If a movie features some kind of martial arts prominently, and at least an action scene or two is seen throughout, it’s going to count as a martial arts movie for present purposes. That makes things pretty broad, at least compared to the range of films you might get to unpack and discuss if you were talking about kung fu movies, because kung fu is a sub-genre of martial arts, cinema-wise. And kung fu is a kind of martial art, if you’re talking more generally and outside the realm of cinema.

So, Seven Samurai could be classified as a martial arts movie, even if you might feel more comfortable calling it a samurai film. It’s not quite intense enough to appear here, but there are a few samurai films below. The focus is on particularly intense martial arts movies, which isn’t necessarily the same as looking at the best martial arts movies of all time… though a few of the ones below are absolute classics. They just so happen to be particularly intense classics.

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‘The 8 Diagram Pole Fighter’ (1984)

Image via Shaw Brothers Studio

While it might sound like business as usual, for a martial arts movie, The 8 Diagram Pole Fighter is actually pretty intense, mostly owing to how it looks a little more painful in its action scenes than most martial arts films of its era. As for the business-as-usual side of things, it is one of many martial arts movies about revenge, and the protagonist is someone who spends quite a bit of the film’s runtime training so that he has what it takes to enact vengeance.

The finale is particularly impressive on an action front, not to mention brutal, while the opening scene is no slouch in such departments, either, given how many people are wiped out in the film’s inciting incident; just how many people need to be avenged, in other words. It’s all extremely well done, and as long as you don’t mind wincing a handful of times, The 8 Diagram Pole Fighter is an undeniable must-watch, as far as martial arts movies go.

9

‘Last Hurrah for Chivalry’ (1979)

Image via Golden Harvest

People tend to be more familiar with the John Woo movies that focus on shooting and explosions over hand-to-hand combat, and that’s understandable, because the likes of Hard Boiled and The Killer are immense action movies… but also, those people might be missing out on Last Hurrah for Chivalry. This one came out a little earlier, and is a great demonstration of Woo’s ability to make a different sort of action movie in a similarly satisfying manner.

Narratively, it’s not always the easiest thing to follow, but reliable John Woo themes and beats like sacrifice and anything else that falls under the whole “heroic bloodshed” thing can be found here. The violence is also rather brutal by the standards of the 1970s, and there is a huge amount of action, so watching Last Hurrah for Chivalry does end up being a pretty consistently intense affair.

8

‘Ip Man 2’ (2010)

Image via Mandarin Films

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There are currently four main movies in the Ip Man series, plus a surprisingly good spin-off, though the first two are probably the best overall. Also, both are quite intense, not so much for the level of violence showcased (which is mild, compared to some soon-to-be-mentioned 21st-century martial arts movies), but more because of what they go for emotionally.

The original Ip Man might be even more of a drama or a biopic than it is a martial arts movie in the traditional sense, to the point that when the titular character gets into a situation where fighting is the only answer, you really feel the weight of that combat. But Ip Man 2 ups the stakes and also features a bit more by way of action, and could well be slightly more intense/involving as a result. Both are must-watches, though, if you like martial arts films and haven’t seen either of these yet, for any reason.

7

‘Lady Snowblood’ (1973)

Image via Toho

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Lady Snowblood is about a young girl who is raised learning pretty much nothing but what she needs to become a living instrument of revenge, all to get back at the people who killed the family she never got to know. If that sounds incredibly depressing, that’s because it is, but at the same time, Lady Snowblood is also quite thrilling, and there are certainly some impressive action sequences sprinkled throughout.

At the end of it all, there’s more of a sense of “Revenge is bad and only destructive,” though, more so than a perhaps more expected “Revenge is cool and worth it” sort of thing. At least there is some entertainment value here alongside all the blood and misery because, if nothing else, Lady Snowblood does manage to be a feast for the eyes while also being, more broadly, a punch to the gut.

6

‘Vengeance!’ (1970)

Image via Shaw Brothers

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And then alongside Lady Snowblood, here’s Vengeance!, which is another martial arts-themed movie about revenge, though this one might well be even more nihilistic. A man who feels like he could well be protagonist material ends up being very much not, since he dies early on, and it’s his brother who takes over as the central character in Vengeance!

He descends morally as he goes about fighting and/or killing all those responsible for his brother’s death, and it’s relentless just how much he keeps sinking and, all the while, the action scenes keep getting bloodier and more spectacular. It’s the sort of film that really takes you on a ride, and one that genuinely feels unsafe at certain points, but a movie being well over half a century old and still being able to inspire such feelings should be admired.

