Global Pulse

分类： entertainment

  • The Sopranos star Vincent Pastore dies aged 80

    The Sopranos star Vincent Pastore dies aged 80

    Beloved American character actor Vincent Pastore, best known for his indelible portrayal of Salvatore “Big Pussy” Bonpensiero on the groundbreaking HBO series *The Sopranos*, has passed away at the age of 80, multiple U.S. entertainment and news outlets have confirmed.

    According to CBS News, the BBC’s U.S. partner, Pastore was found unresponsive at his home in the Bronx, the same New York City neighborhood where he was born and raised. Law enforcement officials have stated there is no evidence of foul play surrounding his death.

    Pastore’s career spanned four decades across film and television, but his defining role as Tony Soprano’s one-time closest confidant-turned-FBI informant cemented his place in pop culture history. Even though his character was killed off in the show’s second season — a plot twist that remains one of the most iconic and discussed moments in modern television — Pastore went on to reprise the role in flashbacks and dream sequences across all six of the series’ critically acclaimed seasons. In 2000, Pastore and his *Sopranos* castmates took home the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series, a testament to the cast’s electric on-screen chemistry.

    Longtime manager Robert Attermann shared an emotional tribute to the actor in a statement to CBS News, highlighting the warmth and generosity that defined Pastore off-screen. “To the world, he will always be remembered as the unforgettable ‘Big Pussy,’ but to those of us who knew him, he was so much more,” Attermann said.

    “He loved being an actor. He was passionate about his craft and was always encouraging, respectful, and generous with young actors, taking the time to offer guidance and support whenever he could,” he added. “For me, losing Vinny is deeply personal. Over more than three decades, I had the honor of watching not only his remarkable career but also the incredible person he was. I will miss his friendship, his loyalty, his humor, and his heart.”

    Born in the Bronx in 1946, Pastore did not pursue acting full-time until later in life. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War before making his on-screen debut in the 1980s. He built his early career with memorable small roles in Martin Scorsese’s mob classic Goodfellas and Brian De Palma’s Carlito’s Way, and went on to land guest and recurring spots on hit television series including Law & Order, General Hospital, and Hawaii Five-0, long after his *Sopranos* breakthrough.

  • Public wake to be held for musician Glen Hansard

    Public wake to be held for musician Glen Hansard

    The global music community is in mourning following the sudden death of beloved 56-year-old Irish singer-songwriter Glen Hansard, who lost his life in a crash in the early hours of last Wednesday. The tragedy came just hours after Hansard took part in a traditional Irish music session at The Wren’s Nest pub, a beloved local venue in County Dublin.

    A career that spanned more than 30 years, Hansard first rose to international prominence in 1991 when he was cast as guitarist Outspan Foster in the hit musical comedy film *The Commitments*. Beyond his early on-screen success, he built his reputation as the long-time frontman of The Frames, an acclaimed Irish rock band that earned a dedicated global fanbase.

    His most iconic career milestone came in 2008, when he and collaborator Marketa Irglova won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for “Falling Slowly” from the low-budget independent musical romance *Once*. The pair went on to release three full-length albums as the duo The Swell Season, while Hansard also built a successful solo career. His 2016 solo album *Didn’t He Ramble* earned a Grammy Award nomination, cementing his status as one of Ireland’s most talented contemporary musicians. Away from the spotlight, Hansard was also a dedicated philanthropist, widely praised by homeless advocacy charities for his consistent fundraising work supporting vulnerable communities. He is survived by his three-year-old son.

    In the days following his death, a wave of tributes has poured in from across the global entertainment and political landscape. High-profile figures including music legends Bruce Springsteen — who shared that he was “heartbroken” over the loss — Ed Sheeran, Billie Eilish, *Hamilton* creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, *West Side Story* actor Rachel Zegler, and former United States President Barack Obama have all honored Hansard’s legacy and life. On Thursday evening, hundreds of fans gathered in Dublin for a public memorial busk, celebrating his music and connection to the city’s artistic community.

