Vladimir's Jessica Henwick on public scrutiny, Star Wars and staying away from "stereotypical" roles
Henwick stars in both upcoming Netflix series Vladimir and How to Make a Killing. Here, she chats to Pass the Mic about representation and her experience in the industry.
When Jessica Henwick made her on-screen debut as Bo in the 2010 CBBC children’s adventure series, Spirit Warriors, she was instantly thrust into the spotlight. Unbeknown to her at the time, Henwick made history as the first actress of East Asian descent to lead a British TV series. “I had no idea at the time of filming [of the significance of this role.] It was only during the post-production experience and meeting members of the British East and Southeast Asian community that they impressed upon me how momentous this was within our community,” said Henwick. She added: “It was scary because all of a sudden, I felt a pressure to live up to that. I got a small taste of what that experience is like, having public scrutiny and the weight of other people’s hopes and dreams. I really didn’t like it and that was on a really small scale.” Feeling that weight of responsibility at such a young age was a scary and, in many ways, an unwanted experience for the actress. Therefore, she made a conscious effort to distance herself from this and take a more considered career path. “After that, I was so freaked out by [the experience] that I was somehow supposed to speak to an entire ethnic group that I stayed away from playing Asian characters for quite a while. I stayed away from anything that might be deemed stereotypical. For example, I refused to do anything action,” said Henwick. It wasn’t until Marvel reached out to Henwick to play the role of martial arts expert Colleen Wing in Iron Fist that she reconsidered her entire opinion of the roles she wanted to play and the stories she wanted to tell. However, despite the inevitable career opportunities that the exposure this would bring, Henwick still had brief hesitations about whether she should take the role. “There was a little bit of, “Do I really want to play this martial artist?” It lasted about half a second. I loved Colleen so much and still love her to this day. I think she is one of the most empowering characters that I’ve ever played.” Iron Fist received backlash for the lack of Asian representation in the show. This caused issues at times behind-the-scenes as the series wasn’t able to capture authentic stories that somewhat mirrored the Asian-American experience. “I felt an onus as the Asian actor on the show to make sure we were getting it right. That’s obviously a group discussion across multiple departments and everyone needs to be on the same page. You win some battles and you lose some battles,” said Henwick. “The industry was a different place then. I think if I were in that position now, the level of cultural awareness has increased. There would be a little more give to make sure. It shouldn’t be on my head, I’m just the actor.” The intentionality that Henwick had in selecting her next acting role has led to a versatile filmography across a range of genres. The actress has become a regular feature in box office movies such as Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, The Matrix Resurrections and The Gray Man. Henwick will next be seen Netflix's Vladimir, as well as A24’s black comedy, How to Make a Killing, which hits cinemas on Friday 13 March. After reading the script for the film, Henwick was instantly drawn to the character of Ruth and the wider themes of hustle culture that run throughout the movie. However, even a year after filming had commenced, Henwick feels more connected to Ruth now more than ever as it struck something in her subconscious when she found herself asking the big questions, such as, “What parts of life make me happy?” and “Where do I want to be in ten years?” Henwick said: “I was attracted to one line that Ruth has, 'No one teaches us how to dream small.’ I feel that speaks to a movement happening in the world right now. People are burning out and the limitations of hustle culture are rearing their heads. Why are we doing this? Is that making us happy? I think that’s why there has been this push online for slow-living. My algorithm is all about slow-living, primitive technology and going analogue in any way that you can.” The actress was unsure whether these questions were entering her subconscious because she was inhibiting the mindset of her character or whether those emotions were just rearing their head for her personally. Interestingly, the same experience occurred during the filming of Vladimir, the upcoming Netflix comedy-drama fronted by Rachel Weisz and Leo Woodall. The series centres around a middle-aged professor (Weisz) and her all-consuming obsession with her younger colleague, Vladimir (Woodall). Henwick stars as Cynthia, the enigmatic spouse of the titular protagonist, whose life starts to unravel after joining a small liberal arts college where Weisz's professor becomes fixated. “[My character,] Cynthia, is holding on by the skin of her teeth and going on day-by-day. I just felt like that in my personal life making this show,” said Henwick. “Any sense of the grander scheme was gone and it was just about how I can get through day-to-day and just be okay. It was a long time to be far from home, let's just say that.” View Green Video on the source website Early in her career, Henwick also cut her teeth in TV series such as Game of Thrones as Nymeria Sand from season five onwards. This experience on one of the biggest TV shows of all time provided an invaluable insight into the industry and the role she wanted to play within it. “Game of Thrones was the best of both worlds. It was the biggest show on the planet but I didn’t play the biggest role. I got to taste that huge expectation but I didn’t feel crushed under it,” said Henwick. “I got to see up close the ramifications of fame on the cast and the pressure that they were under. I don’t envy them at all and I couldn’t imagine doing it. Some of them were kids when that show started and I couldn’t imagine that experience.” Having seen the pressures that the main cast faced first-hand, Henwick describes the success that young actors experienced on Game of Thrones as a “blessing and a curse". She added: “What an incredible experience to go straight to some of the best television ever made and work with some of the best creators around with that budget. What an incredible learning experience but wow, does it fuck you up when you leave. The pressure to recreate that and repeat that, the therapy that you will need to go to realise that was probably the peak and won’t be able to surpass that.” Henwick remarked that early in her career, she almost got roles that would have changed the course of her career. She had auditioned for the lead role of Rey in Star Wars: The Force Awakens before it went to Daisy Ridley. Despite the disappointment and anger at the time, she looks back on this with gratitude. “I look back now and realise it was for the best. I don’t think I am the type of person who would be able to handle that level of exposure that fast. I much prefer the slow burn.” Vladimir will be released on Netflix on 5 March 2026. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Jamie Lee Curtis reveals why her new film The Lost Bus is the most important one she will ever do
The Hollywood icon is a producer on Paul Greengrass's new true story survival epic, which stars Matthew McConaughey and America Ferrera.
In 2018, a catastrophic wildfire ravaged through California’s Butte County and tragically took the lives of 85 people. Amid the carnage of what became the most destructive wildfire in the state's history, a number of powerful and moving stories emerged highlighting the strength of community and individual bravery. One of the most striking of those stories was that of the heroic bus driver Kevin McKay and school teacher Mary Ludwig, who helped rescue 22 elementary students to safety from the fire. The inspiring story has now been brought to life by Apple in new film The Lost Bus – directed by Paul Greengrass and led by Matthew McConaughey and America Ferrera, with Hollywood icon Jamie Lee Curtis serving as a producer. "I first heard the story of Kevin McKay from the Washington Post, when they were doing a review of Lizzie Johnson's book [Paradise: One Town's Struggle to Survive an American Wildfire]," Curtis explained during an exclusive interview with RadioTimes.com. "They highlighted his story, and I remember I said to my husband, kind of flippantly... 'Well, there's the movie.' Because of course, you could tell that very interpersonal, human story amid this inferno that would be almost impossible to imagine filming. "I didn't do anything that day, and the next day, I was driving in my car in the mountains," she continued. "And there was an NPR interview of Scott Simon interviewing Lizzie Johnson, the author of the book. And he said... 'Lizzie, the story that got me was Kevin McKay and Mary Ludwig.' "And I pulled my car over on the side of the road. I called Jason Blum, who's my business partner, and I said, Jason, I want to buy this book. I'm sending you links. It's going to be expensive to buy, but I believe it'll be the most important thing either one of us do in the movie business." In the film, Kevin McKay is portrayed by one of the most celebrated actors of our generation – Matthew McConaughey. And the Oscar winner explained that playing a real hero was both a responsibility and an honour. "I say there’s a responsibility because you’re not only dealing with the portrayal of those people, but also an entire communal experience where people died," he said. "Brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers died – so how you tell that story [is important.] He added: “Even though we made it a piece of entertainment and we took our dramatic license, it’s inspired by those events and it kept to the spirit of what happened and who these people were and where they ended up after this film.” It was the job of acclaimed director and screenwriter Greengrass – known for his work on the Bourne films and a number of true story dramas including United 93 – to bring this true story of heroism to life, and Ferrera called the filmmaker's approach "masterful". "As an actor, I wasn’t worried about my part in making a big movie," she explained "My job and my lane was to tell the story of this character. "What is so beautiful about how Paul works is that I felt I had everything I needed to be clear about what my character’s journey was and then what he asks is complete and utter trust, let it all go. The trust that Greengrass required from his actors was crucial for telling the epic story, as he would immerse the actors in the drama with 30-minute-long takes that saw 6 to 10 cameras rolling simultaneously. “At a certain point, you can’t keep track of what’s going on, you just have to know and trust that Paul and this incredible crew are making a big movie and my job is to be present and be in the moment and tell the character’s journey,” said Ferrera. "It’s very easy with Paul to get out of your head," added McConaughey. "It’s actually impossible to stay in your head because there’s so much going on and every time a camera is at a different spot. Okay, he’s corralling this thing; let me just handle what I’m doing. I don’t need to look for a mark, I don’t need to look for a light, I don’t have to be technical. Let me just behave.” While preparing for the role, McConaughey was also faced with a pertinent question: what is the definition of a hero? Though there isn’t one definitive answer, he came to the conclusion that it was someone who consistently “runs towards the crisis, not away from it." The selfless acts of bravery that McKay and Ludwig exhibited were something that lingered with both McConaughey and Ferrera long after filming commenced as they tried to truly understand what these people were thinking in the moments of crisis. “[When] someone who is doing the best to save their immediate family, what is it that makes someone [make that choice] when they get the call to take care of 22 kids that they’re not related to. Is it the right thing to do? What was it that made Kevin make that choice? He didn’t have to pick up, he could have got his mom and son," said McConaughey. Ferrera echoed this sentiment, explaining that it was something that would be hard for "many of us to imagine" and that being a parent was the only context that she had for this selfless bravery. “[When you’re a parent], you don’t have a choice to run from the crisis, you have to run to the crisis. Both of these characters make such a counter-intuitive choice which is they choose to run towards dangers and away from their duty as parents," she said. "That moment for both of them is that they chose against their deepest instincts as parents to rescue their children and save what is most precious to them and instead, the selflessness of showing up for a community that you don’t know because that’s a sense of duty that you feel in that moment. That’s something that is hard for so many of us to imagine." The end of the movie shows the devastation caused by the fire and the impact it had on the Butte County community of Paradise. However, it also showed a potential for a brighter future and hope for a rebirth. "The town of Paradise lost 85 members of their community and it burned the entire community,” said Curtis. "But today, it's a thriving and surviving community. They are a robust and rebuilding group of people.” Curtis added that she was most proud that the cast and crew of helped support the creation of a permanent memorial to the people of Paradise, which will "give significant support to that permanent memorial once the movie is done and gone". The Hope Plaza is a landmark dedicated to the memory of the Camp Fire and is a place of honour for the first responders and those who perished, as people come together to reflect and inspire hope for the future of the community. The Lost Bus is on Apple TV+ from Friday 3rd October 2025 – sign up to Apple TV+ now. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
You and Everything Else's Kim Go-eun reveals difficult moments in personal life inspired powerful performance
"I was going through some things in my life..."
This article contains references to assisted dying, which some readers may find distressing. With the success of Squid Game, When Life Gives You Tangerines and Sweet Home, K-dramas have become increasingly popular across the UK in recent years. Another show that has captured the hearts of the UK audience is the coming-of-age tear-jerker, You and Everything Else. The Netflix K-drama centres around the journey of two childhood friends whose lives have been inextricably linked through grief and a shared love. After drifting apart, the two are reconnected when Sang-yeon asks Eun-jung to accompany her on her final journey as she is suffering from terminal cancer. Leading the 15-part series is Kim Go-eun, who is known for Exhuma and Guardian: The Lonely and Great God. The Korean actress was instantly drawn to the role of Ryu Eun-jung as it had a narrative that “runs deep” with “multiple layers". It was also a project that felt like a simple twist of fate as it came at the “perfect time” for the actress in her personal life. “When I got the script for You and Everything Else and decided to join the project, I was going through some things in my life. There were certain emotions that I was feeling and this project was the chance for me to channel those emotions into the series and this character. This came at the perfect time, the timing was incredible,” said Kim Go-eun. You and Everything Else tackles the theme of assisted dying, which was a challenging prospect for Kim but one that she relished as she pushes herself to have “thematic diversity” within her acting career. “It got me thinking about friendships and relationships and if you can properly send off someone in their final moments, I think that’s a big chance that you have and it’s a really great opportunity for you as a friend and someone who loved that person,” said Kim Go-eun. “It’s very rare that you get to send someone off in their final moments; you’re usually not there when they are dying." She added: “I think it’s almost a miracle that you get to be there in their final moments. I felt that through being part of this project, I got a chance to properly send off a friend and be there until their last minute.” Starring alongside Kim Go-eun is Park Ji-hyun, who delivers an incredibly emotional performance as Sang-yeon. The natural chemistry between both actors added a layer of depth to the show as they played the friends/rivals who have had a troubled relationship over the years. “I’ve always liked [Park Ji-hyun] as a person and an actor and I have always felt that she can be a very trusted actor. This time, working with her, I was very much energised and happy to work with her,” said Kim. “In these scenes, I can feel that our energy clicks and it matches. She is a great actor whom I’m grateful for. After watching the whole show, she was sparkling. Just like Eun-jung admired Sang-yeon, I felt that admiration for her as she is an amazing actress.” The series follows Eun-jung and Sang-yeon throughout their lives from childhood to their 40s. Kim plays the protagonist Eun-jung in her 20s, 30s and 40s, which was an interesting challenge as she had to portray the same character in different ways as circumstances and life experiences affect her demeanour and outlook on life. “For Eun-jung in her 20s and 30s, I’ve been there. I’ve been in my 20s and I’m in my 30s right now, so I looked back at myself as a reference. When you’re in your 20s, you might be a little bit naive and feel these emotions that are hitting you for the first time,” said Kim Go-eun. ”In her 30s, she’s probably very focused on her work, just like I am. I know these moments so it was a little bit easier to portray the 20s and 30s.” The actress reflected that she played Eun-jung differently in her 30s as she is more career-driven and her “professional attitude” and job as a producer will affect the way that she acts and speaks as she grows in confidence with life experience. As Kim Go-eun portrayed Eun-jung in her 40s, she made slight changes to the character but didn’t want to make “dramatic changes.” Instead, she decided that her character’s new job as a writer would make her more “introspective” and “calmer” so she reflected this within her acting. Currently in her mid-30s, Kim had to look outside of herself to play someone in their 40s and see how life experiences, grief and relationships would have an impact on her character at this age. “40s is uncharted territory for me. I thought maybe there should be some dramatic change outward but I decided not because I looked around and I have friends who are in their early 40s and I don’t feel like they go through dramatic change just because they turned 40. I had to rely on imagination for Eun-jung in her 40s, said Kim Go-eun. She added: “I wouldn’t say there was one thing that was extremely challenging about playing these different ages but I just felt that Eun-jung was a nothing out of the ordinary person who was going through small changes and then I wanted to add those different nuances and vibes to her as I’m portraying her.” You and Everything Else is available to stream now on Netflix. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream. Add You and Everything Else to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Will there be an Alice in Borderland season 4? Director reveals hopes for future
