Latest news with #TheSundayTimes
West Australian
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- West Australian
Molly Parker: House of Cards actress stars in US drama Doc which has just aired in Australia
Molly Parker has a newfound respect for doctors after starring as one in Doc, the US's biggest medical drama, which has finally hit screens in Australia. The Canadian actress plays Amy Larsen, the chief of Internal Medicine at Westside Hospital in Minneapolis, who sustains a brain injury and loses the last eight years of her life. Dr Larsen is forced to navigate an unfamiliar world — while still practising medicine, she has no recollection of patients she's treated, colleagues she's encountered, the man she loves, or the tragedy that caused her to push everyone away. She can rely only on her estranged 17-year-old daughter, whom she remembers as a nine-year-old, and a few devoted friends, as she struggles after losing nearly a decade of knowledge and experience. It is based on an Italian series of the same name inspired by true events. Parker, best-known for her roles in House of Cards and Lost in Space, said while stepping into scrubs had been a challenge, she discovered a greater respect for medical professionals. 'The first couple of episodes are quite emotional for Amy, and so just that, in and of itself, is quite difficult,' she told The Sunday Times. 'It's given me a whole new appreciation for actors who play medical professionals, but also for medical professionals. It is such hard work and just so important. It's given me a whole a whole new respect.' With many days of intense and emotional filming, Parker said she uses knitting, a hobby she took up a few years ago, to cope. 'For me, in between setups or in between scenes, I need to be doing something with my hands, but it can't be something that takes me emotionally into another place,' she said. 'Like a big part of the job as an actor is to manage your emotional reality over the course of a day of working and knitting kind of is meditative. 'My husband's daughter just had a baby, so we have a little three-month-old granddaughter, and she's like the cutest thing ever. So I'm making little outfits. She also has a mini dachshund, Birdie, whom she takes on walks. While the series has aired in Australia for the first time, Parker admitted she hasn't spent a lot of time in the country. 'It's so embarrassing. And actually, I have an aunt from Melbourne, although she hasn't lived there in many, many years,' she said. 'I grew up on the west coast of Canada, and I just sort of always thought work would take me there. Like for a long time, all the travel I did was only for work, and I've sort of only recently really started travelling for myself, and somehow I just have not gotten a job in Australia.' Doc has been renewed for a second season of 22 episodes — double that of the first season — but Parker couldn't spill the beans as she 'doesn't know very much'. 'I expect that everything you can think of is gonna happen in this second season. But for me, that's part of what is really exciting about this dynamic, (Larsen's) amnesia gives space where almost anything can exist in that void,' she said. 'All secrets and surprises are going to show up for Amy. And I guess the big question is, Is she going to get any of her memory back? If she does, what will it be? And will it be an end?' Stream new episodes of Doc on 7plus every Tuesday.
