Latest news with #LegallyBlonde
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
New musical Come Fall in Love 'is a show for everyone' say stars
Manchester once again finds itself in the spotlight with the UK premiere of a new musical. Inspired by the the longest-running movie in Indian cinema Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, - DDLJ to its legions of fans - Come Fall in Love certainly has a lot to live up to. The multi-award winning DDLJ has been playing continuously in Mumbai since its release in 1995. The company of Come Fall In Love in rehearsal (Image: Craig Sugden) But one look at the team behind Come Fall in Love indicates that it's a show which is more than up to the task. The book and lyrics are by Nell Benjamin who was responsible for Mean Girls and who won an Olivier Award winner for Legally Blonde. The music - 18 original English language songs - is by Vishal and Shekhar, the Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber of Bollywood and directing the whole thing is Aditya Chopra, who was responsible for the original movie which has inspired the show. For the musical's stars, Jena Pandya and Ashley Day, bringing the production to the stage could have proved a daunting experience. But their excitement at being part of something special is palpable. 'What was nice is that we had a workshop about six months before we started rehearsals which allowed me to get into the right head space to be working with such legends,' said Jena. 'They have been so nice and put to much trust in us. I feel so lucky to be part of this team." Ashley added: 'I've worked in musical theatre for 20 years (he's starred in An American in Paris and The Book of Mormon) but to experience this has been amazing.' Come Fall in Love was performed in San Diego in 2022 but the show has been considerably reworked for its UK debut at the Opera House. Jena plays Simran, a young British Asian woman who is travelling around Europe before her arranged marriage. On her travels she meets Rog, played by Ashley, a self-styled party boy and an unlikely romance develops. 'I think the conscious decision that was made to change to plot to introduce Rog as a British white boy is so important,' said Ashley. 'It's now about two cultures and right now that's so modern and so relevant. It's good medicine.' The quality of the writing and the music has deeply affected both of the stars. 'Legally Blonde has to be the best movie to stage adaptation of them all,' said Ashley. 'So to have Nell involved with this production is amazing. She's able to get really under the skin of the characters and her storytelling is so witty and clever. 'Then there's Vishal and Shekar, they're absolute legends. The fact that this is their first stage musical absolutely blows my mind.' 'Each song has its own style,' added Jena. 'Even in rehearsals where the surroundings are not particularly atmospheric, it makes me emotional. It's just the way they have done it blending authentic Indian melodies with songs which are pure pop, are punky or just rock. Everyone can watch it and love it.' Ashley Day and Jena Pandya in Come Fall in Love (Image: ATG) Both Ashley and Jena are keen to stress that you don't even have to be aware of DDLJ to love Come Fall in Love. 'What is great is that you don't need to know the film,' said Jena. 'It works as a stand-alone story; it's so energetic, it sucks you in and makes you feel so much – happy, sad all of those things. I think that's what people will love it. 'Of course I hope fans of the original film will come and they will feel that nostalgia for a film which has been part of their lives for so long. 'But if you're totally new to the show, you're going to love it too,' said Ashley. 'It's such a big show, it really is something special.' So how do the two stars compare to the characters they play? Simran is highly organised, someone who initially keeps her emotions under tight control. 'In some ways I suppose I am quite similar to Simran,' said Jena. 'I can certainly understand why she like the way she is. She has such strong values she has to stick to, and has always got this conflict going on inside her head to keep her friends happy and her family happy which does make her be a bit tightly strung at times. 'It's fun to play as she goes on this journey where she loosens up and falls in love. 'I do see myself in her especially in the way I react to my own dad, he's a classic Indian dad so it's fun to play that dynamic, that's not really acting - sorry dad, but he'd probably say the same thing!' As for loud, brash party boy Rog? 