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Photography: Glen Wilson Michael, a sprawling and heavily scrutinized biographical drama directed by Antoine Fuqua. It delivers a brutal, brilliant, and triumphant portrait of the King of Pop. On the red carpet for the global premiere, a united Jackson family front flashed under the paparazzi bulbs. Prince and Bigi stood sharp in modern tailoring, flanking veterans like Jackie, Marlon, and Jermaine. The financial backing of the film bleeds through every frame, with industry estimates placing the budget near two hundred million dollars. The initial box office return of two hundred seventeen million dollars and a ninety-six percent audience approval rating confirm what the studio banked on: the world still hungers for Michael. Ryan Hill as Tito Jackson,Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson and Tre' Horton as Marlon Jackson in Michael. Photography: Glen Wilson for Lionsgate The weight of the narrative rests heavily on twenty-nine-year-old Jaafar Jackson. The nephew steps into his uncle's silhouette with an eerie, magnetic precision. He captures the soft-spoken vulnerability and the titanium-forged stage presence without slipping into cheap imitation. Sharing the burden is Juliano Krue Valdi, who plays the child prodigy with a raw, kinetic energy that grounds the early years. Together, they build a cohesive portrait of a life lived entirely under the blinding glare of public scrutiny. Coleman Domingo as Joe Jackson in Michael. Photography: Glen Wilson for Lionsgate Colman Domingo plays Joe Jackson with terrifying gravity. The heartbreak of the belt pounding on a young Michael evokes a deep, visceral empathy, laying bare the profound suffering inflicted by his father. This pain, juxtaposed with the complex backstory of rejoining the Jackson Five, offers a glimpse into intimate moments fiercely guarded for decades. Yet, the tension breaks brilliantly when needed. The room erupted in unanimous laughter during the scene where Michael fires his father via a simple fax - a quiet, devastatingly effective moment of independence. Nia Long brings a vital, grounding tenderness as the matriarch, while Miles Teller provides the fast-talking corporate armor as attorney John Branca. Judah Edwards as Young Tito, jalen Hunter, as young Marlon, Giuliano Valdi as Young MJ, Nathanial McIntyre as Young Jackie and Jaden Harville as Young Jermaine in Michael. Photography: Courtesy of Lionsgate Beyond the stage, the film constructs a portrait of a profound visionary. During the Thriller era recreation, Michael is shown as endlessly pleasant and dignified, a stark contrast to the demanding industry around him. His genuine dedication to visiting children in hospitals deepens the tragedy of his own shattered youth. And then there is Bubbles. The beloved chimpanzee is rendered in CGI, but the audience surrendered to collective aww moments regardless, proving the enduring charm of Michael's eccentric orbit. For a person who was never a big fan of Michael, the emotional weight of these scenes is entirely disarming. Watching this shattered childhood reconstructed on screen nearly brought me to tears on three separate occasions. The magic of Michael gets into you after knowing him closer. Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in Michael. Photography: Kevin Mazur/Lionsgate For the style-obsessed, the wardrobe is a standalone masterpiece. Costume designer Marci Rodgers compiled an eight-hundred-page research book to rebuild every look from the ground up. The saturated red leather, the heavy metallic zippers, the authentic Swarovski crystals, and the classic Levi's denim are all reproduced with obsessive exactness. This meticulous wardrobe is already bleeding onto the streets. The standout is the black suit paired with a deep red armband - worn exactly on the left bicep. It is a razor-sharp look anchored by a slim black tie and flawless midnight tailoring. It serves as a powerful cultural signal, transitioning seamlessly from a premiere velvet rope to the sharpest events of the season. Miles Teller as John Branca and Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in Michael. Photography: Courtesy of Lionsgate Antoine Fuqua treats the material with reverence but keeps the pacing ruthless. The director masterfully captures the sheer magnitude of the stage through the eyes of Michael as a child. The audience can viscerally feel the crushing exposure of those massive platforms, understanding instantly that such a vast, echoing space demanded to be filled with relentless, authentic motion. Dion Beebe's cinematography shifts dynamically from the grainy nostalgia of Gary, Indiana, to the neon gloss of the high-pop era. Production designer Barbara Ling rebuilds history with staggering scale, particularly the colossal Motown and Wembley stages. The onscreen resurrection is so startlingly precise that family members at the global premiere expressed sheer disbelief, noting that it felt as though Michael himself was radiating directly from the screen. Tying the emotional journey together is Lior Rosner's score. The music operates as a lush, sweeping homage, connecting to Michael's catalog on a slower tempo that beautifully underscores the tragedy and the triumph. Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson and Director Antoine Fuqua on the set of MICHAEL. Photography: Glen Wilson for Lionsgate Behind the camera, the editing process required its own monumental effort. Antoine Fuqua’s original assembly cut reportedly spanned over four hours, but the final release arrives at a tightly paced 130 minutes. This significant restructuring was guided by specific legal and narrative boundaries. A planned third act covering the nineties was removed after the production and the Jackson estate navigated previous legal agreements restricting certain historical subjects. To keep the story focused, the team completed additional shoots, concluding the timeline gracefully in 1988 around the Bad album and the Victory tour. While these adjustments meant leaving certain performances in the editing bay - such as Kat Graham’s portrayal of Diana Ross - it leaves the door open for the future. Industry sources suggest the studio is holding the preserved material close, with quiet discussions already circulating about a potential second film to cover the later chapters of his career. The film succeeds because it leans entirely into the undeniable genius and the barrier-breaking artistry that permanently altered global culture. It is an immaculately constructed piece of cinema that gives the audience exactly what they crave: a front-row seat to undisputed musical royalty.

At forty-six, Kevin Robert McNally made a quiet, staggering gamble. After decades as a working actor on British television, he deliberately paused the steady flow of regional roles that had long paid the bills, holding out hope that a Hollywood opportunity might materialize. The gamble paid off with the arrival of a galleon called the Black Pearl. As the superstitious, fiercely loyal quartermaster Joshamee Gibbs, he secured a permanent place in the upper echelons of global cinema. Yet, the man behind the iconic, weather-beaten visage possesses a depth that extends far beyond the Caribbean horizon. Born in Bristol and raised in the industrial hum of Birmingham, his early ambitions pointed toward the heavens. Up until the age of ten, while participating in school plays, he harbored a fierce desire to become an astrophysicist. He later confessed, wielding a characteristic self-deprecating wit, that his abilities in science were somewhat more restricted than his natural talent for the stage. Recognizing this reality before entirely committing to academia saved audiences a great deal of grief, though astronomy remains a passionate hobby. This analytical mindset heavily informs his approach to character work. He dissects a script with precision, finding the hidden connective tissue between the words. Professional reality began at the tender age of sixteen at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre. This early immersion was a baptism by fire, placing a teenager squarely among seasoned professionals in the grueling world of regional stagecraft. The raw talent displayed there earned a highly coveted scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. The hallowed halls of this institution are designed to strip away bad habits and forge actors of unparalleled discipline. His commanding stage presence was officially recognized with the prestigious Best Actor Bancroft Gold Medal upon graduation, a career-defining accolade that opened the most exclusive doors in British drama. Television offered an immediate canvas for this classical training. He appeared in the culturally defining adaptation of the epic saga surrounding the Roman Empire, holding his own among established heavyweights. A regular role in a windswept historical romance series set in Cornwall swiftly followed. These roles demanded distinct physical grace and a deep understanding of historical context. Simultaneously, international cinema came calling. A big-screen debut in the jet-setting world of the James Bond franchise provided a first taste of the massive, meticulously styled sets of a global film production. A completely different creative impulse bubbled beneath the surface of the acting accolades. Possessing a sharply literary mind, he explored the complex art of screenwriting. Teaming up with a writing partner, he penned intricate scripts for phenomenally successful British television series. Adopting the unassuming pseudonym Kevin Sperring, he co-authored multiple episodes for an incredibly popular comedy-drama focused on the London underworld, along with contributing to a beloved series about a rugged former fireman. Crafting the dialogue that other actors would speak fundamentally deepened his understanding of how a scene is constructed from the ground up. This literary footprint recently expanded into the realm of science fiction with the publication of his novel, Sons of Sol. When the cinematic pirate craze dawned, the trajectory of his career shifted permanently. Sporting