Dwayne Johnson aka The Rock is back in the ring but this time not as the WWE player that he is well known as. The trailer of the upcoming film 'The Smashing Machine' based on the life of UFC legend Mark Kerr has been unveiled. Dwayne, aka The Rock, looked completely unrecognisable in the trailer of biopic about the two-time UFC heavyweight champ. The Smashing Machine trailer Benny Safdie, one of the two Safdie brothers who co-directed and wrote "Uncut Gems" and "Good Time," makes his solo directorial feature debut on the film, as per Variety. The film's cast also includes Emily Blunt as Kerr's wife Dawn Staples, Bas Rutten, Lyndsey Gavin and Oleksandr Usyk. The trailer of the film which is made in a documentary style opens with Dwayne Johnson as Mark Kerr sitting in a clinic, his face visibly battered, while an elderly woman stares at him. He asks if she’s wondering why he looks that way and whether she’s heard of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. She replies, “That’s the bloody thing they’re trying to ban.” The trailer then takes us through glimpses of Mark Kerr's professional and unknown side of his personal life. Emotions are running high in this action-packed sports biopic. Mark Kerr is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers and mixed martial artists of all time. View this post on Instagram A post shared by A24 (@a24) Netizens react to The Smashing Machine trailer Dwayne Johnson's look has taken people by surprise with its precision. Netizens are all praise for the actor's portrayal of Mark Kerr and also praised the make-up department for making Johnson look like Mark Kerr convincingly. A user took to the comment section of the trailer and wrote, "Absolutely amazing… except now I got 2 Mark Kerr’s I gotta deal with in life hahahahaha. Let’s gooooooo". "The Rock Oscar incoming," wrote another. "The Rock’s best movie yet. He’ll get nominated for this one," mentioned another netizen. "Whoever did the prosthetics and make up for this movie is getting an Oscar. I hear the Rock kind of but I don’t see him at all," wrote a fan. Another person wrote, "Taking this so serious because you can tell that the Rock made a huge effort to go beyond his usual persona." About The Smashing Machine 'The Smashing Machine' is Johnson and Blunt's second collaboration since Disney's 'Jungle Cruise' in 2021, and they're set to next team with Leonardo DiCaprio on a Hawaiian crime thriller from Martin Scorsese. Kerr was a mixed martial artist who fought from 1997 to 2009, winning four ADCC World Championships in his career. In 2002, Kerr was the subject of an HBO documentary also entitled "The Smashing Machine," which centered around his substance abuse issues and tumultuous relationships with his girlfriend and trainers. The film will be released on October 3.
30 April,2025 02:59 PM IST | Los Angeles | mid-day online correspondentHollywood star and filmmaker Ben Affleck has shared memories about his father Timothy as he talked about the first and the only time he saw his dad cry. In his visit to the Criterion Closet, Affleck selected some of the company’s cinematic offerings he considers favourites. David Lynch’s 1980 movie The Elephant Man, he recalled, “is the first and only time I ever saw my father cry.” Lynch’s hit film, which stars John Hurt as a deformed man and Anthony Hopkins as a doctor treating him, is a “movie about what it means to be a human being. And it’s heartbreaking and beautiful and it’s tied to a very personal memory for me,” said Affleck. Appearing to get emotional, the Oscar winner concluded, “That’s probably a good note to end on.” 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
30 April,2025 08:10 AM IST | Los Angeles | AgenciesHollywood actress Blake Lively had a minor makeup mishap at her latest film premiere but she handled it like a boss. Eagle-eyed fans noted the actress, 37, had some makeup, possibly self-tanner, transfer onto her gown at the premiere of 'Another Simple Favor' in New York City. Netizens notice Blake Lively's style malfunction A light brown stain was visible below her right armpit on the bodice of her pale, mint-colored, draped Tamara Ralph gown, which featured intricate geometric cutouts, reports 'People' magazine. The smudge was visible because Lively wore her hair down and parted it to one side. She accessorised her red carpet look with jewelry by Lorraine Schwartz. As per 'People', on Instagram, fans commented on the visible style malfunction, writing, "She got body makeup on the dress around her armpit area," and "Spray tan failure people!! Don't wear a light dress". However, plenty of fans found the moment relatable and shared their love for Lively's look. "She literally looks perfect!" one person wrote, while another chimed in, "She’s beautiful and I love the dress". About Another Simple Favor premiere Lively attended the premiere of the film with her husband, Ryan Reynolds, who sported a gray plaid suit with a baby blue pocket square as they posed for photos together. On the carpet, Lively also posed with director Paul Feig and her costars: Anna Kendrick, Henry Golding, Andrew Rannells, Elizabeth Perkins, Bashir Salahuddin, Michele Morrone and Alex Newell. Some of Lively's friends also showed up on the red carpet to show their support, including Emily Blunt, Blunt's brother-in-law Stanley Tucci, Hugh Jackman and Shawn Levy. Blake and Anna Kendrick play frenemies in this black comedy. The two travel to a wedding in Capri, Italy, where they get sucked into another mysterious web of murder and betrayal. The official synopsis of the project read, "Stephanie Smothers (Anna Kendrick) and Emily Nelson (Blake Lively) reunite on the beautiful island of Capri, Italy, for Emily's extravagant wedding to a rich Italian businessman. Along with the glamorous guests, expect murder and betrayal to RSVP for a wedding with more twists and turns than the road from the Marina Grande to the Capri town square." Directed by Paul Feig, the film premiered at the South by Southwest Festival on March 7, 2025, and is set to be released on Amazon Prime Video on May 1. (with inputs from IANS)
