Latest news with #MakeJesusFirstAgain
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Cole Escola References Nicole Scherzinger's Trump-Coded Hat Drama After Big Tonys Win
Cole Escola hasn't forgotten about Nicole Scherzinger's eyebrow-raising interest in a hat featuring a variation on President Donald Trump's 'Make America Great Again' slogan, even if much of the Broadway community appears to have moved past it. Shortly after their Tony Award win for 'Oh, Mary!' on Sunday, Escola offered a pointed reminder of the controversy that ensued when Scherzinger inquired about Russell Brand's MAGA-inspired 'Make Jesus First Again' hat on Instagram last fall. 'The speculating is over,' Escola quipped to reporters in the Tonys press room upon receiving word that Scherzinger had won Best Actress in a Musical for her career-redefining 'Sunset Boulevard' performance. They went on to note: 'Four years. Four more years!' After winning Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play, Cole Escola was speaking to the press when Nicole Scherzinger won Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical, and they had a hilarious reaction: "four more years." — Newsweek (@Newsweek) June 9, 2025 Scherzinger was hit with backlash from fans in early November, not long after 'Sunset Boulevard' opened to critical acclaim on Broadway. Just days after Trump was reelected, she posted a supportive comment on an image of Brand ― who backed Trump in the 2024 election ― in his 'Make Jesus First Again' hat. 'Where do I get this hat?' Scherzinger wrote in the now-deleted comment, alongside both praying hands and red heart emojis. Days later, she responded to the criticism with a lengthy apology on her Instagram Stories, stating she'd 'made the mistake of not realizing that [her comment] could be easily interpreted as being politically related.' 'Many presumptions are being drawn, which do not reflect who I am, what I stand for, or who I voted for,' she continued, according to Entertainment Weekly. 'Many of the marginalized communities feeling hurt and concerned by the results of the presidential election are people I care about most. I stand with them, as I always have, throughout my life and career. If you know me, you know that.' Scherzinger, a devout Catholic, did not specify which candidate she'd voted for in her statement. At the time, many suggested her lack of clarity regarding her views might hurt her chances at Sunday's Tony Awards ― which clearly wasn't the case when she secured her win over the category's other presumed frontrunner, 'Gypsy' star Audra McDonald. Escola became the first openly nonbinary winner in the Best Actor in a Play category for their performance as first lady Mary Todd Lincoln in 'Oh, Mary!' The dark comedy, which Escola wrote, also nabbed the award for Best Direction of a Play for Sam Pinkleton. Nicole Scherzinger Triumphs In Most Scrutinized Tony Category Of The Night Here's The Complete List Of 2025 Tony Awards Winners Oprah Appears To Diss Absent Broadway Legend At The Tony Awards
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Russell Brand Outtakes from 2011 Film ‘Arthur' Reportedly Offered by Warner Bros. as Part of Civil Sexual Assault Case in New York
Russell Brand may be facing charges of rape and sexual assault in the U.K., but he's also potentially facing criminal charges in the U.S., according to The Times. The British broadsheet reports that Warner Bros. Discover has offered to hand over hours of outtakes of the comedian from romantic drama 'Arthur,' released in 2011, as evidence connected to an allegation of sexual assault on set. More from Variety Russell Brand Denies Rape Charges: 'I Was a Drug and Sex Addict' but 'I Never Was a Rapist' BBC Apologizes to Staff as Russell Brand Investigation Reveals Allegation That Comedian Exposed Himself Was 'Joked About' Nicole Scherzinger Apologizes After Supporting Russell Brand's 'Make Jesus First Again' Post: 'I Come From a Place of Love' Both Brand and Warner Bros. were sued in 2023 by an extra on the film identified as Jane Doe, who accused the comedian of exposing himself to cast members before sexually assaulting her in a lavatory. Brand and Warner Bros. both denied the allegations, but Warner Bros. Discovery has now reportedly offered to disclose unseen footage from 'Arthur,' its attorney Patrick Lamparello telling a New York Supreme Court last week that the company had 'some hours of video outtake footage … four or five hours, it could be more, around eight,' according