News

Hollywood stars, including Mark Ruffalo, joined the “No Kings” protest against President Donald Trump. A few famous faces who supported the protest against Trump’s policies included Ruffalo’s Marvel co-star Marisa Tomei, Susan Sarandon, Kerry Washington, Jimmy Kimmel, Ayo Edebiri, Anna Kendrick, and others.

The rallies called out the Trump administration’s anti-immigration policies and other executive orders that allegedly violated constitutional rights and laws. It was conducted on the same day that the President held a controversial military parade in Washington, allegedly to celebrate his 79th birthday.

Mark Ruffalo and other Hollywood stars protest against Donald Trump Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/ Hulk in Avengers: Infinity War | Credits: Marvel Studios

Mark Ruffalo was among the celebrities who marched in the No Kings Day protest on June 14. During the rally, Ruffalo was seen alongside actors Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson. He was also photographed alongside Susan Sarandon, and he...

Hollywood is out participating in the “No Kings” protests.

People are protesting all across the country, including in major cities like Los Angeles and New York City, against President Donald Trump and his policies, just hours ahead of his military parade for the U.S. Army’s 250th Anniversary in Washington on Saturday, which is also Trump’s birthday.

Mark Ruffalo spoke with MSNBC at a protest in New York City and was asked why people were out protesting in the rain “to send a message,” to which he responded, “Because we see our democracy is in real trouble.”

“We see a president who has made himself a king and dictator, and we don’t seen an opposition that’s powerful enough to stand up against the trampling of our rights and the trampling of the Constitution that’s happening every single day with executive orders, with the refusal to obey court orders,...

Reading Time: 3 minutes

These days, Meghan Markle is making a name for herself as a lifestyle guru.

That means tirelessly promoting her new brand, As Ever, by whatever means necessary.

Given that the brand focuses on home life, it’s not surprising that Meghan’s two young children have cropped up in some of her promotional materials.

But while the move might make sense, it seems that Meg’s husband, Prince Harry, still isn’t happy about it.

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and their baby son Archie Mountbatten-Windsor at a meeting with Archbishop Desmond Tutu at the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation during their royal tour of South Africa on September 25, 2019 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo by Toby Melville – Pool/Getty Images) Meghan and Harry: Clashing over kids’ exposure?

While she keeps their faces concealed, Meghan has featured her kids in multiple social...

Athol Fugard, South Africa’s foremost dramatist who explored the pervasiveness of apartheid in such searing works as The Blood Knot and ‘Master Harold’… and the Boys to show how the racist system distorted the humanity of his country with what he called “a daily tally of injustice,” has died. He was 92.

The South African government confirmed Fugard’s death and said South Africa “has lost one of its greatest literary and theatrical icons, whose work shaped the cultural and social landscape of our nation.”

Six of Fugard’s plays landed on Broadway, including The Blood Knot and two productions of ‘Master Harold’… and the Boys.

The Blood Knot tells of how the relationship between two Black half-brothers deteriorates because one has lighter skin and can pass for white, which ultimately leads to him treating his darker half-brother as an inferior.

“We were cursed with apartheid but blessed with great...

British royal family news divulges that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have been showing us more and more of their two children, Archie and Lilibet.

We still don’t exactly know what they look like from the front, but we’ve seen plenty of the back of their heads and bodies. Sometimes a side angle–as is the case with Meghan’s just released PR shot for her latest brand, As Ever.

Meghan last year told CBS News Sunday Morning “Our kids are young. They’re 3 and 5. They’re amazing. But all you want to do as parents is protect them.” Since it seems like we may finally meet them years after their births, let’s take a look at what we know about Harry’s kids.

Harry Has Two Children

Archie was born in in London in 2019, one year after the pair married. In 2021 Lili was born in Santa Barbara,...

California wildfire news reveals that several daytime stars have been affected by the devastating wildfires currently burning out of control in southern California. Several wildfires broke out last week in the greater Los Angeles area, including Pacific Palisades and Pasadena.

As of this writing none of the three major wildfires are contained, and vicious winds are expected in the coming hours. Here is the latest news about actors from daytime dramas who have suffered tragedy.

California Wildfire News – Eric Braeden Lost His Home

B&b and One Life to Live veteran Joe Lando lost his home, as did Y&r’s Eric Braeden (Victor Newman). According to Braeden, Joshua Morrow, who plays his onscreen son Nick Newman, helped him learn the unfortunate news.

The actor was with Et when he first saw his burned-out house, and he teared up looking at the ruins of the place he called home for 45 years.

“I...