30 April,2025 08:09 AM IST | Los Angeles | mid-day online correspondentActor Florence Pugh said that she “missed” Scarlett Johansson on the set of Thunderbolts and “hopes” that she has done her former co-star proud with her performance. The actor, 29, plays the lead character Yelena Belova in the new Marvel film. Yelena’s association with Marvel began with the film, Black Widow (2021). She told reporters, “My whole journey with Marvel was because Scarlett trusted me. She wanted me to join her movie [Black Widow], six years ago. So, I always miss her presence, and feel like it was such a mean thing to begin the journey with someone and then you never get to work with them again on it. It was kind of wild that [the film] was the first and the last time I would get to experience this world with her. I am genuinely always just hoping that she is proud.” Florence Pugh Pugh talked about her record-breaking stunt for the film, which saw her perform a 2,000 ft drop from Malaysia’s Merdeka 118 tower. She said that it wasn’t her own idea to execute it. “Anything that Tom Cruise does, stunt-wise and acting-wise, is totally impressive. I’d be mad if I didn’t want to pretend that I was him for two seconds,” she laughed. 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
30 April,2025 07:13 AM IST | Los Angeles | AgenciesActress Salma Hayek says she and Penelope Cruz both offered huge support to one another as they tried to make it in Hollywood as actresses from Mexico and Spain, respectively. She said that female solidarity has been her strength, inspiration and her safe space. The 58-year-old actress first found major success in her native Mexico, starring in the telenovela Teresa, which aired for two years across 125 episodes, before stepping into Los Angeles in 1991. Hayek remembers how difficult it was to land roles as a Latino actress during the decade but she was lucky to have Cruz, who moved from Spain to America to make it in Hollywood, to lean on, and vice versa. In an interview with Italian publication IO Donna, Salma said: "In the 1990s, there were no roles for Latinos, I had to fight for every opportunity. It's true, luckily I was able to count on a community of extraordinary women at my side. Penélope Cruz ... We were a refuge and strength for each other. "Female solidarity has been my strength, my inspiration, my safe space. Without this network, I don't know if I would have had the same resilience. I think that friends are food for the soul, you learn from each other's courage." Hayek's first big screen roles were opposite Antonio Banderas in Robert Rodriguez's 1995 action film 'Desperado' and playing a vampire in Rodriguez's cult horror film 'From Dusk till Dawn' , which also starred George Clooney, Quentin Tarantino, Juliette Lewis and Harvey Keitel. It was the role of surrealist painter Frida Kahlo in Julie Taymor's biographical film 'Frida', released in 2002, that earned her critical acclaim and recognition and her performance made her the first Mexican actress to receive a Best Actress Oscar nomination. Hayek creates her own stories for Latin audiences via her own independent production company Ventanarosa, which provided viewers with hit series 'Ugly Betty'. The Hollywood Walk of Fame honouree says she created Ventanarosa in 1999 so she could create roles for other actresses like her. Discussing opportunities for Latino performers, she said: "There has been progress, but there is still a lot to do. This is why I continue to produce stories for Latin audiences, Argentina, Mexico. In 26 years of production, I have never thought only of myself. I wanted to create spaces for other artists, to bring work to Latin American countries. "Our latest project is a television adaptation of the popular 1989 novel 'Like Water for Chocolate' by Laura Esquivel: it took us six years to complete and when we consider that there are 600 million Spanish speakers in the world, it is easy to see the potential." 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
28 April,2025 10:21 PM IST | Los Angeles | IANSAhead of Thunderbolts’ India release, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has granted it a ‘UA 13+’ certificate. But the certificate hasn’t come without its share of deletions. We’ve learnt that the CBFC has instructed that the terms ‘ass’, ‘prick’, ‘d**k’ and ‘b**ch’ be removed or muted from the Marvel superhero film.An insider reveals that Star Studios, which is distributing the Florence Pugh-starrer in India, had conversations with the makers about whether they should push back on the changes. “If the terms were to be retained, the film would be handed out an ‘A’ certificate. For a Marvel property, that would narrow down the audience base significantly. Teenagers form a big part of the fan base. It would also affect satellite and digital licensing value down the line. So, the team complied with the changes,” shares a source. Interestingly, the film has reportedly secured the same certification in the US and UK, without any cuts or changes.