5

‘The Sword of Doom’ (1966)

Image via Toho

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Few central characters from cinema history have been quite as reprehensible as Ryunosuke from The Sword of Doom. If you can picture a slasher movie set during samurai times, but largely from the point of view of the villain, then you could well be picturing something a little along the lines of The Sword of Doom, with violence being constant and Ryunosuke himself getting worse and worse as things progress.

It’s also like a psychological drama, in a way, exploring the mind of someone who barely seems human and who has absolutely no problem with murdering all sorts of people for any reason that pays… and maybe, at a point, the killing itself is the payment. The Sword of Doom is equal parts miserable and impressive, certainly feeling up there as one of the heaviest and most soul-crushing films of its decade (or maybe even any decade).

4

‘The Raid’ (2011)

Image via PT Merantau Films

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The simplicity of The Raid is quite wonderful, since it’s about a police operation going wrong, and some well-equipped SWAT members being put at a tremendous disadvantage because they find themselves trapped within a high-rise apartment building. The building is crawling with people who are loyal to the crime boss who oversees the entire complex, and he sends out a message to all that the police officers need to be killed.

So, those who don’t die initially have to fight their way out of a confined location, with guns only taking everyone so far, and much of the action being of the hand-to-hand variety, sometimes with hand-to-hand weapons of the makeshift kind or otherwise. It’s a premise more than a story, but it’s a great premise, and it leads to some phenomenally well-staged fight scenes, with the brutality and the setting of the movie (plus the desperation involved with the premise) making The Raid feel especially intense throughout.

3

‘The Raid 2’ (2014)

Image via Sony Pictures Classics

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The Raid 2 goes bigger in just about every way, compared to The Raid (2011). Some of the immediacy is lost, since it doesn’t take place within a claustrophobic setting over a very short period of time, but there is still a ton of danger for the protagonist throughout. He’s essentially made to go undercover, infiltrating a vast crime empire that operates throughout Jakarta.

In that sense, The Raid 2 is also something of a gangster movie, and a particularly white-knuckle one at that. The gangster story side of things is not as impressive as the action, but the scope of the narrative does allow for a wide variety of action sequences, which ends up being the most important thing. And when this movie’s final act kicks off, it’s like little else, in terms of sheer excitement, spectacle, and intensity.

2

‘Harakiri’ (1962)

There’s an emphasis on mystery, drama, and a quiet kind of suspense to most of Harakiri, even if it does also feel like a samurai movie of sorts right from the start. The main character is a man who wants to tell the members of a samurai clan why he intends to take his life, and there are things revealed through the continually devastating story he tells, and things do gradually get more violent, too.

When there is combat in Harakiri, it feels brutal and quite realistic, which is in line with what the rest of the movie’s going for, as a deconstruction of certain samurai movie conventions or, more broadly, a critique of the samurai way of life/purported code of honor. You can approach it on one of these fronts, or all these fronts, and Harakiri remains gripping and unnerving.

1

‘The Night Comes for Us’ (2018)

Image via Netflix

For now, The Raid is a duology, but if you really want to see it as a martial arts trilogy, you could squint your eyes a little and maybe fool yourself into thinking that The Night Comes for Us is that third film. Okay, though it’s got the same sort of brutal action, and there are a fair few cast members who appeared in The Raid and/or The Raid 2 and The Night Comes for Us, the characters are pretty different.

Like, the hero of The Raid and its sequel is played by Iko Uwais, yet he plays the main villain in The Night Comes for Us, and the hero of The Night Comes for Us is played by Joe Taslim, who was a supporting character in The Raid (2011). And Julie Estelle, who was Hammer Girl in The Raid 2, has a prominent role in this film. Anyway, it’s maybe not as good as either of The Raid films, but The Night Comes for Us is somehow more violent, and it probably goes into more intense/downbeat territory on an emotional front, too, which does help make it feel like an escalation if you want to try and re-frame it – or somehow see it as – The Raid 3. In any event, if you liked those two movies, you will almost certainly get something out of The Night Comes for Us.

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The Night Comes For Us

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Release Date

October 5, 2018

Runtime

121 Minutes

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Director

Timo Tjahjanto

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Writers

Timo Tjahjanto

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The 24-hour clock never stops, and Olivia Ostrow wouldn’t have it any other way. The Miami, Florida–based chef is gearing up for the Season 3 premiere of 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing, but her prep for the high-stakes competition was surprisingly minimal.

