Tag: celebrities

Chris Evans says he’s ‘enjoying life’ as a newlywed after marrying Alba Baptista | CNN

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CNN
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Chris Evans has traded in his Captain America shield for a more sentimental accessory.

The Marvel actor was sporting a wedding band on Saturday during an appearance at New York Comic-Con (NYCC), where he publicly confirmed for the first time that he recently wed actress Alba Baptista.

“I got married,” the Marvel star told the audience, adding that his recent nuptials were “really, really great.”

He shared that he and Baptista had two ceremonies – one in Portugal, where Baptista is from, and another ceremony on the East Coast, which reportedly took place last month in Cape Cod.

“They were wonderful and beautiful,” he said of the dual ceremonies, later adding that since then, he and Baptista have “been relaxing and enjoying life and reflecting” as newlyweds.

Evan admitted that he felt the weight of planning a wedding, joking, “It’s a lot.”

“For those of you who are married, it takes a lot out of you but now that we’re through that, we’ve kind of just been enjoying life,” he said.

Evans and Baptista have been romantically linked since 2021.

The actor’s appearance at NYCC comes just days after contract negotiations between SAG-AFTRA and the major studios and streamers were suspended amid the ongoing strike. The union supporting actors and performers has been on strike since July.

Hollywood writers in the Writers Guild of America, who had been on strike since May, agreed upon a new contract with the studios and streamers in September. The new contract was ratified last week, putting thousands of people back to work.

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October 15, 2023
Taylor Swift’s film opened Thursday, surprising (and disappointing) some fans

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So much for being the first in line for the highly anticipated Taylor Swift “Eras Tour” concert film.

With the last-minute news that the film’s release was being moved to Thursday instead of the originally announced date of Friday, some Swift fans have expressed frustration that they may have to buy tickets all over again.

Or as one commented Wednesday on X (formerly Twitter), “you’re telling me I had to fight for my life on the cineplex website for opening day tickets just for her to add showtimes tmrw?”

Swift revealed the change to the film’s release schedule on Wednesday, saying, “Due to unprecedented demand we’re opening up early access showings of The Eras Tour Concert Film on THURSDAY in America and Canada!!”

Swift attended the film’s premiere in Los Angeles on Wednesday night, joined by some 2,200 fans. But on Thursday, she was back to taking in a Kansas City Chiefs game, according to an Associated Press report.

Swift has attended other Chiefs games this season to root on tight end Travis Kelce. The pair are said to have a growing relationship.

Some Swifties greeted the announcement of the film’s new Thursday release date with joy. “Taylor Swift always knows how to surprise us! Can’t wait for this incredible journey to begin!” said one.

But others were disappointed that they no longer had those first-to-see bragging rights. And they suddenly were faced with the dilemma of having to buy tickets all over again if they wanted to maintain that position. In turn, that left them with the problem of what to do with the tickets they purchased for Friday showings.

One commenter on X thought it was pretty savvy of Swift to boost the box office this way, saying the singer is “getting more sales out of her fans by moving opening night.”

Another commenter also said this was “a smart move” on Swift and her team’s part.

Not that theaters haven’t already sold plenty of seats for the film. The movie is set to have at least a $150 million opening, according to the Hollywood Reporter, and has buoyed the AMC
AMC,
+5.57%
and Cinemark
CNK,
-2.66%
chains.

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October 12, 2023
Beyoncé showing up for Taylor Swift’s movie premiere was a ‘fairytale’ | CNN

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CNN
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Forget about Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, she and Beyoncé are the true power pair of the year.

On Wednesday night it was the era of two queens when Beyoncé attended the premiere for Swift’s “Eras Tour” concert film in Los Angeles.

Naturally, the internet went bananas.

Both women have reigned supreme this year with powerhouse concert tours that they are capitalizing on by bringing them to the big screen.

First up is Swift’s, which “due to unprecedented demand” opened with early access shows on Thursday and will have additional showings over the weekend.

Queen Bey, who recently wrapped her “Renaissance Tour” in Kansas City, has announced that her “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé” will hit theaters on December 1.

The women have been longtime admirers of each other and, early Thursday, Swift posted a video of the two of them together in a theater with Beyoncé tossing popcorn.

Swift wrote in the caption, “I’m so glad I’ll never know what my life would’ve been like without @beyonce’s influence.”

“The way she’s taught me and every artist out here to break rules and defy industry norms,” Swift wrote. “Her generosity of spirit. Her resilience and versatility. She’s been a guiding light throughout my career and the fact that she showed up tonight was like an actual fairytale.”

Given how often the world pits female superstars against each other, the mutual support of two of music’s biggest stars was a powerful statement.

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October 12, 2023
Jada Pinkett Smith reveals she and Will Smith have been separated since 2016 | CNN

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CNN
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Jada Pinkett Smith has revealed that she and husband Will Smith have been living “completely separate lives” since 2016.

In a clip from her forthcoming NBC News primetime special with Hoda Kotb, Pinkett Smith said the couple had not previously gone public with their separation because they were not “ready yet.”

They were “still trying to figure out between the two of us, how to be in partnership,” she said.

“How do we present that to people?” she told Kotb. “We hadn’t figured that out.”

Pinkett Smith, 52, and Smith, 55, have been married since 1997. Pinkett Smith said they are not legally divorced.

