Latest news with #OfftheRecord
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Mary Fowler dream shattered as Panthers handed huge news about Nathan Cleary
Mary Fowler's dream about starting a big family has been dealt a blow, with reports her boyfriend Nathan Cleary has no interest in quitting the NRL to move overseas. The Penrith Panthers star has consistently been linked with a move to play in Europe to be closer to the Matildas fan favourite, who is based in England and plays for Manchester City. Rumours have been rife for months that Cleary might switch to the English Super League in the near future to be closer to Fowler. And Wallabies legend Tim Horan suggested Cleary was considering a switch to rugby union after hearing whispers that the four-time premiership winner was "quite keen" to leave the NRL for the 15-man game. Another former Wallaby, Morgan Turinui, appeared to add credence to the story by insisting "there is interest on both sides". But veteran sports journalist Andrew Webster revealed on his 'Off the Record' Podcast with Phil 'Buzz' Rothfield, that Cleary's father and coach Ivan, plus manager George Mimis, both dismissed the reports as 'bulls**t'. "I spoke to George Mimis (Cleary's manager) and Ivan Cleary and Ivan told me he'd spoken to Nathan and they both said it's absolute bulls**t," Webster declared. "Nathan had said to Ivan 'there's nothing in it' and Ivan said to me he's been getting text messages and calls about this sort of stuff around Nathan leaving for about six months. "I spoke to Mimis and he says he hasn't had a discussion with any rugby union club, anywhere in the world." Rothfield said he also found the speculation around Cleary's future ridiculous, amid warnings about interest from overseas rugby clubs and suggestions Fowler wanted Cleary to be closer to her in England. "People that are saying that clearly have no idea what Nathan Cleary is about," Webster continued. "They clearly don't understand what a competitor he is and how professional he is. He's not about to go and cash a cheque in French rugby, which is basically a part-time comp in comparison to rugby league. "Everyone thinks that he's going to move over and be closer to Mary Fowler so he's been linked to the English Super League, to Perth, now to French rugby or European rugby. It's all bulls**t. That said though, if I'm (Rugby Australia CEO) Phil Waugh I'm having a crack to get him. He'd be the perfect convert." RELATED: Rival NRL club responds as Craig Bellamy tipped for shock switch Knights urged to backflip on brutal call to part ways Origin hero Door ajar for Reece Walsh as Ponga on cusp of State of Origin ban The latest development around Cleary would appear to put Fowler's dreams of starting a family firmly on the backburner. Fowler and Cleary both have three siblings each and speaking on the 'Keegan and Company' podcast with former NRL player Keegan Hipgrave this week, the Matildas star said she has a burning desire to start "a big family" of her own one day. 'The only dream I have at the moment is to be a mum and have heaps of kids and be in a space where they can play outside a lot," she said. "We can do the gardening and feed the animals together and to be able to run wild in the place; be in the mud. If I had the set-up for that, it would be a dream. 'I would love to have two or three kids of my own and then adopt. I don't know how many I would adopt, it's a long process. But in an ideal world I would like to adopt siblings. I would bring all of them into the home. 'The dream would definitely have a lot of outdoor space because I would love to have lots of animals... I really want to have a whole range of animals. It's very random and I'm trying to convince Nath that it would be a good idea. I really want to get a cow, some little goats, maybe a pig, some geese and I also really want to get a Great Dane.'
