Category: 5. Entertainment

Prince William has received praises from the French President upon his visit to the UK.

The Prince of Wales got compliments from Emmanuel Macaron of France in the presence of father King Charles.

William, who welcomed Macaron at RAF Northolt this morning, was lauded for his immaculate personality and height.

Lip reader Nicola Hickling, who observed the conversation between the three, tells The Sun that Macron said to King Charles: “He is incredibly tall.”

King Charles then replied: “He is very tall. He’s six foot one, he is, ever so.”

Prince William then weighed in: “Actually, I’m six foot three.”

Macron then quipped: “Unlike us, we’re short.”

HBO Max will be back starting tomorrow.

Warner Bros. Discovery will officially rebrand its Max streaming service to HBO Max on Wednesday, July 9, a source familiar with the matter confirms to The Hollywood Reporter.

The name change, first announced onstage at WBD’s upfront presentation back in May, will see Max rebrand to HBO Max, the name it used from 2020 until 2023. “I know you’re all shocked, but the good news is I have a drawer full of stationery from the last time around,” HBO chief Casey Bloys quipped onstage at the upfront.

The pivot comes after WBD decided to change its streaming strategy and lean into the premium nature of HBO’s offering, pulling back in some areas like unscripted and kids and family programming, rather than compete on scale with the likes of Netflix.

“This evolution has been influenced by changing consumer needs, and the fact that no consumer today is saying they want more content, but most consumers are saying they want better content,” the company said in a statement in connection with the name change. “With other services filling the more basic needs with volume, WBD has clearly distinguished itself through its quality and distinct stories, and no brand has done that better and more consistently over 50-plus years than HBO.”

The HBO Max logo, which includes a simpler black and white color scheme, will replace Max within the existing app for users Wednesday. Unlike the transition from HBO Max to Max, no new downloading of apps or account changes will be required.

The name change comes during a somewhat slow month for the service, which debuted the Warner Bros. film Sinners earlier this month. Billy Joel: And So It Goes will debut July 18, and it will have content related to Shark Week later this month. But it also comes ahead of the open for Emmy voting, which begins in a couple of weeks. As usual, the service is expected to have a number of shows securing nominations, like the latest season of The White Lotus.

The change comes as WBD is set to undergo larger changes, with the company to be split in two next year. HBO Max will be part of a new company led by David Zaslav alongside the Warner Bros. film and TV studios, with the linear TV networks spun into a new company to be led by Gunnar Weidenfels.

The company is also taking HBO Max globally, launching the brand in 12 new markets this month.

Alex Sherman first reported the date of the rebranding.

TikTok‘s sponsorship of the Toronto Film Festival, the Junos and other marquee Canadian cultural events has been suspended as TikTok’s Canadian operations face a pending shut down by the federal government over national security concerns.

“The termination of TikTok Canada’s funding for cultural organizations like the Junos, TIFF and Adsiq is entirely due to the federal government’s order to shutdown TikTok Canada’s local operations. This harmful and misguided order not only eliminates funding for investments in Canadian culture and content creators — including programs like the TikTok Accelerator for Indigenous Creators — it also requires us to terminate hundreds of local jobs,” Steve de Eyre, director of public policy and government affairs, TikTok Canada, said in a statement obtained by The Hollywood Reporter on Tuesday.

Canadians will still be able to access the social media giant via the TikTok app. The federal government is instead targeting the local operations of TikTok’s Chinese parent, ByteDance, over national security concerns.

It’s understood TikTok Canada, faced with a shutdown of its local offices and workforce, has begun notifying Canadian cultural events it has sponsored that that support is being withdrawn.

Representatives at the federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Industry in Ottawa, which ordered the TikTok Canada operations shutdown, were not available for direct comment.

In 2022, TikTok Canada began sponsoring TIFF’s Short Cuts Program to showcase short films, and two years later upgraded its support to becoming the official platform partner and presenting partner for the festival’s Special Presentations sidebar.

And for five years running, TikTok Canada served as the lead sponsor of the Juno Awards, Canada’s Grammys, and the title sponsor of its Juno Fan Choice Award, where ordinary Canadian music fans vote on a winner.