impeccably distressed, heavily layered maritime costumes, he brought Joshamee Gibbs to vivid life, becoming the emotional anchor of a multi-billion-dollar cinematic phenomenon. He holds the rare distinction of appearing in every single installment of the five-film juggernaut. When pressed by reporters about the surreal experience of playing a beloved pirate on such a massive scale, he noted it was exactly the same as playing a pirate as a child, only with significantly better, much more expensive toys. He has since brought this rugged vocal presence to the animated epic The Wingfeather Saga, voicing a grizzled ex-pirate grandfather. The true essence of his character is found in the quiet moments of domesticity. During the filming of an emotionally charged television production, he crossed paths with the Scottish actress Phyllis Logan. She had sworn off dating actors, convinced the profession bred terminal vanity. Yet, the connection proved undeniable. The couple built a life far removed from the glare of the paparazzi, raising a blended family that includes their son David, alongside his daughter Rachel and stepson Peter. They purposefully crafted a grounded, culturally rich lifestyle in the leafy London enclave of Chiswick, remaining heavily involved in the artistic fabric of their local community. The complex dynamic of a two-actor household requires immense emotional intelligence. They intimately understand the chaotic shooting schedules and the unique pressures of public scrutiny. She has noted that he is her closest confidant, emphasizing the non-negotiable importance of maintaining daily communication, even if that vital connection simply involves discussing mundane domestic details like organizing the car tax. Their professional lives occasionally intersect directly on screen. When he returned home to announce he had landed a role on her massively successful aristocratic drama series, her immediate reaction was one of playful horror, joking that it was embarrassing and akin to bringing one's husband to work. They recently delighted audiences by appearing together in the Channel 5 crime series Murder Most Puzzling, where he playfully portrayed a charming suitor attempting to woo her character. Driven by a relentless creative appetite, he recently commanded the high-pressure environment of the director's chair. A directorial debut came in the form of a stylish short film with a dark, supernatural theme, born after a student presented a captivating script during a global lockdown. He found immense joy in the absolute creative control the demanding role afforded him. Having worked with a dizzying array of directors throughout an extensive career, he brought invaluable observational knowledge to his own process, noting with amusing bluntness that an actor often learns significantly more from observing the disastrous mistakes of bad directors than from watching the smooth operations of good ones. His appetite for complex narratives continues unabated, as he is slated to appear in the upcoming 2026 international psychological thriller Island, playing a debt collector navigating a world of deception and artificial intelligence. He operates with a fading old-world charm seamlessly fused with the demanding technical requirements of the modern Hollywood machine. For those observing the rapidly shifting tides of the global entertainment industry, figures like McNally offer a rare, grounded authenticity. He represents a foundation built on raw talent, grueling discipline, and a relentless passion for storytelling. In an era obsessed with fleeting virality, his enduring body of work proves that authentic theatrical brilliance remains impossible to ignore. You can follow Kevin R. McNally on Instagram , IMDb .

Photography: Markos Papadatos This journalist had the chance to dine at The Great Greek restaurant in Sherman Oaks, California. From the moment you walk in, the atmosphere of The Great Greek feels warm, welcoming, and vibrant—as if you’ve stepped into a neighborhood spot somewhere along the Ionian Sea. Appetizers The food is the real star here. Everything tastes incredibly fresh, from the healthy Greek salads loaded with briny olives and creamy feta to the perfectly seasoned gyro meat that is tender, juicy, and packed with flavor. As an appetizer, the “Golden Batter Kalamaria” was a solid selection, and it tasted crispy and smooth. Even the simple dishes shine because the ingredients are so clearly high quality… simple yet rich in flavors and traditions. Whoever is unfamiliar with the Greek and Mediterranean cuisine in Los Angeles, ought to give The Great Greek more than a passing glance. Main Courses As an entrée, the Char-Broiled Sirloin Filet Beef Kebab “Souvlaki” are grilled just right, with a smoky char that pairs beautifully with their bright, and fresh tzatziki sauce. The Hellenic Plate Specialties can be accompanied with Greek style rice pilaf, fresh vegetables, soup, Greek salad, oven-roasted lemon potatoes or French fries (“patates tiganites,” as they say in Greek). Traditional Greek dishes One of the highlights is their balance of authenticity, nostalgia, and comfort. The menu offers classic Greek traditional staples that are done just right - their moussaka, spanakopita (spinach pie), and fluffy grilled pita bread that is ideal for dipping in hummus or skordalia (Greek garlic sauce) or tzatziki sauce. Portions are generous without feeling overwhelming, making it easy to share a few dishes around the table. Service deserves a special shoutout. The wait staff are genuinely friendly, attentive without hovering, and happy to recommend favorites if you’re unsure what to order. You get the sense that they really care about the experience, not just getting people in and out. It is neat to watch them sizzle the “Saganaki” cheese. Desserts At The Great Greek, one should not skip dessert. Their Galaktobureko (Greek custard pie) and Baklava are both scrumptious… especially, the Baklava, with its honey-soaked layers consisting of just the right amount of sweetness. In the walls of The Great Greek, one will see portraits of the heroes and most influential figures from the Greek War of Independence (of 1821). The live entertainment (Greek music and dancing) helps elevate it to a higher level. Photography: Markos Papadatos Photography: Markos Papadatos Debbie Matenopoulos on The Great Greek Emmy-nominated and Greek American TV host Debbie Matenopoulos  remarked, “The ambiance at The Great Greek is really good! The owner, Dionisi, is incredible and the Greek food here is absolutely delicious.” The Verdict All in all, The Great Greek in Sherman Oaks delivers everything you want in a Mediterranean restaurant: fresh ingredients, bold flavors, generous portions, and warm hospitality. The flavors, textures and ingredients of the Greek cuisine are evident in the best way possible. If you’re craving authentic Greek and Mediterranean flavors in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, The Great Greek in Sherman Oaks is an absolute gem. Whether you’re grabbing a quick gyro or settling in for a full dinner with friends, it’s a place you’ll want to come back to again and again. It earns an A rating. Opa! To learn more about The Great Greek in Sherman Oaks, visit its official homepage , and follow its Instagram page .

Photography: Juan Martin, Dress Designer: Pablo Erroz On this special edition, star Karla Sofía Gascón sits down for an exclusive interview to share an unvarnished look at her creative process. Following her acclaimed performance in Emilia Pérez  and ahead of the Italian comedy Scuola di seduzione , Gascón opens up about the rigorous demands of dual roles, the vulnerability of singing on screen, and the deep emotional connection she builds with her characters. You fought hard during the casting process, doing numerous tests to convince Jacques Audiard that you could play both Emilia and Manitas. When approaching a dual role with such immense psychological depth, what is the very first step in your internal acting process to separate those two identities before stepping onto the set? “It was a complicated process because there was a predisposition for me to only play the female part of the character,” Gascón admitted, reflecting on the arduous casting journey. “But I believed it was a mistake to use two people to portray the same character, and for me it felt like giving away half of my performance.” She paused, a quiet confidence settling over her features. “I think that from the very beginning, Jacques and I had a strong connection-he understood perfectly that it would be very difficult to find an actress or actor capable of portraying that character across its entire range. But I believe he realized from the start that they had found that person.” “And that’s where the answer to your question lies,” the actress explained gently. “There is no separation between the two sides. The character simply hides their truth in different ways and shows the part they want in order to deceive the world around them. But deep down, they are just someone running away from their own reality.” Photography: Marco Rossi You have been beautifully honest about your initial hesitation toward the musical genre and how you had to get over the hurdle of not wanting to sing. How did Audiard’s specific directorial style help you find your voice and build the confidence to sing through such intense emotional beats? “In reality, I’m quite exaggerated, and I really enjoy laughing at my own circumstances, so there’s always a touch of irony in what I say,” she shared with a warm laugh. “I do like singing, actually-it’s just that my training has never been focused on that genre or on dancing, but I do have a very good ear.” Detailing the technical compromises made on set, Gascón noted, “My strength lies in the emotion I bring to songs, to what I do; that’s why I felt more confident with less technique and more heart. If it had been entirely up to me, I would have kept the versions that were in less suitable keys and not as well sung, but that carried greater emotional depth for the character.” “We had to find a balance, and for that they worked with me for a