Latest news with #Westworld
Scotsman
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
The Last of Us cast: who is in season 2 episode 7?
The Last of Us cast for the season finale has been revealed 👀 Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The Last of Us is concluding its second series with episode 7. Last week saw the return of Pedro Pascal as Joel. But who is in the cast of the season finale? It might feel like only yesterday that The Last of Us returned to our screens but the second season is almost over. The hit show is back after more than two years away. The dramatic season finale is set to be broadcast over the Bank Holiday weekend. With just seven episodes, the series is slightly shorter than its initial run back in 2023. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But who is in the cast of the season finale? Here's all you need to know: Who are the actors in The Last of Us season 2 episode 7? Bella Ramsey in The Last of Us season 2 episode 7 | HBO The cast via IMDb for the season finale includes the following actors, in no particular order: Ben Ahlers - Burton Ariela Barer - Mel Kaitlyn Dever - Abby Anderson Spencer Lord - Owen Moore Gabriel Luna - Tommy Miller Young Mazino - Jesse Beau McConnell - Young Seraphite Boy Isabela Merced - Dina Pedro Pascal - Joel Miller Bella Ramsey - Ellie Williams Jeffrey Wright - Isaac Dixon It promises the return of many important characters from throughout the season, including of course Tommy. But will it mean a final confrontation between Abbey, her crew and Ellie? Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Where do you know the actors from? Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal both had star turning roles in HBO's Game of Thrones. Regular watchers of the channel will likely recognise Jeffery Wright from Westworld - in which he played Bernard. Kaitlyn has appeared in a number of high profile shows over the years including Justified - in which she played Loretta McCready. Dever also was one of the stars of the Tim Allen comedy series Last Man Standing as Eve Baxter. She was in the main cast for season one through six and later returned in a recurring role. In 2019 she was in the Netflix limited series Unbelievable - playing Marie Adler. Dever also had a role in the Hulu/ Disney Plus miniseries Dopesick in 2021 as Betsy Mallum. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Will there be a third series of The Last of Us? The show has been renewed for a third series, the announcement was made earlier this year. However showrunner Craig Maizen has spoken about needing a fourth season to complete the story - so there may still be plenty more to come.
Los Angeles Times
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
After 103 years, this L.A. prop maker finds new success freeze-drying dead pets
In a room inside a North Hollywood warehouse, dozens of pets are ready for their owners to take them home. Boots, a young black-and-white domestic shorthair cat, lies on his back, pawing playfully at the air. A trio of red, yellow and green parrots and cockatiels sit on wooden perches, oblivious to the piercing stare of a blue-eyed feline a few feet away. Princess, a senior Chihuahua, rests with her eyes closed and body curled into a tight cocoon, as a frenetic hamster named Ponby stands upright, his eyes bulging. There's a naked guinea pig, a giant red macaw and an adorably chunky pit bull named Messy. All of these animals are loose, liberated from the confines of cages and leashes, and yet no havoc has ensued. These animals are also all dead. It's an everyday scene at Bischoff's the Animal Kingdom, a Los Angeles taxidermy business that has been preserving animals for 103 years. The business is multifold — Bischoff's creates and rents out prop animals to film studios, museums and nature centers. Posters on the lobby walls boast the company's work on shows like 'American Horror Story' and 'Westworld.' But in recent years, a bulk of its taxidermy requests now come from bereaved pet owners, those willing to shell out thousands of dollars for a tangible commemoration of their late 'fur babies.' From full-body taxidermy to partial mementos — skulls, bronzed hearts or freeze-dried paws, for example — such services provide closure in ways that, clients say, traditional burials or urns cannot. 'It was honestly really comforting to have her back, and just be able to touch her and, in a sense, talk to her too,' said Bischoff's customer Zoe Hays of the preservation of her Chihuahua-Yorkie mix Pixie. 