Iceland Showbiz Latest News and Updates

When it comes to McDonald's, most people have a favourite. But if that's the Chicken Big Mac you may well be sorely disappointed after the fast food giant pulled the burger off the menu once again.

When queer people travel, we must always consider our safety. There are 195 countries in the world, each with its own cultures and legal systems, many of which can be homophobic and transphobic. In order to celebrate our authentic selves abroad and fully enjoy our vacations, LGBTQ travelers must be aware of which countries are welcoming to us. The good news is that there are countless places around the world that are safe for us to visit! Following are seven queer-friendly travel destinations to consider for your next holiday.

ITV's favourite gameshow was back on Tuesday night with another Scots hopeful looking to bag some cash on The Chase and put himself up against one of the nation's greatest quiz brains.

EXCLUSIVE: New Europe Film Sales has unveiled fresh deals for Danish director Ulaa Salim’s sci-fi drama Eternal.

Eurovision contestant Daði Freyr appeared at Eurovision 2023 last night (May 13), and fans loved his “epic version” of Atomic Kitten during the final.During one segment of the show, previous Eurovision contestants paid tribute to Liverpool’s music history during a song medley and Freyr, who represented Iceland at the competition in 2021, appeared in this part to cover Atomic Kitten’s 2000 hit ‘Whole Again’.Fans on social media felt it was one of the best of the night, with one writing that the cover was “incredible” and another saying it was an “epic version”.Check out the cover and more fan reaction below:I made a cover of the Atomic Kitten song Whole Again!It’s out in a few hours!Also tune in to @Eurovision tonight because I’m gonna be performing live in front of a Eurovision audience for the first time!@bbceurovision pic.twitter.com/pBr9f9sp0m— Daði Freyr

Eurovision alumni paid tribute to the legendary artists of Liverpool – where this year’s Song Contest was hosted – by performing a medley of classics from the likes of John Lennon, Dead Or Alive and Atomic Kitten.The 2023 Eurovision Song Contest was hosted last night (May 13) at Liverpool Arena; Sweden came in first place with 583 points, followed by Finland and Israel. The event opened with last year’s champions, Kalush Orchestra, performing their winning song ‘Stefania’.

Sweden has won the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest, marking a historic double for its victorious artist Loreen. 

After beating some stiff competition from a whopping 26 acts which included the UK’s very own Mae Muller, it was Loreen that reigned victorious at the end of this year's Eurovision Song Contest. Singing Tattoo, Loreen scored an impressive 583 points in total, which sent them skyrocketing to the top of the leaderboard! Securing victory for a second time, Sweden’s entry Loreen managed to once again claim the coveted title with this year’s track Tattoo, 11 years after she triumphed at the competition back in 2012! In the past decade since bringing home the coveted Eurovision win, Loreen has enchanted audiences with her voice, unique artistic expression, and captivating lyrics.

Eurovision Song Contest viewers thought a key Manchester City star had swapped the football pitch for the stage as they watched the action unfold live on BBC One.

K.J. Yossman The Eurovision Song Contest paid tribute to John Lennon during the grand final on Saturday night with a cover of “Imagine.” After all this year’s contestants had completed their performances and the phone lines opened for the public vote, a number of former contestants from previous years delivered a tribute to some famous Liverpudlian musical acts, including Lennon, former Spice Girl Mel C, Atomic Kitten and Gerry and the Pacemakers.Imagine iconic Eurovision alumni taking to the stage together… Oh wait, you don't have to! #Eurovision pic.twitter.com/v6iFWYNfrV Italian singer and former Eurovision contestant Mahmood opened the musical interlude – nicknamed the Eurovision All Stars – with a performance of Lennon’s “Imagine.” He was followed by Israeli winner Netta, who came first in the contest in 2018, performing “You Spin Me Around” by 1980s band Dead or Alive. Next came Daði Freyr from Iceland with “Whole Again” by late 1990s pop band Atomic Kitten, which had the entire auditorium singing along.

Eurovision star Daði Freyr has spoken to NME about the shift in attitudes towards the Song Contest, as well what to expect from his performance tonight and his upcoming album.The grand final of Eurovision 2023 will be held at Liverpool Arena tonight (Saturday May 12), with Sweden, Finland and Ukraine currently leading the bookies’ favourites to win.Freyr is no stranger to the contest, having been set to compete with the viral song ‘Think About Things in 2020 before the event was pulled due to COVID lockdown, and eventually represented Iceland at Eurovision 2021 with his track ‘10 Years’.“It was fun, although one of members got COVID and we had to quarantine, which was pretty boring,” he said of his last appearance at the show. “I never would have written ‘10 Years’ or ‘Think About Things’ if it wasn’t for Eurovision, and it’s a huge stepping stone towards bigger things if you really capitalise on it. It’s a huge ad for me as a performer.”Now, he’s among the likes of  past competition favourites Sam Favourites, Kalush Orchestra and Netta who are set to return at tonight’s event.“I’m doing a cover by a Liverpool band,” he teased of his performance.

