Latest news with #WillSharpe
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Victorian south east London pub featured in new Netflix rom-com series
A community pub dating back to the 19th century recently made an appearance in a brand-new Netflix show. The Ivy House in Nunhead made an appearance in the Netflix rom-com series Too Much starring Megan Staller. The Ivy House in Nunhead made an appearance in the Netflix rom-com series Too Much. (Image: Liz Gorman) This Victorian pub famously made an appearance in the first episode of the season when Jessica, fresh from America, moves to a council estate in London after accepting a job in the city. The pub can be seen during the scenes where Felix, played by Will Sharpe, is playing at an open-mic night with the interior of The Ivy House used as a filming location. The pub can be seen during the scenes where Felix, played by Will Sharpe, is playing at an open-mic night. (Image: Liz Gorman) In real life, one of the co-creators of Too Much - Luis Felber - is a musician who formerly played at the pub in his early career. Known as London's first community-owned pub, The Ivy House is a popular spot for musicians and music lovers alike, and was named as one of the Top 50 London pubs by Time Out last year, coming in at number 22. The Ivy House is known as London's first community-owned pub. (Image: Imogen Forte) Dating back to 1865 when beer was first served there on the site, this community pub was founded by local residents in 2013 who saved the building from being demolished. Today, it has become a hub for the local community, hosting live events from punk and poetry to film screenings and Sunday jazz. It has become a hub for the local community. (Image: Imogen Forte) With its original curved bar, timber panelling, and a preserved concert hall, the pub blends heritage with a lively, modern atmosphere. It's a venue where the music never stopped: Ian Dury, Elvis Costello, and Joe Strummer once played here. The pub blends heritage with a lively, modern atmosphere. (Image: Imogen Forte) Now it regularly hosts new and emerging talent, along with spoken word nights, community meetups, and children's drama workshops. It's a place where locals of all ages - and often their dogs - come to enjoy some entertainment and community spirit. As for food and drinks, the pub serves nine craft beers and four cask ales, along with a curated wine and cocktail list, as well as specials like pizzas and Sunday roasts.
ABC News
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- ABC News
Too Much? The return of Lena Dunham's messy white women
More than a decade after HBO's Girls made her "a voice of a generation" for white millennial women, Lena Dunham's back with Too Much, a rom-com series for Netflix. Hannah and Bev peel back their layered feelings about Lena Dunham, and get into whether Too Much, starring Megan Stalter and Will Sharpe, meets expectations. And the sidebar is in session, making rulings on Emmy nominations and Dr Orna Guralnik's fashion. Get in touch: Share your pop culture takes with us! Write or send a voice memo to stopeverything@ Show notes: Lena Dunham rises again Girls creator Lena Dunham returns with Too Much Meg Stalter is the prettiest girl in America We all want to dress like Orna
The Independent
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Will Sharpe reveals intense scene in Netflix hit Too Much left him bruised
Will Sharpe revealed he sustained a facial bruise and burst blood vessels while filming an intense, improvised scene for the new Netflix romcom miniseries Too Much. The 38-year-old British actor, known for The White Lotus, injured himself by repeatedly slapping his face during a breakdown scene with co-star Megan Stalter. Lena Dunham, who co-wrote and directed Too Much with her husband Luis Felber, instructed the actors to improvise the scene. Dunham cast Sharpe for his perceived 'curiosity and depth', believing he embodied the qualities desired for his character, Felix. The series, loosely inspired by Dunham and Felber's relationship, explores themes of adulthood and the challenges of a tumultuous relationship.