    To allow members of the public to pay their final respects, official funeral arrangements have been confirmed. A public wake will be held on Monday, August 3, in the Baroque Chapel at the Irish Museum of Modern Art, located within Dublin’s Royal Hospital Kilmainham. Hansard will lie in repose at the venue from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. local time. His funeral service will take place the following day, August 4, at 1:30 p.m. local time at St Patrick’s Cathedral in central Dublin. While the funeral is open to all members of the public who wish to attend, venue organizers have noted that access inside the cathedral will be limited due to the large volume of mourners expected to attend. Music for the service will be performed by Hansard’s close friends and family.

  • Nigeria removed from South African pop star Tyla’s upcoming world tour

    Nigeria removed from South African pop star Tyla’s upcoming world tour

    Just days after Grammy-winning South African pop star Tyla unveiled her highly anticipated 34-date world tour to support her newly released second studio album *A*POP*, one major stop has vanished from the official itinerary: Lagos, Nigeria. What began as a routine tour announcement has become entangled in escalating diplomatic and public tensions between Nigeria and South Africa, rooted in a recent surge of anti-migrant violence and xenophobic sentiment targeting foreign nationals in South Africa.

    When Tyla first shared the full tour schedule on Monday following last week’s album drop, her official website listed Lagos alongside two South African dates in Johannesburg and Cape Town. But by Friday, an updated schedule posted to the site removed the Nigerian capital entirely, with no public explanation given for the last-minute change.

    The removal comes amid growing public pressure in Nigeria for Tyla to cancel the Lagos show, triggered by the ongoing wave of xenophobic attacks that have specifically targeted Nigerians living in South Africa. Diplomatic relations between the two African nations have deteriorated sharply in recent weeks over the crisis: Nigeria and several other African countries have publicly criticized South Africa for failing to intervene effectively to protect foreign migrants. Large-scale protests in South Africa have called for the expulsion of all undocumented migrants, driving tens of thousands of foreign nationals – including hundreds of Nigerians – to flee the country on government-arranged repatriation flights.

    While diplomatic leaders have attempted to de-escalate tensions, most recently with a high-level meeting of foreign affairs officials in Abuja, public anger has spilled into the cultural sphere. Earlier this week, Nigerian activists launched an online petition calling to bar Tyla from entering Nigeria until all xenophobic attacks against migrants end in South Africa. The petition has already gathered thousands of signatures. On Tyla’s social media channels, where the original full tour schedule listing Lagos remains visible, Nigerian fans and activists have repeatedly warned the 24-year-old artist against proceeding with the concert, condemning her for not publicly speaking out against the anti-migrant movement in her home country. As of Friday, Tyla has not issued any public comment on the controversy, and did not respond to a request for comment from the BBC.

    Tyla is not the only high-profile South African cultural figure facing public backlash over their perceived silence on the xenophobia crisis. Former *Daily Show* host and South African comedian Trevor Noah has also drawn widespread criticism after headlining a promotional campaign for the Tourism Business Council of South Africa. The promotional video, shared across the organization’s social media platforms, was flooded with comments accusing Noah of promoting South African tourism while refusing to condemn the country’s growing anti-migrant hostility. Many commenters added public context to the video, framing South Africa as a fundamentally xenophobic nation that does not welcome foreign visitors or migrants.

    South African government officials have pushed back against mounting international criticism. Authorities note that they have taken legal action against individuals engaged in vigilante violence connected to the anti-migrant protests, with more than 900 people arrested in connection with recent unrest. The government also asserts that it retains the sovereign right to regulate immigration and border control into the country, a position that has done little to ease cross-border tensions.

  • Kyle Sandilands quits Australian Idol after pressure from activist campaign

    Kyle Sandilands quits Australian Idol after pressure from activist campaign

    Veteran Australian radio personality and media personality Kyle Sandilands has announced his immediate departure from his judging role on the hit reality singing competition *Australian Idol*, citing a deliberate activist campaign targeting the show’s advertising partners as the core reason for his exit. The 55-year-old, who has twice held a judging seat on the program, framed his exit as a decision made to protect the long-term viability of the *Australian Idol* brand.