*Warning: Spoilers ahead for Alice in Borderland season 3.* The hotly anticipated Alice in Borderland season 3 is finally here – but now, the wait is on for any news about a potential season 4. After returning to the real world, Usagi (Tao Tsuchiya) is abducted by a mysterious scholar obsessed with the afterlife and Arisu (Kento Yamazaki) must return to Borderland to save her and take on more deadly games. But could there be more to the story? We caught up with director Shinsuke Sato to find out. Will there be Alice in Borderland season 4? While there have been no confirmed plans for season 4, the season 3 finale suggests that a return to Borderland could be on the cards, no pun intended. As it has become one of the most popular series on Netflix in recent years, the audience will be hoping there will be more stories to tell within the deadly Borderland. This sentiment is also shared by director Shinsuke Sato. When asked if he would return to direct future seasons, he simply told RadioTimes.com, “If you’re asking me whether I’d be interested or not, I would certainly say yes.” He also declared his interest in developing the Alice in Borderland spin-off manga, Alice in Border Road. Written by the original author, Haro Aso, ‘Alice in Border Road’ takes place within the Borderland but is separate from the Arisu and Usagi saga. Both Tao Tsuchiya and Kento Yamazaki have also expressed their desires to return to Borderland as Usagi and Arisu, respectively. When could Alice in Borderland season 4 be released? If it's renewed, Alice in Borderland season 4 would likely arrive around 2027. It's been at least a two-year gap between each season so far (with that increasing to three years between seasons 2 and 3, so it's likely another season wouldn't be released super quickly. What could the plot of Alice in Borderland season 4 be? During an interview with RadioTimes.com, Tsuchiya shared an idea that she had to continue the Arisu and Usagi saga. “I have a premise where the child will find themselves in Borderland and the parents have to go in and save them. The kids don’t understand the world at all but then the parents do. "From the kids' point of view, they’ll question, ‘Who are you? Are you my parents? Why do you understand all of this?’ There’s a sense of suspicion that comes from that. Through the games, they help each other as parent and child, which reaffirms how beautiful family is." She added: “If it were a one-off show or film, then it would be us clearing the games by ourselves, without a child. But this is something that’s possible because it’s a show over a couple of seasons. "We’d love for our own life experiences that come with our age to be projected into the story. I’m holding my hand out into the ether and hope one of the producers will be listening!” How many episodes could Alice in Borderland season 4 consist of? We'd expect Alice in Borderland season 4 to have between six and eight episodes. Alice in Borderland season 3 is on Netflix now. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream. Add Alice in Borderland to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Alice in Borderland season 3 director reveals key changes as series goes beyond source material
Alice in Borderland returns very soon for an explosive season 3, which goes beyond the source material. The upcoming season deviates from the manga and centres around life after the Tokyo meteorite disaster. After returning to the real world, Usagi (Tao Tsuchiya) is abducted by a mysterious scholar obsessed with the afterlife and Arisu (Kento Yamazaki) must return to Borderland to save her and take on more deadly games. Director Shinsuke Sato has declared that Alice in Borderland is entering the unknown. However, it will still feature the same gripping narrative and dramatic action that made people fall in love with the previous seasons. “In seasons 1 and 2, the audience would have been asking, 'What is this world? How does it work?' as they observe the games. In season 3, we know what the Borderland is so that sense of mystery and enigmatic element is gone,” Sato exclusively told RadioTimes.com. He added: “You’re going to be riding attractions of the unknown and anyone who enjoyed season 1 and 2 will enjoy season 3 and say, 'Yes, this is what Alice in Borderland is all about!'” A big part of Alice in Borderland’s popularity comes from the deadly games that provide real jeopardy to the protagonists in their bid to escape the Borderland. Kento Yamazaki - who plays Arisu - declares that the upcoming season is an original script but has also blended exciting additions from the manga series by Haro Aso. “There are games in the source material that weren’t in season 1 or 2 which appear in season 3 and they’re crazily intense. Some of the games are originals from the filmmaker as well. It’s such a psychological game that it’s something that really belongs to this world.” View oEmbed on the source website A big driving force of the narrative of season 3 is Usagi struggling to come to terms with the tragic death of her father before she entered the Borderland. The unresolved grief and trauma led Usagi to seek answers in the Borderland. “Up until season 2, for [Usagi], it was about how she was going to overcome and understand the people that she met and understand the games. With season 3, it’s very much about her own self, looking inwards,” said Tao Tsuchiya. “Some people might see her and say that is weakness, but I don’t see it that way. I think it is her having the resolve to build a family with Arisu and this makes her want to confront her vulnerabilities and trauma and she feels that only after overcoming that will she be able to really become that family.” At the end of season 2, it was revealed that the Borderland is a collective consciousness of people who suffered a near-death experience after the Tokyo meteorite disaster. The people who enter the Borderland can’t remember their experiences, only faint memories of “games”. However, the traumatic events of the disaster still have a big impact on the character arcs of Arisu and Usagi going forward into season 3. “Arisu has basically forgotten everything that has happened in the Borderland, but at the same time, he has had a near-death experience,” said Sato. “When faced with death, he realised how precious it is to live. We start with Arisu in season 1 not finding any meaning in living but in season 3 we see him connecting with society and the relationships within people. Through having the experience of death, he is able to discover how to live.” Alice in Borderland season 3 will be released on Netflix on 25th September 2025. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream. Add Alice in Borderland to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
The Morning Show star teases surprising new partnership for Chip Black when he returns
After turning herself in to the FBI at the end of season 3, Bradley Jackson (Reese Witherspoon) returns for the upcoming season of The Morning Show. Despite having left the morning television lifestyle to become a teacher, the former anchor is brought back into the fold as she gets an anonymous email which suggests UBN is involved in an environmental cover-up around a harmful chemical plant. As she embarks on an investigative pursuit to uncover the truth, she is joined by producer Chip Black, which was a welcome surprise for actor Mark Duplass. “We have been close friends, but our characters have only tangentially interacted," he told RadioTimes.com. "A lot of the big meaty scenes have been with Billy [Crudup] and Jen [Aniston] with the Chip and Alex stuff, so to be able to embark upon this almost Woodward and Bernstein investigative journalistic journey with Reese that was heavily plotted and intricately drawn was different and really fun.” Read more: The Morning Show future confirmed as season 4 premieres with major new cast members New and unmissable crime thrillers and murder mysteries on Sky and Netflix Following the UBA-NBN merger, which took place in season 3, many of the characters are faced with an uncertain future – none more so than Cory Ellison, the former President of the News Division at UBA, who was fired and is looking for a way back into the industry by any means necessary. “Every script was a major discovery for me, which was out of the comfort zone of any way that I had managed Cory before and the circumstances they had put him in before. They threw him into the wilderness and I never knew what was going to come in the next episode,” said Crudup. “It was exciting and daunting, I didn’t want to let go… I mean, I haven’t been in that many successful things and this one was getting successful, so I was like, 'Please don’t give up the golden goose!' They threw it under the bus but it ended up being wonderful, creative work.” Navigating the evolving character arcs in the upcoming series is a challenge in itself. However, Mark Duplass remarks that The Morning Show was also a unique experience because he usually works on "very personal, micro-budget films,” where they have long scenes to "really explore thoughts and dynamics between people". Comparing this, Duplass added: "These scenes are incredibly short and propel very quickly so trying to find a way to make it feel human and organic while you’re in service of something that’s thumps at that kind of pace is a real challenge for me and something that I still struggle how to do well and it’s nice, it keeps me on my toes." The upcoming season also tested Crudup as he had become accustomed to his character being “very emotionally composed whilst demanding a lot from the people around him” over the five years on the show. However, this year, the showrunners asked him to "completely unravel". “That was a different type of challenge and I didn’t know how it would manifest, so it took a lot of trust in the rest of the cast and crew,” said Crudup. "I remember doing one scene in episode 7 or 8, they asked me to do something pretty strange and I just turned to the crew and said, 'This is going to be embarrassing, so apologies. If you guys can tolerate it, I don’t know which way this is going to come out.'" Ahead of the premiere of the upcoming season, it was announced that The Morning Show was renewed for a fifth season. Over the years, it has become one of the most popular shows on Apple TV+ and showrunner Charlotte Stoudt believes that its enduring popularity comes from its reliability as the audience loves to see "real messy characters" who "make a ton of mistakes". Mimi Leder added: "Why people relate to these characters is because they’re utterly flawed. They are utterly messy. They do everything wrong in their personal lives. "They are unbalanced. They reflect who we are, not perfect. We are human and their humanity really speaks to the audience.” The Morning Show season 4 premiered on Wednesday 17th September on Apple TV+ with the first episode, followed by one episode weekly every Wednesday through to 19th November. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
WWE's Nikki Bella teases epic Clash in Paris match with Becky Lynch and original showdown that got pulled
WWE Hall of Famer Nikki Bella sits down with RadioTimes.com to discuss her upcoming match with Becky Lynch at Clash in Paris, the original plans for her return and why the women’s division is the best it’s ever been.
Despite being a WWE Hall of Famer and the longest-reigning WWE Divas champion of all time, Nikki Bella still has unfinished business and has a lot to prove. The superstar will get this chance to prove herself as she faces off against Becky Lynch for the Women’s Intercontinental Championship at Clash in Paris. The upcoming match against Becky Lynch - which marks Bella’s first 1v1 match at a WWE PLE in over seven years - was announced during this week’s edition of Monday Night Raw in Birmingham, England (25th August) as the two wrestling icons faced off in the ring. “I feel extremely fortunate to be going in against Becky Lynch. She is an incredible champion and one of the greatest superstars of all time. But we have a lot of unfinished business,” said Bella. “What is really fun about this match and exciting about this story is that we have both truly conquered different eras of WWE. Especially with the women, we have so many different iconic eras and so it’s like we are colliding and to do this at Clash in Paris is really exciting.” Nikki Bella made her surprise return to the WWE at the 2025 Royal Rumble and she also featured in an epic Battle Royale at Evolution in July. When Bella returned to the ring, the original plan was to feud with Liv Morgan. However, a spanner was thrown in the works as Morgan suffered a freak shoulder injury and was ruled out for a few months. “[The original plan was to face Liv Morgan] at Evolution and then we talked about what would happen off of that going into Summer Slam, whether that was a Bella Twins reunion, it was all seen on how that story played out,” said Bella. The Hall of Famer remarked that during her original WWE run during the Vince McMahon era, storylines were planned months in advance. However, since her return, things operate much differently under Chief Content Officer Triple H as storylines evolve from crowd reaction and engagements, making them much more flexible as “fans are [more] involved”. Following the uncertainty with Liv Morgan’s injury, Bella told the WWE that “she was willing to prove herself” and “didn’t mind working from the ground up.” This led to an unexpected feud with Irish superstar Becky “The Man” Lynch. “This came about organically with Becky and I. These are some of the best matches where things just start to happen. Because of the different momentum I was having with other women, it came naturally that Becky and I would fight,” said Bella. She added: “What’s fun is that you never know what that story is going to be and how it has panned out has all been so natural. It’s like, ‘We never touched because you were scared of me. Who are you now? You’ve been gone.’ It’s been fun to see how this has evolved because this wasn’t the plan.” One of Nikki Bella’s career highlights came recently as she teamed up with Iyo Sky, Rhea Ripley and Stephanie Vaquer in the Eight-Woman Tag Team Match before SummerSlam 2025, as they faced off against Naomi, Chelsea Green, Alba Fyre and Piper Niven. “That was a dream. All of us had so much fun together. We were all so excited for that and it was cute because we were all like, 'I don’t want this to end. I want to do this every week,'” said Bella. “I am praying that we are seeing the future of our Survivor Series team. I’m not going to be here long and I embrace the moments that I am here and I hope to have that one last Survivor Series team feel.” Bella asserts that the women's division is “the best it has ever, ever been” as wrestlers like Rhea Ripley, Liv Morgan, Iyo Sky and Stephanie Vaquer have elevated the industry with their incredible talents and big personalities. “These women are so flawless in that ring and make it look so easy. It’s not even just how good they are at their craft; it’s the character that they bring to it. They each have a little bit of their own style,” said Bella. “When I sit there and watch Iyo Sky, I am just in awe. I am like, 'Oh my gosh!' I love seeing what she does. Then I see Rhea Ripley and she does things as smooth as butter. She has this strength, but she’s so feminine, you can’t stop watching her. And then Stephanie has this strength about her, but also a sexiness.” View oEmbed on the source website Bella explained that she was “so grateful” for her recent run in the WWE but “knows her place” within this new generation of superstars. “Maybe 10 years ago, I could have been exactly where they’re at, being amongst girls like that and training with girls like that, but I know my place here and I know what I bring and I bring something different and I can elevate and give equity in different ways,” she said. “But what they’re doing, damn, it’s so much more fun to sit as a fan and watch it.” Following her hugely successful first run in WWE, Bella became a media personality, New York Times bestseller and podcast host, amongst many other things. Despite having all of these other ventures and opportunities outside of the WWE, Bella was adamant that “she had one more go in her” and that as a professional wrestler, “That desire and fire never leaves you.” The 41-year-old remarked that the opportunity to return to the ring came at the perfect moment as she was at a point in her life when she needed to find herself again and regain self-confidence. With that, she hoped that she would also inspire other women that “life isn’t over” in their 40s. “I want to prove that you can be at any age and have a comeback, you do what you love, it’s not over," she added. "Even if you’re amongst these young athletes who are truly kicking so much butt, you can still bring something. It may not be the longest-reigning champion, but you still have something to give. Life isn’t over and your career isn’t done. “It’s important for people to know, especially when you’re in your 40s, where you really hit midlife, that you can still dream, you can still conquer, you can still achieve and it can be whatever you desire. That’s what I’m doing now, I’m living proof that I can still dream, I can still conquer and achieve, life isn’t over. Yes, I’m a mom. Yes, I’m divorced. Yes, I’m these things but I’m still Nikki Bella and I’m still Nikki Bella in this era.” WWE’s first ever Clash in Paris will stream live on Netflix at 7pm BST on Sunday 31st August. WWE is available to watch on Netflix in the UK and Ireland, including RAW, SmackDown, NXT, all Premium Live Events and the WWE archive. You can sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream. Check out more of our <a id="menurlsh" class="fui-Link ___1q1shib f2hkw1w f3rmtva f1ewtqcl fyind8e f1k6fduh f1w7gpdv fk6fouc fjoy568 figsok6 f1s184ao f1mk8lai fnbmjn9 f1o700av f13mvf36 f1cmlufx f9n3di6 f1ids18y f1tx3yz7 f1deo86v f1eh06m1 f1iescvh fhgqx19 f1olyrje f1p93eir f1nev41a f1h8hb77 f1lqvz6u f10aw75t fsle3fq f17ae5zn" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sport/" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sport/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Link Sport">Sport coverage or visit our <a id="menurlsj" class="fui-Link ___1q1shib f2hkw1w f3rmtva f1ewtqcl fyind8e f1k6fduh f1w7gpdv fk6fouc fjoy568 figsok6 f1s184ao f1mk8lai fnbmjn9 f1o700av f13mvf36 f1cmlufx f9n3di6 f1ids18y f1tx3yz7 f1deo86v f1eh06m1 f1iescvh fhgqx19 f1olyrje f1p93eir f1nev41a f1h8hb77 f1lqvz6u f10aw75t fsle3fq f17ae5zn" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/tv-listings/" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/tv-listings/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Link TV Guide">TV Guide and <a id="menurlsl" class="fui-Link ___1q1shib f2hkw1w f3rmtva f1ewtqcl fyind8e f1k6fduh f1w7gpdv fk6fouc fjoy568 figsok6 f1s184ao f1mk8lai fnbmjn9 f1o700av f13mvf36 f1cmlufx f9n3di6 f1ids18y f1tx3yz7 f1deo86v f1eh06m1 f1iescvh fhgqx19 f1olyrje f1p93eir f1nev41a f1h8hb77 f1lqvz6u f10aw75t fsle3fq f17ae5zn" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/streaming-guide/" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/streaming-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Link Streaming Guide">Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to <a id="menurlsn" class="fui-Link ___1q1shib f2hkw1w f3rmtva f1ewtqcl fyind8e f1k6fduh f1w7gpdv fk6fouc fjoy568 figsok6 f1s184ao f1mk8lai fnbmjn9 f1o700av f13mvf36 f1cmlufx f9n3di6 f1ids18y f1tx3yz7 f1deo86v f1eh06m1 f1iescvh fhgqx19 f1olyrje f1p93eir f1nev41a f1h8hb77 f1lqvz6u f10aw75t fsle3fq f17ae5zn" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/audio/podcasts/" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/audio/podcasts/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Link The Radio Times Podcast">The Radio Times Podcast.