The awful Los Angeles wildfire has unfortunately struck the homes of several soap stars. Among them was General Hospital’s Cameron Mathison who lost his family home to the terrible wildfire. Now comes word that while she and her family are safe, The Bold and the Beautiful’s Jennifer Gareis has also lost her home, as the tragedy continues to roll on unstopped.

It Came as a Shock

With a couple of photos of herself at the beach, and then what looks like a post-apocalyptic wasteland, Gareis (Donna) wrote on Instagram, “I had no idea this past weekend was my last beach walk and sunset in Malibu…at least until we can rebuild the community after this devastating fire.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jennifer Gareis – Donna Logan Bb (@jennifergareis)

She continued by expressing her gratitude and reassuring fans: “Thank you for your messages. Our home...

Based on an initiative by Richard Branson and Peter Gabriel, Nelson Mandela announced the formation of The Elders in July 2007 in Johannesburg on the occasion of his 89th birthday. Members of The Elders are: Martti Ahtisaari, Kofi Annan, Ela Bhatt, Lakhdar Brahimi, Gro Brundtland, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Jimmy Carter, Graça Machel, Mary Robinson and Desmond Tutu (Chair).

The Elders are a group of global leaders, brought together by Nelson Mandela, who use their collective experience and influence to promote peace, justice and human rights worldwide.

They include the former holders of some of the world’s most important and demanding posts, and individuals with an extraordinary track record on peace-making, reconciliation and social change.

Independent of government and no longer holding public office, the Elders are helping tackle some of the world’s most intractable problems, through both private advocacy and public work.

The Elders work strategically, focusing on areas...

Pencils of Promise builds schools in the developing world and trains socially conscious young leaders to take action at home and abroad.

Celebrity supporters

Pencils of Promise has 16 known supporters, including Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, and Desmond Tutu

Areas of work PovertyEducation Read more about Pencils of Promise's work and celebrity supporters. Related articles Justin Bieber Makes Promises For CharityJustin Bieber Joins Usher's New Look For CharityGet The Clothes Off Justin Bieber's Back For CharityJustin Bieber Celebrates Charity SuccessDoSomething.org's Top 20 2010 Celebrity Charity Champions

Advertise your company to our engaged yearly audience of millions →

Copyright © 2024 Look To The Stars. This article may not be reproduced without explicit written permission; if you are not reading this via email or in your news reader, the site you are viewing is illegally infringing our copyright, and we would be grateful if you would contact us.

George Burns sure told a lot of jokes over the course of his long career. Not too many comedians can claim that they performed in the heyday of Vaudeville and hawked Little Caesars pizza to a generation of ‘80s kids who only knew him as “God.”

Amazingly, Burns’ final witticism was made postmortem. Yup, Burns somehow squeezed in one last joke after his death — and it also happened to be about his own death.

In 1996, Burns died following an acute case of being really, really old. Technically, it was due to heart failure, but he lasted until the ripe old age of 100. And it’s a good thing, too, considering that Burns literally wrote a book called How to Live to be 100 — Or More in 1983.

When he turned 100, Burns was asked what his doctor had to say about the fact that he still smoked 10 to 15 cigars a day and regularly indulged in martinis.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, is patron of the Ubuntu Education Fund.

Tutu is an Honorary Chair for the Amandla AIDS Fund, part of Artists for a New South Africa.

Tutu is a on the Board of Advisors for the Batonga Foundation.

Charities & foundations supported

Desmond Tutu has supported the following charities:

21st Century LeadersAction Against HungerArtists for a New South AfricaBatonga FoundationCBMCHIME For CHANGECompassion in World FarmingDesmond Tutu Peace CentreElton John AIDS FoundationEveryone MattersFree The ChildrenFree The SlavesGirls Not BridesJackie Robinson FoundationMillennium Campus NetworkNelson Mandela Children's FundNuclear Age Peace FoundationOxfamPencils of PromiseRotary InternationalThe EldersTreatment Action CampaignUbuntu Education FundUNICEFWhatever It Takes Read more about Desmond Tutu's charity work and events. Related articles Mandela Hopes Spice Girls Will Reunite For Charity Birthday PartyVanity Fair Charity Issue Edited By BonoAIDS Orphan Project in Running to Win $5M in American Express ContestJohansson, Mirren, Firth and Hounsou Join Oxfam's Global Ambassador...

Welcome to The B-Side, from The Film Stage. Here we talk about movie stars! Not the movies that made them famous or kept them famous, but the ones that they made in between. And sometimes if we’re lucky we talk to movie stars about their B-Sides!

Today we talk to the great Eric Bana about Eric Bana B-Sides on the occasion of the release of his new film, Force of Nature: The Dry 2, now available in theaters and on VOD.

