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Quad bikes, beach holidays and Gasly’s French lessons – Getting to know the real Franco Colapinto

Just over a year after his headline-making Formula 1 debut, Franco Colapinto is the next driver to face F1.com’s Getting to Know questions. From his early days getting to grips with quad bikes to nailing his driving test first time, and Juan Manuel Fangio’s influence to learning French with Alpine team mate Pierre Gasly, the Argentinian shares all in the video player above and transcript below…

Can you describe yourself in three words?

Humble, caring and passionate.

What made you fall in love with F1? Is there a moment that stands out?

Not really! I always loved sports, that adrenaline with an engine, something that makes you go fast. I used to be on a quad a lot when I was young. Since I started to watch F1… I fell in love with it when I was very young – I was like six years old. Then I started to go to see races in Argentina, seeing the touring cars, TC (Turismo Carretera), and all these championships. When I got a bit older, I was like, ‘I really want to go to F1!’ That’s when I decided to come to Europe and start the journey here.

When and where did you first drive something?

I know the moment that I started to really like it – it was when I got my first quad at four years old. I drove [things] since I was like three. I always loved speed, something that made you have that adrenaline and that feeling of going to the limit.

There’s lot of pressure on this next question… How many times did it take you to pass your driving test?

One! Only one. Not like the other F1 drivers. I heard they have been really bad at this…

There are some interesting stories out there…

It’s been easy to me, and actually I passed it at 17 years old, because in Argentina you can do it one year earlier.

Who’s your best friend inside the paddock?

Maybe Gabriel Bortoleto. I’ve known him since a long time ago when we were in karting, he’s a good guy, and we’re both Latino. He’s the one I feel the closest to, probably.

Which three F1 personalities past or present would you invite to a dinner party and why?

[Juan Manuel] Fangio, [Ayrton] Senna and Lewis [Hamilton]. These are the drivers I admire the most, the drivers I grew up with, and the ones that were my heroes since I was very, very young. Just to listen to all the stories that they have in the sport, in different moments and eras… I think to listen to that difference between how they used to drive, and they were the best at each time… Beautiful stories, I’m sure, and a nice bit of history of the sport.

What’s the best holiday you’ve been on?

I like going to a beach. When I was younger, we used to go to Mexico for holidays, and that I really liked. When you’re a kid and you go to school and work, you love going off and going to a beach, enjoying that. That was when I really, really enjoyed the holidays. When you’re a bit older you start to miss that a little bit. Now it’s tricky to spend so much time with the family and you miss that a little bit more.

What’s your favourite film and TV show of all time?

I really like Suits, the show about lawyers. I watched it a long time ago. Movie? Oof… Different ones. I’ve watched The Wolf of Wall Street a lot of times, I really like Rush, and then action movies as well – it’s difficult to choose!

How many languages can you speak? And are there any others you would like to learn?

I’d love to learn French. I’m learning it a little bit, with time and speaking it a little bit more. Especially in a French team, with Pierre [Gasly] as well speaking a lot of French, I’d love to understand what they say. I speak Spanish, Italian and English, so that’s three. Some Portuguese, but I can’t really call it a fourth language – maybe three-and-a-half!

Which other job do you wish you could try for a day?

I used to really like engineering when I was younger. I used to go to technical school, so [I did] a lot of engineering there. That might be one job to try, but [with] lots of studying to do, and I’m not really a fan of that!

A lot of drivers have said fighter pilot or astronaut…

Yeah, actually, being an astronaut would be a good one. Quite fun and some adrenaline there, so that’s not a bad job to have. I guess after a bit of time in space, in that cabin, you’re a bit claustrophobic!

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

That was to never give up, and when you’re down to keep pushing. I really love advice when you’re having a tough moment, they cheer you up, and luckily I had a lot of these people always [having] my back and pushing me forward. More than a single advice, it’s just those people that were behind me and pushing me in the direction I had to go.

What’s your proudest moment in F1 so far?

I think Baku last year, my second race. Being in Q3 and in the points was one of the best moments in F1 so far. I had no prep, so it was quite a good and impressive start.

Does it still feel like yesterday? It’s pretty much a year ago now…

Yeah, only a year ago, but it does feel like less. Time went really, really quickly this year, but lots of things happened. It’s crazy how time flies.

Where do you want to be in five years’ time?

Still here – in F1!

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September 12, 2025
Two Potential Antibiotics Found in Soil

Most bacteria cannot be cultured in the lab—and that’s been bad news for medicine. Many of our frontline antibiotics originated from microbes, yet as antibiotic resistance spreads and drug pipelines run dry, the soil beneath our feet has a vast hidden reservoir of untapped lifesaving compounds.