long time, so that I could adapt to the songs and they could, as much as possible, adapt to my voice,” she elaborated. “Since I had surgery on my vocal cords, my singing range has decreased, and perhaps it’s more difficult for me now to reach or move between certain keys. But in the end, I think the result is beautiful.” Photography: Marco Rossi Following your historic success, you recently had the chance to meet cinematic idols like Harrison Ford and Mark Hamill. How do the legendary artists you admire shape your own approach to storytelling and character development on set? “It’s inevitable that the artists you followed in your childhood, throughout your life, the ones you admired, end up influencing what you do later on,” she mused thoughtfully. “But this is true of anything that happens around you-everything shapes the way you approach a character and the way you relate to it.” “In the end, what you realize is that we’re all people,” Gascón continued, “and we share the same problems and feelings, the same qualities and flaws, which show up to different degrees depending on each moment and each person’s circumstances.” She smiled, pointing to a specific cinematic reference. “It’s true that certain ways of approaching things, speaking, or particular mannerisms stay with you. In my case, in my performances, I always try to take something from those figures I admired. For example, in Manitas , there’s a lot of Sylvester Stallone in Rambo . I always try to make sure it doesn’t become a parody, but rather to capture what’s interesting about those characters you’ve seen and incorporate it into your own work.” “You don’t always get the chance, but when you do, I think it adds a very beautiful touch of grace,” she concluded. “It really connects with the audience, because there’s something they recognize as familiar, even if they can’t quite identify what it is.” Having built a career that spans from intense Mexican telenovelas to a Cannes-winning auteur production, what is the most vital piece of acting methodology you would share with young performers trying to find their authentic voice? “There’s a technique called Meisner that is one of my favorites,” Gascón offered generously, “but it has much more to do with being present, with the moment, with truly living what you’re experiencing, and above all, being yourself.” Leaning in, she delivered her most distilled piece of wisdom: “If there’s anything I could offer as advice, it would be the power of the present moment.” Photography: Juan Martin Shifting to your work with Carlo Verdone on Scuola di seduzione , you mentioned he taught you about calm, pause, patience, and a different kind of comedy. How does his distinctly Italian directorial approach fundamentally change the way you build your comedic timing? “At the beginning, anything that doesn’t fit with your own essence creates a kind of rejection-even a physical one, not just mental,” she revealed honestly. “And I think that’s the biggest mistake any actor or actress can make: not being like a sponge, not allowing other techniques and emotions to pass through you.” “We can’t be a shield, because otherwise we wouldn’t be able to reflect other people’s feelings on screen-we would only be able to portray ourselves, which doesn’t seem very interesting to me.” Reflecting on her artistic growth, she added, “That’s why, the older I get, the more receptive I become to listening to what others have to say, and instead of rejecting it, I try to incorporate it in a way that benefits the character. In this case, I think it helped me build a very different character from those I had played before, with pauses that I would never have been able to draw from my own experience, because my own nature tends to lean more toward immediacy.” Acting in a foreign language inherently alters an actor's rhythm. How did performing in Italian force you to discover new tools in your acting arsenal, and what can other actors learn from this linguistic challenge? “More than an advantage for me, I see it as an advantage for the director and the screenwriter,” Gascón observed. “Since in a language I don’t know it’s harder for me to adapt the scripts to my own style, and I’m the one who adapts more as an actress to what’s written.” “When you master a language, you tend to do the opposite-you start changing the text so it fits your way of speaking, so it feels more natural,” she explained. “But when you’re working in a language that isn’t your own, you don’t have that freedom. At the same time, though, you gain the advantage of sticking closely to a text that you end up understanding very deeply, because you have to go over every single line again and again at home to grasp its true meaning.” “In a way, it can even become a deeper kind of work,” she pointed out. “That’s what happened to me with this film in Italian, and it also happened with a western I shot earlier in English, which will be released at the end of this year-a wonderful project called Trinidad , in which my character is entirely in English. I had to let myself be guided by others and not rely solely on my instinct and my own sense of knowledge.” “So you end up learning new things by necessity and stepping out of your comfort zone. I think that’s an advantage.” Ortensia is described as an unconventional love coach who uses a mix of madness and tenderness, including exercises like rock climbing and video cameras, to help her clients. As an actor, how do you physically prepare for a comedic role that requires such an eclectic and active teaching method on screen? “For me, working in comedy is a lot of fun-it gives you much more freedom to play with reality and allows you, in many moments, to step away from the seriousness of a scene,” she shared enthusiastically. “Eccentric moments, especially, take away some of the heaviness and weight from sequences, and it’s a very rewarding kind of work for an actor.” “Not everyone feels comfortable in comedy, but for me it’s one of my comfort zones,” Gascón confessed. “Even in moments that might feel more exaggerated-moments that, as an actress, you might see as overly histrionic-there’s something inside you that says: don’t take it so seriously, it’s a game. And after all, what is acting if not playing at being someone else?” Photography: Marco Rossi You carried an immense singular weight in your last dramatic role, but Scuola di seduzione  is a brilliant ensemble piece. How does your creative process shift when you are bouncing energy off a large cast of interconnected characters? “I work for the actor in front of me, and I also draw from what they give me,” she stated plainly, illuminating her collaborative spirit. “I think it’s much harder when you have to act on your own, when you don’t have anyone to play off or connect with. Having a great cast around you is a fundamental part of your growth as an actor.” “I’ve been fortunate to always have people in front of me from whom I could learn many things,” she reflected warmly. “An actor’s generosity toward their colleagues is equal to their greatness as a performer. The greater you are, the less you should hold back for yourself and the more you can share with others,” Gascón declared with determination. “And that’s something that ensures the success of any project.” Having worked in Italian television during the 1990s on programs like Solletico , returning to Rome to film Scuola di seduzione  must have been a fascinating full-circle moment. How has the Italian entertainment industry evolved since your early career, and what surprised you the most upon your return to the set? “It’s incredible how life moves you-how it takes you, brings you back, and returns you to places in different ways,” she observed with a quiet reverence for the journey. “I’ve been fortunate enough to work in many countries, to immerse myself in different cultures, and to share and grow from all of them.” “Italy is a country I deeply admire and love,” Gascón declared. “In my youth it gave me so much, and it’s also a beautiful place to film and work in. Italy has been the cradle of cinema-it has given us incredible directors and works, and it continues to delight us.” Addressing the shifts in the industry, she continued, “I don’t think the seriousness with which people work there has changed. Of course, the 1990s were a different time, when perhaps we even had more freedom in the way we worked. Now, I think Italy is trying to reclaim the important place it has held in the world of cinema, and which it will with certainty regain at some point.” “Italy is home to some of the most prestigious film festivals, where many of the most awarded films each year emerge, and it has a deep-rooted connection to the art of cinema. I’m immensely happy to be part of its history, even in a small way.” Photography: Marco Rossi After experiencing such a historic evolution in your craft over the last two years, what is the single most important lesson you have learned about your own artistic resilience that you will carry into your next role? “I’m already immersed in my next character-we’re starting a new film in Latin America,” she teased, her eyes brightening at the prospect of new work. “And it’s true that, in one way or another, what you’ve recently lived through always finds its way into the character.” “I think I’ve learned the importance of being yourself, of being at peace with yourself, of laughing at yourself,” she affirmed softly. “And above all, of understanding that what others say does not define you-what defines you is your soul. And if your soul is clear and your conscience is at ease, no one can harm you.” Closing the interview with a powerful message of hope, Gascón offered a final thought: “You have to move forward through the darkest moments. There is a lot of malice in the world, and when you are someone who is judged unfairly, you realize that hate leads nowhere-and that there is only one way to face it: with love. And this will be very present in my next character.” With a lingering smile, she added, “May the Force be with us, and may goodness stay with us always-and ultimately triumph over darkness.” You can follow Karla Sofía Gascón on Instagram , IMDb .