    Sandilands confirmed the exit in comments to Nine Newspapers, explaining that advocacy group Mad F**king Witches had directly targeted both returning and potential advertisers for the Channel Seven-broadcast series, creating significant disruptions for the network’s sales department. “Those activists have attacked the potential clients for Australian Idol or the clients from last year, and has caused a problem in Channel Seven’s sales team,” Sandilands told reporters. “So I’ve told Channel Seven this morning … that I’m standing down from Idol for the good of the brand to continue.”

    Sandilands’ exit caps a turbulent 12 months for the high-profile media personality, a period marked by public splits, legal battles, major health news and an upcoming career pivot. Most notably, he split from his long-time on-air co-host Jackie O Henderson earlier this year, a rift that came after he made controversial public comments calling Henderson “off with the fairies” and “unfocused.” The disagreement led to the early termination of his $100 million contract with major radio network ARN, owner of KIIS FM, in March. Sandilands subsequently filed an unfair dismissal case against ARN, which settled out of court in June for a payout reported to exceed $12 million.

    In addition to his professional upheaval, Sandilands also revealed a serious 2025 health diagnosis: a brain aneurysm located in a high-risk position behind his eye, which surgeons have deemed inoperable. The split from Henderson also sparked public drama, with Sandilands recently sharing that actor Russell Crowe personally urged him to reach out and reconcile with his former co-host amid the ongoing fallout.

    Sandilands first served as an *Australian Idol* judge from the program’s 2005 launch through 2009, before returning to the judging panel in 2022 alongside international star Meghan Trainor and Australian recording artist Amy Shark. His exit comes just weeks after the show wrapped its 11th season on Channel Seven, with the finale airing in April.

    Looking ahead, Sandilands is on track to launch his new independent venture, *Kyle Sandilands Live*, a subscriber-only show distributed via a dedicated mobile app, scheduled to go live mid-August. Access to the new show will cost subscribers $99, and Sandilands has already released a tell-all documentary series detailing his side of the split from ARN and Henderson. This exit from *Australian Idol* clears the way for Sandilands to focus full-time on his new independent project as he navigates ongoing personal and professional transitions.

  • The Recording Academy CEO responds to BTS decision not to submit to Grammys

    The Recording Academy CEO responds to BTS decision not to submit to Grammys

    NEW YORK — Global K-pop phenomenon BTS has sent shockwaves through the international music industry with its announcement that it will not submit any of its upcoming work, including its highly anticipated comeback album *ARIRANG*, for consideration at the 2027 Grammy Awards, a decision that comes amid heated debate over the Recording Academy’s newly introduced Best Asian Pop Music Performance category.

    All seven members of BTS — RM, Suga, j-hope, Jimin, V, Jung Kook, and Jin — made the joint announcement via identical posts shared to their individual Instagram accounts on Wednesday. In the statement, the group outlined its core reasoning for stepping away from the awards process, saying, “We hope our music can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language.”

    The group’s choice comes just over one month after the Recording Academy confirmed five new award categories for future Grammy ceremonies, headlined by the new Best Asian Pop Music Performance honor. Per the academy’s official rulebook, the category is designed to recognize eligible releases spanning a wide range of East and Southeast Asian pop genres, including K-pop, J-pop, and C-pop, among others. But the creation of the separate category has drawn sharp criticism from many music fans, who argue it functions as a racialized barrier that boxes Asian artists out of competition in the awards’ major general-field categories.

    In a public response posted to the Grammys’ official Instagram account, Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. expressed disappointment over BTS’ decision while emphasizing he respects the group’s choice as creators. “I am saddened to hear that BTS has chosen not to participate in the Grammy Awards process this year, but as a music creator, I understand and respect their decision,” Mason wrote.

    Mason used the statement to push back against widespread criticism of the new category, clarifying its intended purpose and addressing misinformation that has circulated in public discourse. “I do want to clarify something that seems to be getting lost in the conversation. The Asian Pop category was created to celebrate the depth, diversity and extraordinary growth of pop artistry coming out of Asia,” he wrote. “More categories mean more artists’ work is recognized. It’s never to divide, but to expand who is recognized by our 15,000 Grammy voters.”