Herald Sun
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Herald Sun
‘Can't let him land first': Host lifts lid on explosive Latrell exchange
Don't miss out on the headlines from NRL. Followed categories will be added to My News. Braith Anasta has revealed more details surrounding his fiery dust-up with Latrell Mitchell outside a Sydney restaurant in 2024. The 43-year-old was asked about the exchange on Thursday's Off the Record podcast with The Australian's Andrew Webster and The Daily Telegraph's Buzz Rothfield. FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every game of every round in the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership, LIVE with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. The incident unfolded in Surry Hills while both parties were separately out for dinner at restaurant Chin Chin in May last year. Mitchell had reportedly taken issue with perceived personal attacks by Anasta and approached him inside the restaurant before asking him to step outside. While the exchange never turned physical, Anasta said to he had fears it could have turned nasty. Watch Anasta lift the lid on the explosive exchange in the video player above 'I was thinking in my head, I can't let him land the first one because I'll be gone, because he's a beast,' Anasta said on the Off The Record podcast. 'I'd be lying if I said at some point, I didn't think it might happen. I can understand what he was going through and I can understand how frustrating it is when people have an opinion and you just want to play footy. 'He could have easily called me. He could have easily (talked to me) and I would have spoken to him about it.' Anasta said he thought the confrontation might turn physical. Credit: Off The Record podcast. The incident quickly found its way online with Anasta left disappointed with how Mitchell's camp leaked the story. 'That was another DW (Danny Weidler) stitch up,' he said. Buzz added: 'He (Latrell) leaked his version of it.' Anasta replied: 'Very quickly mind you.' The NRL 360 host then went into further detail on how the whole night played out but clarified he and Latrell are now on good terms. 'Okay, let me get something clear here – before I tell it, me and Latrell are fine,' he said. 'It's not about putting sh*t on him. I don't want that. But what actually happened was, I finished NRL360 and … by Wednesday night, I just want to have a beer, and have something to eat and just relax. 'So, I've gone to Chin Chin's to meet someone there. I hadn't even ordered. I had my back to the restaurant. So I couldn't see anything other than who I was having dinner with. 'Anyway, I hadn't even ordered a drink and I get this tap on my shoulder. I look over my shoulder and it's Latrell. I coached Latrell in the (under) 20s, always had a good relationship with him, and I didn't think anything of it. Braith says he was caught off guard by the confrontation. Credit: Off The Record podcast. Latrell wasn't happy with the NRL 360 host and his constant criticism. (Photo by) 'He goes, 'no, no, no, no. I'm sick of you having a crack at me on 360, yada, yada, yada'. I'm thinking, is he joking here, or is he serious? 'And he goes, let's go outside. By that point, people are looking at us, right? It's the middle of Chin Chin's. It's a busy night. I thought, I need to de-escalate this, or at the very least, I need to get this out of this restaurant, right? 'We go out the front and he just lays, he lays into me, right? He's standing over the top of me and he's having his whack. 'I'm like, mate, okay, slow down. Because there was nothing making sense. It was just abuse. I said, 'mate, what am I doing that isn't right? Is there something that I'm wrong with? Can you just explain to me what you're angry with?' 'They were coming last at the time. I don't know if it was a week or two before, but I'd shown some vision of him at fullback. 'I watch every game of every player … and there were just a few instances where I thought he could be better. 'In that instant, he was over the top of me. I didn't back down at all. I gave as good as I got.' The criticism from Anasta came as the Rabbitohs slumped to to last place on the ladder at the end of round 9, 2024. At the time Anasta and fellow NRL 360 panel members raised questions about Mitchell's place in the team and whether the club should shift him away from the fullback position. Anasta had pointed out that the then 26-year-old Mitchell struggles with defensive positioning as a fullback. 'You look at the great fullbacks in our game and they're there before the play is there. They pre-empt it, they are moving before the ball goes, they are on the bike,' Anasta said. 'He gets caught out a lot in defence, he's very rarely in the frame at the last second when there's a try or when he's got an opportunity to save a try. 'That's where he needs to improve on. That comes down to fitness too Gordie (Gordon Tallis) and comes down to being one of those high energy fullbacks. He plays differently.' Mitchell has turned his form around in 2025 with the fullback staring for the Rabbitohs as well as producing jaw-dropping feats for the NSW Blues in the State of Origin opener. Fair to say there won't be any restaurant confrontations coming if he keeps his stellar play up. Originally published as 'Can't let him land first': Host lifts lid on explosive Latrell exchange
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NRL news: Mal Meninga responds to Ezra Mam call as truth emerges about return to Broncos team
Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga says the Broncos have made the right call not picking Ezra Mam to make his NRL return on Friday night, as new details emerge about Brisbane's reasons for overlooking the 22-year-old. Mam was available for selection in the round 10 game away to the Rabbitohs after serving a nine-game ban for a drug-driving incident in the off-season that also saw him disqualified from driving for six months and slapped with $120,000 in fines. A magistrate told the Broncos playmaker he was lucky not to have killed anyone when he crashed into an Uber containing a mother and child, as well as the driver. The Brisbane five-eighth pleaded guilty in court and was banned from driving for six months and copped an $850 fine, but many critics argued the punishment was too lenient. Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga reckons Brisbane have made the right call not to rush Ezra Mam back into the NRL after his nine-game ban. Pic: Getty Mam copped a taste of the public sentiment against him during Magic Round last weekend when he was booed by sections of the Suncorp Stadium crowd after being shown on the big screen. But despite many expecting Mam to come back into Maguire's 17-man squad for Friday night's game against Souths, the 22-year-old will instead make his competitive return to footy for Souths Logan Magpies in the Queensland Cup on the weekend. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement Broncos legend and club director Darren Lockyer warned last month that Mam's lack of game time could see him eased back into the NRL. And Meninga says overlooking Mam was the right move from Maguire to ensure the playmaker - who has been banned from playing all levels of footy - gets some valuable playing time under his belt before being thrust back into first grade. Mal Meninga agrees with call to ease Ezra Mam back 'Ezra has obviously proved himself at the elite level,' Meninga told SENQ Breakfast. 'He's a great player but I think he (Maguire) is doing the right thing. 'If you have been a consistent first grader, of course you just want to jump back into the first team. "It's up to what the coach thinks and what he believes is good for the team. It would be good to have Ezra back because he's an enthusiastic player and he has that high speed game. I reckon he plays just one game in the Queensland Cup and then he will come back.' Theory emerges about why Ezra Mam's return was held back While Mam's lack of footy would be the obvious reason he's not playing in the NRL this week, there are suggestions the Broncos didn't want the controversial star's return to overshadow the NRL's Women in League Round. Veteran league reporter Phil Rothfield revealed on his Off the Record podcast with fellow league journo Andrew Webster that Mam was in line to be included in Brisbane's squad until "internal pressure" from within the club saw him eventually drop out. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement 'It's because it's Women in League Round,' Rothfield said. 'That's the mail I'm getting. I made calls on Tuesday about whether he would be in the side. Some very good sources at the Broncos informed us that he was on an extended bench. That was 11am. Then the teams came out and he was nowhere to be seen. 'My information is there was internal pressure, with it being Women in League, that it wouldn't be the right look. He also hadn't played footy for a long time... When you consider a four-year-old girl was left with a fractured hip in that car incident. Her mum was in the car. She was badly shaken. He had cocaine in his system, he was unlicensed, he veered to the wrong side of the road.' Ezra Mam will have to return to footy via the Queensland Cup after serving a nine-game ban. Pic: Getty Ezra Mam collided with another vehicle while unlicensed. Image: Channel 9 Mam's case divided public opinion and the fact he was booed during Magic Round shows the 22-year-old's popularity with league fans has clearly taken a hit. Many critics such as Webster argued that Mam should have copped a much longer ban than nine games, considering Roosters star Spencer Leniu was suspended for eight games in 2024 for a racial slur on the Broncos playmaker. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement 'He should have sat out the year,' Webster said about Mam. 'I know that's heavy but to make it one extra week than the Spencer Leniu suspension )was wrong)... There was more concern from that incident about Ezra's welfare. What about the little girl? What about the mother? Where was the condemnation for what Ezra had done? Nine matches sent a terrible message. To not pick him for this round, because it's Women in League, seems like a piss-weak move after making a piss-weak decision last year.'
Epoch Times
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Epoch Times
‘Off The Record': Andie MacDowell's Oldest Daughter Hits the Big Screen
