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Daily Mail
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Cricket legend Jason Gillespie reveals the bizarre sequence of events that led to him turning a legendary American TV and movie star into a cricket fan
Australian cricket great Jason Gillespie has opened up on the bizarre sequence of events that led him to turn a legendary American TV and movie director into a cricket fan. The 50-year-old, who won 370 Test match caps for Australia, recounted the moment that he met legendary filmmaker Ron Howard during the 2005 Ashes Series. Howard is widely regarded as one of the greats of the film and television industry, having received multiple Academy Awards, Emmy Awards and Golden Globes during his 60-year career. Howard is perhaps best known for his role as Richie Cunningham in the US sitcom Happy Days. He left the show in 1980 to focus on production and would go on to direct some iconic films, including Apollo 13, Cinderella Man and A Beautiful Mind. Gillespie's revelation came about while he was speaking with broadcaster Mark Howard on his The Howie Games podcast. The cricket and footy commentator asked the ex-Yorkshire and South Australia coach whether there were any celebrities who have had a positive impression on him during his cricketing journey. And he recalled two high-profile figures who have stood out during his career, the first being Ron Howard. 'You remember the actor Ron Howard?' he asked the broadcaster on the podcast. 'Yeah, Happy Days!' the Mark Howard responded. 'And a famous director! Directed that incredible Formula One film about [Nicky] Lauda and [James] Hunt [Rush].' Gillespie then proceeded to recount the bizarre string of events, which included Australia's team physio during the 2005 Ashes Series, of how he converted Ron Howard into a massive cricket fan. 'He was directing Cinderella Man, which Russell Crow was in,' Gillespie said. 'Before the '05 Ashes, Rusty [Crow], had hurt his shoulder and they had employed Errol Alcott [the Australian team's physio] to fix his shoulder - so Errol was doing 10-hour days. 'Every day that Russell couldn't film, was costing them money. So Errol got compensated quite well to fix Rusty's shoulder. Obviously, Errol became friends with Ron Howard and got Ron some tickets to the Test match. 'So we've got Ron Howard sitting on the balcony and I've been dropped, Ritchie Cunningham! I was a massive Happy Days fan growing up, right, so I'm sitting on the balcony and I'm just chatting to Ron as if we're old mates. I'd been dropped from the Test side, but there was a silver lining as I got to sit at the Oval for a whole session and I'm talking to Ron Howard. Ron Howard (left) is well known for his role alongside Henry Winler (right) during the US sitcom Happy Days Gillespie was dropped from the Fifth Test at the Oval and says he had a 'good chinwag' with Howard on the balcony during the match 'He wants to know about cricket because he sees a lot of synergy as his great love is baseball.' Gillespie then recounted how the pair shared their knowledge about baseball and cricket, with Howard telling the cricketer that he reminds him of a baseballer who played for the Arizona Diamondbacks called Randy Johnson. 'We just had a great old chin wag - I don't actually remember getting a photo with him and I don't think I had the guts to say to him how much of a fan of Happy Days I was - because I watched it religiously as a kid!' Gillespie added. Australia would go on to draw that Test, with England subsequently holding out to win the series 2-1. But Ron Howard wasn't the only celebrity the former Pakistan coach was left star-struck by during the '05 Ashes. 'Hugh Jackman came into the dressing room at Lord's. I was just thinking: "That's Hugh Jackman", he said on the podcast. 'I walk up to introduce myself and [I go]: "Hi Hugh, my name's Jason Gillespie". The Wolverine star is a huge cricket fan, having revealed last year that one of his favourite ever cricketers is Indian star Rohit Sharma, who recently retired from Test cricket. However, upon entering the Aussie changing room during the Ashes series, Gillespie said Jackman was just as star-struck to meet some of his cricketing heroes than they were meeting a Hollywood superstar. 'He's just looked at me, shaken my hand and gone: "I know who you are", and he starts reeling off some of my stats. And I'm thinking: "How cool is that?" 'Just the loveliest, most humble, grateful person - he was like a kid in a candy store. The great Hugh Jackman, in the changing rooms, at Lord's, he was - ah mate - he was getting photos with all the boys. 'He was so happy and so grateful to be in the dressing room. All of us are pretty much the same going: "That's Hugh Jackman, that's pretty cool".
