Connect with us

Published

on

He’s being touted as the next 007, but who is Aaron Taylor-Johnson – and does he have the action and acting skills to be the next James Bond?

Taylor-Johnson at a premiere in 2022. Pic: AP
Image:
Pic: AP

First off, who is he?

The 33-year-old British star was born Aaron Perry Johnson in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, in 1990.

Excelling at drama, dance and singing, he was a successful child actor – with his first professional stage appearance aged just six in a London production of Macbeth.

As a teenager he appeared in movies including Shanghai Knights in which he played a young Charlie Chaplin, and The Illusionist, where he was the child version of Edward Norton’s lead character Eduard Abramovich.

He also took the role of the young love interest in comedy drama Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging.

But his breakthrough role was just around the corner…

More on James Bond

What’s he been in?

Taylor-Johnson’s first big lead role came in 2009 when he was chosen to play Beatles legend John Lennon in Nowhere Boy.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson in Nowhere Boy.
Pic: Alamy
Image:
Taylor-Johnson in Nowhere Boy. Pic: Alamy

The performance would be an important milestone in his life – seeing him not only receive critical acclaim and win the Empire best newcomer award, but also meet the woman who would become his wife.

While playing Lennon may have required a certain cerebral sensitivity, there’s no doubt over Taylor-Johnson’s physical credentials for a 007 role, having gone on to play a range of parts requiring him to quite literally, kick ass.

He played the superhero title character in the 2010 hit, Kick-Ass, and its 2013 sequel Kick-Ass 2, and staying in the Marvel cinematic universe he went on to play Pietro Maximoff in Avengers: Age of Ultron.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson had his first breakthrough in 'Kick-Ass' , a superhero satire that earned cult fame. Pic: AP
Image:
Taylor-Johnson at Comic Con in 2013. Pic: AP

Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Chloe Grace Moretz in Kick Ass
Pic: Alamy
Image:
Taylor-Johnson and Chloe Grace Moretz in Kick-Ass. Pic: Alamy

Plus, he had a part in 2014 monster reboot Godzilla – it’s always good to boost your on-screen bravery score.

And proving there’s more to him than just running around and fighting, he’s appeared in crime thriller Savages, period drama Anna Karenina, and psychological thriller Nocturnal Animals for which he won a Golden Globe.

Brian Tyree Henry and Aaron Taylor-Johnson in Bullet Train.
Pic: Alamy
Image:
Brian Tyree Henry and Taylor-Johnson in Bullet Train. Pic: Alamy

Then on to Christopher Nolan’s time-bending movie Tenet in 2020, and action-comedy Bullet Train in 2022.

As for his current acting status, Taylor-Johnson has just finished Marvel superhero film Kraven The Hunter after playing the title character and Spider-Man villain.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Ford Brody in Godzilla.
Pic: Alamy
Image:
Taylor-Johnson as Ford Brody in Godzilla. Pic: Alamy

He is also set to appear in The Fall Guy, starring man of the moment, Ryan Gosling, and writer Robert Eggers’s historical vampire horror Nosferatu.

What do we know about his personal life?

Taylor-Johnson met his wife, director Sam Taylor-Johnson, on the set of Nowhere Boy.

Sam Taylor-Johnson and Aaron Taylor-Johnson attend a special screening of  'A Million Little Pieces;.
Pic:AP
Image:
Sam Taylor-Johnson and Aaron Taylor-Johnson in 2019. Pic: AP

He was the 18-year-old star of the film, and she was more than 20 years his senior when they met. They tied the knot three years later.

The couple have two daughters – Wylda Rae, 13, and Romy Hero, 11, plus Taylor-Johnson is stepfather to Angelica, 26 and Jessie, 17, who are from Sam Taylor-Johnson’s marriage to her first husband, art dealer Jay Jopling.

Shaken and not stirred?

Taylor-Johnson previously told Nylon Guys magazine he used to “smoke 30 [cigarettes] a day” and “drink nonstop”, but put an end to his partying ways after meeting his wife.

While it’s not known if he’s a fan of martinis (of either the gin or vodka variety), it seems likely his earlier drinking practice will have put him in a strong position to convincingly knock back 007’s favourite tipple.

Taylor-Johnson at the Governors Awards in 2016. Pic: AP
Image:
Taylor-Johnson at the Governors Awards in 2016. Pic: AP

Can he pull off a tux?

Quite frankly – yes.

Taylor-Johnson was named one of GQ’s 50 best-dressed British men in 2015.

So, he’s definitely got the fashionistas’ approval.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson with Cate Blanchett at the Giorgio Armani women's Fall-Winter 2024-25 collection show. Pic: AP
Image:
Taylor-Johnson with Cate Blanchett at the Giorgio Armani women’s Fall-Winter 2024-25 collection show. Pic: AP

And what’s he said about Bond?

Last week, he was asked about Bond by Numero Magazine and said: “I find it charming and wonderful that people see me in that role. I take it as a great compliment.”

Taylor-Johnson is yet to confirm or deny reports he’ll be playing the seventh James Bond.

Sky News has contacted his representatives, as well as Eon Productions, who produce the Bond movies, for comment.