Our B-Sides today include: Lucky You, Romulus, My Father, and The Secret Scripture. Bana discusses why Lucky You maybe didn’t connect with audiences in 2007, how Romulus, My Father is actually quite the A-Side in Australia, and the need to be malleable when working with somebody like director Jim Sheridan.

We also talk about Bana’s detective influences for the Aaron Falk character in The Dry films, why...

Kerry Kennedy, president of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, has announced the winners of the 2024 Ripple of Hope Awards: Lin-Manuel Miranda, songwriter, actor, director, and producer; Antonio Neri, president and CEO of Hewlett Packard Enterprise; John W. Rogers, Jr., chairman and co-ceo of Ariel Investments; and Tom Wilson, chair, president, and CEO of The Allstate Corporation.

The laureates will be honored on Wednesday, December 11, at a ceremony in New York City.

The Rfk Ripple of Hope Award annually honors exemplary leaders across government, business, advocacy, and entertainment who have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to social change and worked to protect and advance equity, justice, and human rights. This year’s laureates have made a widespread impact, including Wilson’s work to empower youth and improve communities through the Allstate Foundation. Neri and Rogers have significantly improved their respective workplaces through enhanced employee benefits and experiences as well as thoughtful Esg...

The Royal Family’s health crisis is subsiding with King Charles recovered enough to return to public-facing frontline royal duties. But before it was so, the King had relied on this couple to see the Monarchy through one of its most recent challenging times.

The Duke and Duchess Of Edinburgh Receives Grand Role From King Charles Following Snub

On April 23, Prince Edward and Sophie were overlooked for official new appointments, leading fans to wonder whether the King had tossed aside his latest “chosen couple.”

On that day, Princess Kate made history as the first royal to be named as the Royal Companion of the Order of the Companions of Honour.

Prince William was appointed as Great Master of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath. King Charles left the role vacant in 2022 when he acceded to the throne.

The British Royal website describes the Companion of Honour as a special...

Chita Rivera, the sultry singer, dancer and actress who commanded the Broadway stage for more than a half-century, has died. She was 91.

Rivera died peacefully in New York on Tuesday, following a brief illness, her daughter, Lisa Mordente, shared in a statement obtained by The Hollywood Reporter.

Known for her long, sleek legs, smoldering green eyes and lusty singing voice, the two-time Tony Award winner originated some of musical theater’s most iconic characters.

When West Side Story bowed in 1957, it was Rivera singing about life in America as the fiery Puerto Rican transplant Anita. As Rose Grant, the long-suffering girlfriend of songwriter Albert Peterson, Rivera received top billing over Dick Van Dyke in 1960’s Bye Bye Birdie. In 1975, she made the stage sizzle with “All That Jazz” as Velma Kelly in Chicago. And the 1993 musical adaptation of Kiss of the Spider Woman put her in the spotlight as the sexy Spider Woman.

Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights today announced that Fran Drescher, SAG-AFTRA president, actor, writer, and activist, will receive the 2023 Ripple of Hope Award in recognition of her leadership advocating for workers’ rights.

Drescher will join fellow 2023 honorees, including The Edwin Barbey Charitable Trust, a donor-advised fund of the Arizona Community Foundation, and the previously announced January 6th Select Committee, at the annual Ripple of Hope Gala in New York City on December 6.

The Robert F. Kennedy Ripple of Hope Award honors exemplary leaders across government, business, advocacy, and entertainment who have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to social change and worked to protect and advance equity, justice, and human rights. Since being elected SAG-AFTRA president in 2021 during an unprecedented time in the union’s history, Drescher has sought to safeguard workers and performers amid new industry challenges, has encouraged a culture of respect and empathy, and has advocated for a living wage.

British-Australian film director Tom Hooper's résumé is long and impressive. Since breaking into film and TV in the late 1990s, Hooper has bagged a startling number of accolades, including a Primetime Emmy for Elizabeth I (2005), a Golden Globe for his HBO miniseries on the famous American president, John Adams (2008); and an Academy Award and BAFTA for The King's Speech (2010).

And although, more recently, Hooper has made headlines for the wrong reasons – his work on the 2019 box office bomb Cats puts him alongside Kevin Costner as one of only two people to have won both an Oscar for Best Director and a Golden Raspberry for Worst Director – there's no denying his dedication to the craft.

But while mainstream audiences will be familiar with his work on Cats, The King's Speech, Les Misérables, and Michael Sheen's sports drama The Damned United (2009), Hooper's first movie is arguably his best. Red Dust (2004) was a taut,...

Peter Gabriel first learned about former U.S. President Jimmy Carter in Rolling Stone. He doesn’t remember the exact date, but a 1975 article about Georgia’s Allman Brothers Band and their support for Carter’s presidential campaign is likely what caught his eye.