The Pickup's Eddie Murphy on no longer being the young maverick: 'I'm the old voice of reason now'
Murphy is no stranger to the buddy comedy genre – but his new Prime Video movie did see him face some new challenges.
The action comedy genre is one with which Hollywood legend Eddie Murphy will forever be associated, thanks to his pioneering '80s work in Beverly Hills Cop and 48 Hrs. But in The Pickup – his latest film for Prime Video – Murphy was faced with a new acting challenge. "It’s a buddy comedy, but now I’m not the young maverick, I’m the old voice of reason," he tells RadioTimes.com in an exclusive interview. The movie follows two mismatched armoured truck drivers who get ambushed by ruthless criminals during a routine pickup, with Murphy's character teaming up with a younger colleague played by Pete Davidson. "I thought that the conflict between the young guy and the older guy, the white guy and the black guy and the married guy and the single guy would create comedy," explains Murphy. "This is a cool way to be funny in a new and different way. If we did 48 Hrs [now], I’d play the Nick Nolte character – because that’s the age I am!" Finding comedy in different situations and from different perspectives is something that Murphy has enjoyed throughout his career, which has spanned over 40 years. To illustrate this, he references his love for makeup and prosthetics in movies such as The Nutty Professor and Coming to America. "If I put on some makeup and you turn me into an old lady, now I have to be funny like an old lady. I can’t be funny in the same way, I have to find a way to be funny with that character." For director Tim Story, working with a comedic actor like Murphy was a blessing because of the way he brings his distinct humour and unpredictable improv to every scene he appears in. "Eddie told us early on that when it comes to the writing, don’t worry about the humour, he will make it funny. Just make sure the scenes make sense," says the filmmaker. Murphy adds that a great story must be the foundation of every good comedy and the humour will naturally follow. Just as vital, he says, is a degree of unpredictability – to take the audience on a journey they’re not expecting. "How many times have you been to the movies and 10 minutes in you know that these people are going to have a fight, those people are going to sleep together and this is going to happen?" he muses. "That's most movies. "But a great story unfolds and you don’t know what’s going to happen. With a great story, within five minutes you get pulled into it and you’re not even trying to figure out what’s going to happen, you’re watching it as the story unfolds. You’ve got to have a good story at the centre of it." View oEmbed on the source website Joining Eddie Murphy in The Pickup are Keke Palmer and the aforementioned Pete Davidson. Both actors relished the opportunity to star in a "giant big-budget action movie", but were most excited about getting the opportunity to work alongside the Trading Places star. A lot of the movie took place inside a truck and relied heavily on the natural chemistry between Davidson and Murphy. The pair are both Saturday Night Live alumni and that improvisational comedy background created a spontaneous energy on set. "The term GOAT is thrown around a lot today, but it actually does apply to him," Davidson says. "After we would do a take, as soon as we got it, we just messed around and Tim [Story] was like, 'Go nuts!' "He gave us the trust to find fun stuff and we would find stuff that works and keep hammering it home and it was a blast. It was fun to work with someone who is exceptional at improv." Murphy adds: "I always feel like I have to improvise and I love working with other actors who can improvise too because it brings the words to life. "You give them the words that are on the paper and you give them some extra stuff or take some stuff out just to make it feel like a real conversation." View Affiliate Playlist on the source website Palmer recently starred alongside SZA in the buddy comedy One of Them Days – which was released in March – and the Nope actress says that her experience with Murphy on the set of The Pickup was an inspiring moment on how to approach comedy as an actor. "He never overdoes anything, that’s the gift of Eddie Murphy," she says. "He lets the situation be what it is and he builds the improv around the context that you maybe didn’t know was there. "He’s not only being the voice in the room but being the voice in the audience and he does that effortlessly. Seeing how he did that really empowered me in a lot of ways to do it that way too." The Pickup is on Prime Video from Wednesday 6th August 2025. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
WWE Heavyweight Champion previews history-making SummerSlam
WWE superstar Gunther talks with RadioTimes.com about defending his title against CM Punk at SummerSlam, his hopes for a match with John Cena and why we are living in the “Golden Age of professional wrestling".
The biggest party of the summer has just got even bigger as SummerSlam takes place over two nights with the likes of John Cena, Cody Rhodes, Rhea Ripley, Randy Orton and Roman Reigns featuring at the historic event in New Jersey. Also wrestling on the stacked card is WWE Heavyweight Champion Gunther, who remarks that the two-night PPV event is a “big milestone” for the industry as it reflects the growing demand for WWE across the globe. “Over the last two or three months, we’ve had so many big events and the demand is there for it, so there’s a natural progression towards [the SummerSlam expansion.] I’m here for more. It feels like a lot has happened, but we’re just getting started.” He added: “When you look at the whole picture, it’s quite impressive right now. This is what everybody has worked so hard for many years. Everybody is here to enjoy it and be part of it and shoot for more. "It’s a golden age of professional wrestling right now and the WWE itself and it’s great to be in the middle of that.” Having joined WWE NXT in 2019, the Austrian commented that the future of WWE didn’t “look too promising,” and it's been a long journey to get the industry back into mainstream popularity. “How I can tell the difference is how the public reacts to us. Just by how many people speak to me when I walk around the street, even last year alone, it has increased so much. It proves that our popularity as a whole has risen in the last year and it doesn’t seem to be stopping,” said Gunther. The Ring General will defend his WWE Heavyweight Championship against CM Punk at SummerSlam. The Chicago icon beat Bron Breakker on Monday Night Raw to earn the title shot and Gunther is relishing the upcoming match. “I’m looking forward to getting in the ring with [Punk] on a big stage like SummerSlam in a prominent spot like that,” said Gunther. “That’s why I joined the company, I wanted to be in the ring with the top, top guys and him coming back was a big deal, he’s one of the most unique performers that the business has ever had. That’s what I’m here for. I’m all ready for it and I’m prepared and I’m excited.” If Gunther successfully defends his championship against CM Punk at SummerSlam, he will become the longest-reigning holder of the new World Heavyweight Championship (assuming Seth Rollins doesn’t pull off a miraculous recovery from his knee injury to cash in his Money in the Bank contract). It’s a prestigious title and holds a lot of responsibility, but Gunther feels comfortable in his position as champion. “I’ve always operated better when I’ve had responsibility [placed] on me and that’s the case here. I embrace it and I enjoy it, and SummerSlam is the next big one. I did ‘Mania with Jey [Uso] but I feel like SummerSlam with Punk from an overall perspective is the one that I’m most excited for so far,” said Gunther. The Austrian wrestler made headlines recently as he beat WWE icon Goldberg in his retirement match at Saturday Night’s Main Event in Atlanta. “I was very happy with how everything went [against Goldberg] and I feel like we exceeded expectations for the match. For me, it was important to not go out there and have the typical three or four minutes of action and that’s it,” said Gunther. “I wanted time to tell a story and take the audience on a ride and make them feel bad for him a little bit before it all ends. I think we succeeded with that. He can be very happy with the match and the connection that he had with the audience because that felt very special.” One of the biggest stories in wrestling in 2025 is undoubtedly John Cena’s shocking heel turn at Elimination Chamber when he viciously assaulted Cody Rhodes, whom he will face in a street fight at SummerSlam. The storyline captured mainstream attention and has been followed closely by millions across the globe and brought a whole new audience to the WWE. The WWE legend and Hollywood actor is in the midst of his retirement tour as he will make his final appearance as an in-ring performer in December 2025. The excitement and hysteria around John Cena’s retirement have helped elevate the industry and seen the demand for events like SummerSlam at an all-time high. “It’s great for him that he’s able to do that and say, 'This is the way I want to finish it and the way I want to go out.' It’s a great way to do it. If somebody deserves it, then it’s him. It’s good to have him back around. Obviously, I have not interacted with him or seen him much because he’s on SmackDown mostly, but who knows, there’s still a long time left, so maybe there’s a chance to get in there with him before he hangs it up.” The Ring General added: “He’s a guy that everyone knows, it’s like what Hogan was in the '90s. If you know wrestling, you know John Cena. It also shows the love and passion that he has for the business. "He doesn’t need to do it, he’s financially got bigger fish to fry with his movies and he’s a made man already, so there’s no pressure for him to do all of that, but he decided to invest a whole year into this. It’s a very classy way for someone like him to go out and have this one year of giving back and do it one more time." SummerSlam will stream live for the first time ever over two nights on Netflix at 11pm BST on Saturday 2nd August and Sunday 3rd August. WWE is available to watch on Netflix in the UK and Ireland, including RAW, SmackDown, NXT, all Premium Live Events and the WWE archive. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream. Check out more of our Sport coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Squid Game season 3 ending explained: Will there be a spin-off?
All you need to know about who wins and who dies in the final episode.
One month on from the launch of Squid Game season 3, the South Korean phenomenon is still holding a spot in Netflix UK's top 10 shows – and still generating major debate with its rather out there ending. The episodes pick up shortly after the season 2 finale, which saw Gi-hun thoroughly defeated after an attempted coup, leaving his close friend Jung-bae (Lee Seo-hwan) and numerous other rebels dead. The Front Man (Lee Byung-hun) appears to be closer than ever to achieving his goal of crushing the plucky Player 456's spirit, but pushes the game to new depths of depravity in an attempt to snuff out those dying embers. Fans have been thoroughly divided on whether the Squid Game season 3 ending lives up to the years of hype, with a CGI baby, an A-list cameo and some gut-wrenching deaths being among the points of contention. For your essential rundown on all of the above, scroll on for our full recap of the Squid Game finale, which is available to stream right now on Netflix. Squid Game season 3 ending explained: Who won the 34th Squid Game? The 34th Squid Game was won by Player 222, the newborn baby of mother Jun-hee (the first Player 222) and father Myung-gi (Player 333). After giving birth and injuring her leg during hide-and-seek, Player 222 is left vulnerable for the ‘Jump Rope’ game, and she ultimately dies. Before she died, Gi-hun rescued her baby and vowed to protect them. After the death of Player 222, the sick and twisted VIPs suggest that the baby become a player in the game and inherit her mother’s number, to "make the games more exciting". This angers the contestants as their share of the money is reduced. The soldiers tell the remaining nine contestants that in the upcoming game, they will have to choose three contestants to be eliminated and the rest can live and take their share of the money. Six group together – including Im Jeong-dae (Player 100) and Lee Myung-gi (333) – and target Gi-hun, the baby and Min-su (125). The Front Man calls for a meeting with Gi-hun, where he reveals his true identity as In-ho / Player 001. He knows that the six contestants are going to target them, so he offers Gi-hun and the baby a lifeline. He places a knife on the table and tells Gi-hun to kill the remaining contestants in their sleep and he can walk away with the baby, as the game could not go ahead with only two contestants. The protagonist takes the knife and holds it up against the throat of a contestant while they are sleeping. However, he is unable to go through with it after he sees a vision of Sae-byeok (played by HoYeon) - who was murdered in a similar way in season 1 by Sang-woo. She tells him, "Don’t do it… You are not that kind of person." The final game is ‘Sky Squid Game’, held on three pillars - square, triangle and circle. Players can only proceed to the next pillar when a minimum of one player is pushed off. Whoever is left standing after the third game is complete walks away with their share of the money. After teaming up with Gi-hun on the second pillar, Myung-gi betrays him and wants to kill him before reaching the final game – which means he is willing to kill his own baby to walk out with the money alone. After a fight, Myung-gi is eliminated, which leaves Gi-Hun and Player 222 - however, one must die as the game has yet to begin. Throughout the season, The Front Man wanted to push Gi-hun to his breaking point and make him question his own beliefs and faith in humanity. However, in one last defiant act, Gi-hun maintains his humanity and sends one final message to The Front Man before sacrificing his own life, "We are not horses. We are human. Humans are…" Player 222 is declared the winner and is taken away by The Front Man. The baby is delivered to the house of his brother, detective Hwang Jun-ho, with a note that says 'Player 222. Winner.' Attached to the card is a golden credit card that contains the 45.6 billion won prize money for winning Squid Game. What happens to No-eul? Rebellious Squid Game guard No-eul (played by Park Gyu-young) is last seen travelling to China, where she hopes to find her long-lost daughter, who she left in North Korea after defecting to the South. Through No-eul, writer Hwang Dong-hyuk showed a different, more human side to the seemingly emotionless pink guards, examining what could possibly drive someone to be complicit in the barbarity of the Squid Game. After the failed coup at the end of season 2, No-eul and the rest of the pink soldiers are sent to eliminate the dissenting players – including Player 246, whose daughter is suffering from blood cancer. Instead of killing him, she instructs him to fake his death and hide in the casket, where he is subsequently sent to the incinerator room. Here, she rescues him and escapes the island with him. No-eul returns to the island alone after her superior threatens the life of Player 246's hospitalised daughter, confronting him in the control room and demanding that he delete any record of Player 246. View Green Video on the source website After burning Player 246's records, she finds her own papers, including a photo of her husband and daughter, which suggested that both had died following her defection. She sits on The Front Man's seat and puts a gun to her own head. However, Gi-hun's noble sacrifice at the end of the Squid Game – done so that infant Player 222 may have a chance at life – seems to restore her faith in humanity. At the end of the series finale, No-eul is having her portrait painted at the theme park by Player 246 – although he isn't aware that they've met before. His daughter, Na-yeon, is seen fit and healthy after money was raised for her cancer treatment. No-eul then receives a phone call from the broker that she hired to find her daughter, saying that they think they have found her daughter alive and well in China. This contradicts the intelligence of the Squid Game agents, leaving viewers to interpret for themselves whose information can be trusted and precisely what No-eul's future might look like. Why was Cate Blanchett in the Squid Game finale? Squid Game creator Hwang Dong-hyuk has said that Cate Blanchett was cast as The Recruiter simply because the role demanded someone with "charisma that could dominate the screen in an instant". The screenwriter insisted (via Variety) that the casting was "not at all" related to the long-rumoured American Squid Game spin-off – and that even he isn't sure if that fabled project is definitely going ahead. "All I wanted to have was just an impactful ending, and that's all there was to it," said director Hwang. "Honestly, I haven't heard officially from Netflix about David Fincher creating a Squid Game. I have heard the rumours, of course." Blanchett's appearance came after In-ho flew to Los Angeles to deliver a package to Gi-hun’s daughter with her late father’s belongings, including his Squid Game tracksuit and a golden credit card – just as Jun-ho was given on behalf of Player 222. Later, when The Front Man is being driven through LA, he sees two people playing ddakji in an alleyway, one of whom being Blanchett's sinister Squid Game recruiter and the other a desperate individual attempting to win some much-needed cash. During the game, Blanchett's character looks over at The Front Man and gives him a knowing smirk. This suggests that the games have expanded to America – and that In-ho could once again be drafted to oversee their operation. Given Hwang's comments about Blanchett's casting, it isn't yet clear whether the Academy Award-winning actor will return for any potential spin-off series – for now, we can only sit tight and wait for updates. Will there be another season? Creator Hwang Dong-hyuk has said that the Gi-Hun saga is officially over and that he's not sure he has the "stamina" to produce another Squid Game season personally. That said, he didn’t rule out the possibility of future spin-offs. Similarly, in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Lee Byung-hun teased a potential Front Man spin-off, which would be an exciting prospect for audiences. Byung-hun explained: "To look at the Front Man with a full character study would be a very fun thing to do... Of course I'd be willing to star in it. The character has already been built and designed, and I'm very compelled by him. "Just as the fans are curious to know more about him, I am too. That's a story I'd be very willing to tell." As the season ended, it became clearer what a Front Man spin-off might look like. In-ho had a flashback and it was revealed that he was once a participant of the Squid Games as he sat with a masked Oh Il-nam - Player 001 and the founder of Squid Game. Just like Gi-hun, In-ho was given a knife to kill the remaining contestants in their sleep. However, unlike Gi-hun, In-ho went through with it to win the games. A potential spin-off could show The Front Man overseeing more death and destruction in Los Angeles while we see flashbacks of how he became the masked villain after winning Squid Games. If the upcoming spin-off is set in LA, then it could also be interesting to see Gi-hun's daughter play an important role in the series as she investigates her father's death and the unusual circumstances around it. Read more: Who dies in Squid Game season 3? All deaths in order Who is Dae-ho (Player 388) in Squid Game and why did he flee the uprising? How much is Squid Game's 45.6 billion won prize money in dollars and pounds? Squid Game is ending with season 3 – but star Lee Jung-jae wants it to continue Squid Game season 3 is available to stream on Netflix now. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Squid Game's Front Man star reveals whether he would return for spin-off series after shocking final scenes