28 April,2025 04:38 PM IST | Mumbai | Mohar BasuEnglish actor Rupert Grint has embraced fatherhood for the second time. The 'Harry Potter' actor and his partner Georgia Groome, who already have four-year-old Wednesday together, have been spotted out and about in Hampstead, north London, with their newborn bundled in a blanket. In photos, the 36-year-old star smiled broadly as he held the baby during a family walk, for which he dressed all in black, reports ‘Female First UK’. Georgia, wearing sunglasses, smiled at the tot and planted a kiss on her forehead. The baby appeared to have inherited their dad's distinctive red hair. A spokesperson for the couple has yet to comment, so no further details about the new arrival are available. The pictures were obtained by The Sun online. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rupert Grint (@rupertgrint) The 'Servant' actor previously admitted he never stops worrying about his daughter and parenting has made him a "bit of a hypochondriac". He told ‘People’ magazine, "I think becoming a dad forces you to discover things, and now I'm a bit of a hypochondriac. Having a baby, you're worried about her at all times. Everything seems dangerous. I bought a full-size ostrich skeleton. It's 8 feet tall and came fully assembled, but it's so delicate. It's really stressful to have in your living room, especially when we've got a cat and Wednesday running around”. And Rupert told how he found the first night he and Georgia brought their daughter home was "terrifying". He told ‘Esquire’ magazine, "I don't want to go too into detail, but the first night was just terrifying. You can't sleep at all, just constantly checking that she's breathing. Sleeping, in general, for me, is something I've really struggled with. I think as a kid, people always said, 'They died in their sleep’, so I always thought sleep was a really dangerous, dangerous thing”. As per ‘Female First UK’, the 'Snatch' actor also joked he had an “identity crisis” when his daughter arrived, as he thought he had to change his wardrobe so he’d look like a dad. He said: "I struggle with that, being a dad. Had a bit of an identity crisis. I don't know, do I change the way I dress now?". 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
28 April,2025 11:35 AM IST | Los Angeles | IANS'The Fantastic Four' actor Ioan Gruffudd got married to actress Bianca Wallace on Friday. The 51-year-old actor and the 32-year-old actress announced in a joint Instagram post on Friday, April 25, that they tied the knot, reported People. The couple shared a heartfelt video with grainy footage, which had Martin Arteta's song "Past Lives" in the background. In the video shared from Bianca's Instagram handle, the couple could be seen kissing, sipping champagne and holding each other while backed by a view of the ocean. While sharing the video, the couple wrote, "Mr & Mrs Gruffudd. Marriage now, wedding later," View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bianca Gruffudd (@iambiancawallace) The Fantastic Four star and Wallace announced their engagement news in a joint Instagram post in January 2024. "The most precious thing happened...," the couple wrote in their caption, alongside a sweet photo. As per People, in the image, the couple was captured embracing, as Wallace held up her hand to show off her emerald and diamond engagement ring. Gruffudd first confirmed his relationship with Wallace in October 2021 through a post shared on Instagram. "Thank you for making me smile again @iambiancawallace," he wrote alongside a happy snapshot of the pair. Gruffudd was previously wed to Alice Evans. They filed for divorce in March 2021 after getting married in 2007, reported People. The former couple, who met on the set of 102 Dalmatians in 2000, share two daughters: Ella and Elsie. 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