The water in the practice pool at San Jose State is cold at dawn. Long before the California sun crests the horizon, Andreea Dragoi is already submerged, tracking the black line painted on the bottom of the pool. She moves with a brutal, metronomic efficiency. The butterfly stroke is a war of attrition against your own lactic acid, and she has been fighting this physical battle since she was six years old back in Bucharest, Romania. She grew up matching strokes in the grueling Eastern European club system alongside future world record holders like David Popovici. That specific environment does not coddle young athletes. It builds an emotional callus that makes the unbearable daily routine feel completely normal, forging a psychological resilience that she carries into every room she enters. This singular focus brought her across the globe to compete at the highest levels of American collegiate athletics. The transition to the United States was jarring, as the collegiate system demands exhausting travel schedules and intense conference showdowns. She leaned into the heaviest events on the board - the butterfly and the individual medley. She hit elite times, qualified for national championships, and established herself as a vital artery of the Spartans' roster. But the human body eventually demands a toll. A dislocated kneecap and a partially torn anterior cruciate ligament forced her out of the water and into the quiet, isolating reality of the rehabilitation room. For an athlete defined entirely by forward motion, stillness is agonizing. Dragoi chose to examine the mechanics of her own pain. She plunged into the study of kinesiology and sports management, determined to deeply understand the science of her recovery. That painful physical detour evolved into a passionate, vocal advocacy for women entering STEM fields. During her recovery, she stepped onto a completely different stage. She entered the national beauty pageant circuit. She navigated the panel interviews, the intense staging, and the unforgiving aesthetic scrutiny to capture titles like Miss San Jose US Nation, Miss California US Nation, and eventually Miss Ambassador US Nation. She recognized immediately that a crown commands an audience. She leveraged her titles to fight for equitable access to swim lessons for children with disabilities, a philanthropic instinct she first developed while volunteering at an orphanage in her native country. The high fashion world took notice of her commanding presence. Casting directors in Miami and New York placed her on their runways, favoring her undeniable cardiovascular vitality over the frail aesthetic of past decades. She walked for eco-conscious labels like Origin of Oceans, intentionally aligning her image with sustainable, handcrafted fashion that respects the environment. Far removed from the flashbulbs of Swim Week, she is currently immersed in a rigorous Master of Business Administration program heavily focused on corporate and municipal finance.   Following a career open house hosted by the City of San Jose, she authored a reflection that stripped away the glamour to reveal a deeply pragmatic intellect. She noted a fundamental difference between private enterprise and public service. While corporate roles relentlessly pursue profit maximization, she found herself drawn to municipal finance, where the ultimate goal is sustainable urban growth and tangible community impact. She identified how advanced coursework in Business Law and Supply Chain Management directly translates to the technical reality of civic budgeting, compliance, and resource allocation. She is methodically planning a transition into public administration, intent on utilizing her economic expertise to generate lasting value for the community. Back inside the natatorium, she continues to drop time. As a senior, she anchored relay teams that shattered decade-old school records and individually obliterated the two-minute barrier in the grueling two-hundred-yard individual medley. The head coach at San Jose State frequently points to her as the cultural cornerstone of the program, praising her academic rigor and fierce philanthropic advocacy. She moves between the brutal exhaustion of the pool, the high-stakes pressure of the runway, and the complex calculus of municipal finance with absolute intentionality. She dictates the terms of her own reality, moving flawlessly from the starting block to the boardroom. You can follow Andreea Dragoi on her Social Media .

Photography by Johnny Ghosts, Makeup by Fiona Connon In a candid and wide-ranging discussion, Hollywood Hills Magazine Co-Founder Ariel Lavi sits down with Jonathan Rhys Meyers to explore the raw reality behind his most recent roles. You were deep in the Thai jungle for Eyes in the Trees, covered in mud and heat. At a certain point in that humidity, does the "acting" stop and the sheer survival instinct of the character just take over? "When you are working on a project like Eyes in the Trees - which is obviously set on an island in the Pacific - the atmosphere plays a huge role," Meyers began, reflecting on the immersive nature of the shoot. "It is not stated which island it is, but the fact that it is hot, uncomfortable, and muddy only adds to the feeling you have to portray as an actor. "It is actually beneficial to be uncomfortable," he continued. "That discomfort helps you to perform in a more realistic, authentic way. You simply would not get that same feeling if you shot it in a backlot studio in Malibu or the Hollywood Hills. You will not get that same feeling from the artifice." He paused, considering the balance between reality and film magic. "Obviously, there has to be a certain amount of artifice because it is a film, and that is what makes it interesting. However, the discomfort becomes a character in itself. When you carry that with you, it makes your movements slower; it makes your skin slightly more moist and uncomfortable. That physical state helps when you are performing. In between takes, it is a nightmare, but that is okay." I know a few people from your film Eyes in the Trees, Natalie Burn for example. "Oh, yes, Natalie," he said with a smile. "I was very fond of Natalie. And I found her to be a very comfortable person to work with." Photography by Johnny Ghosts, Makeup by Fiona Connon Acting opposite Sir Anthony Hopkins is intimidating, but his power often lies in what he doesn't do. Did you find yourself having to quiet your own performance to meet the terrifying stillness he brings to Dr. Addis? "This is the second time I have worked with Tony Hopkins," Meyers noted, recalling his early career. "It was a strange experience because I worked with him when I was younger - I was 22 - on Titus Andronicus with Julie Taymor in Rome. It was Shakespeare, and I had a very different relationship with him than the characters have in this film. So, it was quite interesting. Obviously, his Dr. Addis is quite intimidating. All our performances were done via video monitors as he spoke to me. "It felt like he was almost narrating my fear," he explained. "As he spoke, my character was drawn deeper into his world. It was as if he was reading a story that we were performing. He is acting in it, but it is almost as if he is imagining a dark, Wizard of Oz-type character who is operating this terrible situation for everybody. "Anthony Hopkins does wonderful work. It is always interesting to work with somebody who has that amount of capability; you cannot help but learn. It is always an education. You learn how to do things you thought you knew properly, and then realize there are different, more complete ways to do them," he added humbly. "I find that as an actor - and I have been doing this for over 30 years - I know less about acting now than when I started, but I am more interested in knowing about it now." The Island of Doctor Moreau is a cautionary tale about science without ethics. Playing a journalist witnessing these genetic horrors, did the script make you look at our real-world tech advancements with a bit more suspicion? "Yes, but not only the tech advancement," he argued, expanding the scope of the conversation. "The greater 'macro world' is moving toward a single civilization, aiming to become energy efficient and interstellar. I think this is the goal. However, this project touches on the fact that no matter what humans achieve, they will always try to push toward the realms of perfection. So, the lack of ethics in Moreau's experimentations touches not only on technology but on our obsession with physical perfection and plastic surgery. "How far does that go before we start turning ourselves into monsters?" he mused. "How far does it go until we stop changing just our faces and start changing our genetic code to be something else? What gets born of our pursuit of perfection? Sometimes you look at people who have gone to extremes of plastic surgery, and they almost look like creatures that Moreau could have made, but we are doing it to ourselves. "I think this issue leads to a more interesting question than just technology: the human desire to manipulate their own physical form in pursuit of perfection, bliss, and almost a 'godlike' appearance. Eventually, we cross an invisible line from 'beauty' to 'monster.' From this perspective, I think this represents Dr. Addis: in the pursuit of genetic perfection, you create monsters." He elaborated on the unpredictability of progress: "The problem with science is the unknown variables—the 'flux.' I might be able to tell someone that something will explode at a specific time, but I cannot judge the flux or predict exactly how the pieces of glass will fly. That chaos is where science and the unknown intersect. I think the film touches more on the human obsession with perfection and how that becomes monstrous. Technology is a factor, yes, but I think human nature is even scarier than technology." With The Paralytic and your previous work in Wifelike, you are becoming a significant face in the sci-fi genre. What is it about these high-concept, futuristic stories that captures your imagination and makes you want to explore these worlds? "I made Wifelike back in 2022," he recalled. "The concept was strong: at what point do people start creating the perfect woman or their own robots? Obviously, Ex Machina touched on this incredibly well. It explores what is going to be part of our future, and now it is almost part of our reality. There are certain societies of men, certainly in Japan, who have locked themselves away from physical contact with people and have AI girlfriends. "It starts with AI girlfriends and proceeds to a level of connection and communication. But