Now that the dust has settled following Squid Game's dramatic conclusion, Front Man actor Lee Byung-hun has been reflecting on the global phenomenon's third act. Following the shocking events of the final game, In-ho (Front Man) left the island with Player 222 and flew to Los Angeles to deliver Gi-hun’s belongings to his daughter – a moment that signalled a significant change in his character, according to Lee. "Frontman may seem like the embodiment of absolute evil in the story, having lost all hope in humanity and the world, but after going through all those ups and downs with Gi-hun, maybe he did have a change of heart, that there perhaps may be some hope left after all," he said. "That’s how I interpreted the character and portrayed him. "In the very final part of the series, Frontman goes to find Gi-hun’s daughter to leave her with Gi-hun’s tracksuit as a keepsake along with his prize money. He also chooses his brother Jun-ho – the only family he deeply trusts – to take care of Jun-hee’s baby. "His decisions, I believe, showcase that while he tries to maintain his cold, he definitely has experienced some change of heart." And that wasn't the only surprising moment. During the final scene, the antagonist sees two people playing ddjaki while being driven through LA, one of whom was a recruiter, played by none other than Cate Blanchett. That then led to speculation about whether In-ho was the Front Man for the games being played all over the world, and if he knew Blanchett's character. However, conversations that Lee had previously had with writer-director Hwang Dong-hyuk revealed that wasn't the case. "When I asked director Hwang before filming that scene to double check, he did confirm that In-ho was also unaware that the game was being placed elsewhere," explained Lee. "So if you look closely enough, In-ho seems both surprised and bitter." While there are currently no confirmed spin-offs in the works, that final scene has also fuelled speculation about a Front Man-focused series. "If there is a Front Man spin-off, how can I say no to it? It’s a no-brainer," said the actor. "The story of the spin-off would be key, though. It should be even more compelling than that of Squid Game. And I hope it deals with the backstory of In-ho, as fans are still thirsty for more. Read more: Squid Game season 3 ending explained: How does the hit drama come to a close? Why won't there be a Squid Game season 4? With the third season of Squid Game becoming Netflix’s biggest-ever TV launch, achieving over 60.1 million views within its first three days, there would certainly be no shortage of interest in further stories set within Dong-hyuk's world, which was, for many, their first introduction to Korean drama. "Squid Game has played a pivotal role in making people across the globe feel more familiar with the Korean language and culture, truly bringing K-content to the next level," added Lee, acknowledging just how influential it has been. "It surely contributed to breaking that barrier to Korean works, letting fans enjoy and appreciate the stories – and without any prejudice." Squid Game season 3 is now streaming on Netflix. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream. Add Squid Game to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Jack Quaid discusses what makes his new movie Companion so timely, plus playing a villain and making a public service announcement to Billy Joel
Companion is in UK cinemas. Add it to your watchlist With Valentine’s Day around the corner, you might want to think twice about taking your loved ones to see the dark and twisted love story Companion. From the mind of Drew Hancock, the film centres around a couple, Iris (Sophie Thatcher) and Josh (Jack Quaid), as their seemingly perfect weekend turns bloody and violent when life-changing secrets are revealed. Quaid was instantly drawn to the project, explaining in an exclusive interview with RT that he became "obsessed" with the script and was excited about the opportunity of portraying the antagonist, Josh. "It’s one of the best scripts that I have ever read. It really set a new bar for me in terms of what a good script means," he says. View oEmbed on the source website "I read it and I became obsessed with the story. If I want to be a part of something, a good bar for me is, would I be a fan of this if I wasn’t involved? This was true for The Boys and it’s definitely true for [Companion]." Throughout his career, Quaid has proven himself as a versatile actor who can play anyone from nice guys like Hughie Campbell in The Boys and Brad Boimler in Star Trek: Lower Decks to twisted characters such as Richie Kirsch in Scream. The actor showcases both qualities with his performance in Companion, as the "ideal boyfriend" turns villainous and deceptive. "Josh is complicated," he says. "When you play a villain of any kind, you don’t want to be moustache-twirly in any way, you want to make sure he feels like a real person. From his perspective, everything is going wrong, and he views himself as a romantic, but he’s delusional. It was really cool to step into the role of a villain who really believes that they are the hero of their own story." He adds that the ideal preparation for the character was to watch a lot of John Cusack movies from the '80s, because "that’s who I think Josh thinks he is". "[He's] definitely one of the most insecure characters that I’ve played in my whole life," he continues. The movie is a sci-fi thriller set in a near future where people can buy robots that are indistinguishable from humans as companions. The premise is so eerie and unsettling because, while it’s a future that’s slightly out of reach, the dangers of AI and technology – which are currently at the forefront of much debate – mean it's something that’s on the horizon and seemingly inevitable. “The scariest part [of the movie] is how timely it feels and how close we are to this being a reality," Quaid explains. "I like doing things that have a tinge of social commentary, and this is no exception. Another reason why the script is so well done is that it feels like a future that is in the next couple months or days." He adds, "Technology in and of itself is neither a good nor a bad thing inherently. The message of the movie, for me, is that it’s not about the technology but about what we as humans choose to do with it. We usually make the wrong choice, and Josh definitely does." Starring alongside Quaid in the film is Sophie Thatcher, who is quickly gaining a reputation as one of the most in-demand scream queens in Hollywood thanks to scene-stealing performances in Heretic and Yellowjackets. And the secret to what makes Thatcher so captivating in the horror genre is obvious to her co-star. "It’s because she’s an incredible actress," he says. "Horror lets you use the entire spectrum of emotion and she can access that, which is unbelievable. Horror and her go hand-in-hand, and she’s crushing it." The movie started filming in summer 2023, but as a result of the SAG-AFTRA strikes, it had to be temporarily halted. Filming resumed in winter after the strike was resolved, and this had its benefits – as Drew Hancock was given more time to focus on his vision for the movie. "I think it made our movie better, weirdly enough," Quaid says. "During the strike, Drew was able to look at what we had shot. When we came back, Drew and other people who worked on the movie were essentially able to see the first half of the movie – because we shot in sequence. "It made them realise the kind of movie that they were making even more and made the tone of the movie even sharper so they knew exactly what they wanted by the time we came back.” However, this time away did have certain drawbacks, especially when it came to filming scenes in a forest in upstate New York. "Probably the hardest part of shooting outside was when we came back as we had already established summer clothing, so if we had to shoot outside again we had to wear T-shirts," Quaid says. "It was very cold, but I got the lower end of the spectrum as Sophie and Lukas [Gage] had to shoot outside at night in the pouring rain. So thankfully I was spared from the worst of it. But now I’m shooting outside in Toronto, and oh boy, it is cold!" Following the release of Companion, Quaid will be back on the big screen again in March with Novocaine – a thrill-a-minute action movie from directors Dan Berk and Robert Olsen. The film follows Nathan Caine, an everyman who must turn his inability to feel pain into an unexpected advantage when the girl of his dreams gets kidnapped. <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2024/07/the-boys-hughie-campbell-starlight-6d624ff.jpg" width="3000" height="2000" alt="Hughie Campbell and Annie January in The Boys stood opposite each other and talking. They are standing in a room with artwork on the wall behind them." title="Jack Quaid as Hughie Campbell and Erin Moriarty as Annie January aka Starlight in The Boys" /> Meanwhile, earlier this month, Quaid experienced the "greatest moment of his life" when music icon Billy Joel reposted a scene from The Boys. "It took him five years but he posted the scene where we mention him in the very first episode of The Boys and I lost my mind," says Quaid. "I believe he’s coming to Toronto on 15 March. I want to be there front row, if I can, unless my publicist tells me I can’t because I have things to do. I want to see him live because I still haven’t, and I was such a massive fan before Hughie." Quaid ends the interview with a public service announcement directly to Joel. "Mr Joel, please, I love you so much. Please just come and be on the show, we only have more season and we are shooting it right now. Just come, you can just walk by a scene and Hughie notices you. Mr Joel, please and thank you."
Jack Quaid on Companion: 'Humans usually make the wrong choice with technology'
Quaid discusses his new movie Companion, playing a villain and his public service announcement to Billy Joel.
With Valentine’s Day around the corner, you might want to think twice about taking your loved ones to see the dark and twisted love story Companion. From the mind of Drew Hancock, the film centres around a couple, Iris (Sophie Thatcher) and Josh (Jack Quaid), as their seemingly perfect weekend turns bloody and violent when life-changing secrets are revealed. Quaid was instantly drawn to the project, explaining in an exclusive interview with RadioTimes.com that became "obsessed" with the script and was excited about the opportunity of portraying the antagonist, Josh. "It’s one of the best scripts that I have ever read. It really set a new bar for me in terms of what a good script means," he said. "I read it and I became obsessed with the story. If I want to be a part of something, a good bar for me is, would I be a fan of this if I wasn’t involved? This was true for The Boys and it’s definitely true for [Companion]." Throughout his career, Quaid has proven himself as a versatile actor who can play anyone from nice guys like Hughie Campbell in The Boys and Brad Boimler in Star Trek: Lower Decks to twisted characters such as Richie Kirsch in Scream. The actor showcases both qualities with his performance in Companion, as the "ideal boyfriend" turns villainous and deceptive. "Josh is complicated," he said. "When you play a villain of any kind, you don’t want to be moustache-twirly in any way, you want to make sure he feels like a real person. "From his perspective, everything is going wrong, and he views himself as a romantic, but he’s delusional. It was really cool to step into the role of a villain who really believes that they are the hero of their own story." He added that the ideal preparation for the character was to watch a lot of John Cusack movies from the '80s, because "that’s who I think Josh thinks he is". "[He's] definitely one of the most insecure characters that I’ve played in my whole life," he continued. The movie is a sci-fi thriller set in a near future where people can buy robots that are indistinguishable from humans as companions. The premise is so eerie and unsettling because, while it’s a future that’s slightly out of reach, the dangers of AI and technology – which are currently at the forefront of much debate – mean it's something that’s on the horizon and seemingly inevitable. “The scariest part [of the movie] is how timely it feels and how close we are to this being a reality," Quaid explained. "I like doing things that have a tinge of social commentary, and this is no exception. Another reason why the script is so well done is that it feels like a future that is in the next couple months or days." He added: "Technology in and of itself is neither a good nor a bad thing inherently. The message of the movie, for me, is that it’s not about the technology but about what we as humans choose to do with it. We usually make the wrong choice, and Josh definitely does." Starring alongside Quaid in the film is Sophie Thatcher, who is quickly gaining a reputation as one of the most in-demand scream queens in Hollywood thanks to scene-stealing performances in Heretic and Yellowjackets. And the secret to what makes Thatcher so captivating in the horror genre is obvious to her co-star. "It’s because she’s an incredible actress," he said. "Horror lets you use the entire spectrum of emotion and she can access that, which is unbelievable. Horror and her go hand-in-hand, and she’s crushing it." The movie started filming in summer 2023, but as a result of the SAG-AFTRA strikes, it had to be temporarily halted. Filming resumed in winter after the strike was resolved, and this had its benefits – as Drew Hancock was given more time to focus on his vision for the movie. "I think it made our movie better, weirdly enough," Quaid said. "During the strike, Drew was able to look at what we had shot. When we came back, Drew and other people who worked on the movie were essentially able to see the first half of the movie – because we shot in sequence. "It made them realise the kind of movie that they were making even more and made the tone of the movie even sharper so they knew exactly what they wanted by the time we came back.” However, this time away did have certain drawbacks, especially when it came to filming scenes in a forest in upstate New York. "Probably the hardest part of shooting outside was when we came back as we had already established summer clothing, so if we had to shoot outside again we had to wear T-shirts," Quaid said. "It was very cold, but I got the lower end of the spectrum as Sophie and Lukas [Gage] had to shoot outside at night in the pouring rain. So thankfully I was spared from the worst of it. But now I’m shooting outside in Toronto, and oh boy, it is cold!" Following the release of Companion, Quaid will be back on the big screen again in March with Novocaine – a thrill-a-minute action movie from directors Dan Berk and Robert Olsen. The film follows Nathan Caine, an everyman who must turn his inability to feel pain into an unexpected advantage when the girl of his dreams gets kidnapped. <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2024/07/the-boys-hughie-campbell-starlight-6d624ff.jpg" width="3000" height="2000" alt="Hughie Campbell and Annie January in The Boys stood opposite each other and talking. They are standing in a room with artwork on the wall behind them." title="Jack Quaid as Hughie Campbell and Erin Moriarty as Annie January aka Starlight in The Boys" /> Meanwhile, earlier this month, Quaid experienced the "greatest moment of his life" when music icon Billy Joel reposted a scene from The Boys. "It took him five years but he posted the scene where we mention him in the very first episode of The Boys and I lost my mind," said Quaid. "I believe he’s coming to Toronto on 15th March. I want to be there front row, if I can, unless my publicist tells me I can’t because I have things to do. I want to see him live because I still haven’t, and I was such a massive fan before Hughie." Quaid ended the interview with a public service announcement directly to Joel. "Mr Joel, please, I love you so much. Please just come and be on the show, we only have more season and we are shooting it right now. Just come, you can just walk by a scene and Hughie notices you. Mr Joel, please and thank you." Companion is now showing in UK cinemas. If you're looking for something to watch tonight, check out our TV Guide and Streaming Guide or visit our Film hub for all the latest news. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Salem's Lot star Lewis Pullman would have been "terrified" to have Stephen King on set
The film's cast talk to RadioTimes.com about being "scared" on set and stepping into the world of the horror icon.
Stephen King is unquestionably one of the most prolific and successful horror writers of all time. He has more than left his mark on cinema, with filmmakers such as Stanley Kubrick, Brian De Palma and Rob Reiner all having turned his novels into classic movies. After 50 years, The King of Horror is still an ever-present figure in Hollywood and he now serves as executive producer on the upcoming film adaptation of his second novel, Salem’s Lot. The movie follows author Ben Mears (Lewis Pullman), who comes back to his childhood home in search of some inspiration for his next book. Instead, he discovers that people in his home town are mysteriously turning into blood-sucking vampires. Despite serving as executive producer, Stephen King didn’t get the opportunity to visit the set, much to the relief of lead star Pullman. “Gary [Dauberman, director] would deliver us little bits of news about Stephen and run things by him. It was great because he was like this mysterious presence that wasn’t there,” said Pullman. “I think if he had actually been on set then I would have been terrified.” Pullman might have managed to escape the “terrifying” presence of King but that didn’t stop him from being “scared” on set as he was fully immersed in the dangerous world they had created. It was most apparent when Pullman’s character was running out of a church onto the empty streets of Jerusalem's Lot to escape the vampires, and everything suddenly felt very real for the actor. “With a shot like that on a Steadicam, it has to be a 360-degree set, meaning anywhere you point the camera you can use that footage,” he explained. “With the cameras in my periphery, there were no reminders that this is a film set and that was pretty trippy. At that moment, I was actually f**king scared.” His co-star Mackenzie Leigh, who plays Ben's love interest Susan Norton, added: “There were also a couple of potholes and if you stepped in one, you were going to roll your ankle and be out for the film. So there were genuine stakes and fear involved.” Read more: Terrifier 3 director says "1 or 2 movies tops" before he's done with saga Salem's Lot review: Stephen King adaptation lacks bite Salem’s Lot terrified audiences in the late ‘70s with a TV miniseries starring James Mason and David Soul. However, this upcoming version will be the first made-for-cinema adaptation of the classic novel. Almost 50 years since it was published, the book still has a timeless quality that feels poignant to this generation of moviegoers. And star Spencer Treat Clark remarked that this was because King used vampires as a metaphor to reflect the decay of small-town America. “I see the town as the main character in this movie. You meet all these people and the town is alive, the milkman and postman are coming and everybody knows each other and are up in each other’s business,” he said. “Then, you just watch this town getting taken over and subsumed by this ‘virus’ and it’s this tragic story of getting taken over.” Another of the film's stars, Alfre Woodard, mirrored this sentiment and remarked that Salem’s Lot is still relevant because it mirrors the political and social landscapes of the last decade across the world. “We are being challenged by something that creeps and infects the population. It’s brought on in the personality of people that are seductive, who find a way into people’s minds and hearts and they get their talons in,” she said. She added: “It’s happened in the world before and all the signs are there but as most of us don’t revisit history, we don’t recognise when things are happening. With the last incarnations of Salem’s Lot, we weren’t in times that were so clearly mirroring the need for community to act or not act, to flee, to fight, or just be seduced, and we see the fallout of that.” View oEmbed on the source website Salem's Lot is showing in UK cinemas from Friday 11th October, and the first two films are available on Prime Video and Paramount Plus. If you're looking for something to watch tonight, check out our TV Guide and Streaming Guide or visit our Film hub for all the latest news. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Rings of Power bosses tease 'most ambitious battle in TV history' in season 2
The balance of power has been disrupted in Middle-earth following the shock reveal that Galadriel was deceived by Halbrand, who was the evil Sauron.
