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UPI
a day ago
- Entertainment
- UPI
'Alien: Earth' star Timothy Olyphant: Scary AI tech is on our doorstep
1 of 5 | Left to right, Jonathan Ajayi, Adarsh Gourav, Sydney Chandler, Timothy Olyphant, Kit Young, Erana James and Lily Newmark star in "Alien: Earth," premiering Tuesday. Photo courtesy of FX NEW YORK, Aug. 11 (UPI) -- Justified and Deadwood icon Timothy Olyphant says playing the synthetic Kirsh on Alien: Earth made him realize just how fast artificial intelligence technology is advancing in the real world. "You can get [news] articles read by AI. It has gotten so good so quickly, those voices, where, in the beginning, you could tell there was an odd rhythm to them, and I remember thinking, 'Oh, so, this really is a thing where there could just be people around that aren't human and appear human in almost every way, that we probably don't have to dress it up much [for the show],'" Olyphant told UPI in a recent Zoom interview. "But it never occurred to me, the idea of putting people's brains and memories into synthetic bodies was on our doorstep and it appears as though it might be on our doorstep," he laughed. "And that's really quite shocking." Premiering Tuesday on Hulu and FX in North America, and Disney+ internationally, the eight-episode series was created by Noah Hawley and takes place two years before the events of the 1979 sci-fi classic Alien, in a universe where corporations are more powerful than countries. Olyphant stars as Kirsh, a synthetic at Prodigy's futuristic Neverland Research Island facility, where a group of humanoid robots with human consciousness are charged with finding and neutralizing the terrifying monsters who escape a spaceship crash on Earth. The ensemble includes Sydney Chandler, Samuel Blenkin, Babou Ceesay, Alex Lawther, Essie Davis and David Rysdahl. "Well, it feels like he appears to be some kind of mentor. Chief scientist, I think, is his official title," Olyphant said about Kirsh. "I'm also just not sure you can trust him." At the end of the first episode, Kirsh delivers a chilling speech in which he warns about humans' precarious places in the food chain. "It was just a great piece of writing," Olyphant said. "I always tell Noah he could gift wrap those pages before he sends them to me," he added. "It's fun to get that material in your inbox and it makes memorizing the lines just really enjoyable. Just rehearsing it is fun. By the time you show up on set, it's kind of playtime and just working off of Sydney and that was easy." Into the Badlands alum Ceesay plays Morrow, a cyborg security officer who was onboard the Weyland-Yutani ship that crashes and isn't initially forthcoming about what the vessel was transporting. "He's got trauma. He's got a vision in his head for what his life is going to mean and be," Ceesay said. "In terms of trying to get into that, as Tim said, it's just the writing is so incredible," he said. "You just turn up and play the scene and work with the other actor." The Witcher and Peaky Blinders actor Blenkin described his character Boy Kavalier as a "horrible, horrible man who is the CEO of Prodigy Corporation, which is one of the newest of the five companies that rule the Earth." "Governments? Don't need those. It's companies now. He sees himself as a rule breaker. Not just a competitor, but the person who is going to absolutely change the world," Blenkin said. "He is one of those people who, no matter how stupid the idea is, no matter how insane the choice is, he's convinced it's the best for humanity because he's the most intelligent person on the planet," he added. "It was really fun to play somebody with that kind of blind ego." Blenkin said Hawley's writing blends the character's mixed motivations of power and discovery. "There's a little bit of both of those things at play and, as the season goes on, I think what happens is that the deeper, darker emotional motivations of what drives those people starts to get revealed," he added. "It's a great arc for a character." Asked by UPI at a separate virtual press conference if the stars felt like filming together in Thailand, away from their loved ones, made them closer as a cast, Olyphant replied: "It was a special one, special place. Good time on set. Good time off the set. Really. The people in front of the camera, the people behind the camera. This was a good one." Lawther, who plays human soldier and medic Hermit, agreed. "It did bond us as a cast. I think for most of us, it was our first time in Thailand. We were there for longer than six months in the end," he said. "Although we were far away from home, we were really welcomed. It was a quite extraordinary host country to be working in." The country's heat and humidity also influenced the show's story-lines and actors' performances, Lawther added. "There's a lot of sweat in this show and that's, in part, thanks to the makeup department. But I'm sure a good 50 percent of that has to do with the 90 percent humidity of Thailand's climate. Then we had the quite extraordinary outdoor locations in Krabi and the jungle