Media / Entertainment – Africana55 Radio https://www.africana55radio.com Thu, 03 Apr 2025 21:57:44 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.3.18 https://www.africana55radio.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/cropped-logoafricana-32x32.png Media / Entertainment – Africana55 Radio https://www.africana55radio.com 32 32 Tate receives ‘transformational’ gift from US donors https://www.africana55radio.com/tate-receives-transformational-gift-from-us-donors/ https://www.africana55radio.com/tate-receives-transformational-gift-from-us-donors/#respond Thu, 03 Apr 2025 21:57:44 +0000 https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm24mpx1xveo#0

Tate Modern has announced it has received a major gift from a couple of art collectors in the form of a painting by the US modern artist Joan Mitchell.

It was unveiled on Thursday as one of a group of works being donated by the Miami-based philanthropists, Jorge M and Darlene Pérez.

The six-metre-long triptych, entitled Iva 1973, can now be viewed for free at the London gallery next to Mark Rothko's Seagram Murals.

Tate director Maria Balshaw said the gift was "one of the most important" it has received, describing the donation as "transformational".

"To place such a significant and valuable work in public hands is an act of incredible generosity," said Balshaw.

"It is also an endorsement of Tate's ability to share our collection with the broadest possible audience," she added. "And to care for that collection for future generations."

Mitchell, who would've been 100 this year, was one of the most celebrated artists of the abstract expressionist movement.

Arts Minister, Sir Chris Bryant said the "spectacular donation" of Mitchell's "masterpiece", which was originally dedicated to her dog, shows "the amazing difference one person's generosity can make".

"I'm very grateful for this donation and for the work that went into making it possible," he said.

"We are committed to ensuring art is for everyone, everywhere and the generosity of the Pérez family ensures that great art remains accessible to all, whilst also enriching our national collection."

Argentine-American businessman Mr Pérez is best known as the chairman and CEO of The Related Group, a Miami-based real estate company.

He has given or pledged over $100m (£76m) to Miami's public art museum, which was renamed the Pérez Art Museum Miami in his honour in 2013.

He also founded a not-for-profit contemporary art space in Miami called El Espacio 23.

Mr Pérez told BBC News: "We've been talking to the Tate for a long time, we're great admirers of the Tate.

"Our hope is always that our art is seen by the highest number of people. The Tate has huge viewership, millions and millions of people coming in."

He added the work suited being displayed next to other famous artists. "This painting, when you see it next to the Rothko's, really resounds," he said, "and it'll be there forever.

"So when you talk about legacy, we like to think that our names will not be forgotten, and that they will live, not only with the British audience, but also with the international audience that comes to the Tate.

"We hope it fills a gap in the collection that is very important and maybe the most important art movement in America. It's found its home, we're very pleased with it here."

Mrs Pérez noted female artists "play a significant role in shaping the cultural landscape" and that is was therefore "pivotal that we support and celebrate their contributions."

"We've long admired Joan Mitchell's work and are thrilled to share Iva with the world through Tate Modern."

Their gift also includes a multimillion-dollar endowment to support Tate's curatorial research.

Also, a range of works and photographs by artists from across Africa and the African diaspora - including by Yinka Shonibare, El Anatsui and Malick Sidibé - will make their way from the Pérezes to Tate's collection over the coming years.

Additional reporting by Steven Wright.

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Bafta-winning actor Lee Montague dies aged 97 https://www.africana55radio.com/bafta-winning-actor-lee-montague-dies-aged-97/ https://www.africana55radio.com/bafta-winning-actor-lee-montague-dies-aged-97/#respond Thu, 03 Apr 2025 21:57:42 +0000 https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5ygp0m64reo#0

Bafta-winning actor Lee Montague, a star of both stage and screen, has died aged 97.

Montague was perhaps best known for appearing in Bergerac as Henri Dupont in several episodes and also featured in shows including The Sweeney and Seconds Out.

Montague's death was announced earlier this week by the Keats Community Library, where he served as president for life.

Fellow actor, Monty Python star Michael Palin led the tributes to the Jackanory storyteller saying it was "always a pleasure to share a stage with him".

Keats Community Library said they were "deeply sad" to announce Montague's death, describing him as a "highly respected actor" who was also "vital to our success".

Montague toured with Laurence Olivier and Peter Brook, starred on Broadway and had a long career in film and TV, carving out a niche by often playing tough characters.

He made his big screen debut in 1952's Moulin Rouge and later starred in films such as Brass Target, Brother Sun, Sister Moon and How I Won The War, opposite John Lennon.

A student of the Old Vic, Montague played Gregory Hawke in The Climate of Eden on Broadway in 1952, then later Ed in Entertaining Mr Sloane, and John Rawlings in the 1971 production of Who Saw Him Die by Tudor Gates at London's Theatre Royal Haymarket.

And he was the first storyteller on the BBC children's programme Jackanory in 1965, for which he won the Bafta, narrating 15 episodes.

In 2011, he formed a committee to establish the Keats Community Library charity, writing and performing there with the likes of Palin, Robert Powell, Simon Callow and Janet Suzman.

The charity noted how he was "a highly respected actor" who would be "greatly missed".

Palin told the local Ham and High newspaper he was "very sad to hear that I shall not see Lee again".

"He was such good company, wise, experienced, empathetic, funny," he added. "It was always a pleasure to share a stage with him."