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Every A-List Cameo In Lena Dunham's Too Much, Explained
Lena Dunham's TV genius is finally back on our screens with her new Netflix rom-com Too Much. The feel-good comedy-drama stars Hacks' Megan Stalter as kooky New Yorker Jessica, who moves across the pond to London after a breakup before falling for aspiring musician Felix, played by The White Lotus' Will Sharpe. We've already looked at the impressive cast and their various past projects, including many familiar faces like Rita Wilson, Adèle Exarchopoulos and Girls star Andrew Rannells. But there's also a host of cameos and smaller guest roles throughout the 10 episodes. Here's your guide to all of them… Emily Ratajkowski The US model and actor plays Megan's ex's cool and stylish new fiancéeWendy Jones. Emily has been friends with Lena for a long time, so it doesn't come as much of a surprise that the Girls creator found a perfect casting in her. 'We've always had a lot of conversations around women that you feel like you're connected to in strange ways, but you don't totally know them,' Emily told Variety of her role recently. She also explained that Lena had initially envisioned her character as a lawyer, before Emily suggested that she be an influencer instead. Andrew Scott If there's one actor who's guaranteed to make a splash no matter how big or small the role, it's Andrew Scott. The Sherlock star plays a divorced ad director called James Wenlich-Rice, who's hired to shoot the advert Jessica is overseeing. Unsurprisingly, he ends up having some of the best (and most cringeworthy) lines in the whole series. Andrew previously starred in Lena's 2022 movie Catherine Called Birdy, and it turns out he had a pretty big part in getting Megan cast in the first place. In an interview with Glamour, Lena revealed that the Fleabag star first introduced her to Megan's viral comedy videos and insisted they meet. '[He] basically said, 'You two have to meet, you have something to make together',' she recalled. Kit Harington Since his starring role as Jon Snow in Game Of Thrones, we've been able to watch Kit Harington demonstrate his range in projects like Eternals, The Beast Within and Industry. Now he appears in Too Much's flashback scenes as Jessica's late father, who died of Parkinson's disease when she was young. Richard E. Grant The legendary British actor isn't quite a fleeting cameo, since he plays a key role as Jessica's UK-based boss, Jonno Ratigan. In one scene he makes his employee reel off a list of problems he has with Jessica, including her pungent lunches and smelly feet. Unsurprisingly, he manages to strike a hilarious balance between personable and passive aggressive – he even gets into a physical altercation with Felix in one scene. Naomi Watts TheMulholland Drive actor appears in the series as Ann Ratigan, the posh wife of Jonno who forms an instant bond with Jessica (over a few lines of cocaine, no less). Envisioning the A-lister in a comedy role was exciting to Lena, who told The Hollywood Reporter that she wanted to write her something that was 'not an elegant lady role, that's like an elegant lady to the left role, like an elegant lady who's railing cocaine role'. Jessica Alba The Fantastic Four actor stars as herself in the first episode of Too Much, playing a client of Jessica's agency on a commercial shoot. When a misogynistic director tries to 'punch up' the script, Jessica Alba asks Too Much's Jessica (Megan Stalter) to step in and collaborate with her, before she becomes overwhelmed and runs off in a panic. Adwoa Aboah The British actor and model appears in a few scenes as Felix's recent ex Linnea. While she's proven her acting talents playing Becks in Top Boy, Lena explained that hiring models for the series was very intentional. 'And I think modelling is such an expressive art and models are very often really good actors because they have to do that,' she told Radio Times. 'What I love about Emily [Ratajkowski] and Adwoa [Aboah] is that, in addition to being models, they're so outspoken in their activism, in their writing, in their creative expression,' she added. Stephen Fry The British actor and presenter plays Felix's dad Simon in the series, who finds himself in financial hardship. He appears in episode seven – which sheds some light on Felix's upbringing – and the finale titled The Idea Of Glue. This also isn't his first collaboration with Lena, having played the writer-director's father in the 2024 tragicomedy Treasure. Rhea Perlman The Cheers and Matilda actor features as Jessica's cheeky grandmother Dottie, who does her best to offer advice on her chaotic love life. 'Lena has a way of creating and directing that makes people feel free,' the actor said in an interview with The New York Times. 'Maybe some people would be turned off by that much sex and that much talk of sex,' she continued. 'But she made it so funny and so real.' Carlos O'Connell Fans of Dublin post-punk heroes Fontaines D.C. will have instantly recognised Carlos O'Connell's pink hair in Too Much, with the guitarist appearing as Felix's bandmate Eoin. Their fictional band The Feelers actually features original music from Attawalpa, the band of Too Much co-creator and Lena's husband Luis Felber. This marks the musician's latest foray into acting, having made a cameo in Andrea Arnold's 2024 movie Bird. Don Letts Another real-life musician appears in the series in the shape of legendary British DJ Don Letts. The Big Audio Dynamite co-founder features as a club emcee called Jonah The Ox. There's also a few more details sprinkled throughout the show for real music buffs, like when Jessica's ex Zev (played by Michael Zegen) is featured wearing an Idles T-shirt in one scene. Rita Ora The Anywhere singer appears late in the series as herself to play Santa Claus in a Christmas advertising campaign, and also hypes Jessica up after her social media scandal. The pop star posted on social media that she had 'so much fun filming' in the show, which she shared alongside a picture of her with Lena. Jennifer Saunders