'She was a great little dog — also a menace to society, for sure — but she's still with me, and she always will be.' Bodily preservation, beyond the ashes or cemented paw prints offered by veterinarians and animal hospitals, has become a growing facet in the world of pet aftercare, with traditional taxidermists fulfilling many of the niche requests. Redlands business Precious Creature initially only offered full-body taxidermy of pets until customers started suggesting other ideas, such as lockets containing patches of fur and cat-tail necklaces. (Most recently, owner Lauren Kane sewed a zippered pillowcase using the black-and-white fur of a rescue named G-Dog, or, as his owner fondly called him, 'Fluffy Butt.') In her documentary 'Furever,' filmmaker Amy Finkel explores the lengths to which pet preservationists will go, asking, 'Who decides what kind of grief is acceptable, or appropriate?' Ace Alexander, 40, and Rey Macias, 55, the fourth owners in Bischoff's long history, have steered the company to meet the new demand. Describing each other as 'good friends,' the two men dress similarly in unofficial uniforms of black T-shirts and black pants, and they're so in sync they sometimes finish each other's thoughts. Since taking over the business, both have transitioned to primarily vegan diets. 'Bischoff's used to be taxidermists to the stars in the trophy era, but now we're taxidermists in the pet preservation era,' Alexander said. 'People no longer hunt. Now they just love their pets.' In 1922, when Al Bischoff first opened the business on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, he'd stuff and plaster any animal brought to him. Most of the time, that meant trophies from hunting and safari trips, but it also included beloved pets owned by Hollywood elite. Roy Rogers used Bischoff's to preserve his co-stars Trigger the horse and Bullet the dog. Buck — the dog from 'Married with Children' — also got the Bischoff's treatment. Under Alexander and Macias' tutelage, that's still the case. They'll preserve any animal you bring them — so long as it is not a protected species or an illegal pet. They'll even make you a unicorn or a sasquatch or a wearable Velociraptor costume that roars and can open and close its jaws. The largest animal Alexander and Macias have preserved was an 11-foot-long buffalo, while the smallest, not including insects, was a hummingbird. Off the top of their heads, the only animal they haven't preserved — yet — is the genetically rare white tiger. The majority of Bischoff's clientele still comes from Hollywood. Due to federal and state laws, as well as industry regulators like the American Humane Association, it often makes more sense to use body doubles for animals when filming and is occasionally mandatory (such as scenes that involve roadkill or drowning incidents). On a recent Wednesday, Alexander fielded calls from studios about the types of snake skins in stock, how to clean dirt off a rented coyote and the particular body poses of their turkeys. 'So what are you thinking?' Alexander said, talking on the phone. 'Turkeys in flight? Perched? Or did you need a floppy version?' As for the pet sector, which accounts for around 40% of their business, dogs and cats, unsurprisingly, make up the majority of the preservations, but the team has also worked on rabbits, rodents, chameleons and roosters. And although they will preserve your pet goldfish, they will strongly encourage you to consider having a synthetic version made of it due to the oils in the scales, which inevitably lead to deterioration. Bischoff's works on pets shipped from around the country as well as overseas. Dr. Xanya Sofra, who is based in Hong Kong, has had at least half a dozen of her papillons preserved by Bischoff's. Another client, who was an avid hiker, had Bischoff's preserve his golden retriever in an upright position so that he could carry it in his backpack on his treks. Neither Alexander nor Macias had a background in taxidermy when they started working at Bischoff's. They were both musicians, which is how they initially met. Macias also owned an auto shop and has been taking apart and fixing appliances from a young age. Alexander picked up jobs at Bischoff's when it was owned by the previous owner, Gary Robbins. The pay was good, the work interesting and he realized he had a knack for airbrushing and sculpting. In 