Latest news with #STR
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Grand Strand hotel occupancy sees 3-year high over Memorial Day weekend, Myrtle Beach chamber says
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — Memorial Day weekend hotel occupancy along the Grand Strand was the highest it's been in three years, according to early data from the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce. The occupancy rate reached 81.2% on May 23, up 3.4% from the same day in 2024, according to STR, a CoStar Group company. The rate climbed to 92.8% on May 24, a 2.9% year-over-year increase. The rates also exceeded 2023 levels. 'This early data underscores the resilience of our destination and the momentum we're carrying into the summer,' said Stuart Butler, chief marketing officer at Visit Myrtle Beach. 'While we did see a slight dip in mid-week occupancy leading up to the Memorial Day weekend, Friday and Saturday were strong. These figures reflect overall market averages, and we recognize that individual property performance can vary. That said, we're encouraged by the results and by the continued interest in Myrtle Beach heading into peak season.' Below is the 2025 lodging occupancy data from STR, followed by 2024 data for the same day of the week: May 18: 48.9%, 48.5% May 19: 49.5%, 53.7% May 20: 50.5%, 55.5% May 21: 51.5, 56.9% May 22: 59.5%, 61.4% May 23: 81.2%, 78.6% May 24: 92.8%, 90.2% More details can be found on the chamber's website; full results for the Memorial Day Weekend, including the statistics for May 26-27, will be available on June 6, the chamber said. * * * Dennis Bright is the Digital Executive Producer at News13. He joined the team in May 2021. Dennis is a West Virginia native and a graduate of Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. Follow Dennis on Facebook, X, formerly Twitter, and read more of his work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
New Indian Express
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Kamal Haasan: If Dr Rajkumar was alive today, he would've come for Thug Life's launch
Kamal remains my dream co-star Abhirami, who made her debut opposite Kamal Haasan in the iconic Virumandi (2004), reunites with the legend after 21 years in Thug Life. Sharing her thoughts, she said, 'Every time I work with Kamal Sir, it feels like the first heartbeat—it's always magical.' Abhirami shares that Kamal remains her dream co-star. She called working with him an emotional and inspiring journey. Revealing that she had manifested this opportunity, Abhirami shared that she always dreamt of working under Mani Ratnam's direction. This is also the first time Abhirami is working on a film with music by AR Rahman, whom she calls "an emotion, a genius," and praised his ability to capture dance, melancholy, and joy with equal brilliance. Addressing her hometown crowd, Abhirami added, 'Bengaluru is my home,' and mentioned that the love from fans here has been unconditional throughout her career. Thug Life is bliss Silambarasan TR, fondly known as STR, expressed heartfelt gratitude to "Hat Trick Hero" Shivarajkumar for attending the grand audio launch in Chennai. 'Having Shivanna at the event was a big moment,' he said. Talking about working with Kamal Haasan, STR said he was in awe. 'Working alongside him in Thug Life is surreal. Every scene with him is a masterclass. Honestly, each one felt like the best.' When asked whether he prefers mass or romantic roles, STR smiled and said, 'Always mass.' He also shared his personal mantra for entering any film set. 'I just tell myself to go inward, not outward—to find the emotion.' Defining the film's essence, STR summed it up simply: 'For me, Thug Life is bliss.'
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Onosato, 24, promoted to sumo grand champion in record time
Onosato (centre) holds up a fish as to celebrate being promoted to sumo "yokozuna" or grand champion on Wednesday (STR) Sumo crowned a new grand champion in record time on Wednesday as Onosato became the fastest to attain the exalted rank of yokozuna in the Japanese sport's modern era. The 24-year-old's elevation by the Japan Sumo Association came after he appeared in just 13 professional tournaments, eight fewer than the current record holder. Advertisement The wrestler, who weighs 191kg (421lb, 30 stone) and is 1.92 metres (6ft 3in) tall, became the 75th grand champion in the centuries-old history of sumo. He was the second to reach the top rank in the space of four months, following Hoshoryu's promotion in January. The two will go head-to-head for the first time as yokozuna in July in Nagoya. Onosato also became the first Japan-born wrestler to reach the rank since 2017. Six of the last seven grand champions were born in Mongolia. Onosato was recommended for promotion on Monday after he won the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament a day earlier for his second straight title and the fourth of his career. Advertisement "I am truly happy. Now, things will become more important than ever. I want to stay focused and continue to work hard," he told a press conference after being formally promoted. "This is a very much unknown territory for me. I want to maintain my style, be Onosato, and I will work hard to become a unique and unparalleled yokozuna." There are no set criteria for promotion from the second-highest rank of ozeki, and cases are considered by the Yokozuna Deliberation Council. Hoshoryu's promotion in January meant that sumo avoided having no grand champion for the first time in more than 30 years. Onosato's promotion was the fastest since the current six-tournament calendar was introduced in 1958. stu-hih/dh
Mint
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Mint
Kamal Haasan reveals why Thug Life trailer was delayed: 'Didn't release till we received signal from….'