“I’ve always been interested in American politics, and I was fascinated to read that the Allman Brothers had played a critical role in getting some early funding for this ‘peanut farmer with principles,’” Gabriel reminisces on a recent Zoom call from his Real World Studios in Southwest England.

The recent announcement that James Corden’s late-night show will be ending is a reminder of just how often talk show hosts tend to leave their perch. Talk show hosts often change with the times, representing the cultures in which they emerge.

Despite the many changes that have taken place in the television industry, it is rather surprising to see the extent to which talk shows remain a key part of its landscape. Unsurprisingly, Redditors have been particularly open about those they view as the best that this particular genre has to offer.

Graham Norton

For many Redditors, Graham Norton remains one of the most enduringly popular and insightful TV talk show hosts from either the U.S. or U.K. One Reddit user says simply: “There is only one king of Talk Shows and it is Graham Norton uncontested.”

It is, indeed, easy to see why he would be so beloved.

The late South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu and His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama are bringing a little bit of joy to the world.  The pair of unlikely pals are the stars of a new documentary, titled Mission: Joy, that will be livestreamed on the Good News Network's Facebook page from June 2 to June 4.   To share their support for the film, celebs including Rosario Dawson, Cher, Shay Mitchell and more have also broadcasted screenings on their Facebook accounts.   The documentary, which was filmed prior to Tutu's death in December 2021, is described in its trailer as "a film about finding joy in troubled times."   Through...

Musicians — including long-time climate crusader Billie Eilish — have long tried to shout loud enough for the U.S. government to hear when it comes to climate change. And despite the grim prospects of Biden’s Build Back Better agenda, they’re using Earth Day 2022 as another rock in that David/Goliath slingshot.

The latest move comes from the newly launched U.S. chapter of Music Declares Emergency, which has teamed up with 6,000 other musicians, including Eilish, to pen a letter urging the U.S. government to take action on the environment.

On election night 2016, former Fox News director Jack Hanick was in Moscow — attending a pro-gop party, where the organizers unveiled a larger-than-life portrait of Donald Trump, with with a piercing blue-eyed gaze, painted on a stark black canvas.

Hanick sat for a video interview at that party, facing the heroic visage of the soon-to-be 45th president — a man who cheated on his third wife with an adult-film star. Hanick used his camera time to criticize an American candidate he insisted had betrayed traditional values: Hillary Clinton.

“Even though Clinton professes to be a Christian,...

When documentary filmmaker and anti-slavery activist Peggy Callahan got an invitation in from her friend Doug Abrams to shoot and co-direct Archbishop Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama talking about joy in India in 2015, she didn’t hesitate to take the job.

“I knew this was a once in a lifetime opportunity,” Callahan tells Deadline, who filmed the self-described “mischievous brothers” across five days at the Dalai Lama’s compound in India. Callahan co-directs with Louie Psihoyos and worked with an award-winning team including former Pixar Animation exec Darla Anderson and DreamWorks Animation exec Damien de Froberville to craft this project on the importance of positivity.

Mission: Joy – Finding Happiness In Troubled Times, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival last year and has been acquired for the BBC Four and BBCiPlayer in the UK. It features special footage, some prankish anecdotes, animation depicting each man’s difficult journey in life...

I’m not sure when I first learned about Archbishop Desmond Tutu, but I know exactly when I first saw him. I mean, really saw him.

I was in college watching a documentary called “A Long Night’s Journey Into Day.” It told the story of four amnesty hearings during the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in post apartheid South Africa. About 15 minutes into the film, a sweet old man, possibly diminutive but for the authority of his gentleness, appeared in an interview. He said, “This process is not about pillorying anybody. It’s not about prosecuting anybody. It’s ultimately about getting the truth so that we can help to heal and also so that we may know what to avoid in the future.” Later in the film he appeared again, this time having my full undergraduate attention. He said, “We make the mistake of conflating all justice into retributive justice,...

South African civil rights icon Desmond Tutu has died at age 90, according to the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation confirming the news on Dec. 26. "Tutu was a living embodiment of faith in action, speaking boldly against racism, injustice, corruption, and oppression, not just in apartheid South Africa but wherever in the world he saw wrongdoing, especially when it impacted the most vulnerable and voiceless in society," the statement read in part. "While Tutu was first and always an Anglican priest who made no secret of his deep dependence on the inner life of disciplined prayer, his faith burst the confines of denomination and religion, joyfully embracing all who shared his passion for justice and love. People of all faiths and no faith together christened him fondly as simply 'The Arch.'"

