#MAGFAB: British singer Arlo Parks for British GQ Hype
Arlo Parks is sipping on a latte in South London’s Blackheath early on a bank holiday Monday morning, raving about Barry’s Bootcamp. It’s hard to imagine the person in front of me, known for her almost-whispered vocals, willingly – no, eagerly – attending the world’s hardest workout class, famed for its drill-sergeant instructors and near-cult-level membership cancellation protocol. But she tells me about the class she has booked later today as if it’s some kind of treat. “I’m quite an intense person when it comes to exercise; I don’t like a slow yoga–type thing. I have to be on the verge,” she laughs. “Honestly, my mind is always whirring, so when I’m moving slowly I still have space to think and for it to wander. When I’m at that physical edge of comfort, that’s when I’m just focused on my muscles and moving fast and I’m just so present in my body.”
In contrast, there’s a radical softness to the musical world of Arlo Parks – as if her sweet-toned, tender voice is telling you a secret. Blending airy instrumentals with a writing style that’s equal parts observational and diaristic, her distinct brand of storytelling sparked a multi-label bidding war after the release of her debut single “Cola” back in 2018. Still only 18, the West London–raised artist quickly became the name on the entire music industry’s lips. But she turned them all down to remain independent, and two years later, her soul-bearing takes on grieving friends, emotional numbness or accidentally falling in love with your best friend who has a boyfriend saw her crowned BBC Introducing Artist of the Year.
When her debut album Collapsed in Sunbeams arrived in 2021, she hurtled towards even more critical acclaim, entering the charts in the top 3 and winning the Best New Artist award at the BRITs, as well as the Mercury Prize. Soon she was supporting Harry Styles and Billie Eilish on tour, gaining fans in everyone from Lily Allen to Loyle Carner along the way, and performing at Glastonbury before touring the world in her own right. As she returns with her sophomore album My Soft Machine, Parks is primed to show the world that she still has more to give.
Now based in LA, Parks is on a whirlwind trip back to the UK for album promo and gigs, including a headline at Brighton’s The
Great Escape Festival. The last few years have been a period of rapid change for the 23-year-old. Between touring the world, moving countries and building a new life for herself in the aftermath of a hit debut, she’s been through what she casually calls an “internal reckoning.”
Towards the end of 2022, after a hectic schedule of over 120 gigs in a year, Parks shared a post across social media explaining her decision to cancel some remaining shows and take a hiatus to rest and recuperate. “I pushed unhealthily further and harder than I should’ve done,” she wrote “I find myself now in a very dark place, exhausted and dangerously low.”
Get more at GQ Hype!
#RHOA: Marlo Explains Her Recent #RHOA Outburst At Drew, Claims Kandi Didn’t Properly Acknowledge The Murder Of Her Nephew
Sunday’s episode of The Real Housewives of Atlanta ended with an explosive moment when Marlo Hampton took her Kandi Burruss frustrations out on Drew Sidora.
During the show, Drew asked Kandi about an “incident” that happened at her restaurant Blaze Steak and Seafood. That incident was actually a shooting that left Kandi’s nephew, Chef Melvin Jones, injured.
“What’s going on at Blaze?” asked Drew. “We were at Blaze two days before, there was like an incident. It was all over the news.”
“You talking about the shooting that happened at Blaze?” quipped Marlo in the background before Kandi noted that it was a”private matter.”
Kandi quickly shutting down the convo apparently ticked off Marlo and she threatened to leave.
“I’m gonna get on home, because like I always say, Kandi Burruss can never talk about what she wants,” said Marlo.
Kandi then countered by bringing up Marlo’s previous arrest when she slashed a woman in the face, and Marlo told #RHOA cameras that Kandi gets the privilege of having things swept under the rug.
Later, a frustrated Marlo asked Drew why she didn’t use the word “incident” to Kandi. Drew tried to explain that she didn’t want to use the word because it could be triggering but Marlo said it was too late.
“Drew is trying to act like she lost people to gun violence and she can’t say the word shooting,” Marlo said in a confessional. “But I lost someone who was close to me as well and it’s triggering for me.”