2017, when Robbins was ready to retire, Alexander and Macias, who by then had also started working there, decided to buy the business. Bischoff's specializes in a form of hybrid taxidermy, incorporating traditional techniques with the more new-fangled freeze-drying process. The results are not only more lifelike and long-lasting than the standard gut-and-stuff method, but it also allows for the bulk of the original animal to remain, including the skeletal structure, toenails, whiskers, eyelids, nose and teeth. The eyes, however, are made of glass. The method leaves room for error. Water can be used to dampen and repose the body and paint can be removed or retouched. 'You can definitely backpedal,' Alexander said, making a note to check the texture of the preserved hearts on sticks in the next 24 hours. Alexander credits this attention to detail to his predecessors, former owner Robbins and then-main taxidermist Larry Greissinger, who taught him the trade. Strict in their teachings, Robbins and Greissinger emphasized getting every bodily facet correct: from recreating the natural anatomy to sewing the perfect hidden stitch to making sure the eyes looked right. 'That's where the emotion is,' Alexander said. 'You can get the perfect body pose, but if the eyes aren't sitting well or don't carry any emotion, then the animal will never look alive.' A few of Bischoff's early taxidermy pieces are still on display, including a dog, which looks more like a cross between a wolf and a baboon, dating to the 1920s. Its plaster interior, an old taxidermy technique, gives it a stiff visage and makes it exceedingly heavy. Bischoff's prices reflect its modernized techniques, as well as the amount of time and attention to even the smallest of details required to make a dead pet come back to life. The cost for a fully preserved cat or a small dog like a Chihuahua starts at $2,640, with small birds, like a budgie, starting at $850. Although most customers order full-body taxidermy, an 'a la carte' menu has expanded over the years with jars of whiskers or fur, bundles of bones tied in a bow and, the most recent addition, freeze-dried hearts, which come mounted inside of a glass cloche. Bischoff's also offers cloning services through its Texas-based affiliate Viagen Pets, to whom they send the pet's skin tissues. Costly though their work is, Alexander and Macias see it as an investment. Pets, they point out, are friends you look at every day. You're intimately aware of their nuances and quirks, like how their left ear might curl back more than the right one or the way their nose tilts ever-so-subtly upwards. Entrust their preservation to a novice or lower-cost taxidermist, and you risk losing some of the elements that made your pet who they were. Bischoff's has seen its share of people who've preserved their pets with budget taxidermists only to be disappointed. 'It's unfortunate because at that point, there's not much we can do,' Alexander said. Such pets are cremated 'because they just can't stand to look at them.' In the back of Bischoff's warehouse is where the equipment resides and the smells of the oils running the machines permeates the space. The company has one aquamation machine that uses alkali solution, heat and pressure to break down the organic material into ashes. With interior chambers lined with perforated metal walls, the contraption somewhat resembles a fast-food restaurant's deep fryer. Except, one taxidermist notes, when the process is done, instead of having golden fried potato strips in each basket, all that is left are bones. Oftentimes at the ends of these processes, Bischoff's workers will find inorganic remnants from the pets, such as microchips, metal plates or orthopedic screws. They give them to their owners as keepsakes. Macias' son, 29-year-old Chris Macias, works alongside his dad at Bischoff's. He started helping out to make extra money while attending nursing school, but when business picked up, he decided to transition fully into the taxidermy business. He does a little bit of everything — recently, it was prepping a seal pelt for the San Pedro Marine Mammal Care Center — but tends to do pet pickups the most. Less technical though it may be, it is more emotionally taxing as he's interfacing with grieving clients who might still be in shock or confused as to what exactly they want to do with their late pets. 'Everybody's different, but I just try to be there for them,' Chris said. 