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Daily Mail
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Inside MAGA actor's plans to build $100M movie studio in Texas as he says 'Hollywood is broken'
Zachary Levi says Hollywood's broken, so he's taking his business - show business - elsewhere. The 44-year-old actor - who feels he's been frozen out of mainstream Hollywood due to his refusal to go woke - is currently in the process of fundraising to fully build a film studio in Austin, Texas that would benefit from tariff-linked movie industry policies President Donald Trump has spoken about. The Chuck actor, speaking Thursday with Variety, said that the studio system - which has been rocked to its core over the past decade amid a horrific history of dysfunctional power structures; rapidly-changing technology and emerging business alternatives - was essentially obsolete a century ago. The American Underdog actor refenced the silent film stars who banded together more than a century ago to form United Artists in 1919, amid inferior conditions in the entertainment industry at the time. 'Charlie Chaplin and Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks and all those O.G.s knew it over 100 years ago,' the Lake Charles, Louisiana native told the magazine. 'Hollywood was broken then, and we needed a better system.' 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. Levi in 2008 posed with his Chuck costar Yvonne Strahovski and the then-star of NBC's The Apprentice, Donald Trump, at an NBC Universal promotional event in 2008 Levi added, 'This industry is crumbling around us. In order for us to survive, we need to have a space for artists that will foster certified organic human-made content.' Levi in 2008 posed with his Chuck costar Yvonne Strahovski and the then-star of NBC's The Apprentice - now-President Trump - at an NBC Universal promotional event in 2008. He wound up hitting the campaign trail in support of Trump last summer. has reached out to Strahovski and her reps for comment on Levi's plans and her run-in with the nascent U.S. president. Levi, who lives in Ventura, California with partner Maggie Keating, told Variety he's been ostracized for his views on politics amid the turbulent timeframe. 'I know that there are people that would prefer not to work with me now because of my opinions,' Levi told the outlet. 'My team has let me know.' Variety reported that Levi nodded 'in the direction of Beverly Hills, where his agents at UTA are headquartered' when he made the remarks about professional alliances dissolving due to political disagreements. ' They haven't given me any specific names, but there are people who prefer not to work with me at this time,' Levi told the outlet. 'And it's unfortunate.' Levi said that he 'knew that was probably going to happen' and figured it into the calculus when making a series of public bold statements. Levi said 'Hollywood was broken' in 1919 when silent film stars united to form a company Levi added that he 'didn't make this decision blindly or casually,' as he's landed in hot water at times for his views in support of President Trump, as well as Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Levi's ambitious plans were revealed nearly seven months after the actor was widely slammed after linking the COVID-19 vaccine to the death of Gavin Creel at 48, with fellow actor Norbert Leo Butz saying he was 'utterly heartbroken' by the move. Weeks prior to last fall's presidential election, Levi posted a controversial one-hour rant on his Instagram October 22. In it, he said he believed that Creel - his one-time costar in the Broadway revival of She Loves Me who died September 30 following a battle with cancer - 'would be alive right now' had he not gotten vaccinated. Butz left a comment condemning the Shazam! star for mentioning Creel in his politically-charged statement, 'So incredibly disappointed you would politicize Gavin's death,' the Tony winner said. 'Really tried to give you the benefit here. Made it halfway through, which was hard as hell. But was utterly heartbroken, as he would have been, that you felt the need to use his life and legacy to promote this awful platform.' Levi endorsed Republican Donald Trump over Democrat Kamala Harris ahead of the election. Trump dominated with an electoral college total of 312 votes to Harris' 226; according to the AP, Trump garnered 49.9 percent of the votes with 77,304,184 votes, while Harris had 75,019,616 votes accounting for 48.4 percent. In his social media statement, Levi acknowledged there would be significant pushback to his words. 