Search Results

Actor and environmental activist Ian Somerhalder ("The Vampire Diaries" and "Lost") has been interviewed about his new documentary “Common Ground,” which he narrated and served as an executive producer. On October 29th, Somerhalder and environmental documentary director Josh Tickell hosted a book signing of his book "Kiss the Ground" at the Barnes and Noble at The Grove in Los Angeles. To learn more about this book signing event, visit the link. Somerhalder narrated the documentary along with Oscar winner Laura Dern, Jason Momoa, Rosario Dawson, Woody Harrelson, and Donald Glover. The film was directed by Josh and Rebecca Tickell (“Kiss the Ground”), both of which wrote the screenplay with Johnny O’Hara. It sheds light on biodiversity and the growing regenerative agriculture movement. “This documentary is the best thing in the world,” he exclaimed. “This is the greatest achievement of my life, at this point, other than my children. There is nothing like it.” Josh and Rebecca Tickell wrote the script as a love letter to their children, and it suggests methods on how we can fix our broken food system. “This journey that Josh and Rebecca have been on, and have brought us on, is the single-most impactful journey I’ve ever been on,” he said. It is the goal of regenerative farmers to help bring soil health across America and beyond, in order to grow and foster this ever-growing regenerative movement. On the lessons that he learned from this environmental documentary, Somerhalder said, “I can literally run on zero sleep. It has taught Josh, Rebecca, and myself that every revolution in the world has started with one person.” “Since there are so many people in the world, we feel sometimes like we can’t do anything and that there is no hope. One of the things that I really learned about myself in this process is proving that if you have light inside of you, then you should never be afraid to let it shine,” he elaborated. “Even just a little bit in an enormous amount of darkness can bring so many people to it. People, in general, get so bogged down with the amount of really bad information out there, and what I’ve learned about myself, I have the ability within myself because I don’t see doom and gloom,” he explained. “If we continue going like this, we have very serious problems, and quite arguably, they are irreversible… but that’s not going to happen,” he said. “I learned that with your conviction and your light inside of you, even just a pinhole of light in a sea of darkness changes someone’s life, and it inspires them to find their light. It helps people realize that it’s not all doom and gloom,” he explained. “There are age-old techniques that are going to bring us out of this crazy issue that we have found ourselves in… this trench that is so hard to get out of. It takes one ladder and we know what that ladder is… and that ladder is regenerative agriculture,” he expressed. “Also, you don’t need every congressional chamber to vote on it, you just need a select few that get behind it and really move the needle. It has been this amazing journey of soundbites and inspiration to move that needle, and get that information out in a very concise and efficient manner. It has been unbelievable,” he acknowledged. Somerhalder feels that ‘regenerative agriculture’ is the most important story of our time. Somerhalder shared that he is thrilled with all of the Oscar and awards buzz that this documentary has been getting, and rightfully so. “Deserve and earn are two different things,” he admitted. “I was never raised that way. I don’t know who deserves anything but you can earn something.” “This film has earned its right to have that Academy stamp. This film needs an Oscar nomination, not for the egos of the producers, writers, and directors, but because this is the most important story of our time,” he underscored. “We are not here trying to make money, we are here to physically save our planet,” he stressed. “This is about the middle of our country. It is about re-energizing, revitalizing, restoring, reclaiming, and basically, re-industrializing middle America.” “When you invest in middle America and build it from the inside out, then America thrives, and when America thrives, everyone else thrives,” he added. “It is not the Wild West,” Somerhalder clarified. “It is the true North, the way that we are moving forward. We have our North star and we know where we need to go, we know where we can go, and we know where we are going because we know where we’ve been.” “It is really bizarre,” he noted. “Josh and I were talking about a lot of the conflicts that are happening around the world, and a lot of them in the Middle East as well. Climate disruption is changing the political and geopolitical landscape. When there are climate-related things like droughts or food shortages, it forces people from rural areas into urban areas.” “We have the ability to start shifting this by fixing our climate and by managing our weather, and restoring the world back to the way that it used to be; this would allow ecosystems to thrive so that people can thrive,” he added. Ian Somerhalder: Regenerative agriculture is the solution to desertification “Desertification is happening at an alarming rate,” he said. “The world is desertifying because of land mismanagement. Josh told me ‘you can never build guns fast enough to outrun the desert.’ Meaning we can’t build guns fast enough to kill each other over these stats that the desert is growing. As the desert grows, people are going to have to flee and they will be climate refugees.” “By fixing our climate through regenerative agriculture, and everything else restores and follows suit,” he added. “By seeing regeneration and holistic land management work — in person and with my eyes — it was in that moment, that was a career-defining moment. That was the greatest ‘aha!’ moment of my life, other than being born and my two children being born. It gives me chills to think about it because regenerative agriculture works,” he expressed. “Holistic land management sequesters carbon, it produces oxygen, it revitalizes freshwater, it balances climate, it produces higher yields for farmers, and it makes people more money,” he added. 2023 ‘Human/Nature Award’ At the Tribeca Film Festival in New York, “Common Ground” was recognized with the 2023 “Human/Nature Award,” which is bestowed on a film that best exemplifies solution-oriented environmental storytelling. On the title of the current chapter of his life, Somerhalder said, “Regeneration.” “I am building two companies, one of which, Brother’s Bond Bourbon, is massively successful in the spirit space, and one in the health and wellness space. These are two categories that I live in, and are my main focus in my life,” he said. “I quit acting four years ago to build these companies and to raise my family,” he revealed. “Also, we needed to get ‘Kiss the Ground’ and ‘Common Ground’ out. ‘Common Ground,’ in particular, we have to get fully launched and out.” “Building my companies, raising my family, and releasing these films is a very tall order. It takes years, that’s why I stepped out of acting over four years ago, so that’s where I am,” he acknowledged. “After these chapters will be me going into my phase where I will spend the rest of my days with my family… It will be my ranching days,” he said. Brother’s Bond Bourbon Somerhalder is proud of his Brother’s Bond Bourbon , a straight bourbon whiskey, which he launched with Paul Wesley, for being “regenerative whiskey.” He noted that it has been going “gangbusters” and that “it’s wild.” Paul Wesley and Ian Somerhalder. Photo Credit: Dean Bradshaw, Courtesy of Brother’s Bond Bourbon “With Brother’s Bond, I want people to feel the idea of coming together,” he said. “The brand ethos is to bring people together. I think that we can argue that we need togetherness now more than ever.” “Also, when we were a tiny little company, we built it to be the world’s truly first regenerative spirits company,” he said. “Even though we are small tiny company, we have started this movement within the spirits space to build out regenerative supply chains within the whiskey industry and the alcohol industry in and of itself, and that is something to be really proud of. We are just a small part of that, but we are a catalyst in it for sure,” he elaborated. Best advice that he was ever given On the best advice that Somerhalder was ever given, he remarked, “It goes back to simplifying your life. At the end of the day, it is true… less is more. In the ‘80s, we were all taught that the more you had, makes you happy. In rural Louisiana that was not the case but the less you have, the happier you are.” Somerhalder continued, “Henry David Thoreau once said: ‘The cost of a thing is the amount of what I will call life which is required to be exchanged for it, immediately or in the long run.’ Basically, how much time in your life you had to spend to get that one thing, and that is ultimately the cost of what that thing is.” Ian Somerhalder, Rebecca Tickell, and Josh Tickell. Photo Courtesy of Big Picture Ranch Favorite mottos to live by Regarding his favorite mottos to live by, he shared, “It all goes back to the pursuit of happiness. One thing I learned after turning 45 is that the less things you have, the happier you are. You have this thought when you are younger that if you acquire and amass more things and property (cars or clothes), you will be happier. Somerhalder continued, “Ultimately, what you find is when you strip that away, you feel better. It all goes back to the old Buckminster Fuller idea, which is to ‘do more with less.’ In life, when you feel good from the inside out, you act that way.” “When you feel good, you are good. It’s about getting to that place of stripping down to what is important to you and simplifying our lives. When you go back to nature, you go back to simplicity and that is the pursuit of happiness,” he acknowledged. “Nature is inextricably linked to that, and with nature comes balance. With balance comes simplicity, and with simplicity, ultimately, comes happiness,” he added. Superpower of choice On his superpower of choice, Somerhalder said, “My character in ‘The Vampire Diaries’ had this power where he could look you in the eye and make you or convince you to do anything that he wanted you to do. I’ve made the joke a million times, but it really rings true.” “If I had that ability, I would go to Washington, DC, and sit with the powers that be (not just congressional chambers but the board rooms of the big corporations as well) and get these people to act on their good instincts and actually make choices that are great for the planet. That’s really where I would win if I had that superpower,” he elaborated. Success Somerhalder furnished his definition of the word success. “Success is a very interesting word,” he admitted. “When I stop now and look at friends who have a tremendous amount of time to do things they love, that is success.” He continued, “Basically, people who have time to do the things they love. When you look at them, you realize that they are successful. It’s not the guy who has to fly to 100 cities a year on his private jet to go to meeting after meeting after meeting, they might be financially successful but they might not be ‘ life successful.’ That is a big thing you realize… and this is me approaching my mid-40s. You think you have all the time in the world… you don’t.” “You find success by how much time someone has to spend doing the things they love with the people they love,” he expressed. Closing thoughts on ‘Common Ground’ “This is the most important story of our time,” he reiterated about “Common Ground.” “All the things that we are trying to do for humanity with justice of every type, if we don’t have a healthy planet, it is all in vain.” Somerhalder continued, “The one thing that we can do is to make sure that we put our best foot forward to make sure that we stop climate change in its tracks because this climate disruption is going to make our world pretty uninhabitable. That’s the first thing right there. To dive headfirst into this, and make sure that we get our act together to make regenerative agriculture the greatest carbon sink that we can create at scale.” “This is also one of the greatest economic options that we have,” he said. “It is this idea of how we can build a bright, prosperous future right now by building the largest carbon capture food economy that the world has ever seen, not just here in the United States but around the world.” Rebecca Tickell, Laura Dern, and Josh Tickell in ‘Common Ground.’ Photo Courtesy of Big Picture Ranch American track and field legend Steve Prefontaine once said: “To give anything less than your best, is to sacrifice the gift.” Ian Somerhalder is an environmental activist, farmer, and family man who embodies this quote. With his documentary films “Common Ground” and “Kiss the Ground,” as well as his Brother’s Bond Bourbon, he is putting regenerative agriculture at the forefront of the American and global landscape. For more information on “Common Ground,” check out its official website , and follow the documentary on Instagram . To learn more about actor and environmental activist Ian Somerhalder, follow him on Instagram , IMDb .

Esther Anaya is Colombian DJ, singer-songwriter, music producer, and a classically-trained violinist. She chatted with #Powerjournalist Markos Papadatos about her new single “Fantasy” and being a part of the digital age. Regarding her new single “Fantasy,” she exclusively told Hollywood Hills Magazine, “‘Fantasy’ is the moment you stop doubting yourself and step into who you’re meant to be. It’s that rush of clarity where everything clicks. It's your power, your purpose, your voice.” On her music and songwriting inspirations, she said, “I’m inspired by real life situations experienced by both me and the people close to me. the highs and lows, love, challenges and resilience.” “I’ve gone through a lot of growth, and music has always been my way of processing and expressing myself. I’m also motivated to give my best while on stage by the exchange of energy with the crowd,” she elaborated. “With so much occurring in the impact of life, it’s my goal to give my audience music that lifts them up and makes them feel liberated,” she added. On being a part of the digital age, she said, “It’s powerful. We’re living in a time where you don’t need permission to create, express, or share your art.” “You can reach someone on the other side of the world with one song. That said, it also means you have to stay grounded in who you are,” she observed. “The digital world moves fast, but staying authentic is what makes the connection real,” she added. Regarding her future plans, she shared, “This is just the beginning. I’m focused on releasing more music that defines my sound and identity, embodiment of music that’s euphoric, emotional, powerful.” “I’m building toward headlining major festivals, touring globally, and creating experiences that are as visual and emotional as they are musical,” she said. “Of course, continuing to grow my charity,   ASAF Angels , to bring music therapy and hope to kids in underprivileged communities around the world,” she added. For young and aspiring artists, she said, “Don’t wait for the ‘perfect moment,’ it doesn’t exist.” “Start where you are, with what you have, and stay consistent. Protect your vision, trust your uniqueness, and surround yourself with people who support your growth. Your journey is yours. Honor it,” she elaborated. On her definition of the word success, Anaya said, “Success, to me, is impact. It’s knowing that my music touches people, inspires them, or helps them through something.” “It’s being aligned with my purpose, living authentically, and giving back. The stages and recognition are beautiful, but the emotional connection is the real success. That is what builds legacies,” she explained. For her fans, she said, “Thank you for growing with me. ‘Fantasy’ is just the first step into a new world of sound and emotion that I’ve been building from my heart.” “I hope when you listen, you feel uplifted, understood, and unstoppable. We’re entering a new era, and I’m so grateful you’re here with me,” she concluded. Her new single “Fantasy” is available on Spotify by clicking here . For more information on Esther Anaya and her new music, visit her official website and follow her on Instagram .

Photography: Paul Archuleta Emmy-nominated TV host Matenopoulos sat down with this fellow Greek-American journalist at   The Great Greek restaurant in the Sherman Oaks neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. “We are at   The Great Greek restaurant, which is very fitting to talk about this new cookbook,” Matenopoulos said. “The owner, Dionisi, is incredible and the Greek food here is absolutely delicious. I hope I make this proud because his food here is really good.” On her idea for “Greekish” cookbook, she said, “My first Greek cookbook is called ‘It’s All Greek to Me’ and it was an instant bestseller.” “Honestly, I was so proud of that book, and I am surprised that it made the bestseller’s list for three months. That cookbook had generations and generations of my families’ recipes,” she noted. “For years after I wrote that book, people kept on asking me when I was going to write my second cookbook, and I always wanted to, but it takes a long time and it’s a lot of work. This book really was a labor of love ,” she explained. “My new book is called ‘Greekish’ because it’s not just Greek recipes… it allows people to take recipes and put their Greek twist to it. My friends inspired me to include my other recipes in there to share with people for when I do barbecues and dinners,” she elaborated. “I make amazing nachos and a great steak and smashed potatoes, and I decided to add those recipes in the book, especially since I don’t only cook Greek food, so that’s how ‘Greekish’ was born,” she said. Photography: Paul Archuleta While choosing her favorite recipe in this book is like being asked to pick a favorite kid, she listed the “Paidakia” one as her personal favorite, which is “Lamb chops.” “My daughter Alexandra loves them too,” she admitted. “Ever since she was a little girl, she would pick a lamb chop up and eat it like a lollipop, so we called it the ‘Lamb Lollipops,” she explained. Her favorite Greek desert is “Portokalopita,” which is traditional Greek orange phyllo cake. On her daily motivations to do everything that she does, Matenopoulos responded, “Being Greek. We have pride and a fire that is in our DNA, and its inexplicable.” Regarding the lessons learned from this book, Matenopoulos reflected, “It taught me a lot about patience, and it taught me that sometimes, mistakes end up being better than the original. I made a mistake in a recipe, and it ended up tasting better than when I made it before.” “Some of the best recipes really happen by accident, ” she admitted. For once and for all, Matenopoulos clarified whether or not lettuce belongs in a Greek Country or Village salad. “There is no lettuce in a traditional Greek Village Salad. If there is lettuce in it, you need to get up and leave,” she said with a sweet laugh. “A salad with lettuce would not be a Greek salad… it would be a lie.” “Let us be honest, there is no lettuce of any kind in a Greek salad,” she underscored. On the title of the current chapter of her life, she revealed, “The Chrysalis” Photography: Paul Archuleta Regarding her definition of the word success, she said, “Success means being at peace. When I can put my head on the pillow at night and feel at ease.” Most recently, she was on “ Access Hollywood ” where she cooked her Greek lemon chicken with artichokes. “ Summer and Greek food mean everything to me; it’s my life,” she exclaimed. “Access Hollywood” host Mario Lopez described Greek food as “the type of food that reminds him of summer.” For her fans and supporters, she expressed, “Honestly, I do all of this for you. Thank you for being on this journey for me ever since I was 21 years old… that is a long time. The fans are so supportive and so loyal.” “I don’t do any of this for the accolades or the awards… all of those are nice but they are secondary. The truth is without the fans, I wouldn’t be nominated for an award or get any accolades,” she expanded. “If it weren’t for the fans, I would have nothing. I would write a book, but nobody would buy it. So, what’s the point? Thank you to the fans for everything,” she said, effusively. “Don’t be afraid to cook,” Matenopoulos told prospective readers. “There are bar codes at the bottom of each page, and if they scan the QR code, I pop up and I teach them how to cook.” “I teach them how to make these recipes if they don’t want to read them. I sometimes do that barefoot in my kitchen with no makeup and I teach them how to cook,” she said. “Make mistakes, play around and be creative,” she noted. “Cooking is an art and baking is a science (if you mess up a baking recipe it goes bad), but cooking, you can change things up all the time. “Cooking is fun and it shouldn’t be pressure. You need to break some eggs to make an omelette,” she concluded. On Thursday, November 6th, Debbie Matenopoulos will be at Limani restaurant in New York. She will host an exclusive cookbook signing event as she shared her passion for authentic Greek cooking, which will take place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Fans and readers can enjoy an evening of Mediterranean hospitality with passed hors d’oeuvres, a KLEOS Mastiha welcome cocktail, and a live cooking demo of Limani’s famous Lobster Pasta as it is featured in her latest celebrated cookbook. Guests will also take home a take of Limani — their signature olive oil —  and a signed copy of Debbie’s new cookbook “Greekish.” Her “Greekish” cookbook is available on digital service providers by clicking here . For more information on Greek-American TV host Debbie Matenopoulos, follow her on Instagram .