She doubled down on that point to Drew while recalling the 2020 murder of her nephew Quentin
“My nephew is dead and he used to work at her restaurant,” said Marlo before going into a story about her breaking the unfortunate news via text to Kandi.
A clip was then shown of Kandi and Marlo discussing Quentin’s murder at Kandi’s house. Marlo alleged that Kandi acted as though she had no idea what happened.
“Nobody can make Kandi talk about anything she doesn’t want to, chile, and people allow her to get away with it,” said Marlo.
All of this apparently triggered Marlo into having a huge outburst and getting into Drew’s face.
“My nephew is dead, my blood nephew is dead. My nephew is dead, b***!” said Marlo before storming out.” Cut off the acting!”
As you can imagine, many #RHOA watchers were confused by Marlo’s actions, so the housewife took to social media to explain.
According to Marlo, the ladies of #RHOA were scared to talk about “Queen Kandi” and that triggered her considering that her nephew used to work at Old Lady Gang before he was murdered.
Marlo thought that when she discussed his death with Kandi years ago, the restaurateur would have a bigger reaction but she didn’t and that disappointed her.
“She didn’t acknowledge it,” said Marlo on Instagram Live. “Then as you see, I went to her home a day or two later and acted as if I never texted her about it. To me, it’s all about the acknowledgment.”
“I get that incident sounds better than shooting, but don’t you think defending myself sounds better than me stabbing somebody or cutting somebody?” she added referencing her previous arrest. I’m confused. But this is my friend, right?”
She ultimately said that she believed that Kandi should’ve sent a card or flowers. “C’mon, how do you not acknowledge that?!” said Marlo.
Marlo also made that point during Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen and discussed how triggering it was to hear the Blaze Steakhouse shooting be called an “incident.”
Not only that, but it was especially upsetting considering the correlation between her late nephew who used to work for Kandi at Old Lady Gang, and Kandis’s nephew being shot at the restaurant.
“I just wanted some condolences, my nephew has 1,000 pictures in my phone with you,” said Marlo on #WWHL.
What do YOU think about Marlo’s explanation over the “triggering” Blaze Steakhouse shooting? Do you see her point?
#MusicNews: Chris Brown Has new Music for Summer also he officially Says Goodbye To "20- To 40-Song Albums"
Chris Brown is ready to drop off some more music for fans to enjoy this summer. The R&B mainstay took to Instagram earlier today (May 19) to provide an update about the forthcoming body of work, which is set to make landfall soon. The “Run It” singer promised to share the official release date soon, and he also said he’s keeping the project short and sweet this time.
“Y’all ready for some new music? Been locked in the studio,” Brown wrote. “Ultra instinct activated! I’ll let y’all know the album title soon. No more 20- to 40-song albums,” he wrote. “JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF MAGIC TO DIGEST.”
The 34-year-old talent is known to have particularly lengthy albums. In 2019, he dropped off Indigo, which spanned 32 tracks. A few months later, he doubled down and returned with the official deluxe upgrade, bringing the new total to a whopping 42 songs.
Nearly a year ago, Brown unleashed his most recent offering, Breezy. The 24-song body of work marked his 10th studio LP and included assists from Blxst, Bryson Tiller, Ella Mai, EST Gee, Fivio Foreign, H.E.R., Lil Wayne, and more. Breezy debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 with 72,000 first-week album-equivalent units sold. The following month, he circled back to reveal the official deluxe upgrade, complete with nine additional cuts and new collaborations alongside Anderson .Paak and Davido.
Prior to Breezy was his well-received Slime & B mixtape, a joint project with Young Thug that made landfall back in 2020. Slime & B saw contributions from Gunna, Major Nine, Lil Duke, Shad Da God, Too $hort, E-40, HoodyBaby, and Future across 13 songs. Outside of his own releases, the “No Guidance” singer can be heard featured on recent collaborations like “Superhero” by Metro Boomin, “die alone” by Gunna, and more.
