Best-selling author Colleen Hoover has decided to step back from social media, with her Instagram account becoming inactive on January 22, 2025. This move comes in the wake of the escalating legal dispute between "It Ends with Us" stars Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, the latter of whom also directed the film. Hoover, whose 2016 novel "It Ends with Us" was adapted into the film starring Lively and Baldoni, had previously been active on Instagram, offering support to Lively after she filed a sexual harassment complaint against Baldoni. "It Ends with Us" explores the troubled relationship between Lively's character, Lily Bloom, and Baldoni's character, Ryle Kincaid, which was released in August 2024. The controversy surfaced a few months later when Lively filed a complaint on December 20, 2024, accusing Baldoni of misconduct during the film's production. The complaint alleged that Lively, with the help of her husband Ryan Reynolds, had met with Baldoni and other producers before production resumed after the Hollywood strikes. However, according to Lively, Baldoni later retaliated by hiring crisis publicists to begin a smear campaign against her. Following Lively's filing, Hoover took to her Instagram to show her support, sharing a heartfelt message about Lively's character and their friendship. She wrote, "@blakelively, you have been nothing but honest, kind, supportive and patient since the day we met. Thank you for being exactly the human that you are. Never change. Never wilt." Baldoni has vehemently denied the allegations and filed a $250 million lawsuit against The New York Times on December 31, 2024, accusing the publication of libel, false light invasion of privacy, and fraud, as per People magazine. In early January, Lively's legal team affirmed that her "serious claims of sexual harassment and retaliation" were supported by solid evidence. Baldoni's legal team, in turn, has countered with claims of bullying and threats, as well as a defamation lawsuit against Lively, Reynolds, and their publicist for $400 million, as per People magazine. The situation has continued to escalate, with Baldoni's lawyer releasing production footage from the film that shows Lively and Baldoni joking during filming. Lively's legal team responded by calling the footage a "stunt," reiterating that the released scenes corroborate Lively's version of events as outlined in her lawsuit, according to People magazine. Amid the drama, Hoover's decision to deactivate her Instagram account has drawn attention, with fans speculating whether her break from social media reflects her desire to distance herself from the controversy surrounding the film's lead stars. The ongoing legal battle has yet to be resolved, with both sides presenting conflicting narratives and lawsuits. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
23 January,2025 10:52 PM IST | Mumbai | ANIPriyanka Chopra Jonas and Guneet Monga Kapoor couldn’t have asked for a better start to 2025. Their short film, Anuja, has secured a spot in Oscars 2025 in the Best Live Action Short Film category. The nominees for Oscars 2025 were announced today by Bowen Yang and Rachel Sennott. Short on time, big on talent, here are this year's nominees for Live Action Short Film. #Oscars pic.twitter.com/Wx0TZIpUen — The Academy (@TheAcademy) January 23, 2025 Anuja nominated for Oscars 2025 For the 97th Academy Awards, about 180 short films had qualified in the category, out of which only five movies have managed to make it to the final race to grab the trophy. The Academy posted on their official page that Anuja is nominated alongside Alien, I’m Not a Robot, The Last Ranger, and A Man Who Would Not Remain Silent. Priyanka Chopra reacts to the happy news As Anuja bagged the nominations, Priyanka took to her Instagram and shared a heartfelt note. The actress while sharing the poster of the film, wrote, "Yaaaay! ‘Anuja’ is heading to the 2025 Oscars as a nominee for Best Live Action Short Film! Incredible! Thank you to @theacademy for the amazing honour. Huge congratulations to @adam_j_graves for capturing the essence of love, family, and resilience so beautifully. I’m in awe of the incredible talent of our actresses, Sajda Pathan and @ananya_shanbhag_ , for their powerful performances and for bringing such depth and authenticity to these characters. It’s an honor for @purplepebblepictures and I to be a small part of this film’s journey alongside our amazing partners @suchitramattaistudio, @mindykaling, @guneetmonga, and @shine.global. Nothing makes me more proud than supporting the courageous storytelling of evocative films like this." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Priyanka (@priyankachopra) About Guneet Monga & Priyanka Chopra’s film Guneet Monga Kapoor’s short film Anuja, which has been nominated in the Live Action Short Film category for the upcoming Academy Awards, is directed by Adam J. Graves. Anuja—starring Sajda Pathan and Ananya Shanbag—tells the story of two sisters trapped in the harsh reality of child labour in New Delhi. The movie, which was originally produced by Guneet Monga, later gained Priyanka Chopra Jonas's support. Priyanka found the story thought-provoking and moving. “This beautiful film shines a spotlight on a subject that affects millions of children around the world, who are faced with the impossible decision between a future they cannot yet see and the immediate realities of their present. Anuja is a poignant, thought-provoking piece that makes us reflect deeply on the power of choices and how they shape the course of our lives. I am immensely proud to be associated with such a phenomenal and impactful project,” the actor said in a statement About Oscars 2025 The announcement of the 97th Oscar nominations was initially scheduled for January 17 but was pushed back to January 19 due to wildfires that erupted two weeks ago, damaging countless structures in Los Angeles and affecting many Oscar voters. As the fires continued to burn in Los Angeles, the Academy adjusted the calendar once more, extending the voting period to January 17, moving the announcement date to January 23, and canceling the Oscar Nominees Luncheon. Conan O'Brien will host the 97th Oscar telecast, which will take place as planned on March 2 at the Dolby Theatre, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
