Latest news with #Gries
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
German interior decoration retailer Depot closing one-third of stores
German interior decoration retailer Depot is closing at least one-third of its stores in Germany, owner Christian Gries told dpa on Monday. Some 45 locations have shuttered across the country since January, with 54 more to close their doors in April and May. Around 2,000 of the company's 3,300 employees are expected to lose their jobs due to the closures this year, after 43 stores were shut last year. Gries said it was not possible for the company to keep operating as usual. "We can get our business back on track for success - by optimizing costs in a targeted manner and giving Depot new momentum," he argued. "That is the only chance of survival." Depot, based in Niedernberg outside Frankfurt, had more than 400 shops in Germany at its peak but has struggled with the aftermath of the coronavirus crisis and filed for insolvency in July 2024. The chain is under pressure due to stagnant consumer spending amid a wider economic downturn, and also faces competition from online marketplace Temu and other discounters. "Cheaper alternatives in retail and online have outstripped us," said Gries. "We need to track down trends faster and bring them into the shops." The company must also focus more on e-commerce, he argued. "Many products should be available online earlier and sent directly from Asia to the customer." Depot, previously a subsidiary of the Gries Deco Company, is to be transferred to a newly founded company, GDC Deutschland.
CNN
29-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
‘White Lotus' villain Jon Gries likens Greg to Robert Durst and the Tinder Swindler
When Season 3 of 'The White Lotus' premiered last month, the shock was palpable when returning character Belinda recognized a familiar face at the resort in Thailand: Greg Hunt, the wily suitor of the late Tanya McQuoid. As the season has unfolded, Greg (played by Jon Gries) has emerged as an antagonist, particularly after Belinda dove into the investigation surrounding Tanya's death and learned that Greg, who now goes by Gary, evaded questioning by authorities. On a show famous for reinventing itself, the same has been asked of the actor, who says that playing the ever-shifting character has been a welcome challenge and, like 'White Lotus' itself, full of twists. 'In the beginning, I totally played him for a guy who was, you know, on his last legs,' Gries said in a recent interview with CNN, referencing Greg's very apparent ill health in the first season of 'White Lotus,' which premiered to rave reviews in summer 2021. He added: 'When you play a character, you want to find his empathetic side, and you want to understand where they came from, and what got them to where they are.' But when he was contacted by creator Mike White about appearing in Season 2, Gries realized he would have to adjust his framing of Greg, despite having previously imagined a 'comprehensive history' for him on his own. '(White) said, 'I'm writing it right now, and I'm writing you, and I just need to know here and now: If you're in, I'll continue writing. If not, I'll stop,'' Gries recalled. Of course, he said yes to coming back to the series, which eventually required him to live in Italy for a few months for filming. During production, White revealed to Gries that Greg is 'very sinister.' That became rather irrefutable by the season's climax, which saw Tanya's demise orchestrated by her now-husband. Come Season 3, Gries had to rewrite Greg's backstory again, this time drawing from some unlikely sources for inspiration, like HBO docuseries 'The Jinx,' about late convicted killer Robert Durst, and the case involving the man who came to be known as the Tinder Swindler. Gries said he was struck by Durst's 'kind of seemingly even keel personality,' which served as a model for where Greg was headed, someone 'who doesn't really show a great deal of emotion, doesn't seem to get too angry, just gets a little bit irritated and is dangerous.' 'There's a bridled rage underneath. And those kind of people I find – at least with respect to Gary, Greg, Gary – fascinating,' he said. And yet, while searching for an empathetic way back to portraying his character, Gries kept wondering if there was anything still redeeming about Greg. An important 'wake up moment' came during a decisive conversation he had with White just before filming in Thailand, in which the show's creator said of Greg, in no uncertain terms: 'He's a psychopath.' 'And that was it. It was like, 'back to the drawing board.' And it really did help me,' Gries said. The penultimate episode of the series will air on Sunday, an evening that thanks to 'Lotus' and other shows has again become a night of appointment viewing amid a general move away from binge watching. Gries said he appreciates the shift. 'We're a society that in a weird way doesn't understand the beauty of waiting. The beauty of the space between the notes,' he shared. 'If I binged ('White Lotus') I'd feel like I just ate too many chocolates. It just wouldn't be the same. You need to process this.' 'The White Lotus' airs Sundays at 9 p.m. EDT on HBO, with the episode available to stream on Max. HBO and Max, like CNN, are owned by the same parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery.