#HipHopNews: Dr. Dre Selling Rare ‘The Chronic’ Collectibles To Honor Album’s 30th Anniversary
Dr. Dre has celebrated the 30th anniversary of the classic album, The Chronic, by announcing that rare collectibles will be available for purchase by fans.
In a press release shared with HipHopDX on Monday (May 22), “The Chronic Masters” collection is a series of drops in collaboration with Interscope and Trophy. The press release also claims that this is the first time that collectibles of this kind are available for purchase.
The first drop includes three session tape fine-art print offerings photographed by Jeremy Deputat, The Session Tapes (1:1 Replica Set which includes all three session boxes), the Session Tapes Oversized Replicas (only 30 available), and four limited edition skate decks.
The items will be available for sale on June 1.
Interscope Records also shared an Instagram teaser video announcing the collaboration on Monday (May 22), promising that fans will be delighted with what’s available.
“Fans and collectors alike are invited to join us on this journey as we revisit one of the most influential hip-hop albums of all time. Stay tuned for all the latest updates and don’t miss your chance to own a piece of music history,” the company wrote in part.
From his days in NWA to today, Dr. Dre has been one of the most influential Hip Hop stars of the modern era.
That’s why it was unsurprising when the “Fuck Wit’Dre Day” rapper received the distinction of having the “greatest Hip Hop beat of all time” by Spotify’s RapCaviar.
The streaming platform’s dedicated rap channel ranked the top 50 Hip Hop beats ever made in celebration of the genre’s 50th birthday on May 11 and gave the esteemed title to Dre’s 2001 hit “Still D.R.E.” featuring Snoop Dogg.
Produced by Dre, Scott Storch and Mel-Man and anchored by an iconic piano melody, “Still D.R.E.” held the top spot over other classic tracks like Mobb Deep’s “Shook Ones Pt. 2,” Clipse’s “Grindin,’” Biggie’s “Who Shot Ya?” and Lil Wayne’s “A Milli.”
Memorable beats from Kanye West (“Power”), Diddy (“It’s All About the Benjamins”), Mike Jones (“Still Tippin”), Travis Scott (“Sicko Mode”) and Missy Elliott (“Get Ur Freak On”) also made the list.
IT’S HERE! Halle Bailey and Fantasia Barrino And MORE Bring the The Color Purple’ The Musical to LIFE in its First Trailer
The Color Purple has been made and remade a number of times across many mediums since the release of the 1982 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name. It was adapted for the big screen with Steven Spielberg’s 1985 film starring Oprah Winfrey, Akosua Busia, and Whoopi Goldberg. In 2005, an original production of the story hit Broadway. Later this year, those two interpretations will collide with Halle Bailey and Fantasia Barrino at the helm.
The 2023 edition of The Color Purple will arrive in theaters on Dec. 25 in a musical film adaptation directed by Blitz Bazawule from a screenplay by Marcus Gardley. In the first official trailer for the film, Bailey and Barrino shine not just as powerhouse vocalists, but as sisters Nettie and Celie Harris.
WATCH HERE
Bailey, who is currently being showered in praise for her role as Ariel in The Little Mermaid, portrays the younger version of Nettie. Barrino, who starred in Broadway’s The Color Purple from 2007 to 2008, reprises her role as the older version of Celie. Ciara and Phylicia Mpasi play each character’s older and younger counterpart, respectively.
“Today, our teacher taught us about a place called Africa,” Bailey’s Nettie tells Celie. “She say our mamas come from queens over there. That means that we are royalty.” While the two young sisters bond and forge a heartfelt connection throughout the trailer, their abusive husbands and life-threatening scenarios disrupt their lives.
“Even if we have to part, you and me, us have one heart,” Nettie and Celie promise each other. Years later, still separated from one another, Celie recalls: “All I had was my sister. She was the only one ever loved me.”
The emotions of the film pour out through the brief preview of Barrino’s vocal performance, holding life, love, and loss in her voice. With Bailey on board alongside H.E.R. as Mary Agnes, Danielle Brooks as Sofia, and Tamela Mann as First Lady, the soundtrack will be as masterful a collection of work as the film itself.
