Entertainment
New York Comic-Con Turns 20: Ben Stiller Joins Shatner’s Star Trek Panel as ‘Princess Murders’ Debuts Disney-Style Trailer
TITLE: New York Comic-Con Turns 20: Ben Stiller Joins Shatner’s Star Trek Panel as ‘Princess Murders’ Debuts Disney-Style Trailer
KEYWORD: new york comic-con
DESCRIPTION: New York Comic-Con’s 20th anniversary lineup pairs Ben Stiller with William Shatner for Star Trek’s 60th, plus a gruesome Disney-parody comic trailer.
New York Comic-Con is celebrating its 20th anniversary this weekend with a lineup that spans from the final frontier to a blood-soaked fairy tale kingdom, proving once again that the convention has become one of the entertainment industry’s most reliable showcases for both nostalgia and the subversion of it.
The marquee moment comes Saturday, Oct. 10, when actor and filmmaker Ben Stiller moderates a conversation with William Shatner on the Empire Stage as part of a “Star Trek” panel marking the franchise’s 60th anniversary. Variety reported exclusively that Stiller, a lifelong “Star Trek” devotee who has long credited the original series with shaping his career, will sit down with Shatner for what promises to be one of the convention’s most anticipated sessions. The two have crossed paths professionally before: Shatner made a cameo alongside Stiller in “Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story,” and Stiller appeared in “The Truth Is in the Stars,” a documentary Shatner hosted.
The conversation runs from 3:15 to 4:15 p.m. ET and is just one part of a broader “Star Trek” presence at New York Comic-Con this year. Immediately following the Shatner-Stiller talk, the panel shifts to the cast and creators of “Star Trek: Starfleet Academy” Season 2, moderated by Collider’s Perri Nemiroff. That panel will bring together stars Holly Hunter, Sandro Rosta, Bella Shepard, Karim Diané and Robert Picardo alongside co-showrunners Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau. Notably, Season 2 — which does not yet have a premiere date but is expected in 2027 — will be the series’ last, a detail Variety first reported back in March.
Stiller arrives at New York Comic-Con amid a packed slate of his own. He’s currently starring in “Severance” Season 3 for Apple TV alongside the streamer’s “Off Weeks” and “Protective Custody,” and he’ll soon return to the “Meet the Parents” universe in “Focker-in-Law,” co-starring Robert De Niro and Ariana Grande, which hits theaters Nov. 25.
A Darker Spin on Fairy Tales Also Debuts at New York Comic-Con
While Stiller and Shatner draw crowds to the Empire Stage, another corner of New York Comic-Con is reveling in a very different kind of franchise homage. Comic creators Tony Fleecs and Tim Seeley used the convention as the launchpad for “The Princess Murders,” an Image Comics series that mashes up the gauzy romanticism of classic Disney animated musicals with the bloody theatrics of Italian giallo cinema.
The series follows Princess Lottie and her scheming stepsister Edwige as they travel to the Kingdom of Sardinia to vie for the hand of Prince Carlo — only for a black-gloved killer to start picking off the competition. It’s a premise squarely in line with Fleecs and Seeley’s track record of twisting beloved aesthetics into something stranger: Fleecs previously reimagined the slasher genre through the lens of 1980s Don Bluth-style animation in “Stray Dogs,” while the pair collaborated on “Local Man,” a murder mystery steeped in 1990s superhero comic nostalgia.
Timed to their New York Comic-Con panel, Fleecs and Seeley released a trailer engineered to look and sound exactly like a classic Disney princess musical, right down to an original song, “Can’t You Feel It,” composed by Nima Fakhrara and performed by vocalist Maria Schafer. “We wanted Princess Murders to feel as close to those classic animated princess movies as possible,” Fleecs said, adding that the team wanted audiences to actually hear what the comic’s embedded songs might sound like rather than simply imagining them on the page. “It’s exactly what Tim and I imagined these princesses would sound like… before they get murdered,” he said.
“The Princess Murders” will run as an ongoing series co-written and co-drawn by Fleecs and Seeley, with colors by Brian Reber. The first issue arrives in stores Dec. 9.
Why These Panels Matter at New York Comic-Con’s 20th Edition
Taken together, the Shatner-Stiller conversation and the splashy unveiling of “The Princess Murders” illustrate what New York Comic-Con has become over two decades: a place where legacy franchises and irreverent reinventions of them share equal billing. For “Star Trek,” the 60th-anniversary programming offers fans a bittersweet moment, celebrating the franchise’s endurance even as “Starfleet Academy” heads toward its final season. For comics readers, Fleecs and Seeley’s genre mashup signals that even the most wholesome corners of pop culture, like Disney’s princess musicals, remain fair game for creative subversion.
With organizers also teasing expansion plans, including a possible Coney Island tie-in and the prospect of growing the event to five days next year, New York Comic-Con’s anniversary edition is shaping up as a milestone not just for its history, but for the breadth of entertainment it now commands, from decades-old science fiction icons to brand-new comic book series looking to make their own mark.
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Teresa Giudice’s daughter, Milania Giudice, appears to be looking at her mother a little differently after their recent airport clash.
The 20-year-old reality star’s daughter offered Teresa a public apology this week after a video of their shocking confrontation drew online attention.
Rather than letting the airport drama define their relationship, she turned to social media with a surprisingly affectionate message for the Real Housewives of New Jersey star.
Teresa Giudice’s Daughter Milania Has A Change Of Heart
Milania Giudice made her feelings clear in an Instagram Stories post on Tuesday, reposting a photo that reflected on appreciating how someone was raised and who raised them.
