Latest news with #VanityFair
New York Post
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Why Frank Sinatra was offered Bruce Willis' part in ‘Die Hard'
Fans almost saw Frank Sinatra do it, his way. Although fans know Bruce Willis for playing the iconic role of John McClane in the 1988 action/thriller 'Die Hard,' it turns out that 20th Century Studios was contractually obligated to offer a certain A-list singer the role first. 'Die Hard' was adapted from the 1979 novel 'Nothing Lasts Forever,' written by former detective Roderick Thorp, and was a sequel to his first book, 'The Detective.' Advertisement 6 Bruce Willis in the 1988 action/thriller 'Die Hard.' ©20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection 6 Samuel L. Jackson and Bruce Willis in 'Die Hard with a Vengeance.' ©20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection The first novel was already made into a film, the 1968 thriller/crime by the same name which starred Sinatra and Lee Remick. Advertisement Since the movie studio had the rights to the original book and its sequel before they were written for the big screen, they had to ask Sinatra first. He was 70 at the time and declined the part. 'Die Hard' also starred Alan Rickman, Bonnie Bedelia, Reginald VelJohnson, and William Atherton. Prior to landing the part of John McClane, Willis, 70, was only known for starring in the comedy series, 'Moonlighting,' opposite Cybill Shepherd. 6 Bruce Willis in the film 'Die Hard with a Vengeance.' ©20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection Advertisement The action star went on to reprise his role in all five 'Die Hard Films,' including: 'Die Hard 2' (1990), 'Die Hard with a Vengeance' (1995), 'Live Free or Die Hard' (2007), and the final installment, 'A Good Day to Die Hard' in 2013. In March, in honor of Willis' 70th birthday, his 'Die Hard with a Vengeance' costar Samuel L. Jackson revealed the advice he received from him on set. 'He told me, 'Hopefully you'll be able to find a character that, when you make bad movies and they don't make any money, you can always go back to this character everybody loves,'' Jackson, 76, told Vanity Fair at the time. 'He said, 'Arnold's got 'Terminator.' Sylvester's got 'Rocky, Rambo.' I've got John McClane.' I'm like, 'Oh, okay.' And it didn't occur to me until I got that Nick Fury role—and I had a nine-picture deal to be Nick Fury—that, Oh, I'm doing what Bruce said. I've got this character now.' 6 Frank Sinatra and his wife Ava Gardner in 1956. Getty Images Advertisement During the Vanity Fair sit-down, Bedelia, 77, who played McClane's ex-wife Holly Gennero in the first two 'Die Hard' movies, also took a moment to reflect on the cult classic. 'I think that he's basically underrated because he was a big box-office star. So that immediately works against you,' she explained. 'I think, in his mind, he always wanted to be an actor and to do interesting work. That's why becoming famous for such a huge, boffo movie was not expected from him.' 'But once he was there, it was kind of like, you know, 'I'm an actor,'' Bedelia continued. 'And I don't think he saw, in terms of the work, a lot of difference between them. One was not more important than the other, because he was getting to work with interesting directors, with interesting scripts.' 6 Frank Sinatra performing. Shutterstock 6 Frank Sinatra takes a break during a recording session. Getty Images Even Willis, who retired from acting in 2022, following his diagnosis of aphasia and then frontotemporal dementia in 2023, didn't know how big him or his 'Die Hard' character would be. 'I never expected to become this famous,' he said in 1990. 'I wanted to be successful as an actor; I never equated that [with being] famous and having your life story in every newspaper in the country. I just never thought that far ahead. And I don't know who does.'
Scottish Sun
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
TV couple's daughter turns 16 as fans say she looks just her famous mum – can you guess who her parents are?