“I watched one episode. That felt like the correct amount of research,” she tells ET. “After that I was like, ‘Okay, people are exhausted and making questionable decisions. Perfect. I’m ready.’ … I’m French. We look and then we do our own thing anyway.”

Her approach in the kitchen is just as instinctive. “I’m very in the moment. Cooking for me is almost like music,” she says. “Sometimes I feel like jazz and very improvisational, sometimes it’s classical and precise, and other times it’s a full boy band moment.”

Rather than letting the cameras intimidate her, Ostrow leaned into the structure of the television show, which pits 24 chefs against one another over a nonstop 24-hour stretch with eight shifts, 24 challenges, and a $100,000 prize.

“I love the chaos, the pace, and that slightly unhinged energy where things can go very right or very wrong,” she notes.

She also drew on her experience managing Maison Ostrow, where she redefines kosher dining through French-Mediterranean flavors.

“Running a restaurant in Miami is already a reality show,” she explains. “You’re juggling everything, people are dramatic, and timing is everything. … Being under pressure actually helps me.”

Still, even Ostrow had her limits.

“I learned that I can function on no sleep, pure adrenaline, and stubbornness,” she jokes.

As for viewers tuning in to the series, hosted by Michael Symon and Esther Choi, Ostrow suggests, “Have something you can eat with one hand, because you’ll be yelling at the screen like you’re a judge.”

24 in 24: Last Chef Standing will premiere on Sunday, April 26 at 8 p.m. on Food Network. 

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By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 35 seconds ago

If you’re a movie lover, the phrase “sci-fi remake” likely fills you with dread. After all, Hollywood has cranked out more than a few worthless reboots of nearly perfect genre films over the years. This includes the newer RoboCop, which, amusingly enough, lacked the humanity of the original Paul Verhoeven film. The newer Total Recall was slick and sanitized, lacking the messy charm and charismatic lead of the original. Despite Star Trek (2009) being a wholly original movie, the sequel film Star Trek Into Darkness was a remake of The Wrath of Khan that was worse in every possible way.

Star Trek Into Darkness might very well be the worst sci-fi remake in Hollywood history. Ironically, though, one of its stars is the lead in the best sci-fi remake of all time. I’m talking about Dredd (2012), which features Karl Urban as the popular comic book character who will stop crime at any cost. He fully embodies this complex role and headlines an action film powered by adrenaline, gunpowder, and pure, manic intensity. To experience the thrill ride for yourself, all you have to do is stream Dredd for free on Tubi.

Here Comes The Judge

The plot of Dredd is that future America has become a dystopian hellhole in which highly trained cops have become judge, jury, and executioner to any and all criminals. Judge Dredd is tasked with assessing the skills of a new recruit, one whose psychic abilities may give her a much-needed edge on the battlefield. But she and Dredd will need every advantage they can get to pull off their next mission: a bold raid on a 200-story tower that serves as the base of operations for a local drug lord with a new product that threatens to turn Dredd’s burned-out-berg into a city of junkies.

The central cast of Dredd is as tight as the movie’s script. Game of Thrones veteran Lena Headey plays the ruthless drug dealer who is, honestly, much more vicious than Cersei Lannister ever was. Meanwhile, Juno star Olivia Thirlby is excellent as the psychic rookie getting an unfettered look at what it means to be a Judge in a time of lawless chaos. But nobody is acting their hearts out like Karl Urban, who injects just the right amount of personality into Judge Dredd without turning him into a caricature of himself (something Sylvester Stallone failed to do in the previous Judge Dredd movie). 

Urban is an actor who always disappears into his roles. As a veteran of Marvel, Star Trek, and Lord of the Rings, he has more than earned the title of a genre legend. As great as he was in those other roles, though, Urban’s Dredd is the best performance of his career. In another actor’s hands, this performance would have been pure schlock (still looking at you, Stallone) or generic action slop. Paradoxically (and perfectly), Urban finds the sweet spot, conveying his character’s passion for justice while still coming across as a cool and emotionless agent of the law. 