Their marriage has come under scrutiny during the period she says they have been apart.

In July 2020, singer August Alsina revealed that he had been romantically involved with Pinkett Smith, something she confirmed during an episode with her husband on “Red Table Talk.”

“I got into an entanglement with August,” Pinkett Smith said at the time, explaining then that the superstar couple “were going through a very difficult time” when it occurred.

Then there was the Oscars slap.

During the 2022 Academy Awards, Smith stormed the stage and slapped presenter Chris Rock after he made a joke about Pinkett Smith being bald. She suffers from alopecia, which has caused her hair loss.

In a new interview with People, Pinkett Smith opened up about the incident, which she said, like many other people, she initially thought was a comedic bit between the two men.

“I thought, ‘This is a skit.’ I was like, ‘There’s no way that Will hit him,’” she recalled. “It wasn’t until Will started to walk back to his chair that I even realized it wasn’t a skit.”

She told the publication that as soon as they were alone she asked Smith, “Are you okay?”

Pinkett Smith told Kotb during their interview that the marriage fractured because of “a lot of things.”

“I think by the time we got to 2016, we we both just exhausted with trying,” Pinkett Smith said. “I think we were both kind of still stuck in our fantasy of what we thought the other person should be.”

She said she “made a promise” that there would never be a reason for her and Smith to divorce “and I just haven’t been able to break that promise,” she said.

Pinkett Smith reveals more about her marriage, career and early life in her forthcoming memoir, “Worthy.” The book releases Oct. 17.

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October 11, 2023
Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour movie hits a presale record for Cinemark | CNN Business

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New York
CNN
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Taylor Swift’s concert film hasn’t even been released yet and it’s already toppling box-office records.

Cinemark, a theater chain with about 500 locations, said that ticket sales for “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” are “setting domestic presale records” with demand “10 times higher” than any other event film the company has exhibited. The reaction has “blown everyone away,” Cinemark announced in a press release.

Excitement has been building for the 3-hour-long film, which is opening Friday, October 13. An ad for the movie even aired during NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” last weekend, where Swift made an appearance to cheer on her possible boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce.

Cinemark is not the first theater chain to experience an increase in sales via Swift: AMC Theaters previously announced that the singer’s Eras Tour concert movie “shattered records for single-day advance ticket sales revenue,” with $26 million sold on the first day that presales went live on August 31.

Swift’s movie crushed the single-day record less than three hours after tickets became available, prompting AMC to add extra showtimes where possible.

The concert film, which is being screened in some theaters in both IMAX and standard versions, is expected to rake in between $100 million to $125 million in its opening weekend, according to industry estimates.

Superstar Beyoncé is also releasing a film version of her “Renaissance World Tour” for a theatrical release. Ticket presales began Monday for the December 1 premiere.

For theaters eying a potentially grim fall with the ranks of movies thinned out by the (recently resolved) writers strike and the actors strike, the one-two punch looks like a gift from the musical gods. It’s a potential means of filling seats that doesn’t rely on what has come to look like an increasingly shaky theatrical business even with usually reliable studio blockbusters.

In addition to Swift and Beyoncé, the box office also has been helped out by another fierce female: “Barbie.” The film hit the $1 billion global box office mark barely three weeks into its run — only about 50 films in history, adjusted for inflation, have reached the benchmark. It’s made more than $630 million in the US box office since its July release. (CNN and “Barbie” movie distributor Warner Bros. Pictures share the same parent company.)

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October 5, 2023
Jets-Chiefs is highest-rated TV show since the Super Bowl, thanks to Taylor Swift and 2 million more female viewers
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Taylor Swift continues to boost the NFL’s profile.

NBC’s Sunday Night Football game between the New York Jets and the Kansas City Chiefs averaged 27 million viewers, making it the most-watched TV show since Super Bowl LVII in February, according to NBC’s PR team.
Swift attended the Chiefs’ 23-20 win and was shown on the television broadcast several times, alongside celebrities Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds. Swift has a new public friendship and rumored relationship with Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, and the interest in that topic has led to increases in TV ratings for the two games Swift has attended, and to boosts in sales of NFL merchandise.

Swift’s massive fanbase has influence across all ages and all types of people, but she is particularly popular among women and girls, and that group is who propelled NBC
CMCSA,
+0.34%
and Sunday Night Football to such lofty viewership heights.

“Viewership among teen girls (age 12-17) spiked 53% from the season-to-date average of the first three weeks of SNF, while the audience among women aged 18-24 was up 24%, and women 35+ increased 34%,” NBC said. “The collective growth resulted in an approximate viewership increase of more than 2 million female viewers.”

Viewership peaked at an estimated 29.4 million viewers between 9:30 and 9:45 p.m. Eastern, as the Jets attempted to claw their way back in the second quarter of the game. Last year’s Sunday Night Football games averaged 19.9 million viewers, according to same-day data released by Nielsen and digital data from Adobe Analytics.

In preparation for Swift’s attendance, NBC used a Swift song, “Welcome to New York,” as the theme music for its video promo of the game, which was viewed roughly 8 million times.

Since Swift was first linked to Kelce, the Chiefs tight end has enjoyed the Taylor Swift effect. For example:

The “New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce” podcast, featuring Kelce and his brother, shot up to No. 1 on Apple’s podcast charts last week.