CNN
28-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
‘White Lotus' villain Jon Gries likens Greg to Robert Durst and the Tinder Swindler
When Season 3 of 'The White Lotus' premiered last month, the shock was palpable when returning character Belinda recognized a familiar face at the resort in Thailand: Greg Hunt, the wily suitor of the late Tanya McQuoid. As the season has unfolded, Greg (played by Jon Gries) has emerged as an antagonist, particularly after Belinda dove into the investigation surrounding Tanya's death and realized Greg, who now goes by Gary, evaded questioning by authorities. On a show famous for reinventing itself, the same has been asked of actor Jon Gries, who says that playing the ever-shifting character has been a welcome challenge and, like 'White Lotus' itself, full of twists. 'In the beginning, I totally played him for a guy who was, you know, on his last legs,' the actor said in a recent interview with CNN, referencing Greg's very apparent ill health in the first season of 'White Lotus,' which premiered to rave reviews in summer 2021. He added: 'When you play a character, you want to find his empathetic side, and you want to understand where they came from, and what got them to where they are.' But when Gries was contacted by creator Mike White about appearing in Season 2, he realized he would have to adjust his framing of Greg, despite having previously imagined a 'comprehensive history' for him on his own. '(White) said, 'I'm writing it right now, and I'm writing you, and I just need to know here and now: If you're in, I'll continue writing. If not, I'll stop,'' Gries recalled. Of course, he said yes to coming back to the series, which eventually required him to live in Italy for a few months for filming. During production, White revealed to Gries that Greg is 'very sinister.' That became rather irrefutable by the season's climax, which saw Tanya's demise orchestrated by her now-husband. Come Season 3, Gries had to rewrite Greg's backstory again, this time drawing from some unlikely sources for inspiration, like HBO docuseries 'The Jinx,' about late convicted killer Robert Durst, and the case involving the man who came to be known as the Tinder Swindler. Gries said he was struck by Durst's 'kind of seemingly even keel personality,' which served as a model for where Greg was headed, someone 'who doesn't really show a great deal of emotion, doesn't seem to get too angry, just gets a little bit irritated and is dangerous.' 'There's a bridled rage underneath. And those kind of people I find – at least with respect to Gary, Greg, Gary – fascinating,' he said. And yet, while searching for an empathetic way back to portraying his character, Gries kept wondering if there was anything still redeeming about Greg. An important 'wake up moment' came during a decisive conversation he had with White just before filming in Thailand, in which the show's creator said of Greg, in no uncertain terms: 'He's a psychopath.' 'And that was it. It was like, 'back to the drawing board.' And it really did help me,' Gries said. The penultimate episode of the series will air on Sunday, an evening that thanks to 'Lotus' and other shows has again become a night of appointment viewing amid a general move away from binge watching. Gries said he appreciates the shift. 'We're a society that in a weird way doesn't understand the beauty of waiting. The beauty of the space between the notes,' he shared. 'If I binged ('White Lotus') I'd feel like I just ate too many chocolates. It just wouldn't be the same. You need to process this.' 'The White Lotus' airs Sundays at 9 p.m. EDT on HBO, with the episode available to stream on Max. HBO and Max, like CNN, are owned by the same parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery.