The hotly-anticipated upcoming season of The Rings of Power is almost upon us, and showrunners JD Payne and Patrick McKay have said that now the audiences are immersed in the rich Tolkien world, they can "start with a bang" with exciting moments in season 2. One of the big moments that the show bosses are referring to is the Siege of Eregion. Often considered one of the biggest moments in Tolkien lore, the Siege of Eregion was a deadly battle between the Elves of Eregion and Sauron as the antagonist attempts to claim the Rings of Power. Bringing this battle to life was no easy task. McKay admitted it was "by far the most ambitious thing they’ve attempted on the show", which puts it "high in the running for the most ambitious battles in TV, period". The showrunners revealed that they spent a year designing the Siege of Eregion in pre-production. McKay added: "In some ways, you’re planning a real war with the logistics required. In a sense, the Siege of Eregion is not just one battle, it is six or seven. "You have a horse charge, a hand-to-hand fight in the mud, then it’s a troll fight, and then there’s street fighting like in Stalingrad. "Each of those phases requires an enormous amount of preparation and logistics and safety concerns to get the most thrilling things possible on TV." The battle is not only a big moment in the character arc of the antagonist Sauron as he plots his rise to power, but also for the future Lord of Rivendell, Elrond. "[Elrond] starts off as a politician earlier in the season, and we watch him level up to a commander in a battle where he has to fight this massive force that he might not have the resources to win against. "That is dramatically a really fun and interesting place to put the character." Read more: Rings of Power confirms major book battle for season 2 – not everyone will survive Rings of Power season 2 trailer offers terrifying new look at Sauron's return Despite some of the most ambitious scenes in TV history, actors Charlie Vickers [Sauron] and Charles Edwards [Celebrimbor] remarked how The Rings of Power had grounded moments that add to the suspense and drama of the new season. This was most evident during scenes between the two actors as Sauron has to manipulate Celebrimbor as both Halbrand and Annatar to get him to forge his magical rings. "It is a gift to be in a show of this scale and yet have the room as actors to do something that is like a kitchen-sink drama. It’s a period piece, but it felt naturalistic and dramatic." View Affiliate Playlist on the source website The Rings of Power season 2 will launch on Prime Video on 29th August – you can sign up now for a free 30-day Prime Video trial. If you’re looking for something else to watch in the meantime, check out our TV Guide and Streaming Guide, or visit our dedicated Fantasy hub. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Rings of Power bosses confirm The Stranger's identity will be revealed in season 2
Is Daniel Weyman's character really Gandalf the Grey?
As The Rings of Power returns for its second season, Middle-earth has descended into chaos after it was revealed that Halbrand, the 'missing prince of the Southlands', was actually the antagonist Sauron. Nevertheless, there is still one major character whose identity is yet to be revealed - The Stranger. In the first season, the mysterious character fell from the sky with no memories of his identity or purpose. He befriended the Harfoots and discovered that he was an Istar - meaning "wise one" or "wizard". Social media was ablaze with fan theories about the true identity of The Stranger as all the clues point towards Gandalf the Grey. Speaking exclusively with RadioTimes.com, Rings of Power showrunners, JD Payne and Patrick McKay, were tight-lipped about whether these rumours were true but teased that all will be revealed this season. "What this season is about for this character is a journey of self-discovery. He's learnt that he's a wizard but he doesn’t really know how to control his powers yet and he doesn't know how he's supposed to use them or who he's supposed to fight," said Payne. "You're going on the same journey that he is. The 'who?' is part of it, but that's not the entire sundae, that's the cherry on top. But it will be answered this season." Read more: Rings of Power confirms major book battle for season 2 – not everyone will survive Rings of Power season 2 trailer offers terrifying new look at Sauron's return Playing The Stranger is Daniel Weyman, who admitted that he is humbled by the intrigue and theories surrounding his character. "What I've loved about the people that watched the show and know Tolkien is that they've used things that are dear to them to come up with really good explanations about why The Stranger might be [a certain] character," said Daniel. "It’s always humbling when you hear people that hold the story that dear and have that knowledge about it. I'm just a custodian of a storyline to a massive story." Nevertheless, he asserted that The Stranger's true identity isn't crucial to understanding the character because "the audience knows him pretty well already, whatever his name ends up being". Whoever The Stranger is, he's in for an eventful season as he joins the Harfoot Nori on a journey through the harsh desert region of Rhûn. The season starts positively for the pair as they set off on a journey of self-discovery, hoping to learn more about their purpose. "Very quickly, things start to go wrong," Weyman added. "Whether that's the landscape working against them - food, water and heat. Or whether it's the impending darkness that is gradually closing around all of Middle-earth. Suddenly, they get to a place where they are forced to solve problems that are outside of The Stranger's scope. "The Stranger's job is to navigate all the different choices he has got and work out the path that he needs to follow." View Affiliate Playlist on the source website The Rings of Power season 2 will launch on Prime Video on 29th August – you can sign up now for a free 30-day Prime Video trial. If you’re looking for something else to watch in the meantime, check out our TV Guide and Streaming Guide, or visit our dedicated Fantasy hub. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Faye Dunaway on her candid new documentary, Bonnie and Clyde and Chinatown
Faye Dunaway sits down for a roundtable in Cannes to preview her upcoming documentary and talk about her career-defining roles.
New feature documentary Faye provides an intimate portrait of one of Hollywood's most iconic leading ladies of the 20th century as the actress looks back at the roles that defined her career. The Hollywood icon was born Dorothy Faye Dunaway in Florida in 1941. When pursuing an acting career, she decided to leave behind 'Dorothy Faye' and take on Hollywood as Faye Dunaway. Dunaway asserts that Dorothy Faye has always remained with her and is still how she feels inside but wanted a public persona for this challenging profession. "Faye Dunaway is the public persona. She is the actress and what I put out there in the world," said Dunaway. "The real self is not part of the public thing, the real self feeds the public thing and nourishes it. It is still there and cooking away and it's part of what I feel myself but Faye Dunaway is almost like a shell." The actress started her long and illustrious career in the 1960s with various Broadway productions. However, it wasn't until her breakout role in Bonnie and Clyde that she became a Hollywood star. The 1967 crime drama starring Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway as the titular outlaws was an incredibly influential movie in Hollywood history and became controversial for its graphic depiction of violence. The movie was indicative of the changing landscape of Hollywood but Dunaway admitted that "nobody knew how successful" it would be and that she didn't feel the significance of the movie at the time because she was simply "just doing her job as an actress". Dunaway received a nomination for Best Actress for this performance and her career went from strength to strength, including roles in The Thomas Crown Affair and Chinatown. Roman Polanski's neo-noir thriller is widely considered one of the greatest movies and is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. The documentary delves into behind-the-scenes stories from Chinatown that reflect the fractious relationship between Polanski and Dunaway, as she admitted that "there was lots of tension on the set". In her autobiography, Looking for Gatsby, Dunaway said: "Roman was very much an autocrat, always forcing things. It ranged from the physical to the mental. He was very domineering and abrasive and made it clear he wanted to manipulate the performance. That approach has never worked with me." Dunaway has a fierce reputation in Hollywood as someone who is difficult to work with. However, the actress believes that it is necessary as she strives for perfection in her performances. "It's part of the craft. You have to do it as well as you can and pay attention to every detail, that's what makes it good and what makes it work," said Dunaway. "That's what I learned to do from [Elia] Kazan and [Sidney] Lumet as I was growing into the craft. You have to be a perfectionist and every detail is important." Following Chinatown, Faye Dunaway was quickly becoming one of the most recognisable stars in Hollywood and achieved a big level of fame. Dunaway enjoyed the celebrity status to a certain extent but admitted she prefers to be more private. "I don't like being so public. It's a champagne bubbly existence sometimes so it can be a little bit dangerous and you have to not get carried away by it." Dunaway has played a number of strong and independent women throughout her career, most notably Diana Christensen in Network – for which she won Best Actress in 1977. The actress said that she felt compelled to take the role because "it was very important at that time" and that "people didn’t want her to play that character" but decided it was necessary to do so. Diana Christensen was a cut-throat programming chief for UBS Evening News and reflected the changing gender politics of the era as she held a position of power in a male-dominated industry. Dunaway believes that her portrayal of strong female leads might have had an indirect influence on the MeToo movement as her characters gave women a voice. The release of movies like Network and Bonnie and Clyde coincided with the second-wave feminism that occurred throughout the US in the '60s and '70s. During this movement, women were given more of a voice and the traditional depiction of women in Hollywood was subverted. "The characters I have played, the independent woman and the woman who has a life of her own, have been right in there with the movement. [I was] indirectly involved with my work," said Dunaway. Read more: Tom Cruise's best film is 10 years old - and broke new ground for sci-fi Why The Phantom Menace isn't as bad as you remember 25 years on Faye will arrive on HBO and Max in the US later this year, with UK launch details yet to be confirmed. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Faye Dunaway: 'My bipolar is a blessing and a curse'
Hollywood icon Faye Dunaway sat down for a roundtable during the Cannes Film Festival to preview her upcoming documentary Faye and talked candidly about her struggles with bipolar disorder.
New feature documentary Faye provides an intimate portrait of one of Hollywood's most iconic leading ladies of the 20th century, as Faye Dunaway looks back at the highs and lows of her era-defining career. Throughout the '60s and '70s, the actress was one of the most in-demand names in Hollywood. The actress built her reputation through critically acclaimed performances in movies such as Chinatown, Network and Bonnie and Clyde, which showcased her signature emotional depth and untameable spirit. Behind all the fame and success, Dunaway was struggling with erratic behaviour and mood swings. The actress revealed during the documentary that she sought medical attention and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder after suffering from the condition for many years. Speaking at a roundtable during the Cannes Film Festival, Dunaway said she felt it was important to be candid and open about her mental health struggles as it may explain certain behaviours she has exhibited in the past, but it may also reach people who are suffering from these "imbalances". "You're still responsible for your actions so [the bipolar] may explain them but it doesn't excuse them if they've been painful for other people," said Dunaway. "It was good to know it and then try and find a way to cope with it and find a way to control whatever impulses I was having and to have medication and have help to understand what was happening. It was part of my process and part of my evolving into what I've become today." View oEmbed on the source website Faye Dunaway has had an incredibly successful career and has achieved wide critical acclaim for her performances, including the Academy Award for Best Actress for Network in 1977. The actress seamlessly transforms into each character and she believes that her bipolar disorder has helped tap into the emotional complexities of various characters and enhance her performances. "It helped the performances because that kind of emotional scope is something that you can pull on and draw on for the character," she said. "It's such a mixed bag, you don't want it in life but in my particular world, you need it. You need the ups and the downs and the complexities in between." The actress added: "[The bipolar] was a necessary part of my craft. That's what we do, we use those emotions. It was a curse and a blessing. It's just as well to curb it in your life and to understand it and make your behaviour conform more to other people and I've learnt to do that." While her bipolar disorder may have certain benefits as an actor, there have been some high-profile instances where mood swings have caused Dunaway to clash with co-stars or crew members. For example, in 2019, the actress was fired from the Broadway-bound play Tea at Five – in which she was portraying Katharine Hepburn. Dunaway reportedly lost her temper with the crew before a performance, which led to the producers cancelling the show. "I felt like I needed to do it for the experience back on the stage but I didn't feel like I was right for it," said Dunaway during the documentary. "Katharine Hepburn was from New England and I'm from the South so there was such a different sensibility that I was worried about me being able to play it. I began to be more and more irritated and I knew that was the bipolar kicking in." There were also instances in the past where famous actors had spoken about the difficulty of working with Dunaway, including Bette Davis. During an appearance on The Johnny Carson Show, she was asked if there was any person in Hollywood that she wouldn't work with again. The All About Eve actress quickly responded: "One million percent Faye Dunaway! Everybody will tell you exactly the same thing. She is totally impossible and uncooperative. Miss Dunaway is for Miss Dunaway." During the Cannes roundtable, Dunaway was asked how she felt about Bette Davis's comments and she responded: "It happens. I didn't feel anything in particular about it. I'm sorry that she said it but it was not a good relationship and these things happen." Laurent Bouzereau captured the incredible life story of Faye Dunaway from her Southern roots to Hollywood stardom. The French filmmaker believes that the appeal of the documentary comes from how relatable her struggles and personal battles are to a wider audience. "When I was sitting across from Faye, everything she was saying was generating deep, deep emotions in me," said Bouzereau. "I caught myself crying a few times and caught myself being speechless. I thought that if half of what I was feeling could be conveyed in the film and the audience can feel the same way, then we have something interesting going on." Dunaway admitted that she is in a much better place mentally now, as she has medication to help with her disorder and the people around her know how to deal with her mood swings. She didn't rule out the possibility of making a comeback to acting but admitted she currently has other priorities, particularly spending quality time with her son and grandson. For anyone affected by bipolar disorder, you can find information and support at Bipolar UK, as well as a range of useful contacts on Mind's website. Read more: Rebel Wilson: 'Robin Williams told me I should be doing dramatic roles' Sterling K Brown: 'I was told to lose this intelligent Black guy thing' Faye will arrive on HBO and Max in the US later this year, with UK launch details yet to be confirmed. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Doctor Who writer on new series Constellation: “It’s a ghost story in space”
The "spooky" series is coming to Apple TV+.