'Their pet was part of their family, so I totally understand. Because all of us here, we have our own pets as well. We get it.' Though Alexander never imagined building a career out of preserving dead pets, he said, 'We've found joy in this work and we just see preservation as another form of art.' It's that art that is helping keep the memories of beloved pets alive — for generations even. Hays, the owner of Chihuahua-Yorkie mix Pixie, already has a contingency plan in place for Pixie's taxidermy upon her own death. It will be 'adopted' by another family member. Her daughter has already called dibs. And many of Bischoff's pet preservation customers are repeat clients, which is something that Alexander and Macias take pride in. Two women picking up the taxidermy body of their late cat recently chatted with Alexander about their newest rescue, a diabetic stray cat burnt in the Altadena fires. They couldn't help but comment on the 'beautiful bone structure' of the feline, still very much alive. 'I was like, 'Hmm, you're definitely going on the altar some day,'' one of the women said.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sofie Gråbøl, Sidse Babette Knudsen Talk ‘Good Mothers' as Oscar Nominee Jasmina Žbanić Reflects on the Female Side of War at Film i Väst Cannes Event
At today's star-studded press event hosted by Scandinavia's leading regional film Fund Film I Väst, star actresses Sofie Gråbøl ('The Killing,' 'Fortitude') and Sidse Babette Knuden ('Westworld,' 'Borgen') as well as Oscar-nominated Jasmila Žbanić ('Quo Vadis, Aida') raised their voices in the name of all mums and women in the world, in times of peace-and war. 'We're seeing what's happening now in Ukraine and Palestine [Gaza], and it's crazy. We see and hear only men's side of what's going on. But the female side of war needs to be told,' said a passionate Žbanić, discussing her upcoming project 'Quo Vadis, Aida – the Missing Part'. More from Variety 'Case 137' Review: Dominik Moll's Riveting Police Procedural Places Good Cop and Bad Cop on Opposite Sides São Paulo's Film Cash Rebate Delivers Early Wins, Sets Stage for 2025 Edition Brazil's Trailblazing Film-TV Org Spcine Turns 10 One of eight new projects co-produced by Film i Väst, the sequel to the 2021 Bosnian Oscar nominated film 'Quo Vadis, Aida' will be produced by Deblokada in co-production with Ruben Östlund's Swedish outfit Plattform Produktion. The story explores the aftermath of the tragic consequences of the 1990s' Bosnian War, from the viewpoints of wives and mothers uniting together after the genocide of thousands of husbands and sons and fighting for justice. 'Quo Vadis Aida' changed a lot of people [in Serbia],' said Žbanić about her multi-awarded drama turning on the Srebrenica massacre in 1995 which she said was able 'to overcome censorship at home thanks to the streamers.' 'I hope this film will also put people in the shoes of all the women who took action to bring to justice those responsible [of the massacre]. Because peace cannot be achieved without finding justice.' In Cannes to close the financing of her pic, Žbanić said she hopes to start filming in the spring 2026. In a totally different genre, the Danish thriller 'Good Mothers,' produced by Zentropa, will be a tense thriller about how far mothers –and dads – are willing to go to protect their children. Helmed by rising talent Amalie Næsby Fick ('Sex') from a script co-penned by Oscar-nominated Nicolaj Arcel ('The Promised Land' 'A Royal Affair') and Sara Isabella Jønsson ('Copenhagen Cowboy'), the character-driven drama stars Knudsen and Gråbøl – for the first time united on screen – and Asta Kamma August ('Families like Ours'). Set in a quiet suburban community, the story turns on three women whose friendship is challenged when one of their sons is accused of sexual assault. 'I read the script, loved it, but honestly, my main reason was the opportunity to work with Sidse!!,' said Gråbøl, in a laugh. 'She is a good friend and we've known each other decades but never got a chance to work together. So finally we can do this now!'About her role in the film and being a mother Gråbøl said: 'I have done research for 24 years now, having a son turning 24 soon. The balance between unconditional love, ambitions, expectations, is very interesting. It's like there are angels and demons inside this role [of being a mum]. This story plays in that whole field.' Arcel, who said he became a father of two sons in the last five years, confessed he was intrigued by the theme of parenthood – at any cost. 