CNN
28-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
‘White Lotus' villain Jon Gries likens Greg to Robert Durst and the Tinder Swindler
When Season 3 of 'The White Lotus' premiered last month, the shock was palpable when returning character Belinda recognized a familiar face at the resort in Thailand: Greg Hunt, the wily suitor of the late Tanya McQuoid. As the season has unfolded, Greg (played by Jon Gries) has emerged as an antagonist, particularly after Belinda dove into the investigation surrounding Tanya's death and realized Greg, who now goes by Gary, evaded questioning by authorities. On a show famous for reinventing itself, the same has been asked of actor Jon Gries, who says that playing the ever-shifting character has been a welcome challenge and, like 'White Lotus' itself, full of twists. 'In the beginning, I totally played him for a guy who was, you know, on his last legs,' the actor said in a recent interview with CNN, referencing Greg's very apparent ill health in the first season of 'White Lotus,' which premiered to rave reviews in summer 2021. He added: 'When you play a character, you want to find his empathetic side, and you want to understand where they came from, and what got them to where they are.' But when Gries was contacted by creator Mike White about appearing in Season 2, he realized he would have to adjust his framing of Greg, despite having previously imagined a 'comprehensive history' for him on his own. '(White) said, 'I'm writing it right now, and I'm writing you, and I just need to know here and now: If you're in, I'll continue writing. If not, I'll stop,'' Gries recalled. Of course, he said yes to coming back to the series, which eventually required him to live in Italy for a few months for filming. During production, White revealed to Gries that Greg is 'very sinister.' That became rather irrefutable by the season's climax, which saw Tanya's demise orchestrated by her now-husband. Come Season 3, Gries had to rewrite Greg's backstory again, this time drawing from some unlikely sources for inspiration, like HBO docuseries 'The Jinx,' about late convicted killer Robert Durst, and the case involving the man who came to be known as the Tinder Swindler. Gries said he was struck by Durst's 'kind of seemingly even keel personality,' which served as a model for where Greg was headed, someone 'who doesn't really show a great deal of emotion, doesn't seem to get too angry, just gets a little bit irritated and is dangerous.' 'There's a bridled rage underneath. And those kind of people I find – at least with respect to Gary, Greg, Gary – fascinating,' he said. And yet, while searching for an empathetic way back to portraying his character, Gries kept wondering if there was anything still redeeming about Greg. An important 'wake up moment' came during a decisive conversation he had with White just before filming in Thailand, in which the show's creator said of Greg, in no uncertain terms: 'He's a psychopath.' 'And that was it. It was like, 'back to the drawing board.' And it really did help me,' Gries said. The penultimate episode of the series will air on Sunday, an evening that thanks to 'Lotus' and other shows has again become a night of appointment viewing amid a general move away from binge watching. Gries said he appreciates the shift. 'We're a society that in a weird way doesn't understand the beauty of waiting. The beauty of the space between the notes,' he shared. 'If I binged ('White Lotus') I'd feel like I just ate too many chocolates. It just wouldn't be the same. You need to process this.' 'The White Lotus' airs Sundays at 9 p.m. EDT on HBO, with the episode available to stream on Max. HBO and Max, like CNN, are owned by the same parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery.
