Hollywood star and humanitarian Angelina Jolie has drawn attention to the human cost of the protests in Iran, sharing a poignant image of a seven-year-old girl standing at her mother’s grave. Jolie, known for promoting causes such as conservation, education, and women's rights, took to Instagram, where she shared a photo of a child lying on her mother’s grave and crying. In her post, Jolie identified the child as the daughter of Parisa Lashkari, 30, who was killed during protests in Iran on January 10. Calling the image “heartbreaking,” the actor said no child should have to carry such grief at such a young age. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Angelina Jolie (@angelinajolie) “A seven-year-old girl at her mother’s grave. Parisa Lashkari, 30, killed during protests in Noorabad, Fars province, Iran, on January 10th. No child should have to carry this kind of grief,” she wrote. Jolie urged that Lashkari’s memory be honoured and stressed the need for truth and accountability. She also called for protection for civilians and greater freedom for those seeking it. “May her mother’s memory be honored and may the truth be established, with protection for civilians, accountability for those responsible and greater freedom for all those who are seeking it,” she added. Jolie is also noted for her advocacy on behalf of refugees as a Special Envoy for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. She has undertaken field missions to refugee camps and war zones worldwide. One of the highest-paid actresses in Hollywood, Jolie made her screen debut as a child alongside her father, Jon Voight, in 1982 with Lookin' to Get Out. Her film career began in earnest a decade later with the low-budget production Cyborg 2, followed by her first leading role in Hackers. She was then seen in George Wallace and Gia, Girl, Interrupted, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Wanted, Salt, Maleficent, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil and the Marvel Cinematic Universe superhero film Eternals. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
28 January,2026 10:57 AM IST | Los Angeles | IANSHollywood star Kate Winslet has revealed that shedding troubled characters after playing them has been difficult. The Academy Award-winning actor said on the Lessons from Our Mothers podcast: “There’s this thing that happens as an actor, and it sounds self-indulgent so I rarely say it. But when you play a difficult part, Mare of Easttown [2021] for example, you do have to kind of come out the other side. I call it re-entry. Re-entry into your own life, going back into your friendships, reintegrating into the rhythm of family,” she explained. A still from ‘Mare of Easttown’ The actor added, “It takes a while to unpick a character from your system.” She revealed that she needed professional help after starring in the 2021 crime drama, which saw her portray a troubled Pennsylvania detective after the Coronavirus pandemic caused havoc with the production. She recalled, “It was meant to be a six-month shoot. COVID happened after the five months that we had been shooting, and everything got pushed. When we came back, our five remaining weeks turned into 10. By the end of the whole thing, I’d been playing that character for over a year, and I honestly went a bit mad. It’s the only time in my life that I had to get some proper help, to come back to myself.” Winslet’s son Joe Anders, 22, is following her into acting, and she is glad to offer him support as he stars in the new series, Cape Fear. She said, “He’s still in the experience of the re-entry. I’m able to actively support my son in this moment.” This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
28 January,2026 09:25 AM IST | Los Angeles | IANSHollywood star Margot Robbie thinks her Wuthering Heights co-star Jacob Elordi would be a “very good boyfriend” for someone after he did “thoughtful things” on the film’s set. An international publication reported that the actor, 35, was delighted when Elordi, 28, filled her dressing room with roses on Valentine’s Day. When interviewing each other for an international fashion magazine, Robbie said, “I remember thinking on Valentine’s Day, ‘Oh he’s probably a very good boyfriend, because there’s a lot of thoughtfulness in this.’ It wasn’t just the gesture of the roses; it was the thing written from Heathcliff...It was meaningful and dramatic.” Elordi also revealed he made a special visit to the set that day to carry out the gesture, because he wasn’t filming any scenes at the time. The two joked they didn’t like filming scenes as much without each other, with Elordi saying, “I didn’t like shooting when Margot wasn’t there.” This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