According to the Daily Mail, she added a personal message directed toward Teresa Giudice, noting, “You are the best. sorry mother,” followed by a white heart emoji.
The post came after a video captured the mother-daughter confrontation at an airport.
The viral video showed Milania walking through the airport with Teresa and Gia Guidice while police officers stood nearby.
Milania repeatedly asked, “This is what we do now,” as Teresa told her, “I love you.” Gia then told Teresa, “Let her do what she wants to do,” before Milania angrily told her mother to “Shut the f*** up.”
Teresa’s Daughter Was Reportedly Experiencing A Serious Mental Health Crisis
The police account of Milania’s airport incident revealed that the confrontation involved concerns about the 20-year-old’s mental health.
Accoridng to The Blast, officers were told Milania was “having suicidal thoughts” and experiencing a “mental breakdown.”
She had reportedly been released from a nearby hospital and was traveling with Teresa Giudice, her sister Gia and a counselor when she separated from the group.
Authorities were informed that Milania had recently been evaluated under Florida’s Baker Act, which allows someone experiencing a mental-health crisis to be taken for emergency evaluation.
Officers ultimately located her and escorted her to her gate. Police did not arrest her or transport her to a hospital, and according to reports, no police report was created at the time.
Teresa Giudice’s Family Scrambled To Find Milania After She Left Them At The Airport
Police turned the response into a search operation when Milania separated from the group at Tampa International Airport.
The U.S. Sun obtained 911 dispatch audio from the incident, revealing that a counselor at the United Airlines ticket counter contacted authorities after Milania reportedly ran away.
The caller described Milania as a 20-year-old woman wearing a tan hat and yellow sweatsuit. Officers began gathering information about where she might have gone, and airport surveillance helped track her movements.
Police also learned that she was carrying a cat in a pink carrier. The search eventually narrowed through information about Milania’s cellphone.
Teresa later spotted her daughter, while an officer accompanying Gia learned Milania had gone down a hallway, potentially toward the Marriott. Officers subsequently used her cellphone location to help find her.
According to the outlet, police located Milania about 12 minutes after they were called and about 45 minutes after she first separated from the group.
More From The Blast
Teresa Told Milania She Wanted To ‘Save Your Life’ In Airport Bodycam Footage
The police search provided only part of the picture, while body-camera footage captured Teresa Giudice speaking directly to her daughter during the confrontation.
As The Blast reported, the footage showed Milania holding her phone as Teresa, Gia and police officers attempted to communicate with her.
The “RHONJ” alum told officers that Milania had fentanyl in her system and told her daughter she wanted to “save your life.”
Milania responded that she “was laced.” The footage also showed officers discussing Milania’s recent release following a Baker Act evaluation.
The family had arranged for a counselor to accompany Milania, and the bodycam footage showed Teresa and others attempting to keep her engaged while police remained nearby. At one point, Milania expressed concern about being sent “back in the psych ward.”
The footage later showed Milania walking through the airport in her yellow sweatsuit, checking her ticket and using her phone. Officers eventually instructed her to sit down while the situation was handled.
Teresa Giudice Asked For Privacy As Her Daughter Dealt With Personal Loss
Teresa subsequently addressed the circumstances surrounding Milania’s behavior, asking the public to give her daughter privacy while she dealt with what the reality star described as an exceptionally difficult period.
Per The Blast, Teresa said the previous several months had been “incredibly difficult” and described Milania as being in an “extremely vulnerable time in her life.”
She revealed that her daughter had experienced “tremendous heartbreak and significant psychological trauma” after losing two close friends.
One of those friends was Victoria Zardoya, who died in July after sustaining fatal injuries while exploring the ruins of Fort Dade during a trip to Tampa. The 54-year-old noted that the loss had been particularly painful for Milania.
The reality star said her priority was making sure her daughter was surrounded by “love, family, support, and the care she needs.” She acknowledged that the family’s public profile could invite scrutiny but emphasized that Milania’s well-being remained the focus.
Eva Marie Saint, the last surviving star of Hollywood’s golden age and the oldest living Academy Award winner, has died at her Los Angeles home at the age of 102. A family representative confirmed she died on Tuesday of natural causes, surrounded by relatives and loved ones, bringing to a close a career that stretched from the earliest days of live television to blockbuster filmmaking in the 2000s.
For audiences who came of age watching classic American cinema, Eva Marie Saint was never a single type. She was Edie Doyle, the quietly moral heart of Elia Kazan’s “On the Waterfront,” and five years later she was Eve Kendall, the glacial, seductive spy who entangled Cary Grant’s advertising executive in Alfred Hitchcock’s “North by Northwest.” Few actors of her era moved so convincingly between gritty realism and high Hollywood glamour, and fewer still are remembered as fondly for both.
From Teacher-in-Training to Oscar Winner
Born in Newark, New Jersey, in 1924, Saint originally planned to become a teacher before falling in love with theatre. She trained at the Herbert Berghof Studio and later the Actors Studio, the famed home of method acting co-founded by Kazan himself. That pedigree paid off almost immediately: her very first film role, as Edie in “On the Waterfront” opposite Marlon Brando, earned her the 1955 Academy Award for best supporting actress.
The circumstances of her win became part of Hollywood lore. Nine months pregnant at the ceremony, she joked to the audience, “I may have the baby right here!” She wasn’t exaggerating by much — her son arrived just two days later.
Brando, famously intense and immersive in his method, left a lasting impression on his co-star. “I felt that he could see right through me,” Saint recalled in a 2013 interview with Turner Classic Movies, admitting she found him both “adorable” and “a little frightening.”
