Latest news with #HarryPotterandtheCursedChild
Time of India
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Ink, ideology, and a billion-dollar empire: The J.K. Rowling story
The magical business of words Live Events Beyond Harry Potter Philanthropy, politics and privacy (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel If outrage were a Horcrux, J.K. Rowling has faced seven. Yet none have managed to destroy the legacy she built with seven books, eight films, and a world that refuses to stop believing. With a wand of iron will and a fortune guarded by dark magic, the architect of Hogwarts is once again a billionaire, proving one thing: her magic doesn't fade under the Forbes' Billionaires List 2025 , the British author has reclaimed her spot with an estimated net worth of $1.2 billion. She is one of only five female billionaires who are self-made, and she is the first author to reach a billion-dollar status, according to Forbes , which included her as a billionaire for the first time in their 2004 rich Harry Potter series may be aimed at young readers, but the books deal with serious themes: death, trauma, sacrifice, and the abuse of power. That willingness to explore darkness in fiction mirrors aspects of her public persona. In recent years, Rowling has been in the spotlight not just for her stories but for her outspoken political views, especially on gender and sex-based of Rowling's wealth comes from her strict control of the Harry Potter brand. She owns the intellectual property rights and licenses them through her own company, The Blair Partnership. That control means she gets a cut from every merchandise, adaptation, or theme park ticket sold under the Harry Potter franchise has sold over 600 million books in 85 languages, and the original eight films brought in $7.7 billion at the box office. The Wizarding World now includes theme park attractions at Universal Studios in Orlando, Hollywood, and Japan, and the stage production Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, which continues to play in major 2023, the Hogwarts Legacy video game grossed over $1.1 billion, making it one of the year's best-selling games. Rowling doesn't directly profit from the game, but she still earns through licensing fees as the creator of the HBO's streaming platform Max is rebooting the Harry Potter series into a decade-long television project. Rowling will serve as an executive producer and retains creative control, ensuring her vision continues to shape the Potter is the foundation of her fortune, Rowling has also found success beyond the wizarding world. Under the pen name Robert Galbraith, she writes the Cormoran Strike crime novels with a loyal readership and a BBC TV also founded Pottermore, a digital hub for Harry Potter fans that has evolved into Wizarding World Digital. The platform offers games, quizzes, eBooks, and immersive content and helps maintain fan engagement and brand her wealth, Rowling is not often seen in celebrity circles. She lives a private life in Scotland and rarely appears in the media. However, she is active in philanthropy. She has donated hundreds of millions to charities, including her foundation, Lumos, which works to end the institutionalisation of children comments, often posted on X, have drawn criticism from trans rights groups, activists, and even the stars of the Harry Potter films like Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson. Rowling, however, has refused to be silenced. She continues to engage in public debates, asserting her views on women's rights and freedom of speech. While the backlash led to calls for boycotts, it did little to dent her philanthropy is one reason she reportedly fell off Forbes' billionaire list years ago. But with the success of her expanding franchise, she has returned quietly.J.K. Rowling's story is a rare one. Few writers achieve even a fraction of her success. Even fewer manage to retain ownership of their work, guide its expansion, and withstand public scrutiny the way she has.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Behind the Scenes of Being a Working Mom on Broadway Performing 8 Shows a Week
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways Working nights can be rough for any mother who might be unable to tuck their kids into bed. Then there's being a working parent on Broadway, which has its own set of challenges and rewards. There was some real 'mom guilt' for Lilli Thomas, currently starring as Mazzepa in Gypsy, especially last year during the holidays when the musical was in rehearsals. Thomas has two children, Jack, 11, and Annabelle, 13. She was sitting in the theater next to six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald, also a mom, and starring as Mama Rose. They were talking about how they're going all out on Christmas gifts that year since they'd be working so much. That's when Thomas checked the calendar on her phone and read a note from her daughter that she'll never forget. 