28 January,2026 08:46 AM IST | Los Angeles | IANSHip-hop artist and producer Kanye West, now legally known as Ye, has issued a public apology for his past antisemitic remarks and actions by taking out a full-page advertisement in The Wall Street Journal. Titled “To Those I’ve Hurt,” the letter marks one of Ye’s most detailed acknowledgements of the controversy that surrounded him in recent years and led to widespread backlash. Kanye West reacted to his behaviour post the diagnosis In the statement, Ye reflected on his mental health struggles, linking much of his behaviour to an untreated brain injury and bipolar disorder. He revealed that injuries sustained during a car accident in 2002 affected his frontal lobe and contributed to long-term psychological issues. “I lost touch with reality,” he wrote, admitting that ignoring his condition for years worsened the situation. He added that he was only properly diagnosed in 2023. Addressing the offensive imagery and statements that shocked the public, Ye expressed deep remorse. “During manic episodes, I gravitated toward the most destructive symbol I could find,” he said, referring to the use of Nazi symbolism. Calling his actions reckless and harmful, he stated, “I regret and am deeply mortified by my behaviour during that time.” He firmly denied holding hateful beliefs, adding, “I am not a Nazi or an antisemite. I love Jewish people.” Kanye West apologised to the community Ye also apologised to the Black community, acknowledging that some of his comments were hurtful and damaging. “You are the foundation of who I am, and I am so sorry to have let you down,” he wrote. “I love us, and I take responsibility for the pain I caused.” The artist described a particularly severe manic episode in early 2025, which he said “destroyed” parts of his life and pushed him to a breaking point. He shared that he has since begun consistent treatment, including medication, therapy, physical exercise and lifestyle changes. Ye credited his wife, Bianca Censori, for supporting him and urging him to seek help. Concluding the letter, Ye stressed that he was not seeking forgiveness without accountability. “I’m not asking for a free pass,” he wrote. “I simply ask for patience and understanding as I work toward healing and becoming better.” While the apology has drawn mixed reactions, many are closely watching whether Ye’s future actions reflect the accountability and growth he now claims to embrace.
27 January,2026 05:32 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAs American Pie 2 prepares to mark its 25th anniversary later this year, actor Jason Biggs has reflected on the lasting lessons he learned from the franchise, particularly from co-star Eugene Levy, according to People. Released in 2001, American Pie 2 followed Jim Levenstein and his friends as they reunited after their first year of college, becoming one of the defining raunchy comedies of the late 1990s and early 2000s. Speaking in a recent interview, Biggs credited Levy, who played his on-screen father, with teaching him the importance of grounding comedy in reality. Biggs described Levy as his "second dad" and said the "Eugene Levy School of Comedy" focused on keeping performances restrained and believable, even in heightened and outrageous situations. "A lesson that I've taken from the American Pie films, and also, most especially, taken from my brilliant costar and second dad, Eugene Levy, is, you know, the 'Eugene Levy School of Comedy' is to do your best to ground," said Biggs, as quoted by People. The Orange is the New Black actor noted that maintaining sincerity allowed the franchise's more shocking moments to land effectively with audiences. He added that the philosophy continues to influence his work today, including his transition into directing. "No matter how heightened the circumstances are in American Pie, obviously, we do some crazy things here in this movie, the whole concept is pretty high and heightened, and there are some shocking moments, but the goal for me always was to try to keep it as restrained, as contained, as grounded in reality as possible where you can, because that allows you to take those chances elsewhere," the 47-year-old actor and now-director explained, as quoted by People. In a separate 2025 interview with People magazine, Biggs said he would be open to returning for a potential American Pie 5, calling his experience with the franchise "one of the best" of his life and saying he remains proud of the role. "I've always said I would 100 per cent be down to work with those people again and to play that character again, and you know, it's one of the best experiences of my life," Biggs says of playing Jim. "I'm very proud of it," according to People. Biggs' latest project, Untitled Home Invasion Romance, applies the same grounded approach to a darkly comedic thriller centred on a troubled marriage and an extreme attempt at reconciliation. The film is scheduled to stream from January 27, 2026. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