“TikTok has become an indispensable platform for both the Juno Awards and MusiCounts (national music education charity). It has played a vital role in spotlighting emerging Canadian talent, often serving as a launchpad for artists before they are nominated for or win a Juno Award,” The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, organizers of the Juno Awards and MusiCounts, said in a statement about its formal ties to TikTok Canada ending.

“This change will be especially challenging for independent Canadian artists—who make up the vast majority of Juno nominees annually — as platforms like TikTok are essential for building fan communities and gaining exposure,” CARAS added.

In November 2024, the federal government in Ottawa first ordered TikTok Canada to wind up its Canadian operations following a security review. Canada’s intelligence services had investigated TikTok Technology Canada, the local operating arm of ByteDance, with offices in Vancouver and Toronto.

The federal government has not revealed the security grounds on which it has ordered the shutdown of TikTok Canada’s local operations, citing confidentiality. TikTok also faces an uncertain future in the U.S. market, again over national security concerns.

With U.S. President Donald Trump eyeing a possible sale of the video sharing platform to a U.S. consortium, media reports point to TikTok looking to build a new version of its platform exclusively for American users.

PARIS (AP) — Armani Privé opened Tuesday under an unmistakable shadow. For the first time in the 20-year history of his couture house, Giorgio Armani was not present in Paris to take his bow.

Days from his 91st birthday and following doctors’ advice after a recent hospital stay, Armani reportedly oversaw the Paris couture week show remotely from home, a moment of absence that lands heavily for a designer who has shaped every one of his brand’s collections since its founding.

The show’s theme, “Seductive Black,” played out with literal and symbolic force on the runway: black in myriad forms, from liquid velvet and lacquered silk to pavé crystals and flashes of gold. Even the models’ makeup followed suit, rendered in shades of gray.

For some in the front row, the relentless palette felt pointed. Guests quietly wondered if the choice of black was a coded message from the maestro himself.

Armani missed Milan, too

This is not the first major show Armani has missed this season. Just weeks ago, he was forced to sit out Milan Fashion Week for the first time in the label’s history, following a brief hospitalization.

According to the brand, the absence was a precaution to save energy for his Paris couture appearance.

For decades, Armani — often referred to as “Re Giorgio,” or King George, in Italy — has been both the creative and business force behind one of fashion’s last great independent empires.

The Tuesday collection balanced tension and control. After an uncertain start, including velvet jodhpurs and stark crystalline seams, Armani’s familiar codes quickly emerged: tuxedo jackets transformed into evening gowns with plunging lapels and floating bow ties, tailored blazers worn on bare skin and military-inspired equestrian jackets paired with slim velvet pants.

Bursts of embroidery and colored feathers provided a balance from the monochrome.

A living fashion ma

estro

Armani’s recent absences have sent ripples through the industry. In a landscape dominated by conglomerates like LVMH and Kering, Armani remains the sole shareholder of his company, personally overseeing every collection for nearly 50 years. In 2024, Armani Group reported revenues of $2.5 billion, while Giorgio Armani’s personal fortune is estimated at $11–13 billion — even as the global luxury market faces headwinds.

Armani is widely credited with redefining men’s and women’s tailoring, pioneering gender-fluidity in fashion, and inventing celebrity red-carpet dressing, from Julia Roberts to Cate Blanchett. Yet the designer himself has acknowledged that age is now a reality to deal with and that pulling back could be a necessity.

Whether the monochrome collection was a deliberate metaphor or simply a showcase of discipline, “Seductive Black” felt personal — both a mood and a message, perhaps an understated nod to a master whose presence, even in absence, remains absolute. As the show closed, the final bow belonged to the models alone. But Armani’s vision — uncompromising and unmistakably his — filled the room.

Nicki Minaj is demanding a massive payout from Jay-Z, claiming he owes her between $100 million and $200 million.

In a series of pointed posts on X (formerly Twitter) Tuesday (July 8), the rap queen called on Jay-Z to settle what she described as a “karmic debt” — and she already has plans for how she’ll use the money.