at what point do humans decide they want to make that corporeal? To physically possess it? And what are the ethics in this subject? For a robot to be a successful AI for functions like sexuality and companionship - as we have in Wifelike - it has to be AGI (Artificial General Intelligence). How do you control what happens when it starts to have feelings? Or rather, when it starts mimicking feelings because it is trained to do so?" Turning to his latest project, he added, "What interested me about the concept of The Paralytic was the idea of a clever scientist who established his own startup and was taken on by K Industries to explore working with the thalamus directly to interconnect with the spine using an Axio chip. This would allow paralytic people to start moving. Photography by Johnny Ghosts, Makeup by Fiona Connon "He starts testing it on himself - not because he is paralyzed, but to test the effect on his thalamus, his amygdala, and his concept of reality. That is a very interesting thing. What happens when the scientist becomes the 'guinea pig' for his own purpose? How do they survive the process of their own genetic testing? Obviously, these things never end well, but I like the concepts. "We call them 'science fiction' movies, but they are simply science now because it is happening," he observed. "There is a legitimate reason why film is effective at predicting the future. When you are in the film industry, you have access to immense resources. Take Close Encounters of the Third Kind as an example. When Steven Spielberg was developing the concept, his status in Hollywood allowed him to pick the brains of the world's leading scientists regarding the reality of extraterrestrials and technology. Because filmmakers have access to people with their fingers truly on the pulse, you often see things on film that become reality ten years later. They simply have access to the knowledge." Your character in The Paralytic has the enigmatic name of "Carpenter." Without giving away the mystery, did you enjoy the opportunity to play a character who holds the cards, driving the plot forward with a sense of capability and strength? "Definitely. 'Carp' is driving the story forward, but it is out of the necessity of desperation," Meyers clarified. "Carp is also grieving; although we do not see it in the film, it is made clear that he has recently lost a child. "He is in a very isolated place when you meet him. You do not meet his character pre-testing; by the time you spend time with him, you realize he is testing on himself. So, his behaviors are not always predictable. He has strength, but his strength is rooted in his desire to do something good. The problem with trying to do something 'really good' is that if you do not consider it from every point of view, it can end up really bad." He paused to reflect on the morality of the role. "It raises questions about the consequences of desire. If I desired to heal someone so much that I was willing to do anything - including hurt myself and, in turn, hurt them - is what I am doing ethical? It raises the question of whether Carp is an ethical person or if it is ego. There is a fine line between ethics and ego. Thinking 'I can heal the world' is a massive responsibility and perhaps an egotistical claim. What happens when someone else, out of the necessity of desperation - like the character Poppy - puts all her trust in the 'all-knowing, all-seeing' doctor, only for that trust to be failed? Not because he betrayed her, but simply because he lacks the skill. He is human, not a god." For The Room Below, you are teaming up with Alyssa Sutherland who is having such a fantastic moment in her career right now. What was it like collaborating with her to build the suspense and energy required for a thriller of this magnitude? "I found Alyssa Sutherland to be a very interesting lady," he shared. "I had briefly seen her perform in Vikings - I was also in Vikings, but we never worked together as I came much later in the story. I was interested to meet her. "When I arrived in Australia to start the film, it took me a day or two to understand who she was and how the character was. But what I got out of her was extraordinary," he emphasized. "Within 24 hours, she had almost possessed me in a strange way, without doing anything. She reminded me greatly of Mia Farrow in Rosemary's Baby. I started to imagine her in many different ways because she is very statuesque and beautiful, yet she is playing a character who is not trading on her beauty at all. She has serious psychological problems, but they are presented in this ethereal, physically perfect form. It was a great juxtaposition. I found her at times to be incredibly elegant, almost like a young debutante, and then at times, her character became a possessive matriarchal figure. She dashed between these states throughout the performance. I found her fascinating to work with." Playing the retired detective, you have to be the anchor of logic in a world going mad. Is it difficult to maintain that grounded skepticism when the "monster" is standing right in front of you? "My character, the retired detective, is a broken man," Meyers explained, delving into the psychology of the role. "He is almost caught in a 'life glitch' where he lost his son. This is his connection to Alyssa's character, but he is on a loop - he cannot quite break the monotony of returning to the same situation every day. It is like Einstein's definition of madness: doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result. "He cannot seem to break this state; he is in Samsara the whole time. He is in a constant loop because he cannot find his son. He is mentally trapped and trying to find a resolution that simply cannot come. He is like a planet that has lost its orbit, and he tries to lock onto her character as a sense of gravity that does not exist in his world. She is so fierce that she starts to magnify him into her world for her own reasons." You have spoken so fondly about living in County Wexford and your connection to the Irish soil. Does having that peaceful, grounded community to return to make it easier to balance the high-energy demands of your global film career? "I am very comfortable in the countryside," he admitted softly. "I live alone on a farm. I find I need to spend a lot of time on my own and in nature. I like going to cities for the conversation, energy, art, culture, aggression, and love that they bring. When I work in them, I devour all of that. But when I return to the countryside, that is when I get to really work on myself on the inside. "I am someone who is constantly in progression - a conscious progression," he continued. "I am aware of myself every day, from my morning to my evening. I consciously choose to be in my own country because that is where I get my energy. There is a homogeneity there. The air is important to me; the silence and the time alone are vital for me to confront myself. As an actor, I am my own tool of operation. I have to work on my imagination and my ability to feel things, and I think time on your own is a very important part of that process. I find people exhausting after a while. I am sure you find me exhausting too!" Music has always been a key part of your artistic soul. When you are back home, do you still find time to pick up the guitar and play just for the joy of it, and does that musicality influence how you approach the rhythm of your dialogue? "I certainly think music helps me when I have to do different accents because it is about changing the notation of your voice," he noted. "A day without music is an impossible day that I do not ever want to live. "It is very important for me to play the guitar. I never travel without one. Sometimes I bring it to the set, sometimes I don't; but every time I don't bring it, I crave it," he confessed. "When you are playing music, you are engaging a different kind of intelligence. It allows you to be linear in a way that meditation or yoga might. The act of playing an instrument from note to note allows the circuits in other parts of the brain to stop functioning. Music allows you to get linear and lets the rest of the brain absorb other information. Playing music can help me learn a script subconsciously by focusing my mind, allowing the other doors to open more freely." You have worked with some of the true giants of cinema, from Robert Altman to J.J. Abrams. As you look toward the future and your own plans to direct, is there a specific lesson or philosophy from those experiences that you are excited to bring to your own set? "Yes: Don't fight with Robert Altman," he quipped, before sharing a lesson learned the hard way. "I ended up having an argument with him when I was young—I think I said the wrong thing—and missed out on doing Gosford Park. "Robert Altman is an inspirational director. I didn't know until years later that he was the first director to use radio microphones. Before that, you could only use the boom, meaning you had to wait for one actor to finish a line before you spoke. The radio mic allowed for overlapping conversations, making everything seem more natural." His eyes lit up as he recounted a legendary industry story: "There is a story about when he did McCabe & Mrs. Miller. They built this incredible, pristine Western set. Altman looked at it with the producers and said, 'This is amazing.' Then he asked to be left alone to look around. He drove to a gas station, bought a few gallons of gas, went back to the set, poured it over the structures, and lit it on fire. He waited ten minutes, then called the fire brigade. They dowsed everything, and then he brought his cast in. He gave them tools - hammers, saws, nails - and told them to fix up their houses. That is how he achieved that burnt, black wood texture, almost like Egon Schiele's paintings. It was a metaphor for his film: two romantic, wild characters trying to rebuild a life out of the wildest of environments. Those calculated, intelligent risks are always inspirational. "Directors like Altman, Scorsese, Coppola, and Polanski came out of that strange twilight in the late 1960s when the big studio films like Hello, Dolly! weren't working anymore," he concluded. "Suddenly, Easy Rider - a low-budget independent film - became a breakout hit, followed by Rosemary's Baby. For a ten-year period, the 'lunatics were in charge of the asylum,' and we got an onslaught of incredibly artistic movies: The Godfather, Mean Streets, Dog Day Afternoon. In that period, Robert Altman was able to burn his set down and get away with it. That is the kind of risk-taking that inspires me." You can follow Jonathan Rhys Meyers on Instagram , IMDB .