Becoming the Definitive Hitchcock Blonde
If “On the Waterfront” established Eva Marie Saint as a serious dramatic actress, “North by Northwest” transformed her into a cinematic icon of an entirely different kind. Alfred Hitchcock, notoriously exacting with his leading ladies, built her performance from the outside in. “My hair, my makeup, my shoes, my jewellery, my purse, my gloves, everything,” she said. “And just from creating that exterior for me, he gave me the sense of a spy lady.”
The result was a character who critics now credit with helping shape the template for the “Bond women” who followed decades later — sophisticated, sexually confident, and intellectually a match for her male co-star. Film critic Peter Bradshaw, reflecting on her death, noted that her Eve Kendall carried “the airily sexy entitlement” of Grace Kelly alongside something more vulnerable, visible in moments like the art auction scene where her character’s fear and wretchedness break through her polished exterior.
Yet those who worked closely with Eva Marie Saint over the decades insisted the glamorous persona never fully defined her. Her television work in the 1940s and 1950s, including a live musical adaptation of Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town” alongside Paul Newman and Frank Sinatra, showcased a performer capable of comedy, drama and emotional nuance long before Hollywood pigeonholed her as Hitchcock’s icy blonde.
A Career That Refused to Fade
After starring opposite Paul Newman in “Exodus” and Warren Beatty in “All Fall Down,” Saint stepped back from major film roles to raise a family with her husband, director Jeffrey Hayden, to whom she was married for 65 years until his death in 2016.
But she never fully left the industry behind. In 1990, she won an Emmy Award for her role as the wealthy widow Lil Van Degan Altemus in the television miniseries “People Like Us.” Then, remarkably, in her 80s she made a widely noted big-screen comeback as Clark Kent’s adoptive mother in 2006’s “Superman Returns,” introducing her to an entirely new generation of moviegoers. She continued acting well into her 90s, appearing in “Winter’s Tale” alongside Colin Farrell and Russell Crowe, and in 2019’s “Mariette in Ecstasy.”
Reflecting on her unusually long career, Eva Marie Saint credited her longevity with deepening her craft rather than diminishing it. “The longer you live, the smarter you get, because you’ve been around, you’ve seen things,” she told Turner Classic Movies. “You’ve gone through different emotional experiences in your own life, and hopefully, you understand things better. And that makes you a better actress.”
She leaves behind two children and two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, recognising both her film and television work. With her passing, the industry loses one of its last direct links to the golden age of studio filmmaking — but her performances, from the Brooklyn docks of “On the Waterfront” to the speeding train of “North by Northwest,” remain as vivid and studied as ever.
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David Corenswet’s future as Superman reportedly looks secure even as major changes are coming to Warner Bros. Discovery and DC Studios.
According to a new report from insider Jeff Sneider, Corenswet is expected to remain the DC Universe’s Superman for years following the merger involving Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery.
The report indicates that Corenswet’s position as the Man of Steel is not expected to be affected by potential changes surrounding DC Studios once the merger is completed. One source reportedly suggested Corenswet could remain in the red cape for as long as the next decade.
While that should not be treated as an official commitment from DC Studios or the incoming company, it is an encouraging sign for the future of the current Superman.
Corenswet made his debut as Clark Kent/Superman in James Gunn’s Superman, officially launching the theatrical side of Gunn and Peter Safran’s new DC Universe.
He is already set to return in Man of Tomorrow, continuing the story established in Superman. The film is currently scheduled to arrive in theaters on July 9, 2027.
David Corenswet as Superman [Warner Bros.]
The timing of the report is particularly interesting because Warner Bros. Discovery is preparing for another major change in ownership. Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery have announced that their merger is expected to close on October 6, bringing Warner Bros., DC and Paramount under the same corporate umbrella.
Major ownership changes frequently lead to questions about existing franchises, executives and long-term creative plans. DC fans experienced exactly that during the transition from the previous DC film universe to Gunn and Safran’s DCU, which ultimately resulted in Henry Cavill departing the Superman role shortly after announcing his return.
Corenswet, however, reportedly isn’t facing the same uncertainty.
David Corenswet as Superman [Warner Bros.]
There is also an existing connection between Corenswet and the incoming Paramount leadership. The actor stars in Paramount’s upcoming Mr. Irrelevant, giving the studio another major project with the actor outside of his Superman role.
Exactly what the merger means for the leadership and long-term structure of DC Studios remains to be seen. Gunn and Safran currently oversee the DC Universe, but the new ownership structure could eventually bring changes throughout Warner Bros. and its major franchises.
For now, though, one of the biggest pieces of the DCU reportedly appears to be staying in place.
David Corenswet is Superman — and if the latest report proves accurate, he could be wearing the cape for a long time.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/Chicago-Fire-Monica-Raymund-David-Eigenberg-Eamonn-Walker-100626-619021e94cd04b368a88ff2eb05ce063.jpg "The 20 best “Chicago Fire” episodes, ranked 53")
EW looks back on the NBC series’ most exciting and emotional moments.
Entertainment
Jeffrey Archer, Bestselling Author and Disgraced Peer, Dies at 86 Days After Final Book Launch
TITLE: Jeffrey Archer, Bestselling Author and Disgraced Peer, Dies at 86 Days After Final Book Launch
KEYWORD: jeffrey archer
DESCRIPTION: Jeffrey Archer, the bestselling novelist and former Tory peer jailed for perjury, has died at 86, just a day before his final novel’s release.