It’s Dredd’s World. We Just Live In It

Now, here’s a confession that might cost me my nerd card: growing up, I never really got into the original Judge Dredd comics. Because of that, my only real exposure to this character has been through the medium of feature films. That’s why I was a little intimidated that I wouldn’t be able to fully appreciate Dredd: I had read about how this second film was infinitely more faithful to the comic, and so I worried that I’d be completely lost. Fortunately, I was quite wrong and discovered to my delight that this movie is very accessible to complete franchise newcomers.

That’s because Dredd, like Mad Max: Fury Road, embeds effortless world-building into its narrative without ever bogging down the storytelling or slowing down the action. If you’re a comic fan, you’ll appreciate all of the Easter eggs placed lovingly throughout the runtime. If you’re a sci-fi fan paying close attention to the dialogue, you’ll quickly suss out everything you need to know about this fictional world. Of course, if you’re just an action junkie who just wants to turn your brain off, it’s entirely possible to enjoy Dredd as a relentless movie filled with one action-packed scene after another.

One Action Scene After Another

For all its amazing attention to detail, the plot of Dredd is mostly a paper-thin excuse to shuffle us from one perfect action scene to the next. Like a sci-fi Die Hard, this movie is all about trapping our protagonists in a building where they are outnumbered and must fight wave after wave of well-armed foes. Fortunately, our heroes are driven by something more than their singular thirst for knowledge: the knowledge that all it takes is a single bullet to the leader’s head to utterly destroy this amoral organization.

It really is that simple. Our heroes must fight their way up the huge tower in search of their prey. At every turn, they encounter new foes, new challenges, and new surprises. The result is a visceral movie guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat. Dredd is the rare film that is full of surprises, always zigging when you expect it to zag. At the same time, however, it never fails to deliver exactly what its core audience wants: one balls-to-the-wall action scene after another. If you’re looking for something like a lo-fi John Wick crossed with The Matrix, then Dredd is the sci-fi action masterpiece you’ve been looking for.

Even if (like me on my first watch) you’re not very familiar with the title character, you owe it to yourself to watch Dredd. It’s got a small-but-swol cast, amazing costumes, and sweet set pieces. It also has action scenes that don’t stop until multiple bodies hit the floor. Think I’m overhyping the film too much? Fine, you be the judge! To experience the craziness for yourself, all you have to do is stream Dredd for free on Tubi. It’s better than the earlier movie in every way, but if this newer film inspires you to start belting out “I am the law!” in your best Stallone impression, don’t worry: I won’t tell anyone.

: Police have identified Shamar Elkins as the Louisiana man who fatally shot eight children on Sunday (April 19). Additional details from the case revealed that seven of the kids were his, and that the attack on his family stretched across two houses in a Shreveport, Louisiana neighborhood. 

The shooting was the deadliest in the U.S. since January 2024, when eight people were killed in a Chicago suburb, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University.

RELATED: Prayers Up! Louisiana Mass Shooting Reportedly Leaves Eight Children Dead & Two Individuals Injured (VIDEO)

Shamar Elkins Reportedly Shot His Wife, Children 

Shamar Elkins’ wife was the mother of their children. He reportedly shot her and another woman. Both were critically wounded in the attack on Sunday, according to the Shreveport Police Department. Shamar Elkins fled the scene, reportedly carjacked a vehicle, and later died after officers fired on him during the pursuit. They believe he acted alone.

Officials said the children — three boys and five girls — ranged in age from 3 to 11. Another child jumped from the house’s roof to escape and was expected to survive.

“This is a tragic situation — maybe the worst tragic situation we’ve ever had,” Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux said.

Witness Shares What She Saw & What Her Camera Recorded

Authorities said the attack began before dawn, when Shamar Elkins shot a woman at one home in the neighborhood south of downtown. Then, he fatally shot the children at another house a few blocks away. Elkins’ nephew was among the slain children, according to the Caddo Parish coroner’s office.

Liza Demming lives two houses down from where Elkins shot most of the victims. She said her security camera captured video of the suspect, Elkins, running away along with the sound of two shots.“That’s pretty much all I saw, was him running out of the house and the cars leaving,” she said. Demming later went outside and saw the covered body of a child on the home’s roof. State Rep. Tammy Phelps said some children tried to get away through the back door.

“I can’t even imagine what the police officers, first responders actually dealt with when they got here today,” Liza Demming said.

Louisiana Shooter & His Wife Were Separating, Cousin Reveals

The investigation is ongoing, and the motive has not been revealed. According to a cousin of one of the women shot, Elkins and his wife were in the process of separating and had been due in court Monday. Crystal Brown, the cousin, said the couple had been arguing about the separation before the shooting. “He murdered his children,” she said.

