David Duchovny and cast of The Estate on playing ‘fast and loose’ with serious topics, and not taking a position
Is there still a space on screens for films that make light of incredibly serious topics, just for a laugh?
Well, the cast of a new Sky film seem to think so.
There are referrals to depictions of sexual assault further into this article.
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The Estate is a comedy caper, which sees a warring family, most of whom hate each other, try to win the vast inheritance of their dying relative – through any means possible.
It features X-Files legend David Duchovny and Scary Movie star Anna Faris, as well as Rosemary DeWitt (Rachael Getting Married) and Toni Collette (Sixth Sense).
In the film, one part sees our leading cast attempt to get an old man to sexually assault their teenage relative by flashing her, in an effort to stop him marrying their aunt and claiming her inheritance, while another scene features one of the cousins force their husband to sleep with her wealthy family member, to try and, let’s say, cheer her up.
Duchovny, who plays Richard (or Dick, as he constantly refers to himself as while trying to sleep with his on-screen cousin – seriously) told Backstage, the TV and film podcast from Sky News, that not every film has to have a political message, or censor itself.
David Duchovny, Danny Vinson and Toni Collette in The Estate. Pic: Signature Entertainment/Sky
“I think it’s nice to play a little fast and loose with things that people maybe sometimes take too seriously for good reason,” he explains.
“It’s not trying to get people to not take serious issues seriously, but it is for that two hours or whatever, it is not taking those things seriously.
“It’s not a position paper on how one should live one’s life.”
He adds: “I think the problem is these days, every movie is treated like it’s a position paper.
“It’s never been the case for me… If a movie has good politics, it doesn’t make it a good movie – it just makes it a movie with good politics.
“So this is a good movie with bad politics, let’s say.”
Duchovny, Collette and Anna Faris (right). Pic: Signature Entertainment/Sky
Faris adds she has been “part of a lot of offensive things”, perhaps referring to projects like Scary Movie and The Dictator (though offence is often a subjective idea…)
“I’m like numb. I can’t even gauge anything any more. That’s why you can’t offend me.”
Australian actress Toni Collette told Backstage that “funny is funny”.
“If something’s funny, it’s going to appeal to you.”
After apologising to Faris for her take on the difference between US and UK comedy (she thinks American comedies are sometimes too forced), she says about The Estate’s vulgarity: “It’s naturally bubbling up out of these circumstances that the characters are going through.”
In fact, the comedy is one of the key reasons why the cast decided to take on the project, with Duchovny telling Backstage: “I thought it was pretty profane and funny and just kind of reminded me of comedies from 10 or 15 years ago that I was missing.”
Rosemarie DeWitt agreed, saying: “It was profane and you (David) made it more so, which is amazing that you were able to do that… it was a no-brainer – and it was funny on the page, which is always a really good start.”
DeWitt also revealed that her co-star Collette was also her agent – another very obvious draw to her doing the film.
Kathleen Turner (centre) also stars in the comedy. Pic: Signature Entertainment/Sky
Regaling their time on set, Faris told Backstage it was one of her favourite filming experiences, because “we were laughing all the time”.
“We were playing in a way that I wasn’t able to on Mom (the long-running show that she starred in) and… it just felt so good.”
Collette added it was “amazing to see all of these brilliant actors cracking themselves up, like enjoying it so much that they’re cracking themselves up as they’re trying to deliver lines”.
“So just really enjoying it. To enjoy something that much is important, I think, in life in general.”
The Estate is now available on Sky Cinema and NOW – hear our review in this week’s Backstage podcast.
An emergency vote on Israel’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest has been called off following developments in the Middle East, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has said.
Contest organisers had scheduled “an extraordinary meeting of [its] general assembly to be held online” in early November after several countries said they would no longer take part in Eurovision if Israel participated.
The EBU said in a statement that following “recent developments in the Middle East” the executive board had agreed on Monday that there should be an in-person discussion among members “on the issue of participation in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026”.
It said the matter had now been added to the agenda of its winter general assembly, which will take place in December.
Further details about the session would be shared with EBU members in the coming weeks, it added.
It is not clear if a vote will still take place at a later date.
Austria is hosting next year’s show in Vienna. The country’s national broadcaster, ORF, told Reuters news agency it welcomed the EBU’s decision.