Actor Robert Lindsay added: 'I'm devastated as I regarded Lee as my theatrical Dad and I have kept in touch with him over many years!"

Playwright Sir David Hare described Lee as "a consummate gentleman".

Montague was married to fellow actor Ruth Goring for 67 years until her death in 2023, and they shared two children.

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Amazon plans ‘fresh’ James Bond but will respect 007 legacy https://www.africana55radio.com/amazon-plans-fresh-james-bond-but-will-respect-007-legacy/ https://www.africana55radio.com/amazon-plans-fresh-james-bond-but-will-respect-007-legacy/#respond Thu, 03 Apr 2025 21:57:40 +0000 https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9venl4lek7o#0

We still don't know who the next James Bond will be, but 007's new owners, Amazon MGM, say they are hard at work on the next film in London and that they will offer a "fresh" take on the franchise and honour the "legacy of this iconic character."

The Bond anthem Goldfinger welcomed guests into the Colosseum Theatre in Las Vegas for Amazon MGM Studio's first ever appearance at CinemaCon – heightening anticipation – but there was very little Bond news in an otherwise star-studded showcase for the streaming giant.

Since 1962, James Bond movies have been controlled by the notoriously protective Broccoli family. It shocked many fans and industry insiders when producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson agreed earlier this year to sell creative control of the franchise to Amazon – reportedly for $1bn (£760m).

Many expected the new producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman to appear at CinemaCon to divulge some details of their plans for James Bond amid rife speculation that Amazon will churn out prequels, spinoffs, and origin stories galore.

But in a nearly two-hour presentation – Ben Affleck, Ryan Gosling, Chris Pratt and Halle Berry all showcased new films – Bond was barely a blip.

Chris Hemsworth – who many speculate is in the running to become James Bond – was there to show off Crime 101, a thriller focused on robberies along Los Angeles' 101 Freeway.

In their presentation, Amazon MGM executives Courtenay Valenti and Sue Kroll mentioned James Bond only in passing, commenting: "We are committed to honouring the legacy of this iconic character while bringing a fresh, exotic new chapter to audiences around the world alongside Amy and David."

They added they wished Pascal and Heyman could be in Las Vegas with them, but that they were hard at work in London. "They're both in London getting started and couldn't be here tonight, but we wanted to thank them for what we know to make an incredible partnership," the pair said.

Valenti and Droll then moved on to showcase Masters of The Universe

Pascal and Heyman are behind two of the most successful franchises in film history, Spider-Man for Pascal and Harry Potter for Heyman.

Amazon MGM showed off many other films, including Ryan Gosling's space epic Project Hail Mary in which he play's a reluctant astronaut tasked with saving humanity.

And Chris Pratt showcased Mercy while strapped to a chair on stage, spoofing his film about an AI justice system which is judge, jury and executioner and gives him 90 minutes to prove he didn't kill his wife.

As movie theatres struggle to bring in audiences and as many consumers stay home and watch YouTube, Amazon MGM executives repeatedly told the crowd they were committed to the theatrical experience.

Mike Hopkins, the head of Amazon MGM and Prime Video, said they remained bullish on cinema and that they planned to make 15 movies a year by 2027 and that they already have 14 films ready to release in 2026.

"This really speaks to our belief in the future of the theatrical film business," he said.

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Bruce Springsteen to release seven ‘lost’ albums https://www.africana55radio.com/bruce-springsteen-to-release-seven-lost-albums/ https://www.africana55radio.com/bruce-springsteen-to-release-seven-lost-albums/#respond Thu, 03 Apr 2025 21:57:39 +0000 https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy4vgz8zgyjo#0
7 hours ago

Mark Savage

Music Correspondent

Getty Images Bruce Springsteen waves to a camera, while posing on the red carpet for a documentary about his touring lifeGetty Images

The star said he'd been able to finish dozens of tracks that were sitting in his vault during the pandemic

Bruce Springsteen is throwing open his archives to let fans hear seven completed, but never-before-released, albums.

The recordings, which date from 1983 to 2018, will "fill in rich chapters of Springsteen's expansive career timeline - while offering invaluable insight into his life and work as an artist," said Sony Music.

Among them are working tapes from the sessions that led to rock classic Born In The USA, and an album that experimented with drum loops and synthesisers from the early 1990s.

"I've played this music to myself and often close friends for years now," Springsteen said in a statement. "I'm glad you'll get a chance to finally hear them. I hope you enjoy them."

The music will be revealed on a box set of seven CDs (or nine vinyl discs), titled Tracks II: The Lost Albums.

The scale of the release is quite different from its predecessor, Tracks, whose four discs collected random off-cuts and b-sides from the first 25 years of Springsteen's career.

According to a press release, Tracks II will feature 83 songs, of which 74 have never been officially released in any form.

Many of the tracks, including Fugitive's Dream and Don't Back Down on Our Love, have circulated on bootlegs for years, but will finally be heard in studio quality.

Springsteen said the release had been made possible when the Covid-19 pandemic allowed him to "finish everything I had in my vault".

Getty Images Bruce Springsteen poses with a guitar, while playing on stage in the 1980sGetty Images

Springsteen's heartland rock made him a working class hero in the 1970s and 80s

Fans have known for years that Springsteen's vault contains hours and hours of unheard material.

Speaking to Variety magazine in 2017, the star admitted: "We've made many more records than we released. Why didn't we release those records? I didn't think they were essential.

