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Perth Now
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Barry Diller claims John Travolta exited American Gigolo over 'gay subtext'
Barry Diller claims John Travolta exited 'American Gigolo' because of the 'somewhat gay subtext'. John, 71, was originally tapped to take the leading role in the 1980 crime thriller about a male escort who gets framed for the murder of an ex-client, but was replaced by Richard Gere, 75, after he exited the movie. And now Diller – who was the CEO of Paramount at the time -has claimed in his memoir 'Who Knew' that Travolta's reasons for quitting were not the ones he gave then-Paramount Pictures president Michael Eisner at the time. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Barry, 83, wrote in his book: 'He slumped down in a chair in Michael's office, started to cry and said, 'I can't do American Gigolo. I'm too sad. I'm still in mourning [the recent deaths of his mother and then-girlfriend]. It's the wrong thing for me to do. You have to let me out of it'. 'Michael came down to my office and said, 'John's just left, and we have to let him out of the movie because he just can't do it.' I said, 'He's faking it and using you. It's too late to recast and he's perfect for it.' 'I was certain [Travolta] had acted his way through his meeting with Michael and no longer wanted to do 'Gigolo'. He was afraid of playing that character because of its somewhat gay subtext. For days, I said, 'I'm not even going to hear of letting him out of the movie, full stop, period.'' However, Diller admitted he made the situation worse when he tried to speak to Travolta about it. He said: 'John came to my house one afternoon. I began by saying, 'Right now, you are the biggest star in the world, and you worry you're going to screw it up. You're listening to this twerpy, inexperienced manager of yours, and it's leading you to the wrong decisions. This is a critical time for you, and when you've got a great script and a great part, you don't let anything put you off it.' I went on with various examples of how his management had been mishandling things since his spurt to superstardom. 'He left with a pained and hurt look. A day or two later it became clear that he was not going to show up for the first day of shooting and would take whatever consequences ensued. I had made the situation worse because he'd told his manager about my criticism of him, so they both hated me.'
The Irish Sun
26-04-2025
- Politics
- The Irish Sun
Kim Jong Un unveils new 5,000-tonne warship ‘with nuclear-capable ballistic missiles' in chilling warning to West
TYRANT Kim Jong-un has unveiled North Korea's largest naval destroyer that could house a vertical launchpad capable of firing nuclear missiles. The mighty is expected to substantially boost North Korea 's naval capabilities in a chilling warning to the West. Advertisement 8 North Korea's state TV shows the launch ceremony of a newly-built destroyer at the Nampo port Credit: AFP 8 Kim Jong Un and daughter Kim Ju Ae attending the launching ceremony of a newly-built destroyer Credit: EPA 8 Kim Jong Un laying flowers at the memorial plaque of anti-Japanese revolutionary fighter Choe Hyon during the launch ceremony of a newly-built destroyer Credit: AFP 8 The mighty 5,000-tonne warship is expected to substantially boost North Korea's naval capabilities Credit: AFP North Korea's state media - which also serves as Kim's leading propaganda machine - reported that the vessel was equipped with the "most powerful weapons". The ship has been graded as the "Choe Hyon-class", named after anti-Japanese revolutionary fighter Choe Hyon, the report said. And at over 5,000 tonnes, the destroyer is set to become the largest warship in North Korea's naval arsenal, surpassing the current largest vessel, a 1,360-tonne frigate. It was previously reported that North Korea's new class of warship was able to accommodate dozens of vertical launch cells to carry missiles that its military has already developed. Advertisement read more in north korea Military analysts say these launchers will be capable of firing guided cruise missiles, which North Korea says could carry nuclear warheads. Footage from North Korea's state-run television KRT showed Kim arriving in Nampho with his daughter Ju Ae after travelling to the western port city by train. Kim, in a speech from the launch reported by KCNA, said the warship would be handed over to the navy and go into service early next year. In a chilling threat to the West, the tyrant said: "If the U.S. continues to renew its record in the protests of military power, we will have no choice but to renew it in the exercise of strategic deterrence." Advertisement Most read in The Sun Kim also said strong pre-emptive attack capabilities were the most "convincing war deterrent" and that there was no limit to the scope of such attacks. "The security environment of our country is very serious right now," the leader was quoted as saying by KCNA while vowing to build a fleet for open-sea operations. My sister was snatched by China's secret cops & sent back to North Korea after 25 years – now she faces sickening death Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of Kim Jong Un, also appeared in the TV footage. Vice-Admiral Pak Kwang Sop said the launch, which took place on Friday at the military shipbuilding dockyard of Nampho, marked a new era of the "great Kim Jong Un-style fleet building". Advertisement It comes just weeks after Pictures showed the weapon systems that would help the ship fire missiles at targets on both land and sea, according to analysts. Kim's forces appear to be building the menacing ship despite heavy international sanctions against North Korea. But the despot's relationship with Russia's Vladimir Putin could be helping him get around the sanctions, analysts claim. Advertisement The two villainous dictators have been deepening military ties since Putin's illegal invasion of Ukraine in 2022. North Korea is widely reported to