Latest news with #NinePerfectStrangers
Canberra Times
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Canberra Times
Sirens will have you engaged, even if you don't know what it's trying to say
Nicole Kidman might not have been in Sirens, but you can catch her in the second season of Prime Video's Nine Perfect Strangers. This time the action is moved from the sunny climes of Byron Bay to the decidedly frostier Austrian Alps. Joining Nicole for this season are fellow Aussie Murray Bartlett, Henry Golding, Mark Strong, Christine Baranski and Annie Murphy, among others. Also on Prime you'll find the fourth instalment of former Top Gear guru Jeremy Clarkson's reality farming series, Clarkson's Farm, and four-part documentary series about NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt, called, inventively, Earnhardt. Over on Netflix you can dive into Fear Street: Prom Queen, a spin-off of the 2021 trilogy based on the R.L. Stine novels. This one is set in 1988 and while it takes a little time to find its rhythm, ends up being a blast. You can also catch Tyler Perry's latest comedy series She the People (Perry's the only person in Hollywood busier than Nicole Kidman and Guy Ritchie), and docuseries Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders on Netflix. Meanwhile on Binge there's another entry in the Librarians franchise, which has spanned several films and four seasons of TV. Now there's another spin-off, The Librarians: The Next Chapter.
West Australian
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- West Australian
What to Watch: The Survivors, Stick, This City Is Ours, Lego Masters and Guy Mont Spelling Bee
There has been a plethora of book-to-TV adaptations hitting screens of late. Some have been incredibly watchable (Boy Swallows Universe), some have missed the mark (hello series two of Nine Perfect Strangers). This one, based on the book by Jane Harper, will be hoping to land with audiences — and if the trailer is anything to go by, then viewers can certainly expect a twisty-turny tale. It sees The Rings Of Power star Charlie Vickers playing a young man, Kieran Elliott, haunted by events that shaped his life some 15 years earlier, when a storm took the lives of two boys close to him. He survived and is haunted by what happened, still wrestling with his complex survivor guilt as he revisits his childhood home with partner Mia (played by Yerin Ha), who also grew up in the town. Almost as soon as they land back in the tiny Tasmanian town they once called home, a body washes up on the shore, and as events unfold, it begins to look increasingly as though the death is connected to the devastating events that happened all those years ago and the death of another girl they all grew up with. Shot in Tasmania and produced by the award-winning team at Tony Ayres Productions (Fires, Clickbait, Stateless), The Survivors boasts a stunning ensemble cast, including Robyn Malcolm (pictured), Jessica De Gouw, Catherine McClements, Thom Green and Martin Sacks. With a cast like that, you know it's going to be worth a watch. Seven seasons on, it's truly a marvel there's still blood to be squeezed from the Lego Masters stone. But you can't keep a good Brickman down. And he's back, along with host Hamish Blake, to preside over builders from seven countries — Canada, China, Finland, Sweden, USA, New Zealand and Australia — to see who'll be crowned 'the ultimate grandmaster of the galaxy'. It's a stretch, but we'll allow it. Family-friendly fun. This series, starring Owen Wilson as a washed-up golf pro who finds new purpose in mentoring a young golfing prodigy, has 'TV hit' written all over it. Heartfelt performances, believable characters and clippy dialogue make it an incredibly watchable proposition, even if the idea of a show about golf makes you want to stick a tee in your eye. Even the biggest haters will fall hard for this delightful series — you're going to love it. Love yourself a gritty British crime drama? This could be about to become your new favourite. And even better — it stars Sean Bean! This series, about a gang of cocaine smugglers, has been getting great reviews in the UK, and is BBC's most-watched new drama launch of 2025, which gives you an idea of what to expect. Also stars James Nelson-Joyce (pictured) and Hannah Onslow. One for Scouse crime fans. Watching high-profile Australians try to spell on national TV will never not be funny. Throw in comedian Guy Montgomery and his comedy offsider Aaron Chen and you've got a laugh-out-loud quiz show guaranteed to tickle your funny bone. This season's line-up includes Hannah Gadsby, Hamish Blake, Rove McManus, Denise Scott and Dave Hughes. Looking forward to seeing how they fare — the worse, the better!
