Entertainment

One Reason Israelis May Have Turned Against Netanyahu

A pair of films may have played a critical role in moving voters to vote for the Change bloc over the bloc of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Israeli elections held Tuesday.
The first has become a box-office hit. The second didn’t play in the country at all.
As election results come in, the anti-Netanyahu “Change” bloc led by former military commander Gadi Eisenkot’s center-right Yashar (Straight) party is notably behind the far-right government of Netanyahu, the leader of Likud and the longtime prime minister in power during and after the October 7 attacks. Netanyahu’s bloc has a 54-47 Knesset-seat advantage with more than 70% of the vote in. But he has no clear path to reach the 61-seat majority threshold via a coalition government since five of the six parties outside his bloc are highly unlikely to join him (and the sixth is a toss-up). Gridlock and a new election in the coming months seem very possible.
The first of the two films that might have brought us here is Avi Nesher’s Our Loves. An action-tinged sentimental story of Israelis fighting to survive during the October 7 Hamas attacks, the movie does not wear politics on its sleeve.
But in showing an absent army and focusing on security failures, the film is, for all its undercurrents of unity and patriotism, at least implicitly critical of the Netanyahu government in charge at the time. Moreover, it’s a hit. Released purposefully two weeks before the election, the drama has garnered 150,000 admissions in Israel — a high tally for a non-Hollywood movie in the small country, and a number that could have given Netanyahu a few more key seats.
Nesher has been outspoken that he does not support the Netanyahu government and said he believes that its members wouldn’t like the film. “I do not share the government’s point of view at all. I’ll be one of those people who are not voting for this government,” he told The Hollywood Reporter at TIFF, and he has continued comments to that effect in the Israeli press.
Nesher’s words carry weight, not only because he is a beloved filmmaker but because he has made movies about finding one’s way out of previous eras of crisis (his Rage and Glory and Image of Victory are both set around the nation’s founding conflict in 1948) and he is seen as a form of artistic light in the darkness.
That Eisenkot, 66, lost his son fighting in Gaza also gives the movie a kind of heft on his behalf; it’s easy to watch the film and think of the candidate and what he went through. (Less so Netanyahu, whose own son has until recently been in Miami.) There’s even a tough military character in the film not much younger than Eisenkot.
The second cinematic wrench is NAZA, Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor’s documentary hit involving two dozen IDF whistleblowers revealing how Netanyahu’s government has conducted the war in Gaza. Though not released in Israel, word of it has been all over the Israeli press in recent weeks.
The effect is tricky — even many Netanyahu critics have criticized the movie for not telling the whole story; an anti-IDF film wouldn’t necessarily sit well with at least some Eisenkot supporters either. But the Netanyahu government tried to capitalize on this fact by making noise that they would attempt to strip Abraham and Szor of their citizenship (there is no known legal basis for them to do this).
While that move played to Netanyahu’s base, it didn’t seem to move the needle with the great swath of voters that Likud needed to win over — and in fact may have backfired, making it seem like the government was not open to any criticism, something Change voters absolutely feel should be in play.
Gauging the effect of a single doc on a complicated real world situation isn’t easy, of course. But mainstreaming the conversation about the war — newspapers have been filled with op-eds in the media-happy country since its Venice premiere last month — may have dinged the man who’s led it. (It’s worth noting that for all of Netanyahu’s political durability over the past three decades, his Likud Party these days is actually not a majority force on its own. It received fewer than 25% of the votes Tuesday and is reliant on a coalition-union with far-right and ultra-Orthodox parties to approach a majority.)
Meanwhile, a film fixture ended up potentially moving the film needle herself Tuesday. Wonder Woman star Gal Gadot — the closest the country has currently to a national icon — released a video Tuesday of herself at the polls saying she was voting for Change. She flew in from Los Angeles to vote and in her Instagram post urged all Israelis to the same (some 80% did) before noting her anti-Netanyahu preference.
She then even appeared in a sketch on Eretz Nehederet (the Israeli SNL) that aired election night while the polls were still open, getting into an Uber and talking about living in Los Angeles as an Israeli.