'Maybe there was a time a long time ago I was as confident as he is,' said Ashley. 'But when we first meet him he does some things which made me feel a bit 'icky'. He's not a great guy at the beginning. But he changes so much through the show - it's a great story arc.' Bringing any brand new show to the stage is a challenge and the stars of Come Fall in Love had a simple message for audiences. 'I'd say to people this probably will open your eyes in a way you didn't think they would in a musical,' said Ashley. 'You're going to feel a lot of soul and humanity and it's not fluff.' 'Don't think that this is a show for any one audience,' said Jena. 'If you think maybe you won't enjoy it or it's not for you, that's not the case.' Come Fall in Love is at Manchester Opera House until Saturday, June 21. Details from
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Tia Carrere Celebrates Her Son After He Comes Out as Trans
Tia Carrere Celebrates Her Son After He Comes Out as Trans originally appeared on WeHaveKids. It's a boy! Some 19 years after making his entrance into this world, Tia Carrere's son has come out as trans. The 58-year-old shared the happy news, as well as her feelings about it, with People magazine while promoting the new Lilo & Stitch movie. Related: Reese Witherspoon's Daughter Wins the Internet By Hilariously Channeling Her 'Legally Blonde' Character Carrere gushed over her son Jude, telling the magazine that he "doesn't love the spotlight" after the pair walked the red carpet together during the movie's premier. "He's more introverted, so he definitely won't go into acting or singing like I did," she shared, adding that he's a great artist. "I don't know what he'll do! Maybe become a doctor or work with animals. He's working with animals right now." While she doesn't know what Jude will do when he grows up, the proud mama says she knows who he is right now, telling the magazine that her son is "very matter-of-fact." "He knows who he is, and he's very happy." Not only that, but she congratulated her son for being a good friend to his peers. "He's such a sweetheart, he's like the therapist to all the other kids," she continued. "When his friends go out drinking or partying too hard, he's always the designated driver, that kind of caring friend you can always lean on." While she didn't want to take too much credit for how her son, who she shares with ex-husband Simon Wakelin, turned out she is aware that she did a good job giving him the foundation he needed in order to grow into the good person he is today. "I did a good job with that. But I don't want to congratulate myself too much! He's his own person!" Well done mama! We think you should accept the credit where credit is due. Up Next: Tia Carrere Celebrates Her Son After He Comes Out as Trans first appeared on WeHaveKids on May 30, 2025 This story was originally reported by WeHaveKids on May 30, 2025, where it first appeared.

News.com.au
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
‘Using it to brag': The children of the rich and famous are dividing by jumping on a viral trend
The privileged offspring of the rich and famous have finally found a social media trend where they can flaunt their nepotism. Pretty much every week there is a new trend taking over TikTok, but the latest 'air ball' trend has caught the attention of nepo babies. It's pretty simple. An air ball is a basketball term for when a player shoots and misses, and Gen Zers are using the reference to make TikToks about when someone makes an assumption about them and completely misses the mark. It started out pretty wholesome. Someone might share a time when someone assumed they didn't run and then reveal a photo of them coming first in a marathon or a woman might reveal she'd told a man she worked in a hospital and he assumed she was a nurse, but the mic drop would be that she's a neurosurgeon. Then entered the nepo babies, who are using the trend, not to flex about their own achievements, but share when people haven't realised they're either from a famous or rich family. Ryan Phillippe and Reese Witherspoon's lookalike daughter, Ava, 25, took to social media and joined the trend. The 25-year-old took to social media and name-dropped, not just her famous mum, but her most famous movie. 