Latest news with #MichaelMorris
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Renee Zellweger reveals the Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy scenes that made her break down into tears
Renee Zellweger has revealed what scenes in Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy caused her to cry on set, despite the moment not calling for tears. Zellweger, 56, has recently returned to her legendary role of Bridget Jones in the latest installment of the series, which takes place four years after the death of her on-screen husband, Mark Darcy (Colin Firth). Firth, 64, makes several cameos in the film, with his character appearing before Renee as a vision. While Bridget is said to have made peace with the loss, Zellweger could not help but get emotional once she saw Firth in costume, she said at the FYC event on Saturday, according to Variety. Director Michael Morris, 51, revealed Zellweger cried filming the moments, and the actress called the realization it would be the 'end of' of their 'shared journey' together a 'gut punch.' Zellweger explained it was difficult to film as the scenes did not call for Bridget to be emotional. 'Yet seeing him there on the sidewalk in his Mark Darcy finery with his briefcase and coat, it just got to me,' she explained. 'I didn't expect to be so emotional about the end of this shared journey with my friend, recognizing, "Oh, wait, he's gonna wrap today, and that's it." And the finality of it just really was a gut punch. 'Isn't that crazy? Because when you get lucky, beyond getting to work with your friends, once you know, it sounds so silly, but it felt very profound in the moment,' she explained before letting out a laugh. 'Maybe I'm crazy because maybe I love a fictional character!' The long-awaited sequel sees Zellweger reprise her role as the titular heroine, and sees her adjusting to life as widowed single mother following the shock death of Darcy and returning to the dating scene. The actress looked absolutely radiant as she attended the Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy FYC event, held at the the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles on Saturday. She posed posed up a storm in a fitted burgundy suit dress with her blonde hair styled into a chic bun and her feet slipped into classic Christian Louboutin heels. Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy was released earlier this year, and Renee has remained in-demand, recently spotted filming Only Murders In The Building in NYC. Renee's iconic singleton finally married Mark Darcy in the most recent film, 2016's Bridget Jones' Baby. The couple had shared an on-and-off romance across all three films, which are based on the Helen Fielding book series, but finally got their happy ending after it was revealed the high-flying lawyer was the father of her baby. However, in the fourth book and film, Mark tragically dies while working abroad as a human rights lawyer, leaving Bridget a widow and battling motherhood alone.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Bridget Jones' star Renée Zellweger's emotional admission: ‘I didn't want Mark Darcy to go away'
For more than two decades, Renée Zellweger was Bridget Jones. And now, as she hangs up the diary in Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, she's doing it with both laughter and tears. "I love this character,' Zellweger proclaimed during a recent FYC screening event for the film. 'I love her vulnerability, and I love to find spaces where she's just not quite feeling that she measures up, and the opportunity to meet her again in different stages of her life and to learn how she's different.' More from GoldDerby 'It's in my contract that I have great clothes, funny lines, and a lover': Christine Baranski on her surging career in her 70s 'One of the things that made it so special was that it wasn't for everyone': 'The Leftovers' EPs and cast on the show's legacy 'The Gilded Age' cast on what to expect in Season 3: feuding sisters, robber barons and a wedding? The fourth and final installment of the beloved franchise — which was streamed in the U.S. on Peacock and is in Emmy contention in categories including Outstanding Television Movie, lead actress for Zellweger, and directing for Michael Morris — offers something fans have never seen before: Bridget not only older and wiser, but grieving, growing, and still full of hope. Morris had one hope when introducing the film to the audience inside Ted Mann Theater at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles. 'I hope it immerses you in her world,' the filmmaker said before the screening. 