on the water, which lends itself to visually something quite dramatic." Blenkin also noted that the show depicts a version of Earth where humans are "fighting humidity at every moment." "So, you've got these fantastic figures who are kind of cleaning mold off the surface of the facility," Blenkin said. "There's this feeling that there's a rot at the center of this that's not really going to go away, which I feel like is a really interesting parallel to the themes of the series," Blenkin added. "And, obviously, the humidity in Thailand made that feel very real. There wasn't much acting required." Ceesay called Thailand one of his favorite places on Earth. "I had the privilege of having my family there, as well. But we did develop incredible bonds because you're far away from home," he said. "You're all together in one place. It's not often that you enjoy yourself so much on set and working, but that you also have such a phenomenal group of people outside of it." Selena Gomez, Jeremy Allen White attend Disney Upfront Left to right, Martin Short, Selena Gomez and Steve Martin arrive on the red carpet at the 2025 Disney Upfront at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City on May 13, 2025. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Geek Girl Authority
04-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Girl Authority
Giada Carboni Archives
Categories Select Category Games GGA Columns Movies Stuff We Like The Daily Bugle TV & Streaming Books Games Stuff We Like Video Games Ever wonder what The Witcher would be like as a slice-of-life comic? Follow Geralt as he raises a young Ciri in The Little Witcher. Read on for our review.
Geek Girl Authority
04-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Girl Authority
The Little Witcher Archives
Categories Select Category Games GGA Columns Movies Stuff We Like The Daily Bugle TV & Streaming Books Games Stuff We Like Video Games Ever wonder what The Witcher would be like as a slice-of-life comic? Follow Geralt as he raises a young Ciri in The Little Witcher. Read on for our review.
Daily Mirror
01-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Peaky Blinders fans 'work out' who next James Bond villain will be after Steven Knight announcement
Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight has been confirmed as the writer of the new James Bond film. After confirmation that Peaky Blinders mastermind Steven Knight has been tapped to pen the fresh James Bond screenplay, devotees of the 007 saga have developed a compelling theory regarding who might portray the upcoming antagonist. Whilst the next actor to don James Bond 's tuxedo remains unannounced, enthusiasts are already certain they've cracked who Knight and filmmaker Denis Villeneuve will pick as the villain. Amazon MGM, the franchise's new proprietors, have kept details under wraps about their strategy for bringing Ian Fleming's legendary spy novels to the big screen. For generations, the Bond series had been guided by Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli before they transferred ownership to Amazon MGM last year, creating uncertainty about what lay ahead. Nevertheless, recruiting Dune helmer Villeneuve alongside acclaimed writer Knight has earned widespread praise, reports the Express. Daniel Craig last embodied Bond before stepping down from the character in 2021 following No Time to Die's release. Leading contenders to succeed him feature 28 Years Later's Aaron Taylor-Johnson, The Gentlemen's Theo James, and The Witcher's Henry Cavill. Upon learning Knight had been enlisted for the upcoming Bond project, Peaky Blinders supporters flocked to X, previously called Twitter, to share their enthusiasm. "Should be epic with Knight penning it," one declared, whilst another gushed: "I cannot wait to see what he does. It'll be good and a fresh look for the movies. Good choice. "This is mega. Well done Steven Knight," a third chimed in, while another remarked: "We're getting something here. That's a good sign." One account also put forth an intriguing theory about the potential next villain, suggesting: "Writer Steven Knight has worked with actor Tom Hardy multiple times. They get on well it seems. "Will Tom join the cast of the next James Bond movie? Not as 007, but perhaps as the movie's antagonist?" "Don't tease," one fan responded eagerly, while another asserted: "If Tom Hardy is not Bond it is the biggest missed opportunity I can think of." "Tom Hardy as the Bond villain would be great," another fan commented under the official James Bond announcement post. Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast, Knight addressed the thrilling news, stating: "It has always been on my bucket list and it's fantastic to be invited to do it - I can't wait to get started. "I'm hoping that, being a Bond fan for so many years, it will be imbued into me and I will be able to produce something that's the same but different, and better, stronger and bolder." Several James Bond films, including Skyfall, Casino Royale, Thunderball and The Spy Who Loved Me, are available to stream for free on ITVX.
