Category: 5. Entertainment

TEHRAN – The Iranian Artists Forum (IAF) in Tehran will screen the recorded stage performance of William Shakespeare’s well-known tragedy “King Lear” directed by Masoud Delkhah on Wednesday.

The 220-minute performance, which was staged in Iran in 2018, will be shown at the Nasseri Hall of the IAF at 6 p.m., Honaronline reported.

Mehdi Soltani, Elham Pavehnejad, Bahareh Rahnama, Khosrow Shahraz, Rahim Norouzi, Mohammad Sadegh Malek, Nasser Ashouri, Hemidreza Hedayati, Mohammadreza Aliakbari, Mohammad Sedighi Mehr, Mahboubeh Tafazoli, and more than 50 other actors perform in the play.

The cast is accompanied by a group of musicians and choir on stage, performing live music composed and conducted by Nader Mashayekhi.

In the play, King Lear, in preparation for his old age, divides his power and land between his daughters Goneril and Regan, who pay homage to gain favor, feigning love. The King’s third daughter, Cordelia, is offered a third of his kingdom also, but refuses to be insincere in her praise and affection. She instead offers the respect of a daughter and is disowned by Lear, who seeks flattery.

Regan and Goneril subsequently break promises to host Lear and his entourage, so he opts to become homeless and destitute, goes insane, and the French King, married to Cordelia, invades Britain to restore order and Lear’s rule. In a subplot, Edmund, the illegitimate son of the Earl of Gloucester, betrays his brother and father. Tragically, Lear, Cordelia, and several other main characters die.

The plot and subplot overlap and intertwine with political power plays, personal ambition, and assumed supernatural interventions and pagan beliefs. 

As the plot unfolds, Shakespeare delves into themes of loyalty, justice, and the nature of true love. The play is filled with complex characters and powerful dialogue, showcasing human emotions.

William Shakespeare (1564–1616) was an English playwright, poet, and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world’s pre-eminent dramatist. His extant works, including collaborations, consist of some 39 plays, 154 sonnets, three long narrative poems, and a few other verses.

His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. Shakespeare remains arguably the most influential writer in the English language, and his works continue to be studied and reinterpreted.

The Iranian Artists Forum is located in Artists Park on North Mousavi Street, Taleqani Street.

SS/SAB
 

In the strongest hint yet that Prince Harry and King Charles could be ready to mend their strained relationship, senior aides from both sides quietly met in London last week. The meeting, seen as an early step towards healing the royal rift, was first reported by The Daily Mail on Sunday, July 13.

First meeting in years between senior aides

On Wednesday, July 9, Meredith Maines, Prince Harry’s chief of staff and communications director, flew in from Montecito to hold talks with Tobyn Andreae, King Charles’ communications secretary. Liam Maguire, who handles UK press for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, was also present at the private gathering.

The talks were held at the Royal Over-Seas League, a private members’ club near Clarence House. A source told The Daily Mail there was “no formal agenda” but both sides wanted to open “a channel of communication for the first time in years.”

The source described the meeting as only “the first step towards reconciliation between Harry and his father, but at least it is a step in the right direction.” The source added, “Everyone just wants to move on and move forward now. It was finally the right time for the two sides to talk.”

Routine visit or quiet peace talks?

According to PEOPLE, Meredith Maines’ visit was officially part of her regular duties as Chief Communications Officer for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Maines was in London to meet the UK-based communications team, media contacts and senior figures connected to Harry’s patronages.

Still, the quiet meeting with King Charles’ top aide marks a clear sign that both sides may be ready to ease tensions that have lasted for years.

The rift within the royal family became public in 2020 when Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped back from their roles as senior working royals. The distance grew deeper after bombshell interviews, their Netflix docuseries and Harry’s bestselling memoir, Spare.

Harry has often spoken about how the couple was treated, sharing his struggles with press intrusion, family disputes and the impact on their mental health. Just weeks before the London meeting, Prince Harry told the BBC, “I would love reconciliation with my family. There’s no point in continuing to fight anymore.”