Investigators were not aware of other domestic violence issues involving Elkins, Shreveport police spokesman Chris Bordelon said. Also, Elkins did not appear to have an extensive criminal history. Court records showed he was placed on probation in 2019 after pleading guilty to illegal use of weapons. In that case, Elkins told police that someone driving a vehicle pulled a gun on him “and then took off,” according to a police report.

Brown, the cousin of one of the women who was shot, said she was at church Sunday morning when the pastor told congregants about the shooting at the end of the service. She described the children as happy and friendly.

“They worked, came home, they stuck to themselves,” she said. “Just an everyday family.”

Mourners laid flowers outside the single-story house on 79th Street and others lit candles for the victims in the parking lot of a nearby shopping plaza.

Associated Press writers Sophie Bates, Lekan Oyekanmi, Gerald Herbert, John Seewer, Jake Offenhartz, Jeff Martin, Steve Karnowski, Terry Tang and Christopher Weber contributed to this report via AP Newsroom. 

Michelle Pfeiffer is opening up about the reason she finally broke one of the longest-standing rules in her marriage.

The actress has spent more than three decades avoiding professional collaborations with her husband, David E. Kelley, to protect their relationship. However, she has now revealed why she decided to make an exception for his latest project, “Margot’s Got Money Trouble,” saying her connection to the character ultimately made the choice feel worth it.

Michelle Pfeiffer ‘Fell Madly In Love’ With A Character In Her Husband’s New Series

David E. Kelley Claimed Casting For The Show Was Easy

Kelley suggested the casting process came together with little difficulty, thanks in part to how strongly the actors responded to the material. Among those who quickly signed on were Nick Offerman, who plays Pfeiffer’s character’s ex-husband, and Elle Fanning, who leads the series as Margot Millet.

Kelley also said he felt especially lucky that his wife agreed to take on the role, joking that her decision ranked just behind another major yes from decades ago.

“When I read the book, I could only see one person playing it, and we’re lucky enough that she said yes, the second luckiest yes I’ve gotten from her,” he said.

Michelle Pfeiffer Had A Pact With Husband To Keep Work And Personal Life Separate

Pfeiffer’s long-standing decision not to work with her husband originated from a pact they made early in their marriage to keep their professional and personal lives separate.

She first opened up about the agreement in a 2021 interview with The New Yorker, explaining that even strong couples can run into trouble once they start working together. Pfeiffer later reiterated that view during a 2022 appearance on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.”

“I value our relationship more than a good part, and I just think it’s too risky,” she said, per Fox News.

She went on to explain why the arrangement mattered so much to her, adding, “We’re both fierce when we work, so if I come home and I’ve had a bad day, and I’m upset about something, I want him to be on my side because he hasn’t heard the other side. There’s value in that.”

Michelle Pfeiffer Learned Some Lessons From Working With Her Husband

While promoting the show at the SXSW Film & TV Festival last month, Pfeiffer spoke about what it was like to finally work with Kelley after all these years.

“I learned that he likes you to take all of your questions to the director, and I’m fine with that,” she said, as reported by PEOPLE Magazine. “It was actually one of the best productions I’ve ever worked on. It was honestly so beautiful.”

The three-time Oscar nominee also made clear that she had no complaints about her husband’s work, praising both the writing and the ensemble behind the project.

Kelley Enjoyed Working With His Wife

Meanwhile, Kelley reflected on finally collaborating with his wife, saying the experience gave him an even deeper appreciation for her talent.

Although he had long admired Pfeiffer’s work, he explained that watching her perform material he had written for the first time allowed him to fully see what she brought to the words on the page, rather than simply watching her disappear into a character as a viewer.

Overall, Kelley said he came away “pretty impressed” by his wife’s performance. Pfeiffer admitted his praise meant a great deal to her and said she had felt a strong desire not to let him down.

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Editor’s note: The below interview contains major spoilers for the From Season 4 premiere.

For every question that MGM+’s horror series From has provided an answer to, twenty more have tended to spring up in its place. That’s certainly been the case now that the show is heading into its fourth season, with renewal of a fifth now confirmed as a way to definitively wrap up the story — but as the terrifying Man in the Yellow Suit (Douglas E. Hughes) once cryptically uttered, “What happens next is my favorite part.”

