Latest news with #NoMan'sLand
Daily Record
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
7 'thrilling' detective novels set in and around historic Scottish city
Susan from The BookTrail maps real locations from Neil Broadfoot's detective series across Stirling, Edinburgh, and beyond. Scotland's historic city of Stirling has long captured the imagination with its castle, cobbled streets and battlefield past. But thanks to crime author Neil Broadfoot, it plays host to an equally gripping fictional world. His gripping series has led readers to discover hidden corners of the country in ways they might never have expected. And Susan from literary travel agency The BookTrail has mapped out the places featured in Broadfoot's seven-book Connor Fraser detective series. Writing for VisitScotland, her journey through the series shows how fiction and real-world locations can blend to offer readers an immersive, book -inspired adventure across Stirling, Edinburgh and beyond. Susan explained how her lifelong love of literary travel began with Around the World in 80 Days. Today, her website allows readers to follow in the footsteps of characters across dozens of books set around the world. 'The mix of historical detail and thrilling plot is an exciting combination,' she said, describing Broadfoot's work. 'With the main location of Stirling, and visits to Edinburgh and Belfast, there is a real sense of travel, history and intrigue with this series.' Broadfoot's series was inspired by a game of football at the Bloody Scotland crime writing festival, which is held annually in Stirling. Since then, his novels have taken readers on journeys through graveyards, hospitals, universities and castles. Cowane's Hospital – No Man's Land The opening book, No Man's Land, introduces Connor Fraser, a close protection expert and former PSNI officer. It led Susan to Cowane's Hospital, one of Stirling's most striking historical buildings. Built with funds from merchant John Cowane, it once housed retired members of the local guild and offers views across the city from near the castle. 'I might never have discovered this place or learned of its history without No Man's Land,' Susan noted. Church of the Holy Rude – No Place to Die Just a short walk from the castle sits the Church of the Holy Rude, a location woven into the second novel, No Place to Die. The church is one of the oldest buildings in Stirling and famously held a royal coronation. 'There's this parallel world that only readers can truly access and appreciate,' Susan said. 'It feels magical every time.' Cambusbarron and Gillies Hill – The Point of No Return Broadfoot's third book, The Point of No Return, brings readers to Cambusbarron, a village just outside Stirling. Its ancient hillfort, Gillies Hill, is thought to be where Robert the Bruce camped before the Battle of Bannockburn. 'Who knew that crime fiction would take me down a rabbit hole of proportions I have not experienced since Alice in Wonderland,' Susan wrote. Edinburgh and Leith – No Quarter Given No Quarter Give, the fourth novel shifts much of the action to Edinburgh, particularly the Scottish Parliament and Victoria Quay in Leith. With political intrigue and vivid locations, it explores a different side of Scotland's capital. Leith Docks, the Royal Yacht Britannia, and even indie bookshops like Argonaut Books feature in the journey. Bannockburn – Violent Ends Known for its role in the 1314 battle, Bannockburn remains a powerful symbol of Scottish identity. The fifth novel, Violent Ends, uses it as both a historical backdrop and a key setting in the plot. Susan said the book inspired her to learn more about the area and its lasting significance. University of Stirling – Unmarked Graves Set around the campus and its central loch, the sixth book, Unmarked Graves, uses the university's scenic landscape to chilling effect. Susan found new meaning in familiar settings, writing, 'I could appreciate the veil of fiction over the view in front of me.' Stirling Old Town Cemetery – Exit Wounds The final novel, Exit Wounds, is largely based in Belfast but returns to Stirling for one of its most atmospheric scenes. The Old Town Cemetery, near the castle, was the site of the last siege led by Bonnie Prince Charlie. Susan described it as 'perhaps my favourite spot on the Broadfoot BookTrails, for it felt as if I could just hear the whispers of the past and present coming together.'