Kelce’s social-media influence has flourished, with his Instagram followers jumping from 2.7 million followers to 3.8 million in about two weeks.

Kelce had one of the top five highest-selling NFL jerseys last week, and sales of Kelce merchandise spiked 400% on Fanatics, the NFL’s official merchandise seller.

See also: Want to watch every NFL game this season? Here’s how much it will cost you.
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October 2, 2023
John Oliver returns to his HBO show, urging more workers to unionize | CNN Business

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New York
CNN
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Comedian John Oliver returned to his HBO show “Last Week Tonight” on Sunday, becoming the latest late night host to air a new program following the end of the writers’ strike.

“We missed so much that it would take a whole new version of Billy Joel’s ‘We Didn’t Start the Fire’ to cover it,” Oliver joked following a 15-minute recap of everything his show missed since going off air in April. (Oliver’s show airs on HBO, which like CNN, is owned by Warner Bros. Discovery.)

“I wish so much that I could have told you these jokes at the time, but I couldn’t because our writers — the people who wrote those jokes — were forced to strike for a fair contract for the last five months, and it was an immensely difficult time,” he said. “Not just for them, but for everyone else working on this show and many others who could no longer do their jobs.”

Oliver said that the strike happened for “good reasons” and said the writers “thankfully won” after being “severely squeezed in recent years” referencing reports that some writers don’t make enough for health insurance.

“So the writers’ guild went on strike and thankfully won, but it took a lot of sacrifices from a lot of people to achieve that, and while I am happy that they eventually got a deal, and I’m proud of what our union accomplished, I’m also furious that it took the studios 148 days to achieve a deal that they could have offered on day f–king one.”

He continued that he hopes the success of the writers strike encourages others, including auto workers and Starbucks employees, to “find power in each other.” Oliver said that actors, who are also currently on strike, are “able to take what the writers achieved and leverage it to win fair contracts too because the truth is it takes many people working really hard to make film and TV, all of whom deserve a piece of the pie.”

“For the actors guild, in particular, they can not come back to work soon enough, especially as we’ve all now seen what happens when non-professionals are trusted with the written word,” he said.

Last week, the Writers Guild of America unanimously voted to authorize its members to return to work following a 148-day strike with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) that paralyzed the industry and halted production of several shows, including Oliver’s. Bill Maher returned to his show last Friday and the network hosts, such as Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon, will air new programs Monday.

The contract, which will expire in May 2026, includes pay increases, better benefits, protections against the studios’ use of artificial intelligence, guarantees for streaming compensation, longer-duration employment terms and other perks.

Now the focus turns to negotiations between SAG-AFTRA, the union representing about 160,000 actors, and the AMPTP. The two sides are expected to begin negotiating again Monday and hopefully get closer to ending their strike, which has been happening since mid-July.

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October 2, 2023
Beyoncé announces ‘Renaissance’ concert film with new trailer | CNN

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CNN
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Beyoncé’s “Renaissance” is coming to theaters.

The “Break My Soul” singer, who wrapped up her tour in in Kansas City on Sunday, released a trailer for the film, “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé.” The project will debut in theaters on Dec. 1.

According to an official synopsis for the film, “It is about Beyoncé’s intention, hard work, involvement in every aspect of the production, her creative mind and purpose to create her legacy, and master her craft.”

“When I am performing, I am nothing but free,” Beyoncé says in the trailer. “The goal for this tour was to create a place where everyone is free and no one is judged.”

The trailer also shows images of Beyoncé’s family and features clips of her daughter Blue Ivy joining her onstage.

RENAISSANCE: A FILM BY BEYONCÉ

Tickets for “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé” are available now.

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October 2, 2023
Fran Drescher ‘looking forward’ to talks resuming between actors’ union and Hollywood studios next week | CNN

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CNN
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SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher is gearing up to resume negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers next week.

Talks will resume between the actors’ union and studio representatives on Monday, two and a half months after the more than 160,000 members of the guild went on strike and one week after the Writers Guild of America and the AMPTP reached a tentative contract agreement.

“We’re happy WGA came to an agreement but one size doesn’t fit all,” Drescher told CNN on Thursday. “We look forward to resuming talks with the AMPTP.”

SAG-AFTRA negotiators will meet with several executives from AMPTP member companies to work out new television and theatrical contracts, according to the union.

SAG-AFTRA and the WGA have both sought contract changes related to streaming residuals and artificial intelligence. Actors are also asking for better relocation expenses for actors working out of state or country and limited long breaks between television seasons in order to give actors more stability while under contract.

The WGA has voted to authorize its members to return to work following the tentative agreement reached this week.

SAG-AFTRA has been on strike since July 14.

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September 28, 2023
Travis Kelce talked Taylor Swift on his podcast | CNN

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CNN
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Travis Kelce was already famous, but now he is learning what it means to be Taylor Swift-adjacent-famous.

The new episode of his podcast, “New Heights,” which he hosts with his brother, fellow NFL football player Jason Kelce, dropped Wednesday.

Jason Kelce introduced the TSwift of it all in the midst of some football talk by saying, “We’re here.”

“We’ve been avoiding this subject out of respect for your personal life,” Jason Kelce, who plays for the Philadelphia Eagles said. “But now we gotta talk about it.”

“My personal life that’s not so personal,” Travis Kelce quipped. “I did this to myself Jason. I know this.”