Some eagle-eyed fans may have spotted a few of the earliest clues via the Season 4 trailer, but it turns out that the Man in Yellow is no longer content to reserve his most chilling actions for the unlucky townspeople that happen to encounter him in the woods (RIP, Eoin Bailey‘s Jim). It takes until the very end of “The Arrival” for the episode to reveal its biggest twist to viewers — that Sophia (Julia Doyle), a young Christian woman who crashes into town alongside her “father,” is actually the Man in Yellow in disguise, setting up the revelation that the town’s deadliest threat is now walking among them. Ahead of the Season 4 premiere, Collider spoke with Doyle about her journey to joining From, when she found out who she was really playing, the secret technique she used to differentiate her performances, who Sophia already has her sights set on, and more.

COLLIDER: How much did you even know about who you were really playing before you were cast in From?

JULIA DOYLE: I didn’t know I was auditioning for From. I auditioned for a show called No Exit, and I didn’t get any storyline. In the script, all my scenes took place in the clinic, and a lot of the lines were changed. Instead of saying, “Oh, the monsters, they come out at night,” I would say, “Oh, the monsters that live inside the walls?”

I had watched Season 1 prior, and when I finally booked it, I did not know who the Man in Yellow was yet, so I knew that I was changing into a monster, but I didn’t know I was changing into the monster. It was definitely one of those things where it came in stages. “Oh, this is great!” [Pauses] “Oh my god, I booked a really good role!” [Pauses] “Oh my god, it’s a really good role on a really good show.” [Pauses] “Oh my god, this is a really, really good role.”

‘From’s Julia Doyle Got More Answers About Her Character After She Was Cast

“I got information when I was shooting block two, which was Episodes 3 and 4.”

Image via MGM+

Once you were cast, did you get any lore secrets from the series creators to help your performance at all, or was it mostly limited to what you were able to pick up from the scripts?

DOYLE: Yes, but not immediately. I got information when I was shooting block two, which was Episodes 3 and 4. I definitely did have to make up some stuff, but at the same time, not much changed. It was pretty good.

There’s a jump back in time after the episode’s big reveal, to all the steps leading up to it. From a filming standpoint, did you shoot chronologically, starting from the transformation in the woods, or was it less linear than that?

DOYLE: We shoot things in blocks — there are five blocks, and each block is two episodes. My scenes inside the car, post-crash, those were the very first scenes I ever did on the show, but then also right after that, I did scenes from Episode 2. To end that block, I did my flashback scenes and scenes driving the car inside the studio with the green screen and everything, and also the transformation and everything. That was all my last day of block one.

Related

MGM+’s Mind-Bending Horror Series ‘From’ Takes a Necessary Step Back in Season 4 | Review

Terror still reigns supreme, but this time, it comes from within.

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Talking about the crash, Sophia gets pinned in and has to wait for the others to free her. How long did you have to sit inside the car, in that position, between takes?

DOYLE: The first thing I will say is I loved the physicality of it, because doing auditions, you don’t always have things to work off of, and it can be a hindrance when you’re trying to make things up and mime things. You feel really fucking silly. So it’s really nice to have that. It’s also just one of those scenes that gets you. You don’t have to try as much as an actor because you already have the work there in front of you, and you can just do it.

I kind of just stayed in the car. They were very nicely like, “Are you sure you want to go? You can walk around.” I’m like, “No, I’m chillin’. This is a comfy seat.” They would recline the seat more, so I wouldn’t be totally locked in there, but yeah, it was great.

The reveal of Sophia’s true identity isn’t until the very end of the episode, but it happens after she takes her glasses off. For you, are little details like that helpful shorthand to inform the moments when you’re playing “Sophia” versus her real self? Does taking the glasses off symbolize her unmasking?

DOYLE: That’s very, very, very true, the unmasking part of that. I think my thought process was, “I want to make sure I really savor this moment and take it in, and I want to see clearly.” But de-masking, that’s probably what the writer was thinking when he was writing it. That’s really good writing, but in my head, I was like, “I just want to look at [the pastor] more. I want to get a good look at [him].” It’s also me being like, “Take a moment to breathe. Take off my mask.” So that wording does make a lot of sense.

‘From’s Julia Doyle Reveals the Secret Technique She Used to Get Into Different Character Headspaces

“When I’m Sophia, I want to fully be Sophia and not think that I’m the Man in Yellow acting as Sophia.”