Perth Now
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Popular US medical drama finally airs in Australia
Molly Parker has a newfound respect for doctors after starring as one in Doc, the US's biggest medical drama, which has finally hit screens in Australia. The Canadian actress plays Amy Larsen, the chief of Internal Medicine at Westside Hospital in Minneapolis, who sustains a brain injury and loses the last eight years of her life. Dr Larsen is forced to navigate an unfamiliar world — while still practising medicine, she has no recollection of patients she's treated, colleagues she's encountered, the man she loves, or the tragedy that caused her to push everyone away. She can rely only on her estranged 17-year-old daughter, whom she remembers as a nine-year-old, and a few devoted friends, as she struggles after losing nearly a decade of knowledge and experience. It is based on an Italian series of the same name inspired by true events. Parker, best-known for her roles in House of Cards and Lost in Space, said while stepping into scrubs had been a challenge, she discovered a greater respect for medical professionals. 'The first couple of episodes are quite emotional for Amy, and so just that, in and of itself, is quite difficult,' she told The Sunday Times. 'It's given me a whole new appreciation for actors who play medical professionals, but also for medical professionals. It is such hard work and just so important. It's given me a whole a whole new respect.' Molly Parker in Doc. Credit: Sony Pictures Television With many days of intense and emotional filming, Parker said she uses knitting, a hobby she took up a few years ago, to cope. 'For me, in between setups or in between scenes, I need to be doing something with my hands, but it can't be something that takes me emotionally into another place,' she said. 'Like a big part of the job as an actor is to manage your emotional reality over the course of a day of working and knitting kind of is meditative. 'My husband's daughter just had a baby, so we have a little three-month-old granddaughter, and she's like the cutest thing ever. So I'm making little outfits. She also has a mini dachshund, Birdie, whom she takes on walks. While the series has aired in Australia for the first time, Parker admitted she hasn't spent a lot of time in the country. 'It's so embarrassing. And actually, I have an aunt from Melbourne, although she hasn't lived there in many, many years,' she said. 'I grew up on the west coast of Canada, and I just sort of always thought work would take me there. Like for a long time, all the travel I did was only for work, and I've sort of only recently really started travelling for myself, and somehow I just have not gotten a job in Australia.' Doc has been renewed for a second season of 22 episodes — double that of the first season — but Parker couldn't spill the beans as she 'doesn't know very much'. 'I expect that everything you can think of is gonna happen in this second season. But for me, that's part of what is really exciting about this dynamic, (Larsen's) amnesia gives space where almost anything can exist in that void,' she said. 'All secrets and surprises are going to show up for Amy. And I guess the big question is, Is she going to get any of her memory back? If she does, what will it be? And will it be an end?' Stream new episodes of Doc on 7plus every Tuesday.
Perth Now
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Feline fanatics take over Perth for first-ever cat fair
West Aussies have driven far and wide to be part of Perth's first-ever Oz Feline Fair hosted by social media sensation Steven Meserve who said cats are riding the popularity train closer to dogs than ever. Feline fanatics lined up outside the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre on Saturday morning eager for the festivities, cat-themed experiences and cosplay competition to begin. The Watkin family woke up at 5am and drove from Northam to Perth for 5-year-old Fifi and 3-year-old Willo to look at cats despite mum, Antonia, not being a fan of the animal herself. 'Fifi has been obsessed with cats ever since she had a rainbow kitty dance party for her birthday... I'm not really a cat person but you gotta do what you gotta do for the kids,' Ms Watkin said. Boom Court and her daughter Leona were cat shopping at the fair despite her husband having a strict no-cat rule at home. 'We are not going to get a cat today but we will surprise him with one once our home renovations are will learn to love it,' Ms Court said. About 130 felines competed, with the titles of Best in Breed and Best in Show available to both domestic and pedigree entrants. The winners will be announced on Sunday. Boom Court with her daughter Leona, 9. Credit: Justin Benson-Cooper / The Sunday Times International cat judge and charismatic TikTok influencer Mr Meserve was the star of the show on Saturday and the host of the CATstravaganza competition. Mr Meserve, 52, has been a cat judge for 25 years despite studying marketing and public relations in university. He started Loving Cats Worldwide, the host of the CATstravaganza show, three years ago with a dream to convert people into 'cat people'. 'I think cats are having their moment finally and I will say thanks to me,' he said. 'The first cat show happened only 12 years after the first dog show... I think why it's never been celebrated is because it's never been cool and now it's becoming cool, 'I think finally, they're getting their moment and at Loving Cats Worldwide we convert a lot of non-cat people into cat people and it is bringing cats to the same level as dogs.' Social media personality Steven Meserve. Credit: Justin Benson-Cooper / The Sunday Times Mr Meserve has 15 cats and two dogs living inside his 10-bedroom Portugal home with him despite growing up in a dog-only household. Sphynx cat breeder Angela Irvine and the social media star said cat ownership is on the rise because they are low maintenance. 'People can't afford big houses anymore and they are opting for apartment living and it's so much more convenient to have a cat in an apartment than a dog,' Ms Irvine said. The event has already graced Brisbane, Canberra, Adelaide and Melbourne, with Sydney to follow Perth in June. Cat show manager Judy Coish said there were thousands more attendees in Perth compared to the previous fairs over-east. 'Perth VIP tickets sold out first, and the ticket sales were more than any other state, even big states like New South Wales and Victoria,' Ms Coish said. Perth's epic turnout has secured the city will be on the CATstravaganza show list next year. 'We'll definitely be back in Perth because I think the turnout here has been the best ... our last stop is Sydney, so even for the biggest city in Australia, I don't think it is even going to touch the capacity that came to Perth.'