Jason Kelce then brought up Swift’s recent attendance at his brother’s game to watch his Kansas City Chiefs take on the Chicago Bears in Arrowhead Stadium. The superstar singer sat in a suite alongside the matriarch of the Kelce family and it pretty much broke the internet.

After Jason Kelce asked his brother what his life is now like, Travis Kelce said he’s on the “roller coaster of life.”

“I noticed a few things,” Travis Kelce said. “Paparazzi at my house. S**t like that.”

The paps are there with cameras and screaming his name he said. His brother naturally asked about his special guest at the game.

“Shout out to Taylor for pulling up,” Travis Kelce said. “That was pretty ballsy.”

He hailed Swift who “looked amazing” and he said his friends and family had nothing but amazing things to say about her. Not to mention that his Chiefs won the game.

“We script it all ladies and gentleman,” he (maybe) joked. “It was impressive.”

Kelce said he found all the attention and excitement “hysterical.”

“It’s definitely a game I’ll remember,” he said. “That’s for damn sure.”

The brothers covered some more ground, including the sales of Travis Kelce’s jersey exploding post the Swift appearance, how everyone including football coaches have been talking about the possible couple and even how they drove off in his convertible after the game.

As to whether they are a couple or not we still don’t really know because Kelce chose to pass and left it as, “What’s real is that it is my personal life. I want to respect both of our lives.”

Moving forward he will stick to talking about sports he said.

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September 27, 2023
Taylor Swift’s attendance at Chiefs game brings a spike in Travis Kelce jersey sales | CNN Business

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CNN
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The surprise attendance of pop superstar Taylor Swift at Sunday’s Kansas City Chiefs game also brought an unexpected surge in sales of Chiefs’ tight end Travis Kelce’s jersey, according to sports retailer Fanatics.

“Yesterday, Travis Kelce was one of the top five selling NFL players and saw a nearly 400% spike in sales throughout the Fanatics network of sites, including NFLShop.com,” said a spokesperson for Fanatics, the NFL’s official e-commerce partner.

The singer was shown cheering on the Chiefs during the FOX Sports broadcast, dressed in a red and white team jacket. She appeared to be sitting next to Donna Kelce, the player’s mom, chatting and laughing throughout the game at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.

Swift’s show of support comes after weeks of speculation — by various NFL broadcasters and the vast majority of Swifties — that she and Kelce are dating, though the two have not publicly confirmed any romantic link.

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September 25, 2023
Ariana Grande files for divorce from Dalton Gomez after two years of marriage | CNN

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CNN
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Ariana Grande and Dalton Gomez are going their separate ways.

Grande filed a petition for divorce on Monday in Los Angeles. The singer cited “irreconcilable differences” as grounds for dissolution, a source with knowledge of the matter told CNN.

CNN has reached out to a representative for Grande for comment. Family law attorney Laura Wasser is representing Grande in the divorce. CNN has not yet determined who is representing Gomez.

The “Thank U, Next” singer and Gomez wed in 2021.

“It was tiny and intimate – less than 20 people. The room was so happy and full of love,” Grande’s representative told People of the wedding ceremony at the time. “The couple and both families couldn’t be happier.”

Grande later shared photos of their nuptials, which took place at their home in Montecito, to her Instagram page, captioning it, “5.15.21.”

The post has since been removed, but the photos previously showcased Grande wearing a Vera Wang wedding gown and kissing Gomez, who wore a Tom Ford suit.

Their 2021 nuptials came two years after Grande’s engagement to comedian Pete Davidson.

Grande and Gomez, a real estate agent, first went public with their relationship with the release of her 2020 song “Stuck with U,” a song she collaborated on with Justin Bieber. Gomez was featured in the music video for the song.

They announced their engagement that same year.

Speculation that the pair were no longer together began in July when the “Sweetener” singer was spotted without her wedding band while attending Wimbledon.

Grande last posted a photo with Gomez on her social media in November, but the former couple kept their relationship mostly out of the spotlight.

The Grammy winner had been busy filming the cinematic adaptation of “Wicked” in London alongside Bailey, Cynthia Erivo, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh and Bowen Yang prior to SAG-AFTRA going on strike in July.

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September 18, 2023
Who Is Françoise Bettencourt Meyers, World’s Richest Woman? | Entrepreneur

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^{This article originally appeared on Business Insider.}

Françoise Bettencourt Meyers, the 70-year-old granddaughter of L’Oreal founder Eugène Schueller, is the richest woman in the world, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

Bettencourt Meyers is worth almost $88 billion, mostly due to her stake in L’Oreal. She’s in 13th position on the Bloomberg list and has become $16 billion better off this year.

Here’s a look at her life and wealth.

Françoise Bettencourt Meyers, 70, is the granddaughter of L’Oreal founder Eugène Schueller.

^{Pierre Vauthey/Getty Images via BI}

Schueller, a pharmacist, founded the company that was to become L’Oreal in 1909.

His daughter and Bettencourt Meyers’ mother, Liliane, inherited Schueller’s fortune and control of the company upon his death in 1957.

Along with her husband, André Bettencourt, a French politician, the Bettencourts were well known in France for their glamorous parties.

But Bettencourt Meyers was less interested in the socialite lifestyle of her parents, preferring to stay in and play the piano or read, Vanity Fair reported.

Bettencourt Meyers had a fraught relationship with her mother.