"I might have thought they were good, I might have had fun making them... but over my entire work life, I felt like I released what was essential at a certain moment, and what I got in return was a very sharp definition of who I was, what I want to do, what I was singing about.

"And I still basically judge what I'm doing by the same set of rules."

In a video trailer for Tracks II, Springsteen added: "I often read about myself in the '90s as having some lost period or something.

"And I really, really was working the whole time."

First track released

Fans will finally get to hear those "lost" songs in June.

Springsteen said they would offer a glimpse into the home recordings he made after the commercial success of Born To Run and Born In The USA freed him from the pressure of using commercial recording studios.

"The ability to record at home whenever I wanted allowed me to go into a wide variety of different musical directions," he said in a statement.

That includes the "sonic experimeentation" of Faithless, a film soundtrack to a movie that never got made.

Other unreleased albums include the country-leaning Somewhere North of Nashville, cut in May 1995; and Twilight Hours, an orchestrated pop album that was written and recorded in the same period as 2018's Western Stars.

There are also the "richly-woven border tales" of Inyo, whose song titles - including The Aztec Dance and Ciudad Juarez - suggest a Latin American influence.

Springsteen described the last disc, Perfect World, as "the one thing on this that wasn't initially conceived as an album", instead highlighting several songs he wrote with longtime collaborator Joe Grushecky in the 1990s and early 2000s.

As a first taste of the collection, he released Rain In The River, from Perfect World, whose muscular drums and squalling feedback showcase the raw power of his regular backing band E Street Band.

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The announcement comes a month before Springsteen kicks off his European tour, with dates in Manchester, Liverpool, Marseille, Berlin and Prague, amongst others.

The 75-year-old recently vowed to keep playing live "until the wheels come off", but said he had scaled back his tours after his wife, Patti Scialfa, was diagnosed with myeloma, a rare blood cancer.

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Muse cancel Turkish gig after pressure from anti-government protesters https://www.africana55radio.com/muse-cancel-turkish-gig-after-pressure-from-anti-government-protesters/ https://www.africana55radio.com/muse-cancel-turkish-gig-after-pressure-from-anti-government-protesters/#respond Wed, 02 Apr 2025 21:57:39 +0000 https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3wxq8nw89qo#0
6 hours ago

Efe Oc

BBC News Turkish

Ed JONES/AFP A woman followed by other women clutches her fist and shouts slogans against the Turkish governmentEd JONES/AFP

Anti-government protests have erupted in Turkey after the arrest of the popular mayor of Istanbul

British band Muse have scrapped a concert in Istanbul after the concert promoter insulted anti-government protesters, prompting pressure from fans and local artists.

The band said it fully respected the concerns of fans, after promoter Abdulkadir Ozkan had denounced some opposition protesters' acts as treason. He later expressed regret for any "misunderstanding".

Turkey has been gripped by protests following the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu on 19 March over corruption charges, which he denies.

The popular opposition mayor was due to run for the presidency in 2028 elections. His supporters see his arrest as a political move by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Since 19 March, police have detained nearly 2,000 people, many of them university students.

UK singer Robbie Williams has also faced calls to cancel his show after the Turkish promoter went on social media to condemn a fight that broke out in a coffee shop boycotted by protesters.

"Plain and simple, this is hostility towards the capital. Act of treason," Abdulkadir Ozkan said on X.

He later posted another message, explaining his comments were not aimed at the "constitutional right to protests", and that he "deeply regrets" any misunderstanding.

The social media accounts of Muse and Robbie Williams have been flooded with comments calling for their concerts to be cancelled.

"You've played a huge role in shaping my musical taste," wrote one post, "but unfortunately the company organising it is on our boycott list."

Singer Gaye Su Akyol, a popular artist in Turkey, took to X to make a personal appeal to Muse, Robbie Williams and Norwegian singer Ane Brun.

"I've respected your works for years and know how much you mean to many," she said. "But neither I, nor anyone, will attend your Istanbul concerts because the organiser is on the boycott list of the pro-democracy movement. Solidarity matters."

PASCAL SCHMIDT/Hans Lucas/AFP Female singer Gaye Su Akyol holds a microphone, wearing a dark outfit and singing to the audience to her rightPASCAL SCHMIDT/Hans Lucas/AFP

Gaye Su Akyol, here performing in 2023, appealed personally for a concert boycott

As pressure grew, Mr Ozkan announced on Tuesday that his company was "withdrawing from all projects" in relation to the two concerts.

The promoter told BBC Turkish that the concerts would be organised by another company which would be determined by the artists.

In a statement on Wednesday, Muse said: "After careful consideration and hearing the feedback from our fans whilst fully respecting their concerns, our show in Istanbul will be now postponed until 2026 so we can ensure DBL Entertainment will not be involved."

Tickets for Muse's 11 June concert had been due to go on sale on Thursday, while tickets for Robbie Williams' October show in Istanbul are still available online.

Norwegian singer Ane Brun has cancelled her concert.

"I have decided not to play in Istanbul this October... unfortunately, this is not the right time," she said in an Instagram post.

The BBC has reached out to Robbie Williams' management team but is yet to receive a response.

A show in Istanbul by South African comedian Trevor Noah, promoted by Ozkan's firm and planned for 23 April has also been cancelled, with no reason given.

The controversy over the concerts coincides with wider calls for a countrywide boycott in Turkey which has been criticised by the government as economic sabotage.

