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Los Angeles Times
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
In a pinch, the writers of ‘Shrinking' turn to their acting ‘assassin': Michael Urie
Ever since landing the career-making role of gay assistant/fashionista Marc St. James on 'Ugly Betty' — at 25, just three years out of Juilliard — Michael Urie has been a busy, award-winning actor unbridled by being unabashedly out. Over the last 20 years, he's glided between TV ('Modern Family,' 'The Good Wife,' 'Younger'), film ('Beverly Hills Chihuahua,' 'Single All the Way,' 'Maestro') and Broadway ('How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,' 'Torch Song,' 'Once Upon a Mattress'). 'Whatever I'm currently doing is my favorite,' says the 44-year-old over video chat from the Manhattan apartment he shares with partner and fellow actor Ryan Spahn. 'I find the work itself feels the same. Working on a scene with Harrison Ford is not that different than being onstage with Sutton Foster. I'm opposite somebody at the top of their game, who knows this medium better than anyone, and they're treating me like a peer. I'm there and it's thrilling.' Ford is just one of the many 'titans' Urie feels he's surrounded by on his latest big gig, Apple TV+'s 'Shrinking,' where he plays attorney Brian, gay bestie to star Jason Segel's Jimmy, a straight, unorthodox psychotherapist struggling with the loss of his wife and raising his teen daughter on his own. Segel, who co-created the series with Bill Lawrence and Brett Goldstein, describes Urie's audition tape as electric and flawless. '[Michael's] not a guy who's showing up and figuring it out on the day,' he says of Urie's 'exceptional' prep work. 'Like a pinch hitter or an assassin, he comes in and just perfectly executes the assignment of every scene.' Segel notes that the spot-on work Urie delivered during the first season convinced the show's creative team he could shoulder the dramatic heft of what was planned for the second. In it, Brian tells Jimmy's daughter, Alice (Lukita Maxwell), how and why he has befriended the guilt-ridden drunk driver (Goldstein) who killed her mother — which, two episodes later, he repeats nearly verbatim to Jimmy, leading to much-needed catharsis all-around. The intense scenes were 'a huge, huge challenge I was so up for and so game to do,' Urie says, and 'easily the greatest gift anyone's ever given me in television.' 'He's just the best dude,' says Segel. 'It makes you want to write for [him]. It makes you want to see him thrive.' Given his success, it's hard to believe Urie almost didn't pursue acting professionally. Born to a seamstress mom and an oil industry draftsman dad in Houston but raised in Dallas-adjacent Plano alongside his older sister, Laura — a Bay Area psychologist who loves 'Shrinking' — he liked performing in plays as a teen but says, 'I didn't think anything like this was at all possible.' He wanted to be a filmmaker like his idol, Tim Burton, or maybe a high school drama teacher like those he worshiped along the way. All that changed when he entered a Texas-wide poetry reading competition as a high school senior. In the middle of a seven-minute piece interpreted in an appropriately serious manner, Urie elicited unexpected giggles from the audience. 'In the moment, I started to lean into everything they were finding funny,' he remembers, 'and I kept getting bigger and bigger laughs.' If walking away with that state championship made Urie seriously consider giving acting a shot, getting into Juilliard after auditioning on a whim made him believe he might succeed. 'I was like, 'Oh, my God! This is where Robin Williams, Patti LuPone, William Hurt and Kevin Kline went to school,'' he recalls. 'Suddenly, I'm in the club.' Urie's certainly made the most of that membership, and he remains thankful to have been given opportunities to bring so many shades of gay to LGBTQ+ audiences throughout the world. But 'Shrinking' has seriously broadened his brand. 'I'm being stopped on the street by more straight men than ever,' he reveals. 'It's empowering. What I feel is pride that all these straight men like Brian and think of him as their friend.' In Season 3, currently shooting in Los Angeles, Urie's Brian and his TV husband, Charlie (Devin Kawaoka), will tackle co-parenting their newly adopted child. 'It's not just the baby,' says Urie, resisting a gender reveal so as to not ruin the surprise. 'It's what the baby means to people around him: Charlie, the biological mother and Liz (Christa Miller). And how [being a] dad fits into the rest of his life, in these friendships, in this chosen family. So far, they've written big comedy and some super serious pathos.' Which is exactly as Urie likes it. Shocked and flattered by the growing Emmy buzz surrounding his Season 2 turn, he'd clearly be thrilled to win yet confesses he long ago gave up on accumulating awards. 'All I really wanna do is work,' he says. 'I'm way more comfortable on a set, in rehearsal or onstage than I am at a podium or on a red carpet.'