Continue Reading

Entertainment

Rapper charged with GBH – after singer Chris Brown remanded in custody over ‘bottle attack’

Published

on

By

Rapper charged with GBH - after singer Chris Brown remanded in custody over 'bottle attack'

A second man has been charged with grievous bodily harm with intent after an incident at a London nightclub that allegedly involved US singer Chris Brown.

The Metropolitan Police said Omololu Akinlolu, 38, will appear at Manchester Magistrates’ Court on Saturday.

Better known by his stage name HoodyBaby, the American rapper has been charged in connection with an alleged assault at the Tape nightclub in central London in February 2023.

Brown, 36, was charged on Thursday with grievous bodily harm with intent and was remanded in custody by judge in Manchester until 13 June.

He is accused of attacking music producer Abraham Diaw with a bottle during the incident in February.

During a hearing at Manchester Magistrates’ Court on Friday, Brown watched intently as brief details of the case against him were outlined by prosecutor Hannah Nicholls.

She accused Brown of committing “an unprovoked attack with a weapon in a nightclub full of people”.

Brown spoke to confirm his name and date of birth, but did not enter a plea.

He will appear for a plea and trial preparation hearing in London on 13 June.

Read more from Sky News:
Trump says ex-FBI director’s seashells post ‘meant assassination’
Seven men on run after ‘Shawshank’ escape from jail

Brown – known for hits such as “Loyal”, “Run It” and “Under the Influence” – was arrested at a hotel in Manchester in the early hours of Thursday by detectives from the Metropolitan Police.

The Grammy Award-winning singer was due to tour the UK in June and July, with dates in Manchester, Cardiff, London, Glasgow and Birmingham.

Continue Reading

Entertainment

Cassie Ventura finishes her evidence after days describing alleged rape and ‘hundreds’ of freak offs

Published

on

By

Cassie Ventura finishes her evidence after days describing alleged rape and 'hundreds' of freak offs

R&B star Cassie Ventura told Sean “Diddy” Combs “I’m not a rag doll, I’m someone’s child”, after he allegedly beat her outside a lift at the Intercontinental Hotel in Los Angeles in March 2016, a New York court has heard.

Footage of Combs appearing to drag and kick the R&B star in a corridor was initially released by CNN in May 2024. Combs subsequently apologised for his actions.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

CCTV footage shows Diddy ‘attacking’ Cassie in hotel

The footage of the incident, which Cassie says took place after she left a “freak off” sex session, has since been widely shared and has been shown to the jury in court as evidence for the prosecution.

Combs, 55, faces five criminal counts: one count of racketeering conspiracy; two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion; and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. He denies the allegations against him.

Cassie, whose full name is Casandra Ventura, alleges she was physically abused and degraded for years by the powerful hip-hop star and music executive, accusing him of violence, coercion, blackmail and rape.

The 38-year-old, who is the star witness for the prosecution, faced a fourth day on the stand, with the hip-hop mogul’s defence lawyers concluding their two-day cross-examination.

Heavily pregnant, she is expecting her third child in just a few weeks.

More on Sean Combs

Prosecutors say Combs exploited and used his network of employees to facilitate illegal activities, while defence lawyers have been attempting to show jurors she consented to their highly charged “swingers lifestyle”.

The court also heard further details of Cassie’s allegation of rape against Combs, information around her stay at a trauma and addiction centre in Arizona and further messages appearing to show her enthusiasm for freak offs.

Sean 'Diddy' Combs and Cassie Ventura at the 2017 Costume Institute Benefit Gala ub 2017. Pic: zz/XPX/STAR MAX/IPx 2017/AP
Image:
Sean Combs and Cassie in 2017. Pic: zz/XPX/STAR MAX/IPx 2017/AP

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs trial: Day 5 – As it happened

Cassie was asked about singer Chris Brown – who she denied dancing with – and tells the court Combs had form for taking her belongings, including her phone, car and watch, when he was angry with her.

An audio recording was also played to the court, appearing to show Cassie threatening a man she claimed to have a video of her at a freak off on his phone, screaming: “I will f*** you up and it won’t be my hand”.

It was not clear as to whether such a video ever existed.

Cassie was also asked about her use of drugs, and said she had struggled with opioid addiction since 2022.

She described a 45-day stay at a rehabilitation centre in Arizona in 2023, where she underwent EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) to help resolve trauma.

The centre specialises in treating “sex and intimacy issues”, but Cassie confirmed she was treated only for trauma.

The court also heard about Cassie’s allegation of rape against Combs in August or September 2018, by which time she says they had split up.

The pair were together, on and off, for about 11 years from 2007 to 2018.

Sean "Diddy" Combs watches as Casandra "Cassie" Ventura leaves for a break in her testimony during Combs' sex trafficking trial in New York City, New York, U.S., May 15, 2025 in this courtroom sketch. REUTERS/Jane Rosenberg TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Image:
A court sketch of Combs and Cassie. Pic: Reuters/Jane Rosenberg


‘I have love for the past, what it was’

Describing Combs taking her for dinner at an Italian restaurant in Malibu, she says he raped her after driving her home, after “acting strangely” during the meal.