As part of the anti-Erdogan protests, Imamoglu's opposition Republican People's Party has called for a boycott of companies which it says support the government.

Party leader Ozgur Ozel supported a call by students to halt all shopping on Wednesday, and some shops closed in solidarity.

Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz said the calls threatened social harmony and economic stability and were "doomed to fail".

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Look back at Val Kilmer’s best-known roles https://www.africana55radio.com/look-back-at-val-kilmers-best-known-roles/ https://www.africana55radio.com/look-back-at-val-kilmers-best-known-roles/#respond Wed, 02 Apr 2025 21:57:38 +0000 https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp91zrg1xnpo#0
11 hours ago

Steven McIntosh

Entertainment reporter

Getty Images Actor Val Kilmer attends the "Fourth Dimension" premiere during the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival at the AMC Lowes Village on April 24, 2012 in New York CityGetty Images

Val Kilmer pictured at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2012

Ask a group of film fans which role they will most remember actor Val Kilmer for, and each person will probably give you a different answer.

His performances in films like The Doors, Heat and Batman Forever are all likely to come up, while Willow and True Romance have their own dedicated fans.

One of his biggest films, Top Gun, is not only beloved by people old enough to have seen it when it was released in 1986, but also a much younger generation who are familiar with the much-memed scene of Kilmer's Iceman playing volleyball.

Here are some of his most memorable roles from his wide-ranging stage and screen career.

Kilmer's first screen role was opposite Michelle Pfeiffer in an ABC Afterschool Special. He played her character's boyfriend, who drives drunk with devastating results.

Getty Images Walt Disney Television via Getty Images AFTERSCHOOL SPECIAL - "One Too Many" - 5/1/85, Michelle Pfeiffer played Annie, one of four high school friends whose lives changed forever when her boyfriend Eric (Val Kilmer) drives drunk with devastating results, in the 1985 Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images Afterschool Special, "One Too Many"Getty Images

Another of his earliest film roles was in 1985 comedy film Real Genius, in which he starred opposite Gabriel Jarret.

Getty Images Gabriel Jarret and Val Kilmer in publicity portrait for the film 'Real Genius', 1985.Getty Images

Kilmer's real career breakthrough came the following year, when he appeared in Top Gun, one of the biggest box office hits of the 1980s.

Getty Images/Paramount Pictures Val Kilmer pictured in the movie Top Gun, directed by Tony Scott, in 1986Getty Images/Paramount Pictures

Kilmer played Tom "Iceman" Kazansky, the arrogant rival to Tom Cruise's Pete "Maverick" Mitchell.

Alamy Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer in Top GunAlamy

Two years later, Kilmer starred as a mercenary swordsman in Willow, the fantasy adventure directed by Ron Howard.

Alamy Val Kilmer in 1988's WillowAlamy

Kilmer and Joanne Whalley starred together in films including Willow and Twixt, and in 1989 they played a couple who rob a pair of Las Vegas mobsters in Kill Me Again. They got married in 1988.

Getty Images Val Kilmer and Joanne Whalley, film Kill Me Again in a casino in Las Vegas February 12, 1989 Las Vegas, NevadaGetty Images

Kilmer channelled the spirit of singer Jim Morrison in director Oliver Stone's 1991 biopic of US rock band The Doors.

Getty Images Val Kilmer at the microphone in a scene from the film 'The Doors', 1991.Getty Images

In 1993's True Romance, Kilmer played a version of Elvis Presley who is a figment of Christian Slater's imagination. The film was written by Quentin Tarantino and saw Kilmer reunited with Top Gun director Tony Scott.

Alamy Val Kilmer and Christian Slater in True RomanceAlamy

In 1995, Kilmer delivered a memorable and chilling performance in Michael Mann's Heat, as the right-hand man of a criminal played by Robert De Niro.

Alamy Val Kilmer in HeatAlamy

In the same year, Kilmer played one of his most defining roles as Bruce Wayne, the titular superhero in Batman Forever, opposite Nicole Kidman.

Getty Images/Warner Bros Val Kilmer and Nicole Kidman in Batman ForeverGetty Images/Warner Bros

In 1997, Kilmer appeared in The Saint as a high-tech thief and master of disguise who uses the moniker of various saints.

Getty Images Val Kilmer reclines on a bench in a scene from the film 'The Saint', 1997Getty Images

Not all of Kilmer's films were box office hits, however. The Island Of Dr Moreau, released in 1996, was a critical and commercial flop.

Getty Images Val Kilmer in a scene from the film 'The Island Of Dr. Moreau', 1996Getty Images

Red Planet, which was set on Mars, earned $33m on a budget of $80m in 2000.

Alamy Val Kilmer in 2000's Red PlanetAlamy

In 2004, Kilmer played King Philip in Alexander, which co-starred Colin Farrell as Alexander the Great.

Alamy Val Kilmer as King Philip and Colin Farrel as Alexander the Great in 2004's AlexanderAlamy

Kilmer's stage roles included a 2005 stint in London's West End in The Postman Always Rings Twice at the Playhouse Theatre.

Getty Images Val Kilmer during "The Postman Always Rings Twice" London Photocall at Playhouse Theatre in LondonGetty Images

Later that year, he appeared with Robert Downey Jr (right) and Michelle Monoghan (centre) in the crime comedy Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.