'I know that this is going to offend some people and make some people mad, and I wish it didn't,' Levi said. 'So, a few weeks ago, my friend Gavin Creel died. He was 48 years old, and he was one of the healthiest people I knew.' 'You better believe that, with everything in me, I believe that if these COVID vaccinations were not forced on the American public, that the theaters weren't being pushed and leveraged.' In his statement, Levi said 'people at the top' forced those in the Broadway community, including producers and theater owners, to enforce vaccine mandates coming out of the pandemic. 'They knew the cost benefit of these shots, and it was garbage; guys, it was garbage,' Levi said. He added, 'They knew that there would be plenty of side effects, including turbo cancers - they knew. 'And I, without a shadow of a doubt, I believe that Gavin Creel would be alive right now - right f***ing now - he would still be alive if that stuff didn't get put into his body.' Levi said he felt he was honoring Creel's memory by 'talking about' the divisive issue. Levi faced criticism from a number of other social media users over trying to link Creel's death to the COVID-19 vaccine. One user said in response, 'Some people shouldn't be allowed to talk. Shame on you for using Gavin Creel's passing to spread misinformation.' Another said, 'I've been a fan since Chuck. I have to admit I'm terribly disappointed.' Said one user: 'This…. Was insane. I cannot believe you used Gavin's passing to spread absolutely blatant misinformation. I think he would be incredibly disappointed in you. Like I'm sure much of the Broadway community now is.' One put off fan added, Unfollowed ... good luck with your new direct to DVD movie career.' Some fans lauded Levi for taking the risky career move in making a controversial statement in support of his core beliefs. One said, 'Good for you for standing up for what you believe in!' while another added, 'I don't agree with you politically but I respect your bravery to voice your opinion.' Another said, 'Not even a Trump fan, (I'm DEFINITELY not a Kamala fan) but I absolutely give you respect for coming out in Hollywood and going against the tide!!! Been a fan since Chuck.'
New York Post
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
‘James Bond' actor Joe Don Baker dead at 89
Hollywood has lost one of their own. Actor Joe Don Baker died at age 89 on May 7, per his obituary. The star was perhaps best known for his role as Sheriff Buford Pusser in the 1973 action/thriller 'Walking Tall.' Baker first rose to fame in the 1972 western flick 'Junior Bonner,' playing Curly, the younger brother of Steve McQueen's character Junior Bonner, a middle-aged rodeo rider. 7 Joe Don Baker in 'Walking Tall.' Courtesy Everett Collection Baker also had a role in the James Bond films, first playing arms dealer Brad Whitaker in the 1987 movie 'The Living Daylights' that starred Timothy Dalton as 007. In 1995 and 1997, the actor was back — this time as CIA agent Jack Wade in 'GoldenEye' and 'Tomorrow Never Dies,' which were led by Pierce Brosnan as Bond. 7 Joe Don Baker in 'Walking Tall.' Courtesy Everett Collection 'Born on February 12, 1936, Joe Don was a beacon of kindness and generosity. His intellectual curiosity made him a voracious reader, inspiring a great love of nature and animals, particularly cats,' his obituary reads. 'Throughout his life, Joe Don touched many lives with his warmth and compassion, leaving an indelible mark on everyone fortunate enough to know him.' Baker grew up in Groesbeck, Texas, where he 'excelled in football and basketball,' per the obit. 'His athletic skills led him to secure a scholarship at North Texas State College, where he joined the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity and graduated in 1958 with a bachelor's degree in business administration. In 1994 he received the Distinguished Alumni award from his College, now renamed University of North Texas.' 7 Joe Don Baker and Pierce Brosnan in 'Tomorrow Never Dies.' ©United Artists/Courtesy Everett Collection After joining the army, Baker moved to New York City and studied at the Actor's Studio. 'Eventually, he moved to Los Angeles, where his acting career gradually took off,' the obituary continued. 