Perth Now
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Russell Brand pleads not guilty to rape and sexual assault and will face trial in 2026
Russell Brand pleaded not guilty to rape and sexual assault in court on Friday morning (30.05.25). The 49-year-old comic was charged last month with five sexual offences, and he appeared at Southwark Crown Court just before the weekend, where he denied one allegation of rape, one allegation of indecent assault, one of oral rape and two further counts of sexual assault, so Judge Tony Baumgartner has now set a trial date for June 3, 2026. Brand left the court shortly after 11am, and said nothing to reporters as he headed towards a Mercedes-Benz to make a sharp exit from the scene. If the TV star fails to attend the trial, it could result in him facing a further charge or being taken into custody. Brand's father Ron was seen attending the hearing, and the comedian himself arrived at court shortly before 10am, but said nothing to journalists who called out his name as he walked by. The indecent assault allegation has seen Brand accused of grabbing a woman by the arm and dragging her off towards male toilets in 2001, and one of the sexual assault charges claims he touched a woman without consent around 2004-2005. The other sexual assault allegation is from a woman, who claimed he touched her breasts without her consent in 2004. The Metropolitan Police began making investigations after receiving allegations from a number of women. The Sunday Times and The Times newspapers, as well as Channel 4's 'Dispatches', also revealed multiple serious allegations against Brand back in 2023. The police subsequently interviewed Brand a number of times, and recently wrote to the comedian to inform him that he was being charged with rape, indecent assault and sexual assault. Brand - who has three children with wife Laura - has denied ever engaging in "non-consensual activity". He recently said in a video posted on X: "What I never was, was a rapist. I've never engaged in non-consensual activity." Russell also stated that he was looking forward to defending himself in court. Brand - who has developed a huge following on his YouTube channel in recent years - added: "I'm now going to have the opportunity to defend these charges in court and I'm incredibly grateful for that."
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Russell Brand pleads not guilty to rape and sexual assault charges
British comedian and actor Russell Brand pled not guilty to multiple charges of rape and sexual assault at a court in London on Friday. In April, 49-year-old Brand was charged with one count of rape, one count of indecent assault, and one count of oral rape, as well as two counts of sexual assault. The charges relate to four separate women. The alleged assaults took place between 1999 and 2005. He has previously denied all the allegations. Brand walked into the courtroom at Southwark Crown Court wearing a dark suit and an unbuttoned, pinstripe shirt. He spoke only to confirm his name and enter five not guilty pleas. A trial date has been scheduled for June 3, 2026. Detectives started investigating the actor in September 2023 after receiving allegations following a joint investigation led by three British media outlets – The Sunday Times, The Times and Channel 4's 'Dispatches.' According to London's Metropolitan Police, it is alleged that one woman was raped in 1999 in Bournemouth, southern England; one woman was indecently assaulted in London's Westminster area in 2001; a woman was orally raped and sexually assaulted in Westminster in 2004; and a woman was sexually assaulted between 2004 and 2005, also in Westminster. Brand has appeared in numerous Hollywood films and hosted radio and TV shows in the United Kingdom. More recently, he has sought to frame himself as a social commentator and promoted conspiracy theories online, particularly on YouTube, where he has amassed almost 6.8 million subscribers. CNN's Sophie Tanno contributed reporting.