Entertainment

‘Questioning her wealth’: Taylor Swift reportedly worries about looking ‘out of touch’

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have kept most of the details of their July wedding private, and it sounds like fans shouldn’t expect that to change anytime soon. In fact, they might never see the official photos from the big day.
According to a new report, Swift is reluctant to release images from the reportedly $30 million wedding because she’s worried about how such a lavish celebration would look while many Americans are struggling with inflation and rising living costs.
Wedding Drama
Swift and Kelce tied the knot on July 3 at Madison Square Garden, which had been transformed into a forest wonderland for the occasion. The couple even reportedly had to cut back on a few ideas, including a $7 million two-story carousel.
The wedding has made plenty of headlines this week. A source told the Daily Mail that all of the decor was packed up and burned after the event so that nothing would end up with fans or resellers, a decision that sparked outrage from critics who called it wasteful.
Swift was also reportedly furious after photos from inside the wedding leaked, especially since guests and workers had signed nondisclosure agreements.
‘Protecting the Brand’
Now, sources told Rob Shuter’s Naughty But Nice that the leaks aren’t the only reason fans may never see official pictures. According to the report, Swift knows that releasing images of such an extravagant event could turn into a public relations disaster.
“Taylor has spent years building a connection with ordinary fans, and she knows those pictures could change the conversation overnight,” a source said, according to Shuter. “Instead of celebrating her marriage, people could be questioning her wealth, her spending and whether she still understands how the rest of America lives.”
Another source suggested that keeping the photos private is part of a larger strategy.
“Taylor understands that controlling the image is part of protecting the brand,” the source said. “Sometimes, what you choose not to show the world becomes a bigger story than anything you reveal.”
The report added that the leaked photos have already made it harder for Swift to control the narrative around her wedding.
Swift has not publicly addressed the report. But considering the reaction to the burned decor, it’s easy to see why she might want to keep the rest of the wedding out of the public eye.

Entertainment

Elke Sommer, ‘Pink Panther’ actress, dead at 85

Golden Globe winner and international sex symbol Elke Sommer – who was known for her on-screen affair with Jacques Clouseau in the “Pink Panther” franchise – has died of heart failure – one week before her 86th birthday.
Sommer, 85, “passed away peacefully around 10 p.m” Wednesday at her home in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Bel Air, her stepson Sebastian Walther told the German outlet Bild, and her death comes three months after her husband of 32 years Wolf Walther lost his battle with cancer.
“Now she can finally be with her beloved husband again,” Sebastian Walther added of the actress.
Berlin-born Sommer’s acting career spanned some 58 years – with her final credited acting role coming in 2017.
However, the actress stepped away from the spotlight in recent years and had become bed-bound in recent months before her death – which Bild reported as being from heart failure. She would’ve turned 86 on Nov. 5.
Sommer was born in the Nazi Reich in November 1940 – a year after World War II began in Europe – and initially she wasn’t thinking about pursuing a Hollywood career, according to Bild.
She wanted to become an interpreter and could speak six languages by the time she was in her teens.
However, her acting break would come after she won the Italian beauty contest Miss Viareggio age 17 while she was on vacation in the Mediterranean country in 1958.
She was spotted by the Italian director Vittorio De Sica before starring in Italian comedies – one of which was entitled “Men and Noblemen.”
Sommer starred in several Italian and German movies in the early 1960s before landing a role in the Mark Robson-directed movie “The Prize” – which starred Paul Newman and Edward G. Robinson.
She received a Golden Globe in 1964 where she was named Most Promising Newcomer.
But one of the actress’ most recognizable acting roles came in the 1964 comedy flick “A Shot in the Dark” – the second installment of the “Pink Panther” film franchise.
Sommer played the maid Maria Gambrelli who was framed for the murder of chauffeur Miguel Ostros before having a sexual affair with Inspector Jacques Clouseau – who was played by “Dr. Strangelove” star Peter Sellers.
She even declined to reprise her role in the 1993 movie “Son of the Pink Panther” because Sellers had already died, according to IMDB. Sellers died in 1980.
Sommer was also known for her roles in the Russell Rouse-directed movie “The Oscar” and the 1968 movie “The Wrecking Crew” – the latter featuring the “King of Cool” Dean Martin.
She didn’t just make her name on the big screen. She featured in three Playboy shoots in September 1964, December 1967 and September 1970.
During a July 1969 interview with the National Police Gazette, she admitted that she had painted naked on a hill outside her Beverly Hills home.
“It’s the best way to get a tan all over,” she quipped according to the article, which described her as “Hollywood’s No.1 nudie.”
Away from the screen, Sommer was married twice. She tied the knot to famed Hollywood columnist Joe Hyams in 1964 – before they divorced in 1981.
Hyams said his marriage was “the best 17 years of [his] life” and had “no regrets,” it was reported by UPI in December 1981.
“When we were married 17 years ago, no one thought our marriage would last long,” he added.
She met Wolf Walther, who would later become her husband of 32 years, in 1989 while she was being cast for the play “Tamara.”
“I was in New York City starring in “Tamara” and had to stay there for four months,” she told Classic Film TV Cafe, reflecting on how the couple met.
“So, I had to find an apartment but they were excruciatingly expensive, tiny and loud. As I knew the managing director of the Essex House, I wanted to talk to him about renting a room but the hotel had a new managing director, a man by the name of Wolf Walther. So we met. For him, it was love at first sight.
“For me, it took a little longer, but not much longer.”
Wolf Walther died in July following a cancer battle – and Sommer’s friend Erwin Schneider told Bild “She could never have imagined a life without her beloved ‘Papa Bear’”
“Now Elke has finally been able to join him,” Schneider, a Munich-based photographer, said.