R | 1h 35m | Drama | 2025 Model-actress Andie MacDowell broke into the movies with 'Sex, Lies, and Videotape' (1989) and hit stardom with 'Groundhog Day' (1993). MacDowell has two daughters, Margaret Qualley, whose acting career is now well established, and sister Rainey Qualley, a singer-actress. Little sister Margaret's got actor animal-magnetism in spades; big sister Rainey's got musical chops plus mom's bombshell model looks. That is to say, Margaret is no slouch in the looks department either, and Rainey can act—she just needs a better vehicle than 'Off The Record,' the feature debut of Kirsten Foe, who wrote and directed. Astor Grey (Rainey Qualley), in "Off The Record." Quiver Distribution Casting Couch, Kinda Rainey stars as Astor Grey, an aspiring L.A. singer-songwriter who pays the rent with commercial acting, in addition to gigging. Brandyn Verge (Ryan Hansen), a not-quite-washed-up, still fairly famous rock star, notices Astor and reaches out to her on social media. Naturally flattered, Astor agrees to a date—she's starstruck and 25 years old. She's also not immune to the temptation of knowing how effectively one hand washing the other can get immediate results in showbiz. She lets the date move way too fast. Brandyn Verge (Ryan Hansen, L) and Hal (Billy Gibbons), in "Off The Record." Quiver Distribution Red flags appear almost immediately. Brandyn promises to kick Astor's career into overdrive. The next day on a sight-seeing date, he cluelessly runs his fancy red Porsche out of gas in the middle of the desert. It's not entirely cringe, because rock band ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons gives them a ride to a gas station. Gibbons doesn't play his rock star self, but it's a fun cameo. Another fun cameo is hall-of-fame quarterback Peyton Manning as a commercial director. Related Stories 5/14/2023 9/23/2019 Astor's bestie Noelle (Olivia Sui), and her mom, Rosemary (Julia Campbell) metaphorically put a megaphone in Astor's face and scream about all the red flags they're seeing, but Astor is already lost in euphoric, young-woman-powerful-older-man, codependent, people-pleasing, maybe-I'll-get-famous mode. Brandyn can do no wrong, even when he drunkenly rag-dolls out of his Porsche door and pukes on her boots. Nice. Even when her manager Kate (Rebecca De Mornay) sits Astor down with one of Brandyn's exes, who he took for everything she had, Astor has her fingers in her ears, going 'la-la-la-la-la!!' Will Brandyn go to rehab? Will he say 'No, no, no'? Will he invite Astor on a tour as an opening act, proceed to shamelessly lounge around with a groupie on his private jet, and throw Astor's new lyrics out a train window? Will Astor sign a contract? Will she break free of this idiot? 'Off the Record' It's almost the perfect break-out role for Qualley, who's also got a recording career, where she goes by her full name (and stage name), Rainsford. She's got a striking singing voice that ranges from a raspy alto to pop diva, and she's a bit reminiscent of 'Transformers'-era Megan Fox. Her acting is a little thin here, but with a more experienced director, it's clear there's plenty more talent to be trotted out at a later date. While she doesn't have her sister's quirky mega-charisma, hers will nevertheless most likely be a slam-dunk film career, but this wasn't quite the movie-basketball to insure a place on Hollywood's A-list. Astor Grey (Rainey Qualley) performs, in "Off The Record." Quiver Distribution 'Off the Record' also features two songs by Qualley: 'Love Me Like You Hate Me,' and '2 Cents.' These singles will be included in her upcoming album, which will be released alongside the film. New York's highest court recently overturned former movie mogul Harvey Weinstein's 2020 conviction. The timing of this new indie film about a young woman trying to make it in the record industry with the help of an abusive narcissist is suspiciously coincidental. Intentionally timed or not, 'Off the Record' takes the opportunity to illustrate the trafficking element that continues to plague the entertainment industry. It's a commendably heavy-hitting and necessary topic. Unfortunately 'Off the Record' remains lightweight fare. 'Off The Record' is set to premiere simultaneously in theaters and on digital platforms on May 2. Promotional poster for "Off The Record." Quiver Distribution 'Off The Record' Director: Kirsten Foe Starring: Rainey Qualley, Ryan Hansen, Olivia Sui, Julia Campbell MPAA Rating: R Running Time: 1 hours, 35 minutes Release Date: May 2, 2025 Rating: 2 1/2 stars out of 5 Would you like to see other kinds of arts and culture articles? Please email us your story ideas or feedback at
Epoch Times
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Epoch Times
Film Previews: May 2025
Marking the official start of the summer season, May (along with June, November, and December) is usually one of the highest-earning months of every year at the box office. Based on what's been officially confirmed, that likely won't happen this year as the eighth installment of the 'Mission: Impossible' franchise is the only title where a healthy return is virtually guaranteed. Here are some of the more interesting looking theatrical and steaming titles coming out next month. Please note: All opening dates are subject to change. May 1 'Another Simple Favor' To director Paul Feig and screenwriter Jessica Sharzer's immense credit, they ended the 2018 'A Simple Favor' in a manner where a sequel would not only make sense, it would also be warranted. Paroled murderer Emily (Blake Lively) asks Stephanie (Anna Kendrick) to be the maid of honor at her extravagant wedding on the Italian island of Capri. Stephanie, as it turns out, is the woman responsible for her conviction. (MGM/Amazon) May 2 'Thunderbolts* A promotional photo for "Thunderbolts*" Disney/Marvel This latest installment could either be its salvation or the final nail in