'Starting with small television parts, he eventually progressed to major acting roles as leading man and later in life as a character actor. During his long career, until his retirement in 2012 he performed in 57 movies.' During his career, Baker won the Robert Altman Award at the Independent Spirit Awards for his role in the 2012 movie 'Mud,' which also starred Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Sam Shepard and Sarah Paulson. 7 Joe Don Baker and Pierce Brosnan in 'GoldenEye.' ©United Artists/Courtesy Everett Collection Baker was also nominated for best actor by the British Academy of Television for his role in the 1985 movie 'Edge of Darkness,' and again for Best Supporting Actor in 1997 for the film 'George Wallace.' According to his obituary Baker, who was married from 1969 to 1980 never had kids. 'Joe Don's 11 year marriage produced no offspring. He is survived by relations in his native Groesbeck, who will forever cherish his memory. He is mourned by a small but very close circle of friends who will miss him eternally.' 7 Joe Don Baker as Ron Lewis in the 1975 movie 'Framed.' Silver Screen The message concluded, 'As we say goodbye to Joe Don, we hold onto the memories and the love he shared with us. Though he may no longer be with us in body, his spirit will always remain, a guiding light in the lives he touched. Rest in peace, Joe Don. You will be dearly missed but never forgotten.' During a interview with The Hard Times in 2020, Baker poked fun at his James Bond costars, Brosnan, 71, and Alan Cumming, who played Boris Grishenko in the movies. When the outlet asked who he could take in a fight, Baker joked, 'Please. I could take on both of those church boys with one hand.' 7 Joe Don Baker in 'Too Rich: The Secret Life of Doris Duke.' CBS via Getty Images After the official James Bond Instagram account posted about Baker's death, fans flocked to the comments section to remember the late star. One follower said, 'Sad news. Really enjoyed in him in all of his Bond roles. 'Yo, Jimbo!' Rest in peace, Joe :(,' while a second user stated, 'Oh no! Not Jack Wade!! RIP legend.' 'Whitaker was always one of my all time favourite Bond villains despite his lack of screen time,' a third social media person expressed. 'Joe played him brilliantly! Such a fun villain!' 7 Joe Don Baker. WireImage Another fan quoted Baker from the films, writing, 'Let me get this straight, Jim. You shot him in the leg, you stole his car, you stole his girl. And now you want Zukovsky to set you up with a meeting with Janus. What are you gonna do, appeal to his heart?' The original post, which was beneath a shot of Baker from the movie, read, 'We are really sad to hear of the passing of Joe Don Baker at the age of 89. The Texan actor played villain Brad Whitaker in THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS and CIA agent Jack Wade in GOLDENEYE and TOMORROW NEVER DIES,'
Epoch Times
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Epoch Times
‘Lonelyhearts': Unraveling Secrets of the Heart
NR | 1h 40m | Drama | 1958 Robert Ryan stands out in films with his clear, powerful voice, and intense presence. When he's paired with other performers, there are moments when he he's matched, even balanced. ' In 'Lonelyhearts' (1958), he's paired with Montgomery Clift, another heavy-hitter, though of a completely different stripe. William Shrike (Robert Ryan), in 'Lonelyhearts.' (United Artists). Adapted from Nathanael West's 1933 novel, 'Miss Lonelyhearts,' and later a 1957 stage play, the film simplifies the title but keeps much of the existential despair and social critique intact. Clift plays Adam White, a young journalist scraping by for a shot at a job in major media. Hungry for a Better Life White stakes out a bar where he hopes to run into people who work for the Chronicle, a major newspaper that's headquartered nearby. He strikes gold when he meets Florence (Myrna Loy), who happens to be the wife of William Shrike (Ryan), the paper's editor-in-chief. Adam White (Montgomery Clift) and Florence Shrike (Myrna Loy) meet at a bar, in 'Lonelyhearts.' United Artists Shrike soon shows up at the bar and interprets his wife's actions as flirtatious with White. Despite a rather conflicted first meeting, Shrike offers White a job. When White shows up the next morning, he discovers to his dismay that he's been assigned to the titular, 'Miss Lonelyhearts,' an advice column, instead of something he considers to be real writing. Desperate