27 January,2026 12:34 PM IST | Washington DC | ANIOscar-winning actor Natalie Portman has revealed that her children are not particularly interested in watching her films, including some of her most iconic roles, according to E! News. Speaking to E! News at the premiere of The Gallerist during the Sundance Film Festival, Portman said her son Aleph, 14, and daughter Amelia, 8, are "resistant" to seeing her on the big screen. The actor shares the two children with her former husband, French choreographer and filmmaker Benjamin Millepied. "My kids are so resistant to seeing anything that I'm in," Portman said, adding that even her appearances in globally popular franchises like Star Wars have failed to spark their interest. She explained that she never pressures them to watch her work and leaves the choice up to them. "I was always like, 'Yeah, if you want to see it, like if some of your friends have seen it or whatever.' And they were like, 'No, thanks,'" she said. According to Portman, the reluctance stems from her children preferring to see her simply as their mother rather than a celebrity. "They kind of just want to see me as me, which I appreciate," she noted, as quoted by E! News. The 44-year-old actor has previously spoken about her close bond with her children following her divorce from Benjamin Millepied, which was finalised in March 2023 after nearly a decade of marriage. In an earlier interview, Portman described her children as a constant source of joy, saying that watching them grow into their own personalities is deeply fulfilling. She also shared that her social life has increasingly revolved around her children and their friends, calling the experience "pretty fun." Despite prioritising motherhood, Portman clarified that she never considered stepping away from acting after becoming a parent. "I was just excited to have kids with a person I was in love with," she said, stressing the importance of having grounded people in one's life. Reflecting on the challenges of divorce, Portman has previously credited singer Rihanna's words of encouragement with helping her through a difficult period, calling the support "exactly what I needed," according to E! News. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
27 January,2026 11:16 AM IST | Los Angeles | ANIActor Quinton Aaron, best known for portraying American football player Michael Oher in the 2009 film The Blind Side, has been hospitalised in Atlanta after collapsing at his residence, according to Deadline. A GoFundMe page set up for the actor stated that the 41-year-old was placed on life support due to a severe blood infection. However, his manager later clarified that Aaron's condition is stable and that he is conscious and communicating. Speaking to TMZ, Aaron's manager said the actor fell while walking up the stairs at his apartment last week. The exact cause behind his legs giving way is not yet known. In a statement issued to The Daily Mail, Aaron's manager Katrina Fristoe said the family has expressed gratitude for the support received from fans and the media but has requested privacy during this time. "The family deeply appreciates the outpouring of support from fans and the media but respectfully requests privacy during this time," Fristoe said, adding that Aaron is receiving excellent medical care and is currently with his family. She further noted that an update would be shared once the actor's condition improves, as per the outlet. The Blind Side, released in 2009, was a major commercial and critical success. It starred Sandra Bullock and Quinton Aaron in the lead roles, along with Lily Collins, Jae Head and Tim McGraw in pivotal roles. It followed Michael Oher, a homeless African-American teen, who became an all-American football star after being taken in by a determined mom and her family. It earned Sandra Bullock an Academy Award for Best Actress. The film was also nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars, according to Deadline. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
27 January,2026 10:49 AM IST | Washington DC | ANIActor and activist Jameela Jamil has spoken at length after unsealed court documents from the ongoing legal dispute between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni revealed private text messages in which she referred to Lively as a "suicide bomber" and a "villain," according to The Hollywood Reporter. The messages, sent in August 2024, were exchanged between Jamil and Jennifer Abel, a publicist who represented both Jamil and Baldoni at the time. The texts were in response to a TikTok video criticising Lively's remarks during the It Ends With Us press tour, with some viewers alleging the promotional interviews did not reflect the film's focus on domestic abuse. In one message, Jamil wrote, "She's a suicide bomber at this point," and added, "I've never seen such a bizarre villain act before." Addressing the controversy, Jamil said, "I am ready to say some things, mostly to clarify timing 'cause timing is key for context." She added, "I think it's really weird that my private text messages from 18 months ago have suddenly been released now. My name has deliberately been unredacted to cause as much trouble as possible for me even though these text messages have nothing to do with the case." The legal battle began in December 2024 when Lively filed a complaint against Baldoni, her It Ends With Us co-star and director, alleging sexual harassment and a "social manipulation" campaign to damage her reputation. Baldoni's legal team has called the claims "shameful" and "categorically false." His countersuit was later dismissed, and the trial is scheduled for May 18. Jamil stressed that her comments were made months before the lawsuit. "Check the dates," she