Category: 5. Entertainment

The Gist

• Kate Middleton often channels her late mother-in-law Princess Diana through her clothing—but also took a page from Diana’s book at a July 2 royal engagement.

• On Wednesday, the current Princess of Wales declined wearing gloves while planting flowers in a well-being garden—making her relatable and not fussy.

• Before her, the former Princess of Wales also refused to wear gloves, specifically when meeting with members of the public so as to feel closer to them.

During a surprise engagement on July 2, Kate Middleton took a page right out of her late mother-in-law Princess Diana’s royal playbook.

While visiting Colchester Hospital last Wednesday, Kate not only opened up about her experiences with cancer treatment, but also got her hands dirty—literally—planting flowers named in her honor in the hospital’s well-being garden. As the Princess of Wales planted “Catherine’s Rose,” she “surprised onlookers when she refused to wear gloves,” Hello! reported.

Sky News royal correspondent Rhiannon Mills was there, and told Hello! that the future queen was offered gloves but “She didn’t want gloves. She had filthy hands. My cameraman, who was there, kind of zoomed in on her filthy hands. He was like, ‘Oh, is that appropriate or not?’ And I was like, ‘Yes, it’s her getting her hands dirty.’”

“So while the palace keeps saying, ‘We’re going to have to all get used to that flexibility in terms of engagements she’s doing,’ I think, when she’s there—they are fully in,” Mills added.

Mills was also present not just for Kate’s turn at gardening, but also as Kate shared courageous comments about her cancer journey. “It was fascinating being in the room with her,” she said (via Hello!). “She very loudly and clearly wanted to get across this message that, yes, she is now effectively back to royal work, but it’s really difficult, and I certainly haven’t heard her publicly talk in the way that she did yesterday. Her words were really strong.”

“For me, it was the first time that she really clearly said, ‘I’m sorry, yes, I’m back at work, but now there are some times that I just can’t do what I used to be able to do,’” she continued. “She talked about the rollercoaster of it all, and kind of how it’s not just a smooth plane to recovery, but also very much for her, it did feel like a plea. It felt like, again, her reinforcing this message of, ‘I’m here. I’m here to do the public work. You are going to see me, but look, give me and my family a bit of understanding, but also be a bit more understanding towards other people who are also going through that difficult time.’”

Like Kate, Diana often eschewed wearing gloves, also to be more relatable to the public. Queen Elizabeth wore gloves consistently and constantly—not only to keep her hands clean, but also to avoid germs—but Diana ripped up that page of the royal playbook and went gloveless as soon as 1981 and her first year marrying into the royal family. She wanted to “convey approachability and warmth,” said Eleri Lynn, curator of the exhibit “Diana: Her Fashion Story” at Kensington Palace, Diana’s former home.

“She abandoned the royal protocol of wearing gloves because she liked to hold hands when visiting people or shake hands and have direct contact,” Lynn told People.

Newsweek reported that “One of Diana’s key aims was to remove the barriers that were placed between her and the general public because of the fact of who she was. Gloves were just a physical embodiment of this, and by removing them, she sought to connect more intimately with the people she met,” which the outlet called “radical thinking for the 1980s.”

Back to Kate for a moment—after getting her hands dirty in the garden on Wednesday, Kate took part in an impromptu and unplanned meet-and-greet with well-wishers clamoring to shake the Princess of Wales’s hand. But before she did so, Kate relatably said (per Hello!), “I’m just washing my hands—I’ll be back.”

Read the original article on InStyle

Earlier in June, Pinkvilla was the first to report that Aditya Dhar and Jio Studios are all set to reveal and unleash the first look teaser of their next collaboration, Dhurandhar on Ranveer Singh’s Birthday – July 6, 2025. The espionage, set in the 1970s and 1980s, marks Aditya’s next after URI: The Surgical Strike and his first collaboration with Ranveer Singh. The film rides on a strong ensemble led by Ranveer Singh with Sanjay Dutt, Akshaye Khanna, R Madhavan, Yami Gautam and Arjun Rampal among others.

And now, the latest we hear is that the team of Dhurandhar have locked the release date of this action-packed thriller. According to the latest buzz in the trade, Dhurandhar is all set to hit the big screen on December 5, 2025. “Around 25 days of Dhurandar shoot remains, which will be wrapped up by early September. The post production work is going on in tandem, in-fact all the shot portions have already been lined up and edited. The makers will have their edit locked by October end, and opt for a 45 day marketing campaign, starting from Diwali,” a source shared.