Daily Mail
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Ana de Armas reveals a full time snake catcher was employed on Queensland set of her movie Eden with cast left 'running and screaming' as the creepy critters constantly slid onto set
Australia is certainly known for it's dangerous critters. And actress Ana de Armas got up and lose and personal with some of the locals while filming the Ron Howard-directed thriller Eden in Queensland last year. The tropical area is known for an array of creepy crawlies and wild beasts - among them several breeds of venomous snakes. The Gold Coast set doubled for the Galapagos Islands, and the 37-year-old said there was a full time snake catcher on staff to catch unwelcome guests who frequently slithered onto the set. 'I remember at random times on set, people just screaming, "Snake!" and everyone running' the Ballerina star Stellar Magazine. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. 'Stopping the take right away – whatever was happening, whoever was talking – we literally dropped everything and ran away, waiting for the guy to come with the stick and take the snake out.' All was well that ended well, Ana joked, adding, 'But I think we were fine... no accidents happened!' Ron Howard's Eden thriller stars likes of Jude Law, Vanessa Kirby, Sydney Sweeney and de Armas, who plays a married Austrian Baroness who turns up on the archipelago with two boyfriends. Eden tells the stranger-than-fiction true story of lust and murder in a community of unusual folks living on The Galapagos Islands in the 1930s. In real life, Dr Friedrich Ritter (played by Jude) and his lover Dore Strauch (Kirby) arrived on the southern, tropical island of Floreana, a former penal colony, in 1929. They were determined to live according to philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche's guide - embracing vegetarianism and physical labour - despite the unforgiving rocky, lava-encrusted environment, where fresh water was scarce. The couple first met as Dore, then just 26, received treatment for multiple sclerosis at the Hydrotherapeutic Institute in Berlin. With Friedrich understanding the mental stress behind her physical pain, the two quickly fell in love but were both married to other people, explained Eden Undone (2024) by author Abbott Kahler, via The Daily Mail. To solve this problem, Dore came up with a brazen scheme whereby she persuaded Friedrich's wife to move in with her own husband, leaving the doctor and his younger lover free to be with one another. But their romantic fairytale was less suburban life and more living on an uninhabited island, growing their own food, with no need for company or even clothes. It comes after Ana seemingly gave some insight into her decision to keep tight-lipped on her new romance with Tom Cruise, during an interview with ELLE Spain. The Blonde actress has been rumoured to be dating the Hollywood legend, 62, for months, but neither has publicly confirmed their relationship status. When quizzed about the scrutiny into her private life, Ana admitted that she's grown more accustomed to dealing with it and accepted it came as part of the price of fame. Alluding to her apparent determination not to confirm her and Tom's relationship status, she explained she's learned how important it is for her to have a separation between her 'public persona' and private life. She said: 'Over the years, you get more used to it. You learn to find your corners, your privacy, your way of doing things, your lifestyle... 'I'm one of those who think there should be external boundaries, a barrier that's quite visible to others and to oneself. 'Making it clear, "This is as far as I go with my work, my public persona, what's expected of me, and what I want to share with viewers and fans." That's wonderful, and I want to do it. 'You can't let the negative side of fame upset you, because then you won't enjoy the beautiful aspects, but it's essential to separate. 'We're all people and we need that privacy, consideration, and space. 'It seems incredible to have to say it, but we've forgotten that minimum of respect for others. Sometimes we have to make an abrupt stop so others are aware of your reality, but, well, I find my way. When I want to disappear from the map, I do'. However, Ana also admitted that the public criticism she's received over some of her past relationships has 'hurt me at times'.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Here's When New Episodes of Amazon's Dale Earnhardt Docuseries Drop
A new docuseries chronicling the life and career of famous NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt has finally dropped. The four-part series is executive produced by Ron Howard and Brian Grazer and includes creative input from son and fellow NASCAR racer Dale Earnhardt Jr. 'Earnhardt' will drop episodes in batches on Prime Video over a couple weeks and include archival footage and interviews with the racer's friends and family. Here's everything you need to know about where and when to tune in for the first season of Prime Video's 'Earnhardt.' 'Earnhardt' Season 1 premieres on Thursday, May 22. 'Earnhardt' Season 1 will be available to watch on Prime Video beginning on Thursday, May 22. The four episode season of the docuseries will drop in two chunks in back-to-back weeks. Here's the full rundown on the 'Earnhardt' release schedule: Episode 1 – May 22 Episode 2 – May 22 Episode 3 – May 29 Episode 4 – May 29 The docuseries takes a look at the life and untimely death of the seven-time NASCAR champion Dale Earnhardt. Here is the official synopsis: 'Earnhardt is a four-part documentary series that explores the legendary racing career and complex family dynamics of NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt. With rare archival footage, thrilling races, and emotionally revealing interviews from his children, rivals, and closest friends, Earnhardt is the definitive story of an American icon, both on and off the track.' The post Here's When New Episodes of Amazon's Dale Earnhardt Docuseries Drop appeared first on TheWrap.