“We’ve calculated about 100–200MM so far. #JayZ call me to settle this karmic debt. It’s only collecting more interest,” Minaj wrote. “You still in my TOP 5 tho.” She added a warning to fans: “Anyone still calling him Hov will answer to God for the blasphemy.”

In a follow-up, she announced her intention to give back to her loyal fanbase, writing: “I’m going to use some of the money #JayZ owes me to send some of my Barbz to college, pay their school fees & student loans via my #StudentOfTheGame charity.”

The feud escalates long-running tension between Minaj and Jay-Z, especially over the TIDAL streaming platform. Fans recently resurfaced posts claiming Minaj never received her fair cut from the TIDAL deal, which Jay-Z sold to Jack Dorsey’s Square in 2021 for around $300 million. Minaj alleges she was only offered $1 million.

Adding fuel to the fire, Minaj also referenced Jay-Z in her remix of Lil Wayne’s “Banned From NO,” criticizing the NFL’s decision to select Kendrick Lamar over Wayne for the 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show.

Jay-Z has yet to respond to the accusations. Reps for TIDAL and Roc Nation have also remained silent as the controversy continues to unfold.

Jennifer Aniston, legendary actress who is no stranger to the spotlight and has done major hits throughout her career, revealed one iconic role she still dreams of playing.

The Friends star shared that performing in a stage play has always been on her bucket list, but she just hasn’t found the right moment yet.

“I definitely want to do a play,” she said. “That’s on my list. But it’s about finding the time and the right piece, the right material.”

Even after years of fame, awards, and unforgettable roles, Aniston admitted this dream has stayed close to her heart.

“I absolutely have to do a play. It’s something I need to experience,” she added.

However, the actress earlier revealed that she’d be open to returning as Dr. Julia Harris, her memorable character from the Horrible Bosses. 

Known for her bold aura and outrageous roles, Jennifer Aniston said that comedy is something people truly need in life, sharing that out of all her last work, Horrible Bosses is the one she’d be most excited to return to.

While Hollywood’s leading tracking service shows James Gunn‘ Superman flying to $130 million in its domestic box office debut, DC Studios is being far more conservative in sticking with a forecast of $100 million-plus.

Gunn is in the unique position of being both the film’s writer-director and the co-head of the Warner Bros.-owned DC Studios, so he has plenty of sway in controlling the messaging. Superman, perhaps the summer’s biggest curiosity factor, opens everywhere in North America July 11. It is also opening in 78 markets overseas, where it is likewise predicting an opening of $100 million-plus.

When the tentpole first came on tracking three weeks ago, NRG reported a North American opening of $135 million. That figure subsequently dropped to $130 million, but has held steady since. And the film can only be helped by stellar reviews, including this one from The Hollywood Reporter, which says, “the man of steel reclaims his human heart” in the post-Zack Snyder era. It currently sits at an 84 percent critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice broke records for a film featuring Clark Kent/Superman with a domestic opening of $166 million in 2016, not adjusted for inflation. The last solo Superman movie, Snyder’s 2013 film Man of Steel, debuted to $116 million domestically. And almost two decades ago, Bryan Singer‘s Superman Returns posted a six-day North American opening of more than $84 million.

It’s understandable why Gunn and his DC Studios co-head Peter Safran are skittish when it comes to tracking, which has been all over the map in recent months. At the same time, Superman is among the world’s best-known superheros, alongside Batman and Marvel’s Spider-Man.

Superman stars David Corenswet as the Man of Steel, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. Rounding out the cast are Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Beck Bennett as Steve Lombard, Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner, Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho and Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific.

Gunn told press in February of this year, “People are looking for heroes right now. They are looking for values of goodness, looking for people who are good and decent human beings. And Superman is that.” At the same time, Gunn has spoken often superhero fatigue striking the box office.

The movie marks the first DC film entry for Gunn since he took over the reins of Warner Bros’ superhero label with Safran in November 2022. Other upcoming DC Studios projects include HBO’s Green Lantern series Lanterns and a Supergirl movie, due out in 2026.