^{Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images via BI}

The mother-daughter relationship was strained since Bettencourt Meyers was a teenager.

“Françoise was heavy and slow,” Bettencourt once said, per Vanity Fair. “Always one lap behind me.”

Bettencourt also called Françoise “a cold child” in an interview with a French newspaper, per The New York Times.

As an adult, Bettencourt Meyers chose to focus on her career as an author.

^{ALAIN JOCARD/AFP via Getty Images via BI}

The heiress has written books on topics ranging from Greek mythology to Judaism and Catholicism.

Her most recent book, a Biblical commentary entitled “Regard sur la Bible,” was published in 2008, according to its Amazon page.

Bettencourt Meyers also sits on L’Oreal’s board and chairs the family’s holding company.

^{Getty Images via BI}

Bettencourt Meyers has a 33% stake in L’Oreal and is a board member.

Her relationship with her mother came to a tipping point when Bettencourt Meyers initiated a decade-long family feud over her inheritance.

^{Getty Images via BI}

In the lawsuit, Bettencourt Meyers alleged that photographer François-Marie Banier used his friendship with Liliane Bettencourt to manipulate the elderly heiress into giving him some 1.3 billion euros ($1.4 billion) of cash, art, and life insurance policies, The New York Times reported.

Bettencourt, who was diagnosed with dementia, disputed her daughter’s assertion, said she freely shared her assets with Banier.

In a 2008 letter to Banier, Bettencourt described their relationship to him writing: “With you, I am like a mother, a lover, all the feelings pass through me. It makes me tremble,” according to Vanity Fair.

Bettencourt Meyers told a French news magazine in 2009 that Mr. Banier’s “objective is clear: break away my mother from our family to profit from her. I will not let it happen.”

The case went to trial in 2015. Bainer was convicted of “abus de faiblesse,” or “abuse of weakness.”

He was sentenced to two and half years in prison and told to pay Bettencourt 158 million euros million in damages.

The jail sentence and payment were later reversed in an appeal.

The pair weren’t on speaking terms after Bettencourt Meyers filed the criminal complaint in 2009.

^{Liliane Bettencourt and Françoise Bettencourt-Meyers. Thibault Camus/AP via BI}

“I don’t see my daughter anymore and I don’t wish to,” Bettencourt said in a 2008 interview, according to Vanity Fair. “For me, my daughter has become something inert.”

A lawyer involved in the case told Vanity Fair: “The mother massacred the daughter, then the daughter massacred the mother.”

In 2011, Bettencourt was placed under the guardianship of her family due to concerns over her declining mental health.

The lawsuit also drudged up long-forgotten family secrets, including speculation that Bettencourt Meyer’s father Andre and her grandfather were Nazi sympathizers.

^{Andre Bettencourt and Françoise Bettencourt-Meyers in 1988. James Andanson/Getty Images via BI}

Bettencourt Meyers’ grandfather, Eugene Schueller, had publicly commended Adolf Hitler’s “dynamism” in the early years of Nazi Germany and was investigated as a Nazi collaborator after World War II ended, Insider’s Áine Cain reported.

Schueller was also a member of a secret society that plotted to overthrow France’s republican government in the 1930s, Insider reported. The group, which was linked to multiple murders and bombings, was bankrolled by Schueller who hosted its meetings at L’Oréal’s headquarters.

André Bettencourt, Bettencourt Meyers’ father, wrote anti-Semitic diatribes for the pro-German press during the war, according to Time, though he switched his allegiances and joined the Resistance. He was later decorated for his military service during World War II and went on to serve in the French government.

Even though she was on the winning side of the lawsuit, Bettencourt Meyers was later investigated for allegations of bribing a witness.

^{Antoine Gyori/Getty Images via BI}

The investigation stemmed from a criminal complaint filed by Bainer in 2015, according to Vanity Fair. At the time, Bettencourt Meyers said the payment she made to the witness was part severance payment, part personal loan, and not a bribe for the testimony.

That suit and Bettencourt Meyers’ countersuit against Bainer were resolved in a secret plea deal in 2016, Vanity Fair reported.

Bettencourt Meyers inherited tens of billions of dollars when her mother died in 2017, and valuable assets like this mansion in the suburbs of Paris …

^{Samir Tolba/AFP/Getty Images via BI}

The house is located in Neuilly-sur-Seine, a wealthy suburb west of Paris. Neuilly-sur-Seine is known in France as “power suburb, a place not only of wealth but influence,” according to The Independent. It’s also home to actors Christian Clavier, Thierry Lhermitte, Gerard Jugnot, and politician Marine Le Pen.

The Art deco mansion and is where Bettencourt spent her final days, Time reported.

… and this mansion overlooking France’s Brittany coast.

^{Getty Images via BI}

The mansion was one of Bettencourt’s childhood homes, The New York Times reported.

Bettencourt Meyers lived in this nearby home.

^{Boris Horvat/AFP/Getty Images}

French police searched this home in 2010 as a part of the investigations surrounding the Bettencourt affair, Bloomberg reported at the time.

Bettencourt Meyers lived there with her husband Jean-Pierre Meyers.

^{Jean-Victor Meyers, Nicolas Meyers, Francoise Bettencourt Meyers and her husband Jean-Pierre Meyers in 2019. Bertrand Rindoff Petroff/Getty Images for Foundation L’Oreal via BI}

Jean-Pierre Meyers is CEO of French spirits producer Tethys SAS, and is also on the board of Nestle.