Colman Domingo is also featured in the film in the leading role Albert “Mister” Johnson, Corey Hawkins as Harpo Johnson, and Taraji P. Henson as Shug Avery.
Aaliyah and New Edition Headline 2023 R&B Hall of Fame Class
*Twenty R&B stars will be inducted into the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame in September, including late singer Aaliyah, New Edition and Daryl Hall & John Oates.
Per Billboard, the other inductees in the 2023 class are Jermaine Dupri, Peabo Bryson, Thelma Houston, Gerald Alston, Dee Dee Sharp, Dee Dee Warwick, Brook Benton, The Stubbs Girls, Sweet Boogie Productions, King Arthur, Ronnie Nelson, Gwen Foxx, Linda Jones, Ruby Andrews, The Debonaires, G.C. Cameron and Priscilla Price.
The induction ceremony will take place on Sept. 24, at the Bridge Center in Detroit. Tickets are available at the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame’s website.
In related news, earlier this year, New Edition said they are ready to take on a Las Vegas residency.
The iconic R&B group appeared on the daytime talk show, “Sherri” in March and spoke about a possible Las Vegas residency, theGrio reports.
“We’ve talked about it throughout the years and we’ve had offers to do it,” Ralph Tresvant said.
“When we’ve always gone to the Last Vegas shows, they were big. The sets were big; they were elaborate,” the R&B crooner continued. “And it just seemed like there was a lot of time, effort and money put behind whoever the artist was that was up there. So, they could really showcase themselves in a way that they can’t do it on the road. So, for New Edition, it’s the same thing.”
The group said they have yet to receive an acceptable offer to serve up their timeless hits for a residency in Sin City.
“Some of the offers just haven’t been at that level yet … where we are like, ‘Why can’t we do it like we’ve seen the other artists do it?’ So we’re waiting for it to come together and we can do it right and give our fans something special,” said Tresvant
Bandmate Johnny Gill agreed, saying “When you think about Vegas, we just want to be able to come and be able to give the best display of who we are.”
A$AP Rocky Lashes Out At Club-Goers For Fighting In Front Of Pregnant Rihanna
A$AP Rocky isn't going to let Rihanna and their unborn child be in danger. The Harlem emcee has lashed out at a group of club-goers for fighting in front of him and his pregnant girlfriend during a recent outing.
In a video which has circulated online, the "Peso" rapper can be heard getting heated with attendees of a nightclub after some patrons got into a physical altercation near him and his Grammy-winning partner. Taking matters into his own hands, he took the mic to scold them.
"Y'all n***as act like gentlemen right now, you heard?" A$AP said over a microphone. "I got my lady in here." He continued, "Y'all n***as calm that s**t down, man. Don't be in the section doing all that s**t. Calm that s**t down, y'all act like gentlemen when y'all in our presence."
A$AP and Rihanna were reportedly at the venue for a promo party when the fight broke out, but the exact date of the incident is unclear.
A$AP soon received praises for being a gentleman toward his pregnant girlfriend. "Lol I wish my n***a would 'aht aht' about me. This is a wonderful feeling," someone reacted to the video. Another claimed, "That's the only kind of men Pisces women can date nothing less than!"
"Gentlemen is already plural but we love a protective black king," a third Instagram user raved. A fourth person agreed as saying, "Oh he stepped all the way correctly!" Another added, "That's right , Protect your Queen and your unborn!"
A$AP and Rihanna became first-time parents after she gave birth to their son on May 13, 2022. It was only recently revealed that the couple named their baby boy RZA Athelston Mayers after producer and rapper RZA, the leader of the Wu-Tang Clan.
Celebrating his son's 1st birthday, the 34-year-old hip-hop star shared on Saturday, May 13 family photos showing the pair acting silly in front of the mirror and relaxing on a blanket with their little one. " 'WU TANG IZ 4 DA CHUREN' HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY TO MY 1st BORN . RZA," he captioned the snaps.