Dhurandhar features R Madhavan as Ajith Doval, whereas Ranveer Singh plays the part of one of India’s first agent, who started undercover operations on ground. The film is set in India and Pakistan, and transcends decades from the 70s, till date. The teaser is carrying fantastic reports, and the makers are set to launch it at 12: 12 PM on Sunday. The makers were considering 2 release dates – December 5, 2025 and January 9, 2026 – and at the time of this article going live, they had freezed a December release for the film. “Right now, team Dhurandar is sitting with a poster and teaser that reads December 5, 2025 release. Until and unless, they decide on January 9 at the last minute, the date of release for the Aditya Dhar directorial at the moment is December 5, 2025,” the source informed.

At the moment, the film is clashing with the Prabhas led Raja Saab, and the Shahid Kapoor starrer Romeo directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, however, the later might move to January 2026 as per the latest industry buzz. Dhurandhar marks the return of Ranveer Singh to the big screen after the success of Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani, and the actor will be looking to consolidate with another stellar theatrical hit. Stay tuned to Pinkvilla for more updates

ALSO READ: 2025 First Half Box Office Report Card: Hindi Film Industry scores 6 successes, with 3 clean hits in Chhaava, Raid 2 and Sitaare Zameen Par

The UK’s biggest LGBTQ+ event took place on Saturday, with tens of thousands of people on the streets of central London.

The Pride in London parade featured dancing and rainbow flags as the celebration began at noon under cool and cloudy conditions.

Organisers estimate more than 30,000 participants from across 500 organisations will take part in the capital’s annual Pride Parade.

Large crowds watched the brightly-coloured procession as it passed from Hyde Park Corner to its destination in Whitehall.

SATURDAY UPDATE: This dinosaur franchise is far from becoming extinct as Universal/Amblin’s Jurassic World Rebirth is now looking at a $312.5M opening, heads and tails higher than what we were seeing in our early week projection of $260M.

That’s already the second biggest global opening of the year, just behind A Minecraft Movie and ahead of Lilo & Stitch. And accounting for inflation and currency swings, it’s the second biggest global opening in the Jurassic franchise behind Jurassic World‘s $525M+.

The dinos are eating up an overseas weekend of $171.3M, which is the second-best offshore opening YTD behind Ne Zha 2 and ahead of Lilo & Stitch. It’s also the second biggest international debut for a Jurassic movie behind Jurassic World.

In regards to today, China is seeing a great $11.4M, with a running $33.7M cume and 50% market share at No. 1. The opening day for the Gareth Edwards directed movie alone ranked as the biggest MPA opening day of the year in the Middle Kingdom.

Australia is adding an excellent $1.9M today, taking the running total to $4.4M. The reboot is ranked as the clear No.1 for the day with 43% market share. On Thursday, Jurassic claimed the biggest opening day of 2025, surpassing A Minecraft Movie.

In Korea, Jurassic World Rebirth posted a strong Saturday, grossing $2.4M and the No. 1 ranking title in the territory with $5.1M running cume through four days.

Territory breakouts in regards to Friday’s biz:

UK & Ireland added $2.9M with a $7.5M running total with the pic repping a 50% marketshare. Overall, it’s 2x F1 The Movie at No.2 for the day. This is Universal’s 5th No.1 opening of the year.

Mexico grossed $2.2M on Friday, taking the running total to $6.5M. Jurassic World Rebirth reps 60% of the market at No. Uni is currently tracking +6% above Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom at the same point in release.

France opened on Friday, grossing $1.8M. That’s the second biggest opening of the year, behind Lilo & Stitch, and in sync with Jurassic World Dominion and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom‘s opening days. Jurassic World Rebirth is natch No.1 with 43% marketshare.

Germany added $1.5M on Friday, reaching $3.6M running total after 3-days in release. Jurassic World Rebirth took a massive 49% market share at No.1, in a market currently impacted by a heatwave.

India debuted to $1.3M on Friday, ranking as the 2nd biggest MPA opening of the year, only behind Mission: Impossible – Final Reckoning. Jurassic World Rebirth is the No. 1 film there.

Spain added a strong $1.1M on Friday, to reach $3.6M running total. Jurassic World Rebirth continues to claim the clear No.1 spot in the market, accounting for almost half of Friday’s box office (47%).

