Connect with us

Published

on

He’s one of the finest character actors of his generation but Paul Giamatti says he’s “terrified” at the prospect of having to be himself as praise is heaped upon him this awards season.

So far his new film The Holdovers has won him a Golden Globe, seen him nominated for a Best Actor at the BAFTAs and he’s widely tipped to be a frontrunner in the same category at the Oscars.

Speaking to Sky News, the US actor admitted: “I’m terrified, I dread having to speak in public and having to be myself… but because I really like this movie it’s been easier to do.”

The movie sees him reunited with filmmaker Alexander Payne whom he last worked with 20 years ago on the film Sideways.

Giamatti’s portrait of middle-aged disappointment back then was as funny as it was painful to watch as his character embarked on a road trip through California wine country.

Paul Giamatti stars as Paul Hunham in The Holdovers. Pic: Seacia Pavao/Focus Features
Image:
Giamatti plays a boarding school professor in The Holdovers. Pic: Seacia Pavao/Focus Features

Two decades on, the pair seem to be repeating that cinematic success. The film’s premise centring around a professor at a prestigious boarding school in the early ’70s who reluctantly has to take care of those children whose parents don’t want them home for Christmas.

“The timing,” Giamatti explains, “it feels like the right movie at the right time, you know, this kind of nice movie about empathy and connection in times that feel pretty fraught and divisive.”

Read more entertainment news:
Madonna sued by fans
BAFTA nominations 2024
Snoop Dogg’s daughter suffers ‘severe stroke’

“I went to a school like that and I was raised around environments like that, I was stunned at how authentic it felt.”

Remarkably Giamatti has only ever been nominated for one Oscar, back in 2006 for Cinderella Man. While there’s speculation that this film could be the role that finally secures him an Academy Award, he is self-deprecating about whether he’s been overlooked in the past.

“I’m amazed that I was ever nominated for anything,” he insists.

Director Alexander Payne and actors Paul Giamatti and Da'Vine Joy Randolph on the set of The Holdovers. Pic: a Focus Features/Seacia Pavao
Image:
Giamatti with co-star Da’Vine Joy Randolph who plays Mary Lamb. Pic: Focus Features/Seacia Pavao

For Giamatti, whose family were all teachers, there is a meta aspect to the role in acting out the career he almost embarked on.

“It was very much something I could have done. I’m glad I didn’t, I don’t think I would have been any good at it. So, you know, I had a moment when I dodged that bullet.”

While Giamatti says working with filmmaker Payne after all these years “felt like coming home” audiences hoping the pair will produce a third movie anytime soon could have a wait on their hands.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Da’Vine Joy Randolph on awards buzz

“I hope it’s not another 20 years,” he says, “although it’ll be interesting. We’ll both be very old so it could make for an interesting movie.”

Whether this turns out to be Giamatti’s year or not in terms of awards, with its humour and pathos cinematically speaking The Holdovers has all the makings of a modern classic.

The Holdovers is in cinemas from today.

Continue Reading

Entertainment

Glastonbury 2025 line-up revealed

Published

on

By

Glastonbury 2025 line-up revealed

The 1975 and Olivia Rodrigo will be among the stars headlining Glastonbury Festival this year, it has been announced.

Glastonbury organisers have revealed the line-up for this summer’s event, taking place between 25 June and 29 June, after months of speculation.

The 1975 will take to the iconic Pyramid Stage on the Friday to headline, then Canadian singer-songwriter Neil Young will perform on Saturday and Olivia Rodrigo on the Sunday.

Other big names performing include British pop sensation Charli XCX, rapper Loyle Carner electronic group The Prodigy.

The announcement comes after Sir Rod Stewart was booked for the Sunday teatime legend slot and Young was confirmed as a headliner earlier this year.

Young’s announcement in January came amid some confusion, as he had days before told fans he was pulling out of the festival because the BBC’s involvement was a “corporate turn-off”.

The Canadian singer-songwriter later said this decision was down to “an error in the information I received”.

More on Glastonbury

The 1975 will be headlining for the first time, having made their Glastonbury debut in 2014.

The Cheshire band, known for hits such as Somebody Else and Chocolate, have regularly made headlines due to the antics of frontman Matty Healy.

Glastonbury, which takes place at Worthy Farm in Somerset in the summer, has worked closely with the BBC – its exclusive broadcast partner – since 1997.

Neil Young performing at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival last May. Pic: Amy Harris/Invision/AP
Image:
Neil Young performing at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival last May. Pic: Amy Harris/Invision/AP

Appetite for the esteemed festival saw standard tickets sell out in 35 minutes in November.

They cost £373.50 plus a £5 booking fee, up £18.50 from the price from the 2024 festival, and were sold exclusively through the See Tickets website.

The date for the resale – where tickets not fully paid for are put back up for purchase – is set for some time in spring.

The headliners last summer on the iconic Pyramid Stage were Dua Lipa, SZA and Coldplay, who made history as the first act to headline the festival five times.

2026 is likely to be a year off for Glastonbury, with the festival traditionally taking place four out of every five years, and the fifth year reserved for rehabilitation of the land.

Continue Reading

Entertainment

Sabrina Carpenter and Charli XCX BRIT Awards appearances spark hundreds of Ofcom complaints

Published

on

By

Sabrina Carpenter and Charli XCX BRIT Awards appearances spark hundreds of Ofcom complaints

Ofcom received 825 complaints over the Brit Awards, with the majority relating to Sabrina Carpenter’s raunchy performance and Charli XCX’s outfit, the media watchdog says.

US pop star Carpenter, 25, sported a red sparkly military-style blazer dress for her performance at the awards show on Saturday night, paired with stockings and suspenders for a rendition of Espresso.