Jeffrey Archer, the novelist and former politician whose extraordinary life swung between the heights of Westminster power and the inside of a prison cell, has died at the age of 86, his publisher has confirmed.
HarperCollins said Archer died “suddenly and peacefully at home” on Monday, working between writing sessions right up until the end. The timing carried its own cruel irony: his death came on the eve of the publication of his final novel, Adam and Eve, closing out a five-decade career in which he sold more than 300 million books worldwide.
Queen Camilla, a supporter of Archer’s work through her Queen’s Reading Room charity, led tributes to the author, calling him an “irrepressible life force” whose own biography rivalled the plot twists of his fiction. “Seldom does an author get to live a life as rich, varied and colourful as any of the characters in their books,” she said in a statement, adding that Archer was “not without flaw” but remained “an exception to the end.” She noted with evident sorrow that he had died so soon after appearing at her reading festival, and signed off with a wish that wherever he had gone, there would be “champagne and Shepherd’s Pie in abundance” — a nod to the lavish parties for which Jeffrey Archer was famous among London’s political and literary set.
A storyteller’s rise from Somerset to Westminster
Born in north London in 1940, Archer was raised largely in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, a county that would later provide the backdrop for much of his fiction, including novels set around his adopted home town of Wellington. His path to literary stardom began, improbably, in politics. In 1969 Jeffrey Archer was elected Conservative MP for the Lincolnshire seat of Louth, serving five years in the Commons before rising to become Conservative Party deputy chairman.
It was a near-ruinous personal financial crisis in the 1970s that pushed Archer toward writing, and he found extraordinary success with blockbuster novels including Kane and Abel and the multi-generational Clifton Chronicles, cementing his status as one of Britain’s most commercially successful authors. In 1992 he was elevated to the House of Lords, seemingly completing a remarkable journey from backbench MP to literary grandee and peer of the realm.
Scandal, prison and a long road back
That ascent was dramatically interrupted in 2001, when Jeffrey Archer was convicted of perjury and perverting the course of justice. The case centred on a 1987 libel action he had brought against the Daily Star, which had alleged he slept with a sex worker; Archer won £500,000 in damages at the time. But a court later found he had lied under oath during that trial, fabricated diary entries, and persuaded a friend to provide him with a false alibi. He was sentenced to four years in prison and served two before his release in 2003.
He returned to the House of Lords after his release and remained a peer until retiring in 2024, never fully shedding the shadow of the scandal but, by many accounts, emerging changed by the experience. Broadcaster Gyles Brandreth, who was with Archer just 72 hours before his death at a West End event celebrating his final book, said the author “didn’t really acknowledge that he’d changed much” but had in fact become “a nicer person in some ways, a gentler, a milder person” after prison.
Tributes from across the political divide
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch said she had received a text from Archer just hours before his death, describing the news as “devastating” and saying he was “very much loved by the Conservative family.” Addressing his criminal past directly, she said: “He did serve his time, he made amends, and he wanted to do a lot of good in the world.”
Former prime minister Sir John Major said Britain had “lost a man who lived one of the most remarkable lives of our age,” predicting he would be “much missed — and long remembered.” Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith remembered Archer as someone who “did everything at full bore,” with “no half measures,” while former ministers including Sajid Javid, Sir Jeremy Hunt and James Cleverly described him respectively as a “dear friend,” a generous mentor on writing, and “a huge personality and fantastic storyteller.” Reform UK’s Nadim Zahawi called him “an extraordinary human being” whose “wit, warmth and boundless energy” made life never dull in his company.
Jeffrey Archer’s final public appearance came just last week, when he returned to his old school to promote Adam and Eve, reportedly reflecting warmly and “nostalgically” on his Somerset roots before his death. For a man whose life contained as many reversals of fortune as any of his bestselling plots, it was a fitting last chapter — closing the book on a career that made Jeffrey Archer one of the most read, and most talked about, figures in modern British letters.
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Days of Our Lives puts EJ DiMera (Dan Feuerriegel) with a secret brother that Stefano DiMera (Joseph Mascolo) had with Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall) and a sibling rivalry that EJ does not even know about. And even worse, Dominic Marino could be planning to take everything from EJ, not just the Kiriakis mansion and not just the Phoenix ring.
Days of our Lives: EJ At a Low Point
Let’s get into this new sibling rivalry coming soon between EJ and Dominic. Right now, EJ’s world seems to be falling apart. This week, Johnny DiMera (Carson Boatman) is ratting EJ out to Belle Black (Martha Madison). And it looks like Johnny is ready to testify against EJ for the pharmaceutical cover up that he did with George O’Halloran.
On top of that blindside coming his way, EJ’s plan to snatch up the Kiriakis mansion was thwarted and he was looking forward to crushing Titan. But that just fell apart as well. Philip Kiriakis (John-Paul Lavoisier) scored big in Monte Carlo and was able to save Titan by paying off EJ’s loan even though Philip’s text to Xander Cook Kiriakis (Paul Telfer) to hold off on the house closing did not go through for some reason. Either way, EJ lost out on getting his revenge on the Kiriakis brothers.
Dominic & Dante Teamed Up on DOOL
And even worse, his secret brother, Dominic, is the one behind the purchase of the Kiriakis mansion. Plus, Sami Brady (Alison Sweeney)’s fiancée, Dante Vitali (Franco LoPresti), is working with Dominic to try and make sure the Kiriakis family could not salvage their home.
But Philip just got lucky. What’s worse is Kate Roberts (Lauren Koslow) and Maggie Horton (Susanne Rogers) are plotting to overturn the sale of the Kiriakis mansion by saying there are defects in the property that prevent the sale from going through.