Tutu spent a lifetime fighting against apartheid, South Africa's official system of racial segregation that lasted from 1948 until...

Centurion, Dec 26 (Ians) Cricket South Africa (CSA) on Sunday mourned the passing away of Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Tutu, a world-renowned anti-apartheid activist, passed away at the age of 90 in Cape Town on Sunday morning. “Cricket South Africa (CSA) has learned with sadness and a feeling of tremendous loss of the passing of Archbishop […]...

Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the Nobel Prize winner and leader who was a key figure in ending apartheid in South Africa, has died at 90, the country’s president confirmed today.

“Ultimately, at the age of 90, he died peacefully at the Oasis Frail Care Centre in Cape Town this morning,” Dr Ramphela Mamphele said in a statement on behalf of the Tutu family. No details were provided on the cause.

President Cyril Ramaphosa issued a statement immediately following that news.

“The passing of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu is another chapter of bereavement in our nation’s farewell to a generation of outstanding South Africans who have bequeathed us a liberated South Africa,” Ramaphosa said in a statement early Sunday.

“Desmond Tutu was a patriot without equal; a leader of principle and pragmatism who gave meaning to the biblical insight that faith without works is dead.”

In 1984, he was awarded the Nobel Peace...

South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu, an international symbol for racial justice and human rights for decades, has died, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced Sunday. He was 90 years old.

“The passing of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu is another chapter of bereavement in our nation’s farewell to a generation of outstanding South Africans who have bequeathed us a liberated South Africa,” Ramaphosa said in a statement.

Tutu committed himself to ending apartheid, the South African system of oppression of its Black majority. In 1975, he became the first Black bishop of Johannesburg,...

Alan Brain’s 2021 award-winning “The Rumba Kings” and Jace Panebianco’s “Broken Molds” will be among the films showcased at the Maui Film Festival, which will accommodate guests in an open-air, pod-style seating, from Nov. 17-21 at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center in Kahului. There are 13 premieres among the features in the lineup.

Even though the festival has arranged for guests to show proof of vaccination, for those who wish to participate virtually, 90 feature films and shorts are available to stream. These include Nov. 17 screenings: Emily Sky’s “River,” which explores space and time throughout six continents; Panebianco’s “Broken Molds,” which follows the origin story of windsurfing, and Isaac Halasima’s “Waterman,” a documentary narrated by Jason Mamoa, that tells the story of five-time Olympic Gold medalist Paoa Kahanamoku.

Peggy Callahan and Louie Psihoyos “Mission Joy,” explores the friendship between Archbishop Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama, and Frauke Sandig’s documentary,...

Ava Ostern Fries, the wife of producer Chuck Fries whose experiences as a Beverly Hills Girl Scout leader inspired the film “Troop Beverly Hills,” died Oct. 2. She was 87.

Born in Dexter, Mo., she moved to Los Angeles after graduating the U. of Tulsa. She started out teaching and acting before joining Danny Thomas Productions as a development executive. She then formed her own production company, Avanti Enterprises, which produced the TV series “Born Famous” about the children of the rich and famous. The series led to the 1989 Shelly Long comedy “Troop Beverly Hills,” based on Fries’ own experiences leading her daughter’s scout troop, remembered for its campy dance numbers, celebrity cameos and extravagant costumes.

A sequel to “Troop Beverly Hills” was announced in 2020.

Fries was active in many charities and worked to give young people opportunities in theater education.

She served on the board of directors for Los Angeles...

Ava Ostern Fries, a producer who used her own experience as a Girl Scout troop leader to create the hit 1989 Shelley Long comedy Troop Beverly Hills, died Oct. 2, her family has announced. She was 87.

Showbiz & Media Figures We’ve Lost In 2021 – Photo Gallery

Her passing comes less than six months after the death of her husband of 33 years, longtime TV and film producer Charles “Chuck” Fries.

Born in Dexter, Mo, Ava Fries earned a degree in Theatre Arts and English at the University of Tulsa before moving with her young family to Los Angeles, where she taught English and theater at schools while beginning her career in show business, first as a television actress and off camera.

After serving as a development executive with Danny Thomas Productions, she formed her own production company, Avanti Enterprises, which in 1987 produced the documentary series Born Famous, about the children of the rich and famous.

YouTube Originals is bolstering its originals slate with a slew of unscripted orders including the acquisition of a Tom Petty feature documentary.

The streamer has acquired the rights to Tom Petty, Somewhere You Feel Free: The Making of Wildflowers, exploring how the musician made his seminal album. The film, which is directed by Mary Wharton, features ever-before-seen footage drawn from a newly discovered archive of 16mm film as well as new interviews with album co-producers Rick Rubin and Heartbreaker Mike Campbell, along with original Heartbreaker Benmont Tench.