Hindustan Times
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Does Brad Pitt regret not having a ‘gay experience'? Hear him spill the beans as Pride Month concludes
Brad Pitt wouldn't be able to keep his name out of headlines these past few weeks, even if he wanted to. The actor, 61, has been on a pretty extensive press tour for the now-out release, F1, which for the record, has been getting some smashing reviews. Brad Pitt gets candid about never having had a 'gay experience'(Photo: X) Not too far back, Brad had made an appearance on Dax Shepard's Armchair Expert podcast, where among other things, he briefly went over his own experiences with the same sex — or the lack thereof, actually! Host Dax was in the middle of saying, "Given the way you and I met..." which Brad cheekily cut in to with, "Sexually, you mean?". The actor thereafter rather nonchalantly added, "You know I've never had a gay experience, I kinda missed that window". Brad being Brad though, followed it up with, "But if I did..." followed by a dramatic pause, "it wouldn't be you". Jokes aside, did you know Brad almost never made the cut for his Hollywood debut? While speaking to Dax, the actor revealed how he had almost gotten himself fired from his first Hollywood gig. Unlike where he stands now, Brad's first steps in Hollywood weren't all glam and Gucci. For his first Hollywood stint, he made an uncredited appearance as a waiter in 1987 release No Man's Land. Brad Pitt in the 'Hollywood debut' he almost got fired from(Photo: X) Brad shared, "It's a restaurant scene. The main characters are Charlie Sheen and D.B. Sweeney, and a bunch of other actors that I wasn't necessarily aware of. I am the waiter". All he was required to do was come up to the table, pour some champagne, spin and walk. But, Brad has always been a risktaker and at the time, his one sole pursuit was to get a SAG card for himself: "The whole game was, how do you get your SAG card? Because you can't get a job if you don't have your SAG card, but you can't get your SAG card unless you've had a job. It's this catch-22". Brad continued, "Like a jackass, they're doing the scene. I get to the last actor — and she seemed lower on the totem pole? Maybe? And, literally, the scene is going on, I pour her champagne and I go, 'Would you like anything else?' It was 'CUT! CUT! CUT!'...The first AD runs over, 'You do that again, you're out of here!' It was just a shame for the rest of the night". F1, with Brad taking the lead, is now running in theatres.
Vogue
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Vogue
Lu'u Dan Spring 2026 Menswear Collection
This collection completed what Hung La has envisioned as a Lu'u Dan trilogy. It has cycled through angsty rebels and masked criminals, the guys attracted to a menacing guise because it's one of the ways they can override their invisibility elsewhere. As the third installment, which La named No Man's Land in reference to undefined spaces—with an even more loaded suggestion of disputed territory during a war—the plot shifted. Perhaps because last season's looks gave peak ominous, he had nowhere else to turn but towards the light. 'It's not clear when the sun will come out, and this guy is still very defiant; he hasn't found his space in the world, but he is [starting to find] his footing in society,' said La. You only needed a cursory glance at many of the typically exaggerated and striking silhouettes to discover how they were back in shades of… vanilla, banana cream pie, butter. In some cases, this involved a deliberate process of transformation. The bleached denim started out black with the aim of 'sucking out' the darkness. Other pieces such as a wadded jersey coat or velvet version of a bulletproof vest were about conveying softness, too. La noted the significance of representing the blue collar experience. 'It's my parents' generation—the taxi driver, the factory worker; [they were] educated and prominent in their country of origin and came to America and were forgotten and didn't have space.' Perhaps this helps explain why La is never afraid to pump up the volume. Yet the rigor he absorbed at Celine and Balenciaga continues to inform how he constructs garments, whether they are made from tarps purchased on Amazon or reflective tape. The average customer may not gravitate towards a pair of outlaw chaps, but those who do will find they are impeccably made. Sub themes included 'down-cycled' knits patched together from vintage sweaters; prints that riffed on 'punk flyers' with anarchic graphics; a military detour—see the army green bomber and an XXL leather coat that looked like it had been on several tours of duty—and pieces in gray and black plaid wadded flannel that La said introduced a West Coast vibe. Three-and-a-half years into Lu'u Dan, the brand brings an authentic voice to these dualities of violence and protection. It's La's take on Leonard Cohen's famous lyric about cracks letting the light in. 'There are so many cracks, right? When we do these collections, we speak to kids that feel like they need to rebel from all the structures, all the conformity. These collections are really about being an outsider,' said La. 'You see the energy now, that this has its own life.' A little light goes a long way.