since he intends to marry girlfriend Justy Sargeant (Dolores Hart), he takes the position. Related Stories 3/18/2024 4/7/2025 Justy Sargeant (Dolores Hart) and Adam White (Montgomery Clift) are in love, in 'Lonelyhearts.' United Artists Shrike treats cynicism like an art form and condescension like sport; he delights in watching White sink under the weight of desperate letters from the hopeless and heartbroken. He dares White to actually meet one of the column's correspondents, Fay Doyle (Maureen Stapleton). This creates a brewing storm that ripples through White's life and rattles the lives of everyone around him. Hidden Secrets , Long Monologues Unfortunately, the movie retains much of the stage play's talkiness, for better or worse. Nowhere is that more evident than in Ryan's role. Every time he shows up, you can practically set your watch for a lengthy monologue—philosophical, cynical, and often laced with contempt for humanity. He also doesn't spare his long-suffering wife, whom he hasn't quite forgiven for an old affair, despite her regrets. Ryan's performance, however, keeps things engaging. In lesser hands, the part might've sunk the film under the weight of its own verbosity. Instead, Ryan brings a sharp intensity to Shrike, making his scenes work. I found myself sighing 'here we go again' with a half-smile, not dreading the routine but recognizing it as part of the film's rhythm. Clift holds up better than expected, especially considering this was one of his first roles after the 1956 car accident that nearly ended his career. While his reconstructed face shows subtle signs of strain, most notably a stiffness around the mouth that occasionally affects his diction, he still radiates sincerity. Clift was nearly 40 when the film was released. Though his frame and posture give him a slightly fragile appearance, the dynamic works well against Ryan's larger, more imposing presence. The contrast between the two men—Clift's quiet vulnerability and Ryan's commanding cynicism—adds a noteworthy dynamic to the film. In some ways, 'Lonelyhearts' reflects its lead actor, Clift: a little wounded, a bit uneven, but quietly affecting. It's not a polished film nor a particularly brisk one, but it has a thoughtful core. Beneath its drawn-out dialogue and moody tone lies a meditation on loneliness, redemption, and the challenges faced when trying to connect with others. Stick with it, and it offers a modest but meaningful payoff. 'Lonelyhearts' is available on Amazon, Hoopla, and Tubi TV. 'Lonelyhearts' Director: Vincent J. Donehue Starring: Montgomery Clift, Myrna Loy, Robert Ryan Not Rated Running Time: 1 hour, 40 minutes Release Date: Dec. 26, 1958 Rated: 3 1/2 stars out of 5 What arts and culture topics would you like us to cover? Please email ideas or feedback to
New York Times
17-04-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Robert E. McGinnis, Whose Lusty Illustrations Defined an Era, Dies at 99
Robert E. McGinnis, an illustrator whose lusty, photorealistic artwork of curvaceous women adorned more than 1,200 pulp paperbacks, as well as classic movie posters for 'Breakfast at Tiffany's,' featuring Audrey Hepburn with a cigarette holder, and James Bond adventures including 'Thunderball,' died on March 10 at his home in Old Greenwich, Conn. He was 99. His family confirmed the death. Mr. McGinnis's female figures from the 1960s and '70s flaunted a bold sexuality, often in a state of semi undress, whether on the covers of detective novels by John D. MacDonald or on posters for movies like 'Barbarella' (1968), with a bikini-clad Jane Fonda, or Bond films starring Sean Connery and Roger Moore. 'Barbarella' Beginning in 1958, he painted book covers for espionage, crime, Western, fantasy and other genre series — generally cheap paperbacks meant to grab a male reader's eye in a drugstore, only to be quickly read and discarded. He was best known for illustrating detective series featuring the gumshoes Mike Shayne, Perry Mason and various shamuses in works by the prolific author Carter Brown. The femme fatales who adorned those covers became known collectively as 'the McGinnis Woman.' The McGinnis Woman was long legged, impossibly beautiful and sophisticated looking. Her curves were the pneumatic ideal of Playboy and Barbie, but her allure was never that of Hugh Hefner's prized girl next door. She was a man-eater, sometimes topless, and was usually placed in the foreground while bumping the male character, the book's protagonist, into a secondary role. To pose for his paintings, Mr. McGinnis hired svelte models, including the young Shere Hite, who went on to write the wide-selling 'The Hite Report: A Nationwide Study of Female Sexuality,' in 1976. Playboy once approached Mr. McGinnis to fill the shoes of its illustrator Alberto Vargas, who drew the magazine's signature 'Vargas Girl' nudes, but Mr. McGinnis wasn't interested. 