    The academy CEO also stressed that entering the new Asian pop genre category does not prevent artists from also submitting their work for consideration in the awards’ most high-profile general field categories, including Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Record of the Year. “Recognition in a genre category and recognition in the General Field are not mutually exclusive,” Mason said. “An artist can absolutely pursue both.”

    For BTS, the decision to step away from the Grammys comes after a history of multiple nominations but no wins for the group. Over the course of their career, BTS has earned five Grammy nominations: three nods in the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance category, one nomination for Album of the Year for their collaborative contribution to Coldplay’s *Music of the Spheres*, and a nomination for Best Music Video for their track “Yet to Come.”

    The Grammys have long faced criticism for sidelining K-pop despite the genre’s massive global commercial and cultural influence. While a K-pop track took home a Grammy award for the first time earlier this year — when “Golden” from the Netflix animated film *KPop Demon Hunters* won Best Song for Visual Media — the genre still remains underrepresented in major categories at the awards show.

  • Wildfires force George Clooney’s family to evacuate their home in southern France

    Wildfires force George Clooney’s family to evacuate their home in southern France

    PARIS – A-list Hollywood actor George Clooney and his family have been compelled to abandon their countryside residence in southeastern France after an out-of-control wildfire encroached on the local area, his representative confirmed to reporters this Thursday.

    The Oscar-winning filmmaker, best known for headlining the blockbuster *Ocean’s Eleven* franchise and decades of acclaimed film and television roles, shared details of his family’s evacuation in a personal letter addressed to Didier Bremond, the mayor of Brignoles. Brignoles is a small regional town located roughly 55 miles northeast of the Mediterranean port city of Marseille. Publicist Guido Gotz verified the authenticity of the correspondence in an email response to the Associated Press.

    In the warm, community-focused message opening with “Dear Didier,” Clooney acknowledged that the outcome for his property remained uncertain as the blaze continued to spread. “At this point we have no idea whether our beautiful home makes it through this terrible moment,” the actor wrote. Despite the uncertainty facing his own assets, Clooney made clear that his first priorities were the safety of local residents and his commitment to the region he calls a second home.

    He outlined two core points he wanted to share with local leadership: “first we hope you and the people of our city are safe and second that Amal and I are committed to making sure that whatever happens to our village,” Clooney stated, referencing his human rights lawyer wife Amal Clooney. “We are part of this community and we’ll be part of making it whole.”

  • Glen Hansard: Meeting heroes and the tape that changed his life

    Glen Hansard: Meeting heroes and the tape that changed his life

    The global music community is reeling from sudden, devastating news this week: beloved Oscar-winning Irish singer-songwriter Glen Hansard has died at age 56 following a motorbike accident in his hometown of Dublin on Wednesday. Tributes have flooded in from across the world, from U2’s Bono to Bruce Springsteen, as fans, peers, and loved ones mourn the loss of a musician whose work touched millions and reshaped Ireland’s cultural legacy on the international stage.

    Born and raised in Ballymun, a working-class Dublin neighborhood grappling with mass unemployment, crime, and drug addiction in the 1980s, Hansard left formal schooling at just 13, already on a precarious path that risked being consumed by the systemic deprivation surrounding him. It was two seemingly small gifts that altered the entire trajectory of his life: a guitar left at his family home by an uncle who was imprisoned, and a Bob Dylan cassette tape gifted by his girlfriend’s brother. In a February 2025 interview with Irish public broadcaster RTÉ, Hansard recalled that the discovery of Dylan’s work flipped his world upside down. “I stayed in the bedroom, I played Bob Dylan songs every day, I learned my craft, I decided music was all I cared about. So that was a real turnaround for me, it was a life changer and I suddenly had my path,” he said. A supportive school headmaster further cemented that path, telling him: “I can’t guarantee you’ll be famous, but if you start now, then you’ll always be able to live from your guitar.”