When asked if she believed his behaviour was due to his “bipolar disorder”, Cassie answered “yes”.

The jury was then shown a text message which included a heart emoji, sent by Cassie to Combs the following day.

When asked if she still had love for him, she said: “I have love for the past, what it was.”

Cassie confirmed she saw Combs the following month, when she said she had consensual sex with him, during which her now-husband, personal trainer Alex Fine, attempted to FaceTime her.

She said she didn’t tell Fine she had been raped by Combs at the time, but that he “punched a wall” when she later told him.

Combs paid close attention to Cassie’s cross-examination, leaning in to read transcripts on the monitor in front of him and passing down notes to his lawyer. Cassie did not look at him throughout the trial.

Alex Fine, husband of Casandra "Cassie" Ventura, walks to enter Federal court for the Sean "Diddy" Combs' sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy trial at U.S. court in Manhattan, in New York City, U.S., May 16, 2025. REUTERS/David 'Dee' Delgado
Image:
Cassie’s husband, Alex Fine (left), outside court. Pic: Reuters/David ‘Dee’ Delgado

A ‘$10m’ settlement with the Intercontinental

Towards the end of her questioning by the defence, Cassie was read a message from Combs in September 2012, in which he asked “do you want to have our last FO [freak off] tonight?” – to which she responded, “I don’t want to freak off for the last time, I want it to be the first time for the rest of our lives”.

In a surprise turn, Cassie also confirmed that an expected settlement of $10m had been agreed with the Intercontinental Hotel in Los Angeles, where she was assaulted.

Following her time in court, she released a statement saying she hoped her testimony would help others “heal from the abuse and fear”.

“For me, the more I heal, the more I can remember,” she said. “And the more I can remember, the more I will never forget.”

The next witness, special agent Yasin Binda, detailed items found during a search of Combs’s Park Hyatt hotel room in 2004, following his arrest that year.

She showed the court images of exhibits including lubricant and baby oil, drugs and a bum bag containing $9,000 (£6,800) in cash.

Dawn Richard points at  Combs during the trial. Pic: Reuters/Jane Rosenberg
Image:
Dawn Richard points at Combs during the trial. Pic: Reuters/Jane Rosenberg

‘Hit over the head with a skillet of eggs’

At the end of the day, Dawn Richard, a former member of girl group Danity Kane and trio Dirty Money, gave evidence, telling the court she observed Combs attacking Cassie, including a time he “hit her over the head with a skillet of eggs”.

She went on to say Combs “dragged” Cassie upstairs where she “heard glass breaking”, adding she had “never seen anything” like it before – “he was punching his girlfriend”.

Richard said she didn’t intervene or report the incident to the police as she was “scared”.

The singer sued Combs last year, accusing him of physical abuse, groping and psychological abuse during her time working with him.

Combs has been jailed since September and faces at least 15 years or possibly life in prison if convicted.

The trial is set to last for seven more weeks.

Continue Reading

Entertainment

Salman Rushdie attacker who left author blind in one eye jailed

Published

on

By

Salman Rushdie attacker who left author blind in one eye jailed

A man convicted of stabbing Salman Rushdie, leaving the author blind in one eye, has been jailed for 25 years.

Hadi Matar was found guilty of attempted murder and assault in February.

Prosecutors had been seeking the maximum sentence of 25 years for the attack in August 2022, along with an additional seven-year term for injuring a second man.

Hadi Matar, right, charged with severely injuring author Salman Rushdie in a 2022 knife attack, is led in to Chautauqua County court in Mayville, N.Y., Monday, Feb. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
Image:
Hadi Matar. Pic: AP

During the trial, Sir Salman revealed he feared he was dying when the masked attacker plunged a knife into his head and body more than a dozen times.

The attack happened as the 77-year-old was introduced on stage at the Chautauqua Institution in New York for a discussion on writer safety.

Sir Salman was stabbed in the head, neck, torso and left hand and suffered damage to his liver and intestines.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

From 2024: Salman Rushdie recalls stabbing

The Midnight’s Children author spent 17 days at a hospital in Pennsylvania and more than three weeks at a rehabilitation facility in New York City, as he recovered from his injuries. He wrote about the attack and his recovery in his 2024 memoir Knife.

Matar will next face a trial on terrorism-related charges. Prosecutors allege the 27-year-old was trying to carry out a decades-old fatwa calling for the author’s death.

In 1989, Iran’s then leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, issued the fatwa in response to the publication of Sir Salman’s novel The Satanic Verses, which some Muslims consider blasphemous, causing the Indian born British-American author to go into hiding.

In 1998, Iran announced it would not enforce the decree, allowing Sir Salman to travel freely over the last quarter of a century.

Read more from Sky News:
Army unit charged with investigating sex crimes allowing abusers to ‘get away with it’
At least 93 killed in Gaza after Israeli strikes

MPs criticise Esther Rantzen’s assisted dying intervention

Matar pleaded not guilty to providing materials to terrorists, attempting to provide material support to Hezbollah and engaging in terrorism transcending national boundaries.

Continue Reading

Trending