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
Paramount eyes $24bn Gulf support to fund Warner Bros Discovery merger: Reports
Sovereign funds line up funding as media giants chase streaming scale
NEW YORK: Paramount Skydance is in talks to secure nearly $24 billion in equity commitments from Gulf sovereign wealth funds to support its planned takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery, according to a WSJ report.
The funding push comes as Paramount Skydance advances its proposed $110 billion deal for Warner Bros. Discovery, which carries an equity valuation of $81 billion and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026.
At the heart of the financing plan are three major Gulf investors. Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund is expected to contribute roughly $10 billion, while the Qatar Investment Authority and Abu Dhabi-based L’imad Holding are likely to make up the remainder.
Crucially, the proposed investments are structured as non-voting stakes. This means the Gulf backers would not have direct control in the combined entity, a move designed to ease regulatory concerns in the United States. Paramount executives reportedly do not expect the deal to trigger scrutiny from bodies such as the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States or the Federal Communications Commission.
If completed, the merger would bring together a formidable portfolio of entertainment and news assets, including CNN and CBS. The combined entity aims to better compete in a fast-evolving media landscape where streaming platforms are steadily pulling audiences away from traditional television.
The deal reflects a broader shift in global media, where scale is increasingly seen as essential to survive the streaming wars. By pooling content libraries, technology and distribution, Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery are betting on size and synergy to drive future growth.
The involvement of deep-pocketed Gulf investors also underscores the growing role of sovereign wealth in shaping global media consolidation, particularly at a time when high-value deals demand equally large financial backing.
With shareholder votes and regulatory milestones still ahead, the proposed tie-up remains one of the most closely watched media deals of the year. If it clears the final hurdles, it could redraw the competitive map of the global entertainment industry.