to The Times. Variety has reached out to Warner Bros. Discovery. The Times also reported that at the New York hearing in New York, Brand's lawyers sought to delay the case, claiming there would be an 'overlap' with the criminal case in the U.K. The request was rejected by judge Shlomo Hagler. Brand's lawyer Mark Cuccaro told the Supreme Court that Brand had a 'reasonable belief criminal prosecution is possible in the U.S. based on allegations tantamount to criminal sexual misconduct occurring in the US, of which he has been falsely accused both by this civil plaintiff and several others through the media.' London's Metropolitan Police last week confirmed that Brand had been charged with rape, indecent assault, oral rape and two counts of sexual assault, and was due to appear in court on May. 2. Brand denies the allegations. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week What's Coming to Disney+ in April 2025 The Best Celebrity Memoirs to Read This Year: From Chelsea Handler to Anthony Hopkins
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Russell Brand Charged With Rape and Sexual Assault
Russell Brand has been charged with rape, indecent assault and sexual assault by London's Metropolitan Police. The charges relate to four separate women and incidents that took place between 1999 and 2005. More from Variety BBC Apologizes to Staff as Russell Brand Investigation Reveals Allegation That Comedian Exposed Himself Was 'Joked About' Nicole Scherzinger Apologizes After Supporting Russell Brand's 'Make Jesus First Again' Post: 'I Come From a Place of Love' Nicole Scherzinger Criticized for Commenting on Russell Brand's 'Make Jesus First Again' Post: 'Where Do I Get This Hat?' According to the police, the comedian and actor has been interviewed multiple times since a major investigation by the Sunday Times, the Times and Channel 4's Dispatches in September 2023 revealed multiple serious allegations against him. The 50-year-old has previously denied the allegations. 'The women who have made reports continue to receive support from specially trained officers,' said detective superintendent Andy Furphy from the Metropolitan Police, who is leading the investigation. 'The Met's investigation remains open and detectives ask anyone who has been affected by this case, or anyone who has any information, to come forward and speak with police.' Brand, who has been mostly based in the U.S. for the last few years, is now due to appear at London's Westminster Magistrates' Court on May 2. The 2023 expose — which included a 90-minute documentary and article in the Times — saw Brand accused of 'rape, sexual assaults and emotional abuse.' A rep for the show said that 'Five women, four of whom asked to remain anonymous, agreed to share their stories of serious sexual allegations in the program.' In the wake of the report, Brand's live tour was postponed and his publishing deal with Pan Macmillan imprint Bluebird was suspended. The BBC also removed some previous programs that featured Brand from digital services, saying that the content 'falls below public expectations.' Following an internal investigation, earlier this year the BBC apologized to staff members who felt they were unable to raise complaints or concerns about Brand's behavior while he worked at the broadcaster. According to the BBC, its investigation considered eight complaints, two of which were made while Brand worked for the BBC. One such complaint related to Brand urinating into a cup during a show on BBC Radio 2. The BBC acknowledged that it had been registered formally at the time, but admitted it was 'not dealt with effectively.' Another part of the report concerned an allegation that Brand had exposed himself to a woman in the bathroom of the BBC's L.A. office. Brand, who was a major star on U.K. TV in the mid-2000s and would go on to find Hollywood fame with movies such as 'Pineapple Express,' had fallen out of the limelight in the years before the allegations. But he had begun amassing large numbers of followers on the political right-wing (despite being original considered one of the most prominent left-wing voices in the U.K.) and has spoken out numerous times in support of Donald Trump. Over the last year, he's also discussed his new-found Christianity and has prayed alongside Tucker Carlson at live events. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week What's Coming to Disney+ in April 2025 The Best Celebrity Memoirs to Read This Year: From Chelsea Handler to Anthony Hopkins