Chicago Tribune
14-05-2025
- Chicago Tribune
Rare creatures, unusual geography add to the allure of the remote Galápagos Islands
The remote Galápagos Islands of the Pacific, about 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador, have no historic monuments, only a handful of human settlements and the barest smattering of amenities such as restaurants and shops. But you don't travel to the archipelago for these. You go in search of unearthly landscapes, pristine white-sand beaches and nearly 9,000 species of animals within the UNESCO World Heritage Galápagos National Park, all of which seem to have sprung to life from an Eric Carle picture book. This rarity — of both the geography and the creatures that populate it — are part of the Galápagos' longstanding allure, and the subject of polar-opposite recent films. Director Ron Howard's 'Eden,' which debuted in September at the Toronto Film Festival, tells the too-weird-not-to-be-true story of an unsolved mystery — and likely murder — on the inhospitable terrain of Floreana Island. The upcoming documentary 'Lions of the Sea,' from the producer of the Oscar-winning 'March of the Penguins,' is bound to make stars of the Galápagos sea lions, the most charismatic of the archipelago's iconic 'Big 15' species. Despite the islands' seclusion, a trip to the Galápagos is within reach of many travelers. Last year, I was among a group of 70 passengers from all over the United States, plus England, Germany, France and Australia, who made the long trip to Baltra, site of a former U.S. military base and now the main airport in the Galápagos, after a couple days in Ecuador's capital, Quito. We gathered aboard Norwegian expedition company HX's Santa Cruz II, a small but plush eco-minded cruise ship with high-end amenities such as three-course dinners and nightly turndown service. Their 'In Darwin's Footsteps' tour pays homage to the region's most famous visitor, Charles Darwin, who developed his pioneering evolutionary theories after exploring the islands nearly 200 years ago. I've never been a cruising enthusiast, but HX expedition leader Ramiro Tomala sealed the deal when he told me, 'You can see a lot of things doing land-based operations, but there are several islands and their wildlife that you can only see by going on a cruise ship.' Elizabeth Hennessey, history and environmental studies professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and author of 'On the Backs of Tortoises: Darwin, the Galápagos, and the Fate of an Evolutionary Eden,' said the Galápagos are very young islands, geologically speaking. 'They erupted out of the Pacific Ocean via volcanic activity between 3 and 5 million years ago,' she said. Hennessey explained that the islands' isolation, scarcity of fresh water and arable land made them resistant to successful colonization until the mid-1900s. In the absence of human interference, incredible biodiversity developed, including hundreds of species — from multihued Christmas iguanas to voracious requiem sharks and blue- and red-footed boobies — found nowhere else in the world. The Ecuadorian government and its partner organizations have developed a robust slate of programs to conserve them. These include the 2022 expansion of the Galápagos Marine Reserve by 23,000 square miles, including a no-hunting-allowed 'superhighway,' where species like hammerhead sharks and sperm whales can migrate and which connects to the newly formed Eastern Tropical Pacific Marine Corridor, one of the largest protected seascapes in the world. Today the economy of the Galápagos, home to about 32,000 residents, is supported almost entirely by tourism. In 2023 there were 330,000 visitors, up from about 215,000 just a decade prior. It's a double-edged sword. In early 2024, five environmental groups called for tighter restrictions and environmental protections and even a delisting of the archipelago from UNESCO's World Heritage Site roster. 'Is tourism controlled in Galápagos? Yes. Do Galapaganeans need tourism? Yes,' Tomala countered when I asked him about the petition. 