    Hansard went on to form the iconic Irish rock band The Frames, signing his first record deal in 1990 – the same year he stumbled into a role that would launch his public profile. By chance, he accompanied a friend to an open audition for Alan Parker’s 1991 musical comedy *The Commitments*, a story about a working-class Dublin soul band. With his natural red hair, Dublin northside accent, and existing guitar skills, casting directors asked him to read for the role of guitarist Outspan Foster, a part he landed despite never intending to audition. The film became a surprise global hit and earned permanent cult status, and Hansard later clarified he cherished the experience, despite long-running rumors he disliked the production. “I loved it, I had an absolute ball. I just sort of felt it didn’t define me and that was my little bit of resistance,” he told the XS Noise podcast earlier in 2026.

    That accidental foray into film opened the door to another career-defining, Oscar-winning opportunity decades later. For the 2007 indie Irish romance *Once*, director John Carney originally cast noted Irish actor Cillian Murphy in the lead male role, planning to train the actor to sing. When the creative team opted instead to cast a skilled musician who could grow into the acting part, they turned to Hansard, who had already co-written original music for the film opposite Czech musician Markéta Irglová. The pair’s duet *Falling Slowly* went on to win the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2008, catapulting Hansard to global stardom and cementing his place as one of Ireland’s most celebrated creative exports.

    Throughout his decades-long career, Hansard counted many music legends among his close friends and mentors. A lifelong fan of Bob Dylan and Northern Irish icon Van Morrison, he recalled his first awkward meeting with Morrison at age 19 or 20, when he was invited to the star’s birthday party at a Guinness family estate. After an initial gruff reception, Morrison invited Hansard to play, and the pair spent an hour and a half jamming, trading songs back and forth long after Hansard ran out of his own material. In a 2023 interview with BBC Radio Ulster, Hansard spoke of the close-knit community of global music stars he got to know over his career, recalling sessions with Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder that drew unplanned appearances from Ringo Starr, Stevie Wonder, Iggy Pop, and Morrissey. He also shared a beloved family anecdote about his mother, a diehard Beatles fan who snuck into the band’s backstage dressing room at Dublin’s Adelphi Cinema in 1964, only to be kicked out just moments before meeting the group – a story she repeated proudly for the rest of her life.

    Beyond his iconic discography and film work, Hansard was deeply committed to philanthropy, particularly focused on addressing homelessness in Dublin. For 15 consecutive years, he organized an annual Christmas Eve busking event on Dublin’s Grafton Street to raise funds for homeless charity the Simon Community, persuading fellow Irish stars including Sinead O’Connor and U2 band members to join him. The tradition began after a moment of reflection in 2009: when Hansard turned down a last-minute request to join a group of carol singers raising funds for the organization while he was out Christmas shopping, he returned home realizing the true meaning of the holiday lay in giving back, not buying gifts. Pat Green of the Simon Community told BBC News NI on Thursday that Hansard’s annual busks have raised more than €2 million (£1.7 million) to support the organization’s services in Dublin, turning the event into a beloved local holiday tradition.

    Hansard was also a close, loyal friend to late Pogues frontman Shane MacGowan, and stepped in to organize all musical arrangements for MacGowan’s 2023 funeral in just 24 hours after the singer’s death. MacGowan’s widow Victoria Mary Clarke told Today FM on Wednesday that she only asked Hansard to help with a small portion of the service, but he insisted on handling all of the planning to take the stress off her. The event featured performances from an all-star lineup of Irish and international music talent including Nick Cave, Imelda May, and The Frames, with readings from Bono and Bob Geldof. “As people who watched it will testify, he did an incredible job, absolutely incredible, and in a short space – 24 hours – he pulled that together,” Clarke said.

    As the world processes Hansard’s sudden passing, the outpouring of grief underscores the profound impact he had on music, film, and his local Irish community – a legacy that stretches from a working-class bedroom in Ballymun to the Academy Awards stage, and will continue to resonate with audiences for generations to come.

  • Nolan’s ‘Odyssey’ boosts sales of mythology tales in UK

    Nolan’s ‘Odyssey’ boosts sales of mythology tales in UK

    When Christopher Nolan’s highly anticipated big-screen adaptation of Homer’s *The Odyssey* hit theaters in mid-July, industry experts expected it to dominate global box offices—what no one predicted was the unprecedented ripple effect it would create across the UK’s publishing industry, reviving widespread public interest in ancient Greek and Roman mythology.