Markos Papadatos interviewed Noah Fearnley about starring in Ryan Murphy’s new anthology series “Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette,” which airs Thursdays on FX, Hulu, and internationally on Disney+. "Love Story" is already the No. 1 show on Disney+ and Hulu, and rightfully so. The series captures the essence of an iconic couple whose lives captivated the world. American author Norman Vincent Peale once said: “Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy.” This quote perfectly encapsulates Noah Fearnley’s journey. The Inspiration Behind “Love Story” This marks the first installment in Ryan Murphy’s “Love Story” anthology series. It draws inspiration from Elizabeth Beller’s book “Once Upon a Time: The Captivating Life of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy.” The show’s creator, Connor Hines, also served as a screenwriter and executive producer. Synopsis of ‘Love Story’ The synopsis is compelling: John F. Kennedy Jr. (Paul Anthony Kelly) was the closest thing to American royalty. The country watched him grow from a boy to a beloved bachelor and media sensation. Carolyn (Sarah Pidgeon) was a star in her own right. Fiercely independent and with a singular style, she rose from being a sales assistant to a publicity executive at Calvin Klein. She became a trusted confidante of its eponymous founder. Fearnley plays the role of Michael Bergin, who was Carolyn Bessette’s love interest prior to John F. Kennedy Jr. Noah delivers a breakout performance as Michael Bergin. His subtle acting showcases charm and charisma, resonating well with fans. It is evident that a star is born. Working with Sarah Pidgeon as Carolyn Bessette On working with Sarah Pidgeon, Fearnley remarked, “It was incredible! Sarah is a star. She has this underlying confidence to her. Initially, I was very nervous to work with her, but she is one of the nicest people in the world.” “Coming from the vertical drama world, where you are filming 110 or 120 pages of scripts, I have done a lot and I have played the lead male many times,” he noted. “I am not really nervous when I walk on those sets; I have a lot of confidence. However, Sarah Pidgeon made me nervous because she is just so amazing as an actress,” he elaborated. “Sarah is just fascinating to watch in this series,” he admitted. Collaborating with Paul Anthony Kelly On working with Paul Anthony Kelly, he stated, “Paul is one of the nicest guys in the world too. The casting was immaculate; the two of them were absolutely incredible together as JFK Jr. and Carolyn.” “They are just good people, and then you put them in these two roles that are iconic. It was just wonderful to watch,” he added. Playing Michael Bergin in ‘Love Story’ Fearnley and his real-life character Michael Bergin share a similar trajectory. Michael Bergin is from Connecticut, just like Fearnley. He started his career as a fashion model before transitioning into acting (“Baywatch”). “We are both from Connecticut. I just felt some type of connection to his story about being in the industry,” Fearnley said. “It was so weird because our lives were so similar… how we grew up, the restaurants he used to go to as a kid, his parents, and his family.” To get into character, Fearnley read Michael Bergin’s book, “The Other Man: A Love Story – John F. Kennedy Jr., Carolyn Bessette, and Me.” He praised it as a “great book.” “I have done so much research on him and learned so much about him, and I read his book,” Fearnley said. “I loved playing Michael Bergin,” he exclaimed. “I became a huge fan of his. I deep dove into his life, and I became intrigued and fascinated by Michael.” Fearnley on Being Part of a Ryan Murphy Anthology Series On being a part of a Ryan Murphy anthology series, Fearnley stated, “‘Love Story’ is a Ryan Murphy show, which is incredible in itself. Ryan Murphy is an absolute icon, and I watched his shows my entire life growing up.” “Ryan Murphy gave me the privileged opportunity to portray Michael Bergin. I deep dove into everything that I could, and what I discovered, I loved how similar we were,” Fearnley said. “It was just a fascinating experience to be in a situation like that, where I was able to play a real person. That is something I had not done before,” he admitted. “So, just to have the ability to play somebody in real life… that is an experience in itself,” he added. Lessons Learned from the Show and the Screenplay On the lessons learned from the screenplay, Fearnley reflected, “The screenplay taught me a lot about the ‘90s, and all the things that happened during that era.” “I learned a lot from the directors too,” he said. Jesse Peretz was awesome to work with, and so was Max Winkler, who taught me to just be in the moment. So, that was really awesome.” Closing Thoughts on the ‘Love Story’ Anthology Series For fans and viewers, Fearnley said, “What I want people to get out of this series is that the John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette story is never going to pass.” “It’s an iconic story from the nineties. It’s never going away. It’s something that is ingrained in American society and American pop culture. It just is what it is, and it is never going away,” he noted. “I think the show was a reminder of that time and those two incredibly iconic individuals,” he said. “Then, from Michael Bergin’s perspective, Michael did have a story with Carolyn,” he underscored. “As much as people might want to push it to the side, there was a story with Michael. It all comes down to what people want to believe, and that’s okay.” “Everyone can have their own perspectives, and that is totally fine,” Fearnley acknowledged. “While I was portraying Michael, I wanted to make sure that I respected the story of the two iconic people (John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette) the show is about. I also wanted to show Michael the proper respect and dignity that his story deserves as well,” Fearnley concluded. To learn more about actor Noah Fearnley, follow him on Instagram . Photography: Kevin Roldan

For nearly four decades, the anchor desk provided you with a shield of scripted certainty. How did you dismantle your broadcasting safety net to embrace the raw, unpredictable exposure of the stand-up stage during this later chapter of your life? It actually happened the other way around, as I got my weather job because I was already doing stand-up. Back in 1982, I was performing at the Comedy Store making just $25 a night. The Channel 4 News Director happened to be in the audience, liked my personality, and asked if I would like to do some weekend weather. I immediately asked when I could start. I ended up staying there and retiring on my 40th anniversary. Your material fearlessly strips away the vanity of aging, famously observing that a senior menu is just a child's menu without the crayons. In a culture obsessed with eternal youth, how does mining your own physical decline for comedy serve as a healing mechanism for both you and your audience? Aging is a completely universal experience. My entire show points out the normal things that happen to your body, your mind, and your relationships as you get older. We laugh because I am just shining a light on the human experiences we all share. Photography by Christopher Scott Knell The El Portal Theatre has survived earthquakes, economic depressions, and shifting cultural tides as it prepares for the future. How does the sheer physical resilience of this century-old venue mirror the themes of survival and endurance present in your own show? It is a true honor to perform in a space that is nearly a century old. To me, theaters are sacred spaces filled with amazing history and friendly ghosts. The El Portal has lived many lives, starting as a vaudeville house at the turn of the 20th century, becoming a classic movie palace, and now serving as a wonderful live performance space. When you think about all the years, productions, and art that happened inside those walls, you realize that art represents humans at their absolute best. Transitioning to a strict vegan lifestyle later in life is a radical assertion of agency over the natural aging process. What profound existential or ethical catalysts drove this dietary metamorphosis, and how does it intersect with your comedic observations on the pharmaceutical industry? Just to clarify, I am not a vegan myself. The jokes in my show are actually about my best friend who went vegan during the pandemic. I talk about it from the perspective of lapsed carnivores to look at the big lifestyle changes people have made since the pandemic started. Photography by Christopher Scott Knell The global pandemic forced an unprecedented collision of generations under one roof, from grandparents to children attending Zoom school. Having comedically documented this domestic chaos, what immutable truths did you discover about evolving family dynamics and changing gender roles? During the pandemic, grandparents basically became a massive stockpile of free babysitting. In my act, I talk about my relationship with my own grandkids, who are 13 and 10. I compare the differences between how my parents raised kids back then versus how we are raising grandchildren today. While nightly television news demands absolute brevity, the podcasting medium offers infinite temporal real estate. How has co-hosting the Media Path Podcast alongside Louise Palanker allowed you to explore latent intellectual curiosities that were previously constrained by the relentless ticking of the broadcast clock? I actually recently retired from the Media Path podcast, but I am still very excited about the podcasting world. Having worked in radio for 15 years, I truly believe podcasting is the new radio. The big difference is that podcasts offer a lot more freedom and intimacy. Photography by Christopher Scott Knell You have held the unelected mantle of Honorary Mayor of Toluca Lake for three decades. What specific moral and ethical obligations do you believe inherently accompany your localized fame, and how does this deep commitment to altruism inform the overall spiritual resonance of your stage performance? Being the honorary mayor is an unelected, completely unpaid position. I have been in office for 28 years, honestly, mostly because I think the residents forgot I was there. I have no real political responsibilities. My entire job consists of lighting the 5-foot Christmas tree on the first Friday of December and showing up at the annual firehouse pancake breakfast. Other than that, nobody sees me. I will stay in office until I embarrass the community and they ask me to leave. Modern live entertainment frequently rewards aggressive cynicism and explicit shock value. What is the precise emotional calculus behind your strict commitment to clean, highly empathetic comedy as a deliberate counter-narrative to today's exhausting cultural turbulence? I am strictly an observational comic, so my goal is never to shock the audience or test the First Amendment. I actively avoid politics and aggressive cynicism in my show. Instead, my job is to take people out of their own heads for an hour, help them forget about the darkness outside, and remind us all of the things we share in common. For me, comedy is about positive catharsis rather than cynicism. Scheduling your residency for a three o'clock Sunday matinee to get patrons home by dark is a radical subversion of traditional comedy club logistics. How does this deeply thoughtful environment alter the psychological state of a senior demographic historically ignored by the late-night entertainment industry? My core demographic is older people, and their parents. People have jokingly called me the voice of the Metamucil generation. We start the show right at 3:00 PM for one simple reason: my peeps like to be home before it gets dark. Crystallizing your live show into the Unassisted Living streaming special on Tubi democratizes your most personal observations for a massive global audience. Looking back across the Catskills, the NBC anchor desk, and now the streaming frontier, what is the ultimate emotional legacy you intend to permanently imprint upon the cultural record? I think the job of a comic has never been more important than right now in our history. We live in a time where people are so tribal and divided. Ultimately, I would just like to be remembered as someone who gave folks a much-needed break. You can follow Fritz Coleman on Instagram .