Getty Images Val Kilmer, Robert Downey Jr, Michelle Monaghan pose at "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" photocall during the 31st American Deauville Film FestivalGetty Images

In 2006, he appeared in CBS mini-series Comanche Moon, pictured with Troy Baker as Pea Eye Parker (left) and Keith Robinson as Joshua Deets (right).

Getty Images Captain Inish Scull, (Val Kilmer, center, seen here with Troy Baker as Pea Eye Parker (left) and Keith Robinson as Joshua Deets (right) in the CBS mini-series, "Comanche Moon." Getty Images

Kilmer again reunited with Top Gun director Tony Scott for hit 2006 action sci-fi film Deja Vu, also starring Denzel Washington (left) and Adam Goldberg (right).

Getty Images American actors Denzel Washington, Val Kilmer and Adam Goldberg on the set of Deja Vu, directed by Tony Scott.Getty Images

Kilmer starred in two films opposite rapper 50 Cent - 2009's Streets of Blood and 2010's Gun, both of which were released directly to video and DVD.

Getty Images Actor Val Kilmer (L) and rapper 50 Cent (R) arrive for the 2009 American Music Awards at the Nokia Theatre at LA Live in downtown Los Angeles, California on November 22, 2009Getty Images

Kilmer was nominated for a Grammy in 2012 for best spoken word album, for voicing Zorro in an audio drama adaptation of The Mark of Zorro.

Getty Images Val Kilmer arrives at the Staples Center for the 54th Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, California, February 12, 2012Getty Images

Kilmer played writer Mark Twain in a one-man stage show called Citizen Twain in California in 2012.

Getty Images Actor Val Kilmer performs on stage during the opening night of his one man show "Citizen Twain" at Hollywood Forever on March 30, 2012 in Hollywood, California.Getty Images

Later that year, Kilmer filmed scenes for Terrence Malick's film Song To Song at a Texas music festival. The film was released five years later, in 2017.

Getty Images Val Kilmer performs onstage while filming a new Terrence Malick film as part of the Fun Fun Fun Festival at Auditorium Shores on November 2, 2012 in Austin, TexasGetty Images

In 2013, Kilmer appeared as himself in Life's Too Short, the comedy series created by Warwick Davis, Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. Kilmer and Davis had previously appeared together in Willow.

Life's Too Short : 2013 : Easter Special - Picture shows (L-R) Picture shows (L-R) Warwick Davis and Val Kilmer

Kilmer was pictured with Al Pacino at a live reading of Shakespeare's Live Read of The Merchant Of Venice in 2019, more than two decades after starring together in Heat.

Getty Images Val Kilmer (L) and Al Pacino attend the Simply Shakespeare's Live Read of "The Merchant Of Venice" at Walt Disney Concert Hall on October 28, 2019 in Los Angeles, CaliforniaGetty Images

Off screen, Kilmer dated a number of high-profile women over the years, including Cher, Angelina Jolie, Daryl Hannah and Cindy Crawford.

Getty Images Cher and actor Val Kilmer attend the 36th Annual Tony Awards After Party on June 6, 1982 at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York CityGetty Images

Kilmer launched his movie Twixt at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2011.

Getty Images Actor Val Kilmer speaks onstage at the "Twixt" press conference during the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival at TIFF Bell Lightbox on September 12, 2011 in Toronto, Canada.Getty Images

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Nintendo announces Switch 2 release date – and a new Mario Kart game https://www.africana55radio.com/nintendo-announces-switch-2-release-date-and-a-new-mario-kart-game/ https://www.africana55radio.com/nintendo-announces-switch-2-release-date-and-a-new-mario-kart-game/#respond Wed, 02 Apr 2025 21:57:37 +0000 https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1dr5913qx0o#0
5 hours ago

Tom Gerken & Tom Richardson

Technology reporter & BBC Newsbeat

Nintendo Cartoon of Mario in a red hat driving a cart from Mario Kart World. Princess Peach is driving a motorbike in the background.Nintendo

Nintendo icon Mario is back in a new Mario Kart game

Nintendo has revealed the Switch 2, the long awaited successor to one of the best-selling consoles in history, will be released on 5 June.

Fans have been impatiently waiting to find out more since January, when the Japanese gaming giant ended months of speculation by confirming basic information about the new device.

In a Nintendo Direct online presentation, watched by more than a million people, it gave further details of the hardware, as well as confirming it would be accompanied by Mario Kart World, a new edition of Nintendo's most famous game.

It also announced a series of other new titles for the console, including Elden Ring and Street Fighter 6.

The company said the new device would have better graphics and audio than its predecessor, and a chat button allowing players to speak to each other while playing.

The price will vary in different markets but in the UK it will retail at £395, or £429 with Mario Kart.

Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa called the new console "a leap forward", eight years after the release of the original Switch.

Mario Kart, Donkey Kong and Kirby return

As well as huge interest in the device itself, fans have been keen to find out what games they will be able to play on it.

Most eye-catching was Mario Kart World - in which the franchise appears to have been given a significant refresh.

Water graphics, character tweaks, big sprawling race tracks seen from a distance with varying weather and climates - Nintendo is firmly showing fans this console has more under the hood than its predecessor.

The firm also showcased the platforming adventure Donkey Kong Bananza and Kirby Air Riders, a sequel to a fan favourite game released back in 2005 - both coming later this year.

Nintendo also confirmed that "compatible" Switch games will work on the Switch 2. Others will get Switch 2 editions, meaning they will have updated graphics and gameplay.

On the Nintendo Store website, the digital versions of Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza are priced at £66.99 and £58.99 respectively.