    The latest data from market research firm NielsenIQ tells a striking story: in the four weeks leading up to July 25, print sales of Homer’s original epic jumped 1,400% compared to the same period in 2025. It is not just the classic text that has flown off shelves, either. Emily Wilson’s widely praised 2017 translation of the millennia-old poem has seen an equally explosive surge, with Britain’s largest bookstore chain Waterstones reporting that sales of Wilson’s edition have risen more than 1,000% year-over-year, and growth continues to climb week over week alongside sales of every other available translation of the text.

    The boom has extended far beyond *The Odyssey* itself. NielsenIQ records show significant sales uplifts for a whole range of related mythology works, from Homer’s *The Iliad* to modern reimaginings such as Madeline Miller’s *Circe* and Margaret Atwood’s *The Penelopiad*. On Amazon UK’s bestseller list for history, Stephen Fry’s adaptation of *The Odyssey* currently holds the top spot, with Fry’s two other classics-focused books *Mythos* and *Troy* taking second and fifth place respectively. Even audiobook platforms are sharing in the success: Spotify reports that searches for *The Odyssey* translations have skyrocketed 310% in recent weeks.

    For academics working in the field of Classics, this unexpected cultural wave brings cautious optimism. Many hope the blockbuster’s mainstream popularity will translate to higher student enrolment in ancient studies programs at the university level. Richard Kendall, a Classics lecturer at the University of Exeter and this year’s first expert-in-residence at the UK’s The Classical Association, called the sales spike “fantastic,” noting that ancient myths have retained their pull on audiences for millennia. “These are ripping good yarns,” Kendall told AFP. “It’s wonderful that this has created so much popularity. People are reading more, but this is just this iteration… People will always return to these stories.”

    At University College London, where Nolan himself studied Homer as an undergraduate English student, department leaders are already preparing for a long-term boost. “The buzz around the film has been tremendous, and we’re hoping to see a bounce in student numbers in the next few years,” said Phiroze Vasunia, head of UCL’s Greek and Latin Department. He added that the surge in interest sparked by the film aligns with a broader, steady rise in public enthusiasm for Classics and ancient studies that has been building in recent years.

    Since its release, Nolan’s film has been a commercial juggernaut. The director’s first feature since his 2023 Oscar-winning *Oppenheimer*, it has topped the North American box office for two consecutive weeks and has already grossed more than $640 million globally, earning widespread praise from audiences for its sweeping take on Odysseus’ 10-year journey home from the Trojan War. Starring Matt Damon as the legendary hero, Anne Hathaway as his loyal wife Penelope, and Tom Holland as their son Telemachus, the adaptation brings one of Western literature’s oldest stories to life for a new generation of moviegoers.

    Yet for all its commercial success, the film has not escaped sharp criticism from leading voices in the classics world. Emily Wilson, whose award-winning translation Nolan has publicly praised, published a blistering takedown of Nolan’s screenplay this week that made headlines across the globe. In an essay for the *London Review of Books*, Wilson argued the adaptation “lacks psychological, emotional, political and ethical depth,” writing “I would be ashamed to have written any part of this” and adding that it strips out many of the core elements that make Homer’s original poem a masterpiece.

    Prominent British classicist and historian Mary Bead echoed Wilson’s critique, though she also welcomed the renewed public interest in Homer that the film has generated. Writing in *The Times*, Beard argued that the poem’s original “erotic puzzles, the teasing ironies, the intriguing questions about truth and falsehood” had been replaced in Nolan’s adaptation with “a rather ponderous Hollywood message about civilisational decline.”

    Regardless of the critical divide, one outcome is clear: *The Odyssey* has turned ancient mythology into one of the UK’s hottest literary trends of 2025, introducing thousands of new readers to stories that have shaped Western culture for nearly 3,000 years.