The film first debuted in March as an Official SXSW 2021 Selection, winning the festival’s Audience Award, and will see its theatrical release on October 20 for a one-night global celebration via Trafalgar Releasing.

Launching on YouTube later this year, it is produced by Peter Afterman with executive producers Dan Braun, Mary Wharton and Adria Petty and presented by Inaudible Films, Warner Music Entertainment and Warner Records.

Exclusive: Lara Love Hardin’s memoir The Neighbor From Hell & Other People I Have Been is set for a small screen adaptation after Scott Budnick’s One Community acquired the rights.

The book is set to be turned into a comedy series.

The Neighbor From Hell & Other People I Have Been, which sold in a major deal at an auction to Eamon Dolan at Simon & Schuster, follows Hardin’s journey from opiate addict with 32 felonies to shot caller in jail to New York Times best-selling author and editor rubbing elbows with the Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu, and Oprah. The series will focus on her experiences navigating life, work, and motherhood post-incarceration.

One Community has invested in Michael B. Jordan’s Just Mercy, Aretha Franklin biopic Respect and Ben Affleck-directed King Leopold’s Ghost and was founded by prison advocate Budnick, who produced films such as Old School, Due Date...

Despite hailing from different backgrounds and faiths, His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu are linked by their kindred fights for justice and self-determination for all. Their unique friendship is the crux of “Mission: Joy – Finding Happiness in Troubled Times,” Academy Award-winner Louie Psihoyos (“The Cove”) and co-director Peggy Callahan’s nonfiction portrait of their relationship and shared ethos about the importance of positivity in individual, familial and communal life. Premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival, it’s an uplifting look at two revolutionary forces for good, although

Inspired by its subjects’ prior bestseller “The Book of Joy,” “Mission: Joy” revolves around a sit-down between Tutu and the Dalai Lama, during which their coauthor Doug Abrams questions them about their philosophies regarding the concept of joy. Their insights turn out to be thoughtful but bland: Joy comes from within, rather than from materialistic items and ambitions; joy is beneficial for the mind,...

Dr. Jane Goodall, Dbe, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute, Un Messenger of Peace and world-renowned ethologist and conservationist, whose groundbreaking discoveries changed humanity’s understanding of its role in the natural world, was announced last week as the winner of the 2021 Templeton Prize.

The Templeton Prize, valued at over $1.5 million, is one of the world’s largest annual individual awards. Established by the late global investor and philanthropist Sir John Templeton, it is given to honor those who harness the power of the sciences to explore the deepest questions of the universe and humankind’s place and purpose within it. Unlike Goodall’s past accolades, the Templeton Prize specifically celebrates her scientific and spiritual curiosity. The Prize rewards her unrelenting effort to connect humanity to a greater purpose and is the largest single award that Dr. Goodall has ever received.

“We are delighted and honored to award Dr. Jane Goodall this year,...

Updated: In his capacity as founder of the Revolt network, Sean “Diddy” Combs slammed General Motors for disrespecting Black-owned media brands in an open letter published Thursday, calling for more financial support in advertising and other spending.

The move follows the placement of a full-page ad in Sunday’s Detroit Free Press, in which the leaders of Black-owned media companies — including Byron Allen and Ice Cube — accused Gm CEO Mary Barra of racism for refusing to meet with them to discuss advertising opportunities. According to the Detroit Free Press, the ad, which was signed by the heads of seven Black-owned media companies, alleges that Barra refused to meet with them “consistently, over time and after multiple requests.” They also asked for an hour-long Zoom meeting with Barra, or her resignation.

In response on Thursday, Gm pledged to increase its advertising with Black-owned businesses significantly — the company’s full response follows Combs’ below — and noted that,...

SAG-AFTRA president Gabrielle Carteris today praised the “Herculean efforts” of the union’s members, staff and elected leadership in keeping the film and TV industry “open and safe” over the past year of the Covid-19 pandemic. Speaking at the annual membership meeting of the union’s Los Angles local, she said that the past year “is simply unlike anything we have ever seen; the isolation and the restrictions on our movements, losing loved ones. It has been challenging. However, it is through our willingness to adhere to the pandemic safety standards we are quite possibly saving a life.”

Work on refining the back-to-work protocols, which in June allowed film and TV production to resume, is ongoing, she said. “As you may imagine, this work has been occurring every day and weekend, preparing and working with the CDC, epidemiologists, our sister unions, employers and state government. As a matter of fact,...

Actress Juhi Chawla on Monday took a jibe at social networking platforms WhatsApp and Facebook at a time when millions of users are abandoning WhatsApp and opting for other chatting platforms to ensure their privacy is maintained.