Entertainment

Tyler Perry Fighting Male Sexual Assault Accuser Over Private Texts With Friends

Tyler Perry is fighting his sexual assault accuser, Mario Rodriguez, in court over his private texts … TMZ has learned.
According to court docs, obtained by TMZ, Tyler says he turned over private texts with associates to Mario as part of their legal battle. The director said he wanted those messages to remain confidential, like they previously agreed.
He said the messages should be private because some of the convos talk about financial matters.
Tyler says he and the associates he was texting believed their conversations were private … and Mario has no right to release them. He says his associates have nothing to do with the case at hand and disclosure of their texts would cause unnecessary annoyance and embarrassment.
Mario has yet to respond to the issue in his own court docs.
As TMZ first reported, Mario sued Tyler for $77 million over an alleged sexual assault. He said he met the director in 2015 at the gym … which led to him getting a role in Tyler’s film, “Boo! A Madea Halloween.”
In his lawsuit, Mario claimed Tyler assaulted him when he went to visit him at his home in 2018. Mario claims Tyler asked him if he liked oral sex and then grabbed his junk. He said Tyler gave him $5k and apologized.
The suit alleged Tyler also forced his hand on Mario’s penis during another hangout … which led to another alleged $5k payment.
Tyler and his company denied all allegations of wrongdoing in the case. He claimed Mario kept talking to him after the alleged incidents occurred… and only turned on him when he stopped providing him with financial assistance.
As TMZ first reported, Tyler previously fought Mario in court over whether he has to answer questions about his sexuality at his deposition.

Entertainment

Prince Harry ‘Disappointed’ as Meghan Markle Changes Christmas Plans – Insider

A source claimed that Prince Harry is upset that Meghan Markle is heading to the U.S. and won’t be there to celebrate Christmas in the UK. They said that he thought that they could have secured a royal family or Spencer invite while also inviting Markle’s mother to their UK home.
This update comes a few days after another source claimed that King Charles may look forward to meeting the Sussexes ahead of Christmas.
Insider reveals how Prince Harry feels about Meghan Markle’s Christmas plans
A source shared with Closer Online what Prince Harry’s stance is on Markle’s decision to be away from the UK for Christmas plans. “Harry’s very disappointed. In his mind, they could have brought Doria to their Cotswolds home and perhaps still scored an invite to see his father or [his late mother’s family] the Spencers as a back-up. But Meghan wasn’t having any of it,” they added.
The insider claimed that Harry tried his best to convince Markle that they should stay in the UK, but his efforts went in vain. They added that Markle didn’t just want to sit around waiting for a royal invitation to arrive. “It was the perfect excuse to book a flight back to the U.S., and Harry ultimately didn’t have much choice but to follow,” they added.
Recently, a friend of the Sussexes shared that they won’t be celebrating Christmas with the royal family. Another source added that no matter where the couple celebrates their holidays, Markle’s mother, Doria, will be a part of it. “There is a hierarchy, and the King is the CEO; he’s the boss — what he says goes, so it’s better not to put themselves in any difficult position,” they further elaborate on why Harry and Markle could avoid a Christmas reunion with the royal family.
According to the latest reports, the Sussexes have left the UK temporarily to spend their time overseas amid Markle’s father, Thomas Sr.’s legal drama.

Entertainment

Barbara Barrie Dies With Medical Assistance at 95

Hollywood is saying goodbye to a beloved TV mom.
Oscar-nominated actress Barbara Barrie, who warmed living rooms across the nation through roles like Nana in Suddenly Susan, died at 95 years old with help from her medical team.
“On behalf of the Harnick family,” Barrie’s rep said in a statement to E! News, “I can confirm that her passing was medically assisted in accordance with the New York State Medical Aid in Dying law, of which she was a proponent and advocate.”
The critically acclaimed actress—who made appearances in countless series like Nurse Jackie and Law & Order: SVU—proceeded with end-of-life care in her Manhattan residence following a terminal cancer diagnosis, according to The New York Times.