'I hope it brings you whatever feelings it brings you.' For Morris — a London native who remembers exactly where he was when that first movie came out — this fourth and final chapter in Bridget's story was more than a conclusion. It was a celebration, a meditation on love and loss, and, in his words, 'a joy to work on.' Peacock Taking the stage to join Morris for a panel after the screening, Zellweger — who has played the charmingly chaotic Bridget for just about 25 years — is finally ready, although a bit reluctantly, to let her go. The two-time Oscar winner shared a moment that made her particularly emotional on set. It was the final time she saw Colin Firth dressed as Mark Darcy. "It just got me. I didn't expect to be so emotional about the end of this shared journey with my friend ... the finality of it just really was a gut punch. ... It sounds so silly, but it felt very profound in the moment," she chuckled. "Maybe I'm crazy because maybe I love a fictional character," she said, "I didn't want Mark Darcy to go away." Zellweger also gushed over her other longtime costar, Hugh Grant. As lovable lothario Daniel Cleaver, Grant had the role before the actress even signed on as Bridget Jones. Zellweger remembers meeting him for the first time as a "fangirl," saying the chemistry was instant. She was living in a dormitory on top of a theater in Austin when she first saw Grant — on screen. "I would sneak down there and watch all of the animation festivals that would come through," she recalled. 'And here's this guy playing Chopin ... in Impromptu." She thought he was handsome. "When I heard he was in this Bridget Jones film that I was going to go and do in England. ... I think I had a heart attack.' After losing Mark Darcy, some might have entertained the thought, but Grant's rakish Daniel Cleaver was never supposed to be Bridget's endgame. However, in a roundabout way, Mad About the Boy throws fans a curveball. 'Of course, she couldn't have ended up with Daniel," Morris pointed out when posed with the question. "But she sort of did. Because he became part of her family." Photo By: Jay Maidment/Universal Pictures With Mark Darcy and Daniel Cleaver out of the romantic picture, this opened the door for new potential love interests, which author Helen Fielding explored by introducing the younger Roxster (Leo Woodall) and the more age-appropriate Mr. Walliker (Chiwetel Ejiofor). Morris knew exactly what he wanted in these characters and who he wanted to cast. 'I was absolutely laser-focused on trying to get Leo and Chiwetel into the film,' he says. The thoughtful casting process carried into Bridget and Mark's children, Billy (Casper Knopf) and Mabel (Mila Jankovic), whom Morris championed out of thousands. In fact, one of his favorite scenes is when Bridget and her children are about to release the balloons in Mark's honor. "The scene could be a terribly sad moment," the director noted. But in an unrehearsed glance between Renée and Mabel, a smile turned an act of grief into a display of love. Zellweger recalled her favorite scene as the one with the lip plumper. "I had the best time trying not to laugh … and watching (an unsuspecting) Emma Thompson's face," she said. The fourth installment is a more somber and reflective entry in Bridget's saga. Zellweger describes it as 'the most intimate' of the series, noting that Fielding drew on personal experiences to guide the story. Since 2001, Bridget Jones has matured as a mother, as a woman re-entering the workforce, as a widow, but she hasn't lost her essence, an aspect that continued to intrigue Zellweger as she factored in how life has impacted Bridget. Photo by Daniel Kroll/'How has she changed and grown? How are her values different? How are her choices different?" she mused. "I'm sure everybody feels that they see a lot of themselves in this character. I think the profound gift is that she taps into those things that we all recognize in ourselves, our humanity and feeling not enough, or our fears and all of that." Morris says he struggles to find other examples of where we've taken one character through something like this over two decades. "Occasionally, there were sequels," Morris said, "but this is a franchise set around a real woman. … She's actually just a person living her life, and we've known her for 25 years. That's a real privilege to work on something like that." For the director, it's that duality — joy and heartbreak, comedy and humanity — that defines the Bridget Jones films. His take is both visually and emotionally different from its predecessors. It evolves cinematically. It looks and feels different because Bridget is different. 'I think there's a life that [Renée] brings, and there's a joy that is there, even when her world is falling apart, and she's a fabulous catastrophe," Morris said, "but even when it's falling apart, we just lean right in, because there's so much optimism in the way that [she] brought Bridget to us." Filled with drama, humor, and Easter eggs, Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy serves as a fitting sendoff for the franchise. Even the last bit of filming, Zellweger said felt like a farewell party. "I loved the dancing in the garden,' she said. 'It was one of our last days filming. And setting up as you guys saw, standing off the side for a little while and watching everybody dancing on that floor under the disco ball in that glorious garden. ... I can't think of a better way to wrap up the experience than to watch the joy because that was real with all our friends out there, with the music blasting under the stars. That was very special." Best of GoldDerby Liam Neeson movies: 12 greatest films ranked worst to best Paul Giamatti movies: 16 greatest films ranked worst to best Tony Curtis movies: 15 greatest films ranked worst to best Click here to read the full article.