Writer Peter Harness is no stranger to sci-fi, having written episodes of Doctor Who and adapted HG Wells's War of the Worlds in 2019, but Apple TV+'s Constellation was a whole new challenge for him. The writer delved into the “dark recesses” of his brain to conceive a "spooky" dark psychological thriller, which he describes as “a ghost story in space". The series, led by Noomi Rapace and Jonathan Banks, follows Astronaut Jo [Rapace] who returns to Earth after a disaster in space to discover that there are missing pieces in her life. She sets out to expose the truth about the hidden secrets of space travel and recover what she has lost. “I wanted to do something that was like a ghost story in space. We had the elements of horror and spookiness but also something that was grounded and authentic in science diction. It’s very different from something like Doctor Who, which is science-fantasy. This originated in the dark recesses of my brain," Harness told RadioTimes.com. “I decided a while ago that I wanted to focus on telling a story that I made up. You have to fight, kick and bite but I thought, "What's the point of being a writer unless you’re going to tell new stories?” One aspect of space travel that is often not talked about is the psychological effects it can have on the astronauts while in space or upon returning to Earth. Harness spoke with people involved with ESA and NASA, who were glad this neglected side of the story was being told. “It is true that there are these vivid ghost stories about weird things that have happened in space. [For example,] the Salyut 7 crew who saw angels, that’s a true story. They also see flashes of light that pass through their hands and out the other side and they can’t explain it,” said Harness. “Some people see alien spacecrafts. They don’t tend to mention it, it’s like fighter pilots who see UFOs, they know it’ll be the end of their career.” For a better sense of the everyday experiences of space travel, Michelle MacLaren met with American astronaut Scott Kelly, who made four spaceflights between 1999 and 2016 “Scott brought an element of grounded-ness and reality to it. He was really helpful in execution and helping us understand what it’s like to move in space,” she said. MacLaren added: “He told us a story about how he was on a spacewalk and it was so dark that he got lost. He didn’t know where he was, so for 45 minutes until the sun rose he had to just stay there and had to try and stay calm. He couldn’t see anything and how terrifying that must be!” View oEmbed on the source website The plot of Constellation is heavily rooted in science fiction but it’s the characters at the heart of the story that anchor the series in reality, challenged with feelings of grief, motherhood and internal conflicts. Rapace was especially intrigued about the mother/daughter relationship and internal conflict of the protagonist throughout. “Most mothers will be able to relate to the internal conflict that Jo is facing of being away, loving your work and wanting to be the best and then having a child that you feel you’re not completely present with and slipping away from because she’s growing,” said the actress. She added: “This is something that I’ve been fighting with and trying to figure out for 20 years of my life since I’ve had my son. This is why Peter Harness’s writing is so brilliant because it’s a big-scale psychological thriller with sci-fi elements but it’s also very grounded and the characters feel real. No one is really good or really bad, it’s just life.” Read more: Big Finish to make classic Doctor Who releases available for free as podcast Linda Hamilton on joining Stranger Things: "I still don’t know how it ends" There are always going to be inevitable challenges when bringing an ambitious sci-fi thriller like Constellation to life. A challenge that Banks had to overcome in preparation for Constellation was a mental obstacle that "intimidated". “I’ve always held astronauts to a level of such intelligence and also the geniuses of their physicality and what they can do and what they go through," said Banks. “At the same time, they are human beings and with that there was a fair level of intimidation. Also, wanting to portray any military person with dignity and respect.” The first three episodes of Constellation will be available to stream on Apple TV+ from Wednesday 21st February. Check out more of our Sci-Fi and Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what's on tonight. Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10 – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Priscilla star Cailee Spaeny: "She wanted to make sure we showed the love between them"
Cailee Spaeny talks exclusively to RadioTimes.com about Priscilla, her dream of working with Sofia Coppola and the complicated love story at the film's centre.
In early 2022, rising star Cailee Spaeny was shocked to hear that Sofia Coppola wanted to meet her in New York for a coffee. The actress wasn’t told anything about why the iconic filmmaker wanted to meet her, but admitted that she would have taken anything she was offered to get the chance to work with her “dream” director. “I found her movies when I was 15 and they cracked me open on a personal level,” said Spaeny. “I had never seen stories told in that way. It felt so bold and so vastly different from all the commercial films I'd grown up on.” During the meeting, Coppola stunned Spaeny as she revealed that she wanted her to play Priscilla Presley in her upcoming biopic. The movie will tell the story of one of the most iconic relationships in pop culture history, from the often-overlooked perspective of Priscilla. This was a dream role for Spaeny, as she grew up in an Elvis-obsessed household. Her family took trips to Graceland together and her mother even collected Elvis memorabilia and had a shrine in her house for the King of Rock and Roll. However, despite all of this, she knew little about Priscilla Presley herself. “When I finally got the role, it was fascinating to dive into her world because her story got overshadowed by Elvis’s. She has such a unique and interesting point of view of this life that she had with him,” said Spaeny. Priscilla Presley is a huge figure in American Pop Culture in the 20th Century, and there would have been countless source materials that Spaeny could have used to get a real grasp of her character. However, the actress believed that the most effective way to truly understand her character would be to spend time with Priscilla and interview her about this period in her life. “So much gets answered when you're just sitting right in front of the woman herself. The way she presents herself, the way she talks, how she goes about spending this time with me. It answered 1000 questions just to be able to look her in the eye.” She added: “I felt really grateful that she was open to doing that with me and watching her eyes light up, like she was right in that moment with him or telling these inside jokes that they had together the specific memories that they shared. It was such a gift to have.” Understanding Priscilla’s character was one thing, but there was pressure on Spaeny’s shoulders, as this would be the first major movie that depicts the relationship between Elvis and Priscilla from her point of view. “It becomes such a weight on your shoulders to get it right because I put her on this pedestal. She’s American royalty and she’s very mystic,” said the actress. “This goes out the window when you have the woman sitting right in front of you. I wanted to get the story right for her and represent her life, you carry that with you.” The movie is adapted from Priscilla’s 1985 memoir Elvis and Me and recollects her life with Elvis, from when they met when she was just 14 years old up until their divorce in 1973. Priscilla captures the highs and lows of their relationship, but Presley was adamant that Spaeny captured the most important thing – the real love the couple shared. “She wanted to make sure that we showed the love between them because it was there. As well as the pain she went through, the love was real and it was strong. I think overall she looks back fondly at those times in her life and the memories she made. But then she had to make a choice to lead a life of her own,” Spaeny said. The movie has divided opinion, as the King of Rock and Roll is re-examined in a new light. One of the most prominent dissenting voices was the late Lisa-Marie Presley, who sent Sofia Coppola emails after she read the script, describing it as “shockingly vengeful and contemptuous", as reported by Variety. She added: “My father only comes across as a predator and manipulative. As his daughter, I don’t read this and see any of my father in this character. I don’t read this and see my mother’s perspective of my father.” Despite the concerns, Cailee Spaeny believes that Priscilla’s story is necessary and captivating because it is complicated and exists in a “grey area". “We tried to put that truth on screen and let people decide themselves how they felt about it,” she said. “The movies that I find most interesting are the ones that leave you asking questions, whether it’s within yourself or the people you saw it with. That’s the most interesting thing about movies, it joins you in a conversation with people.” Elvis is one of the most iconic figures in American history and is still loved and idolised by many to this day. Nevertheless, it was important to remove this mythology of Elvis to get a more balanced story in a way that doesn’t overshadow Priscilla. Jacob Elordi, who shines as Elvis Presley, told Spaeny to pretend that they were just in a drama playing a regular couple that were going through a rough patch in their marriage. “It was really exciting and interesting to watch Jacob dive into the version of Elvis that was behind closed doors and where his troubles come from,” she said. “You see this lost boy who’s trying to navigate fame and then you see the side effects of fame and how it affects him and their relationship. The movie starts in the late '50s and runs through to the early '70s. In typical Sofia Coppola fashion, the audience is transported to this period through beautiful decor, set designs and clothing. Spaeny said that it was a “dream” to work in this environment because it became immersive and helped keep her grounded. The movie was filmed out of order in 30 days, so the actress sometimes relied on the hair and makeup and costume to remind her what era they were in. Another key feature of creating an immersive experience was redesigning the iconic Graceland. The Graceland which is shown in the movie is not what it looks like in the present day, as it underwent a huge renovation and redesign and was almost unrecognisable from the '60s and '70s. The design team only had a couple of photos for reference as they recreated Graceland in Toronto. They wanted the interiors to be as realistic as possible but allowed for creative freedom to have hidden symbolism behind the designs. “They wanted the colours to tell a story,” said Spaeny. “It was a dreamy Alice in Wonderland-type world, they wanted to feel like you're walking into a wedding cake when you went in there. “All the staples of Graceland, the rooms that are ingrained in your memory when thinking of Elvis were all there, but then we have the creative freedom to change the tone of her in Germany, which is dark and cold.” Priscilla is now showing in UK cinemas. If you're looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide or visit our Film hub for all the latest news. Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10 – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Asa Butterfield has "fingers crossed" for third Your Christmas or Mine film
The Sex Education actor and his co-star Cora Kirk chatted exclusively to RadioTimes.com about the festive sequel.
It’s that time of year again, the nights are getting longer and Christmas is just around the corner – and one way to kickstart the festive period is with the heartwarming romcom Your Christmas or Mine 2. The sequel sees Sex Education's Asa Butterfield reprise his role as James, whose relationship with girlfriend Hayley (Cora Kirk) is once again tested by another turbulent family Christmas following a series of unfortunate events when his father (Alex Jennings) invites Hayley's family to spend Christmas in a luxury ski resort in the Alps. It is quite rare that romcoms get sequels, but for both lead actors, it was a no-brainer to reunite and reprise their roles. “We had so much fun on the first one and formed this nice group," Butterfield explained during an exclusive interview with RadioTimes.com. "There was such a unique dynamic between these two characters and families, who are different and came together to form this beautiful, familiar and homely feeling. Then being able to come together and do that again, but this time on the ski slopes in Austria, absolutely!" The film has all the trademarks of a great Christmas movie and features a vast array of comedic mishaps between the two families – who come from rather different backgrounds. “It feels very familiar," Butterfield said. "It's very British and has that classic Christmas feeling to it, which everyone loves. If you don't love Christmas then this film isn't for you." Read more: Wonka director reacts to Hugh Grant's 'biting, sarcastic' Oompa Loompa Richard Curtis reveals why he doesn’t often rewatch Love Actually Kirk also believes that the movie has a wider appeal because of how relatable the characters and circumstances are – especially during lockdown when families couldn't spend time together over Christmas. "You're looking at two families who come from two different ends of the UK," she said. "In this one specifically, there's the financial struggle that they go through and Christmas isn't about what you can buy someone or the expense of the present, it's about who you're with. We can relate to that, especially with the Christmases we have had where people couldn't be together." Butterfield and Kirk are joined in the movie by a huge ensemble cast that includes Daniel Mays, Angela Griffin, Alex Jennings and Jane Krakowski. And also starring is British screen icon David Bradley – best known for his roles in Harry Potter, Game of Thrones and Doctor Who. "He's brilliantly funny. He always catches me off guard with his little quips and reactions and facial expressions," Butterfield said of the veteran actor. "I ended up doing scenes where I'm not acting, I'm watching David because he's just so funny and great to watch. It's a treat." The ending of the movie is left wide open for the potential of a third movie and whilst no talks have taken place yet, both actors would be only too happy to reprise their roles one last time. "We would love the ensemble to come together for a third and final time," said Kirk. "Trilogies are a win in my book, so it would be lovely to get back together." And Butterfield added: "We've got our fingers crossed, I hope Amazon are watching this... it's on them." View Green Video on the source website Your Christmas or Mine 2 is streaming exclusively on Amazon Prime Video now. View Affiliate Playlist on the source website Check out more of our Film and Drama coverage, or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10 – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
John Carney on Flora and Son: 'Say yes to that filthy guitar in a skip'
The Irish director follows up Once and Sing Street with another musical drama.
Following the success of Once and Sing Street, Irish director John Carney hits the right note yet again with his new musical drama Flora and Son. The film follows single mother Flora, who – determined to keep her rebellious son Max out of trouble – rescues an old guitar from a skip in the hope he will find a new hobby. When he tells her he doesn't want the instrument, Flora decides to take guitar lessons herself and seeks instruction from a washed-up LA musician over Zoom. According to Carney, the central theme of the movie is that music is a life-changing gift we often don’t know we're being given – and this manifested in his mind as the image of a beat-up guitar in a skip crying out to be rescued. "I’m a real believer in that," he told RadioTimes.com in an exclusive interview. "Say yes to that filthy, dirty old guitar in a skip - don’t walk past it, there’s something there. "Not that the universe is telling you s**t, but more just the fun of being alive is to look at these little small details that we look over all the time, and look at them as signs and take them." In some cases, musical dramas can be lighthearted to the point they lose all sense of reality, but inspired by the French New Wave and the films of Mike Leigh and Ken Loach, Carney aims for a gritty sense of realism with his projects. "I like the feeling that the actors are creating a tone that is supposed to reflect reality," he explained. "You are getting quite a conventional musical story with Flora and Son, but it is done like a kitchen sink drama." He added: "I don’t know if people want to sit through that heightened reality version in a Hollywood sense, but they do want to feel like they can see their own lives in this musical." Read more: The Lesson director on how Richard E Grant brought personal loss to role Dumb Money true story: Writers and director on adapting GameStop saga With his tone established, all that Carney needed was a Flora to bring this movie to life. He was introduced to Bad Sisters star Eve Hewson (daughter of Bono) and found her charming, but questioned whether she was really what he was looking for in the character. Yet after just one Zoom call, she had changed his mind. "She somehow made me feel that if I didn’t go with her then there would be something I would be missing," said Carney. "I might get closer to the character that I had written or I might get a darker or more truthful performance or someone that could sing like crazy… but I wouldn’t get what she had.” He added: "That’s really all that’s happening when casting or connecting with people; it’s not about winning it, it’s about missing the thing that this person brings." Hewson created a great impression with Carney because she saw it as a comic role with heart, as opposed to a sentimental role with a few jokes. "That was music to my ears, because that’s where I come from. I’ll go to the darkest thing or gathering and look for the humour in it - not in a mischievous way, but it will get me through, this type of gallows humor," said Carney. View oEmbed on the source website One of the most poignant scenes in the movie is when the guitar teacher, Jeff (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), attempts to inspire Flora by sending her a video of Joni Mitchell performing Both Sides Now. Talking about his decision to include this song, Carney said: "It’s very rare that you see somebody nowadays let the song take over. Even though Joni Mitchell looks great, wearing a lovely dress, somehow it’s not about her, and I don’t know how she makes it not about her." He added: "Prince did that. Prince made it about the song, but also put on an incredible show and also made it about himself. "I think a lot of modern artists are misconstruing that and seeing Prince and thinking it’s about the show. Maybe if you have Prince's songs... but if you don’t have the songs, then showing off and all the pyrotechnics are meaningless." The fractured relationship between a mother and her son is exemplified in the film by the very different musical styles they are interested in: where Flora plays the acoustic guitar, taught by a songwriter from LA, Max is more taken with dance music and rap. And Carney explained that, to maintain naturalism and realism, he wanted to create a plausible sound from these different musical elements. "Can we make something nice out of that?" he said. "Not something so nice that they’ve suddenly made the best song in the world, but I didn’t want to make it realistic and awful. I did want them to make something nice but it had to be plausible." And speaking about the film's climactic scene – which takes place in a pub – he added: "I just want you to believe that moment and to feel good about it. I want the hairs on the back of your neck to stand up a little bit." View Green Video on the source website Flora & Son is now showing in select UK cinemas and will be available on Apple TV+ from Friday 29th September. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on tonight. Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10, PLUS a £10 John Lewis and Partners voucher delivered to your home – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Ice Cube on TMNT: “Franchise can live on another 30 years after this”
The cast and crew of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem talk to RadioTimes.com about the new adaptation, the bright future of animation and working with Jackie Chan.