The song was mixed with a Rule Britannia mash-up, as dancers in military parade dress followed her.

She then switched to a red sparkly bra and shorts for her next song, Bad Chem, which she performed alongside dancers in bras and shorts while sitting suggestively on a large bed.

Sabrina Carpenter opened proceedings. Pic: Reuters
Image:
Sabrina Carpenter performing her second song. Pic: Reuters

Carpenter later received the global success award at the ceremony, and was also nominated in the international artist and international song of the year categories.

But much of the buzz on social media surrounded her performance, which took place before the 9pm watershed.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Highlights from the 2025 BRIT Awards

Ofcom said some of the complaints were also aimed at British pop sensation Charli XCX, who dominated the night by winning five awards, including album of the year.

More on Brit Awards

Some viewers took issue with her outfit – a black see-through dress.

Read more:
Explore other celebrity looks at the BRIT Awards
Why is Noel Clarke suing The Guardian?

The singer addressed the concerns during her acceptance speech for artist of the year, saying: “I heard that ITV were complaining about my nipples. I feel like we’re in the era of ‘free the nipple’ though, right?”

Carpenter paid tribute to the UK in her acceptance speech, saying: “The Brits have given me this award, and this feels like such an insane honour in a very primarily tea-drinking country… you really understood my dry sense of humour because your sense of humour is so, so dry. So I love y’all more than you even understand.”

Continue Reading

Entertainment

Why is Noel Clarke suing The Guardian?

Published

on

By

Why is Noel Clarke suing The Guardian?

Actor Noel Clarke begins his High Court libel case against The Guardian’s publisher today.

Clarke, 49, is suing Guardian News and Media (GNM) over a series of articles it published about him in April 2021.

They were based on the claims of 20 women Clarke knew “in a professional capacity” who allege his behaviour towards them amounted to sexual misconduct.

Clarke, known for his roles in the Kidulthood trilogy and Dr Who, “vehemently” denies “any sexual misconduct or wrongdoing”.

What will the trial cover?

Clarke is suing GNM for libel, sometimes also referred to as defamation.

It’s a civil tort – not a criminal offence – defined as false written statements that have damaged the person’s reputation. This means Clarke can seek redress or damages but no one will face charges or prison.

Clarke claims the articles The Guardian published in 2021 altered public opinion of him, damaged his reputation, and lost him work.

He said after the allegations emerged: “In a 20-year career, I have put inclusivity and diversity at the forefront of my work and never had a complaint made against me.

“If anyone who has worked with me has ever felt uncomfortable or disrespected, I sincerely apologise. I vehemently deny any sexual misconduct or wrongdoing and intend to defend myself against these false allegations.”

The Guardian is defending the claim on the basis of truth and public interest.

At a premiere in London in 2013. Pic: PA
Image:
At a premiere in London in 2013. Pic: PA

Read more from Sky News
Jay Z sues woman who accused him of rape
BBC apologises over Gaza documentary
What we learnt from Meghan’s new Netflix show

It said in its statement: “Our reporting on Noel Clarke in 2021 was based on the accounts of 20 brave women. After we published our first article, more women came forward.

“At trial, 32 witnesses are set to testify against Mr Clarke under oath. We look forward to a judge hearing the evidence.”

The trial will only focus on liability – not the amount of damages to be paid if Clarke is successful.

The actor tried and failed to get the case struck out in January, with his legal team saying it had “overwhelming evidence” of “perversion of the course of justice”.

His lawyers told the High Court three of the journalists involved in the articles had “deliberately and permanently” deleted messages, which meant he could not get a fair trial.

Lawyers for GNM told the court there was “no adequate evidential basis” for Clarke’s application for a strike out and said it sought “to smear Guardian journalists and editors without any proper justification”.

The trial, which will be presided over by judge Mrs Justice Steyn, is expected to last between four and six weeks.

EDITORIAL USE ONLY File photo dated 20/07/15 of actor Noel Clarke. Police have confirmed that no criminal investigation will be launched after sexual offence allegations were made against actor Noel Clarke. Issue date: Sunday March 27, 2022.
Image:
In July 2015. Pic: PA

What has happened since the articles were published?

A month before the articles about him were published in April 2021, Clarke received BAFTA’s outstanding contribution to British cinema award.

However, once the allegations against him emerged, he was suspended by the organisation and the prize rescinded.

His management and production company 42M&P told Sky News they were no longer representing him and Sky cancelled its TV show Bulletproof, starring Clarke and Top Boy actor Ashley Walters as the lead roles.

ITV also decided to pull the finale of another of his dramas, Viewpoint, following the Guardian articles.

The Met Police looked into the allegations against Clarke for any potential criminal wrongdoing, but in March 2022 announced they “did not meet the threshold for criminal investigation”.

Clarke filed the libel claim the following month and has attended several of the preliminary hearings in person.

He says he has faced a “trial by media” – and that the ordeal has left him suicidal and in need of professional help.

At the UK premiere of Kidulthood in London's Leicester Square in 2006. Pic: PA
Image:
At the UK premiere of Kidulthood in London’s Leicester Square in 2006. Pic: PA

‘Rising star’

Clarke made his TV debut in a revived version of Auf Wiedersehen Pet in 2002.

Soon after he played Mickey Smith in Dr Who and Kwame in the six-part Channel 4 series Metrosexuality.

He wrote and starred in the film trilogy Kidulthood, Adulthood, and Brotherhood, which were based in west London, where he grew up, and explored the lives of a group of teenagers given time off school after a bullied classmate takes their own life.

It was a box office success and eventually saw Clarke given BAFTA’s rising star prize in 2009.

Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK.

Continue Reading

Trending