'She wrote something along the lines of, 'This is the day of my chorus concert, but I know you can't come. Don't worry and don't feel bad. You're doing what you're supposed to be doing, and it is making me so proud of you. It is making me proud to go to my chorus concert knowing that I'm doing my singing and that you're proud of me. We don't have to be there every time for each other to know how proud we are of each other,' Thomas shared with McDonald. Lia Chang Lilli Thomas, actress performing in "Gypsy" on Broadway with her two children. Lilli Thomas, actress performing in "Gypsy" on Broadway with her two children. Being on Broadway means performing in typically eight shows a week, including five evening performances and three matinees, with Mondays off. In honor of Mother's Day, we spoke with Thomas and four other moms: Kristen Martin, who plays Delphi in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (kids Murphy, 4, and Vesper, 2). Bahiyah Hibah, ensemble in Moulin Rouge! The Musical (Soliel, 20), Jennafer Newberry, Glinda Standby in Wicked (Parker, 1), and Florencia Cuenca, Estela Garcia in Real Women Have Curves (Alonzo, 8), about how they balance their family with their grueling schedule. How Do You Balance Eight Shows a Week With Motherhood? Jennafer Newberry: As the standby, I have to embrace the uncertainty of when I may be on. Just yesterday, we had a two-show day, and I ran home between to take Parker to a classmate's birthday party. A few hours later, at bath time, I found out I was going on [for Glinda] that evening. Flexibility is key, and [my husband] Zach's partnership and support make the insane schedule we keep as Broadway mamas doable and maintainable. I could not do it without him. I have gotten to experience a few weeks of full-time Glinda on Broadway as a mother, and that is even more challenging. The late nights are inevitable, but so are the early wake-ups. Kristen Martin: Honestly, I'm still figuring that out. I try to be as fully present and hands-on as possible when I'm home with my girls—those moments mean everything. Then, when I head into the theater, I switch into 'work mode.' I have to leave any guilt or exhaustion at the door, which is easier said than done. Kristen Martin Kristen Martin performing in "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child." Kristen Martin performing in "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child." Lilli Thomas: I didn't perform for many, many years. It was just too hard when they were little. The big thing for me is finding the roles that are really rewarding, but are not the roles that are carrying the show. I am also a single mom. I have a lot of help from my mother, who lives close by. [After-school] activities have made it difficult, because I don't get to see them very much, but it's made it easier in this way that it's not all falling on me to provide their entertainment right now. Florencia Cuenca: I'm still getting used to it. As immigrant parents in this city, we don't have any family members here, but our friends or "chosen family" have also helped us a lot. My husband, Jaime, is a musical theatre writer and composer, so his schedule is crazy too. Alonzo is very used to being in rehearsals, recording sessions, writing residencies, concerts, and running around the city with us. Bahiyah Hibah: Balancing eight shows has always been a journey depending on the season, but I always make sure that rest and nourishment from within are present. When my son was younger, I had a village to help. There was no other way to do it. Bahiya Hibah Bahiyah Hibah, performer from "Moulin Rouge!" with her son, Soliel. Bahiyah Hibah, performer from "Moulin Rouge!" with her son, Soliel. What Is Your Goodnight Routine Before Evening Shows? Kristen Martin: That's the hardest part. I don't get to have one. I leave for the theater while the sun's still out, so I miss the bedtime routine every night, and that's heartbreaking. But before I go, they each demand at least a hundred hugs and kisses, and I try to focus on all the love and attention I've given them throughout the day. Do I feel depleted sometimes? Absolutely. But I also feel deeply grateful—I'm living two of my greatest dreams: performing on Broadway and being a mother. Florencia Cuenca: If I am not home, my husband is the one who [puts] him to bed. They send me voice messages or photos when they are about to sleep. During weekends, he will wait for me to arrive [home] from my show and I will [put] him to bed. Sometimes they decide to surprise me and come to the show. Lilli Thomas: Trying to do something with dinner together, even though we're not going to be eating it together, whether it's going to the grocery store and picking something out or cooking something together. Bahiyah Hibah: My goodnight routine when he was younger was allowing my family member or babysitter to gently get him to bed, but often if he was awake when I came [home], we would take the time that he needed to reconnect. Jennafer Newberry: I get to help with dinner time, but most of our evening shows are at 7 p.m. now, so I have to leave before bedtime. My husband started FaceTiming me during bath time and bedtime so I could be part of it. Missing bedtime is a real sacrifice as a parent on Broadway. Sunday and Monday nights have become sacred to me with Parker. Do the Kids Ever See You Perform or Come Backstage? Bahiyah Hibah: My son has seen just about every show that I've been in. When he was younger, he was definitely backstage with me. My cast and crew were so loving and so kind, and we have maintained lifelong friends because of the connection they all made with my son. Jennafer Newberry: Parker has recently come to a few concerts I have sung at for Wicked! I am so grateful to be able to introduce her to the arts at an early age. So many mothers have paved the way at the Gershwin [Theatre] before me, and I am honored to join their ranks. Not all theatres and shows are as inclusive or supportive (we have a long way to go toward equity for parents in all theatrical spaces), and I feel so fortunate to experience motherhood surrounded by such amazing support. I breastfed for the first year, so when I was performing, I literally had to pump during intermission. And if I was ever on for a two-show day, my husband would bring Parker to the theatre between shows so I could feed her, and we could all spend time together as a family. Jennafer Newberry Jennafer Newberry with her daughter Parker backstage. Jennafer Newberry with her daughter Parker backstage. Kristen Martin: They're still