Now, researchers have developed a way to access this microbial goldmine. Their approach, published in Nature Biotechnology, circumvents the need to grow bacteria in the lab by extracting very large DNA fragments directly from soil to piece together the genomes of previously hidden microbes, and then mines resulting genomes for bioactive molecules.

From a single forest sample, the team generated hundreds of complete bacterial genomes never seen before, as well as two new antibiotic leads. The findings offer a scalable way to scour unculturable bacteria for new drug leads—and expose the vast, uncharted microbial frontier that shapes our environment.

“We finally have the technology to see the microbial world that have been previously inaccessible to humans,” says Sean F. Brady, head of the Laboratory of Genetically Encoded Small Molecules at Rockefeller. “And we’re not just seeing this information; we’re already turning it into potentially useful antibiotics. This is just the tip of the spear.”

Microbial dark matter

When hunting for bacteria, soil is an obvious choice. It’s the largest, most biodiverse reservoir of bacteria on the planet—a single teaspoon of it may contain thousands of different species. Many important therapeutics, including most of our antibiotic arsenal, were discovered in the tiny fraction of soil bacteria that can be grown in the laboratory. And soil is dirt cheap.

Yet we know very little about the millions of microbes packed into the earth. Scientists suspect that these hidden bacteria hold not only an untapped reservoir of new therapeutics, but clues as to how microbes shape climate, agriculture, and the larger environment that we live in. “All over the world there’s this hidden ecosystem of microbes that could have dramatic effects on our lives,” Brady adds. “We wanted to finally see them.”

Getting that glimpse involved weaving together several approaches. First, the team optimized a method for isolating large, high-quality DNA fragments directly from soil. Pairing this advance with emerging long-read nanopore sequencing allowed Jan Burian, a postdoctoral associate in the Brady lab, to produce continuous stretches of DNA that were tens of thousands of base pairs long—200 times longer than any previously existing technology could manage. Soil DNA contains a huge number of different bacteria; without such large DNA sequences to work with, resolving that complex genetic puzzle into complete and contiguous genomes for disparate bacteria proved exceedingly difficult.

“It’s easier to assemble a whole genome out of bigger pieces of DNA, rather than the millions of tiny snippets that were available before,” Brady says. “And that makes a dramatic difference in your confidence in your results.”

Unique small molecules, like antibiotics, that bacteria produce are called “natural products”. To convert the newly uncovered sequences into bioactive molecules, the team applied a synthetic bioinformatic natural products (synBNP) approach. They bioinformatically predicted the chemical structures of natural products directly from the genome data and then chemically synthesized them in the lab. With the synBNP approach, Brady and colleagues managed to turn the genetic blueprints from uncultured bacteria into actual molecules—including two potent antibiotics.

Brady describes the method, which is scalable and can be adapted to virtually any metagenomic space beyond soil, as a three-step strategy that could kick off a new era of microbiology: “Isolate big DNA, sequence it, and computationally convert it into something useful.”

Two new drug candidates, and counting

Applied to their single forest soil sample, the team’s approach produced 2.5 terabase-pairs of sequence data—the deepest long-read exploration of a single soil sample to date. Their analysis uncovered hundreds of complete contiguous bacterial genomes, more than 99 percent of which were entirely new to science and identified members from 16 major branches of the bacterial family tree.

The two lead compounds discovered could translate into potent antibiotics. One, called erutacidin, disrupts bacterial membranes through an uncommon interaction with the lipid cardiolipin and is effective against even the most challenging drug-resistant bacteria. The other, trigintamicin, acts on a protein-unfolding motor known as ClpX, a rare antibacterial target.

Brady emphasizes that these discoveries are only the beginning. The study demonstrates that previously inaccessible microbial genomes can now be decoded and mined for bioactive molecules at scale without culturing the organisms. Unlocking the genetic potential of microbial dark matter may also provide new insights into the hidden microbial networks that sustain ecosystems.

“We’re mainly interested in small molecules as therapeutics, but there are applications beyond medicine,” Burian says. “Studying culturable bacteria led to advances that helped shape the modern world and finally seeing and accessing the uncultured majority will drive a new generation of discovery.”

Reference: Burian J, Boer RE, Hernandez Y, et al. Bioactive molecules unearthed by terabase-scale long-read sequencing of a soil metagenome. Nat Biotechnol. 2025. doi: 10.1038/s41587-025-02810-w

This article has been republished from the following materials. Note: material may have been edited for length and content. For further information, please contact the cited source. Our press release publishing policy can be accessed here.

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September 12, 2025
Film festival premieres promise a history-making Oscars showdown | Film

In Venice, Telluride and Toronto, the red carpets have been rolled up and the dust has settled on the film festivals which traditionally function as Oscar launchpads. Back in Hollywood, publicists are recalibrating campaigns and pundits are placing their bets on the big films and performances of the upcoming awards season.