The Absolutely Fabulous star is in episode nine's clubbing scene, appearing briefly as an older woman called Fiona who sleeps with Felix in a moment of self sabotage. Felix remarked in an interview with Netflix's Tudum how 'every week, there'd be somebody new that is a hero of yours' appearing in the show. Lena said that even she was starstruck, adding: 'I was like, 'I cannot fucking believe this is happening'.' Alix Earle If you've ever watched a 'Get Ready With Me' video on TikTok, there's a good chance one of them was by internet personality and model Alix Earle. She appears as herself in episode nine, posting a video in support of Jessica's viral videos. Jake Shane The US comedian and influencer known as Octopusslover8 also appears as himself in episode nine to show his support to Jessica. It's also a bit of a reunion with Jessica, having previously featured in three episodes of Hacks season four in the role of Social Media Girlie. Related... Megan Stalter Makes Surprising Admission About THAT Outrageous Too Much Spit Scene Thought The Stars Of Too Much Looked Familiar? Here's Where You've Seen The Cast Before Is Too Much Lena Dunham's 'Worthy Successor To Girls' Or A 'Total Disappointment'? Critics Can't Agree
IOL News
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
Lena Dunham's 'Too Much': a deep dive into love and trauma
Megan Stalter and Will Sharpe deliver stellar performances in 'Too Much'. Image: X 'Too Much', the new romantic comedy created by Hollywood actress Lena Dunham, has been earning worldwide acclaim for its take on modern relationships. The Netflix series delves deep into the universal experience of not feeling safe in relationships. As the title suggests, it emotionally relates to the legions across the globe from different walks of life who have ever felt, well, 'too much.' The series also unpacks the struggle of making relationships work as both parties have to commit to creating a safe space for each other, while juggling other challenges like careers, family and friends - all while carrying decades worth of personal trauma. Megan Stalter and Will Sharpe in 'Too Much'. Image: X With its sharp humour and an impressive casting of A-listers to breakthrough talents, the rom-com has been sparking debates worldwide as it continues to rank amongst the most-watched shows on the streaming giant, including in South Africa, where it has remained in the Top 10 since its premiere on Friday, June 11. 'Too Much' is the brainchild of the 'Girls' writer and star, with whom she worked on it with her husband, Luis Felber. The actress has explained in an interview that the series draws inspiration from her own life as, like the show's protagonist, she moved from New York to London in 2021, where she ended up meeting her husband, who, like the main character's love interest, is also a British musician. Despite this, Dunham has insisted that 'Too Much' is not meant to directly mirror her life, opening the possibilities for a creative exploration. Meanwhile, Working Title Films, the production company behind the 'Bridget Jones' movie franchise, also produced the show. It centres around Jessica, who is portrayed excellently by 'Hacks' breakout star Megan Stalter. Following a devastating break-up, the chaotic New Yorker in her mid-thirties decided to move to London. It is here where she meets a struggling bar singer Felix, played by 'The White Lotus' actor, Will Sharpe. On her first day in the city, she meets Felix at a pub and their connection is immediate and intense. Megan Stalter and Will Sharpe deliver stellar performances in 'Too Much'. Image: X While Jessica struggles to be away from her family in America as she adjusts to life in the UK, one thing that starts to go well in her life is her relationship with Felix, which continues to strengthen. They spend hours walking through London and talking on their first date, and the couple move in together after just a few months. But as their quirky and heartwarming love story plays out, Jessica and Felix are forced to contend with their individual traumas. Jessica comes from a complicated female-dominated family, including her sister (Dunham), her mother (Rita Wilson), and her grandmother (Rhea Perlman). She is also still processing the pain for her ex-boyfriend, Zev (Michael Zegen), leaving her for a social media influencer, Wendy Jones (Emily Ratajkowski). Meanwhile, Felix is also still traumatised by past relationships and is also battling with his strained family relationships. In his mid-thirties, he lacks ambition and is a recovering addict. And despite their connection, Jessica and Felix must also overcome dating red flags in order to keep their love alive. What truly sets 'Too Much' apart in the rom-com world, with its abundance of offerings, is the stellar performances. The chemistry between Jessica and Felix is electric, despite the cringy awkwardness, which I found to be genuine and authentic. Stalter and Sharpe must be commended for their stellar performances. The manner in which they bring this powerful and modern love story to life resonates with many, and they are brilliant in displaying a range of emotions, from euphoria to heartbreak. The supporting cast, including Dunham in the background as Nora, Jessica's older sister, as well as Ratajkowski, Wilson and Perlman, also delivered heartwarming performances. The storyline is also incredibly powerful as 'Too Much's' themes of grief, heartbreak, personal growth and love are ones that many streamers will be able to relate to. The show's take on personal insecurities and the desire for romantic relationships to be a safe haven has also been intriguing viewers. The intelligent infusion of humour in 'Too Much' also solidifies its success as it acts as satire and opens the door for deeper reflection while also adding balance to this nuanced and emotional story. Some other elements which I enjoyed on the show are Rita Ora's surprise appearance as well as Fergie's 'London Bridge' aptly being used as the soundtrack for this honest and hilarious love story. * I give it 4 out of 5 stars.