They’re hoping that they can refund Dominic the money and keep the house. We’ll see if that works out or not. Either way, EJ will not have it and he’s thwarted. And I do suspect when Dante shows up this week and surprises Sydney DiMera (Sydney Malakeh) that Dante may be in Salem to take possession of the Kiriakis mansion for his old boarding school buddy Dominic.
EJ Furious on Days
So, EJ already was raging about mystery man Dominic snaking the mansion out from under him. Remember, he went to Italy with Belle and Chad DiMera (Connor Floyd) primarily because EJ was hoping to confront Dominic, and he’s frustrated he did not get to see the mystery man. Plus, he and Chad both found it strange how many of Stefano’s favorite things were casually lying around Dominic’s mansion.
And on top of EJ’s disappointments related to Philip and Xander Kiriakis, we know that EJ’s frantic about the missing prized Phoenix ring that Stefano used to wear on his pinky. That’s because Rita Lesley (Maggie Carney) sent that ring to the new heir apparent Dominic. And she’s been lying right in EJ’s face about it. Plus, Rita’s following Dominic’s orders and dropping clues for Belle and Chad to find him in Italy.
And the fact that Stefano’s will included this book quest to start the mystery also points to Dominic being the one meant to take over for the Phoenix, not EJ. Last week on Days of Our Lives, EJ overheard Rita and Marlena talking about Dominic being Stefano’s son with Marlena. And this week, we’ve got EJ confronting Rita about what she knows about Dominic.
EJ Grills Rita on DOOL
We’ll find out exactly how much that EJ overheard once he starts questioning Rita. So, EJ may suspect that his time as the presumed head of the DiMera family is in jeopardy and he may feel that Rita is no longer as loyal as she claims to be. And of course he would be exactly right about that. Also, Jada Hunter (Elia Cantu) is questioning EJ this week. And I’m sure that’s about the statement Johnny made to the cops.
So, we’ve got the law breathing down EJ’s neck soon. We’ve got a messy confrontation with Rita. We’ve got his son turning on him. Plus, Cat Greene (AnnaLynne McCord) just quit and she’s been honeypotting him. Things do not seem great for the mighty Elvis Jr. right now. And I suspect that Dominic may be after more than just a house and a ring.
Sami Targeted on Days of our Lives
Dominic is well known in Europe for his dealings in the financial world with his hedge fund. He’s known to be ruthless. We also know that he is working with Dante, who’s engaged to EJ’s ex-wife and baby mama, Sami. That does not seem like a coincidence. I think Dante targeted Sami, to get close to her, to get close to EJ’s daughter, Sydney. And this may be all for nefarious reasons. And because Dante’s close to Dominic and doing his bidding, that’s why he could have started dating Sami as part of whatever he’s scheming up with Dominic.
So, EJ may lose everything before his younger brother’s done with him, which would fulfill Stefano’s legacy because he was so ruthless. I’m expecting we’re finally going to meet Dominic when he makes his way to Salem most likely during November sweeps, which starts October twenty-ninth.
Dominic Takes it All on Days
In addition to having his sidekick Dante get with Sami and get close to Sydney, plus the Kiriakis mansion grab, there’s a lot more possibilities for chaos. EJ just lost his rights to own the hospital. It’s been transitioned into receivership until another buyer can be found. Gwen Rizczech (Emily O’Brien) just lost her chance as a potential buyer. But Dominic could swoop in and buy up Salem University Hospital.
And of course, that would thrill a lot of people because Kayla Brady (Mary Beth Evans) and Sarah Horton (Linsey Godfrey) do not want EJ anywhere near the hospital. Plus, Dominic might buy it because his mom Marlena is a doctor there. That would hit EJ really hard. I also am wondering if EJ has been set up by Rita. She might be the reason EJ possibly goes down for the GabiChic purse counterfeiting ring.
Gabi Hernandez (Cherie Jimenez) just hired Theo Carver (Tyler Joseph Andrews) to trace the internet breadcrumbs back to the thieves and it may be a false trail designed to implicate EJ. So, we could also see Dominic waiting in the wings for another shot at Titan. There’s rumors and spoilers about Philip starting gambling again because he’s trying to help Gabi with this dark web thing. So, that might give Dominic an opening to get into Titan. Nobody seems to be on EJ’s side right now except maybe Sydney.
Dominic Connected to Clyde on DOOL?
And she loves EJ, but she also does not want Johnny going down for anything to do with EJ’s dirty deeds. Plus, he’s feeling very foolish for letting Cat get close to him with her past ISA ties. And EJ’s certain Cat is still ISA, and he’s not wrong. And I wonder somehow if Dominic knew about his brother EJ and Cat’s involvement while they were both hospitalized in Italy.
I mean, I would not put it past that Dominic might have known Clyde Weston (James Read) and have somehow been involved with him to get info on EJ. Who knows where this all ends? There’s tentacles everywhere. It seems like Dominic’s been lying and wait for the right time to strike at EJ. And that might have been when there was confirmation of Stefano’s death. That may be what have triggered Dominic to launch his big plan against EJ.
That seems to have different aspects, personal and professional. It would not surprise me in the least if Dominic works his way into Cat’s life as well. EJ does not trust Cat right now. But he’s still hot for her. And if she wound up as Dominic’s arm candy, that’s one more way for him to slap at big brother EJ. Bottom line, with Johnny turning on him, the hospital loss, the mansion sold, and Rita betraying him, EJ is circling the drain, and he does not even know it yet.