A few key contenders are still yet to be seen, but at this stage of the race, one thing seems clear: come next March, records will be broken. A victory for any of the three current frontrunners would mean unprecedented scenes on the podium.

Venice’s big hit was ticking clock nuclear thriller A House of Dynamite, whose director, Kathryn Bigelow, became the first woman to win the Oscar for best director back in 2009 with The Hurt Locker. Should she triumph for a second time, Bigelow would become the first woman to win the director Oscar twice in the awards’ 96-year history.

The same would also be true of Chloé Zhao, whose drama Nomadland was nominated for six Oscars, in most of the key categories, and won three including best director and picture, in 2021. Zhao’s latest, Hamnet – the toast of both Telluride and Toronto – was adapted by Maggie O’Farrell from her own novel and stars Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal as Agnes and William Shakespeare, torn apart by the death of their son. The film mixes awards-friendly literary fittings with a keenly feminist narrative and passionate turns from hot young stars who also seem shoo-ins for nominations.

Paul Mescal in a scene from Hamnet. Photograph: Agata Grzybowska/AP

Zhao didn’t just become the second woman to win the best directing Oscar, but also the first woman of colour to do so. To date, no Black people, men included, have ever won that Oscar, with only six ever nominated (although Steve McQueen and Barry Jenkins have directed best picture winners).

That would change should Ryan Coogler’s Sinners sustain the momentum of its cinema launch in April. A steamy horror starring Coogler’s frequent collaborator Michael B Jordan, Sinners has taken $366m (£270m) worldwide – a remarkable result for a non-franchise, original concept movie. Coogler is perceived as a talent too often passed over for recognition, whether for his Sundance debut, Fruitvale Station, or his Marvel smash Black Panther, the most lucrative film ever made by a Black director, taking $1.3bn (£960,000). And few bodies are more eager to celebrate movies that strike a chord with young, diverse and mainstream audiences than the Academy.

Sinners skipped a festival launch, but as the example of Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer (2023, seven Oscars) shows, that may no longer be an issue, provided the film can stay in the conversation for almost a year. The recent precedent for the latter feat was madcap genre-hopper Everything Everywhere All at Once, which debuted in early 2022 at South by Southwest festival in Texas before sweeping the 2023 awards.

From 2007 to 2024, 13 of 18 best picture winners (72%) premiered at a festival, with Cannes indexing especially well, giving us the likes of Parasite, The Zone of Interest, Killers of the Flower Moon, Anatomy of a Fall, The Substance, Emilia Pérez and last year’s big Oscar victor, Anora. But this year things were quieter on the Croisette and only the Palme d’Or winner, Jafar Panahi’s It Was Just an Accident, looks set to really trouble Oscar voters outside the best international film category.

This void leaves potential for other films to come into play, including those which might have otherwise been notable mostly for their splashy star turns. Wrestling biopic The Smashing Machine means Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson is a definite in the best actor category, but there may also be nods for director Benny Safdie and co-star Emily Blunt. Sydney Sweeney also fights her way into the best actress race with a punchy turn in boxing drama Christy; that film may also pick up some supporting star silverware. Jay Kelly is a star vehicle for George Clooney, but Noah Baumbach’s film is unlikely to only be up for best actor.

Michael B Jordan and Miles Caton in Sinners. Photograph: Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc./PA

Yet the feeling from both Venice and Toronto was that festivals as a whole have been muted so far this year. This means spots are also being held for those films still to premiere. Next week will see first reviews of Paul Thomas Anderson’s US freedom fighter comedy-drama One Battle After Another starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Sean Penn – all three men are staples of the Oscars, though the film itself is not thought to be the same awards slam dunk as some of Anderson’s previous titles. Buzz is also building for Marty Supreme, starring last year’s Oscars bridesmaid Timothée Chalamet as a table tennis prodigy who has an affair with a gangster’s wife played by Gwyneth Paltrow.

In early October, the New York film festival offers early looks at Is This Thing On?, Bradley Cooper’s fourth film as director, starring Will Arnett as an aspiring standup, as well as Daniel Day-Lewis’s comeback as a former British soldier in hiding in the woods, in Anemone, directed by his son, Ronan Day-Lewis. And Emmy favourite Jeremy Allen White will be giving us his best Bruce Springsteen impression in a biopic co-starring Jeremy Strong and Stephen Graham.

Meanwhile, only the foolish would write off James Cameron, king of the Oscars, the man responsible for three of the four highest-grossing films of all time, whose latest Avatar spectacular is being positioned as a Christmas treat. The first of those CGI eco-fables lost out in 2009 on all the big Oscars to The Hurt Locker – a film directed by his ex-wife.

