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Daily Mail
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Michelle Obama enjoys intimate lunch with longtime male friend as she jets off on lavish Spain getaway WITHOUT Barack
Michelle Obama and her daughters were pictured enjoying lunch at an exclusive club on the idyllic Spanish island of Mallorca. In photos obtained exclusively by the Daily Mail, the former first lady, 61, kept a low profile in large, stylish sunglasses and a multi-colored print dress, while dining at The Lobster Club in Puerto Portals. Michelle, 61, was joined by James Costos, 62, former US ambassador to Spain and his partner Michael Smith, 62, the Obamas' longtime interior designer and former White House decorator‑in‑chief. Aspiring filmmaker Malia, 26, looked chic in a black polka dot halter neck crop top and a black mini skirt and flashed her toned stomach. Younger sister Sasha, 24, flaunted her effortlessly style in an oversized off the shoulder white tee and a long pleated brown skirt. Notably not in attendance: former President Barack Obama. Michael and James have been longtime friends of the Obamas and hosted the family many times at their Rancho Mirage home in Palm Springs, California. 'When they were here, it occurred to me that more than 50 years ago JFK had stayed just down the road at Bing Crosby's home,' Michael told Architectural Digest in 2017. 'The President and Mrs Obama basically woke up in the morning to the same view of the valley. There was something lovely about that thought. 'It made me contemplate all the change that has taken place in those decades, contrasting with the timelessness of this beautiful desert landscape.' This group outing comes amid ongoing rumors about the state of Michelle and Barack's marriage status over the last several months. Michelle dismissed speculation about her marriage and addressed the rumors head on during a podcast episode of The Diary of a CEO in May. During the episode, she told the hosts, 'If I were having problems with my husband, everybody would know about it.' Michelle also praised her husband on her latest podcast episode as a 'tremendous father.' She said that even when Barack was president, he left the job at the door whenever he talked to his daughters to help cultivate their formative years. Rumors surrounding the Obama's relationship began when Michelle skipped several high-profile events, including Donald Trump's inauguration and former President Jimmy Carter's funeral. Michelle's lunch trip comes just days after she appeared on Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang's Las Culturistas podcast where she made it clear she doesn't like being referred to as 'Mrs. Obama'. During their sit-down, Matt revealed that before cameras started rolling, Michelle had asked him not to call her 'Mrs. Obama.' 'Earlier I was like, "Thank you so much, Mrs. Obama," and you said, "Michelle,"' Rogers said. 'I did say that,' Michelle responded with a laugh, before explaining why she likes to avoid the name. 'We cannot have a real conversation if you're saying, "Mrs Obama," that's too many syllables,' the former first lady protested. Matt then asked if she is usually quick to 'put down that shield for people,' and Michelle claimed that she's generally tries to appear less intimidating. 'I was trying to do that when I was first lady because I just think... I am not that position. I am Michelle,' she explained. 'I'm always trying to break down that wall to say, "We're just all here,"' she continued. 'And the first thing to do is like, let's drop that title, that's a little heavy.' 'I know what we call her - your Highness,' her brother and podcast co-host Craig quipped. 'Well, it's great to be on a first name basis,' Matt joked.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Spain's Secuoya Posts Record Revenues After Doubling Down On Studio
Profits nearly doubled and turnover hit record levels at Zorro producer Secuoya Content Group last year, according to the Spanish major's latest financials. The outfit said EBITDA rose 85% to €59.1M ($67M) for 2024 fiscal year, while revenues shot up by 33% to a record €142M. Additionally, the group experienced a 51% increase in adjusted EBITDA, 118% growth in EBIT and a 214% rise in consolidated net profit, according to Secuoya. More from Deadline Secuoya Studios & 'The Castaways' Producer BlackBox Multimedia Ink First-Look Development & Production Deal Secuoya Studios Chief James Costos On How Spain Has Become A "Gold Mine" For Developing Global Productions - Iberseries & Platino Industria International Insider: Spanish Spotlight; Oscars Go International; Argentina Deep Dive Secuoya said the 'outstanding results are a direct consequence of the strong performance of Secuoya Studios, which has become the main pillar of value creation for the company and a benchmark in the industry for content creation, production, post-production, and distribution.' Last year, the 2,000-staff company shot five series and four movies totalling 156 hours of content, having doubled down on the studio and launched a production hub in Colombia. We revealed in Feb that Secuoya had struck a first-look development and production deal with The Castaways and This Time Next Year producer BlackBox Multimedia. Recent titles include Los 39, a Colombia-Spain co-production, along with Shades, Terra Alta, Arcadia, The Crossroads and Padres. Raúl Berdonés, founder and executive chairman of Secuoya Content Group, said: 'Four years ago, we made a bold decision to pivot from a service-based business model to become a content-driven company. Today, the results validate that choice. Our strategy—focused on retaining intellectual property, diversifying content exploitation, optimizing tax incentives, ensuring creative freedom, and building a solid and sustainable international expansion—is proving to be profitable, scalable, and competitive.' Last year, we analyzed how Secuoya was planning to be a bridge between Hollywood and Spain after launching its most ambitious production to date: the modern take of Zorro, directed by Money Heist helmer Javier Qintas and starring Miguel Berardeau as the dashing vigilante created by Johnston McCulley. Since then, rival Mediapro has also launched a U.S. studio with projects featuring John Turturro and Melissa Leo. Best of Deadline 2025 TV Series Renewals: Photo Gallery 2025 TV Cancellations: Photo Gallery 2025-26 Awards Season Calendar: Dates For Tonys, Emmys, Oscars & More Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