Entertainment
Inside the $100,000 Alumni Vision Fund Helping Film School Grads Finish Their Passion Projects
Most universities call their graduates to ask for money. DePaul University’s School of Cinematic Arts decided to do the opposite, launching the Alumni Vision Fund, a program that hands filmmakers roughly $100,000 in production support to finish the projects they couldn’t afford to make on their own.
The idea, which debuted in January 2026, grew out of a simple question the school’s faculty kept asking themselves: what could DePaul offer its graduates that wasn’t transactional? For associate professor Daniel Klein, director of industry engagement for the School of Cinematic Arts, the answer was continuity. Film school gives students equipment, mentorship, and a creative community, but all of that typically disappears the moment a diploma is handed over. The Alumni Vision Fund is designed to keep that ecosystem open.
What the Alumni Vision Fund Actually Provides
Open exclusively to School of Cinematic Arts alumni, the fund provides a production support package worth approximately $100,000. That includes soundstage access at DePaul Cinespace Studios, professional-grade cameras, grip and lighting equipment, additional production resources, and a cash grant to cover on-set costs. Recipients walk away with a polished proof-of-concept short film rather than just a script or a pitch deck — something tangible they can show investors, producers, and talent to build momentum toward a feature or series.
Crucially, the arrangement isn’t an investment in the traditional sense. DePaul doesn’t take equity or a cut of future profits. Filmmakers retain full ownership of whatever they create, which sets the Alumni Vision Fund apart from many industry financing models that ask emerging artists to trade away creative control in exchange for resources.
“You might’ve graduated a year ago or ten years ago, but we’ve still got your back,” Klein said of the program’s intent. “We’re still here to support you. Your success is our success.”
Demand Outpaced Expectations
DePaul initially planned to fund a single alumni project in the program’s first year. But after receiving 40 complete applications, the school’s faculty committee found itself with far more promising finalists than it anticipated — enough that administrators expanded the inaugural class from one recipient to two: George Ellzey Jr. and Johanna Unden.
Ellzey Jr., a 2023 graduate, had already proven he could make something out of nothing. His short film “Closed Mouths” was produced for essentially $0 through favors, donated equipment, and community goodwill. The Alumni Vision Fund gave him the chance to revive a much more ambitious project: “Human Noise,” an idea he first conceived back in 2021 but had been forced to shelve.
Access to real resources changed what the project could become, Ellzey Jr. said, particularly when it came to finding a location that matched the story’s world of wealth and influence. “To try to find a location in Chicago that wouldn’t charge us an arm and a leg was a feat,” he said. “And so to have access to the Cinespace stage where not only we can control the space but then customize it was extremely, extremely helpful.”
Closing the Gap Between Graduation and Opportunity
The program addresses a problem familiar to film school graduates everywhere: knowing how to make something isn’t the same as having the means to make it well. Young filmmakers often leave school with scripts, ideas, and technical skill but no reliable path to the soundstages, equipment, and mentorship needed to turn concepts into something that can actually compete for festival slots or financing. Without that bridge, strong work can quietly stall before it ever finds an audience.
By giving selected alumni a finished, professionally produced short rather than just funding, the Alumni Vision Fund aims to give graduates a concrete asset rather than a vague promise. A proof-of-concept film can do things a script cannot — it can be submitted to festivals, shown to financiers, and used to recruit collaborators who want to see evidence of vision before committing.
Given the strength of this year’s applicant pool, DePaul appears committed to treating the Alumni Vision Fund as an ongoing institutional investment rather than a one-off experiment. For a university looking to differentiate its film program in a crowded field of cinematic arts schools, offering graduates real production dollars — and letting them keep what they make — may prove to be a far more compelling pitch than another alumni newsletter asking for a donation.
- DePaul’s Alumni Vision Fund Is Helping Filmmakers Take the Next Step (The Hollywood Reporter)
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Julia Stiles might have some regrets that are catching up to her from almost twenty-five years ago.
The “Save the Last Dance” actress is competing on the 35th season of “Dancing With The Stars” alongside pro partner Ezra Sosa. Her association with the movie has caused multiple conversations centering around her dance abilities.
Stiles’ journey on the dance show has, however, been full of many surprises. Now, the Hollywood star is bringing her dance experience back into the spotlight with a recent comment.
Julia Stiles Says It Was ‘Wrong’ To Play Up Dance Training For ‘Save The Last Dance
While watching a video of herself from a “Save the Last Dance” interview in 2000, Stiles had a surprising reaction to herself.
“I enjoy working so much that it’s just sort of natural that I would focus on it, on achieving success and working hard,” a then 19-year-old Stiles could be heard saying.
Sosa, who was watching the video with the actress, could barely contain his laughter while she opened her mouth in shock.
“And actually, in this movie, the dance training that I had to do, I’ve put a lot of energy into. But it’s easy because it’s so much fun and I love to dance,” her younger self went on.
When the video was over, Stiles exclaimed at how young she was, referring to herself as a baby: “I personally cringe. I’m glad that people liked the movie, but I was such a baby!”
The Hollywood star then revealed that she felt she played up the dance training at the time in interviews, admitting, “That was really wrong.”
She went on to explain that a huge reason she wanted to come on “Dancing With The Stars” was to take what she had learned from that film and refresh it.
Julia Stiles Believed Her Association With ‘Save The Last Dance’ Was A Disadvantage on DWTS
Stiles’ reflection on her dance training also came as she previously acknowledged that her association with “Save the Last Dance” gave her a bit of a disadvantage, as reported by Entertainment Weekly.