Rihanna is currently pregnant with their second child. He revealed her second pregnancy by showing her baby bump while performing at the Super Bowl LVII halftime show back in February.
Iam Tongi Wins Season 21 of 'American Idol'
After a nail-biting three-hour finale, Iam Tongi is the newest American Idol!
On Sunday's season finale of the singing competition series, Tongi, 18, was crowned the winner following a stunning performance of his original song "I'll Be Seeing You."
He was up against Megan Danielle and Colin Stough, who placed second and third, respectively.
After host Ryan Seacrest crowned Tongi the winner, he sang "Don't Let Go" as his family, the judges and audience members swayed along and celebrated the feat.
Luke Bryan Hilariously Narrates Katy Perry's Pre-Show Makeup Routine: 'Cementing Her Bangline'
Tongi previously brought the judges to tears during his audition, where he dedicated the song "Monsters" to his father, who died months before his audition.
"I was not worried about whether you were going to make it through the song, I was worried about whether we were going to make it through the song. Your daddy is very proud," said judge Lionel Richie at the time, as Katy Perry noted, "What a fantastic song to pick. You're making these grown men cry."
"I cannot handle your heart breaking about your dad because my nephew lost his dad and he came to live with me and just seeing you missing your dad sucks. Gosh man, you've got a great voice. You did everything perfectly and I love you and want to see you have fun," added Luke Bryan.
Earlier this month, Perry, 38, opened up to PEOPLE in a group interview about how the competition was fierce — but Tongi had something special.
"I think that the top three is strong, I think Megan Danielle has earned her right to be there and she's got a new beautiful confidence," she said.
Perry added, "The sound in the room when Iam comes on is undeniable. He's an undeniable character. He's just kind of got this incredible magic. You almost can't explain it. It's an it factor. It's like you're born to do this, and it's undeniable."
Kim Kardashian Dragged Online For Acting Like 'Middle Class' After Complaining About Motherhood
Kim Kardashian has come under fire over her comment about her motherhood journey. "The Kardashians" star found herself being dragged by online users for acting "like she's middle class" after complaining about raising four kids.
The SKIMS founder first made her remark when appearing on Jay Shetty's "On Purpose" podcast. "Everyone says the days are long and the years are short, and that couldn't be like a more true statement," she said.
"So, like, when you're in it, I mean, especially when they're babies and you're feeding ... there's madness going on. It's like full madness," the reality star added. "It's like I always have to do one of my daughter's hair - and it has to be perfect and it has to be a certain way - and then this one needs me to put his shoes on and they all need you. ..."
"It's like full crazy madness, cooking, running around. Like, it's wild. Parenting is the thing that has taught me the most about myself," Kim, who shares four children with ex-husband Kanye West, continued. "It has been the most challenging thing. There are nights I cry myself to sleep. Like, holy s**t, this f****** tornado in my house. Like, what just happened?"
Kim's story didn't impress some people though. One person in particular argued, "She also talks as if she doesn't have A FULL STAFF OF PEOPLE HELPING HER WTF." Another fumed, "Kim has 4 nannies, one assigned to each kid. Motherhood is not hard. Nannies are raising her kids. She needs stop trying to act like she's middle class."
The criticism continued with one writing, "She has Nannie's [sic] and a lot of support in comparison to the average woman, and yet she still complains." Someone else raged, "So much fakeness and contrived drama in their lives. Has so much background help from nannies. Yiou [sic] would swear she does it all alone."
Idris Elba To Produce Docuseries Exploring The Music Industry’s Exploitation Of Black Artists
As previously reported in February, Idris Elba inadvertently raised some eyebrows when he did an interview and stated, “I stopped describing myself as a Black actor when I realized it put me in a box.” After later clarifying the conversation, the English talent is back to show his stance in the ongoing battle for racial equality.