said, noting the texts were sent in August 2024. "There were four months between when I was saying those things and a lawsuit coming to light. I had no idea about any of this stuff, so I was just purely venting to my friend about how I felt about the press rollout for that terrible movie," as quoted by The Hollywood Reporter. Explaining why the film's promotion upset her, Jamil said, "I grew up with domestic violence in my home, I was a victim of domestic violence in my 20s. It made me feel some type of way." She added that interviews meant to be "really beautiful bonding" moments were met with "callous or sarcastic or cold or diluted answers," which "offended" her. "Me calling her a 'suicide bomber' is just a reference to me watching someone use their own terrible answers in interviews to blow up their own career or their own project. I found that both funny and very agitating. And I'm just kidding around in private text messages," Jamil said. "I would never have put that out there for the world not because I'm ashamed but because I don't want to cause harm or trouble for that person. I don't want to make anyone feel bad. I just want to be able to express that to my friend. That's healthy and that's normal." "The fact that my name was unredacted, all of it, just felt very targeted and very weird and an attempt to throw me under the bus. And I know that's happened to several people now and I find it very gross and upsetting," she said, as qoted by The Hollywood Reporter. As for her thoughts on "the matter," Jamil said, "The matter is constantly updating. We're constantly getting new information. This is an active suit. I tend to never speak during an active lawsuit or court case because, A, you never know what's going to come out the next day that's gonna blow up in your face. And, B, it's inappropriate to participate when you have a giant platform the way I kind of do." Jamil concluded by saying she is more concerned about global humanitarian crises than celebrity disputes. "I actively don't give ...don't want to hear about these people ever again," she said, adding, "I pray for all of us that we will be released from this topic and these people soon," as quoted by The Hollywood Reporter. Along with Jamil, Lively's unsealed text messages with Taylor Swift, email to Ben Affleck, and statements from Jenny Slate and Isabela Ferrer's depositions about Baldoni were also unveiled. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
27 January,2026 10:21 AM IST | Washington DC | ANIChristopher Nolan’s awaited project The Odyssey is steadily building anticipation, and a fresh glimpse has now grabbed global attention. A brand-new teaser has caught the internet's eye following the debut of rapper, singer, and songwriter Travis Scott. A TV teaser was recently aired during the broadcast of the NFL AFC Championship match, allowing fans to catch a look at Travis Scott in the upcoming Greek epic. Travis Scott in The Odyssey In visuals from the teaser, Scott can be seen standing on top of a table and demanding the attention of a group of soldiers. The clip also features Tom Holland’s Telemachus and Jon Bernthal’s Menelaus, as per Variety. “A war, a man, a trick — a trick to break the walls of Troy,” he declares, as the teaser cuts to sweeping visuals of the Trojan War. “It’s burning, screaming to the ground,” he says. Fans were quick to share their disbelief. “Yes, Travis Scott is in The Odyssey film and has a speaking role…” one user posted, while another bluntly remarked, “They just be letting anyone in.” ‘The Odyssey’ TV spot during the AFC Championship Pats vs Broncos featuring Travis Scott’s speaking role. #TheOdyssey #TravisScott #TheOdysseyMovie pic.twitter.com/PaBw8SP1sY — Espada (@EspadaMagazine) January 26, 2026 The teaser featuring the 10-time Grammy nominee quickly went viral on social media, leaving fans highly excited. Nolan and Scott’s earlier collaboration Notably, this is not the first time that Travis Scott and Christopher Nolan have come together for a collaboration. The rapper previously recorded the song The Plan for Nolan’s 2020 film Tenet. “His voice became the final piece of a yearlong puzzle. His insights into the musical and narrative mechanism [composer] Ludwig Göransson and I were building were immediate, insightful and profound,” Nolan said in an interview, as quoted by Variety. About The Odyssey Earlier in December 2025, the makers unveiled the first trailer of The Odyssey, which follows the Greek hero Odysseus, played by Matt Damon, as he travels the long and winding path back home after the Trojan War. The trailer shows Odysseus getting shipwrecked along with his army and making his way back home during a treacherous journey. He and his soldiers are also seen inside the infamous Trojan horse, which was previously teased in a six-minute clip screened before IMAX 70mm showings of Sinners and One Battle After Another. Damon stars alongside Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Tom Holland, Lupita Nyong'o, Charlize Theron, Mia Goth, Benny Safdie, Jon Bernthal, John Leguizamo, and more. In addition to directing, Nolan wrote the script and produced the film alongside his wife, Emma Thomas.