Italy added $800K for a $2.5M running total. Jurassic World Rebirth has 56% of Italy’s box office market share, yes, ranking as No. 1 

Other No. 1s includes Taiwan ($600K Friday, $1.8M cume, already surpassing Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny‘s total lifetime in the market, Thailand ($600K, $1.8M cume and 76% marketshare), Brazil ($600K, $1.2M total, 40% marketshare), Indonesia ($500K, $1.7M cume). Malaysia ($1.2M running total, grossing $500K on Friday). U.A.E ($500K, $900K running total, 40% marketshare). Chile ($500K, $1M running cume), Poland ($400K opening with 42% marketshare) while the Middle East posted $400K yesterday with an $800K running total. Jurassic World Rebirth is opening at No.1 despite strong holds for F1 The Movie. Qatar and Kuwait are driving results this weekend, account for 74% of grosses. The title opens across 228 screens this weekend.

Anthony D’Alessandro updated Saturday’s post

FRIDAY UPDATE: With another big day spent gobbling up turnstile action, Universal/Amblin’s Jurassic World Rebirth has topped the century mark globally, putting $104.6M in its powerful maw through Thursday worldwide.

The Thursday tally in 70 overseas markets was $22.3M, lifting the running international box office cume to $48.8M. Today notably adds France and India to bring the opening suite to 82 offshore markets. Signs are looking good for an opening above pre-weekend projections — we’ll know more Saturday.

Not included in the totals above, China’s Friday estimate is $6.1M for $21.9M across the first three days at No. 1 and with a 50% share in a competitive environment. In Korea, Rebrith was likewise tops again today, the third day in a row, now with $2.8M through Friday. Also not included above, Australia added an estimated $1.3M on Friday, taking the running total to $2.5M. JWR is ranking as the clear No. 1 for the day with a 50% share of the Top 10. 

Thursday results, which do figure in the $104.6M global and $48.8M overseas totals above, include Mexico’s $1.8M at No. 1 (63% share) for a $4.3M running cume including previews. Rebirth’s opening day is just off Jurassic World Dominion, almost double Captain America: Brave New World and more than double Gladiator II, Dune: Part Two, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning and Top Gun: Maverick. 

RELATED: ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ Review: Scarlett Johansson In Spielbergian Reboot That Is Part ‘Jaws’, ‘Skull Island’ & ‘Indiana Jones’ Mixed With The Pure DNA Of 1993 Original

UK & Ireland stomped up another $1.8M on Thursday, reaching $4.5M to date and dominating the market. Germany increased to $2.1M from two days and amid a heatwave. Spain is at $2.4M with Thursday’s $800K the second-highest Thursday gross of the year.

Italy‘s strong start continued on Thursday, jumping to a $1.7M running total. Brazil’s Thursday bow was $700K — the biggest opening day of the franchise at 15% above previous record-holder, Jurassic World.  

Among other notable debuts, Chile welcomed JWR with $500K on Thursday, more than double all previous franchise entries and the 2nd biggest opening day of 2025 so far. 

RELATED: Everything We Know About ‘Jurassic World: Rebirth’ So Far

Other markets through Thursday include Taiwan ($1.1M), Thailand ($1.2M), UAE ($400K), Colombia ($500K/top opening for the franchise) and Netherlands ($500K/biggest opening Thursday of 2025).

More to come throughout the weekend.

PREVIOUS, THURSDAY: Universal/Amblin Entertainment’s Jurassic World Rebirth delivered a strong overseas start on Wednesday with $26M from 38 international box office markets, including some previews. Combined with domestic’s $30.5M Wednesday, the global running total is $56.5M through Day One.

In total, JWR will be out in 82 offshore markets this weekend with Japan joining in August. 

International rollout began on Tuesday in Hong Kong to capitalize on the Special Administrative Region Establishment Day holiday, coming in with $600K — the single biggest day for a studio title since Deadpool & Wolverine‘s opening Saturday, and the biggest MPA opening of the year to-date. The Scarlett Johansson-starrer ranked as a clear No. 1 for the day, with a 44% market share.

On Wednesday, China delivered the biggest launch day for a studio movie in the market this year at $9.9M. Opening on 65,000 screens in the market, including 760 Imax, the Gareth Edwards-directed adventure took a massive 64% share at No. 1. This is also the biggest studio opening day since Godzilla x Kong’s Friday debut in March 2024 and the 2nd biggest MPA single-day gross of 2025, only behind Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning‘s first Sunday, which fell during the Dragon Boat Festival national holidays at release.