Scottish Sun
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Salma Hayek, 58, stuns as she strips down to her bikini for racy Sports Illustrated shoot
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) WHEN it comes to timeless stars who are the gift that keeps on giving, Salma Hayek is at the top of the list. The stunning actress, 58, has thrilled fans by stripping off to a bikini for Sports Illustrated. 8 Salma Hayek stripped off to a bikini for her Sports Illustrated Swimwear Issue shoot Credit: instagram 8 The actress frolicked on the beach for the sexy shoot Credit: instagram 8 The star showed off her stunning figure Credit: instagram 8 Salma wore a series of different looks for her cover shoot for the famous magazine Credit: instagram Salma - who is best known for her roles in Frida, Ugly Betty, and House Of Gucci - looked sensational on her sizzling photoshoot. The stunning star wowed in the sexy snaps that were taken for the cover of the famous magazine's Swimsuit Edition for 2025. Salma showed off her incredible figure in a series of tiny two pieces as she frolicked on the beach. The star gave fans a treat as she spilled out of her bikini as she crawled on the sand. The Oscar nominee also flaunted her washboard abs as she cemented her status as the ultimate covergirl. Salma also posed in a red bikini with a sexy chiffon wrap that floated down her arms and legs. In all of the shots she wore here trademark wavy hair floating down her shoulders and back. The photoshoot showcased her timeless figure that any woman would be enviable of. In her accompanying interview with Sports Illustrated, Salma was asked how she felt about being the covergirl for their Swimsuit Edition. 'It's so bizarre!' She told the publication. 'I'm nearly 60!" Salma Hayek celebrates World Oceans Day in white bathing suit as she laughs while getting knocked over by waves "At this stage, it wouldn't have crossed my mind. "The first thing you get is—what is that word?—imposter syndrome. "You have the imposter syndrome immediately.' Continuing, she added: 'I used to look at this magazine, and all the models that were in it, they were so perfect and so beautiful. 8 Salma showed of her toned tum and slim legs for the Swimwear Issue shoot Credit: instagram 8 Salma wowed as she walked along the idyllic shore Credit: instagram 8 The Oscar nominee showed off her slim frame in the sexy snaps Credit: instagram 'This was the top of the top of the top. It was a landmark for models. It was an iconic space for ultimate beauty, even if it was a magazine that was not about that normally. "But each issue was the trailblazer of what is beauty today.' The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue hits stands on May 17.
The Irish Sun
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Salma Hayek, 58, stuns as she strips down to her bikini for racy Sports Illustrated shoot
WHEN it comes to timeless stars who are the gift that keeps on giving, Salma Hayek is at the top of the list. The stunning actress, 58, has thrilled fans by stripping off to a bikini for Sports Illustrated. 8 Salma Hayek stripped off to a bikini for her Sports Illustrated Swimwear Issue shoot Credit: instagram 8 The actress frolicked on the beach for the sexy shoot Credit: instagram 8 The star showed off her stunning figure Credit: instagram 8 Salma wore a series of different looks for her cover shoot for the famous magazine Credit: instagram Salma - who is best known for her roles in Frida, Ugly Betty , and House Of Gucci - looked sensational on her sizzling photoshoot. The stunning star wowed in the sexy snaps that were taken for the cover of the famous magazine's Swimsuit Edition for 2025. Salma showed off her incredible figure in a series of tiny two pieces as she frolicked on the beach. The star gave fans a treat as she spilled out of her bikini as she crawled on the sand. The Oscar nominee also flaunted her washboard abs as she cemented her status as the ultimate covergirl. Salma also posed in a red bikini with a sexy chiffon wrap that floated down her arms and legs. In all of the shots she wore here trademark wavy hair floating down her shoulders and back. The photoshoot showcased her timeless figure that any woman would be enviable of. Most read in Celebrity In her accompanying interview with 'It's so bizarre!' She told the publication. 'I'm nearly 60!" Salma Hayek celebrates World Oceans Day in white bathing suit as she laughs while getting knocked over by waves "At this stage, it wouldn't have crossed my mind. "The first thing you get is—what is that word?—imposter syndrome. "You have the imposter syndrome immediately.' Continuing, she added: 'I used to look at this magazine, and all the models that were in it, they were so perfect and so beautiful. 8 Salma showed of her toned tum and slim legs for the Swimwear Issue shoot Credit: instagram 8 Salma wowed as she walked along the idyllic shore Credit: instagram 8 The Oscar nominee showed off her slim frame in the sexy snaps Credit: instagram 'This was the top of the top of the top. It was a landmark for models . It was an iconic space for ultimate beauty, even if it was a magazine that was not about that normally. Read more on the Irish Sun "But each issue was the trailblazer of what is beauty today.' The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue hits stands on May 17 . 8 Salma on the Sports Illustrated 2025 swimsuit cover Credit: Ruven Afanador/Sports Illustrated
The Sun
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Salma Hayek, 58, stuns as she strips down to her bikini for racy Sports Illustrated shoot