North Wales Live
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- North Wales Live
Luke Evans' life off-screen from private relationship to childhood
Luke Evans, a well-known figure in the film industry, has graced many hit films, from Fast and Furious to The Hobbit. The 46-year-old Welsh actor and singer is no stranger to the stage, having launched his career in the West End, and he's also appeared in several TV series, including Nine Perfect Strangers. His latest television appearance offers something different, as Luke is set to appear on Alison Hammond's Big Weekend, where viewers will have the opportunity to see him spend some time with the TV presenter. Let's delve into Luke's life off-camera, from his family to his current partner.... Luke's early years Luke was born on 15 April 1979 in Pontypool. He was raised in Aberbargoed by his parents, Yvonne and David Evans. Luke was brought up as a Jehovah's Witness. However, he chose to leave the religion when he was 16 years old and left school, reports Wales Online. At the age of 17, he moved to Cardiff and began studying with singing coach Louise Ryan. Eventually, he secured a scholarship to London Studio Centre and graduated in 2000. What has Luke starred in? After graduation, Luke started starring in West End productions. His appearances include La Cava, Taboo, Rent, Avenue Q, and Miss Saigon. Luke's career began with appearances in numerous fringe shows in London and Edinburgh, before he secured his breakout role in the play Small Change in 2008. His performance caught the eye of film casting directors and talent agencies, leading to his first film audition at the ripe age of 30. His first film role was in 2009, when he portrayed Apollo in Clash of the Titans. This marked the beginning of his film career, and he has since starred in films such as Fast and Furious 6, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, The Girl on the Train, Pinocchio, and Scrooge: A Christmas Carol. He has also appeared on the small screen in TV series such as Nine Perfect Strangers, The Alienist, The Way, and Echo 3. Luke's dating life As for his personal life, Luke is openly gay and has spoken candidly about coming out to his parents, who are practising Jehovah's Witnesses, when he was 19. "We've been through a lot together. What we've done is we've come through two very different journeys in life where love has risen above everything," he shared in a previous interview with BBC Radio Wales. "Respect, love, and understanding, and that's what we have had to have with each other, because we've all chosen different paths, but it doesn't mean we can't love each other and be in each other's lives. I respect them. They respect me." While he generally keeps his personal life under wraps, it is known that Luke previously dated model and actor Jon Kortajarena, although they parted ways in 2016. Who is Luke's partner? Luke has been in a relationship with Fran Tomas since 2021, and they took their romance public in 2022. Fran, who has a background in project management for both residential and commercial projects, is currently the Chief Financial Officer of BDXY Studio. According to his LinkedIn profile, this fashion and lifestyle brand was co-founded alongside Luke and Christopher Brown. In an interview with Out Magazine, Luke previously spoke glowingly of his partner: "We're best friends. We travel together. We work together, we work on the brand together. And we're building a life together. We're happy, and I'm very grateful that I've met that person."
Wales Online
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Inside Luke Evans' life from private relationship to childhood
Inside Luke Evans' life from private relationship to childhood Actor Luke Evans has been a regular on our screens for several years, but what do we know about him away from the cameras? Take a look... Luke Evans is a familiar face to many, having starred in numerous hit films throughout the course of his career, from Fast & Furious to The Hobbit. The Welsh actor and singer, 46, is no stranger to the stage, having kicked off his career in the West End, and he's also starred in several TV series, including Nine Perfect Strangers. His latest TV appearance offers something different however, as Luke's set to appear on Alison Hammond's Big Weekend, where viewers will get to see him spend some time with the TV presenter. Here, we take a look into Luke's life away from the cameras, from his family to his current partner... Luke Evans pictured in 2024 (Image: Getty ) Luke's early years Luke was born on 15 April 1979 in Pontypool. He grew up in Aberbargoed with his parents, Yvonne and David Evans. Luke was raised as a Jehovah's Witness. However, he opted to leave the religion when he was 16 years old and left school. He moved to Cardiff when he was 17 years old and began studying with singing coach Louise Ryan. Eventually, he landed a scholarship to London Studio Centre, going on to graduate in 2000. What has Luke starred in? After graduating, Luke began starring in West End productions. He appeared in shows such as La Cava, Taboo, Rent, Avenue Q and Miss Saigon. He also appeared in numerous fringe shows in London and Edinburgh, before landing his breakout role in the play Small Change in 2008. Luke's performance in the play saw him catch the attention of film casting directors and talent agencies, leading to his first film audition at the age of 30. Luke's first film role came in 2009, when he landed the part of Apollo in Clash of the Titans. This kickstarted his film career and he's since starred in titles including Fast & Furious 6, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, The Girl on the Train, Pinocchio and Scrooge: A Christmas Carol. He has appeared in TV shows such as Nine Perfect Strangers, The Alienist, The Way and Echo 3. Luke's dating life Luke is gay and has spoken openly about coming out to his parents, who are practising Jehovah's Witnesses, at age 19. "We've been through a lot together. What we've done is we've come through two very different journeys in life where love has risen above everything," he previously said in an