have supplied weapons to Russia since the invasion, as well as sending troops to fight in Kursk. Other pictures of the ship were featured on the state-run Korean Central Television earlier this year, in which . It comes as part of a drive by North Korea to modernise its military, including building new tanks and submarines. Advertisement 8 Bombshell new satellite images show a giant sea vessel under construction Credit: Satellite image ©2025 Maxar Technologies 8 The huge warship is believed to be the future crown in Kim Jong-un's menacing arsenal Credit: Satellite image ©2025 Maxar Technologies 8 Pictures released by the North Korean state media show the vessel under construction Credit: KCTV 8 Kim Jong-un was seen at the shipbuilding facility inspecting the construction of the vessel Credit: KCTV Advertisement A new nuclear-powered submarine unveiled last month has stoked fears that North Korea is advancing tech that could allow them to strike the US with ballistic missiles. While North Korea is estimated to have around 400 patrol boats and 70 submarines according to a US Defense Intelligence Agency report, many of them are old and small. Kim has also been pictured firing a 'new sniper rifle' during a visit to watch his special forces training at a military base. North and South Korea are officially still at war with each other, even though fighting in the Korean War ended in 1953. Advertisement Kim's forces blew up roads connecting the two Korean nations late last year, a symbol of further worsening relations. It comes as Kim also unveiled North Korea's Pictures released by the state media - known to be Kim's propaganda machine - show the mighty submarine being built at a naval facility. The tyrant was snapped with his goons at a shipbuilding facility inspecting the construction of the vessel. Advertisement Analysts say, based on the images of the unfinished vessel, that the naval vessel could be a 6,000-ton-class or 7,000-ton-class one which can carry about 10 missiles. Kim's secret missile base disguised as golf course By Katie Davis, Chief Foreign Reporter SCHEMING Kim Jong-un has constructed a new missile base disguised as a private golf course, satellite images reveal. Top analysts told The Sun how the James Bond villain-esque golf course features sand traps, grass and putting greens - but they believe they are being used to conceal launch pads and missile caches. The extent of the North Korean despot's nuclear and missile programme has long been shrouded in mystery - with stations scattered across the hermit kingdom. Satellite images reveal Kim's latest base, however, as he continues to ramp up his weapon development. The pictures reveal what appears to be a private golf course near a recently demolished Kim family mansion in the Ryokpho district of southern Pyongyang. Analysts confirmed the base could be used to launch long-range missiles - though appears more operational at the moment. READ MORE
Forbes
12-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
‘A Minecraft Movie' On Pace For $80 Million Box Office In Weekend 2
A scene from "A Minecraft Movie." Warner Bros. Pictures Jack Black and Jason Momoa are looking to mine another $80 million for A Minecraft Movie in its second weekend at the domestic box office. The blockbuster film adaptation of Majong Studio's uber-popular video game ended its first weekend with nearly $163 million from 4,263 North American theaters. Combined with its international receipts, A Minecraft Movie made more than $313 million globally in its first three days. By Thursday, A Minecraft Movie cleared the $200 million mark domestically and it is quickly approaching $300 million. Just like its debut weekend, A Minecraft Movie is poised to defy box office made earlier in the week for its second Friday to Sunday frame. The film was originally projected by Deadline to make $65 in its second weekend in theaters. Friday, however, the trade publication crunched the numbers and is now projecting that the film will make $80 million through Sunday. The number falls in line with the upper end of projections by Box Office Pro — which estimated a $70 million to $85 million take for weekend No. 2 — as well as Variety, which pegged A Minecraft Movie to make anywhere from $60 million to $82 million in its second frame. A Minecraft Movie slightly built out its already large footprint coming into its second weekend by adding 25 more venues to its week one count of 4,263 screens — bringing its theater count to 4,289. Produced by Warner Bros., A Minecraft Movie had a $150 million budget before prints and advertising, The Numbers reported. Oscar Isaac voices Jesus in "The King of Kings." Angel Studios The second weekend numbers for A Minecraft Movie are impressive considering that five new movies opened wide domestically on Friday. Angel Studios' animated biblical movie The King of Kings is projected by Deadline to earn more than $18 million from $3,200 North American theaters in its opening for the No. 2 spot at the domestic box office. Based on Charles Dickens' classic novel The Life of Our Lord, The King of Kings stars Oscar Issac as the voice of Jesus, while Pierce Brosnan voices Pontius Pilate and Kenneth Branagh and Uma Thurman provide the voices of Charles and Catherine Dickens. The 20th Century Studios spy thriller The Amateur — starring Rami Malek and Laurence Fishburne — is projected by Deadline to earn $15 million from 3,400 venues this weekend; while the trade publication projects Civil War director Alex Garland's real-time fact-based Iraq War film Warfare will make $8 million. Produced by A24, Warfare is opening in 2,670 North American theaters. Another newcomer this weekend— the Meghann Fahy and Brandon Sklenar's mystery thriller Drop — is projected by Deadline to earn $7.7 million from 3,085 theaters domestically for a No. 5 finish. Note: This box office report will be updated throughout the weekend with the most current numbers available. The final numbers for this weekend's box office will be released on Monday.