On Thursday, China added a further $5.6M (not included in the offshore/global totals above), reaching $15.5M so far and continuing to dominate in a competitive market with a 50% market share at No. 1. 

The Jurassic movies have been popular in China, with the recent titles grossing nearly $650M combined (unadjusted). The Rebirth team including Edwards, Johansson, Rupert Friend and Jonathan Bailey visited Shanghai for a premiere last Sunday – a promotional move that’s become far less frequent since the pandemic. Jurassic also has a dedicated section at the Universal Beijing Resort.

Meanwhile, Korea also opened yesterday, scoring the biggest Wednesday debut of the year at $1M and the 2^nd biggest non-holiday opening day of 2025 after Bong Joon-ho’s Mickey 17. The market grossed another $700K today (early estimate, not included in overall international and global totals above) and still a clear No. 1 with $1.7M through today.

Other Wednesday debuts include the UK & Ireland with $2.7M, accounting for 56% of the market at No. 1. The performance is just off Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom‘s opening Wednesday, above Guardians of the Galaxy 3 and above Spider-Man: Homecoming. Relative to other 2025 tentpoles, this is more than double Mission: Impossible – Final Reckoning and 72% above F1. 

Mexico debuted to $2.1M in wide Wednesday previews, taking a 67% market share for the day. Comparing to like-for-like wide Wednesday previews, this is above Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and aligned with Thor: Love and Thunder. 

Spain grossed $1.6M on Wednesday at a clear No. 1 with a 41% share. The launch is the second best opening day for any installment of the Jurassic World saga: above Fallen Kingdom and Dominion and just below Jurassic World, which opened on a standard Friday. This result was also the highest-grossing Wednesday of the year and the 3rd highest grossing day of 2025 (only behind Lilo & Stitch and Minecraft). 

Germany grossed $1.1M on Wednesday, taking a 52% market share at No.1, on what was the hottest day of the year so far. This is the biggest opening day of 2025, ahead of Lilo and Minecraft.

Italy is also off to a $1.1M start from Wednesday previews at a huge 60% market share for the day. Compared to standard Thursday openings for Jurassic titles, this is above Fallen Kingdom and in-line with Jurassic World.  

Thailand, the production home for the film, opened on Wednesday to $700K, dominating close to 75% market share in the key cities at No. 1 and delivering the biggest non-holiday opening day of the year in the market. 

Taiwan grossed $600K on Wednesday, marking the biggest opening day of 2025, and accounting for 50% of the market at No. 1.

Indonesia opened on Wednesday at No. 1 to $600K, best of the year so far in the market and the 2nd biggest opening day of the Jurassic franchise, coming in above Dominion and Jurassic World, and just below Fallen Kingdom. This is also Universal’s second biggest opening of the last 5 years, only behind Fast X.

As for other early Thursday results not included in the international and global totals above, Australia grossed $1.2M on opening day with JWR ranking as a clear No. 1 with a 54% share of the Top 10.  This is the biggest opening day of 2025, surpassing A Minecraft Movie.

Malaysia entered the fray with $400K, the biggest non-holiday opening day for an MPA title this year, more than double Lilo & Stitch and 48% above Minecraft.

Other major Thursday openers include Brazil and Netherlands while France and India join on Friday.

We’ll have updates throughout the weekend. 

For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved wearing things the ‘wrong’ way and repurposing non-traditional objects as outfits. Skirts as sleeveless dresses, necklaces as belts and vice versa, button-down tops backwards, wide belts as skirts, skirts over pants. I also have a penchant for Christmas ornaments as earrings, and antique miniature portraits meant for walls on chains as charms. There is nothing better to me than wearing vintage skinny belts (preferably by Whiting & Davis) as necklaces. But most of all: jackets, coats, shirts and dresses, inside out.

So, I was overjoyed when on the fall 2025 runways, more than one designer engaged in flipping the script on how we conventionally wear our clothes. Upside down, inside out, reversed and contorted. For the final of Yohji Yamamoto’s fall 2025 collection, a group of models emerged wearing long back jackets with brilliant royal purple accents. They paused for the audience to look on, as they swapped the garments and turned them literally inside out, helping each other along the way to reveal outfits that were entirely different from what they first wore. Yohji-San famously doesn’t do interviews unless they’re in-person, but via an email, he tells Vogue that the concept was about “perfection… imperfection… I think they are the same. They can switch. So I want to show both sides.”