At the time, this unusual public face-off was the subject of extensive column inches – and was still being referenced in 2013, when Bigelow’s Zero Dark Thirty was nominated for four Golden Globe awards and host Amy Poehler memorably noted that, “when it comes to torture, I trust the lady who was married to James Cameron for three years.”

Will Cameron have the last laugh, or will Bigelow once again triumph? Either way, a rematch between these big beasts of cinema should raise the stakes yet further on this already charged Oscar season.

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September 12, 2025
investment needed to tackle health burden

World Sepsis Day, which takes place annually on 13 September, aims to raise awareness and understanding of this life-threatening condition. This year’s theme focuses on media engagement and public awareness by highlighting key messages on the global burden of sepsis, and policy and advocacy actions that can be undertaken by policymakers, healthcare leaders and advocates to help save millions of lives.

World Sepsis Day 2025 also marks one year since the launch of the 2030 Global Agenda for Sepsis by the Global Sepsis Alliance. This strategy aims to reduce the global incidence of sepsis by at least 25% and improve survival rates by more than 20% by 2030, compared to 2017–2020 baseline levels. The launch of the first global strategy to avert millions of preventable deaths and disabilities from sepsis was a major accomplishment for the field. However, sepsis remains significantly underprioritised and greater political investment will be required in the coming years to meet these targets.

Sepsis refers to a hyperactive immune response to a localised infection that leads to tissue damage and organ dysfunction. It is a medical emergency and can lead to septic shock (a hypotensive state), multi-organ failure and death, especially if it is not recognised and treated early enough.

The global burden of sepsis is extremely high, with the condition a leading cause of death worldwide. Despite this, significant gaps remain in the awareness and understanding of sepsis, even among healthcare professionals. Many symptoms of sepsis, such as fever and confusion, are non-specific, which leads to diagnostic delays and contributes to the high mortality rate. The Third International Consensus Definitions for Sepsis and Septic Shock (Sepsis-3), published in 2016, recommends the use of Sequential Organ Failure Assessment to diagnose a patient with sepsis. According to key opinion leaders (KOLs) interviewed by GlobalData, the more specific focus on organ dysfunction compared to the previous criteria (Sepsis-2) has improved diagnosis rates. However, KOLs acknowledge that there is still a need for further improvement.

According to GlobalData epidemiologists, there were 7.8 million diagnosed incident cases of sepsis and 2 million attributable deaths across the eight major markets (8MM: China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, the UK and the US) in 2024, equating to a mortality rate of 26%. Among patients with septic shock, the mortality rate reached 49.7%, with 1.4 million diagnosed incident cases and 697,600 deaths across the 8MM in the same year.

There is a clear unmet need to improve understanding of sepsis so that more cases are recognised, diagnosed and treated earlier. However, there is also a strong unmet need for new therapeutics that can provide patients with more efficacious and targeted treatment options.

At present, sepsis treatment predominantly relies on generic antimicrobials alongside supportive therapies, such as fluids, vasopressors or immunomodulators. The Surviving Sepsis Campaign guidelines, which were revised in 2021, provide recommendations on the usage of these therapeutics. According to a GlobalData survey of 170 high-prescribing physicians conducted across the 8MM in 2025, the most commonly used antimicrobials are piperacillin/tazobactam, vancomycin and meropenem. But these types of drugs have efficacy limitations as they do not specifically target the underlying pathophysiological processes, which can vary across patient subsets.

According to GlobalData’s pipeline product database, there are 11 products in current late-stage development across the 8MM, many of which employ novel mechanisms of action or therapeutic approaches. For example, Adrenomed’s monoclonal antibody enibarcimab utilises a precision medicine approach. In the AdrenOSS-2 Phase II trial, two biomarkers — bio-ADM and DPP3 — were used to identify septic shock patients who were most likely to benefit from enibarcimab treatment. Enibarcimab was found to improve organ function and reduce 28-day mortality in targeted patient groups.

Historically, the sepsis clinical trial landscape has been characterised by a high failure rate for drug candidates, resulting in companies being reluctant to invest in sepsis therapeutics. Nonetheless, the degree of novelty in the current late-stage pipeline is promising. Continued research and development investment in innovative therapeutics should be an important area of focus to provide diverse patient groups with improved treatment options.

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September 12, 2025
Jorja Miller’s Rugby World Cup diary

What a way to end the pool stage in Brighton and Hove in front of a sell-out crowd. It was really satisfying getting through those three games unbeaten, but especially in doing so by putting on a clinical performance against Ireland. We’re pretty proud of that and have talked as a team about celebrating the wins and celebrating the little moments.