The couple has two adult sons, Jean-Victor and Nicolas. Jean-Victor is on L’Oreal’s board of directors along with Bettencourt Meyers.

In the years since the controversy involving her family, Bettencourt Meyers’ fortune has grown exponentially.

^{Francois Guillot/AFP/Getty Images via BI}

Bettencourt Meyers is worth $87.8 billion, Bloomberg estimates, making her the world’s wealthiest woman and the 13th richest person.

She and her family control 33% of L’Oréal, the world’s largest cosmetics maker. L’Oréal shares were up 29% in the first half of 2023, according to Forbes.

The company owns mass-market brands like Maybelline, Essie, Garnier, and, of course, L’Oréal, as well as high-end beauty companies like Urban Decay, Lancôme, and Kiehl’s. L’Oréal also licenses the beauty divisions of luxury fashion houses including Yves Saint Laurent and Valentino.

Bettencourt Meyers isn’t the only French billionaire on the rich list. LVMH chief Bernard Arnault became the world’s wealthiest person in December 2022 but relinquished the crown to Elon Musk in June. Arnault is worth $175 billion, per Bloomberg, while Musk is worth $249 billion.

The overall wealth of French company founders and heirs has jumped by $93 billion in 2023 alone, reports Bloomberg.

Bettencourt Meyers has dedicated some of her billions to philanthropy.

^{Françoise Bettencourt-Meyers. Martin Bureau/AFP/Getty Images via BI}

Bettencourt Meyers hasn’t kept all her money to herself. In April 2019 she was among French billionaires who pledged millions after Notre Dame Cathedral caught fire, Insider reported.

Bettencourt Meyers is also the president of the Bettencourt Schueller Foundation, the charity she cofounded in the 1980s. It issues grants to support research in the life sciences and arts projects, according to its website.

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September 18, 2023
Hugh Jackman and wife Deborra-Lee Furness announce separation | CNN

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CNN
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Hugh Jackman and his wife Deborra-Lee Furness have announced they are separating after 27 years of marriage.

“We have been blessed to share almost 3 decades together as husband and wife in a wonderful, loving marriage. Our journey now is shifting and we have decided to separate to pursue our individual growth,” the two announced in a statement to People.

“Our family has been and always will be our highest priority. We undertake this next chapter with gratitude, love, and kindness,” they continued. “We greatly appreciate your understanding in respecting our privacy as our family navigates this transition in all of our lives.”

Jackman and Furness married in 1996.

CNN has reached out to representatives for Jackman for comment.

Their statement was signed, “Deb and Hugh Jackman,” and concluded, “This is the sole statement either of us will make.”

This story is developing and will be updated.

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September 15, 2023
Rock ‘n’ roll is having a revival moment | CNN

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What year is it again?

The Rolling Stones have new music out, NBC has an Elvis Christmas special coming, people are talking about Little Richard and Aerosmith is on a farewell tour.

Rock ‘n’ roll long ago promised it was here to stay, but the genre is having a revival moment that both harkens to the past and looks to the future.

Here’s what we mean:

It’s been a minute, but Mick and the boys are back.

The Rolling Stones – who first came together more than 60 years ago – recently released the first single from their forthcoming album, “Hackney Diamonds.”

For those keeping track, this is the band’s first new album in 18 years.

The group shared the news during a live conversation with Jimmy Fallon and revealed that their late drummer, Charlie Watts, plays on two tracks.

Watts died in 2021 at the age of 80.

Geriatric status isn’t stopping the band members from continuing to rock out.

The new album is out October 20.

Austin Butler stirred excitement playing the king of rock and roll in the musical biopic “Elvis,” which won him an Academy Award last year.

Now the focus is back on the Presley family.

NBC has announced a “Christmas at Graceland” special for the holidays.

“My family and I are elated to open the doors to Graceland in this first-of-its-kind special,” said executive producer Riley Keough, who is an actress and Elvis Presley’s granddaughter. “With intimate musical performances drawing inspiration from my grandfather Elvis’s cherished Christmases in Memphis, viewers will be invited to experience firsthand the magic that is Christmas at Graceland.”

There’s history there.

In December 1968, NBC aired an Elvis Presley concert special that became iconic.

And he’s not the only family member in the spotlight right now.

Priscilla Presley recently appeared at the Venice Film Festival for the premiere of Sofia Coppola’s “Priscilla,” a film about her relationship with Elvis.

The CNN documentary “Little Richard: I Am Everything” examines the life of the rocker who died from bone cancer in 2020.

Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Lisa Cortés, the film incorporates the perspectives of fellow music legends and intellectuals, along with the words of Little Richard himself to tell the story of his life and career.

It was not an easy one as a queer man coming up during the civil rights era, which is part of what makes the documentary so fascinating.

Dream on if you were expecting Aeromsith to tour forever.

This month the band kicked off their “Peace Out: The Farewell Tour,” which both honors their 50 years in the industry and acts as their easing into retirement – supposedly.

While Steven Tyler’s vocal cord injury is temporarily delaying some dates, Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry, 73, recently talked to Classic Rock about what rock music has meant to him.

“Rock ‘n’ roll was a place I could go and nobody told me ‘No.’ Except my parents,” he explained. “That’s why I was a late starter at taking the guitar seriously. Being a star or an idol was not on top of my list. Being on stage with other guys, playing music, that was it.”