Taking a dig at the above mentioned social networking platforms, Juhi shared a note on Twitter that reads: "When anything is free, your freedom is the price.

"Desmond Tutu once said, 'When the missionaries came to Africa they had the Bible and we had the land. They said, 'let us pray.' We close our eyes. When we opened them, we had the Bible and they had the land.

"Likewise, when social networking came, they had the WhatsApp and Facebook and we had the freedom. They said it's free. We close our eyes. When we opened them, we had WhatsApp and Facebook and they had our freedom.

"When anything is free, your freedom is the price.

The story of human rights lawyer Jared Genser, who has helped free political prisoners in a number of hot zones around the world, is being developed by Orlando Bloom with Amazon as a TV series.

The streamer is in the early stages of developing the Untitled Jared Genser Project, which will be exec produced by Carnival Row star Bloom and former HBO exec Bruce Richmond.

Genser is Managing Director of Perseus Strategies and founder of Freedom Now. He was dubbed ‘The Extractor’ by the New York Times for his work freeing political prisoners.

His speciality is freeing prisoners of conscience and human rights prisoners in high-risk areas throughout the world’s most difficult hot zones, working with a core team of specialized operatives.

Clients have included former Czech Republic President Václav Havel, former Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed, and Nobel Peace Prize Laureates Aung San Suu Kyi,...

J.K. Rowling is set to return an award presented to her last year by the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights (Rfkhr) organization after its president denounced her views on transgender issues.

The Ripple of Hope award, whose previous winners include Barack Obama, Joe Biden and archbishop Desmond Tutu, is given to people who have shown a “commitment to social change,” and was awarded to the Harry Potter author in December 2019 for her work with a children’s charity.

However, earlier this month Kerry Kennedy, president of the group and Robert F. Kennedy’s granddaughter, made a ...

J.K. Rowling is set to return an award presented to her last year by the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights (Rfkhr) organization after its president denounced her views on transgender issues.

The Ripple of Hope award, whose previous winners include Barack Obama, Joe Biden and archbishop Desmond Tutu, is given to people who have shown a “commitment to social change,” and was awarded to the Harry Potter author in December 2019 for her work with a children’s charity.

However, earlier this month Kerry Kennedy, president of the group and Robert F. Kennedy’s granddaughter, made a ...

The Elders today called on global leaders and citizens alike to root their response to the Covid-19 pandemic in humanitarian principles and solidarity to save lives, defend rights and protect the most vulnerable groups in society.

The following is a statement from The Elders:

The pandemic poses an unprecedented challenge for governments, heads of state and international institutions. As former leaders, we acknowledge the fearsomely complex political, moral and economic decisions those currently in office will have to take over the coming weeks and months.

We endorse the call of the Global Preparedness Monitoring Board for at least Us$ 8 billion to be immediately injected into critical funding gaps to support the Who’s emergency response, vaccine development, timely distribution of medical supplies and other critical measures.

The G7 statement of 16 March 2020 marks a welcome first step, with leaders pledging to do “whatever is necessary to ensure a strong global response...

Enrique Acevedo, who has been an anchor and reporter for Univision, will be a correspondent on the new 60 Minutes program 60 in 6, to be shown exclusively on Quibi.

He’s the first correspondent to be named to the program, which will be produced weekly and to run about six minutes in length. Acevedo will split his duties between 60 in 6 and Noticiero Univision, where he anchors a newscast and is a special correspondent.

Bill Owens, the executive producer of 60 Minutes, said that Acevedo “is a fantastic storyteller with great range, ideas and energy. Enrique will be a major reason that 60 in 6’s work stands out on the Quibi platform.”

Acevedo won an Emmy in 2017 for his reporting on the Amazon, and previously worked for NBC Telemudo and Televisa. His high-profile interviews include Barack Obama, Desmond Tutu and Kofi Annan.

Quibi, founded by Jeffrey Katzenberg, is a short-form video platform set to...

Image Source: Getty / Tim Rooke

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are a huge talking point right now, having shared some of their deepest emotions in a new ITV documentary about their recent tour of Southern Africa. In Harry and Meghan: An African Journey, we learned more about the pressures they face as one of the most famous royal couples in the world, but we also saw the happiness and pride they take in each other; their son, Archie Mountbatten-Windsor; and their work for good causes. In fact, the documentary provided quite the insight into just how emotional the past year has been for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

Those emotions became apparent in a series of candid interviews, which saw Harry and Meghan challenge the royal practice of keeping feelings behind palace doors. Both the Duke and Duchess of Sussex spoke about the impact they feel from the constant...