Photography: Bobby Quillard RJ Mitte (“Breaking Bad”) chatted about starring in the new film “Westhampton,” which had its world premiere at the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival . Helen Keller once said: “ Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.” An individual and actor that embodies hope and optimism is RJ Mitte. Mitte sat down and chatted with this journalist at  Burgerology Midtown over breakfast. “Westhampton” was written and directed by Christian Nilsson. On being a part of “Westhampton,” Mitte exclaimed, “It feels amazing to be in New York. I am very excited about this project. I have a couple of days to enjoy New York for once, so that’s nice.” The synopsis is: Years after leaving his Long Island hometown to chase his dream as a filmmaker, Tom Bell (Finn Wittrock) is down on his luck as a director. Unable to replicate the success of his breakout film, Tom remains haunted by guilt from the high school accident that inspired it. As the black and white 16 mm of Tom’s film creates a dreamlike, heightened connection to the past, his return to Westhampton forces him to confront buried secrets, broken relationships, and the past he tried to rewrite. Mitte was drawn to this project simply by his love for making movies. “I love acting and making movies. I love finding projects that I really care about, and projects that have meaningful moments in them.” “This film definitely has a lot of moments that push who people are while still being relevant,” Mitte said. “The team for this movie is so good, and an excellent group of actors.” “We have so many different walks of life on this film, and they were all professional. They helped grow these characters. I enjoy taking a character and evolving with that character in those moments,” he elaborated. Mitte enjoyed his character “Fitz” in “Westhampton” especially since he was unlike any other character he has ever played before. “This character was more like me,” Mitte admitted. “He is a bartender at this place in a town that he never left. My character is always so happy. Normally, in movies and projects, I am crying because I usually do dramas.” “I would say this is the happiest character I’ve ever played,” he acknowledged. Mitte opened up about working with Finn Wittrock, who took on the roles of lead actor (as Tom Bell) and as executive producer. On working with Finn Wittrock, he said, “Finn was great. I loved working with him. Finn is such an easy actor to bounce off of, and he is very giving.” “Most of my scenes were with Finn and Amy Forsyth,” Mitte admitted. “We also had some local talent that live in Westhampton be a part of the film. It was a really community-based film, and I really love those. This location wasn’t just a set; it feels like you were in it and you were there, and it became alive,” Mitte elaborated. Regarding his favorite mottos and quotes, he shared, “One of my favorite quotes is remember the past, preserve the future.” Aside from being an actor, Mitte is also a producer, model, filmmaker, and activist with cerebral palsy. He has advocated for cerebral palsy and other disabilities. He is also on the Board of Directors of  The Mitte Foundation,  whose mission is to identify, engage, and support educational and community organizations that have the potential to manifest the Foundation’s vision. On being an actor and performer in the digital age, Mitte remarked, “I’ve been a big believer in this year, 2025. There are a lot of technologies that are going to become big.” “I’m not a huge fan of social media but it’s a tool, especially if it’s used the right way,” he noted. “I like connecting with the fans and the accessibility aspect of it. We are no longer limited by distance or location. We live in a world where there is global connectivity.” “I am very excited for these next five years as far as technologies, communications and growth,” he admitted. “We’ve had our adolescence of social media in all of these different things. It has taught us to become more accountable on things. I am very excited for the future,” he added. On the title of the current chapter of his life, Mitte revealed, “Moving Forward”. Mitte continued, “This year, specifically, a lot of projects were in gridlock (due to time restrictions and things that haven’t been in my control). I am very excited for this year because I have a lot of projects moving forward and coming out such as ‘Westhampton’ at Tribeca Film Festival, and ‘Love Me Dead’ with Dove Cameron.” “I am very excited about that movie too. There are a lot of good things moving forward, and I can’t wait,” he added. Regarding his definition of the word success, he said, “Success means trying harder… just keep pushing forward.” “Success is a great tool to grow, and it’s hard to maintain. Just keep enjoying it, loving it, and understanding it. We can always be better,” he acknowledged. For fans and viewers, Mitte remarked about the movie, “First and foremost, I hope people enjoy the film. Also, I hope it gives them insight on actions… and how they can rectify their mistakes and actions.” “They can expect a journey of following us from the past to the future, and having to face that past, and that’s something unique about the film. I think the cast and crew did a really great way of capturing that, and I hope people enjoy it,” Mitte concluded. For more information on actor and producer RJ Mitte, follow him on   Instagram , IMDb .