too young to sit through Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, but Murphy has visited me backstage, and she loved it. My husband is also an actor, and she recently saw one of his shows. That was a big moment—it helped her begin to understand what we do for a living. It's such a wild and abstract concept to explain to a toddler, but that experience really clicked for her. Florencia Cuenca: Alonzo loves coming to the show. He sees the show in a very active way, cheering and laughing, and he realizes when something in the show is a little different than the day before. He even gives me notes. And he is my biggest fan. Lately, when he comes to the show, he likes to do the stage door as an audience member. He is waiting for me and my castmates to ask us to sign his Playbill. Florencia Cuenca Florencia Cuenca with her family outside of the stage door of "Real Women Have Curves." Florencia Cuenca with her family outside of the stage door of "Real Women Have Curves." What's One Misconception About Being a Working Mom in Theater? Lilli Thomas: That you have a partner at home. Florencia Cuenca: I have heard this one a lot: 'You need to rest. How are you doing it with your son?' The answer is I am a mother, a wife, an actor, and I am a professional. The fact that I have a family doesn't affect my ability to do my job on stage as the professional that I am. Bahiyah Hibah: The biggest misconception is that it's impossible to have a career on Broadway and be a mother. It takes a village, but it's absolutely possible. Kristen Martin: I think people often say, 'I don't know how you do it,' and my response is, 'Honestly, me either.' It's incredibly hard. The schedules are grueling, and the amount of energy required on both fronts, work and home, feels impossible some days. If anyone thinks it's easy, they're definitely mistaken. It takes everything you've got and then some. Jennafer Newberry: I think a huge misconception is that it isn't possible. I have heard the false claim that you can't have a career and be a mother at the same time, and with excellence. It is simply not true. Is it challenging? Yes, but it is absolutely possible. If anything, my career and artistry have been enriched and grown since becoming a mother. We are absolutely capable of having a career and being excellent parents. Jennafer Newberry Jennafer Newberry with her daughter in the "Wicked" dressing room. Jennafer Newberry with her daughter in the "Wicked" dressing room. What's Your Best Advice for Other Moms? Bahiyah Hibah: There will be times in which you need to rest and spend valuable time with your family during birthdays and holidays, and sometimes just simple weekends, to reconnect. I would advise mothers to never overlook the fact that family should always come first. This is one thing I had to learn because I was very focused on my career. Kristen Martin: Give yourself grace. We can't do it all, all the time. Sometimes we have to pause, care for ourselves, and remember that we deserve support, too. We're not superhuman — even if it feels like we have to be. Lilli Thomas: Be kind to yourself. Jennafer Newberry: My best piece of advice would be to embrace the journey with open hands. There are so many external and internal pressures and expectations, but doing our best to release those makes it easier to embrace the realities (beautiful and difficult) of this unique season of motherhood. Florencia Cuenca: You will make mistakes, we all do. Don't feel guilty for going to work, by following your dreams, you are teaching your kid to do the same. Florencia Cuenca Florencia Cuenca with her husband and son. Florencia Cuenca with her husband and son. Read the original article on Parents
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Harry Potter''s Bonnie Wright Says She Needs to 'Parent More Like the Weasleys' as Son Elio Nears 2nd Birthday (Exclusive)
Bonnie Wright and husband Andrew Lococo's son Elio turns 2 in September 2025 As a mom, Wright, who played Ginny Weasley in the movies, says she has a lot of admiration for her on-screen parents' dedication to their kids and the environment, leading her to think, "Oh, well, I need to parent more like the Weasleys" Becoming a mother has also changed the way Wright views the films and books, as it is "heartbreaking" to imagine your child going through what Harry does As Bonnie Wright's son nears toddler age, the actress has plans to take notes from her Harry Potter parents! Since becoming a mother, the actress and environmental activist — who played the youngest Weasley sibling, Ginny, in all eight Harry Potter films — says her admiration for on-screen parents Molly (Julie Walters) and Arthur Weasley (Mark Williams) has only grown. 'I've gone on to be very, very committed to amplifying a lot of stuff around the climate and our environment, and I feel like the Weasleys, to me, are probably the most sustainable magical family ever,' Wright, 34, tells PEOPLE before the April 30 Harry Potter and the Cursed Child show at New York City's Lyric Theater. The magical family of nine, Wright continues, 'make everything themselves — they knit their sweaters, they do hand-me-downs.' Related: Bonnie Wright Confirms There Is a Harry Potter Cast Group Chat — and It's 'Very Heavily Populated' (Exclusive) 'Molly Weasley is definitely an environmentalist,' she adds. 'So I think what she stands for, what the Weasleys stand for, I'm like, 'Oh, well, I need to parent more like the Weasleys.' She also admires the proud parents' honest and caring nature — especially where the series' titular hero is concerned. 'I love everything that they stand for in the sense that they're just honestly themselves. They really don't care about people judging them,' Wright explains. 