The physical versions are both £8 more expensive.

Nintendo A promotional image of the Nintendo Switch 2 console taken against a bright red background. The black Joycon grip is in front of a dock containing the main switch unit. The right-hand Joycon is detached slightly, showing the new magnetic attachments.Nintendo

Nintendo Switch 2

The Duskbloods and other games announced

The games made by third party developers - such as Elden Ring - are notable too because some are the kind of high-profile games that typically have not come to Nintendo consoles in recent years.

They include:

  • Cyberpunk 2077
  • Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade
  • Hitman World of Assassination
  • Hades 2
  • Hollow Knight: Silksong

Elden Ring developer FromSoftware also revealed a new multiplayer game - The Duskbloods - as a Switch 2 exclusive coming in 2026.

Mouse, camera and chat function

The console itself has a bigger screen than its predecessor at 7.9 inches, with a better display - 1080p compared to the Switch's 720p, with HDR support and showing up to 120fps.

Marginal changes - such as larger buttons and control sticks - will get attention. But more interesting is that both controls can be used as a mouse, as with a PC, in supported games.

Nintendo argues its 3D audio tech will create a surround sound experience, but this is unlikely to be the feature that sways people to picking up the device.

256GB of internal storage is a big upgrade, as Nintendo has historically been stingy on this front.

The C button on the switch controller is the new bit of hardware for the Switch 2.

It appears to help control a voice chat feature which is built into the system.

Players pop up at the bottom of the screen, appearing almost like Zoom or Teams - complete with a quite low frame rate screen share - and Nintendo claims its tech will isolate your voice regardless of background noise.

Nintendo Still from Cyberpunk 2077 showing Keanu Reeves in character wearing body armour and sunglasses, leaning on a metal pole.Nintendo

Cyberpunk 2077, starring Keanu Reeves, is a new third-party game coming to the Switch 2

A tough act to follow

The original Nintendo Switch is one of the best-selling consoles of all time, having shifted more than 150 million units since its 2017 release.

Only Sony's PS2 and Nintendo's own DS have proved more popular.

Its hybrid format - allowing players to use it as a handheld device or hooked up to a TV in a more traditional home console set-up - is thought to be one of the big reasons behind its success.

Even if the new device replicates that level of interest, it may need to overcome other challenges.

Console launches are often hit with hardware shortages - a trend that was particularly evident when the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series consoles were launched in late 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Nintendo's president Shuntaro Furukawa previously told investors the long wait for the new console was partly to ensure the company could manufacture enough machines to meet demand.

Since then the global trading picture has been affected by President Donald Trump launching a wave of tariffs - it is not yet clear how they could affect the production and sales of the Switch 2.

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Hollywood remembers ‘wonderful’ actor Val Kilmer https://www.africana55radio.com/hollywood-remembers-wonderful-actor-val-kilmer/ https://www.africana55radio.com/hollywood-remembers-wonderful-actor-val-kilmer/#respond Wed, 02 Apr 2025 21:57:36 +0000 https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy5ry5x9xz0o#0
8 hours ago

Sofia Ferreira Santos

BBC News

Ian Youngs

Culture reporter

Watch: A look back at Val Kilmer's blockbuster roles

Directors including Ron Howard, Francis Ford Coppola and Michael Mann have paid tribute to actor Val Kilmer, following his death aged 65.

Kilmer starred in some of the biggest movies of the 1980s and 90s, including Top Gun and Batman Forever.

Coppola described Kilmer as "a wonderful person to work with and a joy to know", while Howard praised his "awesome range as an actor".

Singer Cher, a former girlfriend of Kilmer's, summed him up as "funny, crazy, pain in the ass, GREAT FRIEND" and "brave" during his illness.

Getty Images Val Kilmer and Cher at the Academy Awards in Los Angeles on April 11, 1983Getty Images

Cher, who previously dated Kilmer, remembered him as a "great friend" who was "brave" during his illness

Kilmer died of pneumonia on Tuesday in Los Angeles, his daughter Mercedes told US media. She said her father had been diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014 but later recovered.

Tracheotomy surgery affected his voice and curtailed his acting career, but he returned to the screen to reprise his role as fighter pilot Iceman alongside Tom Cruise in 2022's Top Gun: Maverick.

Kilmer's other film credits included 1991's The Doors - playing the legendary band's frontman Jim Morrison - plus the Western Tombstone and crime drama Heat.

Getty Images Val Kilmer with flowing long hair in 2011Getty Images

Paying tribute on Instagram, Heat director Mann said: "While working with Val I always marvelled at the range, the brilliant variability within the powerful current of Val's possessing and expressing character.

"After so many years of Val battling disease and maintaining his spirit, this is tremendously sad news," he said.

Coppola, who directed Kilmer in 2011's Twixt, said in a statement: "Val Kilmer was the most talented actor when in his High School, and that talent only grew greater throughout his life.

"He was a wonderful person to work with and a joy to know - I will always remember him."

Howard, who made 1988's Willow, remembered Kilmer's "amazing" filmography and praised his "awesome range as an actor".

"His art extended to his poetry, artworks, filmmaking and simply the way he lived," he wrote. "Bon Voyage, Val and thank you."

'Smart, challenging, brave'

"See ya, pal. I'm going to miss you," US actor Josh Brolin wrote alongside a picture of himself and Kilmer on Instagram.