Today it was announced that the Beast actor and his wife, Sabrina Elba, are partnering with BBC and CBC to bring “Paid in Full: The Battle for Payback” to life. The project will be a three-part docuseries exploring how the music industry has notoriously exploited Black artists, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
“This is a story that touches all of us. It’s about the people who created the soundtracks of our lives in popular music and the pain of their exploitation. It’s also about bringing the music industry to account for the injustice inflicted on generations of musical talents who have been deprived of their rightful rewards both financially and in terms of status and respect. At the heart of it is the need to make amends — granting acknowledgment and paying back what is due,” Idris shared in a statement. His production company, Green Door, will produce the series. Zinc Media’s production label Supercollider and Canadian indie producer Catalyst will also aid in the program’s fruition.
Tanya Shaw, managing director of Zinc Television, expanded on Idris’ goal. “Far from being a straight music documentary, this series will explore the music industry within a racial context and reflect the history of exploitation within the industry. It will also major in on conversations of structural racism and those who have worked so hard to expose them,” she said. Jennifer Dettman, executive director of unscripted content at CBC, wants viewers worldwide to appreciate their storytelling efforts. “We look forward to sharing this important series with audiences in Canada, offering a necessary and in-depth exploration of the structural racism inherent in the music industry and its impact over the decades,” she added.
At this time, no release date has been revealed for the Idris Elba-led production.
Brittney Griner has a message for WNBA fans in her first 2023 home game: "I'm back"
Brittney Griner has endured a roller coaster of emotions after going from a WNBA star athlete to a detainee in Russia. But now that she’s back home and with her team, the Phoenix Mercury, Griner has begun her comeback tour.
On Sunday (May 21), the Mercury faced off against the Chicago Sky in the team’s first home game of the 2023 regular season. Before tip-off, Griner teared up as Diddy and Dirty Money’s “Coming Home” played during a video tribute, ESPN reported.
“It was emotional in the back, just hearing, seeing some of the clips and then coming out… But, no, it was really good,” she told reporters. “Part of the process of healing is just kind of letting it out. So, yeah, nah, I got choked up a little bit.”
Starting at center, the former Baylor athlete showed she’s still a force in the league after entering halftime nearing double digits in points. When Griner drained her first three-pointer of the game, she pounded her chest while yelling, “I’m back.” She finished as the team’s lead scorer with 27 points. Afterward, she spoke with reporters about her exciting and emotional return home.
“I never try to get tied up into all the outside stuff, trying to say ‘I’m back‘ — granted, I did say that after that 3,” Griner said, according to Yahoo. “Starting off the game, my mindset was that if I’m the first option, I’ve got to go score it. If I’m not, I need to get my player open… None of that is ever going to change.”
The USA Olympian played in her first game two days prior since being in Russian custody for 10 months. Against the Los Angeles Sparks, the 32-year-old player shot 77.8 percent from the field and ended the game with 18 points.
Mike Tyson Claims Jamie Foxx Had a Stroke, Then Backtracks His Comments
Mike Tyson did a recent podcast interview where he briefly spoke about Jamie Foxx.
If you aren’t aware and need some backstory, early last month, Jamie‘s daughter, actress Corinne Foxx told fans that he was recovering after experiencing a “medical complication”.
News of his condition spread, with many of his friends and celeb co-stars providing updates. Jamie also released a statement in mid-April, sharing his thanks for all the well wishes. A few weeks ago, Corinne once again cleared up some rumors that Jamie was needing prayers and said he was out of the hospital, denying that they were preparing for the worst.
Now, boxer Mike Tyson has something to say.
During a recent appearance on the PBD Podcast, Tyson shared, “He’s not feeling well. They said a stroke.”
He then commented, “I have no idea what happened to him.”
Jamie has not said much during this ordeal, except one brief statement to his fans.
We’re sending all our well wished to Jamie and hope he makes a quick recovery.
Ray Stevenson, Actor in ‘Punisher: War Zone,’ ‘RRR’ and ‘Thor’ Films, Dies at 58
Ray Stevenson, the Irish actor who starred in films like “Punisher: War Zone,” “King Arthur,” the “Thor” films and shows like HBO’s “Rome” and the upcoming “Ahsoka” series,” died on Sunday in Italy, Variety has confirmed with his publicist. He was 58.