Tom Cruise's "Mission: Impossible" co-star, Vanessa Kirby, is sharing details about the actor filming his own stunts. Kirby, who stars as White Widow in "Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One," recalled witnessing Cruise parachute off a motorcycle while going off a cliff in Iceland with "no fear." "He did it many times in one day," Kirby told Variety. "He did it consecutively … and repeatedly so he could capture all the different angles and sides of it." If Cruise ever gets nervous, he sure doesn't show it.

Hannah Waddingham stole the show again as she hosted the second Eurovision Song Contest semi-final. The Ted Lasso actress was back on stage at Liverpool's M&S Bank Arena where the biggest live music event in the world is taking place.

Marc Malkin Senior Film Awards, Events & Lifestyle Editor It’s one thing to see Tom Cruise seemingly defy the laws of sanity in the “Mission: Impossible” franchise, but it’s a whole other experience watching the actor complete his stunts in person. Vanessa Kirby, who reprises her role as the White Widow in “Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One,” says she was on set when Cruise parachuted from a motorcycle after riding it off a cliff in Iceland for the eighth installment of “M:I.” “He did it many times in one day,” recalls Kirby. “He did it consecutively … and repeatedly so he could capture all the different angles and sides of it.” If Cruise was nervous, he sure didn’t show it. “He was just so calm,” Kirby says. “He had no fear. He just found it exhilarating. That kind of belief in cinema and what one could achieve and his passion for it is so inspiring. He kind of believes he can do the impossible and then he does…I love being a part of the franchise. I’m really excited to come back.”

The second of two Eurovision Song Contest semi-finals took place on Thursday in Liverpool, northern England.

The second Eurovision Song Contest semi-finals will take place on Thursday night and will see 16 countries battle it out for a place in the grand final.

Michaela Zee editor From riding boats in Venice to landing in Tuscany in a helicopter, “Book Club: The Next Chapter” star Jane Fonda had quite the adventure in Italy with Diane Keaton, Mary Steenburgen and Candice Bergen.  Her favorite memory there? “When we went to see the Sistine Chapel at night, and there was nobody else there,” Fonda told Variety at the New York premiere on Monday night. “And we had the whole ceiling explained to us by a great guide. That was a real treat.”  Although the sequel was filmed nearly five years after the original, Fonda never lost contact with her “Book Club” co-stars. 

Eurovision Song Contest has concluded, with 10 countries currently proceeding to the Grand Finals this Saturday (May 13).A grand total of 26 countries will participate in the finals, consisting of 10 finalists from semi-finals round 1, 10 finalists from semi-finals round 2, the “big 5” and Ukraine.The first 10 finalists from semi-finals round 1 has finally been revealed after a slew of performances and voting, with the following countries coming out on top: Norway, Serbia, Portugal, Croatia, Switzerland, Israel, Moldova, Sweden, Czechia and Finland.Watch Norway’s Alessandra perform ‘Queen of Kings’ below.This means that the countries eliminated from the contest following the first rounds of semi-finals are the Netherlands, Malta, Latvia, Ireland and Azerbaijan.Countries set to take part in the second round of semi-finals on Thursday (May 11) are: Denmark, Armenia, Romania, Estonia, Belgium, Cyprus, Iceland, Greece, Poland, Slovenia, Georgia, San Marino, Austria, Albania, Lithuania and Australia.Watch Sweden representative Loreen‘s performance of ‘Tattoo’ below.The “Big 5” countries guaranteed a spot in the finals without having to participate in semi-finals are France, Germany, Spain, the UK and Italy, as they contribute the most financially to the Eurovision Song Contest. Last year’s winners Ukraine also automatically qualify for the finals this year.Ireland’s elimination from this year’s contest marks the latest in a string of failed attempts to qualify, with the country not making eight of its 10 most recent attempts.

The first Eurovision Song Contest semi-final has taken place in Liverpool.

The first round of Eurovision 2023 semi-finals have taken place at Liverpool's M&S Bank Arena, with hosts Alesha Dixon, Hannah Waddingham and Julia Sanina welcoming 15 acts to battle it our for a place in this weekend's grand final.

EXCLUSIVE: Paris-based sales company Charades has finalized a raft of deals with international buyers for its upcoming comedy Northern Comfort, which debuted at SXSW in March.

The European Film Academy (EFA) has unveiled 462 film professionals as new members in an announcement timed to coincide with Europe Day on May 9.

EXCLUSIVE: Nordic programmer Viaplay has set the slate of projects it will debut on the North American version of its streaming platform this summer.

Bam Margera just dropped some major dirt about his marriage to Nicole Boyd! The question is… is it even real?

Zack Sharf Digital News Director As Warner Bros. gears up to release “The Flash” in theaters this summer, many moviegoers are wondering how star Ezra Miller’s history of legal troubles and alleged abuse might impact the release and press tour. The film’s production designer, Oscar winner Paul Austerberry (“The Shape of Water”) isn’t sweating it. During a recent interview with CBC, Austerberry said “people will forget” Miller’s history when the film releases. As reported by the CBC: “Austerberry says he’s not too concerned about how the stories surrounding Miller will affect the film. ‘People will forget that,’ he said, noting that Miller did a superb job playing the titular hero as two distinct characters, which required production to shoot the film in ‘two different chunks,’ with Ezra switching roles every few days.”