'Would you really defend your child, no matter what?' he asked. The project, in the final stages of financing. is being produced by Louise Vesth for Zentropa Entertainments3, in co-production with Zentropa Sweden, Topkapi Films and Film i Väst with support from Danish Film Institute Market Scheme, NL Film Fonds in co-operation with DR, SVT, September Film and Nordisk Film Distribution. Trust Nordisk handles sales. Family Themes Several other upcoming projects tackle family relationships. 'Bloody Men,' reuniting 'The Pirate Bay' helmer Jens Sjögren and producer Fredrik Heinig (B-Reel Films), is described by Sjögren as 'a coming-of age set in the 1980s, about a boy and his relationship with his mother-and her-showing and not showing love. 'It's about friendship and growing up, something we all connect to,' said the director who plans to fill his project with 'a punk aesthetic'. The story, penned by Karin Arrhenius ('Blackwater'), is based on Andrev Walden's best-selling book 'Jävla Karlar' which won the top literary August Prize 2023 and sold across Europe, including in the U.K. where it will launch this August. Headlining the cast are Filip Berg ('A Man Called Ove') and Aliette Opheim ('Black Crab,' 'Exit'). 'Bad Moon Rising', helmed by Norway's acclaimed filmmaker Erik Poppe ('Quisling the Final Days,' 'The Emigrants'), is based on Nobel Prize winning author Jon Fosse's only original script written for the screen. The story centres on a couple, from their first meeting, through to becoming parents until their separation. 'It's a beautiful love story about people, longing for something,' Poppe told Variety. According to the director's long-time producer Finn Gjerdrum, the cast will be announced this summer, before start of principal photography. Other projects pitched were Nordic Drama Queens' empowering drama 'Will You Care If I Die?' helmed by Rojda Sekersöz, announced exclusively by Variety, the animated pic 'Dante' from producer Linda Hambäck of Lee Film ( 'The Ape Star'), with Stellan Skarsgård and David Dencik lending their voices to the main characters, and the SVT series 'Burden of Justice' penned by Frans Wiklund from an idea by 'Easy Money' creator and author Jens Lapidus. Strive Stories is producing. Kristina Börjeson, Film I Väst's head of production also mentioned Cristian Mungiu''s family drama 'Fjord' toplining Renate Reinsve and Sebastian Stan. As announced in Variety, the pic, which wrapped shooting in Norway, was just picked up by Neon for the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Australia and New Zealand. Asked to comment on yet another top year in Cannes for Film i Väst, with five titles in official selection including three Palme d'or contenders – 'The Eagles of the Republic,' 'Sentimental Value' and 'The History of Sound' – Börjeson said: 'It's really hard work! No, but jokes aside it's one of our objectives, and we've managed to achieve this through a combination of long-time relations with producers and directors as well as a 'good nose' to find new talents,' the inhouse 'nose' being senior executive, in charge of international co-productions Anthony Muir. Börjeson said she's hoping that in 2026 the Film i Väst protégé and Palme d'Or winner Ruben Östlund will again challenge the audience and the jury with his upcoming pic 'The Entertainment is Down.' 'Then we'll celebrate a 10-year-in-a-row-strike rate in competition in Cannes,' she said. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz Oscars Predictions 2026: 'Sinners' Becomes Early Contender Ahead of Cannes Film Festival
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Casting News: Hugh Laurie's Apple Series, A Man on the Inside Adds 11 and More
Hugh Laurie is The Wanted Man. The House vet will star in Apple TV+'s upcoming thriller from Lupin and Hijack creator George Kay, TVLine has learned. More from TVLine The eight-episode drama 'charts the rise and fall of Felix Carmichael (Laurie), the elusive and powerful head of notorious British crime syndicate 'The Capital,'' reads the official synopsis. 