USA Today
10-03-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Is 'White Lotus' Greg guilty of killing his wife? Will he strike again? Jon Gries responds
Is 'White Lotus' Greg guilty of killing his wife? Will he strike again? Jon Gries responds Show Caption Hide Caption 'White Lotus' Greg: Jon Gries on who could be the killer in Thailand 'The White Lotus' star Jon Gries, or Gary/Greg, discusses who could be the killer in Season 3 of the hit HBO series. Have "The White Lotus" fans rushed to unfair judgment against Greg (Jon Gries), the husband of dead heiress Tonya McQuoid (Jennifer Coolidge)? Absolutely not. Greg, now calling himself Gary, shocked viewers when he resurfaced in Thailand as the only character to appear in all three seasons of HBO's hit (Sundays, 9 ET/PT). Gries, 67, admits his shady character, one of the most despised on TV, is slippery and a "trickster," at best. Yet Gries dodges questions about Greg's role in Tanya's suspicious Season 2 death. Greg had left Italy's White Lotus resort, allegedly for a business trip, when his multimillionaire wife perished in a suspicious yacht mishap. If Greg was in Denver, how could he be the offender? "If you wanted to prosecute the case in a court of law, how would you do it?" Gries asks. "It would be pretty hard to prove that I was involved in her demise. And I will neither confirm nor deny." Jon Gries lied to family, friends about playing shady Greg in Thailand To be clear: Gries is nothing like scowling Greg, and is friends with Coolidge in real life. Patrick Schwarzenegger echoed other Season 3 cast members by calling Gries "a loving guy to film with and, more importantly, to hang out with." Gries, who starred as Uncle Rico in 2004 film "Napoleon Dynamite," even lets his parrot Pablo (named after the character in the quirky cult classic) perch on his shoulder during a Zoom interview. Gries was floored when "White Lotus" creator/writer/director Mike White revealed Greg would be the scandalous luxury resort visitor no one saw coming. "It was an enormous honor," Gries says. "It was incredible, even bizarre, to me that I was the one coming back." On the downside, Gries had to deceive family members and friends to keep the state secret. The actor told everyone that he was off to the Philippines for a four-month stint playing a U.S. Navy crew member in a remake of the 1966 Steve McQueen drama "The Sand Pebbles." "It was just bad lying while really sticking to my guns," says Gries, who says he was recognized in Thailand. "This local businessman said, 'Dude, I hear they're shooting "White Lotus." Are you working?' I insisted that I was just visiting. I was lying through my teeth." The deceit paid off when Greg appeared in the Feb. 16 season premiere. "It was so hard, but so worth it," Gries says. He was surprised by the burnt-orange shirt and table napkin for the reveal. "Bold color choice. I was like, 'Holy cow, it looks like I'm in jail,'" he says. "Or it could have something to do with the (Buddhist) monks." What's the case against Greg as 'White Lotus' killer? Government employee Greg met lonely heiress Tanya in Hawaii, which Gries says was not an accident. "This was probably something that (Greg) was planning all along," he says. In Italy, Gries is deeply annoyed that Tanya has insisted on a prenuptial agreement for their new marriage. Tanya discovers that Quentin (Tom Hollander), one of her new friends on a yacht, knew her husband long ago. And she realizes in horror that the prenup only covers divorce, not death. In one of the most memorable finale scenes, Tanya kills everyone on the yacht and then falls to her death trying to get on a dinghy. Greg, as Gary, is loaded in Thailand with his own yacht and a huge house near the resort. His girlfriend, former model Chloe (Charlotte Le Bon), shares Gary's version of his previous wife's death – the mentally unwell woman died after wandering into the sea. But Greg's evasion of authorities hits a snag when Hawaii spa manager Belinda (Natasha Rothwell), who was close to Tanya, spots him in Thailand. Belinda is suspicious and could bring righteous retribution ... or become his next victim. Greg is staying alive in Thailand as Gary Give the suspect his due. The dude is in great shape, swimming laps at his luxury pool. He's desperate to stay alive now that he has all the money. "That's pretty much the essence of this character, to me. This guy doesn't waste his time. He wants to make the best of every moment," Gries says. "It's just about keeping one step ahead of time." It's a valid theory that his character will be near the center of the violence in Season 3. The premiere gave a startling glimpse of the near future – a resort shooting and at least one body floating in tranquil waters. But as before, every visitor and employee at the posh wellness resort is either a possible murderer, victim, or both. "There are many people who could be the killer. So I can say that Gary would be heaped into that group. But it goes across the board," Gries says. The April 6 finale could be redeeming, damning, or the end for this mysterious character. "All I'll say is that it will get dark and downright twisted from here," Gries says.