Image via MGM+

Was there anything else, even if it was something that no one else knew about, that you used to help yourself in the moments when you’re playing “Sophia” versus the moment when we finally see the mask slip?

DOYLE: I used two different perfumes. I had one that was a pine scent, that was woodsy, that I used for the Man in Yellow, and then one [for Sophia] that was called Bubbles, and it was a nice sweet scent. Another thing that was really, really nice was, as an actress, obviously, there are moments in a scene where I might notice the camera, or stepping on my mark. So it was one of those things where, instead of being like, “Oh, shit, I’m acting,” it was one of those things where I was like, “Yeah, I’m acting right now.”

When I’m Sophia, I want to fully be Sophia and not think that I’m the Man in Yellow acting as Sophia. But if I did have moments when I would catch the camera in my peripherals, I would use it as a, “Yeah, you are acting,” instead of, “You’re acting right now on a set! Don’t flub your lines. Are you acting good? Are you acting bad right now?” It actually snapped me more into character, in a sense.

You have a few scenes with Kenny in the premiere, and I think there’s a protectiveness from him that maybe Sophia could exploit a little. Is there anyone that she’s set her sights on in terms of a potential target among the townspeople, or is everyone fair game at this point?

DOYLE: I think everyone’s fair game, but at the same time, there are people who are easier game than others. There are people that she knows would be more likely to look a little deeper than other people who are just like, “Oh, sweet little baby. I gotta make sure she’s okay.” So I think it’s one of those things where everyone’s typically fair game, and she’s not afraid, but at the same time, she’s not an idiot, and she’s not going to do things willy-nilly just because she can.

Who might start picking apart details and figuring out that her story’s not lining up, and whose protective instincts can she appeal to, in other words?

DOYLE: And if people are trying to sense the truth, or are starting to sense it, then she’s already laid the groundwork with her backup.

New episodes of From Season 4 premiere Sundays on MGM+.

“Real Housewives of Rhode Island” (or “RHORI” for short) may only be in its first season, but the ladies are dishing up drama like nobody’s business. In last night’s episode, Alicia Carmody and Rosie DiMare went head-to-head during a night out after accusations from a previous outing were shared in front of the group. The ladies were able to work through their problems, but not before they shook the table.

What Went Down Between Alicia Carmody And Rosie DiMare On ‘RHORI’?

According to Bravo’s Daily Dish, the cast of “RHORI” went on a group outing in episode 4 of the new series. During the event, several of the ladies broke off into smaller groups. DiMare teamed up with Liz McGraw, and during their excursion, DiMare told McGraw that some of the women—namely, Ashley Iaconetti—were a bit intimidated by her.

On the “RHORI” aftershow, DiMare admitted to relaying the information to McGraw but admitted to being a bit confused by everyone’s reaction. “She was totally fine while we were on the little machine,” DiMare said. “And suddenly, I’m like the worst person in the world for saying she’s scary.”

DiMare expressed her confusion because a day before, some of the women, including Carmody, had discussed McGraw’s rage. According to Carmody, McGraw has “been like that her whole life,” telling the women, “We do all have to walk on eggshells with her, me included. She’s no bulls–t. I even get scared of her, and I don’t get scared of anybody.”

Why Did Carmody Snap On DiMare During Episode 4 Of ‘RHORI’?

Things took a turn, however, when, during the outing, McGraw attempted to explain her position by revealing that she may appear tough on the outside but has a heart of gold on the inside. DiMare was a bit confused by McGraw’s statement, though, and told her that her friend, Carmody, previously said she’d “always been like this.”

Carmody snapped at DiMare shortly after, accusing her of twisting her words around. During the aftershow, Carmody said she doesn’t “think [DiMare] realized what she was doing.”

“I’ll tell you what pissed me the f–k off about Rosie,” she added. “I said, ‘Yeah, she was always like this,’ in a way like she had a hard life, like kind of trying to explain Liz, like, without talking s–t. … I was trying to make Liz softer than what they were trying to [portray] her as. Rosie, the next day, took it… That’s when I lost my s–t. I don’t like someone twisting that. That’s f–ked up.”

Carmody Said DiMare’s Behavior Was A Red Flag

Continuing, Carmody called DiMare’s behavior a “red flag,” adding that she wouldn’t let it slide. “You know what I mean? Don’t f–k with me.”

“I think that she was testing the waters, and then she was like, I am gonna dip my feet in. And it was the wrong f–kin’ pond. Not with me,” Carmody added.