Dennis Harvey Film Critic Offering a singular perspective on Russia’s current pariah status in much of the world is Gaukur Ulfarsson’s “Soviet Barbara,” probably the most enjoyable — as opposed to depressing — documentary involving the invasion of Ukraine you’re likely to see. It focuses on Icelandic multimedia artist Ragnar Kjartansson’s preparation for exhibits that would open a major new museum in Moscow.  That launch proves fatefully ill-timed in terms of larger events, however, even as his splashiest custom creation provides ironic commentary on recent Russian history by reprising an American TV soap opera that had been an unlikely imported smash in the nation’s immediate post-USSR years. The colorful intersection between art, ideology, patronage and politics should appeal to a wide range of nonfiction outlets and programmers.

As the cost of living crisis continues to place pressure on businesses, many high-street retailers are closing across the country.

As households continue to struggle with rising bills amid the cost of living crisis, it's not surprising that shoppers are making big changes.

Björk lit up the sky over Coachella 2023 earlier this month by incorporating over 800 drones into her performance – you can now watch her performance here.Clips of her renditions of ‘I’ve Seen It All’ and ‘Hyperballad’ have now been officially released on Coachella’s YouTube channel.Initially, the set was scheduled to be livestreamed onto Coachella’s YouTube channel. However, in a controversial decision, both Björk and Frank Ocean’s performances were pulled from the schedule hours before they took to the stage.The career-spanning set, which saw Björk perform with an orchestra conducted by Bjarni Frímann, prioritised “simplicity” – according to the Icelandic singer – but also enlisted over 800 drones as a visual aid for the crowd.Check out ‘I’ve Seen It All’ and ‘Hyperballad’ below:The set also included fan favourites such as ‘Isobel’ and ‘Joga’ and saw the drones create green, blue and red displays that matched each performance.

Last year, on the Debut episode of her Sonic Symbolism podcast, Björk revealed she’s always been determined that her role as a woman in the global electronic music scene not be limited to that of Smurfette — the only female Smurf. “I want to be all the Smurfs,” she declared.

Naman Ramachandran Director Thordur Palsson has wrapped principal photography in Iceland on “The Damned,” starring Odessa Young. Newly revealed cast for the psychological horror film includes Joe Cole (“Gangs of London”), Siobhan Finneran (“Happy Valley”), Rory McCann (“Game of Thrones”), Turlough Convery (“Killing Eve”), Lewis Gribben (“Somewhere Boy”), Francis Magee (“The Tourist”), Mícheál Óg Lane (“The Guard”) and Andrean Sigurgeirsson (“A Song Called Hate”). The script was written by Jamie Hannigan and is based on a story by Palsson (“The Valhalla Murders”). “The Damned” tells the story of Eva, a 19th-century widow who faces a difficult decision when a ship sinks off the coast of her isolated fishing post in the middle of an especially cruel winter. Eva and her crew must decide whether to rescue the shipwrecked or survive the winter with their last remaining food. As they face the consequences of their decision and are tormented by guilt, the inhabitants begin to believe they are being punished for their choices.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Prominent Paris-based producer Marianne Slot, who has been instrumental to bringing works by auteurs such as Lars Von Trier, Lucrecia Martel, and Argentina’s Lisandro Alonso to the big screen, is being honored by the Locarno Film Festival. Slot will receive the Swiss festival’s Raimondo Rezzonico prize for a producer who epitomizes the indie ethos. She will be bestowed with the award on Aug. 5 with a tribute that will include a screening of Icelandic director Benedikt Erlingsson’s environmental-themed black comedy “Woman At War,” followed by an on-stage conversation on Aug. 6. Born in Denmark, Slot set up the Paris-based production company Slot Machine in 1993. She has been Von Trier’s French producer since 1995, starting with “Breaking the Waves.” Over the years Slot has shepherded works by a slew of indie auteurs at various stages of their careers. Besides Martel and Erlingsson these include Bent Hamer, Małgorzata Szumowska, Paz Encina, Emma Dante, Marian Crişan, Juliette Garcia, Yeşim Ustaoğlu, Sergei Loznitsa, and Naomi Kawase.

The Flash director Andy Muschietti has spoken out on the film’s controversial star Ezra Miller.

Tesco customers should know the supermarket giant is making some big changes that will affect online shoppers.

Prime Video’s The Wheel of Time has cast Danish model-actress Maja Simonsen, Icelandic actress and former Olympic swimmer Ragga Ragnars, Irish actor Jay Duffy and New Zealand singer, actress and comedian Rima Te Wiata in recurring roles for the hit fantasy drama’s upcoming second season. The announcement was made during today’s virtual panel at JordanCon.

Sam Hewson only ever wanted to be a footballer growing up.