I’d never been to Brighton before but had a chance to cruise around for a bit and it’s quite a funky little city. It was great to just get out, walk through the lanes, and get out to the pier. It’s been nice to have a change of scenery and be at the beach like back home.

It’s also been good to be back in Exeter this week. We were here when we played against Japan in round two, but this week we’re a bit off the grid and out of town to have more time to get away from the noise and relax and connect with nature.

I like to give everything on the field but as a person I’m pretty casual, so when it’s time to switch on I like to think I can turn on, but when the days off come and we can relax, I really make the most of it and just have some fun.

It also gives me time to reflect on what has been an amazing Rugby World Cup. The support for our team over here has been so good, and so has the atmosphere from the crowds in the stadiums. They’re not always supporting us but they’re supporting women’s rugby which is really cool to see and has been a long time coming.

These crowds and new attendance records have been deserved for many years now, but it’s special that we can be in a place where we can give back to the players and teams that have paved the way for us to be able to enjoy playing this game. It’s the best environment to play in and we’ve definitely been making the most of it.

I’ve been lucky enough to have my own support from back home in the stands as well. My parents, my aunt and uncle, my partner, and some of his family have been over, which has been really special.

Spending time with the family helps get me away from the game itself, which is good. There’s a lot of noise around the Black Ferns given our history at the tournament and there’s been a bit of attention on a few of us as individuals as well.

I guess I’ve had the privilege of coming through the sevens scene, and with that there’s a lot of media attention, so I got the opportunity to learn from a young age how to deal with it. For me it’s just about blocking all that stuff out. It’s just external pressures that are really irrelevant to me and the team’s performance. I keep all of that separate and just play rugby.

We’ve been growing as a team these past few weeks and that’s been really cool to witness. We’ll need that form because we’re coming up against a good South African team this weekend. The South Africans are very powerful individuals and are really strong across the board. They’ve got their speedsters out wide but they’ve got strength going through the middle too.

We’re definitely going to have to front up this weekend and make sure we play to our gameplan and are clinical if we are to put them away. New Zealand and South Africa have a massive rivalry in the men’s game, but this is such a cool opportunity for us to create our own rivalry away from all that.

In terms of my own game, I also feel like I’m hitting my straps at the right time. I pride myself on being able to stand up in big moments, and hopefully I can make sure I do my job and deliver a performance in this big quarter-final against South Africa.

See you all at Sandy Park.

Jorja

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September 12, 2025
Efficacy of Elagolix and Relugolix for the Treatment of Pelvic Pain in Patients With Endometriosis: A Systematic Review

Specialty

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September 12, 2025
Ontario Teachers’ announces appointment of Dale Burgess as Executive Managing Director, Equities

Toronto, Canada – Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board (Ontario Teachers’) today announces the appointment of Dale Burgess to the position of Executive Managing Director, Equities, effective immediately. In this role, based in the Toronto office, Mr. Burgess oversees the Equities investment department globally. He has served in this role on an interim basis since February 2025.

Mr. Burgess joined Ontario Teachers’ in 1996 and most recently served as Executive Managing Director, Infrastructure & Natural Resources (INR), responsible for overseeing infrastructure acquisitions and asset management globally. He was previously head of the INR team for Latin America where he oversaw portfolio companies as well as business development and origination in target countries across the LATAM region. Mr. Burgess will continue to oversee the global INR team in the interim until a replacement has been appointed in the near term.

In his new role, Mr. Burgess will continue to be a member of the Investments Senior Leadership Team and report to Gillian Brown, Chief Investment Officer, Public & Private Investments.

“Dale is a seasoned investing leader and highly respected colleague who has made significant contributions over his almost three decades at the Plan,” said Ms. Brown. “He is well positioned to lead our Equities department, which will continue to play an important role in creating value for our members.”

Mr. Burgess holds a BA (Accounting) from the University of Waterloo, is a Chartered Accountant, a CFA charterholder and a graduate of the Institute of Corporate Directors.

About Ontario Teachers’

Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board (Ontario Teachers’) is a global investor with net assets of $269.6 billion as at June 30, 2025. Ontario Teachers’ is a fully funded defined benefit pension plan, and it invests in a broad array of asset classes to deliver retirement security for 343,000 working members and pensioners. For more information, visit otpp.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

Contact:

Dan Madge

Ontario Teachers’

dan_madge@otpp.com

416-419-1437

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September 12, 2025
Louis Partridge on House of Guinness, Pride & Prejudice, Olivia Rodrigo

Louis Partridge is feeling protective of George Wickham, the notorious knave he plays in Netflix’s all-star adaptation of “Pride and Prejudice,” currently in production.

“Yeah, he is a bit of a shit … but I think he possibly means all the lovely things he says to girls before he leaves them,” suggests the Londoner somewhat optimistically.