The tour is scheduled to run through February 2024.

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September 12, 2023
‘Good Morning America’ anchor Robin Roberts marries Amber Laign in ‘intimate’ backyard ceremony | CNN

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Robin Roberts and Amber Laign are officially married.

“An intimate, magical wedding ceremony in our backyard followed by a joyous reception…ohhhh the dancing!!” Roberts wrote on Instagram on Sunday, next to a photo of herself and Laign holding hands in their wedding gowns.

“We are immensely grateful to all for making it a day and a night to remember. Honeymoon here we come!”, Roberts added.

The pair, who’ve been together since 2005, wed on Friday.

The “Good Morning America” veteran anchor also shared footage of her siblings walking out to make a toast while dancing to Montell Jordan’s “This Is How We Do It,” a moment from the reception that Roberts described as “one of many highlights.”

Roberts and Laign both wore custom Badgley Mischka wedding gowns and were married by Roberts’ childhood pastor, according to “GMA” on Sunday.

In January, Roberts revealed that she planned to marry Laign this year during conversation with author and motivational speaker Gabby Bernstein.

“It was something we had talked about, but we had put it off. She became ill,” Roberts told Bernstein.

Laign and Roberts have both overcome serious health obstacles throughout the course of their relationship.

Roberts shared that Laign was diagnosed with breast cancer in a video posted to her verified Twitter account in February 2022. She updated her followers in July of that year that Laign had completed a portion of her treatment.

In 2007, Roberts announced that she was battling breast cancer. She also revealed in 2012 that she was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome and underwent a lifesaving bone marrow transplant.

With those health obstacles behind them, the newlyweds appear to have found the perfect time to celebrate their love.

“Many people go into marriage hoping for and looking for what Amber and I already know we have, and so ours is a celebration,” Roberts said on “GMA” in August. “We’ve been living our happily ever after through all the ups and downs, so it’s a celebration.”

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September 10, 2023
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September 10, 2023
Danny Masterson sentenced to 30 years to life in prison in rape case | CNN

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Actor Danny Masterson was sentenced on Thursday to 30 years to life in prison after he was convicted on two counts of rape in a Los Angeles courtroom in June, according to Deputy D.A. Reinhold Mueller of the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office.

CNN has reached out to representatives for Masterson for comment.

The “That ’70s Show” star, 47, was found guilty in June on two of three counts of rape. The jury was deadlocked on the third count.

Masterson was taken into custody following the verdict earlier this year, and on Thursday received the maximum penalty for the crimes.

Masterson had pleaded not guilty to raping three women at his home in separate incidents between 2001 and 2003.

The sentence on Thursday stems from the second trial in the case, which began on April 24 and went to jury on May 17. Masterson was represented by defense lawyers Shawn Holley and Philip Cohen. Deputy D.A. Ariel Anson and Deputy D.A. Mueller prosecuted the case.

The first trial began in October 2022, and a mistrial was declared the following month after the jury remained deadlocked, the District Attorney told CNN at the time.

Alison Anderson, the attorney representing two of the three accusers, told CNN in a statement on Thursday following the sentencing that her clients “have displayed tremendous strength and bravery, by coming forward to law enforcement and participating directly in two grueling criminal trials.”

Masterson is best known for his role as Steven Hyde on “That ’70s Show,” which aired for eight seasons on Fox from 1998 to 2006, and co-starred Mila Kunis, Ashton Kutcher, Laura Prepon, Topher Grace and Wilmer Valderrama.

Kutcher and Masterson also starred in Netflix’s “The Ranch” beginning in 2016, but Netflix and the producers wrote Masterson off the show amid the rape allegations. At the time, Masterson said he was “obviously very disappointed” by the decision in a statement to CNN.

News of the allegations date back to March 2017, when journalist and former Village Voice editor Tony Ortega wrote on his site “The Underground Bunker” that Masterson was being investigated by the Los Angeles Police Department.

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September 7, 2023
Why Taylor Swift wants you to watch the Eras concert film in theaters instead of on your couch | CNN Business

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Taylor Swift’s fans know the greatest films of all time were never made, but that could be called into question come October 13, when her Eras Tour concert movie is set for release in North America.

The bigger question might be: Why did Swift decide to release her highly anticipated film in theaters over a streaming service?

Already, the film has reached notable milestones. It has broken records for single-day advance ticket sales revenue with $26 million of tickets sold on August 31, according to AMC Theaters, blowing past previous record-holder “Spider-Man: No Way Home.”

But Swift’s latest film is a pivot from recent years, when she released her concert films and documentaries on streaming services. Experts say that choosing movie theaters for the Eras Tour film’s debut over the small screen is a move fitting of both Swift’s business acumen and relationship with her fans.

Swift’s previous documentaries, “Miss Americana” and “Taylor Swift Reputation Stadium Tour” are on Netflix, while “Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions” is available on Disney+. “Taylor Swift: Journey to Fearless” aired on The Hub, since re-branded as Discovery Family. “The 1989 World Tour Live” was released on Apple Music. Warner Bros. Discovery, CNN’s parent company, also owns the Discovery network.

