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Nicole Kidman, Jude Law and Usain Bolt among stars at GQ Men of the Year London gala

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Nicole Kidman, Jude Law and Usain Bolt among stars at GQ Men of the Year London gala

 Stars from the worlds of film, television, music and sports came together in London on Tuesday for this year’s GQ Men of the Year celebration.

Hollywood A-listers in attendance included Nicole Kidman, Jude Law and Alicia Vikander.

They were joined on the red carpet by retired runner Usain Bolt, English footballers Cole Palmer and Kobbie Mainoo and musicians Central Cee and Skepta.

Jude Law, Cole Palmer, Usain Bolt at the GQ Awards

Also making an appearance were Kidman’s “Babygirl” co-star Harris Dickinson, actors James Norton, Bella Ramsey and Joe Alwyn and models Lennon Gallagher and Jon Kortajarena.

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Now in its 27th year, the GQ Men of the Year event, organised by the men’s fashion and style magazine, was held at The Roof Gardens in London’s Kensington High Street.

Instead of trophies, toasts were raised at the gala dinner for this year’s honourees, picked by GQ for their contributions to shaping culture, style and sport.

Vikander, Dickinson, Bolt and Skepta led the toasts for the 2024 GQ cover stars Kidman, Law, Palmer, Mainoo and Central Cee.

The 2024 GQ Men of the Year honourees include actors Brody, Kit Harington, Ambika Mod, Louis Partridge and Eve Hewson, musical group Fontaines D.C., playwright Jeremy O. Harris, filmmakers Steve McQueen and Armando Iannucci and fashion designers Haider Ackermann and Marco Capaldo. 

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New Harry Potter ride at Universal Orlando will have British Ministry of Magic as setting

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New Harry Potter ride at Universal Orlando will have British Ministry of Magic as setting

Harry Potter fans eagerly anticipating the third attraction based on the popular book and movie franchise at Universal Orlando Resort found out Tuesday that the fictional setting for the ride will be the British Ministry of Magic.

Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry is slated to debut May 22 as part of the opening of Universal’s fourth theme park in Florida, Universal Epic Universe. Besides the Harry Potter ride, the new theme park will have themed areas based on Super Nintendo, the “How to Train Your Dragon” films and monster movies.

The two previous Harry Potter attractions at Universal Orlando Resort used Hogwarts castle and Gringotts Wizarding Bank as settings.

The newest Harry Potter attraction takes visitors through the typically restricted wizarding government building, starting in a gigantic atrium. Visitors get to pass through the office of Dolores Umbridge, the villainess character played by Imelda Staunton in the film series. They then board an omnidirectional lift, which simulates a chase to catch Umbridge, according to the theme park resort.

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The latest Harry Potter attraction also will have a live show inspired by the “Fantastic Beasts” films and a dining and retail section.

Universal’s main competition in the Orlando area, Walt Disney World, also has four theme parks, and it too plans to expand. Disney officials have indicated that they could invest up to $17 billion in the Florida resort and add a fifth theme park.

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Movie Review: ‘Wicked’ fans, rejoicify! Erivo, Grande shine in lavish adaptation of Broadway classic

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Movie Review: 'Wicked' fans, rejoicify! Erivo, Grande shine in lavish adaptation of Broadway classic

It’s the ultimate celebrity redemption tour, two decades in the making. In the annals of pop culture, few characters have undergone an image makeover quite like the Wicked Witch of the West.

Oh, she may have been vengeful and scary in “The Wizard of Oz.” But something changed — like, REALLY changed — on the way from the yellow brick road to the Great White Way. Since 2003, crowds have packed nightly into “Wicked” at Broadway’s Gershwin Theatre to cheer as the green-skinned, misunderstood Elphaba rises up on her broomstick to belt “Defying Gravity,” that enduring girl-power anthem.

How many people have seen “Wicked”? Rudimentary math suggests more than 15 million on Broadway alone. And now we have “Wicked” the movie, director Jon M. Chu’s lavish, faithful, impeccably crafted (and nearly three-hour) ode to this origin story of Elphaba and her (eventual) bestie — Glinda, the very good and very blonde. Welcome to Hollywood, ladies.

Before we get to what this movie does well (Those big numbers! Those costumes!), just a couple thornier issues to ponder. Will this “Wicked,” powered by a soulful Cynthia Erivo (owner of one of the best singing voices on the planet) and a sprightly, comedic, hair-tossing Ariana Grande, turn even musical theater haters into lovers?

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Tricky question. Some people just don’t buy into the musical thing, and they should be allowed to live freely amongst us. But if people breaking into song delights rather than flummoxes you, if elaborate dance numbers in village squares and fantastical nightclubs and emerald-hued cities make perfect sense to you, and especially if you already love “Wicked,” well then, you will likely love this film. If it feels like they made the best “Wicked” movie money could buy — well, it’s because they kinda did.

Much credit for that goes to Chu, who has said he spent so many years working on “Wicked” that three of his five children were born during that span. Chu clearly has musical theater in his DNA, as we already knew from “In the Heights.” His actors don’t break awkwardly into composer Stephen Schwartz’s famous pop-show tunes: they run headlong into them, and sometimes blow the roof off with them.

Another question: Will people be turned off when they see “To Be Continued” at the end, after two hours and 40 minutes, realizing they must wait a year for Part 2? Also tricky. Surely this COULD have been one movie. But then, how would they have followed “Defying Gravity,” which brings down the Act 1 curtain (and the house) in the show? It’s hard to imagine just continuing with the plot.

Yes, the plot: We begin with Grande’s Glinda descending on Munchkinland in her glistening bubble, which since 1939 has been upgraded with a comfy sofa, to announce that, indeed, the wicked witch is dead.

But someone challenges Glinda: Is it true you were her friend? Well, er, yes, Glinda replies carefully. Their paths did cross — back at school.

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Cue opening day at Shiz University. Glinda — well, for now, Galinda “with a ga” — an aspiring sorcery major, arrives in her pink suit looking like mix of Grace Kelly and Elle Woods. She already has a fan base and a private suite.

Erivo’s tour de force? That would be “Defying Gravity,” the show’s huge signature song, coming as the mood has changed into something far more ominous. Both young women are in the Emerald City, where they — or at least, Elphaba, have discovered that the wizard is not powerful and beneficent, but, more like, well, Jeff Goldblum — charming and weak, with a big, dark secret.
“So if you care to find me,” belts out Elphaba, having discovered the power of her broomstick, “Look to the western sky.” Where, exactly, is she going?

Hold that thought. For exactly one year.

“Wicked,” a Universal Studios release, has been rated PG by the Motion Picture Association “for some scary action, thematic material and brief suggestive material.” Running time: 160 minutes. Three stars out of four.

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Areeba Habib advocates tolerance in society after receiving backlash for diwali pictures

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Areeba Habib advocates tolerance in society after receiving backlash for diwali pictures

 Pakistani actor Areeba Habib has spoken about the need of creating a tolerant atmosphere in the country in which the views of all are respected, if not accepted.

Recently, the actor came under fire for posting pictures related to a Diwali celebration.

“We live in a country with a lot of people, including Christians and Hindus, who celebrate our occasions with us,” she said.

She also mentioned that the designer Deepak Perwani who was the host of the event, also attended iftar dinners just out of respect.

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“You’re going there to be a part of their happiness and enjoy with them because they don’t have anyone here. They [minorities] are away from their communities because Pakistan is their home now, and we’re simply celebrating with them.”

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