Not only is Partridge hoping to offer the ruinous flirt a splash of humanity, but he even smothered himself in superstrength SPF 75 sunscreen for Wickham’s sake on a recent backpacking trek around Mexico.

During a break in the rigorous shooting schedule for the limited series, which also stars Emma Corrin and Jack Lowden, Partridge was able to squeeze in the trip with old college friends. But there was one condition: “I had to keep my face out of the sun.” Giving Wickham a nice holiday tan would be a bridge too far for the genteel world of Jane Austen.

The jaunt — which he had assumed he’d have to bail on — was a rare break for the 22-year-old Partridge, who has seen his status as an in-demand actor soar ever since his breakthrough in the YA mystery franchise “Enola Holmes.” However, it meant missing the Venice Film Festival debut of “Jay Kelly,” the Noah Baumbach-directed comedy-drama in which he stars alongside George Clooney and Adam Sandler.

Centered around an aging movie star, the film has Partridge playing a younger version of Billy Crudup’s resentful failed actor, who sees an early chance to make it in Hollywood go the way of Clooney. It’s clearly not something Partridge has experienced himself, although he does recall a rival in his formative years.

“For a long time my acting nemesis was Kit Connor,” says Partridge with a chuckle. That was back when both were budding child stars and regularly going for the same roles — and with their parents in tow. “He was always in the room in auditions. It was always me and my mum and him and his mum. And my mum would roll her eyes.” But as he notes, it’s worked out for both himself and the “Heartstopper” star and asserts they’re now “really good buddies.”

While he may have missed this year’s Venice Film Festival, Partridge did make it there in 2024 for Alfonso Cuarón’s Apple TV+ series “Disclaimer,” where he played the young backpacker at the center of the mystery thriller.

He winces as he recalls the premiere, where he had to sit through his own especially steamy sex scene “with the CEO of bloomin’ Apple, Tim Cook, literally in the seat behind me.” Maybe “even more harrowing,” he says, was the thought of his girlfriend sitting just a couple rows back. “But she was very professional about it,” he says coolly. For those not clued in to Partridge’s flashbulb-friendly relationship status, said girlfriend is pop star Olivia Rodrigo.

Louis Partridge in ‘House of Guinness‘

Partridge is now back in the U.K. (and thanks to his high-powered sun lotion — which he admits “he didn’t even know was a thing” — tan-free). It means he’s not only able to join his “Pride and Prejudice” co-stars for a few romps around stately homes (the series is mainly shooting in rural England), but also attend the launch of Netflix’s dynastic crime drama “House of Guinness.” A sort of alcoholic 19th-century blend of “Peaky Blinders” and “Succession,” the Steven Knight-created series sees Partridge stepping back into period costume as Edward Guinness, boss of the brewing giant and one of the key figures across an ensemble cast.

Historical trappings aside, the role marks a departure from the rakish George Wickham or anyone he’s portrayed before. Edward is “quite a straight, sober character, trying to keep everything in check — and usually I’m a bit more irresponsible in the roles I play and throw caution to the wind,” Partridge says. “So it did feel like something quite new for me.”

For all his fast-rising profile and acceleration up the call sheet — Partridge also returns as Millie Bobby Brown’s love interest Tewkesbury in “Enola Holmes 3,” which shot earlier this year — he’s acutely aware that for many, he’s still better known for his Grammy-winning partner. “I can handle that,” he says, smiling. As for how he feels being “Mr. Olivia Rodrigo,” he says he’s had the title for “a while now. I’m very happy, and I think she is too, so all is good in our world.”

But their world is far from a normal one. Rodrigo’s song “So American” was inspired by their relationship, and she gave her “boy from London” a holler during her Glastonbury headlining set this summer. Her on-stage references about adopting the British fondness for having a “pint at noon” and “sticky toffee pudding,” he claims, “was my work.” But the “Glastonbury experience,” he acknowledges, “was so, so surreal” (he didn’t know the shout-out was coming) and “also such a treat and a joy.”

It likely won’t be the last surreal moment for Partridge, who recently became a new entry on book- makers’ James Bond lists as Amazon reportedly looks to cast a more youthful superspy for the next installment. Sadly, incoming writer Knight didn’t spend much time on the set of “House of Guinness,” so Partridge wasn’t able to throw down any 007 impressions in his vicinity. But he still has time.

“I’ve got to prepare something for the premiere!” he says. “Maybe I could just be at the bar swilling a martini, saying nothing.”