"You were a smart, challenging, brave, uber-creative firecracker. There's not a lot left of those", he added.

British actor David Thewlis, who worked with Kilmer on 1996's ill-fated The Island of Dr Moreau, posted: "He was one of the most extraordinary people I have ever met. Proud to have called him a friend and co-conspirator."

Fellow Brit Will Kemp, who appeared in 2004 film Mindhunters with Kilmer, wrote: "So many great memories of working with him. He was fun, unpredictable, generous and overall very kind to me when I was very new to the job."

Actor Josh Gad posted: "RIP Val Kilmer. Thank you for defining so many of the movies of my childhood. You truly were an icon."

James Woods wrote: "His rendition of Doc Holliday in Tombstone was what every actor dreams of achieving. So many wonderful performances. Sad to lose him so soon."

Paramount via Shutterstock Val Kilmer looks at the camera while wearing an aviation uniform against a black background while acting in the film Top GunParamount via Shutterstock

Val Kilmer played Iceman in Top Gun, and returned for the film's 2022 sequel

Born Val Edward Kilmer on 31 December 1959, Kilmer grew up in a middle-class family in Los Angeles.

His parents were Christian Scientists, a movement to which Kilmer would adhere for the rest of his life.

Aged 17, he became the then-youngest pupil to enrol at the Julliard School, in New York, one of the world's most prestigious drama conservatories.

He made his name in the comedies Top Secret! in 1984 and Real Genius the following year, before cementing his acting credentials as Iceman, the nemesis to Cruise's character Maverick in 1986's Top Gun, one of the decade's defining movies.

Kilmer went on to star in fantasy Willow and crime thriller Kill Me Again - both alongside British actress Joanne Whalley, who he married in 1988. The couple had two children.

Getty Images/Warner Bros Val Kilmer as Batman in Joel Schumacher's Batman Forever (1995)Getty Images/Warner Bros

Kilmer played the Caped Crusader in 1995's Batman Forever

He further proved his dynamic and versatile talents when he convincingly portrayed rock frontman Morrison in The Doors, 20 years after the singer's death.

Tombstone, in which Kilmer played gunfighter Doc Holliday, and Heat, in which he appeared alongside Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, were also hits.

He took over Batman's cape from Michael Keaton for Batman Forever in 1995, which achieved box office success but mixed reviews, and Kilmer pulled out of the next Batman movie.

In 1997, he appeared in The Saint as the master criminal and master of disguise - based on Leslie Charteris' books, which had also inspired the 1960s TV show starring Roger Moore.

Kilmer voiced both God and Moses in animated film The Prince of Egypt, and starred as Marlon Brando's crazed sidekick in The Island of Dr Moreau - but that film became one of Hollywood's most notorious flops.

Its director John Frankenheimer declared he would never work again with Kilmer, who had gained a reputation for being difficult on set.

He said that reputation was because "I care very much about telling the story well".

Getty Images Val Kilmer with one hand on his throat, standing next to Al Pacino and posing for camerasGetty Images

Kilmer reunited with his Heat co-star Al Pacino in 2019

He played a gay private detective who teamed up with Robert Downey Jr's petty thief in 2005's Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang.

In 2021, Kilmer released a documentary chronicling the highs and lows of his life and career. Val, which debuted at the Cannes Film Festival, features 40 years of home recordings, including him speaking with a voice box post-cancer surgery.

He had continued acting, but his comeback with a cameo appearance as Iceman in the long-awaited Top Gun sequel was particularly poignant.

Cruise said at the time: "I've known Val for decades, and for him to come back and play that character... he's such a powerful actor that he instantly became that character again."

Kilmer was also an artist, often creating paintings inspired by his film roles.

'You knew he was going to do something interesting'

Film critic Larushka Ivan-Zadeh told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that his role in The Doors summed up his appeal and persona.

"There was something sort of dark and troubling and sensual and kind of self-destructive about him," she said.

"It was a quality that meant he was never just the bland Hollywood pretty boy that led so many roles. There was something else going on underneath the surface."

US entertainment journalist KJ Matthews echoed that, telling BBC Radio 5 Live: "He's your bad boy, he's edgy, good looking, definitely Hollywood star looks.

"And I like the way he played roles. He always played them in an unconventional, unpredictable way.

"When Val Kilmer was attached to a project, you just knew he was going to do something interesting with that character."

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Pegg film on hold as producers run out of cash https://www.africana55radio.com/pegg-film-on-hold-as-producers-run-out-of-cash/ https://www.africana55radio.com/pegg-film-on-hold-as-producers-run-out-of-cash/#respond Tue, 01 Apr 2025 21:55:45 +0000 https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp8je9z622ko#0

Filming has been suspended on a movie that was due to be shot partly in Lincolnshire, after the producers ran out of cash.

Angels in the Asylum is due to star Simon Pegg and Minnie Driver and tells the story of women who were locked away for being typhoid carriers.

A crew of 70 had expected to film scenes in Louth in February this year.

The co-producers, Rob Sorrenti and Heather Greenwood, said it had taken 15 years to bring the film into production and it was "devastating when we were forced to halt filming due to our second round of financing failing to materialise".

In a statement, they said they had been "forced into hiatus".

"We have been desperately trying to raise finance with the goal of addressing our outstanding obligations to both our cast and crew. We have also put some of our own funds into the project, but sadly, it hasn't been enough to rectify the situation," they added.

"We remain determined to find a solution."