Why Miss Universe Italy Lucilla Nori Is the 2025 Contender Redefining "Elegance with Substance" Italy has always been synonymous with style, and this year’s representative, Lucilla Nori , is bringing a thoroughly modern definition of Italian elegance to the global stage. At 26 years old , the model is ready to represent Italy at the Miss Universe 2025 pageant  , which will be held in Thailand from November 1st to 21st. Originally from Nettuno and now residing in Rome , Lucilla is a determined young woman, capable of transforming shyness into strength and challenges into personal growth. This will be a long journey, physically and emotionally , as she competes against representatives from over 90 countries around the world. The Model-Strategist: Intellect as a Secret Weapon Lucilla Nori’s path is distinguished by her commitment to learning and strategy. She has a solid background, including a degree in Fashion Sciences  and a master's degree in Management and Business Administration . She has also worked in digital marketing, managing websites, e-commerce, and communication strategies, thus combining creativity and strategic vision in a dynamic career path consistent with her idea of contemporary elegance. Her pageant debut dates back to 2019, when she participated in Miss Italia after winning the title of Miss Miluna Lazio. Although she didn't reach the podium, that experience ignited in her the desire to challenge herself, stating: "I began a journey to improve myself, working on communication and understanding who I am". On August 31, 2024, she won the title of Miss Universe Italy, beating out 21 competitors thanks to her authentic and charismatic presence. She is clear about the modern competition's demands: "Beauty isn't enough. The judges look for personality, determination, and authenticity. I chose to simply be myself". Her Mission: The Art of Poise as Empowerment Lucilla Nori’s personal platform focuses on teaching women to cultivate internal confidence, proving her commitment to "Beauty with Purpose" is genuine. Today, she teaches poise and posture to women and girls, with the goal of helping them rediscover confidence and inner elegance. She views this as more than just a job, calling it a "mission". She explains that "Pose is a silent language that speaks about us, even before words". This philosophy of grace as a tool for female empowerment supports her dream to combine fashion, education, and social commitment in educational projects aimed at women and young people. As she says: "I want to show that you can be strong without losing your sensitivity. True elegance is self-acceptance. And true strength is continuing to believe in dreams, even when they seem distant". The Villaggio So.Spe.: Solidarity in Rome Beyond the stage, Nori is very active in social work, collaborating with the Villaggio So.Spe. - Solidarietà e Speranza di Suor Paola in Rome. This charity welcomes single mothers and victims of violence. Lucilla draws inspiration from this work, noting: "In that place, I saw the most authentic beauty: the kind born of solidarity and the strength to start over". Supported by a close-knit family—her parents Francesca and Lorenzo, her brother Gian Lorenzo, and her grandparents—she carries the weight of representation with responsibility. Setting the Bar for 2025 As she prepares to depart for Thailand in November 2025 , Lucilla Nori knows that every dress, every word, every gesture becomes part of a larger message: beauty as awareness, grace as strength, sensitivity as a form of courage. She brings with her the voice of Italian women, the strength of the mothers of the So.Spe. Village, and the trust of the girls she supports every day. Nori intends to tell a "different story of being a woman: authentic, free, and aware". She will bring her smile, her natural elegance, and that gentle strength that comes from within. For her, true beauty is not a trophy to be displayed, but a light to be shared. She chooses to slow down and listen, to walk with her head held high, but with her feet on the ground, and to unite fashion with human values, image with content, dream with reality. As she loves to say, “Beauty is not a privilege, it’s a responsibility" . This is the key that sets her apart: an elegance that doesn't impose, but inspires; a strength that doesn't divide, but unites; and a light that does not dazzle, but illuminates.

Photography: Sam Jones Markos Papadatos interviews Jeff Daniels, World-renowned actor and musician Emmy award-winning actor Jeff Daniels (“The Newsroom” and “Godless”) chatted about his upcoming solo concert on October 23rd at   Cafe Wha? in New York City. “The important thing in life is not victory but combat; it is not to have vanquished but to have fought well,” said Pierre de Coubertin, French Educator who was primarily responsible for the revival of the Olympic Games in 1894. This quote applies to actor, playwright, and musician Jeff Daniels. Throughout his illustrious career in the entertainment industry, Daniels has earned two Primetime Emmy Awards, five Golden Globe nominations, and three Tony nominations. On his forthcoming solo show at Cafe Wha? in Manhattan, he said, “I really am excited! I’ve never played there. I’ve been doing this for about 25 years, and I really enjoy the creative control.” “This show is just me solo; getting to play at Café Wha is like playing in a living room. I tell stories, and I make you laugh,” he said. “I drop in songs you’ve never heard, but they relate to people. It’s like short stories that all end in a song. I make sure the audience gets entertained, and it’s a lot of storytelling. That’s what it is,” he explained. “It is reminiscent of the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, where all those guys played in the ‘60s. They started there, so it’s a bucket list thing for me,” he added. On his music and songwriting inspirations, Daniels shared, “I have this need to continue to create. With movies and theater, you’ve got to wait for the phone to ring. You’ve got to wait to be wanted.” “In the entertainment world, they want you to be creative now, or when they’re ready for you,” he noted. “Sometimes it can be a lot of time waiting for that call, and it certainly was when I started writing songs and playing in the ’70s, you know, all the way through until now,” he elaborated. “So, the inspiration is always there. Even though I’m not asked to be an actor, I can keep that creative and artistic side of myself going,” he said. “Whether it’s writing plays for my theater company in Michigan, or working on the guitar, working on the set, working on the next song, and building that one-man show that I’ve got when I walk out on stage with a guitar,” he explained. On being a part of “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” Daniels said, “I did Kelly’s show. I did my song ‘When My Fingers Find Your Strings’ and I will tell this story in my set about what happened that day.” “Most of the time when actors volunteer to play a song on a talk show, they get told to stay in their lane but Kelly’s show was the opposite. They wanted me to play something. So, I will tell this whole behind-the-scenes story, and how nice Kelly was,” he elaborated. “As nice as Kelly is on her show, that’s who she is off-camera as well,” Daniels said, complimenting Kelly Clarkson. On being an artist in the digital age, at a time when streaming, technology, and social media are so prevalent, Daniels said, “Well, in the Kelly Clarkson case, I played, and people were so stunned that I even know which end of the guitar to hold up, and where to put my hands.” “I mean, they expected absolutely nothing. The fact was that I played well, and thankfully, the video clip went viral,” he admitted. “Six months later, Kelly covered the song. She opened her show with my song, and it was great to hear her singing it. So, that was a thrill for me,” he added. Daniels’ musical influences are highly eclectic, and they include such iconic artists as Arlo Guthrie, Steve Goodman, Utah Phillips and the late but great John Prine. “John Prine was one of the great storytellers,” Daniels said. “John just happened to have a guitar in his hand. When John Prine writes a song, you know that Prine wrote that song.” “That’s what every artist is trying to do when they write something… to have that singular vision, and John Prine had it,” he said. “I kind of discovered them all at about the same time in the ‘70s.” “Stevie Goodman had it. Arlo Guthrie had it. Christine Lavin had it, and Cheryl Wheeler all had that singular vision,” he said. “The same holds true for Guy Clark and Steve Earle.” Back in August of 2018, Daniels, his son, Ben, and the Ben Daniels Band performed at City Winery in New York City. “That was fun,” he recalled. “I had my son’s band with me.” At that 2018 show, they performed The Monkees classic “Last Train to Clarksville.” “I did that song with the Ben Daniels Band. We turned it into an up-tempo bluegrass tune,” he said. On his future plans, Daniels shared, “I’m doing a lot of gigs. After Cafe Wha? on October 23rd, I’m going to go out and play the Midwest.” “I’ve played music live for years. I’ve played at opera houses and 200 to 300-seaters. They’re fun. They’re like playing living rooms,” he said. “When you go to a place like the Grand Opera House in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, it’s like a Broadway theater. The people of the community take such pride in that venue,” he noted. “There are some beautiful venues in this country, and I love going out and playing them,” he exclaimed. “That’s what I’ll be doing in the short term,” he said. “There are a couple things in the works. One is in development and I’m hoping it happens.” For his powerful performance as the nefarious Frank Griffin, the menacing outlaw who terrorizes the West, he won a Primetime Emmy Award for “Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie.” On being a part of the multi-Emmy award-winning western drama series “Godless,” he said, “‘Godless’ was a good one! Scott Frank wrote and directed that series. Scott is the real deal. When he called me and said, ‘I want you to play this guy, I think you can do it.” “Scott is the kind of guy that sees something I could do (but haven’t done yet) and he rolls the dice on me. I was really happy to come through for him because he’s a great writer and director,” Daniels elaborated. “I just love a good western, and Scott Frank knows how to write them too,” he added. On his career-defining moments, Daniels remarked, “A turning point was starring in not one but two leading roles in Woody Allen’s ‘The Purple Rose of Cairo’ in 1985. That was Woody at the height of his filmmaking. When I got that role and then read the script and I realized that I’m playing two people.” “Working with Woody was an honor; it was a thrill,” he noted. “I told myself, ‘Okay, I think it’s safe to say that you’re going to be able to at least make a living in this business.’ That was the case after I did that movie.” For young and aspiring artists, actors and singers, Daniels said, “Oh, man. It’s so different now with digital and social media. People audition on their phones and via video. I don’t know how to maneuver through that or how to navigate that.” “I didn’t do that. I had to move to New York, get an answering service, then show up in Times Square, and audition for somebody. It was different back then,” he recalled. “I think you need to really want it. You’ve got to know that this is what you’re supposed to do. It may not work out, but you’ve got to chase it,” he said. “You’ve got to chase it hard. You can’t quit easily. You know, I remember I went to New York at 21,” he recalled. “I told myself that if I can last a year, ‘I’ll be okay.’ Then, when I lasted a year, I said, ‘Okay, I’m going to give it five years.’ Then, at 25, I said, ‘Okay, I’m going to give it till I’m 30’ and if I’m not making a movie by then, I was going to quit,” he expanded. “I wasn’t going to spend the rest of my life chasing something that nobody else thinks I’m good at,” he acknowledged. “I picked up enough good people who thought I was good along the way. That’s what you need to do. You’ve got to go to New York or go chase the dream,” he said. “If you’re the only one who believes in you, then you need one other person, and then you need another person after that,” he noted. Daniels continued, “In my case, it was casting director Juliet Taylor who said, ‘this kid is good; we just haven’t found the right thing for him yet.’ It gathers steam, and then you suddenly are standing on a set with Woody Allen.” “Then, you’re going, ‘I think I had to go a long way to get here, but Woody thinks I’m good’,” he admitted. “That just makes you go, ‘all right, I’m going to stay in the game’,” he added. Regarding the key to longevity in the entertainment industry all of these decades, Daniels said, “Never lose what got you here. Fame is like heroin. It can just screw you up, if you let it.” “That was one of the reasons I moved to Michigan… whatever talent I had, wherever that came from, I didn’t want it to change because I was famous or in a movie that was a huge hit,” he noted. “So, if you just hang on to what it is you do and how you do it, you need to learn new things along the way because you don’t know everything. You’ve got to learn as you go, and you can learn from people who are better than you,” he elaborated. “If they’re better than you, study what they’re doing and figure out what they’re doing,” he said. “Then, steal from them. You will improve yourself over time.” “If you auditioned for something and didn’t get the role but if you are continually good, then you will get called back by that casting director,” he said. “So, you need to always be good, which means be prepared, and that means you probably need to outwork everybody else sitting in the waiting room who also wants that role,” he explained. “There is no easy way to do it, except if you’ve got the dream and you’ve got enough talent, now you’ve got to outwork everybody else,” he added. On the title of the current chapter of his life, Daniels revealed, “Gigging.” If he were to have any superpower, it would be to write a song or a play (for his theater company) and be able to write a first draft in four minutes. “It just doesn’t work that way,” he admitted. “You’ve got to slug it out for like two or three months, and then it’s garbage and now you’ve got to fix it. Maybe that’s the problem with AI, where people think that AI will solve all that. I doubt it, but I’m just an old school guy.” “I will sit there with the keyboard in front of me and go on a blank page and go, ‘all right, get them talking.’ So, the superpower would be ‘to shoot,’ and suddenly there’s a first draft that I can rewrite,” he elaborated. On his favorite mottos to live by, Daniels stated, “My dad told me a long time ago to invest in myself. Whatever that means to you, or what you don’t know about the guitar today, learn, so you can play it tomorrow.” “As an artist, just continue to invest in yourself. Get better and take chances,” he said. “Do things that risk failure. I will take on a role because I don’t know how to do it. I will say ‘yes’ and then figure out how to do it with no clue. ‘Godless’ was a prime example of that,” he elaborated. On his definition of the word success, Daniels said, “Success means that the dreams come true, and only you know when that is! I was doing ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ on Broadway in 2019, and at that point, I had been an actor for 44 years. That was 44 years from moving to New York.” “I had done a lot such as ‘The Newsroom,’ TV, movies and Broadway. I had done countless films. I got done with that year-long run as Atticus Finch on Broadway,” he said. “I remember my agent calling me up afterwards and asking me ‘what do you feel like doing?’ I said, ‘well, what’s out there? What can we get?’ He goes, ‘no, what do you want to do?’ That was the first time I had ever heard him say that,” he elaborated. “That was when I knew I had made it,” Daniels underscored. “I had crossed a finish line of my own making it at that point. I went ‘okay, I did it’.” “The dream came true. I did everything I wanted to do. I can do more if I want, but if it stopped now, I would be okay, and that was the moment I felt successful,” he acknowledged. For his fans and supporters, Daniels expressed, “Thanks for hanging in. I hope that whatever I do surprises you.” Daniels remarked about his upcoming Cafe Wha? show, “When I play Cafe Wha? on October 23rd, I’m going to entertain you. I’m going to make you laugh, and I will make you cry.” “God knows we could all use a laugh right now with the state of things, and that’s what I provide. I’m an exit ramp for you for an hour and a half,” he noted. “I promise it will be a good night out. I promise I won’t be bad. I promise the fans will have a good time,” he concluded. To learn more about Jeff Daniels, visit his   IMDb page   and his  official website , and follow him on  Instagram . Photography: Luc Daniels

This is the cold, unsentimental chain of events that dictated the TERMINATION of MTV's music channels. Follow the arrows; they map the inevitable failure of the old business model. Stop calling the end of MTV’s music channels a gentle decline. It is a calculated, corporate TERMINATION . The news that Paramount Global  is dismantling its dedicated music channels is the final, brutal proof that LINEAR TV IS A SUNSET INDUSTRY , and your Hollywood office needs to see this as a severe warning, not just a headline. Paramount is enacting the global shutdown  of the last core music channels - including MTV Music, MTV 80s, MTV 90s, and MTV Live - starting with the end of December 2025  in key international markets. Only the main MTV HD  channel will remain, but it is a husk; its programming is almost entirely dedicated to profitable, unscripted reality franchises like The Challenge  and Geordie Shore , not music. This isn't just a rebrand; it is part of a massive, company-wide $500 million global cost-reduction strategy . The music channels were financially DOA against digital competition. MTV: From Cultural Kingmaker to Cable Casualty MTV's original content model was ERADICATED  by three fundamental shifts the digital giants perfected. The first fact is that Convenience Crushed Curation . The old model forced the audience to wait hours for a VJ to play their favorite three-minute video, hoping they caught it. The new reality is that YouTube, TikTok, and Spotify  offer infinite, personalized, on-demand content instantly  because the viewer now has 100% control. Consequently, MTV's scheduled programming became an obsolete inconvenience. The second fact is that Algorithms Beat Broadcasting Fees . Linear TV requires massive infrastructure costs, carriage fees, and constant royalty payments for music video usage, making it an expensive liability. Digital platforms, on the other hand, scale globally with low overhead and leverage user-generated content, making music delivery exponentially cheaper and more profitable online. In a cost war, the traditional broadcast model loses every time. The third fact is that the Audience Wants to Participate, Not Watch . The MTV era saw the audience as passive consumers who just tuned in, but the streaming era views the audience as a CREATOR  who films, edits, and posts the trends. Music discovery is driven by viral TikTok  clips and personalized Spotify  playlists, meaning the power to dictate taste moved from a New York boardroom to billions of smartphones. MTV lost its status as the gatekeeper. The Paramount Pivot: Follow The Money The brand itself is not dissolving; it is TRANSMUTING  into a digital asset. This move validates a harsh reality: the valuable part of MTV  is the BRAND IP  ( The Real World , VMA's , etc.), and the future home for that valuable IP is the STREAMING ECOSYSTEM  via Paramount+. Your action item is to stop investing resources into the declining linear space. This MTV SHUTDOWN  is not history; it is your business plan for the next five years. If a cultural behemoth like MTV  cannot sustain its linear music model, your mid-tier cable property is already standing on quicksand. The grid is being turned off. Adapt, or your brand is next. NOW MOVE.