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September 12, 2025
‘The Hunting Wives’ Renewed As Season 2 Plot Is Revealed

Netflix has renewed breakout hit series The Hunting Wives starring Malin Åkerman and Brittany Snow for a second season. As expected, the racy Texas drama, from Lionsgate Television and 3 Arts Entertainment, will become a Netflix-branded series that will stream exclusively on the platform in all but four countries Netflix is available, Deadline has learned. Like Season 1, the second season will consist of 8 episodes, sources said, with the main cast set to return.

Created by Rebecca Cutter, The Hunting Wives’ first season was based on the bestselling novel by May Cobb. Season 2 will be an original concept-based continuation of the story, using the Season 1 finale as a jumping-off point. At the start of Season 2, Sophie (Snow) and Margo (Åkerman) are on the outs. But soon enough, old secrets and new foes force them back together. As they play their dangerous games the question arises. Are they the hunters or the hunted?

Snow and Åkerman channel the Sophie-Margo dynamic from Season 1 in a video announcing the renewal, which you can watch below. It ends with Åkerman, in Margo’s wig, saying, “Pack your boots and load your guns. We’re going back to Maple Brook for Season 2, baby.” (The line, which reflects the show’s fun vibe, lands a little different in the wake of this week’s tragic event.)

The Hunting Wives

Netflix

The Hunting Wives — originally developed and produced for Lionsgate TV’s then-sibling Starz before the studio acquired back the rights in the two companies’ May split — started off as a Netflix U.S.-only acquisition in a one-year domestic licensing deal, with its first season launching on Netflix July 21 without the streamer’s “N” branding at the start of each episode.

At the time, The Hunting Wives already had launched on Stan in Australia, Crave in Canada, OSN in the Middle East and HOT in Israel, and the show had been sold in at least 10 more territories. As Deadline reported last week, amid The Hunting Wives‘ outsized success on Netflix in the U.S., Lionsgate TV put further international rollout on hold as the studio entered renewal conversations with the global streamer.

A Netflix pickup requires global rights, leading to Lionsgate reworking their existing international distribution deals. In the end, The Hunting Wives Season 2 will be available in all Netflix markets except four, Canada, Australia and two European territories, sources said. Conversations are underway for Season 1, which also is expected to become available on Netflix exclusively in most countries.

The Hunting Wives‘ renewal follows an impressive ratings performance for Season 1.

After launching with little fanfare and no formal promotional campaign on a Monday, the steamy drama became a staple on Netflix’s U.S. Top 10 for six weeks running, including a stint at No.1, and also spent its first five weeks in the global English Top 10, amassing over 20M views, despite only being available in the U.S.

Lionsgate TV had options on the cast, which have been exercised, with all Season 1 series regulars whose characters’ fate allows them coming back, including Snow, Akerman, Jaime Ray Newman, Dermot Mulroney, Evan Jonigkeit and George Ferrier.

“I’m so excited to write these amazing characters again, and I can’t wait to take the audience on another sexy, twisted, batshit crazy ride through Maple Brook,” Cutter said.

She executive produces the series alongside Erwin Stoff for 3 Arts Entertainment and Cobb.

The success of The Hunting Wives on Netflix also buoyed sales of Cobb’s book, originally published in 2021. In one week following the show’s release, the publisher went back to press twice on the trade paperback and saw a +5,000% increase across all formats in the same one-week period year over year.

Cutter, who also was the creator, showrunner and executive producer of Starz’s Hightown, is repped by CAA, Artists Collective, and Jackoway Austen Tyerman.

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September 12, 2025
A Magical Milestone: 20 Years of Hong Kong Disneyland Resort
Hong Kong Disneyland Resort (HKDL) has been delighting guests from around the world for two decades, and to celebrate this milestone, a spectacular year-long celebration, “The Most Magical Party of All,” is in full swing across the resort. Since opening in 2005, the resort has become a beloved destination for locals and international guests, blending Disney magic with Hong Kong’s vibrant culture.

“We remain agile and committed to providing innovative experiences and exceptional service for our guests,” Michael Moriarty, Managing Director of Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, said in a recent interview. “Those are a testament to the ideals that have guided us for the last 20 years.”

A Key Tourism Driver in Hong Kong

Woven deep into the fabric of the city, Hong Kong Disneyland Resort plays a vital role in the city’s tourism industry. With its lush landscapes and immersive experiences, the resort attracts millions of guests annually from mainland China, Southeast Asia, and beyond. Whether it’s a first visit or a family tradition, the park continues to be a place where lifelong memories are made.

Let’s take a trip down memory lane and discover how the resort came to hold such a special place in the hearts of the local community and Disney fans around the world.

The Origins of Hong Kong Disneyland

The concept of Hong Kong Disneyland first leapt into the public’s imagination in 1999. As the first Disney theme park coming to China and second to Asia, the first being Tokyo Disney Resort, this was a big moment in Disney’s global expansion. The vibrant and multicultural city of Hong Kong seemed a promising location for the Company’s next venture abroad. Within five hours of flight time, Hong Kong is accessible to half of the world’s population.