Sky News has contacted Israeli broadcaster KAN for comment.
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Will Eurovision boycott Israel?
Faced with controversy over the conflict in Gaza, Eurovision – which labels itself a non-political event – had said member countries would vote on whether Israel should or shouldn’t take part.
Slovenia and broadcasters from Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland and Iceland had all issued statements saying if Israel was allowed to enter, they’d consider boycotting the contest.
As one of the “Big Five” backers of Eurovision, Spain’s decision to leave the competition would have a significant financial impact on the event – which is the world’s largest live singing competition.
In September, a letter from EBU president Delphine Ernotte Cunci, said “given that the union has never faced a divisive situation like this before” the board agreed it “merited a broader democratic basis for a decision”.
Read more:
Why Eurovision vote on Israel might not stop boycott
Could Eurovision boycott lead to a competition crisis?
On Monday, Palestinian militant group Hamas freed the last living Israeli hostages from Gaza, and Israel released busloads of Palestinian detainees, under a ceasefire deal aimed at bringing an end to the two-year war in the Middle East.
The war began when Hamas stormed into Israel on October 7 2023, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostage.
Israel invaded Gaza in retaliation, with airstrikes and ground assaults devastating much of the enclave and killing more than 67,000, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
Its figures do not differentiate between civilians and combatants but it says around half of those killed were women and children.
Entertainment
Diane Keaton, star of Annie Hall and The Godfather, has died aged 79 – US media reports
Actress Diane Keaton, who starred in films including The Godfather and Annie Hall, has died, reports have said.
People reported her death at the age of 79, citing a family spokesperson.
The magazine said she died in California with loved ones but no other details were immediately available, and representatives for Keaton did not immediately respond to inquiries from The Associated Press news agency.
Keaton’s death was also reported by the New York Times newspaper which said it has spoken to Dori Roth, who produced a number of Keaton’s most recent films, who confirmed she had died but did not provide any details about the circumstances.
With a long career, across a series of movies that are regarded as some of the best ever made, Keaton was widely admired.
She was awarded an Oscar, a BAFTA and two Golden Globe Awards, and was also nominated for two Emmys, and a Tony, as well as picking up a series of other Academy Award and BAFTA nominations.
Diane Keaton, with her best actress Oscar for ‘Annie Hall’ in 1978. Pic: AP
Her best actress Oscar was for the Woody Allen film Annie Hall, which is said to be loosely based on her life.
She appeared in several other Allen projects, including Manhattan, as well as all three Godfather movies, in which she played Kay, the wife and then ex-wife of Marlon Brando’s son Michael Corleone, played by Al Pacino, opposite him as he descends into a life of crime and replaces his father in the family’s mafia empire.
‘Brilliant, beautiful’
The unexpected news was met with shock around the world.
Her First Wives Club co-star Bette Midler wrote on Instagram: “The brilliant, beautiful, extraordinary Diane Keaton has died. I cannot tell you how unbearably sad this makes me.
“She was hilarious, a complete original, and completely without guile, or any of the competitiveness one would have expected from such a star. What you saw was who she was … oh, la, lala!”
Actor Ben Stiller paid tribute on X, writing: “Diane Keaton. One of the greatest film actors ever. An icon of style, humor and comedy. Brilliant. What a person.”
Keaton was the kind of actor who helped make films iconic and timeless, from her “La-dee-da, la-dee-da” phrasing as Annie Hall, bedecked in the iconic necktie, bowler hat, vest and khakis, to her heartbreaking turn as Kay Adams, the woman unfortunate enough to join the Corleone family.
Keaton also frequently worked with Nancy Meyers, starting with 1987’s Baby Boom.
Their other films together included 1991’s Father of the Bride and its 1995 sequel, as well as 2003’s Something’s Gotta Give.
In 1996 she starred opposite Goldie Hawn and Midler in The First Wives Club, about three women whose husbands had left them for younger women.
More recently she collaborated with Jane Fonda, Mary Steenburgen and Candice Bergen on the Book Club films.
Keaton never married. She adopted a daughter, Dexter, in 1996 and a son, Duke, four years later.
Sky News has contacted Keaton’s agent for a comment.
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