No cause of death was available. Born in Northern Ireland on May 25, 1964, Stevenson began his career appearing on TV shows in the 1990s then began landing action roles in Hollywood films starting in the 2000s. His first major film role came in Antoine Fuqua’s 2004’s adventure movie “King Arthur,” where he played Dagonet, one of the Knights of the Round Table. In the film, his character sacrifices himself in battle to help Arthur (Clive Owen) and his brotherhood of warriors.
In 2008, Stevenson landed a starring role in the Marvel film, “Punisher: War Zone,” where he played the titular mercenary, aka Frank Castle. The film was distributed by Lionsgate in North America, before Disney acquired the rights to the Marvel universe and later re-introduced the character in the Netflix series “Daredevil.” Stevenson was the third actor to portray the Punisher on screen. Dolph Lundgren first played the vigilante in a straight-to-video release in 1989, followed by Thomas Jane in 2004’s R-rated “Punisher.” “War Zone” was a PG-13 reboot of the series, but it fizzled at the box office after earning $10.1 million from a $35 million budget. Jon Bernthal later took up the mantle in Netflix’s “Daredevil” and “The Punisher” shows.
In the 2010s, Stevenson appeared in action movies like “The Book of Eli,” “G.I. Joe: Retaliation,” “The Three Musketeers” and franchises like Marvel’s “Thor” and Lionsgate’s “Divergent” adaptation. In his second Marvel outing, Stevenson played the Asgardian hero Volstagg, one of the Warriors Three who were allies to Chris Hemsworth’s Thor. He apeared in the first three “Thor” movies before being struck down by Cate Blanchett’s villain Hela in “Thor: Ragnarok.” In the “Divergent” series, Stevenson played Marcus Eaton, the city council leader of the Abnegation faction and father of Four (Theo James).
Recently, Stevenson appeared in the Oscar-nominated Tollywood blockbuster “RRR” as the evil Governor Scott Buxton. He will also appear in this summer’s Disney+ “Star Wars” series “Ahsoka” as a Jedi named Baylan Skoll, who turns to the dark side and is an ally to the diabolic Grand Admiral Thrawn. He previously voiced the character Gar Saxon in “Star Wars Rebels” and “Star Wars: The Clone Wars.”
On the TV side, Stevenson starred in the HBO historical drama “Rome” as Titus Pullo from 2005-07. He played a Roman soldier, opposite Kevin McKidd as Lucius Vorenus, who witnessed several key historical events as the Roman Empire began. The show picked up seven Emmys during its two seasons.
Stevenson also played Ukrainian mobster Isaak Sirko on Season 7 of Showtime’s “Dexter,” Blackbeard on Starz’ “Black Sails” pirate series and the sailer Othere on “Vikings” Season 6.
In addition to “Ahsoka,” Stevenson’s posthumous credits will include the films “1242: Gateway to the West” and “Cassino in Ischia.”
NBA Playoffs: Nuggets Complete Sweep Of Lakers, Earn First NBA Finals Appearance
The top-seeded Denver Nuggets completed the first sweep in franchise history to advance to their first NBA Finals, holding off the Los Angeles Lakers 113-111 on Monday in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals in Los Angeles. Nikola Jokić also notched his eighth triple-double of this postseason, surpassing Wilt Chamberlain for the most triple-doubles in one postseason in NBA history.
The Nuggets await the winner of the Eastern Conference finals between the Miami Heat and the Boston Celtics. The No. 8-seeded Heat have a 3-0 series lead with Game 4 set for Tuesday in Miami.
Trump Faces $10 Million Defamation Claim By E. Jean Carroll After CNN Town Hall Remarks
E. Jean Carroll filed court papers Monday seeking "very substantial" monetary damages from Donald Trump for making scathing remarks about her at a CNN town hall a day after the former president lost a $5 million lawsuit to the writer.