“I stopped taking dance classes after that movie because people expected me to be a great dancer,” she explained. “I’m a home dancer. I love dancing at home, and part of my reason for coming on this show is to, like, find the joy in dance again, find my confidence in dance again.”
Stiles said making the movie was great training, and while it was a wonderful opportunity, she felt quite self-conscious and tense, expressing that she wanted to let that go.
Julia Stiles Set The Record Straight On Her Dancing Skills Ahead Of ‘DWTS’
The “10 Things I Hate About You” actress’ dance ability has remained a topic of discussion since her involvement in the competitive dance show, and in September she set the record straight on the true extent of her skills.
Joining a TikTok trend, Stiles and Sosa responded to misconceptions about her professional dance training. She revealed that while she had gotten some training for the dance movie, she had neither danced before the movie nor did she continue to dance or receive training after it, almost three decades ago.
She also surprised fans by sharing that she had a body double who performed more of the harder, technical skills, as reported on The Blast.
Julia Stiles Received a Massive Apology From Juilliard School
The actress continued to dispel speculations surrounding her, including clearing the air that while Johnson, her character, attended Juilliard School, Stiles herself did not.
The institute, however, had a funny take on the situation. After they were called out for a post stating that Stiles did not attend Juilliard, they responded by sending the 40-year-old an alumni package for her and Sosa.
They included a cute note, saying they meant no shade in their earlier post, and that after the clerical error was fixed, her alumni gear was found under the name “Sara Johnson.”
The Blast reported that Stiles gushed over the gesture, saying it was so sweet.
Julia Stiles On How ‘DWTS’ Helped Her Reclaim Her Relationship With Fame
For Stiles, her appearance on “Dancing With The Stars” seems to be more than just showcasing her dance skills or gaining support. The experience has also become a deeply personal journey for her and her complicated relationship with fame.
Despite being in the spotlight at a very young age, Stiles admitted it scared her, causing her to run in the other direction. The actress spoke about how private she was, adding that she never chased the spotlight the way people probably expected her to.
By joining the show, the “Dexter” actress is reclaiming her comfort with being watched and rediscovering her love for performing. She credited Sosa with helping her regain confidence to come out of her shell, per The Blast.
He may only be 12 but he’s got his sights set on some major things already. Child actor Jai Soundar, who stars in Johnny Knoxville’s new movie, “Tiny Fugitives,” has a handle on what he wants his future to look like and he’s proactive about it all. In addition to wanting to continue to work on great projects as an actor, he’s also working hard on his own projects, and is also determined to help get more Indian representation in entertainment.
Jai sat down with The Blast for an exclusive chat about the recently released “Tiny Fugitives,” what projects he’s got in the works, and why it’s important for him to bring more attention to Indian representation in the entertainment industry.
‘Tiny Fugitives’ Hit Theaters In Mid-September
Produced by Seth Rogan and starring Johnny Knoxville, “Tiny Fugitives” is a comedy about a group of 12 year olds who make it their mission to have the best summer ever at sleep-away camp. They are faced with the obstacle of a difficult camp counselor, played by Knoxville, making the summer more of a cat and mouse game for the kids.
Jai stars as the central character in the group, Leon, alongside Aaron Harris (“Matlock”), Benjamin Pajak (“The Life of Chuck”), and Alyssa Gervasi (“The Umbrella Academy”).
Jai was discovered by James Gunn when he was cast in “Superman” in 2025. Shortly after, he scored the lead role in “Tiny Fugitives.” When he’s not acting, he working on his own projects, playing guitar, enjoying school, and singing, as well as spending time with his family.
‘Tiny Fugitives’ Was Jai Soundar’s First ‘Main Character Role’
While discussing the new movie with Jai, he shared this was his first “main character role” in a film, so it was a really exciting adventure.
“I feel like it was something a lot of people could connect to, and just really it would have been a great experience, and it was,” he told The Blast exclusively about getting the role. He then went on to explain a bit about the storyline. “There’s five children who escape camp and never want to leave, while a 50-year-old camp counselor tries to track them down. It’s just a really amazing movie. I think a lot of people are gonna love it because it can really relate to your actual camp days and your childhood days. I really feel like it’s about acceptance and everything you ever dreamed of as a child.”
Working with Knoxville was something Jai said he won’t soon forget.
“So, Mr. Johnny Knoxville, I remember working with him on set, and especially for this, for the scene where I bite his finger off, because this is in the trailer. After I bit his finger, when I was doing that scene, it felt exhilarating because you know I’m doing stunts with the literal king of stunts,” he shared. “Basically, working on set with him was a blast, of course. He’s a very, very talented actor and he’s able to tap into those emotions; he has emotional depth.”
He added that he was really happy to have the opportunity to work with Knoxville and he loved his time on set with him. And while Seth Rogan is a producer on the film, Jai never got the chance to meet him, but said he appreciates his work. He also mentioned appreciating a writer and director making the kids feel “comfortable” on set.
“Writer Jacob Kaplan and director Michael Lewin would always talk to us on set and make us feel comfortable,” he added. “We talked so much during lunchtime, and it would feel like we were able to be comfortable in our own skin on set. I just thought it was an absolutely amazing time.”
Getting His Start In Acting
Jai told The Blast that he remembers being 5 years old, sitting on the couch watching TV and asking his mom, “Why does nobody on TV look like me?” His mom then shared a Gandhi quote with him, “Be the change you want to see,” and that’s exactly what he set out to do. By the age of 8, he was involved in the theater and realized he absolutely loved it. That’s what led him to pursuing a career in TV and film. But his ambitions aren’t stopping there.