Business News Wales
6 days ago
- Business
- Business News Wales
Picton Sells Cardiff Office for 706-Bed Student Scheme
Picton Property Income has sold the vacant Longcross office building in Cardiff for £8.37m to Fusion Group, a leading purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) developer. Fusion will redevelop the building to deliver Longcross Court – a new PBSA scheme delivering 706 beds across 488 units, as well as 750 sqm of internal amenities, including a wellbeing studio, juice bar, fitness suite, and landscaped outdoor spaces designed to support student wellbeing and community. The Longcross building, situated at the junction of Newport and City Road, was granted planning permission for the change of use in September last year. Fusion is targeting BREEAM Outstanding certification for the Longcross Court scheme – the highest rating under the UK's leading sustainability assessment method, awarded to buildings that demonstrate exceptional environmental performance. The development will include renewable energy facilities through air source heat pumps and PV panels. Property consultancies Knight Frank and Fletcher Morgan advised vendor Picton in the sale. Brodie Berman, senior acquisitions associate at Fusion Group, said: 'Cardiff is a thriving city, and we're excited to bring forward a development that reflects both student expectations and broader shift towards sustainability and design quality. Longcross Court will not only generate a key site in the city but also create a best-in-class living experience that supports both academic success and personal wellbeing. We're particularly proud to be targeting BREEAM Outstanding for this scheme, reinforcing Fusion's commitment to delivering environmentally responsible developments that lead the sector.' Picton chief executive Michael Morris commented: 'This is the third office asset Picton has sold with planning permission secured. These disposals have enabled us to improve portfolio occupancy, allocate capital for investment into the existing portfolio, repay debt and commence our share buyback programme.' Gareth Watts, an associate at Knight Frank in Cardiff, said: 'This transaction is an example of the occupational realignment which is having a profound impact on the property landscape in Cardiff. The market is polarising at pace, with new or recently refurbished buildings generating healthy occupier attention while older buildings requiring significant capital improvements present the opportunity for repurposing, with new accommodation across the living sectors in demand.' John James of Fletcher Morgan said: 'Since Covid the dynamics of the Cardiff office market have changed considerably, with little sustainable demand for city fringe older office buildings. The repurposing of Longcross Court to student accommodation will reinvigorate this part of City Road and Newport Road and will bring many economic benefits.' Picton has retained an adjoining site comprising a small industrial unit and open storage land used as a car park.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Picton Property Income Ltd (LSE:PCTN) Full Year 2025 Earnings Call Highlights: Strategic Shifts ...