When master planning began for the resort, Wing Chao, the Disney Legend and former Vice Chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts for Asia Pacific Development, consulted with a feng shui master because of how “important [feng shui is] in terms of site orientation to bring positive qi, or good luck and prosperity,” he said.

The opening of Hong Kong Disneyland Resort on September 12, 2005

The resort opened in 2005 to a warm welcome from the people of Hong Kong with four classic lands — Main Street, U.S.A., Fantasyland, Adventureland and Tomorrowland — and two hotels — Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel and Disney’s Hollywood Hotel.

Expanding the Magic: New Lands and Attractions

Mystic Manor

Over the years, Hong Kong Disneyland has introduced several exclusive attractions:
- Toy Story Land opened (2011)
Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Cars
- Mystic Point opened (2013) with an award-winning attraction called Mystic Manor
- Following the story of the mischievous monkey, Albert, his playful nature has endeared him to guests with affinity for Albert extending beyond Mystic Manor as year-to-date sales of Albert-related merchandise have recorded a threefold increase year-over-year
- These two heroic attractions are inter-connected with both stories set in present-day Hong Kong featuring iconic landmarks recognizable to any local
- Disney Explorers Lodge (2017) with rooms and decor themed to the unique tropical climates of Asia, Oceania, South America and Africa
A New Decade Emerges: Castle of Magical Dreams and World of Frozen

Hong Kong Disneyland Resort saw no sign of slowing down as it entered a new decade.

In celebration of the resort’s 15th anniversary in 2020, the resort unveiled the spectacular transformation of Sleeping Beauty Castle into the majestic Castle of Magical Dreams. Inspired by 13 stories of Disney Princesses and Queens, this architectural marvel blends elements from Chinese, European, and Southeast Asian cultures, symbolizing courage and hope and serves as a beacon of the park.

“The castle is the heart and soul of any given Disney Magic Kingdom-style park,” Kelly Willis, Executive Creative Director of Walt Disney Imagineering Hong Kong who oversaw the transformation, said. “We wanted to transform the image of Hong Kong Disneyland to mark a new era of the resort.”

In tribute to 100 years of Disney, in 2023, Hong Kong Disneyland Resort unveiled a first-of-its-kind bronze statue of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse. Shortly after the debut of the statue, the resort’s largest and most ambitious expansion opened its gates to guests — World of Frozen.

As Josh D’Amaro, Chairman, Disney Experiences, noted on opening day, “our theme parks always grow and evolve with new stories and experiences, and it is exciting to make all these new worlds come to life for our guests.”

As the world’s first land themed to Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Frozen, one of the most successful franchises in Disney history, guests are now able to step foot into a real-life kingdom of Arendelle at World of Frozen, in which every inch of the land was thoughtfully considered and researched to create a fully immersive experience and where they can encounter their favorite characters from the film.

Giving Back: Disney Magic in the Community

And while the land unlocked countless treasured moments for guests, it also opened the door to granting unique Frozen-themed wishes for children facing illness. In fact, the first wish in World of Frozen was granted just one month after its opening, showcasing the resort’s commitment, from its cast members, Disney VoluntEARs and Imagineers in Hong Kong, to making dreams come true.

What’s Next for Hong Kong Disneyland?

On September 12, the resort officially turns 20, and everyone is invited to join “The Most Magical Party of All.” Guests can plan their visit with the resort’s ultimate guide to all the fun. The vibrant celebration, which unfold as a day-to-night adventure, includes:
- New entertainment alongside Mickey Mouse and friends, as well as Duffy and Friends, all dressed in festive new outfits
- Exclusive anniversary-themed merchandise and food
- Festive new character outfits
Looking ahead, guests can expect:
- A Pixar-themed entertainment offering, funded entirely by the resort
“We are incredibly proud of our success and the strong contributions and positive impact to Hong Kong,” Michael Moriarty, Managing Director of Hong Kong Disneyland, recently shared. “As we celebrate 20 years of bringing happiness and moments of joy to guests, we couldn’t be more excited for what guests can experience during the ‘Most Magical Party of All’ and beyond.”

Plan Your Visit to Hong Kong Disneyland Resort

Whether you’re local or planning a trip from abroad, Hong Kong Disneyland Resort offers unforgettable experiences for all ages. With easy access from Hong Kong International Airport and proximity to iconic landmarks like Ngong Ping 360 and Tung Chung, it’s the perfect destination for a magical getaway and we can’t wait to see what new and one-of-a-kind experiences the next 20 years and beyond will bring.
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September 12, 2025