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George Clooney says he has more fun directing than he does acting because he gets to “boss people around”.

The Hollywood star steps behind the camera for his latest project, The Boys In The Boat, a sports movie about an underdog rowing team, thrust into the spotlight of Hitler’s Olympics as they compete for gold.

Pic: Laurie Sparham/2023 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc
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Pic: Laurie Sparham/2023 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc

Explaining his drive to direct, Clooney told Sky News: “It’s more fun, you have a lot more control. I get to boss [the actors] around and I don’t have to learn how to row. I still like acting. I have fun.”

He then namedrops, as only an A-lister like Clooney can, “I’ve just done a film with Brad [Pitt]. He’s an up and coming actor…”

Starting out as a TV extra in 1978, before going on to semi-regular appearances in sitcom Roseanne and a lead part in the humorously titled Return Of The Killer Tomatoes, his breakout role came in medical drama ER.

For many he will always be Doctor Doug Ross, a role he played from 1994 to 1999.

He’s since gone on to win a plethora of awards – including two Oscars – starring in numerous films as well as successfully segueing into producing and directing.

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That’s aside from his political and economic activism, and home life as a father of two alongside his wife, human rights lawyer Amal Clooney.

So, what is it about directing that floats his boat?

Clooney explains: “Directing is a fun thing to do. It’s fun to come in in the morning and it’s fun to write a screenplay and then have somebody build a set that you wrote, it really is.

Pic: Laurie Sparham/2023 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc
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Pic: Laurie Sparham/2023 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc

‘You can’t just do one thing’

“As you get older, you need to have other things to do. You can’t just do one thing. I’m lucky because I’m 62 and I get to do the stuff I love, and a lot of people don’t get that.

“I’m well aware of it, and I celebrate it because, you know, if I’m not having fun, I think people would be really p*****d off.

“You know, if they look at my life, you go, ‘If you’re not enjoying that, then, you know, then who knows…”

For this latest film, Clooney was tasked with wrangling eight young actors who’d never held an oar before and transforming them into convincing Olympic rowers.

Training consisted of rowing four hours per day, before working out for an extra hour several months before filming began, plus training during the shoot, after wrapping each day.

And Clooney had a rule about who would make it into his cast and crew.

“I only want to work with people that want to be there and like what they do because these are long hours, they are hard. It’s hard to do.

“You know, no one’s here to complain. We’re not complaining. But they are long hours and it’s a lot of work. And so, people have to enjoy what they do, because I really don’t want to be around people that don’t want to come out of their trailer.

“I’m from Kentucky. We try to stay out of doors.”

Pic: Laurie Sparham/2023 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc
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Pic: Laurie Sparham/2023 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc

‘Short shorts’ nostalgia

British actor Callum Turner, who plays real-life rower Joe Rantz in the movie, tells Sky News working with the superstar director was “a wonderful experience”.

He is sitting next to Clooney at the time, but you get the feeling he really means it.

The 33-year-old credits Clooney with “providing a space for everyone else to have fun”.

And he’s not joking. It turns out Clooney – who Turner describes as “an amazing basketball player” – installed a hoop on set to wind down while not filming, or rowing.

And while Clooney didn’t partake in the rowing itself (he says he didn’t want to give the cast “ammunition” to make fun of him) he did give the shorts a go.

He jokes nostalgically: “I always wear the shorts. I like them. By the way, when I was growing up, we wore shorts like that. It wasn’t even short shorts, they were just called shorts.”

Pic: Laurie Sparham/2023 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc
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Pic: Laurie Sparham/2023 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc

‘Gorgeous George’

Joel Edgerton, who plays Coach Ulbrickson in the film, dubs Clooney “gorgeous George,” adding, “he’s a beautiful man”.

The Australian star says he looks up to Clooney as both an actor and director.

“It was interesting because he’s directed movies that he’s not front and centre of or not in at all. And this is obviously one of those.

“I always wondered, with the big career that he has, why does he do that? Because he could always just take the money, the bags of gold, and walk away as an actor.”

Edgerton puts it down to Clooney really caring about stories, sports stories in particular.