Unlike her previous concerts, the Eras Tour has become a cultural phenomenon. Many fans dress up in themed outfits to represent each of Swift’s “eras” or inside jokes among fans, donning everything from sparkly dresses to cowboy boots to cat costumes. Some make hundreds of friendship bracelets to trade during shows, and memorize lyrics and fan chants for her roughly three-hour performance.

At a movie theater, Swifties can partake in those rituals with other fans, which wouldn’t be the case for an at-home viewing on the couch. The theater’s ability to recreate the concert experience is likely a key reason why Swift decided to choose the big screen for her film, said Jonathan Kuuskoski, chair of the entrepreneurship and leadership department at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre and Dance.

“The movie basically functions as an overflow room for the concert tour,” said Kuuskoski.

Swift seemed to encourage the theater as a make-shift concert venue, posting on social media: “Eras attire, friendship bracelets, singing and dancing encouraged,” adding “1, 2, 3, LGB!” the acronym to a concert fan chant.

Demand for Swift’s concerts has been astronomical, crashing Ticketmaster’s website last November and prompting US lawmakers to investigate whether the company has a monopoly on ticket sales. Ticketmaster was hit with more glitches in July when fans tried to purchase tickets for her shows in France.

While her concerts are in no short supply of attendees, a theater release opens the door to Swifties who couldn’t afford concert tickets, as well as potential new fans willing to pay for a movie ticket without committing to a concert, said Ralph Jaccodine, an assistant professor at Berklee College of Music and former concert promoter who has worked with Bruce Springsteen, Kiss and others.

Adult tickets for the film are set at $19.89, a nod to Swift’s album “1989,” whose re-recording is set for release two weeks after the “Eras Tour” theatrical debut. Swift’s favorite number is 13, and tickets for children and seniors are aptly set at $13.13.

Releasing the film in theaters is also a more financially lucrative decision than providing it to a streaming service, said Kuuskoski. For example, while moviegoers have to purchase a ticket each time they view a film, that’s not the case for streaming. Swift could also sell the film to a streaming service after it runs its course on the big screen.

Releasing the film in theaters before the tour is over seemingly runs the risk of potentially cannibalizing ticket sales for the actual concert. but the timing actually helps keep the momentum surrounding her tour going, says Jaccodine. Swift’s global tour ends in late 2024.

“I don’t think she could get any less publicity than what’s going on now,” he said.

Others seemed to have their own reasons for concern about the Eras Tour film release’s timing. The “Exorcist: Believer,” originally scheduled to be released on the same day as Swift’s film, moved it up a week.

“Look what you made me do. The Exorcist: Believer moves to 10/6/23 #TaylorWins,” the producer of the upcoming horror film posted on “X,” formerly Twitter, just hours after Swift announced her film.

The summer has already ushered in a film renaissance, as blockbusters “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” raked in a combined $511 million in global box office sales over their opening weekend and rekindled hopes that consumers are returning to movie theaters after the pandemic forced them to shutter their doors. “Barbie” is distributed by Warner Bros. Discovery, which owns CNN.

The Eras Tour’s film will likely extend the strong run of movie ticket sales set by the “Barbenheimer” phenomenon, especially as theaters ramp up their own efforts to lure in moviegoers, said Michael O’Leary, chief executive of the National Association of Theater Owners.

AMC is selling collectible popcorn tubs and fountain drink cups in theaters starting the day of the film’s release, and offering free posters along with ticket purchases while supplies last.

“I don’t think this is something which is going to be a two- or three-week phenomenon,” O’Leary said. “You’re going to have people going multiple times.”

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September 7, 2023
Penn Badgley says filming ‘Gossip Girl’ wedding scene with ex Blake Lively wasn’t ‘awkward for anybody’ | CNN

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Hey, Upper East Siders. “Gossip Girl” here.

Penn Badgley was spotted discussing a certain iconic wedding scene featured in the original CW “Gossip Girl” series finale during his “Popcrushed” podcast on Wednesday, and the subject of his real-life ex-girlfriend Blake Lively of course came up.

Badgley played Dan Humphrey in the series, and his cohosts wanted to know if the scene was awkward to film, as the pair had broken up by then off camera.

“I sure don’t think it was awkward for anybody,” Badgley said of filming that scene, adding, “from my memory, I’m pretty sure we were exes for nearly half of the entire run of the series.”

The wedding scene was featured in the 2012 series finale episode, wherein Lively’s Serena Van Der Woodsen married Humphrey – who was endearingly known as “lonely boy” throughout the series, and revealed to be Gossip Girl in the finale.

“We always were very professional,” Badgley said in the podcast. “We had to do all kinds of nutso stuff” – including having a fake marriage. “In my memory, there was not one bit of strangeness, it wasn’t even a thing.”

According to Badgley, his real-life relationship with Lively ran its course over a two-year period while they starred in the show. Lively is now married to actor Ryan Reynolds, and Badgely is wed to singer and actress Domino Kirke.

“Gossip Girl” first debuted in 2007 and ran for six seasons until 2012. It was based on the book series of the same name by author Cecily von Ziegesar, and followed the privileged lives of teens on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.

“Everything in that show was about relationships of some form, so I feel like all of us had been in every configuration imaginable,” Badgley said on Wednesday, adding that “the finale in a lot of ways felt a little bit to me, after such a long time, it felt like it was almost an afterthought.”

Well, lonely boy, it’s still on our minds. XOXO.

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September 6, 2023