These interviews took place prior to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. Seth Rogen has been obsessed with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles ever since the first movie hit the big screen in 1990, and so the comedian was shocked when he and producing partner Evan Goldberg were approached for a new animated feature film. The duo were chosen because of how they've previously captured the teenage experience with movies such as Superbad, and after signing on they enlisted Jeff Rowe (The Mitchells vs The Machines) to direct – with a vision to make this adaptation as fresh and exciting as possible. One of the ways they did this was by leaning into the teenage aspect: this marks the first time actual teenagers have been cast to portray Leonardo, Michelangelo et al. "We wanted to approach it from a place of emotion and story," explains Rowe during an exclusive interview with RadioTimes.com. "I had to wear two hats as I am a huge Ninja Turtles fan and I want to make the film that other Ninja Turtle fans and I want to see. “But I also want someone who has never heard of the Ninja Turtles to be able to walk into it and enjoy it and love these characters.” The TMNT franchise has been incredibly successful ever since the Ninja Turtles burst onto our screens in the late '80s, but what makes them so popular and timeless? For actor and rapper Ice Cube – who voices villain Superfly in the new film – the answer is simple. “The ingredients for this franchise are magnetising," he says. "You’ve got teenagers, they’re mutants, they know ninja and they’re turtles - everybody loves turtles - they live in the sewer and they eat pizza… How can you miss with that combination?” Ice Cube has clear memories of the Ninja Turtles in the '90s as his kids used to be obsessed with the cartoon when they were younger. "I’ve stepped on so many Raphael and Donatello action figures," he adds. "They’ve had the pyjamas, they’ve had the bedspreads, the lunchboxes - so they’ve been a part of my life for a long time.” The iconic rapper describes his character as the “King of New York” but says that deep down he's a “sensitive guy”. "He just wants to be liked," he explains. "People run from him because he’s a big ugly fly and he's a mutant. He just wants people to like him but when they don’t there’s hell to pay! There’s a problem in the city when they don’t like Superfly.” Read more: Oppenheimer’s Emily Blunt and Matt Damon praise “mesmeric” Cillian Murphy Cillian Murphy gives opinion on Oppenheimer: ‘I tried not to judge him’ The movie boasts an incredible cast with Ice Cube joined by Rogen, John Cena, Paul Rudd, Post Malone, Ayo Edebiri, Rose Byrne and many more. And being part of such an esteemed ensemble is understandably described as “nuts!” by Nicolas Cantu, who voices Leonardo. "Being a part of a movie this big, with a cast so cool - it’s crazy," he says. "It’s been great being able to meet all these super talented people and they each bring their own thing to the movie and it’s great to see.” Also part of the cast is legendary actor Jackie Chan, who plays Master Splinter. This casting came as a big surprise to the boys playing the Ninja Turtles, with Brady Noon actually asking Jeff Rowe if he was joking or not. Ice Cube was just as impressed with Chan, saying that he delivers an "Oscar-winning performance" as Splinter. And while the rapper didn’t encounter the Hong Kong legend during filming, he hopes the pair will meet at the premiere so they get a chance to show how much they respect each other. View oEmbed on the source website Animation is enjoying a new golden age with the box office success of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse exemplifying the power and potential of the medium. "We are now in a post Spider-Verse world," says Rowe. "The 30 years of CG/3D animation prior to that was always all about chasing photorealism and these realistic textures and seeing pores on a character’s face. “Spider-Verse kicked the door open and said, ‘You don’t have to do that! You can make a critically beloved and successful film that looks very different.' It felt like going backward to make a film the way they used to be made.” He adds: “I hope this is just the beginning of a renaissance and we will see hundreds of more insane styles in the next decade.” Following the stellar early reviews and eye-watering A-List cast, obvious questions will arise around whether a sequel is on the cards. "It’s so fun being with these characters that people are definitely going to want to spend more time with them," says Rowe. And Ice Cube adds: "The franchise can live on another 30 years after a movie like this!” Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is in cinemas from 31st July. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on tonight. Try Radio Times magazine today and get 12 issues for only £1 with delivery to your home – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Steph Curry on new documentary: "That underrated mindset is always part of my DNA"
NBA superstar Stephen Curry talks exclusively to RadioTimes.com about being underrated, what motivates him and his proudest moment.
“At six-foot-two, he’s extremely small for a shooting guard. Do not rely on him to run your team. He overshoots, doesn’t like it when defences are too physical with him – and he’s not a great finisher.” Steph Curry’s draft report was proof that there were serious doubts about whether the rookie could adjust to the physicality of the NBA when he was drafted to the Golden State Warriors in 2009. Flash forward to 2023 and Steph Curry has won four NBA championships, two MVPs, a finals MVP and nine All-Star selections, and holds the record for the most career three-pointers. The documentary predominantly takes place before all the success and accolades when he was playing at a small town Division 1 College, where his journey to the very top was more improbable than inevitable. Through archival footage, Steph was able to relive his early basketball career and was given a fresh perspective on his time at Davidson College and how unlikely his success story was. Talking about reliving his Davidson years, Steph said: “Anybody who goes through seasons of life probably has core memories of what your experience was and you can relive it in your head but when you tie that together with old footage, some of the highlights and some of the lowlights of the years there. “And then also you get the perspective of all the amazing people that were a part of my story: my parents, coaches, teammates, people around the Davidson community. It's an amazing vantage point to just understand how much it impacted so many different people in a lot of different ways.” He added: “That is something that the documentary does a great job of diving into. I learned a lot about my own journey by going back and seeing how much it impacted so many different people.” The framing of the documentary was interesting as there are incredible moments and career highlights that aren’t referenced. However, producer Ryan Coogler believes it is often the overlooked aspects of stories that are the most exciting to tell. He said: “On the surface, everybody knows Steph Curry – he’s the greatest shooter who has ever lived, he has won these championships for the Golden State Warriors, but the part that is overlooked is what happened before that? “Was it preordained that he was going to do this or was it more than meets the eye with this guy before he hit the international stage? To answer that question, absolutely! The future for him was very unlikely. If you run the clock back, people would have told you it was crazy that this guy would change the trajectory of the whole league!” Steph Curry has always been an underdog. From a young age people had always labelled him as too small, too skinny and that he didn’t have the strength to compete in the NBA. Many colleges around the country overlooked Steph for those reasons but Davidson College took a chance on him and the rest is history. It is this story of an underdog defying the odds that Coogler believes makes the documentary so effective to a wider audience, not just NBA fans. He said: “Everybody knows what it feels like to be underrated or undervalued or overlooked or to have a chip on their shoulder. I think it is that quality that makes this story so universal.” Alongside the likes of superstars Kevin Durant, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson, Steph Curry led the Golden State Warriors to their first NBA Championship since 1975. This started one of the most dominant dynasties in sports history as they won a further two rings in ‘17 and ‘18. After defeat to the Toronto Raptors in the 2019 Finals, the dynasty ended as Kevin Durant was traded to Brooklyn Nets and Klay Thompson suffered a serious ACL injury and the Warriors missed the Playoffs in the following two seasons. NBA journalists and media were strong with criticism and claimed the Warriors would never lift another championship and that Steph Curry wasn’t the player he once was. Read more Big RT Interviews: Guenther Steiner on Russian war pressure, an all-electric future – and his warning to historic race tracks Letitia Wright on new Western Surrounded and working with the late Michael K Williams Eva Longoria on Flamin' Hot: "I've been told 'ideas don't come from people like you'" If anyone has learned anything from Steph Curry’s journey, it should be to never write him off – he always finds a way to defy the odds. The documentary ends with Steph Curry and his team doing just that as the Warriors won the 2022 NBA Championship. This was the championship that meant the most to Steph as it truly encapsulated his underrated spirit, similar to his Davidson years. He said: “There was a synergy with the Davidson years and trying to really build towards something special and everything that goes into that. The sacrifice, not just from me, but from every teammate that I play with, every coach, everyone is pouring everything that they had into a shared goal. “That ‘22 Championship was an embodiment of that same spirit, overcoming the odds and defying what people say about you and accomplishing a goal you all put together.” Steph Curry has won everything there is to win in the game and cemented his legacy as one of the greatest of all time. It would be understandable if he rested on his laurels but that is the last thing on his mind as he is as dedicated and motivated as ever. Steph said: “I have gratitude and an appreciation for the skill set and ability that I’ve been given and the work that I’ve put into it, I don’t ever want to cheat that. “That underrated mindset is always a part of my DNA and how I approach anything so you’ll never see me take my foot off the gas pedal until the ball really stops bouncing and I can’t do it at the level I want to do it anymore, just because I don’t want to take for granted the gifts that I’ve been given. “Once I found out what my gift was and my passion was, whatever I pour into it, I try to maintain it as long as I can. The biggest thing is just having fun. I try to bring joy to everything I do and hopefully that comes through in the documentary, really being present in everything that I get to do.” View Green Video on the source website Stephen Curry: Underrated premieres globally on Apple TV+ today (Friday 21st July 2023) – you can sign up to Apple TV+ here. If you’re looking for something else to watch, check out our TV Guide or Streaming Guide, or visit our Sport hub for all the latest news. Try Radio Times magazine today and get 12 issues for only £1 with delivery to your home – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Letitia Wright on new Western Surrounded and working with the late Michael K Williams
The Black Panther star plays emancipated slave and former Buffalo Soldier Mo Washington in the new Western – which she also produced.
Letitia Wright might have achieved global recognition and critical acclaim for her portrayal of Shuri in the MCU – but the award-winning Guyanese-British actor is not afraid to mix it up and work on smaller independent movies. In the past couple of years, she's starred in films like The Silent Twins and Aisha, allowing her to tell important stories that haven’t been told before - and this is clearly something that she's eminently passionate about. "I love projects that feel different to what I've done in the past, and what I haven't seen," she explains in an exclusive interview with RadioTimes.com. "I just really love the opportunity to do something different and kind of be a chameleon and do something absolutely left-field from what I’m used to." This ethos towards her acting has now led Wright to Surrounded, a Western that centres around emancipated slave and former Buffalo Soldier Mo Washington, who disguises herself as a man as she travels West to lay claim on a gold mine. Mo is loosely based on the life of Cathay Williams, a former house slave who posed as a man under the pseudonym of William Cathay to enlist in the army, and the film follows her after she survives an ambush on a stagecoach and is forced to hold infamous outlaw Tommy Walsh (Jamie Bell) captive whilst the surviving passengers seek help from the nearest town. Of course, when you conjure images of Westerns throughout cinematic history, you may well first think of leading men such as John Wayne, Henry Fonda or Clint Eastwood, perhaps saving a town from a ruthless outlaw or saving a damsel in distress. Surrounded subverts these genre expectations: Wright enters almost uncharted territory as a Black woman leading a Western as her character challenges preconceptions about race and gender in the Antebellum period. "Mo Washington is challenging those ways of thinking by existing and her bravery to exist and her bravery to just go into these environments where it could go really wrong for her," says Wright. "I think the way that we deal with the topics and the subject matters of the film, they’re great and they’re challenging but I love how Mo Washington is cutting through that on her journey." There are few examples of Westerns centering around a Black lead, with The Harder They Fall, Blazing Saddles and Wild Wild West being a few of the noticeable exceptions. However, Wright is keen to talk about the importance of entering the conversation in this genre. View oEmbed on the source website "I like that we've challenged ourselves to add and contribute to what’s already out there," she says. "It's really cool because Black people… we exist in all different forms and places and eras and we be riding horses! It’s a real thing but some people just don’t want to highlight it, but we have and that’s really cool for people to see that." Wright also reveals that Surrounded was her most physically demanding role to date – with harsh terrains and difficult weather conditions in the remote New Mexico desert, a two-hour drive from Santa Fe. "One minute it will be literally snowing and then it will be super hot and ripping off your jacket and everything - and I’m in like 99.9% of the scenes," she says. One of the most difficult aspects of filming, she adds, was the harsh cold weather during the night shoots in the desert. "If there was a big campfire for that particular scene in the night then we would all just be huddled around until we were shouted to get back to our places on set. We just took it each day as it came because if our characters went through it, then we've got to experience it. "It was before I did Black Panther [Wakanda Forever] and The Silent Twins, so the physicality of it prepared me to have longevity and endurance for these films coming up." Starring alongside Letitia in Surrounded is the late actor Michael K Williams, in what will be his final posthumous role following his tragic death in 2021. Wright has fond memories of working with The Wire star, calling him a "truly beautiful artist" and recalling how he was always sure to keep spirits up during those long aforementioned night shoots. "I thoroughly enjoyed my time working with him," she says. "I just remember there's a photo on my phone of us… the night shoots in the desert are absolutely cold and in between scenes we would just be laughing and joking. "There's a photo of him just covering my hands with his and just keeping them warm, I’ll always remember him for that. He's such a beautiful, beautiful man." The cast also includes British actor Jamie Bell – known for his roles in films such as Billy Elliott and Snowpiercer. Bell plays Tommy Walsh - an infamous (though fictional) outlaw with a big bounty on his head, and Wright is also full of praise for him. "Jamie, alongside Michael, is one of the hardest-working actors I've ever had the privilege of being alongside. If I'm giving 100 per cent, he’s going to come with 120 or 140 and we keep challenging each other. Again, another beautiful soul to work with and a beautiful artist to just sit and watch him shine and learn so much from him." Wright's work on Surrounded wasn't just limited to the starring role in front of the camera – she also served as a producer for the film, in what was her first producing credit after launching her own production company 316 Productions. Speaking via Elle Magazine at the company's launch, she said that it was "an opportunity to create the roles that I didn’t see for Black women and men, or Asian people" – and it looks like her first experiences with 316 have been very positive ones. "The nerves weren't as overwhelming as I thought they would be," she explains. "I just had to follow my instincts on what I felt would be a great match for the team and how I can contribute, especially with the scripts as well, and fighting for what I believed in. "Then those skill sets helped me to be a better producer, even on The Silent Twins, where I got to be even more involved in making decisions as well." Surrounded is available on Digital Platforms from Monday 26th June 2023. Check out more of our Film coverage, or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. Take part in the Screen Test, a project from Radio Times and the Universities of Sussex and Brighton, to explore the role of television and audio in our lives. Try Radio Times magazine today and get 12 issues for only £1 with delivery to your home – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Sam Claflin on Daisy Jones and the Six and the price of fame
Sam Claflin talks exclusively to RadioTimes.Com about the Prime Video series and managing his stardom.