'I told him my mum's a lawyer, and he said, 'Oh what firm does she work at?'' she wrote. Then she cut to a behind-the-scenes photo of her and her Oscar winning mum on the set of Legally Blonde, where Witherspoon plays a lawyer and wrote 'Holy-fricking air ball'. That clip has over 2 million views, and the most liked comment on the video is 'You won this trend,' with over 30,000 likes. Similarly, another famous offspring, Alianna Thiam, jumped on the trend and wrote, 'I told him my dad's in the music industry. He said, 'Oh, like a manager?' Then, the clip was cut to a photo to reveal that her dad is the musician Akon. 'Holy-freaking-air ball,' she wrote. Once again, the most liked comment on the clip is 'Pack it up everyone, she won,' with over 70,000 likes. Even the children of famous Aussies are getting into the trend. Madi Page wrote, 'I told him my dad works in the music and entertainment industry. 'He said, 'Oh, cute like a producer?'' Then she revealed her dad was Greg Page from The Wiggles. 'That's the flexiest flex I've seen. What's it like being the child of royalty?,' the most liked comment asked. It also isn't just the children of famous people embracing the trend, it's also the offspring of the incredibly wealthy and powerful. Greyson Abercrombie, 20, wrote on TikTok, 'Told her 'my parents own a clothing store' and she said 'oh so like a boutique?'' Then the video cuts to himself standing outside an Abercrombie store one of the largest retail chains in America. Similarly, Shayla Forbes-Luong shared online, 'Told him my family owns a magazine company, 'oh like a local paper?'' Then, the video cuts to a photo of Forbes Magazine, the magazine her great-grandfather co-founded, with the words 'air ball' written across the photo. The most liked comment on that video, which has 16 million views, reads, 'Okay, but did you guys see Akon's daughter do the trend? I'm living for these quiet nepotism babies.' It amassed over 200,000 likes. Popular fashion and culture Instagram account Diet Prada, which has over 3 million followers, posted about the trend and claimed it is proof that 'stealth wealth' is officially out and bragging is very much in. 'From old-money dynasties to household names, the app is suddenly crawling with twenty-somethings using the moment to humblebrag their family legacies,' the post reads. The post was divided, with some claiming it was fun to see people revealing their famous families and others finding it 'cringe' tone deaf. 'I kind of live for this' one wrote. 'Congrats on your parent's accomplishments very cool,' another mocked. 'As subtle as a gold Rolex flex, congratulations on being born I guess,' another claimed. 'These people have everything yet are so desperate for attention,' someone else said. 'I love this,' one praised. 'This makes me nauseous!' someone else revealed. 'Taking a trend where people proudly share their own accomplishments and using it to brag about your family's success that has nothing to do with you? Exactly the kind of tone-deaf behaviour I'd expect from nepo babes,' one snapped. 'As they SHOULD. Imagine hating someone because their successful parents decided to have kids,' someone else argued.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Star-studded "moreish" psychological drama gets new UK streaming home and you can watch it now
The star-studded psychological drama Little Fires Everywhere has found a new streaming home in the UK. The miniseries, which stars Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington, was previously available to stream on Prime Video, but it left the streaming service earlier this month. Based on Celeste Ng's 2017 book of the same name, the 2020 series was recently added to Disney+ where you can watch all eight episodes now. Little Fires Everywhere follows the paths of two families whose lives become intertwined as secrets are unveiled and betrayals begin to take place. Per the logline, the series follows "a picture-perfect family and the mother and daughter who upend their lives". Related: Watch Reese Witherspoon cast young Elle Woods for Legally Blonde prequel in emotional video Joining Witherspoon and Washington on the cast are Dawson's Creek actor Joshua Jackson, Grey's Anatomy star Jesse Williams, The Princess and the Frog's Anika Noni Rose, and Lexi Underwood. The miniseries was popular among critics, receiving a score of 79% on Rotten Tomatoes from 80 reviews. The Guardian described Little Fires Everywhere as "moreish, searing, excellent. What it is not is nuanced", while The Sydney Morning Herald said this: "The cast here is fantastic (the kids are unbelievably good) and it's packed with clever detail." The New