Category: 5. Entertainment

CNN
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George Takei has a very personal view about current US immigration enforcement efforts.

The “Star Trek” star appeared on an episode of Audie Cornish’s podcast “The Assignment” to promote his new graphic memoir, “It Rhymes With Takei.” He talked about being held as a five-year-old child with his family in an internment camp for Japanese Americans by the US government during World War II.

Takai is the author of several books and has shared his story before, but he sees an urgency in making sure that people know their history, so the horrors his and other families endured won’t be repeated.

“Our democracy reflects the people and if the people are cowed and silent it fails,” he told Cornish.

The actor turned activist has his own rich history of advocacy on multiple fronts, ranging from immigration to LGBTQ+ rights. The man who at one point was closeted about his sexuality now understands the importance of representation.

He explained to Cornish that he was a teen who had fallen in love with acting when he saw his favorite movie star “heartthrob” actor Tab Hunter lose work after a tabloid reported that Hunter was gay. It was a cautionary tale for Takei.

“You could not aspire to be an actor, to be hired by a producer in a Hollywood if it was known that you were gay,” he said. “And so I put myself in my own self created, invisible barbwire prison camp. The term then was ‘closeted.’ I was visible in other social and justice issues, but I never touched my own situation because I desperately, passionately wanted to be an actor.”

Takei came out in 2005 amid the fight for marriage equality.

He has used his popularity as having starred as Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu in the beloved “Star Trek” franchise to give voice to what he views as injustices.

These days, he’s raising his voice about the policies of the Trump administration.

“We have what I call ‘Klingon in the White House,’” he said. “This authoritarian, self-important, singularly minded person there advocating for erasure.”

Takei also has his memories of how he and his family were treated during World War II.

“They categorized us as ‘enemy alien.’ We were neither,” he said. “We were American born, educated, patriotic Americans and yet they had this falsity and they fanned the flames of hatred. The whole country was swept up.”

The camp where he and his family were forced to live was the result of an executive order. He said his father had shared with him how important the constitution is and often quoted President Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg address.

Now as an adult, Takei recognizes that then President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who signed the executive order that led to the camps got “swept up” in the “hysteria” of the time and “panicked out of ignorance” about the Japanese Americans who resembled the people who bombed Peal Harbor.

“This is where teachers and librarians are the pillars of democracy,” Takei said. “They can teach them this truth that people, even great presidents, can be stampeded by hysteria. And that’s what we’re going through right now.”

Such truth is vital, according to Takei, given what he sees as the lies told by politicians that are believed by voters until it’s too late.

A community cafe founded in memory of a man who took his own life is celebrating its tenth anniversary this weekend.

Johnny’s Happy Place in Kettering, Northamptonshire, was set up in 2014 by the family of Johnny Mackay, who died at the age of 29 after years of drug and alcohol addiction and undiagnosed mental health issues.

The cafe offers free mental health sessions with trained counsellors, and art therapy.

Johnny’s mother, Denise McKay, 76, said: “It’s been a remarkable journey. We get more and more people in every week, and what surprises me most is that [the local community] is embracing us, supporting us financially, and becoming involved.”

In the wake of Mr McKay’s death, his family and friends were determined to honour his memory, and two months later they were offered an unused cafe space that became the foundation for Johnny’s Happy Place.

Ms McKay, who previously worked in the hotel trade and now also volunteers with the British Heart Foundation, said the cafe has been her lifeline.

“When Johnny died, I sort of gave up my life. I didn’t do anything, I just focused on this,” she said.

“Starting a cafe sounded preposterous at the time. None of us had any experience, but I’m so glad it was suggested. Every time I open the door, I’m pleased to be here.”

Ten years on, Ms McKay said strangers still share stories about Johnny with her.

“They knew him and they have such wonderful anecdotes,” she added.

Johnny’s Happy Place will hold its anniversary event at the cafe on 6 July.

Disney Pixar’s latest film, Elio, follows a familiar-sounding character, a lovable and imaginative young hero who dreams of finding a place where he truly belongs. But amid the colour and chaos of the film’s outer space setting, one subtle detail stands out: Elio wears an eye patch.