Newsweek
29-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Couple Adopts First Kitten—Can't Cope With How Huge He Becomes: 'Panther'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The joy of adopting a new pet often comes with surprises—but one couple got a larger surprise than they expected. For TikTok user Joanna and her husband, their first feline addition shattered all their expectations. What they thought was a standard kitten grew into a strikingly large, majestic cat now known as their "house panther"—and captivated a wide audience from a TikTok video. Joanna, 27, spoke to Newsweek about how they've adjusted to their kitty's size, and how deep their bond has grown since adopting. "When you think you adopted a it turns out you adopted a panther," Joanna captioned the video. "Adopted our first cat, was not expecting him to be the biggest cat we've ever seen! We love our Witcher." Photos from Joanna's TikTok video of her cat, Witcher, as a kitten and adult. Photos from Joanna's TikTok video of her cat, Witcher, as a kitten and adult. @thesweetlifeofjoanna/TikTok Joanna shared more about their journey with Witcher. Having always been drawn to the majestic appearance of black cats, her path to cat parenthood was somewhat unexpected. Already having a goldendoodle named Teddy, they considered adopting a kitten after realizing Teddy was overwhelmed by other dogs. Seeing a photo of "kitten Witcher with his cute face and prominently big ears," Joanna's heart was set. Witcher, originally named Toast by his foster parents, quickly lived up to his new namesake. Joanna and her husband named him Witcher, after Geralt of Rivia from The Witcher, recognizing his early traits of "stoicism, loyalty, independence, compassion and natural heroism," Joanna said. From the moment he arrived, Witcher's bravery was evident. Despite being dwarfed by Teddy, Witcher immediately began "setting boundaries." And the kitten didn't just bring vibrant energy; he also helped Teddy come out of his shell. Their bond blossomed into a "true brotherly bond," filled with cuddles and playful bouts around the house. The couple initially worried about the size difference during their play, constantly intervening. However, Witcher would hold his ground, and many times, even overtake Teddy. It wasn't long before they noticed the cat's remarkable growth. "Soon, we noticed his tail begun to match the size of his big ears," Joanna said. "Then his body begun stretching longer and longer. Before we knew it, when our friends would come over, they begun commenting 'wow, he is a long boy' or, 'wow he's only a few months old?' Even when I would send update photos to his foster parents, they were blown away by his size too." Joanna noted the significant change as their goldendoodle went from towering over Witcher, to Witcher becoming a "fair opponent" in their play. 'The Same Amount of Love' Beyond his impressive size, Witcher's core personality traits have remained. "My favorite his sense of bravery," Joanna shared, adding that he faces new people, pets, harness training and even long car drives with unwavering courage. Joanna, who once wasn't sure how she'd feel as a cat parent, now emphasizes that "cats and dogs display the same amount of love towards their fur parents—just in different ways." She urges those with strong opinions against cats to consider that they are animals that simply appreciate consistency and trust. For her, Witcher's affectionate moments, like cuddling and endless purrs, are "a very active choice he is making." She hopes that by showcasing Witcher's quirks, she can "bring a spotlight to black cats at large," advocating for their adoption given historical biases and misconceptions. She encourages anyone considering a loyal and loving companion to think about adopting a black cat, just like her magnificent "house panther."