WHEN it comes to timeless stars who are the gift that keeps on giving, Salma Hayek is at the top of the list. The stunning actress, 58, has thrilled fans by stripping off to a bikini for Sports Illustrated. 8 8 8 Salma - who is best known for her roles in Frida, Ugly Betty, and House Of Gucci - looked sensational on her sizzling photoshoot. The stunning star wowed in the sexy snaps that were taken for the cover of the famous magazine's Swimsuit Edition for 2025. Salma showed off her incredible figure in a series of tiny two pieces as she frolicked on the beach. The star gave fans a treat as she spilled out of her bikini as she crawled on the sand. The Oscar nominee also flaunted her washboard abs as she cemented her status as the ultimate covergirl. Salma also posed in a red bikini with a sexy chiffon wrap that floated down her arms and legs. In all of the shots she wore here trademark wavy hair floating down her shoulders and back. The photoshoot showcased her timeless figure that any woman would be enviable of. In her accompanying interview with Sports Illustrated, Salma was asked how she felt about being the covergirl for their Swimsuit Edition. 'It's so bizarre!' She told the publication. 'I'm nearly 60!" Salma Hayek celebrates World Oceans Day in white bathing suit as she laughs while getting knocked over by waves "At this stage, it wouldn't have crossed my mind. "The first thing you get is—what is that word?—imposter syndrome. "You have the imposter syndrome immediately.' Continuing, she added: 'I used to look at this magazine, and all the models that were in it, they were so perfect and so beautiful. 8 8 8 'This was the top of the top of the top. It was a landmark for models. It was an iconic space for ultimate beauty, even if it was a magazine that was not about that normally. "But each issue was the trailblazer of what is beauty today.' The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue hits stands on May 17. 8
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Malala, Miss America and the MCC: welcome to the Women's T20 World Cup launch
England's Sophie Ecclestone (left) meets actress and singer Vanessa Williams alongside Malala Yousafzai. Photograph: Alex Davidson/ECB/Getty Images Vanessa Williams, the American actress of Ugly Betty and Desperate Housewives fame, is on the surface an unlikely candidate to spearhead the launch of a Cricket World Cup. However, at Lord's on Thursday Williams formed part of an all-female panel – alongside World Rugby player of the year, Ellie Kildunne, and Nobel peace prize winner (and former Oxford University cricketer) Malala Yousafzai – which officially kickstarted the countdown to the 2026 ICC Women's T20 World Cup, to be held in England. Listening to Malala attempt to explain cricket fielding positions to a former Miss America, also the singer of the 1992 hit single Save the Best for Last, surely made this one of the quirkier events ever to grace the Long Room. But as the event progressed, the choice of three women panellists who are leaders in their respective fields of entertainment, sport and activism began to make sense. Related: Nat Sciver-Brunt named England Women's captain and vows to empower team Deliberately staged in the inner sanctum of the MCC, where women were forbidden to enter until 1999, this was an event dominated by female voices and faces: of the assembled invitees from local government, national governing bodies and the sports industry, at least three-quarters were female. The diversity of attendees reflected the England and Wales Cricket Board's vision for the tournament, which extends far beyond a single sporting event. As Beth Barrett-Wild, who is the co-tournament director, explains: 'This isn't just another tournament, another moment in time. It's our time to come together and take women's cricket to where it belongs: centre stage. 'We must nurture the sparks that a World Cup offers into roaring flames that permanently change how society thinks, feels and behaves around women's cricket, in this country and around the world.' The competition will begin on 12 June next year, taking in seven venues around England: Old Trafford, Headingley, Edgbaston, the Rose Bowl, the Oval and Bristol, culminating in the final at Lord's on 5 July 2026. Twelve teams will compete for the trophy: Scotland and Ireland still have the chance to be among them, with the final lineup to be decided at next year's qualifying tournament. This is a step up from the last time the ECB hosted a women's tournament in 2017, when smaller capacity venues such as Derby and Leicester were preferred. The ECB's overall ambitions for the tournament also dwarf those of eight years ago. When the 2017 event team first pitched the idea of a sellout Lord's final, they were laughed out of the room; this time, that is a minimum expectation. The ECB's aim for 2026 is to not only exceed but double the previous highest total attendance at a Women's Cricket World Cup (the existing record is 136,549, set by Australia in 2020). Further goals include making this the most-watched and the highest-grossing ICC women's tournament. Beyond that, Barrett-Wild sets her sights on creating what she calls 'a new breed of tribalism': a loyal fanbase for women's cricket which returns to matches again and again. 'This moment should feel less like a standalone launch event for a World Cup, and more like a turning point towards a systemic change in the standing and status of women's cricket,' Barrett-Wild says. Across the length of the room, huge billboards obscured the usual portraits of long-dead male cricketers. Instead, we were treated to a showcase of the most iconic moments in the history of women's sport: from Billie Jean King, to the Lionesses winning the 2022 Women's Euros; from Bobbi Gibb at the Boston Marathon, to Jessica Ennis-Hill on Super Saturday – and of course Anya Shrubsole, whose superb bowling won England a World Cup the last time a women's final took place at Lord's. Back then, England seamer Lauren Bell was a 16-year-old torn between cricket and football. It was watching Shrubsole's magical spell of six for 46 from the stands at Lord's which convinced her to choose cricket. In just over a year's time, Bell could be following in her heroine's footsteps and opening the bowling in a home final. 'Seeing England win a World Cup, 16-year-old me wanted to be there one day,' Bell says. 'It's crazy to think that nine years on, I'll have the chance to do that and be that person, and maybe inspire even more people.' The launch event concluded with a spine-tingling moment which would surely have made WG Grace turn in his grave: the projection of portraits of female cricketers of all ages across every wall of the Long Room, conjuring up an alternative vision of what a sport which truly embraces half the population could one day look like. Vive la révolution.