In the real world, eye patches are commonly used to treat amblyopia, or “lazy eye”, a neurodevelopmental visual condition projected to affect 175.2 million people globally by 2030. In amblyopia, the brain favours one eye over the other, leading to reduced vision in the weaker eye.

Treatment often involves covering the stronger eye with a patch, encouraging the brain to rely on the weaker eye and improve its function. This therapy is most effective during early childhood and can take months of daily commitment.

Yet, despite how common visual conditions are, positive representation of patch-wearing is rare in popular media.

Animated films have long shaped childhood imaginations, but historically, characters with eye patches or other visual markers often fall into negative stereotypes.

Think Mr Potato Head’s alter ego One-Eyed Bart in Toy Story, or Madagascar’s Dr. Blowhole: characters where an eye patch signals villainy. Glasses, meanwhile, are more often seen on older characters like Carl Fredrickson from Up or Roz from Monsters Inc.

Characters with strabismus (misaligned eyes), like Ed from The Lion King, are often portrayed as unintelligent or clumsy. One recent study found that strabismus in children’s animated films is consistently associated with negative character traits – something that can reinforce harmful stigma.

These portrayals matter. Film plays a powerful role in shaping beliefs, especially for young children who are developing a sense of identity, belonging and how to relate to others. When visual conditions are stereotyped, it can reinforce feelings of embarrassment and difference.

For children wearing a patch, these feelings can lead to skipping treatment days and poorer outcomes. In contrast, authentic, positive representation can build self-esteem, promote acceptance, and provide relatable role models.

A subtle but powerful shift

Happily, things are starting to change. In recent Disney/Pixar films, we’ve seen characters with glasses portrayed as dynamic, central figures: Encanto’s Mirabel, Turning Red’s Priya and Mei, and Big Hero 6’s scientist-superhero Honey Lemon, for example. These characters challenge old stereotypes and broaden the narrative around vision.

Elio continues that progress. The young protagonist’s eye patch is not a plot point, nor is it used to symbolise frailty, villainy or wisdom. It simply exists – a quiet part of his identity, not something to overcome.

That subtlety is powerful. For children who wear patches, seeing someone like Elio leading a space mission, not sidelined by his visual condition, can be deeply affirming.

Beyond the screen, Elio has sparked conversation and awareness. Prevent Blindness launched a campaign around the film to raise public understanding of amblyopia and the importance of early detection. Eye care organisations have also used the film as an educational tool, while individuals have shared their stories of patching and treatment across social media.

When amblyopia is recognised and treated early, patching can be remarkably effective. But awareness is key, and so is reducing stigma that might discourage children from wearing their patch.

Childhood amblyopia research

Although patching often restores vision, it doesn’t work for every child – and we still don’t fully understand why. There is limited research into how patching affects the developing brain, and this lack of insight hinders improvements in treatment.

Our research with Holly Bridge, Vision Group leader at Oxford University, aims to change that. We’re studying how patching changes brain chemistry in young children.

Adult studies suggest that chemical shifts in visual parts of the brain may be linked to patching outcomes. To explore this in children, we’re running a study of five to eight-year-olds with amblyopia or healthy vision.

In our study, children with amblyopia receive a safe, non-invasive brain scan before and after patching treatment. We also measure their vision using child-friendly tests. We then compare these results to children with healthy vision who don’t wear a patch, helping us to understand both visual changes and brain development.

We hope Elio marks the beginning of more inclusive storytelling, where difference isn’t erased or exaggerated, but simply woven into the fabric of character and adventure. Like Elio’s journey through space, the path to better understanding and representation of childhood visual conditions has faced challenges.

But perhaps this is the launch we needed: towards better awareness, better research, and a future where every child feels seen – on screen and beyond.

EXCLUSIVE: Disney’s A Lilo & Stitch continues to upend the box office with the duo taking out Warner Bros and Legendary’s pigs and chickens pixelated pic A Minecraft Movie to become the highest grossing MPA movie year-to-date with $957.6 million worldwide and $553.9 million international. A Minecraft Movie stands at $954.9M million worldwide and $530.9M abroad. They are the only two movies to surpass $900M currently in 2025.

Lilo & Stich is currently in its sixth week at the box office.