Photography: Diondre Jones, Makeup: Gayane Hunanyan, Hair: Hermine Partikyan, Styling: Venk Modur Adhrucia Apana is an Emmy-nominated executive producer, a screenwriter with incoming produced credits, the founder of Curiosity Entertainment, the co-founder of Storyteller Media, and, as of this year, an actress stepping back in front of the camera. Her approach is rare. She understood early on that loving the art wasn't enough. You have to know how it survives. "I realized that in order to be a great creative in any industry, you need to learn the business in which you want to create," she says. Her path bypassed the usual industry stops, beginning instead with a business school scholarship. Armed with a film and photojournalism certificate from New Zealand's Auckland University, she entered the Carl H. Linder Business School program. She spent years studying consumer psychology and brand strategy at agencies like Saatchi & Saatchi, working on campaigns for Gatorade, Crest, and Mark Burnett Productions. The future was wide open, but the screen kept calling. Returning to Los Angeles, she signed with Wilhelmina as an actress. Yet, when she fully committed to entertainment, she made a deeply counterintuitive choice: she took a job in finance. It was the side of the industry she hated most. "Honestly, it came from watching people I admired struggle," she admits. "Not because they lacked talent, but because they didn’t understand the business. If I wanted longevity as a first-generation American without Hollywood connections, I had to know how the economics worked. The industry will work around you if you let it. I didn't want to let it." She stayed, and that discomfort became the bedrock of everything she built next. Her producing credits quickly set a high bar, helping bring Barry Levinson’s Emmy-nominated The Survivor to the screen, working on Needle in a Timestack with Cynthia Erivo and Leslie Odom Jr., and Capone starring Tom Hardy. Her resume spans more than thirty film and television productions. But she wanted to create a specific kind of home for stories. That drive became Curiosity Entertainment, a development company operating on a clear thesis: find intellectual property that has already proven itself on the page. She looks for books that carry entire universes inside them. "Books show you something pitches cannot: a real audience," she explains. "When a book moves people enough to press it into someone else's hands, you have proof of concept. For me, that is where the best cinematic worlds begin." The first major test of this model is Goodman, a feature film adapted from a true story from the auto bailout. Adhrucia co-wrote the script with her partner, Charles Allen. "It’s a magical take on a true story about one guy whose belief in himself changed how America treated the 'little guy' in big business. Writing it with Charles-my partner in business and life-was incredible." The Neese Brothers are attached to direct, with acclaimed casting director Robert Ulrich producing, and production scheduled for this winter. When the recent writers' and actors' strikes forced the industry into a standstill, Adhrucia and Charles didn't pause. They noticed book sales were climbing, and while the way audiences found stories was fracturing across streaming and digital platforms, one truth remained solid: the community of readers who love a story will follow it anywhere. That belief birthed Storyteller Media. Distributed by Macmillan and launched with Gugnir Books, it functions as an incubator to identify original stories with franchise potential and protect the communities that grow around them. "We saw the strikes as a window," she says. "The relationship between storytelling and distribution needed to change. The writers who came to us weren’t looking for a transaction. They were looking for a home." Storyteller offers authors and comic book writers a rare deal: full partnership in their intellectual property and a significantly larger revenue share. This year alone, they will release up to 30 titles globally. Now, the woman who spent years building platforms for others is focusing on her own. Adhrucia is back on camera. She recently wrapped an unreleased medical drama, is currently filming her theatrical debut, and is actively developing her first project as a director. The student who started with acting, music, and film has come full circle. "The acting I do now is richer because of everything I’ve built," she says. "I understand why a director makes choices. I understand the economics of a shooting day. That context doesn't constrain me-it frees me." She also refuses to pull up the ladder behind her. For five years, she and Charles have run a volunteer program at the University of Michigan, teaching juniors and seniors the business side of entertainment. This year, they hired their first candidate straight from that pipeline. "Film and television students learn so much about the craft in school, but almost nothing about the business. I want to cut that time in half for them." If there is one lesson to take from her ascent, it is that patience pays out in dividends. "Longevity is a creative strategy," she says. "Every detour I took made me a better artist. The patience to build a foundation isn't the opposite of creativity. It is creativity. You're just working on a longer canvas." You can follow Adhrucia Apana on Instagram , IMDb .

Michael B. Jordan in Sinners - Photo by Courtesy of Warner Bros. - © Warner Bros. Michael B. Jordan poses backstage with the Oscar® for Actor in a Leading Role during the 98th Oscars® at Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood | Oscar statuette ©A.M.P.A.S.® Michael B. Jordan’s Oscar Night Wasn’t Just a Win. It Was a Full-Circle Moment On Oscar night, something shifted. When Michael B. Jordan walked into the press room, golden statuette in hand, the noise of the night hadn’t quite settled yet. There was still adrenaline in his voice, still disbelief in his eyes, but underneath it all, something steadier: a man fully aware of the journey it took to get here. Because this wasn’t just about Sinners. It was about 25 years of becoming. "I Write Everything from Their Earliest Memory to Page One" Ryan Coogler, Ludwig Goransson, Autumn Durald Arkapaw, Michael B. Jordan pose backstage with their respective Oscars® during the 98th Oscars® at Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood | Oscar statuette ©A.M.P.A.S.® Jordan’s performance in Sinners, playing two deeply distinct characters, Smoke and Stack , didn’t come from instinct alone. It was built piece by piece, long before the cameras rolled. “I write a lot of journals for my characters, backstories. I go from the earliest memory I can imagine all the way up to the first page of the script. It helps me understand where they’re coming from.” That process became even more essential when shaping two lives instead of one. “For these characters, I did a lot of chakra work around their childhood trauma to differentiate them. Smoke is quieter, more of a protector. Stack is lighter, more buoyant, a slick talker, a bit of a troublemaker.” What emerges isn’t just contrast, it’s history. “They’ve been in a partnership for 30-something years. You imagine how many times they argued, kept score, who was right, who was wrong… I built all of that so there’s a real history between them. Those are the nuances you hopefully feel between the lines.” And you do . That invisible architecture is what made the performance feel lived-in, not performed. "Do the Work and Everything Else Will Figure Itself Out" Jessie Buckley, Michael B. Jordan, and Amy Madigan pose backstage with the Oscar® for Actress in a Leading Role, the Oscar® for Actor in a Leading Role, and the Oscar® for Actress in a Supporting Role during the 98th Oscars® at Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood | Oscar statuette ©A.M.P.A.S.® In the press room, the conversation turned to legacy, what it means, especially for Black artists, to not just participate in the industry, but to be recognized at its highest level. Jordan didn’t frame the Oscar as a destination. Instead, he framed it as alignment: “I feel like this moment is timely. I’m here because of the people that came before me. Sidney Poitier, Denzel Washington, Halle Berry, Forest Whitaker. They weren’t chasing awards, they were chasing the work.” He paused, then grounded it in something more personal. “My father always told me: ‘Don’t expect anything to be handed to you. Do the work, and everything else will figure itself out.’” There’s ambition in his perspective, but also clarity. “Of course this is a pinnacle in our industry, you want that. But at the same time, what’s for you is for you. You can’t take anybody else’s blessings. I’m just walking my path.” For those coming up behind him, his message is simple but intentional. Jordan is keenly aware of the next generation of actors and artists. He admits he feels more confident leading through action than words, hoping to serve as an example; “Dream big. Be kind. Be honest. I believe in pouring into the universe, and it will pour back into you.” Adrien Brody presents the Oscar® for Actor in a Leading Role to Michael B. Jordan during the 98th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood | Oscar statuette ©A.M.P.A.S.® Michael B. Jordan: The Weight of Being Seen When Michael B. Jordan accepted the Oscar, it was impossible not to feel the full circle of his journey. This was more than a personal triumph, it was a moment shaped by family, legacy, and the countless people who had believed in him along the way. His father had flown in from Ghana, his mother and siblings were there, and so was the incredible ensemble that brought Sinners to life. Jordan’s gratitude spilled over as he spoke of the cast, the crew, and the producers who had invested in the story, the characters, and the dream, giving him the space to be fully seen on screen. “I stand here because of the people that came before me… and because of all the people in this room who believed in this story,” he said, a single line carrying the weight of generations, cultures, and hard work. This victory was never Jordan’s alone. It was the product of vision, faith, and collaboration, a reminder that every nuance, every moment of truth on screen was the result of teamwork, dedication, and belief. Michael B. Jordan didn’t just win an Oscar. He arrived exactly where he had been building toward his entire life.