DiMare, on the other hand, admitted to being stunned by everyone’s reaction; however, she said she knew Carmody could be a bit feisty.

“I knew Alicia had it in her ’cause, like, she can be really fiery,” she said. “I just didn’t think, like, acknowledging something she said the day before was, like, so deep.”

The ‘RHORI’ Ladies Moved On

Par for the course, DiMare and Carmody moved on shortly after their blowup after the former said she was “really sorry” for stirring up trouble.

“I definitely have a temper. My mother always told me that. It’s, like, very loud,” Carmody said. “But when she apologized to me, I knew that she didn’t mean it, and I was like, ‘I love you.’ The fact that you acknowledged it. It’s not like you f–ked Billy. Like, I can move on. I knew that she was sorry, and I love Rosie for that.”

So, where are the girls today? According to Carmody, DiMare is a “good friend right now.” However, it is the “Real Housewives,” so things could change at any moment.

Andy Cohen Teased ‘Real Housewives Of Rhode Island’

The “Real Housewives of Rhode Island” are living up to the hype. According to a previous report from The Blast, Bravo staple Andy Cohen teased the show earlier this year, stating that it would “hit [viewers] like a ton of bricks.”

“The women are all stars. They’re so funny. They are the drama. You know, we were talking about Rhode Island backstage. It’s our smallest state, and they all seem to know each other, or be related, or went to high school together, or all of the above,” Cohen added.

Amal Clooney just proved that achieving glossy, expensive-looking hair doesn’t require a luxury budget. While attending a Cartier event in Milan, the human rights lawyer stepped out with voluminous waves and a silky, high-shine finish that looked straight out of a high-end campaign.

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With Amazon’s Big Spring Sale ending soon, now’s the chance to snag what you’ve been eyeing before it returns to full price. One item that definitely made its way into our carts? Charlotte Tilbury’s revamped Magic Cream, which is surprisingly discounted by 20%, despite recently hitting the market. The original Magic Cream has been a […]

A Taylor Swift-obsessed influencer claimed she makes up to $10,000 per social media post.

Full-time influencer Olivia Levin told the New York Post on Saturday, April 18, that she has scored the significant sum on multiple occasions. “It ranges; sometimes it’s $1,000, but sometimes it’s like $10,000,” Levin, 26, said.

Levin’s @SwiftiesForEternity Instagram account boasts more than 630,000 followers and is even followed by Travis Kelce’s mom, Donna Kelce, Swift’s soon-to-be mother-in-law. (Swift and the NFL star, both 36, announced their engagement in August 2025 after nearly two years of dating.)

Levin, who is based in Connecticut, shares fan sightings of Swift via her Instagram account as well as other Swift-related content, commentary on Swift’s public outings, interactions with fellow Swifties, memes focused on Swift and updates on Levin’s own life.

Related: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce by the Numbers: How Much Are They Worth?

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Her prominence as a Swiftie influencer even landed her a book deal. Levin’s debut, The Story of Us: How the Taylor Swift Fandom Changed Our Lives, was released on Tuesday, April 14.

In a social media post from September 2025 that announced the book’s release, Levin wrote, “The Story of Us is my love letter to you, the Swifties, who gave me purpose, friendship, and a kind of joy I didn’t even know was possible.”

Levin continued at the time, “If you’ve been here from the beginning, get ready to revisit the eras, the livestreams, the chaos, the inside jokes, the happiness, the fun, and the magic. If you’re newer here, welcome. I hope reading this book makes you feel like you were part of it all along.”

The influencer told the New York Post that her social media career began after she was laid off from her job in the book publishing industry in 2023. “At a certain point, I stopped looking for 9-to-5 jobs because I met my brand partnerships agent who started getting me brand deals,” she said.

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Her foray into influencing coincided with the launch of Swift’s Eras Tour, which kicked off in Glendale, Arizona, on March 17, 2023. The timing was perfect, as she quickly boosted her profile by helping other Swifties secure Eras Tour tickets without being scammed online.

“People who had extra tickets or couldn’t make it any more would message me, and I would verify the tickets and post them and help them transfer it to another fan at face value,” she told the outlet.

Today, Levin’s posts draw solid engagement, including the September 2025 book deal announcement, which attracted support from @kelcebrothers, another prolific Swiftie fan account. “Congratulations Olivia!!!,” the account, which boasts more than 744,000 followers of its own, commented.