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle kicked off their royal tour of Southern Africa on Sept. 23, but it wasn't until two days later that we finally got a proper peek at their son, Archie Mountbatten-Windsor. Needless to say, he totally stole the spotlight as his mom carried him through The Old Granary in Cape Town ahead of a meeting with the city's former Archbishop, Desmond Tutu. "Arch meets Archie," was the adorable caption on a video posted to the Sussex Royal Instagram account, which showed all three members of the family beaming as they arrived at the historic venue.

The royal tour is a big milestone for Harry and Meghan as it marks their first trip as a family of three. While the trip will include stops in South Africa, Botswana, Angola, and Malawi, we'll only get a few glimpses of Archie as he stays with a nanny most of the time.

We Are Family Foundation (Waff) will honor legendary artist Dolly Parton and iconic fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier at its 2019 Celebration on Tuesday, November 5, 2019 at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City.

Waff, a not-for-profit organization founded by legendary multiple Grammy Award winning musician Nile Rodgers, is dedicated to the vision of a global family. Waff creates and supports programs that promote cultural diversity while nurturing the vision, talents and ideas of young people who are positively changing the world.

“We’ve wanted to recognize and honor the extraordinary accomplishments of Dolly Parton for many years. Her exemplary work as an artist, businesswoman and philanthropist is an example for us all. She symbolizes everything that is great about music and America. Jean Paul Gaultier is someone who I’m happy to call a friend. His incomparable work as an iconic fashion designer and forward thinker has changed our culture in...

Angelina Jolie isn’t ruling out a run for office.

On Friday, the 43-year-old Oscar winner and special envoy to the Un Refugee Agency appeared on BBC Radio 4’s Today, where she was asked if she would ever consider a move to politics and a run for the White House.

“Honestly, if you asked me 20 years ago, I would’ve laughed,” Jolie told host Justin Webb. “I really don’t know. I always say I’ll go where I’m needed. I don’t know if I’m fit for politics… but then I’ve also joked that I...

Starline Entertainment has boarded “Laughing at the Dark,” a documentary profile of Pieter-Dirk Uys, the South African satirist who skewered apartheid-era attitudes and who was praised by Nelson Mandela.

Uys interviewed Mandela while in character as socialite activist Evita Bezuidenhout. Mandela – who won the Nobel Peace Prize and became South Africa’s president – once described writer-performer Uys as one of his heroes, in footage seen in the film.

Former archbishop Desmond Tutu and actresses Sophia Loren and Charlize Theron pay tribute to Uys in the film, which was helmed by Willem Oelofsen. Cape Town-based shingle Marche Media made the documentary, and pay-tv platform MNet has it for South Africa.

Uys risked his own safety with his performances in the days of apartheid, gaining a following among those seeking change. Today, his work includes raising awareness in the global fight against HIV/AIDS.

Starline’s director of acquisitions, Piers Nightingale, negotiated...

On Sunday, the 18th annual So The World May Hear Awards Gala benefitting Starkey Hearing Foundation, dazzled guests with an evening of philanthropy, celebrities and entertainment.

Don Felder performs at the 2018 So the World May Hear Awards Gala

Credit/Copyright: Adam Bettcher, Getty Images.

One of the most acclaimed fundraising events in the country, the gala brings together celebrities, global leaders and philanthropists to raise funds supporting hearing health programs and charitable initiatives around the world. A moving speech by surprise guest President Bill Clinton, a longtime foundation partner, underscored the need for individuals to come together to make a difference in people’s lives. Other notable guests and speakers included Academy Award-winning actors Billy Crystal and Forest Whitaker, Huey Lewis, Sinbad, and rock legends Alice Cooper, Robby Krieger of the Doors, and Don Felder of the Eagles, who performed all together on one stage.

“Most of us are here...

Winner of the Best Director Award at the Tokyo International Film Festival, Edmund Yeo’s second feature is a truly strong film that deals with the trouble of the Rohingya, a stateless Indo-Aryan people from Rakhine State, Myanmar.

“Aqerat” is screening at Aperture: Asia & Pacific Film Festival

According to Human Rights Watch, the 1982 laws “effectively deny to the Rohingya the possibility of acquiring a nationality. Despite being able to trace Rohingya history to the 8th century, Myanmar law does not recognize the ethnic minority as one of the eight “national indigenous races.” They are also restricted from freedom of movement, state education and civil service jobs. The legal conditions faced by the Rohingya in Myanmar have been widely compared to apartheid, by many international academics, analysts and political figures, including Desmond Tutu, a famous South African anti-apartheid activist. Un officials and Hrw have described Myanmar’s persecution of the Rohingya as ethnic cleansing.