Barbara Di Mattia is an Italian-American producer based in Rome. Her work bridges art, emotion, and cultural identity, creating films that transcend borders, languages, and time. Barbara, your career spans continents, from Venezuela to Italy to the United States. How did your journey in the entertainment world begin? - I was born in Maracay, Venezuela, and grew up in Italy, in the Abruzzo region. My path started in Milan, where I worked as an actress and model before moving to Beverly Hills. Living in California opened a new chapter for me, that's where I began producing. For me, cinema is the highest form of artistic expression: it engages and envelops the viewer, drawing them into the story and allowing them to truly empathize with it. That's why I strive to tell stories that, in some way, can raise awareness about important issues. You produced the backstage of the Oscar-nominated film The Postman - Il Postino. What did that experience mean to you personally and professionally? - Il Postino will always be a masterpiece of Italian and international cinema. Massimo Troisi was one of the greatest Italian actors and directors of all time, an artist of immense sensitivity and humanity. The backstage, directed by Stefano Veneruso, his nephew and my partner in life and work, allowed me to witness the depth of that creative process. It's an experience that continues to inspire everything I do. Photography: Roberto Pelosi You also produced Starting Tomorrow I'll Get Up Late, available on RaiPlay. Tell us about that project. - Starting Tomorrow I'll Get Up Late was co-produced with Rai Cinema and is inspired by the life of Massimo Troisi. The screenplay was written by Anna Pavignano, Oscar nominee for The Postman - Il Postino who shared with Troisi an extraordinary artistic and emotional bond. The film Starting tomorrow, I'll get up late received the prestigious Premio Charlot and was presented at the magnificent Giffoni Film Festival, both milestones that confirmed how audiences still connect deeply with Troisi's poetic legacy. It was also presented at both the Italian Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, followed by a screening of the film. Your new film, The Years of the Father, is co-written with Anna Pavignano and directed by Stefano Veneruso. What inspired this story? - The Years of the Father tells the story of an Orthodox Jewish young man who leaves Jerusalem for Rome to meet the father he has never known and believed to be dead. It's a film that delves into one of the most universal relationships: that between a father and a son. It explores various emotions, starting from an indissoluble love and the invisible emotional bond that connects generations. Writing it together with Anna Pavignano was an extraordinary experience. The film, directed by Stefano Veneruso, features a wonderful cast including Massimo Bonetti, Daniel Bondì, Lee Levi, Arianna Aloi, and Florence Nicolas. As an independent producer, what was it like to bring The Years of the Father to life? - Producing The years of the father as an independent filmmaker was both a challenge and a lesson in perseverance. Making a film today requires enormous effort, and for independent producers it's even more complex, because, as the word says, we are "independent." We don't rely on the structures of big studios or networks; we build everything step by step, often driven only by conviction and passion. In Italy, thanks to the support of public institutions and ministerial funds, it's still possible to make meaningful films, but it's not easy. Bureaucracy, limited resources, and the competition for funding make every production an uphill journey. Yet, despite all of that, The years of the father exists, and that, to me, is already a small victory. Photography: Stefano Veneruso You have several projects in development, including 7 Dwarfs at Auschwitz and the animated feature Ciro & Peace. Can you tell us more about them? - 7 Dwarfs at Auschwitz  is based on a true story, the incredible journey of seven Jewish dwarf siblings who were musicians and actors before being deported to Auschwitz. It's a film about resilience, identity, and the power of art and family to survive even in the darkest times. Ciro & Peace  is a story that celebrates friendship, inner strength, and the power that love can have in shaping the destiny of a child, Ciro, and his beloved feathered friend Peace, a beautiful Ararauna parrot. It carries a message of hope and sacrifice, showing how a child can perform acts of extraordinary courage to find his faithful friend, a journey that begins in Mexico, passes through Italy, and ends in Ukraine, in the midst of war. Among my upcoming projects, there's also a film set in the magnificent city of Venice, a poetic and visually striking story linked to climate change, and a documentary about football, exploring the human and emotional side of the sport. You've also brought theatre productions to life, such as Troisi Poeta Massimo. Tell us about that experience. -Troisi Poeta Massimo is a play I hold very dear. I produced it with Istituto Luce - Cinecittà, and it's been on stage for several years, earning both public and critical acclaim. It celebrates Massimo Troisi not only as a filmmaker and actor, but as a poet of everyday life, someone who transformed simplicity into emotion. You've curated exhibitions dedicated to Troisi in some of Italy's most iconic venues. What does that mean to you personally? - I am truly honored and proud to have had the opportunity to help share his art with the public. Exhibitions dedicated to Massimo Troisi have been hosted at remarkable places like Castel dell'Ovo in Naples, Palazzo D'Avalos in Procida during Procida Capital of Culture, and the Teatro dei Dioscuri al Quirinale in Rome. Keeping his legacy alive is both a privilege and a joy. Photography: Roberto Pelosi Q: How do you see the role of women producers today in the global film industry? A:  I believe women bring sensitivity, intuition, and emotional depth to storytelling. But I'm also aware that, as a woman, I often have to work a little harder to earn the same recognition men receive more easily. There's still much progress to be made, even in a globalized world where bias remains. However, I also believe that hard work is the only real key, for men and women alike, to achieve anything meaningful. Q: If you had to define your mission in one sentence, what would it be? A:  To make films that speak to the heart and remind us that humanity, in all its beauty and fragility, is our greatest story. Q: What's next for you? A:  My focus now is on 7 Dwarfs at Auschwitz  and Ciro & Peace, both of which I hope to bring to international audiences soon and I'm open to collaborations with producers, distributors, and institutions who share the same passion for authentic, meaningful cinema. We recommend you to follow Barbara Di Mattia on: Instagram , IMDb .

Photography: TXE Actor Finn Wittrock (“American Horror Story”) about starring in the new film “Westhampton,” and serving as an executive producer. It was written and directed by Christian Nilsson. The late four-star U.S. Army general and former Secretary of State Colin Powell once said: “A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work.” This quote applies to Finn Wittrock. “Westhampton” also stars RJ Mitte, Jake Weary, Amy Forsyth, Roxanne Schiebergen, Sam Strike, Chris Gray, Gabrielle Manna, Tovah Feldshuh, Chris Gray, Luke Slattery, Sam Strike, Roxanne Schiebergen, Gabrielle Manna, and Dan Lauria, among others. The synopsis is: Years after leaving his Long Island hometown to chase his dream as a filmmaker, Tom Bell (Finn Wittrock) is down on his luck as a director. Unable to replicate the success of his breakout film, Tom remains haunted by guilt from the high school accident that inspired it. As the black and white 16mm of Tom’s film creates a dreamlike, heightened connection to the past, his return to Westhampton forces him to confront buried secrets, broken relationships, and the past he is trying to rewrite. Watching Finn Wittrock in “Westhampton,” felt like watching quality primetime TV all over again, and he is the film equivalent of Emmy winner Mike Manning (“This is Us,” “Days of Our Lives,” “The Bay” and “Beyond the Gates”). On collaborating with the cast of actors, Wittrock said, “Everyone’s work in this film is incredible!” “Honestly, we became a family with this whole cast. We did it without the creature comforts that you get on most movie sets but that made us all really tight,” he noted. “If you took one person out of this cast or crew, the movie wouldn’t be here. It had just the right amount of people to make it what it is,” he added. On working with filmmaker Christian Nilsson, Wittrock said, “I read the script for the first time back in 2017. Christian Nilsson, the director and screenwriter, had been working on this for a long time, and it was his labor of love for many years, and I could feel that labor of love as I read his script.” “This is a very personal story about a real experience that my character Tom went through, and Christian told me ‘you’re the only guy that can play this part.’ I asked him ‘are you sure?’ he told me ‘yeah’ and I responded ‘all right, I’m in.’ There was no way I could pass on it,” he explained. “This is a beautiful work of art by Christian Nilsson, and it was his brainchild for many years,” he added. On taking on both roles (actor and executive producer), Wittrock remarked, “It’s a challenge that I don’t take lightly.” “I was with this project for a long time. It came together and fell apart a few times for the ridiculous reasons of making a movie these days but when they finally got it together, I was like ‘yes, I’m in’ and I want to be as creative as possible on every front,” he elaborated. On the lessons learned from this screenplay, Wittrock reflected, “When I first read the screenplay, I was drawn to it by sadness.” “There is a sense of redemption that is eventually earned by the fact that he starts out pretty angry at himself and tortured,” he said. “Ultimately, it’s an uplifting tale and a quiet, sensitive story and you don’t always see this slow, quiet pace in a film.” “My character is facing his own demons within the movie, so it’s a little deep,” he added. The movie just had its world premiere on Saturday, June 7th at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City at Village East by Angelika. On being a part of the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival, Wittrock said, “It feels really, really awesome. I’ve always loved the Tribeca Film Festival. For many years, as a more struggling actor, I would walk by red carpets like this, and I yearned to be here, so here we are!” “So, it’s really a wonderful, full-circle moment,” he noted. “I feel really excited and really validated. “It’s the little movie that could, and it reassures you that little movies can make a difference.” When asked how he channels the feelings of guilt and trauma in the story, he responded, “I have a hometown in The Berkshires, Massachusetts, that I left when I was young for economic reasons. I would go back every summer and I would go back home. Whenever I left it, it was so hard, and for a young brain, that really hurts.” “That may not be as intense as what this guy went through but that was a way in for me to step into nostalgia, and the feeling you have of your hometown. There’s that inner child in you that won’t let it go,” he added. On working with RJ Mitte, Wittrock expressed, “I can rave about RJ all day every day. RJ essentially became ‘the Mayor of Westhampton’.” “When we were filming it, a lot of the locals were a little concerned about this movie that was being made in their small town, and RJ would talk to them all; RJ would tell them the plot and who was in it, and he re-assured them that it was going to be a big hit,” Wittrock expressed. “RJ really put all the locals at ease, and honestly, because of RJ, by the end of the shoot, the town loved us. At the beginning, not so much,” Wittrock admitted. On filming this indie movie on Long Island, Wittrock stated, “It was really fun! It was beautiful there.” Regarding his definition of the word success, he revealed, “Success means working with great people! That’s really it.” For his fans and supporters, he remarked about “Westhampton,” “I hope they follow it. This movie might be a little slower than they are used to, but it’ll pay off in the end.” “It’s a coming of age story for somebody who has already grown up but there’s something in his psyche that can’t get back this one thing he keeps reliving and emotionally, he is just stunted,” he elaborated. “So, he has to go back to where it all started to find that inner strength and innfer forgiveness to move on with his life,” Wittrock concluded. American track and field running legend Steve Prefontaine once said: “To give anything less than your best, is to sacrifice the gift.” Finn Wittrock embodies this wise quote. To learn more about actor and filmmaker Finn Wittrock, follow him on  Instagram , IMDb .

Photo Courtesy of the Australian Firefighters Calendar Australian firefighter Jimmy Morris interviewed by #Powerjournalist Markos Papadatos about being a part of the 2026 Australian Firefighters Calendar, which raises money for various charities. American track and field running legend Steve Prefontaine once said: “To give anything less than your best, is to sacrifice the gift.” This quote applies to Jimmy Morris. The Australian Firefighters Calendar is a proud Australian-owned and operated company. Although they are not a charity per se, they have manged to donate over $3.5 million to both animals and humans in need since 1993. On being a part of the 2025 Australian Firefighters Calendar, Morris exclaimed, “It has been amazing! It is such a good experience. The guys are incredible, especially everyone that we train with and work with. I’ve already had some really cool experiences over in the U.S. and I am looking forward to many more to come. I can’t wait!” Morris’ leading man looks are reminiscent of Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons meets Aaron Eckhart meets Ryan McPartlin, and that ought to be taken as a compliment. Morris spoke about the importance of all these philanthropic causes and charitable organization that the Australian Firefighters Calendar supports. “We support some really, really good charities that help out communities, animals, and all sorts of things,” he said. “The Australian Firefighters Calendar has gained popularity massively over the last few years,” he observed. “The money that the calendar is putting towards these charities is really helping them out and knowing that is such a good feeling.” “Not only do I love the work and the lads that I’m working with, but I love the fact that it’s there to help people and create a better world, essentially,” he said. Regarding his daily motivations as a firefighter, he stated, “My main motivation is helping people.” “I’ve had many careers in my lifetime such as commercial diving, concreting, building, and working at bars. I’ve done everything,” he said. On his aha! moment to become a firefighter, Morris shared, “Most recently, I was a commercial diver, and I got lost at sea with another guy; we were lost at sea for two nights,” he revealed. “It was actually an eye-opener for me. It really shaped me and shaped my career, essentially, because this guy really relied on me to help him and save him.” Morris continued, “Through a few of the things that I did and the actions that I took, we ended up getting rescued. So that was the moment I realized that I really liked helping people in heavy situations.” “So, that’s what inspired me to become a firefighter because I love helping people in my community. So far, it has been everything that I’ve wanted,” he expressed. Morris revealed that he “fairly new” to the firefighting profession. “I’ve been doing it for just under two years,” he said. “So, I got hit up for the calendar in my first four months of working on the job, which was a big surprise for me.” “A lot of my friends said, ‘you’re just going for the job to get into the calendar,’ and they made jokes about it, but that was not the reason at all I’m doing this. I’m in the firefighting profession to help people.” For this Australian Firefighters Calendar, he shared that he worked with a couple of exotic animals, which included koalas and “dingoes,” which are the native Australian dogs, as well as horses, puppies, and kittens. “The koalas are very cute and cuddly, but they’ve got massive claws,” he admitted. “So, they actually do hurt a lot when you’re cuddling them because they latch on because they’re used to climbing trees.” On the firefighting brotherhood, he remarked, “Well, we’re all firefighters, so most firefighters are disciplined, and very good blokes and we all have a lot of common interests. I was a bit worried about that when I first started because the firefighters were from all over Australia and they were all different age groups, and I wasn’t sure what it was going to be like, but honestly, we became best mates straight away.” “As soon as we started traveling, we just all hit it off and everyone got along so well and I think that’s what makes Dave so successful in what he does because he is such a good judge of character and he can really read people and if someone’s a bad egg or doesn’t fit in, he’ll notice that straight away,” Morris elaborated. “So far, it has been amazing,” he said about the brotherhood. On working with David Rogers, the director of the Australian Firefighters Calendar, Morris said, “Davis is a great man. He is a very strong character, and I get along very well with him. We’re actually very similar in many ways. So, he’s a great man. He has given me a good opportunity, and he has created an amazing business, and he helps a lot of charities, and he has done a very good job.” Morris has great words about Greek-Australian firefighter Michael “Micky” Galanos. “Mickey is a lot of fun; he’s a legend. I was actually in America with Mickey. When I first met him, he was a bit quiet, and I wasn’t sure, but at the same time, once he comes out, he is very extroverted. So, Mickey is a lot of fun, and he’s a good lad.” Regarding his career-defining moments, he shared, “Obviously, with the boat sinking and getting lost at sea, that was a big moment in my life that shaped me a little bit. I’ve also gained a lot of experience through traveling, life and work, and that led to me to where I am now and what I’m doing, and I just couldn’t be happier.” Regarding his future plans, he stated, “To just keep on working on what I’m doing. Working with the firefighter calendar, working on the job. Yeah, just keep working on my passions, and my skills, and everything I love doing on the side as well. I do a lot of surfing, fishing, and training.” On the title of the current chapter of his life, Morris revealed, “Mindfulness.” “I don’t really have a title, to be honest,” he said. “I am just trying to live every day as it comes, and enjoy the moment,” he explained. When asked about his superpower of choice, he responded, “Well, that’s a very hard one. It would either be to fly, to breathe underwater, or to teleport.” “I would probably teleport, because then you could teleport anywhere anyway, so that’d be pretty cool,” he admitted. On his favorite track and field event, he said, “I love sprinting. I love running but not super long distances. I think I would do a 400 meter sprint or something like that. I was actually very good even though I’m not the tallest guy.” “Also, I was actually very good at high jump at school, surprisingly,” he added. His favorite strokes in swimming are the breaststroke and the freestyle. “While I didn’t really love the breaststroke, I did win a lot of races in school, so that was fun,” he recalled. “I do love spearfishing and freediving.” Regarding his definition of the word success, Morris said, “Success means just living a meaningful life, you know, living with people that you love, doing things that you love every day, loving your job, and loving the people around you.” “Also, having good relationships. I think that’s key,” he underscored. “It doesn’t matter where you are in the world. If you’re not with the right people, then you’re not going to have a good time,” he noted. For his fans and supporters, he expressed, “I mean, I’m super new to all this, so I don’t think I have a very big following or a lot of fans as of yet, but I just want to say, ‘thank you so much.’ I love you all and I appreciate the support, and everyone’s been so friendly and nice to me so far, and it has just made my journey so much easier.” Morris concluded about the 2026 Australian Firefighters Calendar. “I would love to do more covers,” he said with a sweet laugh. “No, just being with the calendar and traveling with the boys and everything, that’s enough for me, you know. I don’t really care what cover I make it on, or where I go,” he clarified. “It’s just the whole experience and being able to travel around and support good causes and things like that. I really like to help people. It’s a great thing,” he acknowledged. Helen Keller once said: “The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched — they must be felt with the heart.” Jimmy Morris embodies this wise quote. To learn more about the Australian Firefighters Calendar, visit its  official website , and follow its  Instagram page .

