Hollywood
Benedict Cumberbatch gets engaged !
MUMBAI: The Imitation Game actor, Benedict Cumberbatch announced his engagement to Sophie Hunter, a theater actress and director, via a paid-for announcement in The Times newspaper’s classified section.
The ad read:
MR B.T. CUMBERBATCH AND MISS S.I. HUNTER
The engagement is announced between Benedict, son of Wanda and Timothy Cumberbatch of London, and Sophie, daughter of Katharine Hunter of Edinburgh and Charles Hunter of London,” read the classified.
According to media reports, a wedding date has not been set yet.
The couple met while shooting the thriller Burlesque Fairytales in 2009. Cumberbatch and Hunter were only confirmed as a couple five months ago, after being photographed together at the French Open.
Cumberbatch’s engagement comes two years after his breakup with fashion designer Anna Jones and four year after his longest relationship (10 years) with actress and screenwriter Olivia Poulet that ended in 2010.
Hunter, has had some small roles in films, including Vanity Fair, and won a Samuel Beckett award for her play The Terrific Electrice, which she wrote and directed. She’s since staged productions of Ghosts (Henrik Ibsen), and The Magic Flute (Mozart). She also constructed an installation, Lucretia, inspired by Benjamin Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia.
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.