'And I think for Harry, they give him this unconditional love that he's never had before.' 'And I also just love the relationship that they have, like Molly and Arthur Weasley just seem like such a sweet loving couple,' she adds. 'They know what's up. They've figured it out.' Related: Harry Potter's Bonnie Wright Reveals Which House She Hopes 11-Month-Old Son Elio Would Be Sorted Into (Exclusive) Wright — who shares son Elio Ocean Wright Lococo, 1, with husband Andrew Lococo — also says that motherhood has 'for sure' shaped the way she interprets the story of Harry Potter. What hits especially hard now, she says, is 'just that idea, especially, of Harry not having his parents, and kind of how heartbreaking that must be to imagine [for] your own child.' Not to mention the entirety of Cursed Child, a story that focuses heavily on Harry's relationship with his and Ginny's son, Albus. 'I think this play is this kind of homage to his parents really, and I think that's a really special thing,' she tells PEOPLE. There is a lot in the Broadway show, Wright says, 'about parenting, and the next generation, and how when your children go off to school, you have to allow 'em to like fly and be their own selves.' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. For Elio, who turns 2 in September, that day is a long ways away — though his Hogwarts letter could arrive as soon as age 11. In the meantime, however, Wright is content just soaking up every moment. Related: Bonnie Wright Has 1 Piece of Advice for the Actor Cast as Ginny in New Harry Potter TV Series (Exclusive) Her first year and a half as a mom, she tells PEOPLE, has been 'just wild,' especially as Elio approaches toddler age. 'A few words are coming, but he's such a mover and he's climbing. He's just more out in the world. It's so fun because now, the imagination comes in,' Wright says of Elio, adding that it 'just feels like what I am in my nature — I love storytelling and imagination.' This 'era and moment' the family of three is in now, she adds, 'is bringing that to life, and so it's just really exciting to me.' Read the original article on People
Time of India
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Jason Isaacs talks about most 'nerve-racking' part for him on 'Harry Potter'
Picture Credit: X Actor Jason Isaacs, who played Lucius Malfoy , has revealed the most "nerve-racking" part of working on the Harry Potter movies . Isaacs participated in a Broadway talkback after the evening's performance of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child . Issacs was joined by three stage actors from the show: Aaron Bartz, who played Draco Malfoy, Erik Christopher Peterson, who essayed Scorpius and Matthew James Thomas, who played the titular role of Harry. Asked about the scariest part of joining the Harry Potter universe, the 61-year-old star said: "The most nerve-racking is that all of the actors in the films were my heroes. They're people I queued up in the rain to watch on stage, mostly." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Google Brain Co-Founder Andrew Ng, Recommends: Read These 5 Books And Turn Your Life Around Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List Undo The actor first joined the franchise for the 2002 installment, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. In the film, he plays Lucius Malfoy, the father of Potter's adversary Draco Malfoy played by Tom Felton. Isaacs reprised his role for five subsequent movies. His first foray into the magical universe was met with marvelous talent from his co-stars. "My very first day proper day was with the late great Richard Harris, who played Dumbledore in the first two films," Isaacs shared. But it wasn't the first time meeting the acting legend. "I went to drama school with his son, Jared Harris, and the days when Richard Harris came to watch us at drama school were days you wore four pairs of underpants." The actor was in awe while he was on set. "To be standing opposite (Harris) was incredible," he said. As the story progressed, and more films were shot, Isaacs got to work alongside more of the industry's best. "Cut to many years later ... when we shot the courtyard scene with everybody, the big battle at the end, I looked around and there were just Oscar winners everywhere," the Golden Globe nominee said. "The thrill never wore off." Oscar winners who have appeared in Harry Potter films include Emma Thompson, Gary Oldman, Jim Broadbent, Julie Christie, Kenneth Branagh and the late Maggie Smith. Isaacs added: "Every day when you go to work on a film set, you get a piece of paper, it's called a call sheet. It's got everybody's name on it and what scenes they're doing that day. And I still, by the end of it, couldn't believe that my name was on the list with all of those actors because they're still my acting heroes." Although the Harry Potter films are long done for Isaacs, he stays connected to his fictional son, Felton.
Times
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
How Paddington Bear got his paws on a musical in London's West End
His journey in life has taken him from a forest in darkest Peru to a fictional London townhouse at 32 Windsor Gardens — but now Paddington Bear is coming to the West End. A musical starring Michael Bond's famous creation will open at the Savoy Theatre in London in November, and promises to explore 'the politics of Paddington'. It is being produced by Sonia Friedman Productions, the company behind West End hits such as the Book of Mormon and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. The story, which has been in production for five years, will be based on Bond's original novels and follows the three successful films which featured Ben Whishaw as the voice of Paddington. Jessica Swale, the British scriptwriter for the