He continues: “When you wear clothes in a different way, maybe you find something new. When you turn them inside out, you can see the construction. You see the truth. Sometimes this part is more beautiful.”

Likewise, the rising brand Zomer, run by Danial Aitouganov and Imruh Asha, kicked off its fall 2025 show backwards, with models taking their final walk first. They all wore pieces that were upside down, turned around, or purposely inverted. “It all began with a conversation between us, a shared desire to go back in time and redo things,” says Aitouganov. “That idea sparked our styling process, which then evolved into the design phase. Some pieces are intentionally designed to be worn back to front. They might look ‘wrong’ at first, but the fit is just right. And some items were styled specifically for the show.”

For Sarah Burton’s fall 2025 Givenchy debut, structured dresses looked like they had been intentionally designed to look backwards, revealing the flip side of a collar that may have been on the back. Similarly, sustainable designer Maria McManus had models wear outerwear inside out for the spring 2025 show, to show the otherwise hidden details like organic cotton lining, buttons made from biodegradable potato starch and corozo nuts, and expertly bound seams.

Ever imagined what it’s like to be stopped for selfies in Mumbai, Paris, or even a random airport in Brazil? That’s Lee Jung Jae’s reality now, thanks to the Squid Game tidal wave. In his own words, “Wherever I go, people recognize me. It’s honestly so surprising and kind of surreal.” He’s not exaggerating-after Squid Game Season 3 dropped, the show hit number one in a jaw-dropping 93 countries. The world’s got Squid Game fever, and Lee Jung Jae is at the center of it all. He even joked about how, as Asians, we often hear that Westerners can’t tell Asian faces apart. But now? “They spot me instantly, even if I’m just walking by on the street. That’s when I realize just how massive Squid Game has become,” he said, still sounding a bit stunned. Imagine your local rickshaw driver recognizing a K-drama star-yep, that’s the level we’re talking about.Squid Game: Not Just a Show, But a Cultural Tsunami

What’s wild is that even people who haven’t watched Squid Game know about it. It’s become a global pop culture reference, like Harry Potter or Game of Thrones. Lee Jung Jae pointed out that Squid Game has made Korean content a global obsession. “People start with Squid Game, then end up watching more K-dramas. It’s boosted interest in all things Korean-music, food, fashion, you name it,” he explained. And honestly, who hasn’t fallen down a K-content rabbit hole at 2 a.m.?

For Indian youth, this is like when Sacred Games or Mirzapur suddenly made Indian stories cool on the world stage. But with Squid Game, it’s on steroids-K-content is now everywhere, and Lee Jung Jae is the face of that revolution.Fame Hits Different When It’s Global Being famous in your own country is one thing, but being recognized everywhere is next-level. Lee Jung Jae admits he still can’t fully process it. “It’s a huge experience. I’m just grateful for all the love and attention. Sometimes I wish I could take it all in a bit more slowly,” he shared. He’s gone from being a respected actor in Korea to one of the most famous Koreans on the planet-no exaggeration. And here’s the kicker: this fame isn’t just about him. Lee hopes the Squid Game effect keeps the doors open for more Korean creators and actors, so the world keeps tuning in to what Korea has to offer. “I hope this wave doesn’t fade away and that it brings good changes to not just culture, but all industries,” he said, sounding like a true ambassador for K-culture.

Katy Perry has been left devastated to discover that Orlando Bloom was not her soulmate and her needs were not being met in the relationship.

The 40-year-old songstress recently parted ways with her partner of nine years and the couple released a joint statement this week.

The Roar hitmaker is currently dealing with heartbreak while she is on tour, and a source close to her told Page Six, “It breaks my heart with her having to go through another breakup because I know all she [Perry] wants is consistent love and to be heard and be felt.”

During this time when Perry has been under backlash for her latest album, 143, and the space travel controversy, the insider added, “Katy needs a win right now.”

Speaking about the Pirates of the Caribbean star’s recent viral pictures mingling with Sydney Sweeney, the source told the outlet, “It was probably good for Orlando to get away and enjoy some space from it all.”

In their joint statement about the split, the couple wrote, “Due to the abundance of recent interest and conversation surrounding Orlando Bloom and Katy Perry’s relationship, representatives have confirmed that Orlando and Katy have been shifting their relationship over the past many months to focus on co-parenting.” 