Photography: Jeremy David Actor Orion Smith spoke with #Powerjournalist Markos Papadatos about starring in the supernatural horror movie “The Conjuring: Last Rites,” where he plays Young Ed (Patrick Wilson played the older version of the character). The movie will be in theaters on September 5th. Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson reunite for one last case as renowned, real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren in a new spine-chilling addition to the global box office-breaking franchise. On being a part of “The Conjuring,” Smith said, “It was super cool! The whole process from the very beginning was crazy! Going through the audition process and the callback process was intense.” “Then, we went to England and it was a new experience, especially meeting Michael Chaves and Patrick Wilson; it was all incredible things,” he added. On playing Young Ed, he remarked, “I liked how trusting and loving he is, which seems kind of weird for a horror movie. I spoke with Patrick Wilson about the character and all those things. It was such an interesting concept because Lorraine is a clairvoyant, but Ed is not.” “So, there is a lot of trust in Ed with Lorraine. He trusts her and follows her wherever she leads, and I think that is beautiful and a huge aspect of who the character is,” he noted. On working with Patrick Wilson and Madison Lawlor , he said, “Patrick is simply incredible.” Smith continued, “working with Madison was great; she and I met right before the callback. We were the only two people that were called back. In the waiting room, we were already going through the beats of the scenes, we spoke about the characters, and building our relationships. It was pretty much an immediate click.” “Even in the crazy scenes we were there for each other, which was really nice,” he added. On the lessons learned from “The Conjuring” screenplay, he reflected, “I learned that through the worst of it, you can still be a good person. Also, no matter how intense and dark things get, as long as you hold on to the ones that you love, it will be okay.” Regarding his future plans, he shared, “I want to continue pursuing acting. I’ve got a great management team and PR team, and we are all working together. I am looking forward to what the future holds.” “I am also doing material arts now. I can do my own stunts and spinning kicks now, so hopefully, I can do some action movies,” he added. On being an actor in the digital age, he said, “It feels different. I think the feeling of people going to watch this on their phone is always a question in the back of my mind, because when you do something with so much effort that you put into a single shot on camera, it takes hours and hours of effort and lots of money and everything.” “So, it’s sad to think that so many details will be missed if it’ll be on a three-inch screen,” he observed. “It feels bad that the theaters aren’t more appreciated. So, I hope people are able to appreciate this movie or any big movies on the big screen with other people and just enjoy the festivity of the whole thing,” he added. Smith had kind words on actress Sofia Masson .  “I had the good fortune to work with Sofia Masson on the movie ‘On the Run’ and she is amazing,” he said. “It was so great to work together. I think she is just incredible, and she is going places.” On the title of the current chapter of his life, Smith revealed, “Progress.” “I think right now really feels like a big, expansive moment in my career and in myself. I think I’ve grown so much since filming this, and I think I’ve found so much progress,” he explained. If Smith were to have any superpower, it would be to “pause time.” “I would like to pause time and then read an entire book… so by the time I un-pause time, I would know the entire book. That would be sweet,” he said with a sweet laugh. Regarding his definition of the word success, Smith stated, “Success means being satisfied with who you are and where you are.” For fans and viewers, Smith expressed about the film “The Conjuring: Last Rites,” “I want the fans to feel excitement!” “I want them to be excited and to feel not only the thrill of so many different movies coming to this big thing and all the Easter eggs of the old movies coming forward, but also excitement for the characters, and for where they are, and seeing more into their lives and deeper into who they are,” he explained. For more information on actor Orion Smith, follow him on Instagram , IMDB .

Photography: Alan Weissman Michelle Clunie on 'Teen Wolf', 'Queer as Folk', and the Digital Age On being a part of “Teen Wolf,” she exclaimed, “It was a great experience. I loved working with all those kids; it’s a great group and they are very talented. I also loved playing a teacher in ‘Teen Wolf’ because prior to that, I had never been old enough to play a teacher.” “Jeff Davis, the showrunner, is lovely and he threw this great scene at me, which was very emotional, and I just ran with it. I had just given birth right before that, so all my emotions were alive. Overall, ‘Teen Wolf’ was a great experience,” she elaborated. “I feel that I’ve been very lucky to be able to work with great people. I’ve worked with some many people that I love and cherish, and that’s a nice thing to be able to say in Hollywood,” she expanded. Clunie described “Queer as Folk,” where she played Melanie Marcus, as a “life-changing experience.” “To this day, we all get letters from young people discovering themselves, and they tell us that the show has saved their lives, and that means so much to me,” she explained. “I loved my character, Melanie. I had so much fun playing her, and it was just thrilling,” she noted. “Doing it was revolutionary. Melanie was the first full-time series regular lesbian on television. She was also this woman who didn’t care what men thought about her and that was revolutionary in and of itself for that time.” “So, I cherish not only the show but the community that was built around the show,” she said. “We were a show that had to come out strong because it was the first of its kind. Who knew if Showtime was going to go all the way with it?” “We were very adamant as a cast and with the producers that we were going to go just as far, if not further than the English version, and we did. The fact that I made people feel less alone means everything to me,” she acknowledged. “The fans showed up and they kept us on the air, and without them, we wouldn’t have lasted past the first season. We were a very quirky show that was risky. I think of it as the ‘people’s show,’ and they kept us on the air for five years, and that was incredible.” “Thanks to that show, the L word (lesbian) was greenlit. I got to play the first out-of-the-closet full-time lesbian character. I met my cast, and we are all soulmates; we will be together until the end. ‘Queer as Folk’ was just amazing, and the show truly is the gift that keeps on giving,” she added. On being a part of the digital age, Clunie shared, “I think it’s interesting. I don’t think I’ve mastered the digital age, but I enjoy it. My mother is 92 years old, and she has an email address, and she texts me. She is very tech savvy for someone who is 92.” “I take my cues from her,” Clunie admitted. “I think social media can be used in a lot of great ways, and I try to do that.” On the title of the current chapter of her life, Clunie said with a sweet laugh, “To Be Continued…” Clunie defined success as “loving what you do, and you doing it with a passion.” “This way, you just keep going because you love the work, and I feel that’s a great motto to live by,” she said. For fans and viewers, she expressed, “I want the audience to experience human connection, and I want them to walk out of there filled with the beauty of human connection. That is what the play is about, and I think that is what life is about.” “Especially now with AI (artificial intelligence) and technology, we need that human connection more than ever,” she concluded. To learn more about Michelle Clunie, follow her on   Instagram   and visit her  official website , IMDB