28 April,2025 11:07 AM IST | Washington | ANIGigi Hadid marked her 30th birthday with an intimate celebration surrounded by family and friends, including her boyfriend Bradley Cooper. According to People magazine, the model and actor were spotted walking hand in hand into the party at Saks Fifth Avenue in New York City. Hadid's sister Bella Hadid and actress Anne Hathaway were among the guests who attended the bash. Emily Ratajkowski, Will Arnett, and Hadid's parents, Yolanda and Mohamed Hadid, were also spotted at the party. A source revealed to People magazine that Hadid and Cooper were "very cute" and "kissed every time they got near each other" throughout the night. The group gathered to sing "Happy Birthday" to Hadid as she blew out the candles on her cake. Hadid and Cooper have been romantically linked since October 2023. A source previously told People magazine that the couple is "serious" but not "looking to rush anything." The couple's families have spent time together, and their kids have also bonded. 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
28 April,2025 09:32 AM IST | Washington | ANIAs the new Super Nintendo commercial reached the audience, Hollywood actor Paul Rudd looked back at the time when he collaborated with the gaming company for the first time in 1991. During a conversation with People, Rudd shared that he did not feel like an A-lister even after being a part of "Clueless", four years later. “I didn't really feel so famous," he said, adding that while he was working as an actor, he still had a regular job when he did this commercial. “And then as it slowly started to, as I started getting more work, occasionally someone would say, 'Hey, Clueless!' or whatever. But it wasn't — nothing felt so different really." the 'Friends' actor added. “And, you know, I think just the very nature of the time when there was no social media, there was no internet — everything just went by just a little bit slower,” Rudd added. Paul also shared that he would do whatever kind of work he could get to fund his acting dreams throughout the 90s, including waiting tables and DJing at weddings and bar mitzvahs. However, after the 90s, he rose to fame with movies like "Romeo + Juliet", "Avengers", and "Ghostbusters". Calling working on the new Nintendo Switch 2 advertisement "fun", Paul said that it “felt like old times.” Mimicking the ‘90s ad, Rudd went on, “When you decide to step up to this kind of play, this kind of fun, this kind of experience..." Around a year before the ad was released, a clip from the 1991 advertisement went viral on social media, leaving netizens shocked to find Rudd in it. "It was funny because some people sent it to me, and that's always something I enjoy myself — seeing actors in early commercials that they did," he revealed. 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
27 April,2025 02:50 PM IST | Mumbai | IANSSinger Justin Bieber penned an emotional post in memory of his maternal grandfather, Bruce Dale, who passed away on April 24. On Saturday, Justin took to Instagram and recalled his fond memories with his grandfather. He wrote, "Papa , I always took all ur money lol. I remember u specifically telling me, gramma gave u an allowance of 20 dollars for the WEEK! I would always convince you to spend on snacks at the hockey game on Friday nights. Reluctantly you always gave it to me. Corn nuts, skittles, gum balls, chuck a puck, slush puppies , Shout out to the jr b referees Beatty, Fagon, Flanagan lmfao For enduring all of my grandpas heckling for all of your horrible referee calls lmfao , my grandpa wasn't shy in letting them know that they were being pieces of shits." Justin also shared an adorable picture from his childhood with his grandfather. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) "I can't wait to see u again soon in heaven .Until then I know ur watching down probly still heckling Beatty or Fagon for missing that cross check call in the corner there lmfao I will miss u. I will ache And I'll sit and let myself remember all of the wonderful times we've had," he further said. Dale, father of Bieber's mom, Pattie Mallette, was a longtime supporter of his grandson's career. He appeared in Bieber's 2011 documentary, Never Say Never, and shared memories during a 2018 interview at the Stratford Perth Museum, which featured an exhibit dedicated to the pop star, as per Billboard. In addition to Justin, Dale's obituary also mentioned the singer's wife, Hailey, their son Jack Blues, Dale's other children, and his wife, Diane. 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
27 April,2025 02:49 PM IST | Los Angeles | ANIADVERTISEMENT