Helen Schulman is not afraid to make you squirm. Across her long and distinguished career as a novelist and short story writer, she has fearlessly explored the awkward collisions between our private and public selves, between what we present to the world and what we conceal from even our closest companions. Her 2011 best-selling novel “This Beautiful Life” dared to plunge headfirst into the shark-infested waters of the internet while most of us were still basking in the glow of the web’s shiny benevolence. “Fools For Love,” her latest collection of stories, finds Schulman’s characters weighing the past against the present, looking for redemption in the wrong places and occasionally coming up roses.

(Please note: The Times may earn a commission through links to Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookstores.)

✍️ Author Chat

When it comes to ideas, what becomes a short story and what becomes a novel?

A lot of my ideas spring forward from something Henry James called the “germ” — the bit of overheated gossip, the newspaper article, an eavesdropped conversation on a public bus, a story told by other parents when you are both pushing toddlers on the swings in a playground, which injects itself into the writerly imagination and grows — often over large swaths of time. Sometimes these obsessions entangle, too. That’s what happened in [my story] “The Revisionist.” My husband had a college buddy over for dinner who told us this story about a friend of his who was walking home from work when a strange man ran into his own house and slammed the door in his face. Why? What? Who? The reality was somewhat pedestrian — the intruder was a drunken next-door neighbor, who I guess had overshot. But the anecdote stuck with me.

For some of your characters, the past is ever-present — they are fated to live with the sum of their choices, and it engenders a lot of regret. Can you speak to that?

My all-time favorite writer is William Faulkner. You must be familiar with his quote from the novel “Requiem for a Nun”: “The past is never dead. It’s not even past.” I sometimes feel this way about existence in general, like each and every moment in a lifetime is somehow equal, and that as one ages the moments accrue and tag along wherever one goes. Certainly in my own life I don’t sweat my big choices; I’m happy about them. I think a person does the best they can with what they know at the time. But I’m infinitely curious about what could have happened instead.

There is a lot of status anxiety in your work — not just financial status, but marriage, career — the things you think will align pleasingly in middle age but often don’t.

My husband and I are both working writers. The marriage works; the financial status has gone in and out. I’m not sure I always looked to middle age as a time of “pleasing alignment,” but I also didn’t think the world would be as effed up as it is now. Some of my characters get older and wiser; some are just more wrinkled, taller kids. But there is a lot of endurance over time in these stories — love, friendship, workplace passions. I would venture to say that most of my characters have real lives, and some very real satisfactions within the stresses that inevitably go along with them.

There are also secrets in your stories. Are we as sick as our secrets, or are they simply unavoidable?

Everyone has secrets. In “The Revisionist,” the protagonist even keeps secrets from himself. One of my closest friends, after the death of her parents, found out that one was married before and that the other had two other children with someone else. Now everyone is dead, and so we don’t even know if the spouses knew this about each other. There is nothing pedestrian about “ordinary lives.” We all roil and we all excite. I feel like one of my jobs as a fiction writer is to dive down beneath the surface.

In the story “My Best Friend,” there is a shocking act of violence. Why did you take it in that direction?

That story is about two men, one an up-and-coming-actor and the other a want-to-be novelist, who fall into a deep brotherhood while sleeping with the same woman. In fact, they each marry her — sequentially, of course. At some point, the friendship goes south; the protagonist, Jake, and Jeannie, the woman, have kids together and his career dries up. The first husband, Phil, becomes a very successful TV showrunner and producer. Out of pity, he hires Jake to be a character in one of his nighttime soaps. Jake starts to become an audience favorite, and Phil tortures the character on the series. All their pent up homoerotic attachments and jealousies explode in a “manly” brawl, which I see as tragicomedic, at the end of the story. The love story is theirs, after all.

Kurt Vonnegut has a quote about, when one reaches advanced middle age, life becomes an epilogue. That is a hard thing to carry. Do you feel that this is the case? I guess I’m thinking about your story “In a Better Place,” which revisits the characters from the book’s titular story in old age.

No, honestly I don’t. That story is really about the celebration of long love between the couple at the heart of the story, its healing powers and sustaining comforts. What may make this all feel epilogue-y to you (not a word, I know) is because these two people feel happy and fulfilled by their marriage. … My own artistic hope is to go as long as I can. I live to write!

📰 The Week(s) in Books

Valerie Castellanos Clark weighs in on Charlie English’s “The CIA Book Club,” about how Polish citizens fought Russian communism with books. “As with the best spy novels, we know the good guy is going to win … but how English gets us there is exciting,” Clark writes.

