Hollywood
Hugh Grant gives details on his new rom-com at SIFF
MUMBAI: British actor Hugh Grant addressed the Shanghai International Film Festival press contingent on 15 June about his latest movie The Rewrite. Grant plays the role of a screenwriter in the Marc Lawrence-directed movie which will be screened at this year’s festival.
The Rewrite is the story of a screenwriter named Keith Michaels who at one time was very successful and won a Golden Globe. His career is in a terrible place after 15 years and he ends up teaching in a university in New York.
There he meets Holly, a single mom with two jobs, trying to earn her bachelor’s degree. She helps to change his attitude towards teaching. “It’s not exactly a romantic comedy,” Grant said at the contingent. “There is romance, and it certainly is a comedy, but I would say its closer to About A Boy. It’s really about a man who seems completely lost and who discovers a new life.”
Grant has starred in three other films directed by Lawrence, Did You Hear About the Morgans?, Music & Lyrics and Two Weeks Notice. Grant is popular with movie fans in China for his roles in romantic comedies like Love Actually, Notting Hill, Bridget Jones’s Diary and more.
Grant won a Golden Globe Award for his role in Four Weddings and a Funeral.
Hollywood
David Zaslav could net up to $887m as Warner Bros Discovery sells up
Media mogul strikes gold as Paramount Skydance deal triggers massive windfall
NEW YORK: While the average office worker might hope for a nice clock and a round of applause upon leaving, David Zaslav is looking at a slightly more substantial parting gift. The chief executive officer of Warner Bros Discovery is positioned to receive a windfall of up to $887 million following the company’s blockbuster $110 billion sale to Paramount Skydance.
In a twist of corporate fate that feels scripted for the big screen, the deal marks the finale of a high-stakes bidding war. It comes after Netflix, once the frontrunner, decided to exit stage left and abandon its pursuit of the HBO Max parent company.
While most people receive a standard final paycheck, the filing released on Monday suggests Zaslav’s exit package is built a little differently. If the deal closes as expected in the third quarter of 2026, the numbers break down like this:
The cash out: A severance package of $34.2 million, covering his salary and bonuses.
The equity: $115.8 million in vested shares he already owns.
The future fortune: A massive $517.2 million in unvested share awards, essentially “future stock” that turns into real money the moment the ink dries on the merger.
Perhaps the most eye-catching figure is the $335 million earmarked for tax reimbursements. However, this particular pot of gold has an expiration date.
The company noted that these reimbursements are tied to specific tax-code rules that significantly decline as time passes. If the deal hits a snag and drags into 2027, that tax payout drops to zero. With hundreds of millions on the line, the chief executive officer likely has every incentive to ensure the closing process moves at double-speed.
