having been in Vancouver and doing a different show for a long time, it was so exciting to get back to working in a British environment with the icon that is Keeley, and also Harry and Jack, and their writing," Highmore said. "They're both just brilliant at bringing the high stakes." "I think underneath it, what really matters about the show is this mother and son duo, and how the two of them started off in a place that seems quite conflicted and messy and complicated, but hopefully figure out that, in some ways, they are quite similar. ... [It's] exploring this nuanced mother-son arc that's not stereotypical or trope-y." What is 'The Assassin' about At the beginning of The Assassin we meet Julie (Hawes), living on a Greek island now that she's retired from her work as an assassin. While she doesn't have a close relationship with her son Edward (Highmore), who lives in England, he's set to come visit her. But Edward arrives with questions about who his father is, which Julie is still not going to answer. It's during Edward's visit that Julie gets a call that brings her back to a job as a hitwoman, but results in both Edward and Julie being on the run, with a web of secrets for both of them starting to unravel. But it is particularly compelling to meet Julie when she's at a place where she's been away from her job for some time. "She has no intention of going back, ... but she sort of can't resist it, really, because it's just part of her DNA," Hawes said. "It's a really lovely setting off point, rather than meeting her in the middle of any action. So we're kind of not aware of what she's been doing at all. So that is part of the story in itself." 'What you need is that heart' While revealing much more will veer into too many spoilers, we'll tease that the witty banter between Julie and Edward is absolutely a highlight, especially paired with these really risky and deadly circumstances of the story. "I think the humour, even if it's not necessarily laugh out loud, I think there's always a sort of dark humour that is underneath it, and it just adds to the texture and nuance," Highmore added. "Brits and Canadians definitely kind of share a similar comedic sensibility, I think, and there's something that's sort of in that more deadpan humour that is funny, but without being too broad or trying too hard." "And I think we were always aiming for that as a tone, nothing that kind of completely undercut the tension of the scene, but just gave it another level. And with Keeley as a scene partner, it was just great fun to sort of mine that and to find that together." Ultimately, what's incredibly impressive about The Assassin is that it's a thrilling action-packed journey, but always keeps the heart of the mother-son relationship central in the story. "I love a bit of action, ... but what you need is that heart, I think, to keep people's interest," Hawes said. "I think that was what really hooked me when I first read the script. You love the fun stuff. It's great. You look forward to doing it. But actually, the scenes with Freddie are meaningful ... and we should be rooting for them." "There's something really authentic about them both. We don't see their best selves straight away, but we know that they are good people, and we're rooting for them and their relationship. And I think that's what will ultimately keep people watching, is to see their their journey, along with the big set pieces. I think there's a set piece in almost every episode that's a huge, fabulous, exciting extravaganza. ... I love it, but it's that relationship that's at home to it, and that's why it works."
The Guardian
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
The Assassin review – Keeley Hawes's menopausal hitwoman drama is perfectly crafted TV
A menopausal assassin has been a long time coming, even though there is literally no more perfect pairing in the world than a woman rapidly emptying of oestrogen and a gun. I blame the patriarchy, but I understand its unwillingness to confront the truth that if women were free to express themselves instead of raised in mental straitjackets, then armed at 40, the world would look very different indeed. Keeley Hawes, who just gets better and more impressive with every outing, is that menopausal assassin, in the aptly named six-part series The Assassin. Julie is her name and trying to live quietly in Greece and spurning every overture of friendship in the village is her game. Alas, she is called by her handler Damian, after 10 years of quietude, to perform one more time. This happens just as her son Edward (Freddie Highmore, absolutely shining in what is essentially a light comic part in a bloody, murderous caper) comes to visit for the first time in four years too! Even hitwomen have to juggle home and work demands. Oh, and Edward's gone vegan since they last spoke and she got wagyu steaks in for tea. Handlers and kids, eh? Anyway, Edward's here to ask her about the fortune that landed in his account when he turned 30 and if it's anything to do with the father she has always refused to tell him about. She, more or less, tells him to shut up and eat his goddamn tofu. The Assassin is perfectly crafted preposterousness. It is stylish, witty, tightly written, even more tightly paced and takes the job of massively entertaining us at every turn with the proper amount of seriousness. It establishes its various plotlines swiftly and has us looking forward to their intersection whenever we have enough attention to spare, given that excellent things – from barbed exchanges between unmaternal mother and exasperated son to endless action sequences – are always happening in front of us. Obviously the main plot revolves round Julie. She soon realises the man calling is not her real handler (just in time to stop her killing the woman he has given as the target, which turns out to be doubly lucky for her, in a twist which adds much to the preposterousness and, I hope, the gaiety of the viewing nation). Then, after a massacre of almost the entire village by a very bad sniper trying to kill her, she sets herself the task of finding out what's happened to the real Damian and hopefully finding out why she is now a marked woman and more and more people are trying to kill her. This first involves pretty much commandeering the yacht belonging to her former target, Kayla (Shalom Brune-Franklin) and her berk of a brother Ezra (Devon Terrell), scions of a mega-rich mining family owned by a man called Aaron Cross (Alan Dale. One day 'Him from Neighbours! My God, he's doing well!' will not be my first thought when I see him, but that day is not yet here), and trying to get to Albania. An old colleague, Sean (Jack Davenport), arrives on a jet ski. Is he here to help or hinder? We, and a variety of weapons, soon find out. Meanwhile! Another plot strand is unfurling in a Libyan prison. Its newest inmate is a Dutch man called Jasper (David Dencik), who possibly has dirt on Cross that will get him out of said Libyan prison but not before he has added – with the help of the terrifying Russians who 'adopt' him in jail – his quotient of gory set pieces to the series. He, or most of him at least, eventually escapes and disappears into the desert to find Plot A. Meanwhile again! Plot C begins in London, with the astonishingly unexpected but always welcome advent of Gina Gershon as a mysterious woman called Marie who attends an art class in order to draw a picture of someone we recognise as Edward and a speech bubble coming from his gobsmacked gob the narratively fertile phrase 'You're my father?' Aaaaand scene! It's so much fun. Hawes is so good, so funny, Highmore so nimble and perfectly pitched and everyone else – including Gerald Kyd as villager Luka, who survives the massacre and follows the woman who is clearly his best hope of safety to the yacht, where they bond over middle-aged medication – turning in brilliant performances. Do not come looking for realism or social commentary or anything else that clearly has no place here – or I will smash your head in with a rock, like Julie does to her adversaries, especially if I've not replaced my HRT patch on time. Consider yourselves warned. The Assassin is on Prime Video now.
