Hollywood
Anna Kendrick discusses her character in ‘Alice, Darling’
Mumbai: Is everything truly fair in love and war? Lionsgate Play’s latest psychological-thriller Alice, Darling takes you on Alice’s journey, as she builds the strength and courage to face the harsh reality of her emotionally abusive relationship. Bringing to light the sensitive issue of emotional abuse prevalent in the society, Alice, Darling encourages us to start a conversation around identifying and facing emotionally abusive relationships in our own lives. Premiering on 26 May, exclusively on Lionsgate Play in India, the movie stars Oscar nominee Anna Kendrick supported by Charlie Carrick, Kaniehtiio Horn and Wunmi Mosaku in pivotal roles.
Speaking about her character Alice, actor Anna Kendrick said, “When we meet Alice, she doesn’t really know who she is. It was actually a really bizarre character to play because the whole point is that she has sort of lost herself, and that everything in her focus and all her energy is going towards being kind of small and flexible and to manage her partner’s potential reactivity. And the sense that if she’s just a little bit better, if she is just perfect, then everything will be okay – that mindset slowly creeps in, and before she knows it, she doesn’t recognise herself. Only when she is with her close friends does Alice have a little more room to breathe. It’s interesting because she’s resistant to that at first since if she fully recognises and accepts herself and then returns to her partner, she will be in serious trouble and her carefully constructed self-sabotaging world will come apart.”
Talking about what interested her about the lead character Alice, director Mary Nighy said, “This character seems fine on the surface, but obviously, you have little windows into her. A lot of the time that she is in the bathroom, obsessively twirling and pulling her hair – it is clear she is in great distress about something. So how do you bring that out in a subtle way that tells you what’s happening inside the character? That was really appealing and interesting to me.”
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.