He goes on: “He really had done his research. And he’s very efficient, he knows what he wants on a kind of craft level.

“And he’s got volumes of stories… And then you realise, ‘Oh, I might be in one of these stories one day – I’d better be a good guy’.

“He’s fun to listen to all day long.”

The Boys In The Boat is in cinemas now.

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The Salt Path author Raynor Winn’s fourth book delayed

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The Salt Path author Raynor Winn's fourth book delayed

The Salt Path author Raynor Winn’s fourth book has been delayed by her publisher.

It comes amid claims that the author lied about her story in her hit first book. Winn previously described the claims as “highly misleading” and called suggestions that her husband had Moth made up his illness “utterly vile”.

In a statement, Penguin Michael Joseph, said it had delayed the publication of Winn’s latest book On Winter Hill – which had been set for release 23 October.

The publisher said the decision had been made in light of “recent events, in particular intrusive conjecture around Moth’s health”, which it said had caused “considerable distress” to the author and her family.

“It is our priority to support the author at this time,” the publisher said.

“With this in mind, Penguin Michael Joseph, together with the author, has made the decision to delay the publication of On Winter Hill from this October.”

A new release date will be announced in due course, the publisher added.

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Winn’s first book, released in 2018, detailed the journey she and husband took along the South West Coast Path – familiarly known as The Salt Path – after they lost their family farm and Moth received a terminal health diagnosis of Corticobasal Degeneration (CBD).

But a report in The Observer disputed key aspects of the 2018 “true” story – which was recently turned into a film starring Jason Isaacs and Gillian Anderson.

Pic: Steve Tanner/Black Bear
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Raynor and husband Moth (centre) with actors Jason Isaacs (L) and Gillian Anderson (R). Pic: Steve Tanner/Black Bear

Experts ‘sceptical of health claims’

As part of the article, published last weekend, The Observer claimed to have spoken to experts who were “sceptical” about elements of Moth’s terminal diagnosis, such as a “lack of acute symptoms and his apparent ability to reverse them”.

In the ensuing controversy, PSPA, a charity that supports people with CBD, cut ties with the couple.

The Observer article also claimed the portrayal of a failed investment in a friend’s business wasn’t true, but said the couple – whose names are Sally and Tim Walker – lost their home after Raynor Winn embezzled money from her employer and had to borrow to pay it back and avoid police action.

Pic: Steve Tanner/Black Bear
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Anderson played Winn in a movie about the couple’s journey. Pic: Steve Tanner/Black Bear

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It also said that, rather than being homeless, the couple had owned a house in France since 2007.

Winn’s statement said the dispute with her employer wasn’t the reason the couple lost their home – but admitted she may have made “mistakes” while in the job.

“For me it was a pressured time,” she wrote. “It was also a time when mistakes were being made in the business. Any mistakes I made during the years in that office, I deeply regret, and I am truly sorry.”

She admitted being questioned by police but said she wasn’t charged.

The author also said accusations that Moth lied about having CBD/CBS were false and had “emotionally devastated” him.

“I have charted Moth’s condition with such a level of honesty, that this is the most unbearable of the allegations,” Winn wrote on her website.

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Oasis fans queue from 8am for the Gallaghers’ homecoming gig in Manchester

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Oasis fans queue from 8am for the Gallaghers' homecoming gig in Manchester

The first fan started queuing before 8am.

Heaton Park, just north of Manchester City centre, is tonight hosting 80,000 fans who’ve come to see the Gallaghers’ homecoming.

“I would honestly say it’s a real cultural moment of the 21st century,” says Sam, who’s from Manchester and has come here with a group of friends – including one who has travelled from Australia for the gig.

Oasis fans wear T-shirts featuring an image of Liam and Noel Gallagher.
PIc: Reuters
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Oasis fans wear band T-shirts with the almost obligatory bucket hats. Pic: Reuters

This will be the fourth time Sam has seen Oasis play, although obviously not for many years, and he says he can’t wait for the moment the band comes on to the stage.

“The reaction from the fans, that’s going to be really special,” he says. “This band means so much to the North West.”

Like many people attending tonight’s concert, Sam is wearing a bucket hat.