While it may take time to fully repair ties, this quiet London summit is the strongest sign yet that the Duke of Sussex and King Charles could be moving closer to finding common ground.

ALSO READ: Prince Harry to Potentially Extend Invictus Games Invite to Royal Family Members: Is Reunion on Cards?

UK indie rockers Wet Leg recently sat down with Matt Wilkinson on Apple Music 1 to discuss their forthcoming album, Moisturizer, offering insights into their rapid ascent and creative process. Band members Rhian and Joshua candidly reflected on the unexpected triumph of their debut album and the relentless touring that saw them play over 300 gigs.

Rhian described the experience of their initial success as a whirlwind, stating, “everything is just happening and you’re just taking it day by day. You don’t really have that much time for reflection.” She noted that even after extensive touring, the focus immediately shifted to new material: “When we stopped touring we weren’t like, ‘Okay, let’s take a minute about all those gigs that we played.’ We were like, ‘Okay, what are we going to play when we go on tour again? Let’s make some tunes.’”

Joshua detailed the writing process for Moisturizer, which took place in a “kid’s playroom” in Southwold. He recounted a spontaneous approach to songwriting, with band members joining each other at various hours. “We did two weeks on, two weeks off, two weeks on. After that, we had too many songs,” Joshua explained, noting they initially had 16 or 17 tracks for the new record.

The duo also touched upon their experience supporting Harry Styles on tour. Rhian shared her initial reservations about how their sound would be received by his fanbase, but ultimately found the stadium shows “really cosy” due to the open nature of Styles’s fans. Joshua and Rhian observed a contemporary shift in music consumption, where listeners embrace diverse genres without adhering to rigid subculture affiliations.

Looking ahead, both members expressed a desire to return to touring. Joshua admitted that while a break after their extensive debut tour felt good initially, he soon longed to “get back on the bus.” Rhian concurred, balancing her love for home with her enjoyment of live performances. Rhian also revealed that Moisturizer features love songs, a departure from her earlier songwriting, admitting she was “really, really hesitant” to tackle the theme.

The full interview with Wet Leg is available on demand with an Apple Music subscription via The Matt Wilkinson Show on Apple Music 1.

Benny Blanco has made a surprising admission about his relationship with Selena Gomez. 

In a recent episode of the Therapuss With Jake Shane podcast, Blanco revealed that he had never watched the Disney channel sitcom Wizards of Waverly Place, in which Gomez starred as Alex Russo, until after he began dating her.

The renowned record producer and songwriter, 37, confessed that he was unaware of the show’s details, saying, “I knew she was, like, a kid star, but I had never seen any of it.” He only knew the Wizards of Waverly Place theme song because Billie Eilish used it in her hit song Bad Guy.

Initially, Gomez was hesitant to watch the show with Blanco, but she later agreed to show him “a few good scenes”. After watching these scenes, Blanco finally understood why Gomez had a strong connection to the show, quipping, “I get it.”

It’s worth noting that Gomez reprised her role as Alex Russo in the recent reboot Wizards Beyond Waverly Place, and is expected to return for the second season. 

Blanco’s confession highlights the differences in their backgrounds and how their relationship has helped him understand her experiences and passions.

Michelle Rodriguez, one of the consistent members of the Fast & Furious franchise, has turned 47.

The American actress has been a part of this action-packed franchise since 2001.

She has been playing Letty Ortiz since the inception of the series alongside Vin Diesel, who plays the famous Dominic Toretto.

On Michelle’s 47th birthday, her on-screen partner Diesel took it to his Instagram, to express his love for her.

He simply dropped a black and white photo of the two sitting on a bench, dressed in their character looks while watching something together on the phone.

The XXX actor simply wrote, “Happy bday Letty. Love you, Forever.”

Meanwhile, Puerto Rican actor and rapper Don Omar, who has also been a vital part of the Fast Saga, also commented beneath the post, wishing sister Michelle.

“Happy birthday sis”, wrote Omar.

Following the success of the tenth part of the globally acclaimed franchise, the makers are now working on the next sequel.