Tess has previously opened up about trying to keep her kids out of the public eye MUM'S THE WORD TV couple's daughter turns 16 as fans say she looks just her famous mum – can you guess who her parents are? THIS teenager has grown up with very famous parents, who are beloved by fans across the UK. The teen's mum, who she looks the spitting image of, celebrated her girl turning 16 with a sweet post - but can you guess who the youngster's mum and dad are? 5 Can you guess who's daughter this? Credit: Instagram 5 The teen's sister (left) is also a lookalike for their famous mum Credit: Instagram 5 It's Amber Kay's birthday (middle right) - seen here with her dad Vernon Kay, sister Phoebe and mum Tess Daly Credit: Tess Daly/Instagram The teenager in question is Tess Daly, 56, and Vernon Kay's daughter Amber. The couple - who wed in 2003 - also share Amber's older sister, Phoebe, 20. Today proud mama Tess revealed it was her youngest child's 16th birthday. To celebrate the occasion she shared a slew of snaps. In one of the picture, Amber looked just like her famous mum as she blew out her candles. Tess wrote next to the pictures: "Cannot believe our baby girl turns 16 today! HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMBER." The presenter's famous pals rushed to comment on the sweet snaps. Vernon's former T4 co-host June Sarpong wrote: "OMG absolutely Stunning! Just like her Mama." While Tess's Strictly Come Dancing BFF Claudia Winkleman said: "Happy happy birthday to Amber!" Tess Daly poses with lookalike daughter Phoebe, 20, on Christmas night out - and she's just as stunning as her mum Fans also were quick to point out how much Amber looked like her mum, with one writing: "I thought that was a picture of a young Tess. Wow and so beautiful." Another added: "Actually thought this was Tess defo mums twin!" PROTECTIVE MUM Tess previously revealed the importance of her daughters enjoying a normal childhood. In an interview with MailOnline in 2021, Tess explained that she and her husband had worked hard to keep the girls "grounded". She said: "They have good morals and respect others. It's everything. "They build their self-esteem via you. It is so important to us to keep them grounded. 5 Vernon and Tess with their eldest daughter Phoebe Credit: Getty 5 Phoebe is starting to be seen at showbiz events - seen here earlier this year with Vernon Credit: PA "It has never been about us at home – it is about them and their lives and us as a family. "Phoebe didn't even know I worked on TV until she was about seven! "She had no idea until she saw me once and said, 'There's my mum!' She just thought I went to work on a Saturday because to them it is work." BIG SIS It comes as Amber's big sister Phoebe has taken a more public profile since turning 18 two years ago. She made her red carpet debut in 2023, accompanying her father to a film premiere in London. Then in February this year she turned heads when she was spotted again with dad Vernon at the glitzy Vanity Fair EE BAFTA 2025 Rising Star Party. As her profile rises, Phoebe has turned to social media, and is perusing a career as an Influencer. Her grid is full of glam shots and insights into her jet set life.
Chicago Tribune
11 hours ago
- Chicago Tribune
Today in History: Tulsa Race Massacre begins
Today is Saturday, May 31, the 151st day of 2025. There are 214 days left in the year. Today in history: On May 31, 1921, a two-day massacre erupted in Tulsa, Oklahoma, as white mobs began looting and burning the affluent Black district of Greenwood over reports a Black man had assaulted a white woman in an elevator; though the exact number remains unknown, as many as 300 Black Tulsans were killed during the riot. Column: Let's not forget: Chicago had a 'Black Wall Street' tooAlso on this date: In 1790, President George Washington signed into law the first U.S. copyright act. In 1889, over 2,200 people in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, died when the South Fork Dam collapsed, sending 20 million tons of water rushing through the town. In 1949, former State Department official and accused spy Alger Hiss went on trial in New York, charged with perjury (the trial ended with a hung jury, but Hiss was convicted in a second trial.) In 1970, a magnitude 7.9 earthquake struck the Ancash region of Peru; the quake, combined with the landslide it triggered, killed an estimated 67,000 people. In 1977, the 800-mile-long Trans-Alaska oil pipeline was completed after three years of construction. In 2005, Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein confirmed a Vanity Fair magazine report naming former FBI official W. Mark Felt as the Watergate scandal informant previously known only as 'Deep Throat.' In 2009, Millvina Dean, the last survivor of the 1912 sinking of the RMS Titanic, died in Hampshire, England at 97. In 2014, Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, the only American soldier held prisoner in Afghanistan, was freed by the Taliban in exchange for five Afghan detainees from the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. (Bergdahl, who'd gone missing in June 2009, later pleaded guilty to endangering his comrades by walking away from his post in Afghanistan; his sentence included a dishonorable discharge, a reduction in rank and a fine, but no prison time.) In 2019, a longtime city employee opened fire in a municipal building in Virginia Beach, Virginia, killing 12 people on three floors before police shot and killed him; officials said DeWayne Craddock had resigned by email hours before the shooting. Today's Birthdays: Actor-filmmaker Clint Eastwood is 95. Football Hall of Famer Joe Namath is 82. Actor Tom Berenger is 76. Actor-comedian Chris Elliott is 65. Actor Lea Thompson is 64. Musician Corey Hart is 63. Rapper Darryl 'DMC' McDaniels is 61. Actor Brooke Shields is 60. TV host Phil Keoghan is 58. Jazz musician Christian McBride is 53. Actor Archie Panjabi is 53. Actor Colin Farrell is 49. Singer Normani is 29. Tennis player Iga Świątek is 24.