'Tourists bring money to the Galápagos, to the people that live here. The tax money we get helps us fund conservation projects. So it's a very delicate subject.' In an effort to dissuade the unserious traveler, entrance fees to the Galápagos National Park were recently doubled to $200 per person. Whether such economic exclusions actually weed out the careless is anyone's guess. But a cruise like HX's includes the park fee in its overall price, and staff will obtain the necessary paperwork for you. Unlike a typical cruise, expedition cruising transports you to locations that are hard, or even impossible, to visit via any other method. You spend less time aboard and more time zipping off on a panga, or Zodiac boat, to a land- or water-based adventure, from hiking and biking to kayaking, snorkeling and glass-bottom boat tours. After a day of touring, you return to the ship for a health-focused, local foods dinner, a lively presentation from one of the guides in the lounge or library and a rundown of the next day's activities. Snorkeling, especially during the December-to-February stretch, when the waters around the Galápagos are at their clearest, is perhaps the most remarkable of all offered activities. On one excursion, I swam above a pair of 9-foot white-tipped reef sharks — the non-biting kind — plus a polka-dotted eagle ray that glided above the ocean floor and a sea turtle paddling in a graceful water ballet. On another, I hung, suspended just below the surface, as a school of yellow-tail sturgeon parted like the Red Sea around me, tails tickling my ankles. In my most memorable marine encounter, a young sea lion made eye contact and swam toward me. The species is famously playful, so I pinned my arms to my sides and gently rolled right and left. She mimicked my movements and then, with a few powerful thrusts of her flippers, rushed past me, so close that I could see the string of tiny bubbles exhaled through her nostrils. There were plenty of close encounters of the animal kind on terra firma. On Santa Cruz Island, we visited a giant tortoise nursery where dozens of babies the size of silver dollars tested their shaky new legs over obstacles like rocks and rubber food dishes. In the highlands, we witnessed their 700-plus-pound adult counterparts lumbering like tanks through low-growing shrubs, leaving a U-shaped hole in the vegetation, to reach the edge of a pond, where they sank into a mud bath with a mighty grunt. During a hike on Isabela Island, we walked between butter-colored land iguanas, their tongues sticky with the juice of ground-growing succulents. On a panga ride around North Seymour Island, we snapped pictures of indigo marine iguanas sliding off the rocks and into the water for a swim. We saw too many birds to count: blue- and red-footed and Nazca boobies nesting, beaks tucked under wings, along the cliffs. Oystercatchers chirping and paddling their bright orange feet. Pelicans dive-bombing fish. Vociferous mockingbirds, the avians that most fascinated Darwin. Finches, which are most closely associated with the naturalist, didn't come to the forefront of evolutionary research until British biologist David Lack penned the 1947 book 'Darwin's Finches.' Because hunting is illegal in the Galápagos, the wildlife can be unafraid of humans. You're still required to remain at least 6 feet away. That's far enough not to stress the animals but close enough that you can, for example, make out the pale tips on the fur of a grumbly, sunbathing pile of sea lions, or watch the comical warble-and-shimmy of the male magnificent frigate, beak resting on a red throat sac inflated like a heart-shaped pillow as he makes his best 'choose me' case to the eligible lady birds circling overhead. Each evening, as the passengers returned to ship, we inevitably began recounting what we'd seen, sharing anecdotes and photos, cementing memories of the enigmatic 'little world within itself,' as Darwin had put it, that left an indelible mark on us.