Note the Dean Fleischer Camp directed movie is still on track to become the first billion-dollar grossing Hollywood title of 2025. Also, in all fairness to A Minecraft Movie, they’re still the highest grossing movie stateside with $423.9M to Lilo & Stitch‘s $403.7M. They’re also the only two pics to cross the four century mark stateside.

As the box office in post Covid and strike times provides more confidence to studios about the potency of theatrical, here’s another big takeaway for the industry, and that’s that there’s big business in beloved nostalgic female properties, i.e. Lilo & Stitch (62% women), How to Train Your Dragon (50% women) and Moana 2 (71%). No pressure, Disney, but all eyes are on the sequel Freakier Friday with Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan on Aug. 8.

To date, Lilo & Stitch top territories are as follows: Mexico ($66.1M), UK ($47.1M), France ($39.8M), Brazil ($36M), Germany ($30.2M), Spain ($25.9M), China ($25.2M), Italy ($24.5M), Argentina ($19M), Australia ($18.8M), Japan ($16.3M) and Central America ($15.8M). Lilo & Stitch is already the highest grossing film of 2025 in France, Italy, Spain, Brazil and Mexico as well as all the Latin American countries and many other markets.

Lilo & Stitch is in the top all-time industry lists of such markets as Brazil and Mexico as well as the Latin America region as a whole. It’s also the highest grossing Disney live-action title of all-time in Mexico as well as several smaller markets.

Lilo & Stitch opened domestically to $182.6M 4-day, repping the biggest 4-day Memorial Day weekend opening of all time, ahead of Top Gun Maverick’s $160.5M. Across all 4-day holiday weekend openings, Lilo & Stitch had the second biggest ever, only behind Black Panther‘s $242M (President’s Day Wknd 2018).

As we’ve always noted, it was logical that Disney would make a live-action take of the 2002 animated movie (which only made $145.7M domestic, $274.7M worldwide). The Lilo & Stitch franchise in series and the original pic has driven over 579 million hours on Disney+ around the globe. The original Lilo & Stitch has accounted for more than 306M hours of viewing on the OTT service. Disney+ global. Retail sales for Stitch have grown from $0.2B in 2019 to $2.6B in 2024, representing a ten-fold increase. Stitch is one of 11 evergreen franchises for the Walt Disney Company that has surpassed $1B in retail sales last year (Stitch being in the top 10). A live-action sequel was announced last week.

Royalty and celebrities were out in full force on day four of Wimbledon, turning the iconic tennis tournament into a true spectacle of star power.

Among those soaking up the action from the Royal Box on Thursday were Prince Michael of Kent first cousin of King Charles and Lady Amelia Windsor, the fashion-forward granddaughter of the Duke of Kent. 

Prince Michael was seen watching the high stakes match between Britain’s Daniel Evans and Serbian tennis titan Novak Djokovic.

He attended solo this year, following appearances by his wife, Princess Michael of Kent, and daughter Lady Gabriella Kingston earlier in the week.

Princess Michael made her Wimbledon outing on Wednesday, watching defending champion Carlos Alcaraz take on British hopeful Oliver Tarvet from the Royal Box.

Lady Gabriella made a rare public appearance on Day 2 of the tournament, seen warmly chatting with Robert Denning, philanthropist and Metropolitan Museum of Art board member.

But the royals weren’t the only high-profile names courtside. The famous faces continued with adventurer Bear Grylls, comedian Jack Whitehall, and Newcastle United’s rising star Anthony Gordon among the crowd. 

Former footballer Peter Crouch and model wife Abbey Clancy were also spotted, alongside Hollywood heavyweight John Cena and beloved TV host Cat Deeley.

Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas brought Hollywood glamour to the Royal Box at Wimbledon, turning heads with their stylish appearance on Centre Court. 

Beloved British actress Celia Imrie was spotted looking lovely in a soft pink ensemble, seated front row beside former Foreign Secretary William Hague. 

Lauren Sánchez packed 27 designer dresses for her wedding to the billionaire Amazon founder, Jeff Bezos, in Venice last week, but left with only 26 after one went missing.

