‘Close’ Director Lukas Dhont Reveals How Christina Aguilera’s Song ‘Fighter’ Set Him On The Road To This Year’s Oscars

Robin Williams helped him avoid being outed on a TV talk show.The actor recalled the incident, which took place on The Oprah Winfrey Show around the time that the two stars appeared in The Birdcage together in 1996.“I was not prepared at all for that,” Lane explained on TODAY of the possibility of discussing his sexuality publicly at the time.“And I certainly wasn’t ready to go from table-to-table and tell them all I was gay. I just wanted to talk about I finally got a big part in a movie and I didn’t want to make it about my sexuality, although it was sort of unavoidable because of the nature of the film and the character.”Speaking further about the interview, the star recalled: “I don’t think Oprah was trying to out me.

Empire State Bastard – the side project of Biffy Clyro’s Simon Neil – have played their first-ever live gig. Check out fan-captured footage and the full setlist below.The gig took place at the Cathouse venue in Glasgow last night (March 26), and saw the Extreme Metal band perform some of their heaviest hits to date.Founded by Biffy Clyro frontman Neil and former Oceansize guitarist Mike Vennart, the band features the iconic Dave Lombardo (Slayer, Testament, Mr Bungle) on the drums, and Naomi Macleod (Bitch Falcon) on the bass.The band opened the show with the first live performance of their debut single, ‘Harvest’, which was released last week.

The Chemical Brothers have announced a 2023 UK arena tour – find out the details below and purchase tickets here.The electronic music duo – comprising Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons – will be performing six shows across the UK and Ireland, kicking off at Glasgow’s OVO Hydro on October 26, with stops in Manchester, Leeds, Dublin and Birmingham, before wrapping up at London’s O2 on November 4.The announcement comes after The Chemical Brothers’ recently unveiled their new single ‘No Reason’, marking the first new material from the duo since their 2021 two-song release ‘The Darkness That You Fear’.The Chemical Brothers will be performing live in the UK this autumn! Tickets on sale Friday 31st March at 9:30 AM: https://t.co/jegOzYhAqr

Angelina Jolie shocked fans when she told an interviewer that a raunchy scene with Denzel Washington was "the best sex I ever had".

A Lanarkshire MP has expressed her disappointment after the UK government failed to support her Miscarriage Leave Bill in its second reading last week.

A call has been issued to the Scottish Government to better support NHS Ayrshire & Arran to meet waiting time targets for physiotherapy appointments.

The deaths of two men in police custody are to be probed by a sheriff. Declan Gallacher, 24, became ill while being held at a police station in Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, in December 2018.

The Venice Film Festival has set filmmaker Liliana Cavani and actor Tony Leung Chiu-wai to receive this year’s Golden Lions for lifetime achievement. The 80th Venice fest runs from August 30-September 9 on the Lido.

A dad who received a heartbreaking cancer diagnosis was misdiagnosed by doctors for months with acid reflux and depression. Ricky Evans said he began suffering with extreme fatigue and chest pain eight months ago before he was told he had lymphoma.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle decided to make a 'bold' public appearance at an exclusive A-List club in West Hollywood following their eviction from Frogmore Cottage, it has been claimed.

Prince Harry has arrived at the High Court in London after making a surprise trip to attend a hearing in his most recent legal claim.

Hamilton Accies have appealed the red card shown to defender Dan O'Reilly during yesterday's 1-0 SPFL Trust Trophy final win over Raith Rovers.

An Antiques Roadshow guest was left stunned following the valuation of two family heirlooms, after the expert shared his reluctance to look at the items.

Susan Boyle has been enjoying a peaceful getaway in Ireland, with the former Britain’s Got Talent star delighting fans with her surprise visit to the Emerald Isle.

A cop has been charged after a gran who was struck by a marked police van in Motherwell died. Margaret McCarron was left fatally injured after being hit by the Transit van while walking on the town’s Merry Street on September 19, 2021.

K.J. Yossman U.K. podcast production outfit Blanchard House has tapped HBO Max podcasting strategy director Hassan Chaudhry as its new head of partnerships and strategy, Variety can exclusively reveal. Meanwhile Amica Sciortino Nowlan, formerly of The Economist, joins as managing producer. The new hires come ahead of a busy year for the podcast outfit, which is set to launch five shows this year, including two at Audible. Chaudhry, who is based in New York, is responsible for establishing and leading HBO Max’s podcasting group, whose output includes “The Game of Thrones Podcast” and “Batman: The Audio Adventures.” At Blanchard House Chaudhry will look after film and TV relationships and lead growth.