Time of India
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Holy scripts, sacred sets: Pope culture in cinema
Filmmakers continue to turn to the papacy for stories soaked in mystery, power, and profound humanity. Filmmakers continue to turn to the papacy for stories soaked in mystery, power, and profound humanity Filmmakers continue to turn to the papacy for stories soaked in mystery, power, and profound humanity. Filmmakers continue to turn to the papacy for stories soaked in mystery, power, and profound humanity Filmmakers continue to turn to the papacy for stories soaked in mystery, power, and profound humanity. 1 2 All eyes were on Vatican as the conclave commenced on May 7, shrouded in secrecy and mystery. The recently concluded papal election renewed curiosity among cinephiles to get a glimpse of the Vatican's age-old rituals, even if fictional, and Pope Francis , who passed away at 88. The pope wasn't merely the head of the Roman Catholic Church – he was a reformer, a humanist, a cinema lover. He had 10.3 million followers on Instagram, loved Fellini's film La Strada and was once quoted telling the Italian Film Foundation to 'reawaken wonder' in an increasingly artificial world. From the recent Oscar-winning Conclave to Fernando Meirelles' The Two Popes, cinema has often looked to the Vatican not just for drama, but to understand how men of faith wrestle with doubt, politics, and the weight of centuries. And in Pope Francis, they found a character unlike any other – approachable, self-aware, even funny. 'To paint the pope as some sort of Superman is offensive,' said Pope Francis, 'The pope is a man who laughs, cries… A normal person.' VATICAN INTRIGUE IN FILMS For decades, filmmakers' intrigue has gone beyond the Pope himself, delving into the institution of the papacy, which offers a treasure trove of visual symbolism with its exquisite robes, ornate rings, the grandeur of Vatican interiors, and old rituals. We Have A Pope (2011) Nanni Moretti's comedy-drama We Have a Pope humanised the papal figure, asking what might happen if a newly elected Pope didn't want the role. A still from We Have a Pope. I wanted to show the Vatican as I see it and not to make a film denouncing the place Nani Moretti, director of We Have A Pope, said at the Cannes Film Festival in 2011 Angels and Demons (2009) Angels and Demons, directed by Ron Howard, explored the Vatican's secrecy and internal politics, much to the Church's disapproval. On the other end of the spectrum, dark-comedy The Pope Must Die satirised the Church's power structures, depicting a mafia-run Vatican. The poster of Ron Howard's Angels and Demons. Conclave (2024) Ralph Fiennes-starrer Conclave, set in the Vatican, has people craving power. For the film, the makers interviewed real Cardinals and hired a religious adviser, as the director Edward Berger found it 'senseless' to seek help from the Vatican. Conclave is directed by Edward Berger. It could take place in Washington, DC, in Downing Street... a vacant position... and whenever that power vacuum exists, there's going to be people striving for it... and stabbing each other in the back and trying to manipulate their way into power Director Edward Berger told Reuters about the political nature of Conclave The Young Pope (2016) Paolo Sorrentino's satirical TV series took a stylised look at the emotional solitude and peculiar life inside the Vatican. The Shoes of the Fisherman, released in the late 60s, dramatised the secretive process of papal election. In The Young Pope, director Paolo Sorrentino crafts a stylised portrayal of the Vatican. I wanted to explore the loneliness of power, the peculiarities of life in the Vatican and the power of solitude Paolo Sorrentino, director of The Young Pope, told TVDrama The Pope's Exorcist (2023) The film's poster declared, 'Inspired by the actual files of Father Gabriele Amorth, Chief Exorcist of the Vatican.' Director Julius Avery combined realistic moments with fantasy-style horror to create a thrilling experience. A poster of The Pope's Exorcist. Filmmaker Martin Scorsese is producing a documentary titled Aldeas — A New Story, made in collaboration with Pope Francis. The film will chronicle the late pontiff's work with cinema and his role in the global educational movement he founded before his death. Before his passing, Pope Francis described Aldeas as 'an extremely poetic and very constructive project because it goes to the roots of what human life is .' Martin Scorsese is producing a documentary titled Aldeas — A New Story. Films on Pope Francis' life and work The Two Popes (2019) Pope Francis: A Man of His Word (2018) Francesco (2021) The Letter: A Message for Our Earth (2022) In Viaggio: The Travels of Pope Francis (2023) — Compiled by Arushi Jain Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . And don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