Melina Sempill Watts calls Josh Jackson’s book, “The Enduring Wild: A Journey Into California’s Public Lands” a timely book for a state that is in danger of losing its most precious public resource: “Jackson’s assertion that we are all landowners is a clarion call amid a GOP-led push to sell off public land.”

Leigh Haber raves on Amy Bloom’s latest novel “I’ll Be Right Here.” “As Bloom has demonstrated throughout her stellar literary career,” writes Haber, “she can train her eye on any person, place or object and render it sublime.”

Jim Ruland calls Megan Abbott’s latest thriller, “El Dorado Drive,” a novel for our present age of anxiety, propelled by Abbott’s masterful narrative drive and her skill at “rendering the hot, messy inner lives of young people.”

📖 Bookstore Faves

This week we are perusing the shelves at Now Serving, a cozy bookshop devoted to the culinary arts and located on the ground floor of Chinatown’s Far East Plaza. Co-owner Ken Concepcion gives us the scoop on the hot goods.

What books are selling right now?

“Umma,” “By Heart,” “Fat + Flour,” “Salsa Daddy” and “The Choi of Cooking.”

What food trend are customers excited about right now?

Being that we are in L.A., there has always been a demand for vegetarian and vegan titles. The interest in plant-based cookbooks that delve into specific cuisines such as Filipino, Vietnamese, Mexican and Japanese has definitely grown over the years, and the diversity of voices has been wonderful to see. There needs to be better representation for Ecuadorian, Guatemalan and other Central and South American cuisines as well — there is a real demand for it.

Why do you think cookbooks are still important, despite the ubiquity of recipes online?

As with anything that you can find online, recipes are no different. There are thousands upon thousands available. Most of them are copycat recipes. We think cookbooks are still unparalleled in that they can deliver a narrative, historical context and incredible imagery and stunning design in a world that is more reliant on technology than ever. Cookbooks at best are functional objects of art that can be then passed down from generation to generation. They can often become keepsakes, time capsules and family heirlooms.

Kids often dream of becoming police officers or doctors. For “Jurassic World Rebirth” director Gareth Edwards, however, his childhood dream was a bit more specific: working with iconic director Steven Spielberg. And now it’s finally come true with the latest in the dinosaur action film franchise.

Edwards has found the Hollywood moviemaking sweet spot: directing major blockbusters that are also creatively satisfying.

He found geek boy superstardom when he made the first-ever spin-off in the “Star Wars” franchise, 2016’s “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.” It’s gone on to be regarded as one of the best ever within the beloved galaxy far, far away (though he disagrees with that opinion).

He followed that up by creating an original idea out of the studio system, a rarity these days, when he released 2023’s “The Creator.” The movie stars John David Washington as a special forces agent hired to hunt down and kill an AI.

Now, Edwards is taking on the legacy IP genre by helming “Jurassic World Rebirth,” out now. Taking place decades after the events of “Jurassic World Dominion,” the story, penned by “Jurassic Park” screenwriter David Koepp, follows Scarlett Johansson as the leader of a team of operatives who travel to an island research facility to take genetic material from dinosaurs.

For Edwards, making the movie checked off a childhood dream of working alongside Steven Spielberg, who was heavily involved in the filmmaking process. And it shows as “Rebirth” features several hat tips to the master, ranging from “Jurassic Park” to “Jaws.”

“I hate the word IP, but there are only two franchises I would absolutely drop everything for and just do them. I already did one of them with ‘Star Wars,’ and this was the other one,” Edwards told Business Insider. “So when Steven gives you this script, you’re just checkmated immediately. The idea that you turn Steven Spielberg down is impossible.”

BI spoke with Edwards while he was in New York City about the hourslong conversations he had with Spielberg while making the movie, his thoughts on “Rogue One” as it nears its 10th anniversary, and whether he’d ever consider making another “Star Wars” movie.

Business Insider: So what led you to sign onto “Jurassic”?

After “The Creator,” I started the process of what am I going to do next. There was a thing in my mind that I was excited about. And in that process, a sequence from “Jurassic Park” entered my mind, and I forgot how they pulled it off, so I just put it on to get a refresher. I’m doing this with “Jurassic” and the next day my friend saw on the internet that Universal was looking for a director for a new “Jurassic” movie.

So I sent that to my agent, and I just typed in the text with the link to the story, “Is this stupid?” hoping he’d say, “Yes, stay away.” And hours later, my agent got back to me, and the ball started rolling. Be careful what you wish for.