26 January,2026 04:28 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentEmmy-nominated actor Natasha Lyonne has admitted to having a relapse in her sobriety journey, years after the Poker Face star struggled with addiction to drugs and alcohol throughout the 2000s. Taking to social media, Natasha Lyonne wrote, "Took my relapse public more to come," following up with more details in further tweets. Took my relapse public more to come — natasha lyonne (@nlyonne) January 24, 2026 As fans quickly flooded her comment section with messages for her quick recovery, the actor added, "Recovery is a lifelong process. Anyone out there struggling, remember you're not alone. Grateful for love & smart feet. Gonna do it for baby Bambo. Stay honest, folks. Sick as our secrets. If no one told ya today, I love you. No matter how far down the scales we have gone, we will see how our experience may help another. Keep going, kiddos. Don't quit before the miracle. Wallpaper your mind with love. Rest is all noise & baloney." Recovery is a lifelong process. Anyone out there struggling, remember you’re not alone. Grateful for love & smart feet. Gonna do it for baby Bambo. 🎥❤️🥊 Stay honest, folks. Sick as our secrets. If no one told ya today, I love you. No matter how far down the scales we have gone,… — natasha lyonne (@nlyonne) January 24, 2026 She subtly referred to her upcoming film Baby Bambo, which focuses on a New York boxing promoter struggling to balance his obligations as a father with his career. Lyonne serves as a writer and director for the project. Natasha Lyonne, who entered rehab in 2006, was known for struggling with addiction in the 2000s. In an old interview, she publicly acknowledged her substance abuse problem and said, "It's weird to talk about. I was definitely as good as dead, you know? A lot of people don't come back. That makes me feel wary and self-conscious. I wouldn't want to feel prideful about it. People really rallied around me and pulled me up by my fucking bootstraps," as quoted by Variety. Amid a series of run-ins with the law and persistent health issues arising from substance abuse, Lyonne was once evicted from her building by fellow actor Michael Rappaport. In 2006, she entered treatment, as per Page Six. With a notable comeback to acting, she was seen in projects like Orange is the New Black and Russian Doll, even bagging multiple SAG Awards alongside Emmy and Golden Globe nominations. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
26 January,2026 11:27 AM IST | Los Angeles | ANIHollywood actress Amber Heard, who has had a nasty legal battle against ex-husband Johnny Depp, has "lost (her) ability to speak" in the wake of her legal battle. The Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom actress has made a surprise appearance in Silenced, a documentary about accused men using defamation lawsuits to silence women speaking out about abuse, and she claimed she no longer wants to tell her own "story" about her marriage to the Pirates of the Caribbean actor, reports ‘Female First UK’. In a confessional interview for the documentary, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, with director Selina Miles, Amber said, “This is not about me. I have lost my ability to speak. I am not here to tell my story” She further mentioned, I don’t want to tell my story. In fact, I don’t want to use my voice anymore. That’s the problem”. As per ‘Female First UK’, the International human rights lawyer Jennifer Robinson is also involved with the documentary, and she assisted Amber with her participation in Johnny's 2018 libel lawsuit against ‘The Sun’ newspaper, after they branded him a "wife-beater", and she recalled how her former spouse's fans shouted and jeered at her as she made her way to and from court. She said, “The outcome of that trial depended on my participation, and I depended on the outcome of that trial. When I first met (Robinson), I immediately got the sense that she got the bigger picture. What has happened to me is an amplified version of what a lot of women live through. I remember at the close of the trial, the idea that I could say something to the press came up. (Robinson) asked if I was sure about that. (I thought), ‘If they throw things at me, it will make this point more obvious’. I didn’t understand it could get so much worse for me as a woman, using my voice”. But the 39-year-old star has been given hope by seeing women speaking out. She said, “It gives me strength seeing other people take on the fight. Women are brave enough to address the imbalance of power. Looking at my daughter’s face as she grows up and slowly starts to walk into this world. I believe it can be better”. While Johnny lost his libel claim against The Sun, he also sued the actress for defamation for an op-ed she penned about surviving domestic abuse, although she did not name him in the piece, and the jury sided with the actor, awarding him USD 1 million in damages. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
26 January,2026 11:15 AM IST | Los Angeles | IANSADVERTISEMENT