Liam Gallagher’s iconic headgear has become a part of the band’s cultural legacy and they are certainly on display here, with street vendors popping up all around the park’s perimeter.

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Another fan, Dean, tells me he feels incredibly lucky to have got a ticket at all.

“I had seven devices out when the tickets were released and I didn’t get one,” he says. “And then about three days ago, a friend of mine messaged to say she couldn’t make it.

“So I made it. £120 with coach travel there and back – perfect.”

Oasis Vox Pops
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Dom has flown from half a world away to be in Manchester tonight

Dom is another fan who has come from Australia for the gig.

“We’re frothing to be here, like so stoked,” he says, “The atmosphere is going to be electric.”

Read more:
Review – Oasis reunite for first gig in 16 years

A timeline of Britpop’s most successful band

One young couple are here on their honeymoon. From Italy, they met at a Liam Gallagher concert several years ago.

“It’s where we fell in love,” Claudia says. “And we got married last month so we wanted to be here to celebrate.”

Amanda, from Manchester, is also here with a loved one – well, sort of.

Oasis Vox Pops
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Amanda has found a way to make sure her son, who lives in Australia, is there in spirit

She’s wearing a paper cut-out mask of her 30-year-old son Harry’s face.

“He’s in Melbourne and got a ticket but then couldn’t come,” Amanda explains.

“And so Harry doesn’t feel left out,” she says pulling the mask down over her face, “we’ve brought him with us!”

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Chris Brown: R&B singer denies further charges following alleged bottle attack in London club

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Chris Brown: R&B singer denies further charges following alleged bottle attack in London club

R&B singer Chris Brown has denied further charges following an alleged bottle attack in a London nightclub.

The 36-year-old pleaded not guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH) to music producer Abraham Diaw, during a hearing at Southwark Crown Court on Friday.

Brown also denied one count of having an offensive weapon – a bottle – in a public place.

Chris Brown arrives at Southwark Crown Court.
Pic: PA
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Chris Brown arriving at Southwark Crown Court on Friday. Pic: PA

The Grammy-winning US musician last month pleaded not guilty to a more serious charge of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent to Mr Diaw.

The attack allegedly happened at the Tape venue, a private members’ club in Hanover Square, Mayfair, on 19 February 2023.

The plea hearing is part of preparations for his five to seven-day trial, which is due to take place from 26 October 2026.

Brown’s co-defendant, US national Omololu Akinlolu, 39, on Friday pleaded not guilty to a charge of assaulting Mr Diaw occasioning him actual bodily harm.

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Akinlolu, a rapper who goes by the name Hoody Baby, has previously pleaded not guilty to attempting to cause grievous bodily harm.

Omololu Omari Akinlolu, a co-defendant with Chris Brown, arrives at court.
Pic: Reuters
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Brown’s co-defendant Omololu Akinlolu arrives at court. Pic: Reuters

The defendants sat side-by-side in the dock, looking straight ahead during the hearing in London.

Around 20 fans sat in the public gallery behind the dock for Friday’s hearing, with several gasping as Brown walked into the courtroom.

The Go Crazy singer was able to continue with his scheduled international tour after he was freed on conditional bail in May.

He had to pay a £5m security fee to the court as part of the bail agreement, which is a financial guarantee to ensure a defendant returns to court and may be forfeited if they breach bail conditions.

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Chris Brown posts message after being released on bail

Mr Diaw was standing at the bar of the Tape nightclub when he was struck several times with a bottle, and then pursued to a separate area of the venue where he was punched and kicked repeatedly, Manchester Magistrates’ Court previously heard.

Brown was arrested at Manchester’s Lowry Hotel at 2am on 15 May by detectives from the Metropolitan Police.

He is said to have flown into Manchester Airport on a private jet in preparation for the UK tour dates.

Brown was released from HMP Forest Bank in Salford, Greater Manchester, on 21 May.

The singer, who rose to stardom as a teenager in 2005, won his first Grammy award for best R&B album in 2011 for F.A.M.E..

He earned his second in the same category for 11:11 (Deluxe) earlier this year.

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