Boston Globe
12 hours ago
- Boston Globe
Today in History: May 31, the Tulsa Race Massacre begins
In 1889, over 2,200 people in Johnstown, Pa., died when the South Fork Dam collapsed, sending 20 million tons of water rushing through the town. Advertisement In 1921, a two-day massacre erupted in Tulsa, Okla., as white mobs began looting and burning the affluent Black district of Greenwood over reports a Black man had assaulted a white woman in an elevator. Though the exact number remains unknown, as many as 300 Black Tulsans were killed during the riot. In 1949, former State Department official and accused spy Alger Hiss went on trial in New York, charged with perjury. The trial ended with a hung jury, but Hiss was convicted in a second trial. In 1970, a magnitude 7.9 earthquake struck the Ancash region of Peru; the quake, combined with the landslide it triggered, killed an estimated 67,000 people. In 1977, the 800-mile-long Trans-Alaska oil pipeline was completed after three years of construction. In 2005, Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein confirmed a Vanity Fair magazine report naming former FBI official W. Mark Felt as the Watergate scandal informant previously known only as 'Deep Throat.' Advertisement In 2009, Millvina Dean, the last survivor of the 1912 sinking of the RMS Titanic, died in Hampshire, England at 97. In 2014, Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl, the only American soldier held prisoner in Afghanistan, was freed by the Taliban in exchange for five Afghan detainees from the US prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. (Bergdahl, who had gone missing in June 2009, later pleaded guilty to endangering his comrades by walking away from his post in Afghanistan. His sentence included a dishonorable discharge, a reduction in rank, and a fine, but no prison time.) In 2019, a longtime city employee opened fire in a municipal building in Virginia Beach, Va., killing 12 people on three floors before police shot and killed him. Officials said DeWayne Craddock had resigned by email hours before the shooting.
Perth Now
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
European film fans have good taste, says Ana de Armas
Ana de Armas thinks European film fans have particularly "good taste". The 37-year-old actress - who was born Cuba, before moving to Spain and then to the US - believes that American and European film fans are distinctly different. Ana - who has become one of the most sought-after actresses in Hollywood in recent years - explained on 'Hot Ones': "The influence of American cinema in Europe is stronger I would say. "Europeans like European films I would say. I think Europeans also – or Spanish people – have a pretty wide spectrum of, they know about cinema, and they have good taste." Ana is now one of the best-paid actresses in the American movie business. However, she never actually planned to end up in Hollywood at any stage. Speaking about her career arc, Ana explained: "You know, going to Los Angeles or going to Hollywood, was never actually a plan for me. I moved to Spain and then from Spain to Los Angeles, but it was just kind of happening naturally. I just never planned on it." Ana has already worked with the likes of Daniel Craig, and Keanu Reeves during her career, and she appreciates the opportunities that have come her way in recent years. The actress said: "To be on set with them was always kind of like a pinch-me moment every time. And I've worked with really, really amazing people." Meanwhile, Ana previously revealed that she found it easy to relate to Marilyn Monroe in 'Blonde'. The actress portrayed Marilyn in the Andrew Dominik-directed biographical film, and Ana admitted to seeing some similarities between herself and the Hollywood icon. She told Vanity Fair magazine: "There was a lot there that I could relate to. "If you put Marilyn Monroe the movie star aside, she's just an actress trying to navigate life and this system, which is so hard to navigate for anybody. On top of that, you add this point of view of Andrew's, which was to see that through her trauma. "I truly thought it was going to do justice to a more dimensional human being, because I wouldn't want to be remembered just for one thing. I am more than just an actress on the cover of a magazine." Ana believes that modern-day movie stars don't compare to people like Marilyn. The actress explained that social media has removed the sense of "mystery" that used to surround Hollywood stars. She said: "I feel like the new generations don't have that concept, because of social media. There is so much information out there and oversharing. "The concept of a movie star is someone untouchable you only see onscreen. That mystery is gone. For the most part, we've done that to ourselves - nobody's keeping anything from anyone anymore."