The couple, who are now honeymooning in Taormina, Sicily, were wed during a star-studded three-day celebration in the lagoon city.

They left Venice on Sunday, but mystery over the missing dress has generated chatter in Venice, with Corriere della Sera claiming that it was stolen, possibly by someone who evaded security and gatecrashed a party on the tiny island of San Giorgio, where the couple exchanged rings, on Friday. The newspaper said the number of gatecrashers to the event was such that officers from the local unit of Italy’s anti-terrorism squad, Digos, were called to the island.

The newspaper also alleged a vintage Dolce & Gabbana-designed dress, either worn by the bride or wedding guest Ivanka Trump, was torn and caught fire during another party.

Sources familiar with the situation confirmed that a dress had gone missing but denied it was stolen. It is unclear where the dress disappeared and when. The couple lodged at the seven-star Aman hotel, where the bride’s wedding outfits were reportedly kept under close watch.

The sources stressed that no legal complaint about the missing dress had been made to police, with the expectation being that the garment would eventually “turn up”. They also denied the report that a dress caught fire and that the celebrations had been infiltrated by gatecrashers.

The nuptials, which are said to have cost between €40m and €48m (£34m-£41m), reportedly included everything from pyjama and foam parties to elegant dinners and a Great Gatsby-themed event.

But on almost every canal, alleyway and square, there were protests against the wedding, with anti-Bezos campaigners arguing that the celebrations risked turning Venice into a playground for the rich, bringing nothing but strife for ordinary residents. The location of the main reception party on Saturday had to be changed at the last-minute because of threats by protesters to fill the canals with inflatable crocodiles in order to prevent the 200 or so wedding guests, who included Whoopi Goldberg, Orlando Bloom and Kim Kardashian, from arriving.

The guests arrived in Venice on super-yachts and more than 90 private jets.

As Friday night’s party got into full swing, a green laser was used to spell out the slogan ‘No Kings, No Bezos’ on the bell tower in St Mark’s Square. Another stunt involved activists floating a lifesize mannequin of Bezos along the Grand Canal, clinging to an Amazon box while holding fake dollars.

The Venice mayor, Luigi Brugnaro, dismissed the protesters as “shameful” and said the Bezos-Sánchez union would fill Venetian coffers.

The couple have now moved on to Taormina. They reportedly arrived in Sicily on Bezos’s super-yacht before being transported by helicopter to the hilltop town on the island’s east coast, where they are staying in San Domenico Palace, the hotel made famous by the US TV show, The White Lotus.

For now, there have been no reports of protests or items of clothing gone astray on the southern Italian island. Instead, some political leaders have embraced the couple.

“Jeff and Lauren, we welcome you with open arms,” said Matteo Francilia, mayor of Furci Siculo, a small town near Messina. “Leave behind the beautiful lagoon with its absurd complaints! Here in Furci Siculo you’ll find sun, sea and genuine people, who would welcome you with open arms.”

It’s not the first time Bezos’s 127-metre super-yacht has sailed to Sicily. Last summer, the vessel toured the coastline near Taormina, and the Aeolian islands.

Has your northern accent helped or hindered your career? Eluned51
They do call a group of actors a “moan” of actors. We like to have a good moan. When people hear a regional accent, they immediately make assumptions about your class, financial status and education. People generally think if you’ve got a strong regional accent, you can’t do much else. Obviously there are amazing actors like Jodie Comer who smash that to pieces because people don’t realise she’s from Liverpool. But because I came out the traps with the northern accent it’s probably helped.

Do you ever suffer from impostor syndrome and think: “Why are people so fascinated by me?” RealEdPhillips
I don’t ever think people are – I think they are generally quite bored by me! Of course I have impostor syndrome. When you don’t get a job, you can’t help but think: “Why didn’t I get that job? Why don’t they think I’m good enough?” So there’s a healthy balance of inferiority complex and slightly prickly ego.