'I didn't like what was going on there, with the bunny tails and the ridiculous way they treated women,' he told Vanity Fair in 2017. In 1961, he began getting offers from the publicity departments of movie studios, in an era when a film's poster was a narrative artwork used to entice viewers into a theater, not a Photoshopped afterthought. 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' Mr. McGinnis is probably best known for the poster for 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' (1961), for which he painted Hepburn in a snug black dress, a cat draped around her shoulders. For numerous Bond movies, he painted scenes that burst with action and cemented in the public imagination the idea that the 007 movies featured not just a swank secret agent but also a series of 'Bond girls' with dangerous curves who were his foils. 'If you wanted beautiful women in Bond posters, there was only one man: Bob McGinnis,' Don Smolen, who commissioned the posters for United Artists, told the director Paul Jilbert for a 2008 documentary about Mr. McGinnis. 'Thunderball' and 'The Man With the Golden Gun' Besides 'Thunderball' (1965), Mr. McGinnis also did the posters (sometimes in collaboration with another artist) for the Bond films 'You Only Live Twice' (1967), 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service' (1969), 'Diamonds Are Forever' (1971), 'Live and Let Die' (1973) and 'The Man With the Golden Gun' (1974). His other movie poster work included 'The Odd Couple' (1968) and 'Cotton Comes to Harlem' (1970), a psychedelic swirl that incorporated scantily clad women, a gold Rolls-Royce and men pointing guns, a familiar trope from the Blaxploitation genre. 'Cotton Comes to Harlem' Robert Edwards McGinnis was born on Feb. 3, 1926, in Cincinnati, and raised in Wyoming, Ohio. He was the second of six children. His father, Nolan, was a construction worker who encouraged his son's talent for drawing. His mother, Mildred (Finch) McGinnis, enrolled him in drawing classes at the Cincinnati Art Museum. A high school art teacher landed him an apprenticeship at the Walt Disney Studios in California, where he worked as a teenager until World War II paused the studios' cartoon output. Mr. McGinnis enrolled at Ohio State University, where he played left tackle for the football team, which went undefeated in 1944. Although he left before graduating, he met Ferne Mitchell there, and they married in 1948. The couple moved East, and Mr. McGinnis found work in advertising illustration. In 1958, when an agent showed Mr. McGinnis's work to an art director at Dell, the book publisher, he was hired to paint covers for four paperbacks, at $200 each. 'Built For Trouble' and 'So Young, So Cold, So Fair' He was soon in constant demand from publishers, earning much better rates. 'My illustration work went through the roof,' Mr. McGinnis told Vanity Fair. 'I raised three kids on it. A lot of illustrators wouldn't do them — they were considered cheap and low-grade. But I enjoyed doing them. I didn't see anything demeaning about it.' 'Modesty Blaise' and 'The Hellcat' His wife of 75 years died in 2023. Mr. McGinnis is survived by their three children, Melinda Reynolds, Laurie McGinnis and Kyle McGinnis; three grandchildren; and a brother, David McGinnis. Mr. McGinnis lived long enough to see his work acquire a retro-cool aura, thanks to such cultural hits as AMC's 'Mad Men,' the series about the 1960s advertising industry that ran for seven seasons beginning in 2007. 'The Art of Robert E. McGinnis,' a collection of his work, was published by Titan Books in 2014. Two years later, the English fantasy author Neil Gaiman hired Mr. McGinnis to illustrate the covers of a series of his books that were being reissued in paperback, beginning with 'American Gods.' Mr. McGinnis, who didn't stop painting until shortly before his death, was then 90. Describing their collaboration on his blog, Mr. Gaiman wrote: 'Each painting from McGinnis was better than the one before.'