23 January,2025 10:23 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent'Twilight' fame Robert Pattinson collaborated with Parasite filmmaker Bong Joon-Ho for the upcoming film Mickey 17. While the film has been scheduled or a March release the director-actor combo recently gave a glimpse of their bond. In a video shared on the official handle of the film 'Mickey 17', Robert is seen trying Korean food with his director. Before he digs in, Bog Joon-Ho tells Robert that the spice level of the food is mild. But one bite and Robert's facial expression changes. He expresses disbelief at it being called mild. While Asian food is known to lean on the spicy side, the video warns the viewers that the food served is not actually mild. Through the promo video Robert keeps mentioning how spicy the food is until he realises that Bong Joon-Ho had tricked him and in fact the food served was heavily spicy. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mickey 17 (@mickey17) About Mickey 17 Set to hit theatres internationally on March 7, 2025, Mickey 17 is based on the novel Mickey7 by Edward Ashton. The film stars Robert Pattinson as Mickey Barnes, an unlikely hero caught in an unimaginable predicament. Mickey works for an employer who requires an unthinkable commitment: to die for a living. With this intriguing premise, Joon-ho brings us yet another thought-provoking story that looks to be a standout in the sci-fi genre. The film boasts a star-studded cast, including Steven Yeun, Naomi Ackie, Toni Collette, and Mark Ruffalo. Bong expressed confidence in the ensemble, which he believes will bring depth to the story. Why Robert Pattinson agreed to be part of Mickey 17 During a press conference, Robert Pattinson sharing his reason behind signing Micky 17 said, “You don’t find roles like this ever, especially on this scale. It’s a massive movie and I just love the fact that Bong manages to have his sense of humour very very prominent and such a huge movie. I mean the amount of times you turn up on set and it would look like this giant Star Wars looking thing and then we are doing this really almost silly scenes, like really some of the scenes are so funny in it that you just don’t get it in sci-fi movies. It’s a surprisingly brave Bong."
23 January,2025 02:50 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentHollywood actor Benedict Cumberbatch, most popularly known for his roles in 'Doctor Strange' and 'Sherlock', recently recalled a harrowing experience he endured 20 years ago. The incident happened when he was in South Africa 20 years ago. Benedict Cumberbatch on getting abducted in South Africa The actor was talking to Variety ahead of the premiere of his film 'The Thing With Feathers' at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. The 48-year-old actor revealed that he was once abducted and held for hours in South Africa. It was the year 2004 and he was shooting for the BBC mini series 'To the Ends of the Earth' in 2004. During his time in the country, Cumberbatch along with his friends went on a diving excursion with some friends. On their way back home, their tire blew out. When they pulled over to the side of the road, they were robbed and abducted by six men. The actor and the others were forced into the car and driven around for hours. Eventually, the thieves let them out, tied them up and made them sit execution-style. Then the men fled. The experience changed Cumberbatch in fundamental ways. Reflecting on the incident, the actor said, “It gave me a sense of time, but not necessarily a good one. It made me impatient to live a life less ordinary, and I’m still dealing with that impatience.” The harrowing experience also turned him into an adrenaline junkie — someone who once went skydiving and engaged in extreme sports as a way to unwind. “The near-death stuff turbo-fueled all that,” Cumberbatch says. “It made me go, ‘Oh, right, yeah, I could die at any moment.’ I was throwing myself out of planes, taking all sorts of risks. But apart from my parents, I didn’t have any real dependents at that point. Now that’s changed, and that sobers you. I’ve looked over the edge; it’s made me comfortable with what lies beneath it. And I’ve accepted that that’s the end of all our stories.” Cumberbatch on fatherhood Benedict Cumberbatch has three sons- Kit, 9, Hal, 7, Finn, 6 whom he shares with his wife of ten years, Sophie Hunter. Talking about fatherhood in the same interview, the actor said, "The minute you have kids this sense of time sinks in far more profoundly." “My youngest is turning 6 tomorrow, and I’m like, ‘I will be in my 60s when he’s 21,’ you know? It’s crazy. It’s gone so fast. So there’s a huge shift in priorities, and it makes you value what you do with your life in a very different way.” “It does weigh on me,” Cumberbatch added of time passing. “When you become a parent, your thoughts turn more towards mortality.”