What are your memories of filming Funny Cow? Michel3Amsterdam
We had such a good time because it was made with a bunch of friends. We managed to twist Paddy Considine’s arm to be part of it. We had Stephen Graham, Christine Bottomley, John Bishop. All these amazing people, so it was quite colourful. I have always been fascinated by female comics’ journeys through working men’s clubs in the 70s, and the sacrifices and compromises they had to make. The material they were using was horrific, really. It was all about: “How do you get noticed?” The answer was: “If you can’t beat them, join them.” The politics of the 70s seemed to come crashing down as we were filming it, with Brexit. So we wanted to do a bit of an exposé on British politics as well.

Which political figure in the Labour party would you most like to play? NorthwichTom
I’ve always wanted to play Ellen Wilkinson, but I’m far too tall because she was a little bullet: smallish stature, but mighty of heart and soul. I went to drama school with Sally Hawkins, and thought she could play her and I could be Nancy Astor, even though I have no interest in her [Conservative] politics. But they were great friends, which I always thought would make a fascinating drama.

Did writing about and playing Beryl Burton in the BBC radio drama Beryl: A Love Story on Two Wheels inspire you to get on the saddle? HenleyRegatta
I’ve always used a bike to get around. Once I started writing about Beryl, I joined a club and went on my first 50km ride and nearly died. But then I became addicted, and would go out three times a week and do 70 or 80km. So, yes, I was inspired by Beryl. I love the camaraderie and the freedom. It’s like being a kid, getting on your bike with your pals. It’s great.

Would you like to do more nihilistic action hero stuff, like you did in Black Mirror? ColdCountyHome

I remember an email came through saying: “You’ve been offered Black Mirror, can you read the script quickly and let us know?” I said: “I don’t need to read it. It’s Black Mirror. Count me in.” I loved doing it because it was the first time I had done anything remotely action based. I’d love to do something on horseback. Don’t let the accent fool you: I used to ride a lot when I was younger. So I’d love to do a female western.

What was your most memorable moment on the rugby field? scarletnoir
Getting absolutely thrashed by Keighley ladies amateur rugby league team, and trying to not get too severely injured. Our trainer used to say: “Women hold grudges.” If you made a high tackle, even accidentally, you knew revenge was coming your way.

Could you persuade Craig Cash to reopen the doors of the Grapes for another series of Early Doors? TheSableHoundReturns
I have tried. We have all tried. We had such a great time. We just laughed from the beginning to the end of the day. It didn’t feel like work. It really didn’t. I shouldn’t say this, but as you know, it was set in a pub, so we went out to an actual pub for a few drinks, then came back and filmed it on the set that looked like a pub. We are all still really close. We’ve had a few meet-ups and have said: “Come on Craig, please.” We’d love to do it. But who knows?

Line dancing with Diane Morgan in Mandy. Did you have prior experience or did you have to learn? mattyjj
Luckily they just taught me on the day, so it was a new skill. That’s my favourite screen death: being crushed to death by a disco ball. Only Diane Morgan could come up with that. We’ve been friends since drama school, so when she said: “Would you come and be in this?” I was like: “Absolutely. Why have you not asked me before?”

What was it like working with Mike Leigh in Peterloo? bumble

I wrote to Mike when I was at drama school, where I did my showcase with Sally Hawkins, a two-hander of the April De Angelis play, Playhouse Creatures. I said: “We should write to Mike Leigh.” She said: “Are you sure?” I said: “We’ll do a joint letter.” So we wrote to him and we got a call in, and the rest is history. He’s brilliant. He loves actors. He has such a specific way of rehearsing and character development, but he’s so thorough and – I don’t know whether he’d like me saying – humble. There are no airs and graces about him. He’s so passionate about what he does, and I just love the fact that he loves actors.

Happy Birthday! How do you feel at 50? TopTramp
Well, on my next birthday in two weeks, I’ll be 51. I’m at peace with the fact that I’m middle-aged now. I’m embracing it. Turning 40 was more difficult. Now I think: “I’m still here”, and that can’t be looked upon lightly.

You narrated the Transmissions: The Definitive Story of Joy Division and New Order podcast. Top three New Order songs? CraigThePaig
Bizarre Love Triangle. True Faith. Temptation. I still remember getting Substance when I was a teenager at school. That album – even though it was a compilation – changed my life. I had it on double cassette. My mum would say: “Go and set the table”, and I couldn’t hear her because I’d have it blasting in my ears on my Walkman.