Buzz Feed
05-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
People Are Sharing The Most Horrifying Moments In Non-Horror Movies
Recently, I asked the wonderful people of the BuzzFeed Community to share the scariest non-horror movie moments. Some of these make you wonder if the directors were totally cool scarring us for life: 1. "Oh dear gawd when the Child Catcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang first appeared. Terrifying!" United Artists / — sos_poseidon "Utterly terrifying as a child. That actor's performance was amazing. The creepy voice, long nose, expressive facial features, the way his eyes scanned around, and the way he moved. Everything about him was perfect to almost bring me to tears and fill me with dread. I'm 55 now and that character still elicits the same feeling in me just thinking about him! What a performance." —Anonymous, 55 2. "The part in The Mummy (1999) where a beetle crawls under a guy's skin. Because of that part, I never finished the whole movie until I was well into my teens." 3. " Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. Watched it when I was beginning part where the grandpa jump scares you with his eyes gone and when the old bird lady gets eaten after they barricade the house. So creepy. I still hate eye monsters." 4. " Who Framed Roger Rabbit! When the big villain is revealed with the creepy voice and the horrific murder of the squeaky shoe. Total nightmare fuel." Touchstone Pictures / — playoutside "When Christopher Lloyd, aka Judge Doom, put that poor cartoon shoe into the 'dip.' It still randomly pops into my head from time to time to make me sad." —Anonymous, 42 5. "The scene with all the insects in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. I am so scared of bugs, so that's like my worst nightmare." Paramount Pictures 6. "In E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, when E.T. is in the cornfield screaming back at Elliot. That's haunted me for most of my life." Universal Pictures — t448dac9d3 7. "It's absolutely gotta be the boat tunnel scene in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory; it changed the whole tone of the film for literally just that sequence." — lmlynch1993 8. "The hanging scene in Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End." Walt Disney Pictures — magicalgiant575 9. "The flying monkeys in The Wizard of Oz." Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer / — lordvaderiii 11. "The part in the Goonies when they find Chester Copperpot's skeleton under a rock. Freaked my brother out for years." 12. "Large Marge in Pee-wee's Big Adventure still creeps me out." 13. "When the queen turns herself into the Witch in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. And pretty much every scene afterward has her in it. I cannot emphasize enough how she haunted my nightmares for YEARS." 14. "The furnace scene in Toy Story 3." 15. "Zordon dying in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie. Nightmares for years." 20th Century Fox — fierceelephant267 16. "The scene in Any Given Sunday where the player's eye comes out on the field disturbed me for weeks." 17. "The paparazzi guy climbing out of the toilet in Spice World. The way his body climbs out. Ugh. No thanks." PolyGram Filmed Entertainment — imbatmom2 18. "The skeleton battle scene in Jason and the Argonauts. Creeped me out as a child. Still does now as an adult." 19. "That jump scare in Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring when Bilbo wants his ring back." New Line Cinema — whale_tail 20. "The clown in the The Brave Little Toaster." 21. "The wolf from The NeverEnding Story. Enough said." 22. "As a kid, it was the ending of Gremlins when Spike is simultaneously absorbing water from a fountain and exposed to direct the worst gremlin of all swelling and bubbling and sizzling in the bright light was TOO MUCH for little kid me. I had so many nightmares that it was over a decade before I watched the movie again (and realized it was a comedy)! I love Gremlins now, but my Stripe-inspired nightmares are seared into my memory." Warner Bros. —Anonymous, 38 23. "The Fireys from Labyrinth (where the reddish creatures take off their heads and start throwing them around; and then try to take off Sarah's head). To this day, that scene still gives me an uneasy feeling." Tri-Star Pictures —Anonymous, 40 24. "For librarians of a certain age, watching the catalog cards go flying in the original Ghostbusters. All I could think was, 'Somebody's going to have to pick those all up and refile them.' A nightmare if you've ever experienced it!"