Carroll now is seeking no less than $10 million from Trump in damages in her original lawsuit in light of what he said May 10 on CNN.
The move came as her lawyers asked a Manhattan federal court judge for permission to amend that first defamation lawsuit, which she lodged against Trump in 2019, to reflect his new statements on CNN about her, which they say also are defamatory.
"Trump's defamatory statements post-verdict show the depth of his malice toward Carroll since it is hard to imagine defamatory conduct that could possibly be more motivated by hatred, ill will, or spite," the proposed amended complaint said.
"This conduct supports a very substantial punitive damages award in Carroll's favor both to punish Trump, to deter him from engaging in further defamation, and to deter others from doing the same," the complaint said.
Carroll's second lawsuit, filed in late 2022 and alleging rape and defamation, ended with a jury in that court after less than three hours of deliberations finding Trump liable for sexually abusing her and for defaming her last fall when he denied her allegations.
Trump's lawyer Joseph Tacopina, who did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday, filed a notice of appeal of that verdict.
Carroll has said Trump, 76, raped her in the mid-1990s in a dressing room of the Bergdorf Goodman department store in Manhattan.
He denies sexually assaulting her but has made a series of comments over the years accusing her of making up the claim.
Carroll's new proposed amended lawsuit notes during his CNN town hall interview, "Trump falsely stated that he did not sexually abuse Carroll, that he has no idea who Carroll was, and that Carroll's now-proven accusation was a 'fake' and 'made up story' created by a 'whack job.'"
"Trump also insulted Carroll's character and downplayed his sexual abuse of her by asking 'what kind of woman meets someone' and then 'within minutes' plays 'hanky-panky in a dressing room,'" the amended complaint says.
The filing notes about 3.3 million people watched the CNN broadcast and heard the audience in the studio "applauding and laughing along uproariously to Trump's comments."
The filing cites several Twitter posts that echoed Trump's "many lies and demeaning remarks" about Carroll.
"These and other similar messages are exactly what Trump intended," the amended complaint said.
"Trump used a national platform to demean and mock Carroll. He egged on a laughing audience as he made light of his violent sexual assault, called Carroll names, implied that Carroll was asking to be assaulted, and dismissed the jury's verdict vindicating Carroll."
If Judge Lewis Kaplan allows Carroll to amend her pending lawsuit, it would be the latest example in a series of Trump's statements about her adding to his civil legal peril.
Patrick Luff, an attorney who is not connected to the case, said that "the standard for amending a pleading is very low."
But Luff also said that if the details of Trump's CNN comments are added to the existing complaint, "I don't know how much this advances the ball from a legal standpoint."
"The damages would only still be relative to what she suffered from the 2019 defamation," said Luff, the founding partner of the Dallas-based Luff Law Firm.
Carroll, 79, went public with her allegation against Trump in a June 2019 New York magazine article, at a time when he was still president.
She filed her first lawsuit against him in New York state court in November 2019, claiming he defamed her by saying she was lying and had been motivated by a political agenda and a desire to boost sales of a book with her allegations.
The first lawsuit was transferred to Manhattan federal court when the Department of Justice sought to replace Trump as a defendant, on the grounds that he was acting as president when he made those statements.
Judge Kaplan refused to let the DOJ stand in Trump's place but appeals about his decision have prevented the lawsuit from going to trial yet.
Carroll filed a second lawsuit in Manhattan federal court last year, taking advantage of a new New York state law that allowed accusers in sexual assault or misconduct cases to file lawsuits within a one-year window if they would otherwise be barred by the civil statute of limitations.
That second complaint also alleged defamation, citing statements by Trump last fall that repeated his claim she made up being raped, calling her allegations "a complete con job," and saying Carroll was not his "type."
Trump is seeking the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. He has been accused of sexual misconduct by at least two dozen women, among them his late wife Ivana Trump, who during their divorce in the late 1980s, said he had raped her. Ivana Trump later retracted the allegation.
Two women who said Trump groped them against their will testified at his recent civil trial for Carroll's lawsuit.
“I do what I want”
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