'Untouchable for twenty years, Carmichael is finally apprehended, but while he's held in the infamous Staplehurst prison, it becomes clear that he's been betrayed by one of his own. As the traitor moves to dismantle the empire he has built, Carmichael must risk everything in a daring escape. Willing to stop at nothing to take his revenge, if he succeeds, he'll be a wanted man once more.' The cast also includes Thandiwe Newton (Westworld), Fionn Whitehead (Dunkirk), Gina McKee (The Rook), Hazel Doupe (Say Nothing), Stephen Dillane (Alex Rider, Game of Thrones) and Elliott Heffernan. In other recent casting news… * Netflix's A Man on the Inside has added the following actors for Season 2, per our sister site Variety: Gary Cole (NCIS), Max Greenfield (The Neighborhood, New Girl), Michaela Conlin (Bones), Sam Huntington (Being Human), Constance Marie (Switched at Birth, George Lopez), David Strathairn (Alphas), Jason Mantzoukas (Big Mouth), Jill Talley (Spongebob Squarepants), Linda Park (Bosch), Lisa Gilroy (Interior Chinatown) and Madison Hu (The Brothers Sun). * Prime Video's series-adaptation of Elle Kennedy's Off Campus books has cast Ella Bright (The Crown) and Belmont Camelli (Peacock's Saved by the Bell) as its main characters, Hannah and Garrett, Variety reports. Rounding out the ensemble are Mika Abdalla (The Pitt, The Flash) as Allie, Antonio Cipriano (Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin) as Logan, Jalen Thomas Brooks (The Pitt, Walker) as Tucker, Josh Heuston (Dune: Prophecy) as Justin and Stephen Kalyn (Cruel Intentions) as Dean. * Disney Jr.'s upcoming new animated series Marvel's Iron Man and his Awesome Friends has tapped Tony Hale (Veep, Toy Story 4) to voice Ultron, while Vanessa Bayer (Saturday Night Live) and Talon Warburton will voice fellow villains Swarm and Absorbing Man. As previously announced on the hero front, Mason Blomberg, Kapri Ladd and Aidyn Ahn will respectively voice Tony Stark (Iron Man), Riri Williams (Ironheart) and Amadeus Cho (Iron Hulk). Hit the comments with your thoughts on the above castings! Best of TVLine Sign up for TVLine's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Scotsman
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Where was Andor filmed? Disney Plus filming locations
Andor has filmed at some stunning locations 😍 Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Andor returns for its final season on Disney Plus. The show was shot in a studio and on location. But where did filming take place for the Star Wars show? Star Wars may take place in a galaxy far, far away but the filming locations often take place much closer to home. The Andor film crews have been spotted at spots across the UK and in Europe over the years. The final season of the acclaimed Rogue One prequel will premiere very soon - but find out why viewers outside North America have to wait longer. Three episodes will be released each week, Disney has confirmed. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But where was the acclaimed show filmed? Here's all you need to know: Where was Andor filmed - and can you visit? Diego Luna as Cassian Andor in Andor season two | Disney Plus The show has been shot in a mixture of studios and on location in the UK - as well as Europe. We've pulled together some of the places where film crews have been spotted for the second season. Andor season two filming locations Winspit quarry - Dorset This site near Worth Matravers in Dorset was used for the scenes of Saw Gerrera's (Forest Whitaker) base. Filming took place in spring 2023. Xàtiva Castle - Xàtiva, Spain Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Xativa Castle was used for Andor season two. | JOSE JORDAN/AFP via Getty Images Dating back centuries, this historic site in the countryside of the Valencian province of Spain was used for filming in Andor season two. Film Valencia reports that some of the scenes filmed in Xàtiva are used for a 'kind of intergalactic black market'. Xàtiva Castle is a tourist location and can be visited, the closest airports include Valencia Airport and Alicante Airport. City of Arts and Sciences - Valencia, Spain The Andor crews also filmed in the city of Valencia itself at the iconic City of Arts and Sciences. The futuristic-looking tourist destination and has been issued in many films and shows - including Westworld and Doctor Who. The City of Arts and Sciences can be visited and explored - I myself have been and it is well worth a visit, if you are in Valencia. You can fly direct to Valencia airport or land at Alicante Airport and drive to the city. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad For the first season, filming took place at places like Pinewood Studios, Cleveleys in Lancashire, the Barbican Centre in London and more.