The 57-year-old confirmed a few days ago that the new entry will reunite Dominic Toretto with Brian O’Conner.

Not just that, the eleventh part will also bring back the core concept of the series that is, “street reaching”.

Fast X: Part 2 is going to star Vin along with Jordana Brewster, Jason Momoa, Ludacris, Sung Kang and Tyrese Gibson. 

Jodie Sweetin just admitted that she has fully embraced her legacy and is “okay” with being linked to Full House forever.

In a talk with PEOPLE magazine to promote her recently released Lifetime film, Dateless to Dangerous: My Son’s Secret Life, the 34-year-old American actress and TV personality talked about her character Stephanie Tanner in Full House. 

Sweetin also revealed she felt personal fulfilment while depicting Tanner in the Netflix sequel, Fuller House, since it played a pivotal role in reigniting her career.

Articulating her thoughts, she said, “I will be Stephanie Tanner forever. And I’ve come to be really okay with that over the last 20 years.”

Sweetin added, “I kind of walked away from the business at some point in my late 20s and was working in other fields, and I was totally fine. I was happy. I would’ve continued on that, but getting the chance to come back and do Fuller and bring Stephanie back to life was amazing and wonderful.”

The Finding Santa star quipped, “It also gave me the opportunity to do other things because I think finally people were like, ‘Oh, you’re an adult now.’”

Sweetin went on to note that being a child star can make it hard for people to see you in other roles and mentioned that even actors like Ron Howard, Dakota Fanning, and Jodie Foster experienced this.

“For a while, people only think that you’re capable of the thing that they’ve come to see you as,” the Love Under the Rainbow actress stated.

The Beckham family and Brooklyn Beckham are seemingly growing apart with each passing day. 

However, the aspiring chef’s alleged former girlfriend Tallia Storm has been hopeful for his reunion with his parents.  

While appearing at the BOOHOOMAN’s Festival Gifting Suite, the songbird shared her two cents on the family drama by saying, “I think they’ll 100% get back together, all of them.”

It is pertinent to mention here that the 26-year-old Scottish singer previously claimed to have dated the aspiring chef in 2014 even though Brooklyn never admitted their relationship. 

“Regardless of what you say of them, they are the most iconic family, and I think you cannot love Victoria,” she said of the brood of David Beckham, who recently has been conferred with knighthood.

“Every family goes through it, I’ve got a big family myself, and we’ll go there, we’ve all been there and it’s just a matter of time until there all besties again,” she remarked before moving to a new topic.

This report comes after claims that Brooklyn Beckham has given his final verdict on the matter and plans never to return to his family.

Nonetheless, Brooklyn wished his little sister Harper on her birthday, which seems to be a hope for the estranged family members.

The Season 6 cast of “Love Island USA” is reuniting on-screen for the first time since leaving the villa in Fiji.

“Love Island: Beyond The Villa” is a new spinoff from Peacock’s mega-hit reality dating show “Love Island USA,” which set to premiere on Sunday, July 13. The new series follows the Season 6 islanders around Los Angeles as they navigate new careers, evolving friendships, newfound fame and complex relationships outside of the “Love Island” villa.

The main cast features couples JaNa Craig and Kenny Rodriguez, Leah Kateb and Miguel Harichi, as well as Serena Page and her boyfriend Kordell Beckham, who will return as recurring guest star throughout the season. Additionally, the show will include exes Kaylor Martin and Aaron Evans, as well as singles Kendall Washington, Olivia “Liv” Walker, and Connor Newsum. 

Back in June, Peacock released the official trailer for the series, giving fans a first look at what they can expect from the former islanders. The first scene teased a sneak peek of Martin and Evans speaking face-to-face after their explosive breakup last summer. In a recent interview, when asked about having to film with Evans after the breakup, Martin admitted that it was “very intimidating” at first. 

“He was out of country, out of mind,” she said. “Reality sank in a little bit when I knew that we were doing this project together and he was going to be involved. We will always care for one another, and I wish him the best. It was hard because we can go from zero to 100 real quick. We both pull each other’s heart strings in some ways.”