  • Tickets for Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey cancelled by IMAX after reseller discovery

    Tickets for Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey cancelled by IMAX after reseller discovery

    When Christopher Nolan’s latest blockbuster *The Odyssey* landed in cinemas, it sparked unprecedented demand for a very special screening experience that can only be found one place in the entire Southern Hemisphere: IMAX Melbourne, the only venue down under equipped to project the film on pristine 70mm IMAX film. That exclusive access has turned into a ticket frenzy, with fans traveling from as far as Europe just to secure a seat at the iconic venue, and has now led to a major crackdown on unauthorized ticket scalping that has left hundreds of resold tickets void.

    The saga began earlier this week, when a Reddit user sparked widespread joking and frustration by posting a screenshot of a massive Facebook resale listing, quipping that Melbourne IMAX had effectively “outsourced ticket sales to a fella on FB.” The listing revealed a staggering cache of almost 100 tickets for September screenings, including blocks of two, four, and six seats, and an eye-popping 88 seats reserved for the 1:50 pm showing on Monday, September 14 – nearly an entire auditorium held by resellers looking to flip tickets at marked-up prices.

    Unlike standard film releases, IMAX Melbourne classifies these 70mm *The Odyssey* screenings as special limited events, with no discount vouchers accepted for entry. Tickets are priced as high as $70 per seat, and the venue has already sold more than 88,000 tickets across the run, racking up over $3.95 million in gross box office revenue. Every single screening through September 23 is currently sold out, a level of demand that has created the perfect conditions for scalpers to attempt to profit off desperate fans who missed out on official sales.

    After the viral Reddit post brought the large-scale unauthorized resale operation to the venue’s attention, IMAX Melbourne moved quickly to shut down the scheme. In an official update posted to Instagram, the cinema confirmed that all tickets purchased through third-party platforms are invalid, have been canceled, and will be considered fake on the day of the screening. “All tickets sold on third-party websites have been cancelled or are fake tickets and are not valid for any session,” the statement read.

    The extreme difficulty of securing official tickets has already drawn comparisons to some of the most competitive live event sales in recent memory, with one commenter online noting, “Why was it easier to get Eras tour tickets than it was to get tickets to this movie?” For now, the venue’s crackdown has blocked the scalpers’ profit scheme, though the intense demand for the exclusive 70mm screening experience leaves many fans still waiting for a chance to see Nolan’s blockbuster on the format it was made for.

  • US actor Jared Leto denies latest accusations of sexual assault

    US actor Jared Leto denies latest accusations of sexual assault

    Oscar-winning actor and Thirty Seconds to Mars frontman Jared Leto has issued a firm denial of a fresh round of sexual assault and sexual harassment claims brought by 10 women, which were first revealed in a new BBC documentary. The accusations, which date back to a 14-year period stretching from 2002 to 2016, include serious allegations of underage misconduct that add new weight to long-simmering concerns about the 54-year-old celebrity’s behavior.

    According to accounts shared in the documentary, two of the accusers say they were sexually assaulted by Leto when they were just 17 years old. A third woman alleges that Leto threatened to sexually assault her when she was 19, while a fourth claims that as a 16-year-old, she received repeated sexually explicit phone calls from the star, who she says propositioned her for sex. The remaining four accusers detail separate experiences of unsolicited sexual harassment during phone communications with Leto.

    Nine of the 10 women have chosen to share their stories publicly for the first time through the documentary, which is titled *Jared Leto: Hollywood’s Dark Secret*. This is not the first time Leto has faced such serious allegations: earlier in 2025, multiple other women brought sexual assault claims against him in an investigative report published by U.S. digital outlet Air Mail. Leto likewise denied all claims of inappropriate behavior at that time.

    In a formal statement released Wednesday responding to the new documentary, Leto rejected all allegations outright. “I have never sexually assaulted anyone in my entire life,” he said. “These claims are absolutely and categorically false.” Leto, one of Hollywood’s most recognizable A-list figures, earned an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 2014 for his critically acclaimed performance in the Dallas Buyers Club, and has maintained a successful parallel career as the lead vocalist and founder of the globally popular rock band Thirty Seconds to Mars.