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
Trump explodes at Netflix, demands Susan Rice ouster as $83B merger hangs in the balance
Fiery ultimatum shakes streaming giant as politics collides with blockbuster Warner deal
NEW YORK: Donald Trump has called on Netflix to dismiss former UN Ambassador and board member Susan Rice immediately. His ultimatum arrives as the streaming company seeks to finalise an $83 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery’s studios and streaming platforms.
Writing on his Truth Social platform, Trump described Rice as a “political hack.” He warned the company to remove her or “pay the consequences,” though he did not specify what those repercussions might be. He dismissed her professional standing, stating, “She’s got no talent or skills – Purely a political hack! HER POWER IS GONE, AND WILL NEVER BE BACK.” He concluded his post by questioning her compensation and the value she brings to the company.
The friction appears toa be rooted in Rice’s recent comments during an interview on Preet Bharara’s “Stay Tuned with Preet” podcast. During the discussion, Rice suggested that a Democratic victory in the midterm elections would bring an “accountability agenda” for corporations that she believes bypassed regulations during the Trump administration. She stated that if these corporations think the Democrats will “play by the old rules” or forgive them for policies and principles violated, “I think they’ve got another thing coming.”
The scale of the $83 billion acquisition would represent a monumental shift in the media landscape, bringing together assets such as CNN, HBO, and Warner Bros. Studios under the Netflix umbrella. While the political rhetoric intensifies, Netflix has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding president’s statements or the future of Rice’s position on its board. Industry analysts are now watching closely to see if these political tensions will influence the regulatory approval process required for such a significant merger.