23 January,2025 11:43 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentHailey Bieber is clearing the air after claims of husband Justin Bieber unfollowing her on Instagram. The couple are putting on a united front. Recently, the model, 28, shared a defiant carousel post after her husband Justin Bieber, with whom she shares son Jack, 5 months, claimed someone unfollowed her on his Instagram account, reports ‘People’ magazine. The post included a photo of Justin, 30, sleeping, a snap from their recent Aspen vacation and various images of her Rhode beauty line. Earlier, Justin shutdown claims that he had unfollowed his wife on Instagram. “Someone went on my account and unfollowed my wife", he wrote on his Instagram Stories. "S*** is getting suss out here”. As per ‘People’, the ‘Baby’ singer also shared photos on Instagram on Saturday, January 18, of the pair ice skating during a romantic evening on their recent vacation in Aspen. "The greatest woman I have and will ever know", he captioned the snap of his wife on his Instagram Stories. This came after Hailey was seen having a ski lesson during the trip. Back in December, Hailey appeared to respond to critics who claimed her marriage was strained by resharing a TikTok of a user saying, “You’re not well, and it’s okay”. “Me to all of you on the internet”, new Mom Hailey wrote over the repost with a hand heart emoji. Rumors of relationship troubles have recently haunted the pair, who tied the knot in 2018. “They laugh at the constant divorce rumors,” a source told ‘People’ in November. “It’s annoying but just noise”. Justin has been having an unfollowing spree as he removed Usher, his former manager Scooter Braun and best man Ryan Good. Fans have noticed he is still following Hailey's brand Rhode Beauty on the social media platform. Just last month, Hailey shared a post about "situations that you hate". She simply wrote: "Me to all of you on the Internet”, alongside a video from content creator eyegotthyme. In the clip, he said: "You're not well and it's OK. You've made a lot of choices. The choices that you made put you in situations that you hate”. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
23 January,2025 08:17 AM IST | Los Angeles | IANSSinger-songwriter Justin Bieber has sparked concern among his fans with regards to his marriage to Hailey Bieber. Justin has unfollowed his wife Hailey on Instagram. The couple had welcomed their first child last year, but have been at the centre of split speculations for months, reports ‘Mirror.co.uk’. Social media users have been claiming "it doesn't look like things are going well" in the couple's romance, despite them recently welcoming son Jack Blues into the world over the summer. As per ‘Mirror.co.uk’, when searching for Hailey's account under Justin's following list, it returns with "no users found". Hailey, 28, is still following her husband Justin. The singer previously unfollowed his father-in-law Stephen Baldwin and recently shared snaps of a bong. Fans were left confused by the move as one said: "What could be the reason? Does anyone have an idea”. Another added, "Interesting". Someone else commented, "She still follows him sooo hopefully it was a mistake by Justin”. A fourth wrote, "Hopefully this was a mistake because they just had a child”. One fan pointed out Justin had posted a sweet message about Hailey just two days ago. They said, "It's very clear it's a mistake as he posted a sweet message to her the other day, I know many people keep wishing on these two downfall and I think it's so pathetic”. Justin has been having an unfollowing spree as he removed Usher, his former manager Scooter Braun and best man Ryan Good. Fans have noticed he is still following Hailey's brand Rhode Beauty on the social media platform. Just last month, Hailey shared a post about "situations that you hate". She simply wrote: "Me to all of you on the Internet”, alongside a video from content creator eyegotthyme. In the clip, he said: "You're not well and it's OK. You've done made a lot of choices. The choices that you made done put you in situations that you hate”. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
22 January,2025 08:15 AM IST | Los Angeles | IANSThe South African comedian Trevor Noah is set to return as host of the 2025 Grammys. The announcement comes a little less than two weeks from when the Grammys are set to take place, later than Noah has been lined up as host in past years, as per The Hollywood Reporter. The 2025 Grammy Awards will go ahead as planned on February 2, airing live from the venue in Los Angeles. Despite the ongoing devastation caused by wildfires in the region, the show will not only celebrate music but will also serve as a fundraiser for the relief efforts, as per The Hollywood Reporter. Still, just days before news broke of the Grammys sticking with their February 2 show, multiple sources shared that the Recording Academy was discussing whether the Grammys should be postponed or air as a