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What I really enjoyed about “Rebirth” is its stand-alone feel. Was that intentional?

It was in David Koepp’s script. That’s why I really liked it. What the best sequels have in common is that the first one didn’t know it was part of a trilogy or the start of sequels. It was just this self-contained story. So that’s the way to go, to try to tell the best film you can.

It’s then a high-class problem after that. And I’m not joking, but I haven’t had a single conversation about a sequel with anyone from Universal or the producers.

That was my follow-up. Nobody tapped you on the shoulder and suggested a more heavy-handed way to tease another movie?

No. It was even a joke with the actors. 

But the movie also has a lot of nostalgia, with hat tips ranging from “Jurassic Park” to “Jaws. ” Did that come organically?

When I got the script, it felt like a magical ticket back to being a kid again. So a lot of that was already in there, and half of it I probably brought with me. 

I mean, you’re making a movie for Amblin that features a giant creature in the water. Of course, you’re going to lean into “Jaws.”

Yeah. The script said, “They’re chasing a giant dinosaur in the water, on a boat, with a rifle leading out the front,” and you’re like, “Guys, I don’t know if you’ve ever seen this movie called ‘Jaws,’ but I don’t know how we escape those visuals.” So it was a difficult situation, and the only way I got through it was this being a giant love letter to Steven Spielberg. Whenever there’s a gap, I’m going to put something in that is a reflection of something from his movies that we love. 

You have now worked with two faces on the Mt. Rushmore of American cinema, George Lucas and Steven Spielberg. Compare and contrast working for them.

Well, George had retired when we started “Rogue One,” so he was totally happy for us to go do our thing. But I did have the more surreal moment of showing him around the set of “Rogue One.” But what I did to take the pressure off myself, seeing I was doing a “Star Wars” spin-off, I was competing with the likes of the holiday special and Caravan of Courage, the Ewok adventure. So I jokingly framed those movie posters in my office as a reminder to me that I just have to do better than those.

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Then, one day I was told George is here, and he just walked into the office, and I was blown away. And as I was talking to him, I realized the posters on the wall. So I’m trying to be as animated as possible so he wouldn’t look at the wall. 

Steven developed the story with David, so he was fully engaged from the start. He was in the meetings during preproduction. He would call me when I started shooting. He watched the dallies every day. We even sent him the first cut of the movie. I would have hour and a half phone calls with him giving me feedback. 

Were you prepared he’d be so hands-on?

It was definitely the right amount, but going in I didn’t know if I’d see him once or all the time. I didn’t know how it was going to play out. And I remember on day one, the first meeting at Universal, I get there early, and the next person who walked in was Steven Spielberg. 

I’ll never forget the first interaction I ever had with him. It was right after “Godzilla.” I got an email from [“The Lord of the Rings” creator] Peter Jackson, and there’s a video attached. I hit play and it’s Steven Spielberg. Peter Jackson was filming Steven Spielberg at George Lucas’ birthday party. Steven had just seen “Godzilla” and was saying really nice things about it, so Peter sent it to me. I watched it and collapsed and burst into tears.

There are moments as a filmmaker where everything you’re doing in your life, you ask, Why am I doing this? What is the goal? You don’t know. That is the answer to why I’m doing this; for that moment, for that little video. 

We’re coming close to 10 years of “Rogue One” coming out in theaters. Do you appreciate your contribution to “Star Wars”? It’s arguably the best “Star Wars” movie since Disney bought Lucasfilm, and it’s up there as one of the best out of all the movies. Can you appreciate that?

I don’t agree with it, but I appreciate it. I’m very grateful that people say nice things. But what’s super interesting about it, which you have to keep in your pocket as you go through making other films, is that it’s not about how people feel the day it gets released, it’s how people feel about it 10, 20 years from now.

When you make a movie, you’re living at least a year from now. You’re trying to imagine what it’s like, all these decisions you’re making, what they are going to be like a year from now when this movie is released. What’s the audience going to think? And as the movie comes out, you go, “I’m going to pretend I’m living 10 years from now and it doesn’t matter what people say in the moment.” It’s the kid who comes up to you 20 years from now and goes, “Oh my god, I loved that movie!” I think that’s the reward. 

Would you ever go down that road of doing “Star Wars” again?

It’s the thing that was in my life before I knew what a film was. And so it’s like your mom; it’s like something so a part of you. I’m always fascinated by what they’re doing. I never stop loving that trilogy, but I’m very happy to move on and do my thing. 

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.