Gwen Stefani has taken to social media with an adorable pregnancy tease following the conclusion of her husband Blake Shelton's US tour – but it's not what anyone expected.Rather than teasing any news relating to her own health, the 'Rich Girl' singer who recently wowed fans in a black leather outfit, took to her Instagram story to share a picture and video of a pregnant cat. Gwen was celebrating this feline's special newsFans have been wondering whether Gwen might announce that she is expecting a fourth child, her first with her husband Blake Shelton, for many months.

Girls Aloud will soon release some music from the vaults to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their debut album Sound of the Underground.

This Morning fans have been left asking 'where's Phillip' as the show's main host was replaced. Phillip Schofield is usually seen fronting the ITV daytime programme from Monday through to Thursday with Holly Willougby.

An extra motorway lane has opened for drivers on each carriageway of the M56 between Altrincham and Hale, National Highways have revealed.

A suspect has been released on bail after being arrested over alleged blackmail threats to Alison Hammond.The man, aged 36, spent 24 hours in custody after he was arrested by West Midlands police on Saturday 25 March. A police statement read: "A 36-year-old man arrested on suspicion of blackmail against a woman in her 40s has been released on conditional bail." The police previously said were taking the TV star’s allegations “very seriously” and the probe was “progressing swiftly”.The Sun previously revealed that the This Morning host was confronted by a man ordering her to hand over thousands or he would spread tales to end her career. Alison reportedly bought the blackmailer a £5,000 BMW as his demands increased.

Prince Harry has flown to London on a surprise solo visit for the four-day hearing of his privacy case against the publisher of the Daily Mail. The Duke of Sussex arrived at the High Court in London for a hearing in his claim against Daily Mail publisher Associated Newspapers over allegations of unlawful information gathering on Monday morning.

The real estate on Selling Sunset is pretty impressive, but what makes us truly envious is the wardrobe of the woman doing the show-rounds: Chrishell Stause.The reality TV star seals every deal with style, so we’re excited to see she’s got a new occasionwear collection with Lipsy, cutting us a slice of her Hollywood chic but without the Rodeo Drive price tag. And who better to market it to us than the woman herself? In an exclusive chat, Chrishell shares the inspiration behind her collection, and some celebrity surprises she has in store soon. As keen cash buyers, we can’t wait to invest in her signature glamour, from glitzy dresses to sleek jumpsuits and fun feathered detailing.

Love Island star Faye Winter has defended herself by hitting back at some cruel trolls, who have called her "too skinny". The 27 year old – who exclusively opened up about her split from fellow islander Teddy Soares to OK! – shared a snap of herself in a gorgeous pink swimsuit as she wrote her powerful message on Instagram.

Disgraced royal Prince Andrew is keen to pen a memoir similar to Prince Harry's Spare, according to reports. Back in January, the Duke of Sussex, 38, released his tell-all autobiography which was packed with bombshells and allegations against his dad King Charles III and brother, Prince William. It's now been claimed that the 63 year old Duke of York wants to "set the record straight" after years of well-documented controversies, with US writer Daphne Barak and two publishers already believed to be in discussions over bringing his story to the page.

Chrissy Teigen shared the touching meaning behind her newborn daughter’s name while appearing on Kelly Clarkson’s talk show. Chrissy, who earlier this month debuted a brand new rusty coloured hair-do, welcomed her daughter Esti into the world in January alongside her husband, John Legend. Chrissy and the musician also share Luna Simone, six, and Miles Theodore, four.The couple lost their third child Jack, when pregnancy complications meant he would not survive and Chrissy's life was also in danger.

Holly Willoughby addressed co-host Phillip Schofield's absence on Monday's episode of This Morning. During the latest episode of the hit ITV chat show, Phillip, 60, was replaced by Alison Hammond.

King Charles has been getting assistance from the Queen Consort with restructuring the Royal Family in the hopes of getting “value for money," according to reports. It was long suspected that the former Prince of Wales would shake up the Royal Family when he stepped into his late mother's role as Monarch and with his Coronation just weeks away, plans are coming together.