When Sam Claflin auditioned for Daisy Jones & the Six, a series based on Taylor Jenkins Reid's best-selling novel about a fictional rockband in 1970s LA, he had very little experience of singing or playing the guitar, and minimal knowledge of the music scene in which the story unfolds. But the British actor's charm and talents were enough to seal the deal and he was cast as egotistical frontman Billy Dunne. But with only a handful of weeks to prepare before filming, Claflin didn't have a moment to spare – that is until the Covid pandemic hit and production was halted for a year and a half, which was a "blessing" in disguise. "I think we were all grateful for the extra time," he explained. "For me, having never played guitar, having never been in a recording booth, having never been in a band or done much singing, it was honestly needed. "When I think back, I can't imagine having shot the series when it was meant to have started. It would have only given us six weeks to try and encapsulate all those new skills and new relationships. It would have been a very different show." Despite Claflin's initial lack of musical ability, he was instantly drawn to Billy: "Figuring out how to pursue the thing that you love while trying to sustain a relationship with someone you love, those are definitely things that I could lean into and parts of my life that I could draw from. There were so many beats and moments within the story that I could go, 'Oh my God, I've literally had this exact conversation' or 'I've been here!' "He's not the most lovable character from the book among fans, but I definitely felt like I understood the meaning behind each decision that he made. I'm team Billy all the way. I think he's a very misunderstood character." Part of that stems from his struggles with drugs and alcohol, which Claflin spent many hours interrogating in an effort to understand the man he was playing. As part of that, the cast were given a robust education on drugs and alcohol in that era by specialists. "It was so eye-opening and such an interesting subject matter to delve into, and one that I will no doubt carry with me for the rest of my life," he said. "I'm fortunate to say that I don't have an addictive personality whatsoever, but it's definitely opened my eyes to the people that really have those struggles and understand why people have to be all or nothing”. The show also effectively explores what it means to be famous, including the pitfalls attached, and how certain personalities adapt or don't, which gave Claflin an opportunity to reflect on his own stardom. "I've witnessed it among a few people I've worked with and worked opposite. I've seen them not be able to leave hotel rooms because there are paparazzi outside or a string of fans everywhere they go. They can't walk the street, they can't go shopping, they can't go and have a drink quietly with someone without it being a dating rumour. I've definitely seen that side of the world and I do not long to be a part of it. "I feel like I've hit the sweet spot. Much beyond where I am, I think that's when you will lose sight of reality. I guess it depends on who you are surrounded by - if you're surrounded by people who are saying yes and enthusiastic about your rise for their own personal gain." He went on to praise his inner circle for keeping him grounded, adding: "I don't live that lifestyle. I live a very, very normal life, but my job is just a very exciting adventure." In a world where a more, more, more mentality is encouraged, Claflin remains an outlier. "I feel like I've got to a place where I'm very happy," he said. "I don't have much ambition to achieve much more than I already have. I feel comfortable and you can't really ask for much more than that." Daisy Jones & The Six is streaming now on Amazon Prime Video. Try Amazon Prime Video for free for 30 days. Taylor Jenkins Reid's original book Daisy Jones & The Six is also available now. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. Try Radio Times magazine today and get 12 issues for only £1 with delivery to your home – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse ending explained
**WARNING: INCLUDES MAJOR SPOILERS FOR SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE.** Back in 2018, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse redefined the potential for animated movies as it captured the attention of fans across the globe. Now, the film's sequel, Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse, has landed, and it's being hailed as bigger, better and more visually impressive by critics and fans alike. The sequel revolves around Miles Morales (voiced by Shameik Moore) and his friend Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld) as they embark on a dangerous journey across the multiverse and are pushed to their limits. If you need a recap of the rollercoaster adventure, then look no further. RadioTimes.com has compiled a comprehensive breakdown of the movie's ending – but beware: spoilers follow! Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse ending explained: What happens to Miles and Gwen at the end of the movie? After Miles escapes the Spider-Verse, Gwen has her watch, which allows her to travel through the multiverse, stripped from her before she is banished back to her dimension (Earth-65). After a heartfelt conversation with her father, who had consequently quit the police force after finding out Gwen was Spider-Woman, she was given a homemade watch by Hobie, AKA Spider-Punk (Daniel Kaluuya). Read more – Meet the cast of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse The movie cuts to Miles as he ends up back in his bedroom and confesses to his mum that he is Spider-Man - but to his confusion, she had never heard of the web-slinging vigilante. Things get even more confusing for Miles as Uncle Aaron (Mahershala Ali), who died in the first movie, walks through the door and is seemingly married to his mother. Uncle Aaron takes Miles outside on the roof and he realises that he was sent to the wrong dimension as the city is in flames, crime-ridden and there was a big mural of Police Captain Jefferson Davis on the wall, as he was killed in action. Gwen Stacy uses the gadget to send her to Miles’ dimension (Earth-1610) but when he wasn’t there she realises he was sent to the wrong dimension. His parents catch her trying to escape and ask where their son is; she promises to find him. The portal sent Miles Morales to Earth-19529 because he was bitten by Oz Experiment Arachnid No. 42, which was brought to Earth-1610 through one of Dr. Ohnn’s experiments before the accident. Miguel O’Hara (Oscar Isaac) explained to Miles that he is an anomaly, he was never meant to be Spider-Man. Therefore, because Miles was bitten by Arachnid No.42, there is one dimension without a Spider-Man. Well, that is where Miles was accidentally sent - and, in the absence of Spider-Man, chaos ensued. Who is The Prowler in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse? Uncle Aaron knows that Miles isn’t ‘his Miles’, so he knocks him out and ties him up, before unleashing The Prowler on him, who is revealed to be Miles from Earth-19529. Instead of being a vigilante that stops crime, Miles from Earth-19529 is partner-in-crime with Uncle Aaron and terrorises his city - without a Spider-Man there to stop them. The final scene sees Gwen Stacy staring through a portal with a group of familiar Spider-Men, ready to save Miles from The Prowler! Who is the villain in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse? The main villain of Across the Spider-Verse and the sequel Beyond the Spider-Verse is Dr Jonathan Ohnn, AKA The Spot. We are introduced to Jason Schwartzman’s villain when Miles Morales stops him from stealing an ATM from a convenience store at the beginning of the movie. The Spot is a clumsy and unworthy adversary for Miles and is regularly called a ‘villain of the week’, as it is expected the movie will eventually lead to a greater threat. However, as the movie continues, The Spot sets out to prove that he is a worthy archenemy for Miles Morales. Ohnn was a scientist who worked for the Kingpin and discovered a way to use dark matter to create portals to other worlds. He was in the Super-Collider that Miles blew up in the first movie and was covered in dark matter which turned him into The Spot. After the accident, Ohnn gained the ability to create and open interdimensional portals. He becomes aware of the true potential of his powers and travels to different dimensions to take the power from other Super-Colliders and become even more powerful. He wants to prove himself a worthy opponent for Miles Morales and plans a catastrophic attack on the city, seemingly targeting Police Captain Jefferson Davis, which was set up for the 2024 sequel Beyond the Spider-Verse. What happens inside the Spider-Verse? Gwen Stacy is recruited to join the Spider Society, a team of Spider-People charged with protecting the multiverse’s very existence. She is given the ability to travel through the multiverse to investigate anomalies in the multiverse. Gwen visits Miles Morales’s dimension (Earth-1610) and he believes that she travelled through the multiverse to see him, but she was actually sent there to investigate anomalies caused by The Spot. Unbeknown to Gwen, Miles followed her through an interdimensional portal and, in pursuit of The Spot, winds up in Mumbattan (Earth-50101), which is inhabited by Pavitr Prabhakar - AKA Indian Spider-Man. Following an attack, Miles saves the police captain and Pavitr’s love interest. The group goes to the Spider-Verse to speak with Miguel O’Hara. Miguel warns Miles that every Spider-Man must experience specific canon events like losing an uncle or a police captain close to him. Read more - Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is "phenomenal", say first reactions These events are inevitable and to try and prevent them would lead to the destruction of that dimension, therefore, saving the police captain in Mumbattan was a costly mistake. Miles’s father Jefferson Davis is about to become police captain in the coming days and Miles wants to try and save him, believing that no story is prewritten, and that he could change the course of fate. Therefore, he tries to escape the Spider-Verse, hunted by Miguel and hundreds of other Spider-Men. He reaches the portal and is sent back to Earth. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is in cinemas now. Wondering what to watch on TV? Visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide. Take part in the Screen Test, a project from Radio Times and the Universities of Sussex and Brighton, to explore the role of television and audio in our lives. Try Radio Times magazine today and get 12 issues for only £1 with delivery to your home – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Hailee Steinfeld: 'Across the Spider-Verse is different to anything I've seen'
Hailee Steinfeld talks exclusively to RadioTimes.com about voicing Gwen Stacy and why the Spider-Verse saga is so successful.
Gwen Stacy, AKA Spider-Woman (Hailee Steinfeld), returns for the next chapter of the Academy Award-winning Spider-Verse saga in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. After stopping an attack in her home dimension (Earth-65), Gwen is recruited into the Spider Society, a group of Spider-People that investigate anomalies across the multiverse. She is reunited with Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) as the pair go on a life-altering journey together. Steinfeld’s Gwen was introduced in the critically-acclaimed 2018 film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse as the tough yet caring friend of Miles from a different dimension. The sequel delves deeper into Gwen’s story and background as it highlights the challenges she faces concealing her identity from her police captain father and trying to balance life as a high school student and a web-slinging vigilante, just like Miles. Talking about the prospect of exploring more of her character, Steinfeld told RadioTimes.com: “It’s very exciting, it’s so fun! When I found out, just as a fan of the character myself, I was very excited. "And to dig a little deeper into her world... It’s a space that I would live in forever, it is so beautiful and what they’ve done with it is amazing. We get a little bit more of Gwen this time around, which is fun.” Superhero movies are a dominant force in the modern film industry with Marvel breaking box office records and receiving huge acclaim for titles such as Avengers: Endgame and Spider-Man: No Way Home. Steinfeld herself is part of the MCU as she led Disney Plus series Hawkeye as Kate Bishop, the vigilante partner of Clint Barton, AKA Hawkeye. However, despite being a superhero movie, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is an outlier as it returns to the comic book origins of animation, with each parallel world having a strikingly different artistry and environment. View Green Video on the source website Steinfeld said: “Part of the reason it works so well is because it’s different. It’s really different from anything I’ve ever seen or been a part of. I think that’s been a huge reason why the audience has responded to it, because it feels like something different. “The messaging in this goes so far and so wide and the characters do as well. There’s so much to take away from a film like this and it goes above and beyond how visually stunning it is." Read more: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse review: No live-action superhero movie comes near it Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse star wants MCU role: "I am Miles Morales" Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse soundtrack - The songs in the sequel Meanwhile, Shameik Moore, who plays protagonist Miles Morales in the Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse cast, explained what it was like watching the final cut for the first time and seeing the art come to life. He told us: “I didn’t know a lot of the things that were going on in this film. When I saw it I was just as surprised as you guys were the first time seeing it!” Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is in cinemas now. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. Take part in the Screen Test, a project from Radio Times and the Universities of Sussex and Brighton, to explore the role of television and audio in our lives. Try Radio Times magazine today and get 12 issues for only £1 with delivery to your home – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse star wants MCU role: "I am Miles Morales"
Shameik Moore talks exclusively to RadioTimes.com about his desire to bring Miles Morales to life in the MCU, the humanity of his superhero and why representation is so important in the saga.
Miles Morales returns for the next chapter of the Academy Award-winning Spider-Verse saga in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, as Brooklyn’s friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man is reunited with Gwen Stacy to embark on a dangerous journey across the multiverse. Voicing the web-slinging vigilante in the Across the Spider-Verse cast is Shameik Moore, who expressed his desire to bring Miles Morales to the MCU in a live-action movie. He told RadioTimes.com: “I want Miles Morales... I am Miles Morales! [Producer] Amy Pascal said they’re doing something, right? I guess we will see!" Speaking at the film's premiere earlier this week, Pascal told Variety that a live-action Miles Morales movie is in the works, saying: “You’ll see all of it. It’s all happening.” As for what's in store for the animated Miles, Across the Spider-Verse is the first of two parts, with Beyond the Spider-Verse expected to be released in early 2024. Even though the first part has only just hit cinemas, anticipation will inevitably be high as the movie has broken new boundaries in animation and hooked audiences with electrifying twists and turns. However, Moore wasn’t giving much away when asked what fans can expect from the upcoming Beyond the Spider-Verse, as he simply said: “Probably more Spider-People!” Across the Spider-Verse is a groundbreaking animation full of stunning visuals, nail-biting suspense and thrilling action, although at the heart of the movie is teenager Miles Morales trying to balance being a superhero but also a high school student and the challenges that come with growing up. Moore believes that realism is one of the most important aspects of the saga and is part of the reason why the first movie was so successful. He said: “Exploring the humanity of superheroes is the best part, the relatability. I feel like relatability is what’s selling this movie. The diversity, the worlds and the inclusion of Spider-People, etc. "That moral compass, knowing the difference between what’s right and what’s wrong and staying true to yourself, I think that’s the most relatable thing about this movie.” View Green Video on the source website The film is also groundbreaking in its representation, as the protagonist is a half-Black, half-Puerto Rican teenager growing up in Brooklyn, who is also a superhero who stops crime in his borough. Talking about the power of positive representation, Moore said: “It's representing the world that we live in. I think what I love the most about him being Afro-Latino is that he's a nice kid. "Miles is the type of kid that you would let your nephews or son or daughter play sports with or invite to their birthday parties. You're OK with that type of person being in your life. I feel the same way about Gwen and Peter [Parker] and all the Spider-People. “It's just nice to be represented in a way like we're seeing on camera in this groundbreaking animation with these cool characters intersecting and bringing in these very human obstacles. I think that's why it's so well received. It's life and art in a beautiful marriage.” Read more: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse review: No live-action superhero movie comes near it Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse soundtrack - The songs in the sequel Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is in cinemas now. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. Take part in the Screen Test, a project from Radio Times and the Universities of Sussex and Brighton, to explore the role of television and audio in our lives. Try Radio Times magazine today and get 12 issues for only £1 with delivery to your home – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
White Men Can't Jump director on why new film is 'sampling' not remake
Director Calmatic and stars Teyana Taylor and Laura Harrier talk to RadioTimes.com about working with Jack Harlow and addressing issues through comedy.
The original 1992 White Men Can’t Jump is an acclaimed and much-loved comedy that saw the dynamic duo of Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes take to the court as basketball hustlers. It's safe to say that Jack Harlow and Sinqua Walls have big boots to fill as they lead the modern interpretation – which arrives on Disney Plus on Friday 19th May 2023. But when pitching the movie around to various actors, director Chuck Kidd, AKA Calmatic, made it clear that his White Men Can’t Jump wasn’t going to be a remake, but instead a ‘sampling’ of the original. Even though he wanted to make the classic story fresh and new by adapting it to the modern age, he still wanted to capture the essence of what made the original so iconic. "When you think of that film you think of the costumes, the beach, the women, and the adventure," he told RadioTimes.com during an exclusive interview. "There’s so many elements that make that original stand out so we definitely had to bring that visual energy into this new film.” Despite the huge legacy of the original movie, star Teyana Taylor – who plays Imani – said there was no hesitancy in taking this role as the director had such a clear vision for what he wanted to achieve. “Chuck reached out to everybody personally and talked to us and I think that gave us comfort in what the ultimate goal was in what we were doing," she explained. “We had the freedom to know that we were going to make it our own and we are going to sample this classic but the majority of it will be us and from our lens of the new school and also being 30 years apart, so where would we be now?” Making his feature film debut in White Men Can’t Jump is multi-platinum rapper Jack Harlow who plays Jeremy, the equivalent of Woody Harrelson’s character in the original. When the movie was announced and it was revealed that he was cast as the lead, it understandably took a lot of people by surprise. However, Calmatic recalls how quickly Jack took to acting. Talking about his audition, the director said: “He did a great job, he killed it! I challenged him and told him to go crazy, yell at me! He did that, he took it there. He shed a little tear and everything, he went through the whole rigor of being an actor!” Jack is following in the footsteps of his co-star Taylor, who similarly made that transition from popular music artist to actor. Taylor, who recently received acclaim as the lead in A Thousand and One earlier this year, said that she was really "proud" to see how dedicated Jack was to the role. “You could tell that when he knew this role was his, he went straight into work!" she said. "He came to get the job done, I think everybody came to get the job done. It was really dope to see him juggle both music and acting because I come from that world too. "So I was more proud than anything and I kind of wanted to give him the space to figure it out and I felt like he had all the tools to do just that.” The movie deals with important issues like race relations, mental health and family relationships – but Calmatic still manages to keep the film light and entertaining. Talking about the comedic aspect of the movie, Tatiana star Laura Harrier said: “I think comedy is such a good way to approach difficult subjects and to make light of serious things and make it a lot easier to talk about, that’s why comedy exists in a lot of ways. “I think our film does such a good job of having serious themes but in a way that feels fun to watch and palatable and hopefully will spark interest and conversations with people as well.” Read more: Strange Way of Life reviews praise Pedro Pascal's "fleeting but florid Western" Sex Education's Aimee Lou Wood to lead The Gambler Wife with Matt Dillon As previously mentioned, one of these important themes is mental health, which is explored in this movie through the constant pressures on athletes to live up to a certain standard. Teyana can relate to her character Imani, the supportive girlfriend of Kamal Allen [Sinqua Walls], as she herself is married to ex-NBA star Iman Shumpert and saw this pressure first-hand. She said: “I’ve seen my husband have his ups and downs, as I’ve seen any athlete have their ups and downs. I just had a backstage pass to physically be there and see that. “As his wife, my job is to make sure I’m there to uplift him and support him in any way but also hold him accountable when things get tough, when it’s up or when it’s down because if you can hear when you’re great, you should be able to hear when you can be better or a better version of yourself. “And Vice-Versa, me being in music is also like a sport so him holding me accountable and being able to lift me up when I’m feeling down. So to play Imani and be a supporter and be a lover and be a mom and be a wife, that was me all the way!” View Green Video on the source website White Men Can't Jump arrives on Disney Plus on Friday 19th May 2023 – — sign up to Disney Plus for £7.99 a month or £79.90 for a year now. Visit our Film hub for the latest news and features, or find something to watch tonight with our TV Guide and Streaming Guide. Try Radio Times magazine today and get 12 issues for only £1 with delivery to your home – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.