News18
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Brad Pitt Was Nearly Fired From His First Movie: 'It Was Just A Shame'
Last Updated: Pitt shared earlier that he would urge his younger self to "trust your voice" if he had the opportunity to go back in time. Hollywood star Brad Pitt took a trip down memory lane and recalled how he got himself in trouble after speaking during an uncredited appearance as a waiter in the 1987 movie 'No Man's Land" by Peter Werner. The 61-year-old star explained that he spontaneously added a line of dialogue whilst pouring champagne in an attempt to become a member of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), reports Pitt told Dax Shepard's Armchair Expert podcast: 'It's a restaurant scene. The main characters are Charlie Sheen and D.B. Sweeney, and a bunch of other actors that I wasn't necessarily aware of. I am the waiter." 'I'm supposed to bring up champagne and pour champagne. They show me how to do it. You gotta pour. You spin. You wipe the thing." The F1 actor explained how he took a chance by speaking in the scene to obtain his SAG card. Pitt said: 'The whole game was, how do you get your SAG card? Because you can't get a job if you don't have your SAG card, but you can't get your SAG card unless you've had a job. It's this catch-22." The icon added: 'Like a jackass, they're doing the scene. I get to the last actor – and she seemed lower on the totem pole? Maybe? And, literally, the scene is going on, I pour her champagne and I go, 'Would you like anything else?' It was 'CUT! CUT! CUT!' 'The first AD runs over, 'You do that again, you're out of here!!!' It was just a shame for the rest of the night." Meanwhile, Pitt shared earlier that he would urge his younger self to 'trust your voice" if he had the opportunity to go back in time. The actor told E! News: 'Don't sweat it, bro. Trust yourself. Really, just trust that voice. So many things I agonised that were just a waste of time, I agonised over in the early years. Really, just trust your voice." First Published:
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Brad Pitt opens up about embarrassing career moment that ‘still haunts him'
Brad Pitt has revealed the career moment that 'still haunts' him to this day. The actor, who stars in Top Gun: Maverick director Joseph Kosinski's new F1 film, has reflected on his past roles in a new interview – and was left cringing while recalling a particular interaction when he first started in Hollywood. Before his breakout supporting role in Thelma & Louise in 1992, Pitt was a jobbing actor trying to hit the big time when he landed a non-speaking part in cop film No Man's Land, written by TV producing maestro Dick Wolf (Law & Order). When Pitt scored the role as a waiter, he was yet to be admitted into the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), a membership designed to help actors further their careers. Frustratingly for the burgeoning Hollywood star, to secure SAG membership, you need to have at least one speaking part – and Pitt's role in No Man's Land required him to simply pour champagne and say nothing. 'The whole game was, how do you get your SAG card? Because you can't get a job if you don't have your SAG card, but you can't get your SAG card unless you've had a job. It's this catch-22,' he told Armchair Expert podcast. However, this didn't stop Pitt from trying to make his mark with a move he admitted 'still haunts' him. 'It's a restaurant scene. The main characters are Charlie Sheen and DB Sweeney, and a bunch of other actors that I wasn't necessarily aware of. 'I am the waiter. I'm supposed to bring up champagne and pour champagne. They show me how to do it. You gotta pour. You spin. You wipe the thing.' Pitt continued: 'Like a jackass, they're doing the scene. I get to the last actor – and she seemed lower on the totem pole? Maybe? And, literally, the scene is going on, I pour her champagne and I go, 'Would you like anything else?' It was 'CUT! CUT! CUT!'' The actor was scolded by the Assistant Director, who ran over to tell him: 'You do that again, you're out of here.' Pitt said he felt 'shame for the rest of the night'. Shortly after his wordless role in No Man's Land, Pitt starred in slasher film Cutting Class. The following decade, he went on to become one of the world's biggest actors, starring in films including True Romance, Interview with the Vampire, Se7en, Twelve Monkeys, Meet Joe Black and Fight Club.