“Now, I’ve been in the industry for four years and I’m actually writing my own stuff. It’s a sci-fi comedy trilogy. It has this whole storyline and I think you guys are going to love it,” he said. “It’s absolutely amazing.”
He continued by sharing what it was like for him to work with James Gunn. That was also the first set he ever worked on.
“So working with him, I really got to test the waters of what working on a set was really like and he was phenomenal,” Jai said. “He would always guide us young child actors into what we should be doing and how set basically works, and that being my first experience, it helped me learn what set is actually like.”
Trying To Bring More Indian Representation Into The Spotlight
While Jai is just 12 years old, he is on a mission to bring more inclusion into the acting world.
“Why I feel like it’s necessary to bring diversity into the acting industry is because us, as people in America, inclusion is a must. I feel like in the acting industry, not enough inclusion is happening,” he said. “And I feel like a lot of other people see that and so we have to diversify casting and basically work for integration in acting.”
He also shared that he feels it’s important because many times, “ethnic characters get sidelined.” He also touched on the topic of being stereotyped into specific roles with “certain criteria.”
“The acting industry needs to have Indian main characters sometimes and that’s what I’m fighting for,” he said. “I remember the casting directors did not care that I was Indian [when casting for Leon in ‘Tiny Fugitives’] and didn’t bring it up at all. That’s what I really loved about that set, and I want other sets to be like that too and give children of different backgrounds of ethnicities a chance.”
Advice For Other Children Wanting To Get Into Acting
Being a successful child actor, Jai had some advice for other kids who hope to get into acting.
“Some advice I’d give a young actor coming into the industry is never, never, never give up. Keep on fighting because nothing is going to be handed to you on a silver platter in anything that you ever do,” he told The Blast. “You have to keep working for it. You have to keep on fighting for it.”
He reiterated that “fighting” for what you want is the best advice he can give. He also said, “it’s all about enjoying the process.”
Entertainment
30 Years On, Urbanworld Film Festival Taps Gina Prince-Bythewood and Reggie Rock Bythewood as Ambassadors
TITLE: 30 Years On, Urbanworld Film Festival Taps Gina Prince-Bythewood and Reggie Rock Bythewood as Ambassadors
KEYWORD: urbanworld film festival
DESCRIPTION: Gina Prince-Bythewood and Reggie Rock Bythewood return as ambassadors of the 30th Urbanworld Film Festival, running Oct. 14-18 in New York City.
The Urbanworld Film Festival is marking its 30th anniversary by turning to two of its most loyal alumni, naming married filmmakers Gina Prince-Bythewood and Reggie Rock Bythewood as festival ambassadors for the milestone 2026 edition, set to run Oct. 14-18 in New York City.
The announcement, reported by The Hollywood Reporter, caps a long relationship between the couple and the festival, which has served for three decades as a launching pad for Black and multicultural storytellers in film and television. Prince-Bythewood first brought her adaptation of The Secret Life of Bees to Urbanworld in 2008, and her romance drama Beyond the Lights opened the festival in 2014. Reggie Rock Bythewood has his own history with the event, screening ESPN’s 30 for 30 installment “One Night in Vegas” in 2010 and the BET movie Gun Hill in 2013. The pair also returned together in 2023 in support of NatGeo’s Genius: MLK/X.
A Homecoming Built Into the Urbanworld Film Festival’s DNA
“Urbanworld has been a consistent touchstone for filmmakers to bring our stories, connect with our community and support the next generation, and it has always felt like home for us,” the Bythewoods said in a joint statement. “We’re honored to return as festival ambassadors to celebrate 30 years of Urbanworld while sharing what’s next. Art over fear.”
That sentiment echoes the festival’s founding purpose. Urbanworld was launched in 1997 by Stacy Spikes as a platform dedicated to championing established and emerging multicultural voices in independent film. Nearly 30 years later, Spikes says that mission remains unchanged, and bringing back two of the festival’s most recognizable success stories underscores how far those early relationships have carried.
“Gina and Reggie have been part of the Urbanworld story for many years, and having them return together as festival ambassadors is a powerful way to celebrate our 30th anniversary,” Spikes said. “Urbanworld has always been about creating a platform for artists to tell their stories, build community, and open doors for those coming behind them.”
What the Ambassadors Will Bring to the Festival
As ambassadors, the Bythewoods will headline special programming at The New School, which serves as Urbanworld’s Innovation Summit partner, offering festivalgoers an intimate look at their personal and creative evolution over more than two decades in the industry. The festival will also include a dedicated spotlight on Prince-Bythewood’s upcoming film adaptation of Tomi Adeyemi’s bestselling novel Children of Blood and Bone, screening ahead of its Jan. 15, 2027 theatrical release at Regal Union Square, Urbanworld’s host theater.
Festival director Verona Cesair Jones, who is leading Urbanworld for the first time this year, called the pairing a reflection of what the festival stands for. “Gina and Reggie represent the caliber of artists and storytellers we want to celebrate at Urbanworld,” Jones said. “Their work, leadership and commitment to storytelling have made an undeniable impact on our industry. As I begin my first year leading the festival and Urbanworld celebrates 30 years, we’re proud to honor them as our festival ambassadors and give them their flowers.”
For a festival built on giving overlooked storytellers a stage, the symbolism of bringing back two of its earliest champions for the anniversary edition is hard to miss. The Urbanworld Film Festival has long positioned itself as more than a screening series — a community hub where emerging filmmakers rub shoulders with established names who once stood in their shoes. With Prince-Bythewood and Bythewood now returning as ambassadors, that cycle comes full circle just as Urbanworld looks ahead to its next three decades.
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