Photography: Juan Ramirez On the 98th Academy Awards evening, the sky above Los Angeles held the kind of electric charge reserved strictly for Hollywood's most defining nights. As the ninety-eighth Academy Awards beamed to millions across the globe, a different sort of cinematic history was being written away from the Dolby Theatre. High in the hills, an exclusive echelon of the entertainment industry gathered for the Third Annual Alta Global Media Oscars Viewing Party. Set against the spectacular backdrop of The Aster, the event served as a profound testament to the evolving nature of Hollywood celebrations. The epicenter of industry networking, cultural exchange, and artistic celebration has expanded outward into meticulously curated viewing galas that offer intimacy, luxury, and a carefully selected guest list of global tastemakers. Theo Dumont and Steven Adams Hosted by Theo Dumont, Head of Partnerships Jessica Badawi and Steven Adams, the visionary founding partners of Alta Global Media, the gathering transcended the traditional boundaries of a watch party. It was a brilliantly orchestrated symphony of international talent management and cinematic advocacy, designed to bridge the gap between emerging storytellers and established Hollywood royalty. Held in conjunction with the renowned HollyShorts Film Festival, an Academy Award-qualifying short film festival co-founded by Dumont, the soiree brought together an impressive crowd of filmmakers, actors, literary scouts, and cinema aficionados. The venue itself, located just a stone's throw from the iconic Capitol Records Building, was transformed into a dazzling cinematic lounge awash in the warm glow of ambient lighting, creating a grandiose setting where attendees could recline in luxurious comfort while watching the telecast on massive screens. Sofia Galasso from Frankenstein, Photography: Juan Ramirez To capture the ephemeral magic of such an evening requires a distinct visual storyteller. That responsibility fell to the esteemed photographer Juan Ramirez, known digitally as @Juansolophoto. Through his expertly focused lens, the viewing party was preserved as a vibrant tableau of emotion and elegance. His photography highlighted the candid, unscripted interactions between global superstars and emerging filmmakers, preserving the authenticity of the night and immortalizing the event for the pages of this magazine. The hospitality mirrored the absolute excellence of the films being celebrated. The evening was officially inaugurated with an elegant opening toast sponsored by French Bloom, setting a tone of sophisticated jubilation. Elevating the culinary landscape to extraordinary heights was Golden Reserve Caviar, a company founded by young entrepreneurs drawing deep inspiration from a profound familial legacy to introduce a timeless delicacy to a dynamic new generation. The sensory indulgence extended into artisanal confections provided by First Bite, featuring exquisitely decorated macaroons prominently displayed in the VIP gift bags. Jean Book Nerd, a beloved institution operating at the crucial intersection of publishing and filmmaking, sponsored these exclusive bags with elegant Pashmina scarves, custom-designed tumblers, and premium drinks, demonstrating a deep understanding of the demanding lifestyle of Hollywood professionals. 5x Grammy nominated Producer and DJ Dr. Chaii with Jessica Badawi, Photography: Juan Ramirez As the culinary delights were savored, the undeniable focal point remained the massive screens broadcasting the Academy Awards. The room fell into a reverent hush as the presenter opened the golden envelope for Best Live Action Short Film. What followed was a remarkably rare cinematic anomaly. The presenter visibly paused, breaking the rehearsed rhythm of the ceremony to announce a historic tie. For only the seventh time in the near-century-long history of the Academy Awards, two films received the exact same number of votes. The coveted golden statues were shared equally between the dystopian French-language drama Two People Exchanging Saliva and the heartfelt musical comedy The Singers. The announcement triggered an immediate eruption of thunderous applause and joyous tears at the viewing party. The victory for The Singers was profoundly personal for many in the room, as the film is a celebrated alumnus of the HollyShorts Film Festival. Directed by Sam A. Davis and produced by Jack Piatt, The Singers is an entirely modern adaptation of a nineteenth-century short story by the Russian realist Ivan Turgenev. The filmmakers seamlessly transposed the profound exploration of a lowly, isolated pub full of downtrodden patrons into the gritty, atmospheric setting of a contemporary American dive bar. Operating completely without a traditional script, the directors cast viral singing talents and unique personalities from the unlikeliest corners of the internet, allowing them to improvise and draw heavily from their own lived experiences. Before securing the golden statue, the film dominated the competition at the HollyShorts Film Festival, taking home the awards for Best International Film and earning Sam Davis the highly coveted Best Director award. Jamaal Lewis, P hotography: Juan Ramirez Also gracing the event was the immensely talented actress Sofia Galasso, whose explosive career trajectory has placed her firmly in the absolute center of the cinematic spotlight. Galasso delivered a captivating, star-making performance in the highly anticipated gothic science fiction epic, Frankenstein, directed by visionary Academy Award winner Guillermo del Toro. Her luminous presence served as a brilliant physical reminder of the ongoing renaissance of practical filmmaking and sweeping narrative epics. The auditory landscape of modern entertainment relies heavily on producers who blend diverse cultural rhythms into global anthems. Embodying this musical alchemy at the viewing party was Dr. Chaii, a five-time Grammy-nominated record producer, songwriter, and DJ. His infectious blend of Afrobeats, dancehall, and contemporary pop has caught the attention of major labels and global icons. Concurrently, he designs complex, driving soundscapes for blockbuster movies, shaping the sonic architecture of modern cinema. Former NBA player Chris Copeland Amidst the blinding glitz of Grammy-nominated producers and stars of gothic epics, the event took vital time to celebrate the steadfast professionals who form the undeniable backbone of the industry. Actor Jamaal Lewis brought a grounded, highly authentic perspective to the evening's festivities. Widely respected for his precise work in high-profile television productions, his ability to seamlessly integrate into heavily conceptual narratives is a brilliant testament to the rigorous craft of acting. Adding a fascinating layer of athletic discipline and personal resilience to the guest list was former professional basketball player Chris Copeland. After a grueling journey to earn a coveted contract with the New York Knicks and the Indiana Pacers, Copeland navigated harrowing, life-altering adversity. His graceful transition into the competitive realms of luxury lifestyle and entertainment demonstrates an awe-inspiring fortitude. The walls between different forms of entertainment are rapidly dissolving. The Third Annual Alta Global Media Oscars Viewing Party successfully transcended the expected boundaries of a Hollywood event, proving that profound art emerges from a vibrant, global community of storytellers united by an unyielding desire to capture and broadcast the human experience.

Warner Bros. Acclaimed director and screenwriter Paul Thomas Anderson participated in a press conference with members of the media in the Oscars Press Room following his three Oscar wins for "Best Picture," "Best Director" and "Best Adapted Screenplay" for "One Battle After Another." When asked if he feels that his "Best Picture" win for "One Battle After Another" reflects where our society is going today, he responded, "I think that our film obviously has a certain amount of parallels to what's happening in the news every day. So, it obviously reflects what is happening in the world." Paul Thomas Anderson directs Leonardo DiCaprio and Benicio Del Toro in One Battle After Another | Warner Bros. "In terms of where it's going, I don't know," he noted. "What I do know is that at the end of our movie, our hero, Willa, is heading off to continue to fight against evil forces, and, like I said in my speech, bring at least common sense and decency back into fashion." Anderson opened up about the gifted filmmakers he worked with in the technical and crafts categories. "I've been doing this long enough to tell you that the reason I continue to do it is because of the people that I collaborate with," he said. "It's probably not very fashionable to say that you don't do it for awards or anything else, but, honest to God, the thing that gets me really excited about making films is collaborating with people. That's No. 1 for me on my list." "Perhaps when you start out, you think that you just want to be in the movies but as you get older and you do it, the only reason you do it is to be with people," he added. Thomas Anderson backstage with the Oscar® at Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood | Photo Credit: Etienne Laurent, The Academy, Oscar statuette ©A.M.P.A.S.® Anderson also addressed some racial politics and critiques behind "One Battle After Another," which wound up winning a total of six Academy Awards. "I know a little bit about that critique," Anderson admitted. "I know that Teyana Taylor has talked about it a lot. I know that we have the portrayal of many different characters, in particular, her character, who is so flawed, and unfortunately makes decisions that are detrimental to the revolution that she's trying to fight. It's complicated." "We always knew that we were trying to make something complicated. We knew that we weren't making something that was heroic, and we needed to lean into that and we needed to own the fact that this woman was suffering not only from postpartum depression, but she had issues of her own that she hadn't really reconciled with," he elaborated. "You know, it's a very dangerous thing when you start out and you want to change the world, but you start to kind of become selfish, and you read your own reviews. That was our hero in Perfidia, who became an antihero," he acknowledged. "The point of it is to set up the story of Willa, the next generation... What happens when your parents, who are damaged and have handed quite a difficult history to you, how do you manage that? That's our story and our story is in Chase [Infiniti] and her evolution, to try to do better," he concluded.