the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) coffin. Akin to DC Comics' 'Suicide Squad,' the Thunderbolts are a gaggle of misfit supervillains, now antihero crime-fighters. Because the cast includes several respected dramatic and comedic actors, including Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, the movie could be halfway decent. (Disney/Marvel) 'The Surfer' Related Stories 4/1/2025 11/15/2024 "The Surfer," coming out in May, features Nicolas Cage. Roadside Attractions In this pot-boiling dramatic thriller, Nicolas Cage stars as the unnamed title character who returns to his native Australia with his teen son to surf near his seaside boyhood home. This doesn't go over well with a half-dozen local thugs (led by Julian McMahon). Their method of intimidation steadily increases when the Cage character refuses to back down. (Roadside Attractions) 'Off the Record' "Off the Record," similar to "A Star Is Born" stars Rainey Qualley as a lounge singer who makes it big. Quiver Distribution Based on the trailer, this romantic drama is a remake of 'A Star is Born' in all but name. Struggling lounge-singer Astor (Rainey Qualley, sister of Margaret) gets noticed by Brandyn (Ryan Hansen), a rock star in the back half of his career. He mentors her, she gets popular, he goes into full-blown auto-destruct mode, and … well, you know the rest. (Quiver Distribution) May 9 'Nonnas' Older female actors star with Vince Vaughn in "Nonnas." Netflix Reminiscent of 'Moonstruck,' 'Big Night,' and 'Mostly Martha,' this throwback light comedy stars Vince Vaughn. After the death of his mother, he opens an Italian restaurant in New York and hires his mom's friends as the cooks. Drea de Matteo and Linda Cardellini co-star along with Lorraine Bracco, Talia Shire, Susan Sarandon, and Brenda Vaccaro as the frequently bickering chefs. (Netflix) 'Fight or Flight' Josh Hartnett's character faces off with hardened criminals in "Fight or Flight." Magnet Releasing Thanks to an early February release in England, this action comedy from first-time feature director James Madigan currently has a 100 percent critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Suggesting a hybrid of 'Con Air,' 'John Wick,' and 'Bullet Train,' it stars Josh Hartnett as a convicted felon. He's given an opportunity to expunge his record if he can equalize a deadly assassin during a covert plane trip. The catch: Every other passenger is a hardened criminal. (Magnet Releasing) 'Long Way Home' This motorcycle buddy documentary features Ewen McGregor (L). Apple TV+ In this new Apple TV+ docuseries, actor Ewan McGregor and his boyhood friend Charley Boorman chronicle their most recent road trip, something they've done for two decades. On this excursion, the men mount vintage motorcycles and visit 17 countries in Scandinavia and Europe over the space of nine weeks. (Apple TV+) 'Lilly' Patricia Clarkson's character takes on discrimination in "Lilly." Blue Harbor Entertainment In this fact-based courtroom drama, the always terrific Patricia Clarkson stars as Lilly Ledbetter, an attorney who was the plaintiff in the 2007, hotly contested landmark 'Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company' Supreme Court case. The crux of Ledbetter's argument was rooted in 'equal pay for equal work,' which relied heavily on alleged gender and racial discrimination. (Blue Harbor Entertainment) May 14 'American Manhunt: Osama bin Laden' A scene from "American Manhunt: Osama bin Laden." Netflix If the quality and thoroughness of this upcoming three-part docuseries is as good as previous similar Netflix efforts about O.J. Simpson and the Boston Marathon bombing, it will be well worth your investment of time. Postponed from March. (Netflix) May 23 'Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning' Another "M:I" in the franchise stars Tom Cruise. Paramount Unless something totally out of left field occurs, this will likely be the highest-grossing feature of 2025. Tom Cruise (for the eighth time) stars as Ethan Hunt, the leader of a covert IMF (Impossible Mission Force) team; the team is charged with stopping [fill in the blank villain name here] which threatens world peace and order as we know it. Word to the wise: Just because 'final' appears in the title, doesn't mean this will actually be the last 'M:I' film. (Paramount) 'Friendship' Tim Robinson (L) and Paul Rudd in "Friendship". A24 This slightly-twisted comedy, the feature debut of writer-director of Andrew DeYoung, stars Paul Rudd and SNL alum Tim Robinson as new neighbors that initially bond. In short order, they discover they have nothing in common. One of them handles this as a matter of course, but the other feels slighted and offended. Given that this is distributed by rebel studio A24, expect friction and sparks. (A24) May 30 'The Phoenician Scheme' "The Phoenician Scheme" is a quirky espionage thriller. Focus Features Director Wes Anderson, his co-writer Roman Coppola, and some of their frequent collaborators (Bill Murray, Jeffrey Wright, Scarlet Johansson, and Bryan Cranston) join forces for something Anderson has never done before. Instead of their usual off-beat, whimsical humor, the filmmakers tackle the often-tricky espionage thriller genre. (Focus Features) What to Watch for I'm particularly looking forward to 'Another Simple Favor,' 'The Surfer,' 'Nonnas,' 'Fight or Flight,' 'Long Way Home,' and 'Friendship.' What arts and culture topics would you like us to cover? Please email ideas or feedback to