interview with BBC Radio Wales. "Respect, love and understanding, and that's what we have had to have with each other, because we've all chosen different paths, but it doesn't mean we can't love each other and be in each other's lives. I respect them. They respect me." While he tends to keep his personal life private, Luke did previously date model and actor Jon Kortajarena. The pair split in 2016. Who is Luke's partner? Luke is in a relationship with Fran Tomas. The couple have been together since 2021, going public with their romance in 2022. Fran is a project manager who has worked on residential and commercial projects. According to his LinkedIn profile, he is the Chief Financial Officer of BDXY Studio, a clothing and lifestyle brand he co-founded with Luke and Christopher Brown. Article continues below Luke with partner Fran Tomas (Image: Getty ) Luke previously praised his partner in an interview with Out Magazine, saying: 'We're best friends. We travel together. We work together, we work on the brand together. And we're building a life together. We're happy and I'm very grateful that I've met that person.' Alison Hammond's Big Weekend airs on Friday, 30 May at 8pm on ITV1
Courier-Mail
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Courier-Mail
Christine Baranski shares why Nicole Kidman kept distance on Nine Perfect Strangers set
Don't miss out on the headlines from TV. Followed categories will be added to My News. They may be Nine Perfect Strangers on screen, but behind the scenes the new cast of the drama series are anything but. Christine Baranski joins Nicole Kidman along with a star-studded line-up for season two, including Crazy Rich Asians star Henry Golding, The White Lotus star Murray Bartlett, and Schitt's Creek star Annie Murphy. But while the cast bonded during the six months they filmed in the snowy Austrian Alps, in a case of life imitating art, Kidman kept her distance on the series, which is now streaming on Prime Video. Christine Baranski attends the season two premiere of Nine Perfect Strangers at The Beverly Estate on May 15 in LA. Picture: AP Photo/Chris Pizzello Baranski joins Nicole Kidman on the second season of the hit show. Picture:MORE: Kidman forced to 'apologise' to her neighbours The Aussie actress reprises her role as Masha Dmitrichenko, a Russian wellness guru who uses unconventional and questionable methods to treat her guests as the fictional health retreat Zauberwald Although Masha is sociable and people are drawn to her, she is equally complex and enigmatic – and it appears Kidman maintained this persona off-screen too. 'We bonded, the nine of us. And when [Kidman] would come in, it was sort of exactly like it would be in the show, which is she comes in and we're all, what's she all about? What's she going to do? And so the chemistry was sort of exactly right for it,' Baranski, 73, told Baranski and Kidman are joined by Henry Golding, Mark Strong and Aussie actor Murray Bartlett in the second season of Nine Perfect Strangers. Picture: Prime Video 'She's rather perfect for that role. The character of Masha is so mysterious and has her own backstory that's very, very complicated and interesting. And Nicole is really tall and statuesque, and her look in this show, I think, is particularly arresting. So she's just perfect for this inscrutable, intimidating character.' Baranski plays glamorous divorcee Victoria on the series. Picture: Prime Video Victoria's much younger boyfriend Matteo is played by Aras Aydın (centre). Picture: Prime Video Still, there was nothing that could keep Baranski away from the show or Kidman. 'It's such a no-brainer. My agent said it was Nicole Kidman and the second season of Strangers, which was already an established hit. Then he mentioned the talent that they were offering roles to various actors, and they were all extraordinary people. And then he said that it was going to film in Europe, in Munich and the Austrian Alps,' the Mamma Mia star shared. In season two, Baranski plays the glamorous and sensual Victoria, who enlists the help of Masha to repair her relationship with her daughter Imogen (played by Murphy). While they play an estranged mother-and-daughter duo, off-screen Murphy adored Baranski. Canadian actress Annie Murphy plays Baranski's on-screen daughter Imogen. Picture: Valerie Macon/AFP 'She is the hostess with the mostest and she's so generous. Anytime she'd go away [from set], she'd come back with cakes and treats and all these things for us,' Murphy told 'We were staying in this town called Halstadt in Austria, which is this beautiful fairytale town around this alpine lake. And we're staying in this beautiful hotel and the hotel backed onto the lake. 'Christine arranged this evening for us, and the sun was just setting and we walked out and there was champagne and beautiful tables set up. She'd curated this incredible classical playlist for us that was kind of echoing across this still, beautiful lake. And it was just magical.' Kidman and Baranski (back left) with the cast at the season two premiere in Beverly Hills. Picture:In the series, there is also magic between Baranski's Victoria and her much younger lover Matteo (played by Aras Aydın). There seems to be a chorus of age-gap romances playing out on screens across Hollywood lately, but Baranski says there is nothing salacious about this May-December romance. 'It was very easy because Aras is so emotionally free and available and he's beautiful and so passionate. We didn't have to work at that [chemistry],' she said. 'As you can see from early on in the first few episodes, it's not just some sexy older woman-hot guy relationship. There's an enormous kind of tenderness and caretaking and loveliness between us. 'We valued bringing that out more than the sexy part because it's transcends age. People can love each other long after they feel sexy or hot for each other. The tenderness and the intimacy is what is most lasting and interesting.' Nine Perfect Strangers season two is now streaming on Prime Video Originally published as Christine Baranski shares why Nicole Kidman kept distance on Nine Perfect Strangers set