Rose Ayling-Ellis was quick to defend Giovanni Pernice after he was left confused over the meaning of "budgie smuggler".Sharing a clip from his new series, Giovanni And Anton: Adventures In Sicily, the Strictly Come Dancing professional was left confused when his co-star Anton Du Beke tried to explain the term. See below: "The bird isn't the smuggler, the trunks are the smugglers and they're smuggling the contraband in the undergarments," explained Anton to a confused Giovanni in the clip.In the caption, the professional dancer said: "Well… you can't blame me for that [laughing face emoji] what you think about the first episode? Did you like it? If you can't wait for episode 2 next week go on @bbciplayer now!!! All the 3 episodes are available."In agreement, Giovanni's former dance partner Rose quickly jumped in defence and wrote: "Not an easy language [laughing face emojis]." Rose joined Giovanni and Anton in their new seriesFans also sympathised with Giovanni, with one writing: "Another moment to remember how bonkers the British language is." Another said: "This is hilarious.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent The Venice Film Festival will honor “The Night Porter” director Liliana Cavani and Tony Leung Chiu-wai, the Hong Kong star of “In the Mood for Love” and Marvel’s “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” with its 2023 Golden Lions for Lifetime Achievement. Cavani first attended Venice in 1965 with the historical doc “Philippe Pétain: Processo a Vichy,” which won the Lion of San Marco for best documentary. She was back the Lido in 1966 with her TV movie “Saint Francis of Assisi,” and, again, in 1968, with “Galileo,” followed by Patricia Highsmith adaptation “Ripley’s Game,” starring John Malkovich, in 2002 and “Clarisse,” a doc about an order of cloistered nuns in 2012.

Oscar-winning filmmaker and artist Steve McQueen is set to debut his latest project, a 24-minute film about the Grenfell Tower disaster, next month at the Serpentine art Gallery in West London.

Prince Harry has arrived at London’s High Court as a privacy case against The Daily Mail publisher Associated Press gets underway today.

Grimes has revealed that she’s renamed her daughter, changing the name from Exa Dark Sideræl to a single letter.The Canadian artist – real name Claire Boucher – shares two children with Twitter CEO and Tesla boss Elon Musk – son X Æ A-Xii, born in May 2020, and daughter Exa Dark Sideræl Musk who arrived December 2021 via surrogate.News of the pair’s second child was accidentally revealed last year during a cover interview with Vanity Fair, when the interviewer noticed the sound of a baby crying while talking to Grimes about her upcoming “space opera”-themed album, ‘Book 1’.Last week, (March 23), the singer shared a rare photo of her daughter on Instagram, posted alongside a picture of herself wearing a red matching onesie.

Succession fans have reacted to the fourth and final season’s first episode following its premiere.The series returned yesterday evening (March 26) in the US, which picks up months after the events of the season three finale.In the episode, Kendall, Shiv and Roman Roy manage to persuade the Pierces to sell PGM after launching a rival bid to their father, Logan. Elsewhere, Shiv and Tom are going through a trial separation following his betrayal of her in season three, and Shiv tells him that she wants a divorce.Fans have heaped praise on the episode, particularly the scene between Shiv and Tom, with one saying they “will never recover from” the moment.“This scene is pure art,” another added. “Sarah Snook & Matthew Macfadyen’s performances are so beautifully devastating.

Marc Malkin Senior Film Awards, Events & Lifestyle Editor “Close” director Lukas Dhont’s discovery of one of his film’s stars, Eden Dambrine, is straight out of a book of Hollywood legends. Dhont approached Dambrine on a train in their native Belgium and asked if he’d like to audition for his movie. “I was a bit worried,” Dambrine, 16, recalls. “I asked my friends to search on Google to see if it was really Lukas Dhont who was talking to me. It was so I felt a bit more safe.” Fast forward to 2023, and “Close” is up for best international feature at the Oscars. The A24 film is a drama about 13-year-old best friends Leo, played by Eden, and Rémi (Gustav De Waele). Tragedy occurs when Leo begins to distance himself from Rémi after they become the target of school bullies who believe the boys are a couple.  

The 95th Academy Awards® — scheduled for March 12 — feature many films with queer themes, such as “Tar,” “Everything Everywhere All At Once” and “The Whale.” Directed by out director Lukas Dhont, “Close” is also nominated for a Best International Feature Oscar®. While it’s not the favorite — “All Quiet on the Western Front” has that distinction — it’s certainly a remarkably moving motion picture worthy of the award.