Kamal Haasan on Monday revealed that the trailer of his upcoming film Thug Life was delayed because as they were waiting for a 'signal from the government and the Army', stating they chose not to celebrate while soldiers were sacrificing their lives during India-Pakistan conflict. "In a critical moment like that, we postponed even our celebrations. We didn't release 'Thug Life' (trailer), till we received a signal from the government and the Army. We were waiting for that because we can't be celebrating while our boys are dying there. Art can come later," Kamal told PTI. On whether he would go to Kashmir to make films, the actor said he will 'wait it out in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack', adding, 'I think maybe not now, but I will go there because it's my place too, because I was promised that Kanyakumari to Kashmir is my home and I still do believe it", PTI reported. The official trailer for Thug Life, directed by Mani Ratnam and starring Kamal Haasan, Silambarasan (STR), and Trisha Krishnan, was released on May 17 than the earlier announced May 16. The trailer has generated significant buzz, showcasing intense action sequences and dramatic visuals set against diverse backdrops, including deserts and ice-covered landscapes. A.R. Rahman's compelling background score further elevates the trailer's impact. The film is scheduled for theatrical release on June 5, 2025, in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam. It will be available in various formats, including IMAX, 4DX, D-Box, ICE, MX4D, ScreenX, and EPIQ. Kamal, 70, known for Indian 2, Kalki 2898 AD, Hey Ram, Vishwaroopam, Nayakan, works in Tamil cinema. He began his career as a child artist in the 1960 Tamil film Kalathur Kannamma, which earned him a President's Gold Medal. He made his breakthrough as a lead actor in the 1975 film Apoorva Raagangal, directed by K. Balachander.
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Mani Ratnam threatened to throw people off fourth floor for not following direction, didn't have creative clashes with Kamal Haasan on Thug Life
Even though actor-filmmaker Kamal Haasan recently said that director Mani Ratnam has become 'more refined' with age, the acclaimed director said that he is still prone to losing patience when his creative demands aren't met. In an interview, he said that his approach to direction changes depending on the actor he's working with, and that he's happy to customise his process. He did, however, mention that he will never enact a scene for an actor, as he considers it to be a disrespectful practice. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, the filmmaker also opened up about working with Kamal Haasan, and said that the actor is completely malleable as a performer. Asked if he's in zen mode on set, the filmmaker said, 'You can't let everyone be. Some people you have to threaten. I've promised people that I'll throw them off the fourth floor if they don't do what I'm asking them to do. Sometimes, you have to tell an actor that if a five-year-old child can work at odd hours, so can they. There's no one solution. But, if you have a good actor, and if what they bring in adds value…' Also read – Mani Ratnam asked STR to choke Kamal Haasan 'harder' during Thug Life shoot; 70-year-old actor scolded him for being too rough: 'I was very confused' The filmmaker said that the movie is the priority, and that every person should be in service of it. Asked if he ever enacts scenes, the filmmaker said, 'I don't do it with anybody, not even Kamal. Not unless I have to. I don't believe in that. I don't want them to do what I'm doing. I don't think it is a director's job to act and show. A good actor could take offence if you show them how to act.' He said that even someone as seasoned as Kamal Haasan has no problem in completely surrendering himself to his vision, and that this wasn't a problem even when they were working on Nayakan all those decades ago. 'Even then, he always trusted me. If I say we go this way, he'll go. He believes in you, and if he thinks you know what you're doing, he comes with you.' In an earlier interview, also with THR India, the actor had said that Mani Ratnam hasn't 'mellowed' with age, but has learnt to be patient with others. He said, 'He shouldn't mellow; that would dilute him. But he has slowed down for people around him to catch up. In Tamil, the word for time is 'mani', and we have a running joke where we call him '5:30 Mani Ratnam' because that's the time he reaches the set. The poor cameraman will have to be there at least at 5, for which he will have to leave at 4:30.' Their new film, Thug Life, is slated for release on June 5.