Release Date: May 22, 2025 For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. Picton Property Income Ltd (LSE:PCTN) reported a profit after tax of 37 million and a total return of over 8% for the year. The company successfully reduced its office exposure by selling assets and reinvesting in industrial properties, which now make up 64% of the portfolio. Picton maintained a well-covered dividend, increasing it by 6% last year and announcing a further 3% increase post-year-end. The company launched a share buyback program, purchasing shares at a discount, which has been accretive to NAV and earnings. Picton's portfolio delivered a property return of over 7%, outperforming the wider market as measured by MSCI, marking the 12th consecutive year of better returns. The office sector within Picton's portfolio saw downward valuation movements, reflecting broader market trends. There is a degree of over-renting in the retail and leisure sector, with contracted rents slightly higher than market rents. Decision-making in the occupational market has slowed due to macroeconomic factors, impacting demand. The company faces income at risk due to expiries or breaks in the coming year, particularly in the office sector. Despite improvements, Picton still has 3.4 million of void space within its portfolio, indicating room for further occupancy enhancements. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 6 Warning Sign with LSE:PCTN. Q: What has been the impact on the occupational market since tariffs were announced, particularly on your industrial assets? A: Michael Morris, CEO: Decision-making has slowed slightly, with businesses being more cautious. However, demand from occupiers remains strong, and viewings are still happening. Our analysis shows minimal direct impact from tariffs on our occupiers, as most operate within the UK market rather than being export-import led. Q: What keeps you awake at night regarding the company's operations? A: Michael Morris, CEO: Not much, due to our strong debt book and low loan-to-value (LTV) ratio. We have a great team and a diverse occupier base, which reduces risk. Sarah Johnston, CFO, adds that their healthy cash balance and well-covered dividend provide further reassurance. Q: What are your thoughts on M&A activism in the listed real estate market? A: Michael Morris, CEO: Picton is an internally managed REIT, aligning the interests of the board, executive team, and employees with shareholders. We focus on our operations and have seen some peers disappear due to M&A activity. Our results speak for themselves, and every employee is a shareholder, benefiting from Picton's success. Q: How has the company managed its capital allocation, particularly regarding share buybacks? A: Michael Morris, CEO: We have continued our share buyback program due to the disconnect between the current share price and net asset value (NAV). This is seen as a good use of capital in the short term. Since March 31st, we have undertaken an additional 4 million in buybacks. Q: Can you elaborate on the company's strategy for improving occupancy and income profile? A: Michael Morris, CEO: We are focused on investing in the portfolio to capture reversion and improve occupancy, which currently stands at 94%. We aim to optimize income and value through opportunistic disposals and reinvestment for higher returns. Our recent refinancing provides us with the flexibility to pursue these strategies. For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. This article first appeared on GuruFocus.
The Herald Scotland
21-05-2025
- Health
- The Herald Scotland
Biden was last screened for prostate cancer in 2014 before diagnosis
The influential U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends that men 55 to 69 years old should consider periodic PSA testing in consultation with their doctor about the potential benefits and harms. But because prostate cancer is typically so slow-growing, the task force does not recommend routine screening for men 70 or older. Potential risks at that age are considered to outweigh the advantages of the screenings, including false positives, detecting cancers that aren't deadly, unnecessary biopsies or treatments, and patient anxiety. Biden's most recent PSA test in 2014 took place when was vice president and 72 years old. Biden, who is now 82, was diagnosed on May 16 with prostate cancer that had spread to the bone after a nodule was discovered on his prostate following urinary symptoms, a spokesperson said. More: Biden has an aggressive form of prostate cancer. Should it have been caught earlier? Biden has a Gleason score of 9 and a grade group 5, which is on the higher end of the scale, meaning the cancer is more likely to grow and spread quickly. Biden's cancer is considered stage 4, the most advanced stage of cancer that is characterized by spreading to other parts of the body. Given Biden's age, medical experts say Biden didn't require regular screening for prostate cancer to receive top medical care. "He could be receiving the best medical care that we have to offer as a nation and not be screened for prostate cancer," said Dr. Michael Morris, a Memorial Sloan Kettering oncologist who specializes in treating men with prostate cancer. "Excellent care means not under-testing. It also means not over-testing." More: 'Need to be honest': Vance questions Biden's health as president after cancer diagnosis Yet prostate cancer is typically detected at an earlier stage. Dr. Herbert Lepor, a urologist at NYU Langone Health, told Reuters that given the available screening options, "it is a bit unusual in the modern era to detect cancers at this late stage." Biden's most recent annual physical as president - which did not include prostate cancer screening - took place in February 2024. The president's physician, Dr. Kevin O'Connor, described Biden as a "healthy, active, robust 81-year-old male who remains fit to successfully execute the duties of the Presidency." The report cited Biden's sleep apnea treatment and stiffened gait from arthritis. Reach Joey Garrison on X @joeygarrison.