fundraiser. The telecast will raise funds to aid wildfire relief efforts and honour the bravery of the first responders who have risked their lives in combating the flames. "We mourn the loss of life and destruction that have come to our city in recent days," adding, "In response to this crisis, we are committed to providing ongoing assistance, including a USD 1 million donation that has already helped raise over USD 2 million in emergency aid to those in need," earlier said Harvey Mason Jr, CEO of the Recording Academy, in a letter sent to Academy members, as per The Hollywood Reporter. Though the Grammys are proceeding as planned along with the Clive Davis pre-Grammy gala, celebrating its 50th year, and the MusiCares Person of the Year celebration of The Grateful Dead, all three of the major record labels as well as Spotify and other music organizations have cancelled their pre-Grammy parties. Noah has frequently talked about how he especially enjoys having a front-row seat to all of the star performances at the Grammys. He said ahead of the 2023 show why he keeps returning to host the Grammys. "Moments that you have backstage with the performers you're just walking around and you're seeing Billie Eilish and she's having a moment with another artist you don't get to see that anywhere else, and you don't get to experience that level of joy. For me to be part of that is truly, I guess now, it's a three times a lifetime opportunity," said Noah, adding, "I never take it for granted because all of these people are the soundtracks to our lives." Noah is credited as a producer of the Grammys show and has earned three Emmy nominations for the music event. He has been nominated for the Best Comedy Album Grammy three times. Beyonce is the top contender at the 2025 show with 11 nominations, followed by Charli XCX and Post Malone, who each have eight noms. Kendrick Lamar and Billie Eilish are up for seven awards, with Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan close behind with six nominations, according to The Hollywood Reporter. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
22 January,2025 08:02 AM IST | Washington | ANITippi Hedren is celebrating a milestone birthday as she turns 95! Her daughter, Melanie Griffith took to her Instagram account on Tuesday to treat fans with a post featuring a photo and video of Hedren enjoying her birthday cake. The video also showed her blowing out candles and smiling as she waved at the camera. View this post on Instagram A post shared by MELANIE (@melaniegriffith) The proud daughter added a caption along with the video. The caption read, "My beautiful Mama turned 95 yesterday! She's happy, healthy and feisty!! Hedren, who began her career as a model in New York in the 1950s, became internationally known in the 1960s through her roles in Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds and Marnie. She won the Golden Globe for Most Promising Newcomer in 1964 and continued to work in film and TV for over six decades. Along with her celebrated career, Hedren cherishes her large family. She shares her only daughter, Melanie Griffith, with her ex-husband Peter Griffith. Over the years, Melanie has also achieved great success in Hollywood and earned an Oscar nomination for her role in Working Girl (1988). The pair share a close bond and have even acted together in a few projects. Hedren is also the grandmother to Griffith's children, including actors Dakota Johnson and Jesse Johnson. Last year, when Hedren turned 94, she shared with PEOPLE that her favorite way to celebrate was to be surrounded by family. "It may not be exciting to the rest of the world, but as a mother and grandmother it's the perfect way to celebrate," said the star. In photos Melanie shared from the festivities, Hedren could be seen rocking bold pink lipstick and sprinkle-covered glasses that read "CAKE TIME!," the retired actress told People. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
22 January,2025 07:58 AM IST | Washington | ANIActor-writer-comedians Rachel Sennott and Bowen Yang will announce the nominations for the 97th annual Academy Awards, as per The Hollywood Reporter. The announcement will take place on Thursday in a live presentation from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Samuel Goldwyn Theater. The two actor-writer-comedians will announce nominees in all 24 Oscar categories. The announcement will also be live-streamed globally on Oscar.com, Oscars.org and the Academy's digital platforms. It will also be broadcast on ABC's Good Morning America and stream on ABC News Live, Disney+ and Hulu. Sennott is known for Jason Reitman's film 'Saturday Night', which goes behind the scenes of the 90 minutes leading up to the first broadcast of Saturday Night Live in 1975. Yang, meanwhile, currently stars on NBC's SNL, as reported by the outlet. Sennott credits also include Shiva Baby, Bodies Bodies Bodies and I Used to Be Funny. Yang is known for Wicked, The Garfield Movie and Good Burger 2. The announcement of the 97th Oscar nominations was initially scheduled for January 17, but was pushed back to January 19 due to wildfires that erupted two weeks ago, damaging countless structures in Los Angeles and affecting many Oscar voters. As a result, the Academy prolonged the voting period and the following announcement by two days, as per The Hollywood Reporter. As the fires continued to burn in Los Angeles, the Academy adjusted the calendar once more, extending the voting period to January 17, moving the announcement date to January 23, and cancelling the Oscar Nominees Luncheon. Conan O'Brien will host the 97th Oscar telecast, which will take place as planned on March 2 at the Dolby Theatre, according to The Hollywood Reporter. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
22 January,2025 07:54 AM IST | Washington | ANIActor Francisco San Martin, who played the role of Dario Hernandez in 'Days of Our Lives,' passed away at the age of 39, reported Deadline. The cause of death was suicide by hanging at his Los Angeles home on January 16, according to the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office, as quoted by Deadline. San Martin's tenure on 'Days of Our Lives' lasted for six months in 2011. His first appearance in the series was as a petty thief who turned out to be an officer who arrived in Salem to investigate a cold case. His character subsequently moved to Argentina following a job promotion. Francisco's character was later portrayed by actor Jordi Vilasuso from 2016-17. The actor's additional credits include a recurring role on 'Jane the Virgin' opposite Gina Rodriguez. He appeared in seasons 3 and 4. Jane had a brief and tumultuous relationship with the actor's character in the series. Hollywood was shocked to hear about the demise of the actor. As per Fobes, which was quoted by Deadline, actor Camila Banus, who portrayed his on-screen sister Gabi in 'Days of Our Lives,' paid tribute to San Martin on her Instagram. She wrote, "Pepe, what can I say but I love you and rest in peace, my friend," adding, "Love you mucho mucho mucho; I wish I had told you more." San Martin began his acting journey in children's theatre productions while growing up in Montana. The actor later returned to Madrid as a teenager, where he worked as a model and started taking acting classes, as per Deadline. Eventually, he graduated and started appearing in stage, TV, and film productions in Spain. The actor is also known for his performances in 'Behind the Candelabra' and 'The Bold and the Beautiful.' Francisco's death has left a profound impact on his loved ones, with fans and coworkers sharing condolences while remembering him for his skills and the joy he brought to his fans. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
21 January,2025 10:44 PM IST | Mumbai | ANISinger-songwriter Dua Lipa, who recently performed in Mumbai as a part of the Zomato Feeding India Concert had a harrowing encounter when fans snuck into her hotel and waited for her outside her bedroom door. According to a report by Mirror UK, the 29-year-old was in Santiago, Chile, to film a commercial and was staying at the five-star Ritz-Carlton, when fans managed to enter her private quarters. Dua Lipa shaken after security breach at hotel While it is understood that Dua is unharmed following the incident, it has been reported that she has been left shaken by the experience and a reevaluation of her security is underway. The overzealous fans were able to access the hotel she was staying in and get inside her room. They are believed to have been waiting for the star to take photographs and also lay in wait near a lift in an attempt to get close to her. A source told The Sun, “Things were manic as she touched down with fans desperate to see her. A group of fans gained access not only to her hotel floor but some were found outside her room. Security ended up doing an extra sweep and there were more fans waiting at her lift. Dua said she would not take pictures inside her hotel”. Dua Lipa escapes LA wildfires Dua Lipa was among the thousands forced to evacuate Los Angeles due to the raging wildfires that have devastated Southern California. The wildfires, which have already claimed lives and destroyed thousands of homes, left many residents scrambling for safety. In her Instagram post, the singer wrote, "Absolutely devastating and scary couple of days in LA. Thinking of all my friends and the people of the city who had to evacuate their homes. I'll be sharing some links I find for anyone who wants to help and donate to the shelters that are currently housing a lot of displaced people. I'm safe and made it out of the city. Sending my love to everyone going through this incredibly difficult time. Stay safe and take care of each other." On the personal front, Dua is reportedly engaged to boyfriend Callum Turner. He reportedly went down on one knee over the holidays.
21 January,2025 01:56 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