York Times wrote: "It's a busy and reasonably intriguing story if you skate over its less convincing twists. And it benefits from excellent work by Washington and Underwood." Related: How to Train Your Dragon gets new UK streaming home ahead of the remake's release "Shenanigans aside, what makes Little Fires Everywhere perfect for our current, stranger-than-fiction moment is the ordinariness of the lives it presents," penned Vogue. The Age praised Witherspoon's lead performance, writing: "This is, in fact, one of the best performances of Witherspoon's career. It's doubtful there's a more self-aware actress in Hollywood, or one who is better at challenging our expectations even as she is meeting them." "More than Little Fires Everywhere's soapy and somewhat predictable twists and turns, it is the interplay between its two leads that generates the most worthwhile heat," wrote The New Republic. Little Fires Everywhere is available to stream now on Disney+ in the UK. Digital Spy's first print magazine is here! Buy British Comedy Legends in newsagents or online, now priced at just £3.99. at Audible£49.99 at at £328.00 at at at at £99.00 at Amazon at EE£54.98 at at at at EE at at at at at Amazon at at at at Sky Mobile£29.98 at at Game at at at at at EE at at Pandora£259.99 at at at at at Pandora at at Game at Three at at at at at at at at at AO at £199.99 at Fitbit$15.00 at at at at at at at at at at at John Lewis at at at at at at at at £90.00 at at at at at John Lewis at at John Lewis & Partners at at at at Amazon£6.62 at at Amazon at Fitbit£119.99 at at Amazon£184.00 at John Lewis & Partners at Three at at at at at at at at at at at at Apple£49.99 at Amazon at £293.81 at at at at Three at at at at John Lewis at at at at at at EE£379.99 at at Audible at at at at at at at at EE at £449.00 at John Lewis£32.99 at Amazon at at at at at Apple at at Microsoft at at Samsung at at at Apple at Three£229.00 at John Lewis at at John Lewis at at at at Samsung at crunchyroll£1199.00 at AO at at Amazon at John Lewis & Partners at at at at at Microsoft£299.00 at Microsoft at at at at at at Amazon at at John Lewis at now at at at John Lewis & Partners at at at at Microsoft at at John Lewis at at at at £6.65 at at at at at at at at at at at at at at at at at at at at Might Also Like PS5 consoles for sale – PlayStation 5 stock and restocks: Where to buy PS5 today? IS MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 7 THE BEST IN THE SERIES? OUR REVIEW AEW game is a modern mix of No Mercy and SmackDown
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jensen Ackles, Eric Dane Try to Stop Terror Attack in Los Angeles in First ‘Countdown' Trailer
Amazon Prime Video has dropped the first trailer for the thriller series 'Countdown.' In the trailer, LAPD detective Mark Meachum (Ackles) is recruited to be part of an elite team tasked with preventing a large scale terror attack in Los Angeles. More from Variety 'The Wheel of Time' Canceled After Three Seasons at Amazon Prime Video 'The Bondsman' Canceled After One Season at Amazon James Van Der Beek Joins 'Legally Blonde' Prequel Series 'Elle' Watch the full trailer below. As previously announced, the series will launch with its first three episodes on June 25. New episodes will follow weekly, leading up to the season finale on Sept. 3. The official logline for the show states: 'When an officer with the Department of Homeland Security is murdered in broad daylight, LAPD detective Mark Meachum is recruited to a secret task force, alongside undercover agents from all branches of law enforcement, to investigate. But the hunt for the killer soon uncovers a plot far more sinister than anyone could have imagined, kicking off a race against time to save a city of millions.' Along with Ackles, the cast also includes Eric Dane, Jessica Camacho, Violett Beane, Elliot Knight, and Uli Latukefu. The series is created by showrunner and executive producer Derek Haas and produced by Amazon MGM Studios. Ackles was first announced as the series lead in 2024. Ackles and his wife Daneel's production company, Chaos Machine, is currently under a first-look deal at Amazon MGM studios, while Haas is now under an overall deal at the studio. 'Countdown' was developed as a starring vehicle for Ackles, who collaborated with Amazon with his role as Soldier Boy in the hit series 'The Boys' and the upcoming prequel 'Vought Rising.' Best of Variety 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts? 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