In addition to reuniting with her ex-boyfriend, the show will also delve into the ongoing feud she has with Walker. The two former best friends were inseparable after leaving the villa, and at one point, lived together. Despite the friction in their relationship, Walker told Variety that she still views Martin as a “sister.” She confirmed, however, that fans will gain a better understanding of both of their perspectives.

Outside of their feud, fans will get to see updates on each of their dating lives since leaving “Love Island USA.”

Page, Craig and Kateb, on the other hand, appear to be thriving in the sisterhood they formed while on the reality show. They started referring to themselves as PPG, an acronym that stands for PowerPuff Girls, after they became a close-knit trio during and after the show. While fans have kept up with the friend group, the trailer teased a more intimate look into their romantic relationships.

Kateb’s relationship with Miguel seemingly deepens as the sneak peek shows them testing their potential parenting skills with a fake baby and him meeting her horses, which Kateb noted that she’s most excited for fans to see. As their bond continues to grow, Harichi said he’s most excited for fans to see how they haven’t left their honeymoon stage.

“It’s always just stayed,” he said. “People are going to get to see why Leah and I get along so well. It’s going to be an in-depth look at our communication, banter and interests. Since leaving the villa, it has continued to improve and progress over time. That’s probably one of the things I’m most excited about, is people seeing why we get along the way we do.”

Serena is seen opening up about her struggles with anxiety in a conversation with PPG, which she said is a challenge she’s always had but was triggered with the rapid rise to fame after being crowned the Season 6 winner of “Love Island USA” alongside Beckham. In those tense moments, Beckham’s attentiveness and patience helped to calm her down.

“He is a very patient, kind and sweet man,” she said. “He’s there in any way to make this easier.  He’ll wake up like before, to make sure I don’t wake up anxious like, ‘Oh my god, what am I doing today?’ He’ll wake up and be like, ‘What do we need to get done today?’ He’s very attentive to me, and it’s beautiful.”

Craig and Rodriguez’s relationship is tested, since they are not on the same page about living situations. Although they are currently long distance, with Rodriguez living in Dallas and Craig in Las Vegas, filming the spinoff allowed them to be in the same city at the same time. However, Rodriguez was adamant about living separately, while Craig wanted the opposite.

“Since leaving the villa,  it’s a big jump moving in together with someone, and I didn’t want it to be televised, especially the first time,” Rodriguez said. “So we rented rooms next to each other. Another aspect for me is privacy. When JaNa gets ready for events, she has a huge glam team. Usually, there’s somebody in there for wardrobe, and sometimes I don’t have the space to change and things like that. Granted, we were always together on the show. It was great to experience L.A. and to be with her in the same city.”

Now that filming is over, Rodriguez confirmed that they are still long-distance and continuing to live separately. 

As for the singles, Newsum is learning to navigate his romantic relationships on top of his public fallout with Craig following his recoupling with Kateb and calling her “two-faced” last summer. According to Craig, she strictly views him as an “acquaintance” in her life.

“I was already forgiving in the beginning,” she said. “When someone shows their true colors, you have to take that person for who they are. That was just so last summer; it’s not that deep. I’m a jokester, so I’m always playing around. But in the end, there’s no hate. I let bygones be bygones. I put people in categories. He’s an acquaintance. Coming out of the villa, we’ve never hung out. I don’t ever see that happening. He’s just him and I’m me.”

When it comes to returning to reality TV, PPG agreed that they aren’t too worried about what viewers will see.

“At the end of the day, you see what you see,” Kateb said. “We don’t even see or know how they’re gonna edit things. Honestly, it’s not in our hands. But I don’t care, to be quite honest, because people are going to say what they’re going to say. As long as I have my girls and my man, I’m good. And I don’t give a fuck.” 

Following the Sunday debut of “Love Island: Beyond The Villa,” episodes will stream weekly on Thursdays at 6:00 p.m. PT /9:00 p.m. ET on Peacock.