In January this year, the production company wrote to residents in Louth about the "exciting new British film".

Scenes were due to be filmed in Westgate, Schoolhouse Lane and Gospelgate.

Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.

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Man who stalked Shirley Ballas for six years sentenced https://www.africana55radio.com/man-who-stalked-shirley-ballas-for-six-years-sentenced/ https://www.africana55radio.com/man-who-stalked-shirley-ballas-for-six-years-sentenced/#respond Tue, 01 Apr 2025 21:55:44 +0000 https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn4wzddn2w7o#0
9 hours ago

Lynette Horsburgh & Marc Waddington

BBC News

PA Media Kyle Shaw outside Liverpool Crown Court wearing a black baseball cap, sunglasses and face mask with a black coat, white shirt and tie.PA Media

Prosecutors say Kyle Shaw's messages became abusive

A stalker who believed Strictly Come Dancing judge Shirley Ballas was his aunt has been given a suspended prison sentence.

Kyle Shaw's "persistent campaign" saw him send abusive messages and a "menacing" threat to Miss Ballas as well as her friends and colleagues.

Liverpool Crown Court heard the 37-year-old thought Miss Ballas's late brother, David Rich, was his father.

Shaw, who admitted stalking the 64-year-old dancer, causing her serious harm or distress between 31 August 2017 and 29 November 2023, was sentenced to 20 months, suspended for 20 months.

Passing sentence, Judge Gary Woodhall said: "This was a menacing threat against her and her family."

Shaw, from Whetstone Lane in Birkenhead, was also made the subject of a restraining order for life.

It means he will never be allowed to contact either Miss Ballas or her niece, mother or former partner.

Nicola Daley, prosecuting, said: "He believed, and it's evident from what he was told by his mother, that her late brother was his father."

The court heard that while there was no evidence his belief was incorrect, there was only "limited evidence" it was correct.

BBC/Guy Levy Strictly Come Dancing judge Shirley Ballas on the show's set. With wavy, bob-lengthed brown hair, she is smiling as she wears a red dress with flowers on the arms and chest.BBC/Guy Levy

Shirley Ballas moved her mother, who is now 86, from Merseyside to London because of Shaw's actions

Ms Daley said that, in his messages, Shaw had accused Miss Ballas of being responsible for the death of her 44-year-old brother, who took his own life in 2003.

The court heard Shaw also set up social media accounts in her brother's name.

The prosecution said Shaw approached Miss Ballas's mother, 86-year-old Audrey Rich, when shopping in Wirral in 2019.

Shaw told Ms Rich she was his grandmother and continued to follow her around the shop when she did not want to speak to him, the court heard.

This incident resulted in Miss Ballas moving her mother from Merseyside to London.

The court also heard Shaw posted messages on Twitter, now X, which included an image of the BBC One star's home address along with a message which said: "You ruined my life, I'll ruin yours and everyone's around you."

As a result of Shaw's actions, Ms Daley said Miss Ballas became reluctant to socialise with colleagues and stopped using public transport.

The prosecutor added: "She described having sleepless nights worrying about herself and her family's safety and being particularly distressed when suggestions were made to her that she and her mother were responsible for her brother taking his own life."

Strictly Come Dancing judge Shirley Ballas with long brown hair wearing a white sequinned dress smiling.

Shirley Ballas has been head judge on the BBC show since 2017

The court was told in October 2020 Ballas contacted police after he messaged her and said: "Do you want me to kill myself, Shirley?"

The court also heard Shaw sent messages to Miss Ballas's niece Mary Assall, work colleagues from Loose Women and Strictly Come Dancing as well as her former partner Daniel Taylor.

He called him in November 2023 and in an "implied threat" told him he knew where they lived and described what he knew about the TV star's movements, the court was told.

And when the Strictly judge had book signings planned in Wirral, Shaw messaged her saying: "I can't wait to meet you for the first time Aunty Shirley. Hopefully I can get an autograph."

Sentencing Shaw, the judge said: "Since 2017 you have engaged in persistent, unwanted online contact with Shirley Ballas and her family. You did so because your mother told you Shirley Ballas's late brother was your biological father.

"I'm satisfied your motive for this offending was a desire to seek contact with people you genuinely believed were your family.

"Whether in fact there's any truth in that belief is difficult, if not impossible, to determine."

He added: "This was not an offence driven out of delusional beliefs, physical attraction or simply an obsession with a celebrity."

'Complex mental health issues'

John Weate, defending, said Shaw had suffered complex mental health issues since childhood and in his mid-to-late teens was told by his mother that David Rich was his father.

Mr Weate said: "He now accepts that Miss Ballas and her family don't wish to have any contact with him and, importantly, he volunteered the information that he has no intention of contacting them again."

He said Shaw's use of cannabis had "not helped him".

Shaw was ordered to do 20 days of rehabilitation activity and undertake a 12-month drug rehabilitation requirement.

'Increasingly erratic'

Natassia McAdam, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: "Kyle Shaw's attempts to contact (her) were clearly stalking.

"They were persistent and became abusive and caused anxiety and distress over a prolonged period of time.

"His behaviour became increasingly erratic, and she feared he would become violent. He knew what he was doing would cause her alarm and distress."

Miss Ballas, originally from Wallasey, Wirral, has been head judge on the BBC show since 2017.

By the age of 21, she had won several international competitions, including the World Latin American Championships.

She retired from competitive dancing in 1996.

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