New Zealand Showbiz Latest News and Updates

Jason Momoa opened up about his living situation in a new interview, and it might surprise you.

Pat Saperstein Deputy Editor Eddie Cockrell, who reviewed films for Variety for many years and programmed for several film series, died of liver failure Dec. 29 in Sydney, Australia, according to his sister Ann. He was 67.

New Zealander Rhys Darby made a splash in the United States in 2007 for his portrayal of band manager Murray Hewitt in HBO’s Flight of the Conchords, a series that ended after only two short seasons. And while he and his co-stars Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie have all moved on to other projects, the trio might surprise fans one day with a reunion.

Linda Carter is set for more drama in EastEnders following the return of Lauren Branning, who will soon uncover the truth about baby Annie's paternity. Lauren (Jacqueline Jossa) made her highly anticipated return to EastEnders on New Year's Day, but didn't quite make it to Albert Square after being arrested in the airport. However, she will soon be released after cousin Penny Branning's (Kitty Castledine) confession.

Simon, Lord Lovat got the axe.The Scottish Jacobite was the last person to be beheaded in England, in 1747 — and the Oscar winner, 59, is apparently his descendant.Crowe took to X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday to reveal that he’s related to the late, great chief of Clan Fraser of Lovat, who was executed for high treason in the 18th century. The “Beautiful Mind” star added that he had “been on the hunt to track down my Italian forebears” for a while now and has been researching his linage, which has led him down “a number of wrong tracks.”He explained that his great-great-great grandfather on his mother’s side was one Luigi Ghezzi.Ghezzi, who at one point worked in Argentina, later left on a ship bound to India.

Russell Crowe has had several brushes with the law over the years — and it turns out that one of his distant ancestors was also something of a rogue.

Former Amblin and Paramount Pictures vet Matt Andrée Wiltens is joining Gersh as their new SVP and Head of Global Corporate Communications.

Rita Ora, 33, has been criticised for undergoing an expensive scan which is meant to provide early detection for over 500 cancers and diseases. Sharing snaps of herself having the ground-breaking, radiation-free Prenuvo scan done, the 33 year old Don’t Think Twice singer - whose mum previously fought breast cancer - said as a result of her mother’s illness she believes in 'doing anything she can' to stay healthy. “'With my mum's history of breast cancer, being proactive and not reactive with physical health has alway been so important to me," she wrote.

Hollywood A-lister Russell Crowe has revealed just how close his connections to Scotland are.

The Traitors.The presenter returns to host the second series of the BBC reality series from Wednesday (January 3), as 22 contestants compete for a prize fund worth up to £120,000.Speaking ahead of the show’s return, Winkleman said that by observing contestants, she had “worked out” the best way to win is “to be loveable and inoffensive and to be close to a traitor”.“I can’t say anything else, but that is the smart way to enter the castle,” the presenter told The Independent. “[To think], ‘I don’t want to be a traitor; I’m just going to glide along here and not bother anyone and if I see someone I suspect, I’ll just get closer to them.'”Speaking about the second series, Winkleman teased the twists to come, stating: “It gets really dark.

The Minecraft live-action movie is coming!

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter Jack Black has joined the cast of “Minecraft,” a live-action adaptation of the popular video game. As previously announced, Jason Momoa is starring in the movie alongside “Wednesday’s” Emma Myers and “The Color Purple” actor Danielle Brooks. Production is expected to begin imminently in New Zealand.

Coco Gauff is already making the most out of 2024. The fan-favorite athlete celebrated the new year by jumping from New Zealand’s highest building with nothing but a wire, standing 692ft above Auckland and taking in the incredible views.COCO GAUFF IS THE HIGHEST-PAID FEMALE ATHLETE OF 2023COCO GAUFF ENJOYS HERSELF ON CHRISTMAS EVE BEFORE DEFENDING WTA TITLE IN NEW ZEALANDThe tennis star was all smiles accompanied by her family, plummeting 192 meters off the Sky Tower.

EXCLUSIVE: Production is about to be underway on Warner Bros/Vertigo/Legendary’s feature take on Mojang/Microsoft’s Minecraft in New Zealand, and sources are telling us that Jack Black is joining the cast of the Jason Momoa led movie.

Catastrophe star Sharon Horgan has been left "heartbroken" after her dad John passed away this week.The Irish TV star and writer, 53, is grieving, along with her four siblings, including rugby ace Shane Horgan, the death of their father who died following a battle with cancer. John Horgan, who was a farmer from New Zealand, was with his family when he passed away, reports The Mirror.The family, including Sharon's mother Ursula, are set to bury John in the village of Termonfeckin, Co. Louth on Tuesday.The news of his death was announced on RIP.ie as, it read: "The death has occurred of John (Donald) Horgan of Strand Rd, Termonfeckin, Co.

Married At First Sight Australia's Cathy Evans has been left heartbroken after the sudden death of her older brother Ben over Christmas. The 30 year old reality TV star revealed that Ben, 36, tragically passed away from a cardiac arrest on Boxing Day in New Zealand. Cathy, who was raised in New Zealand with Ben and their two other brothers Logan and Marko, flew straight home when she heard the news, reports The Mirror.

The Kid Laroi has announced his Australian tour next year is being postponed.The rapper, who was born in Australia but now is based in Los Angeles, was supposed to play six dates across the country in February 2024.The tour was meant to start Feb 2, 2024 at AAMI Park in Melbourne, before heading west for a show at Auckland’s Spark Arena on Feb 5. The Kid Laroi was then slated to play open-air shows in Perth, Adelaide, Sydney and the Gold Coast.However, he has now announced that the run of dates has been rescheduled to October 2024 due to logistical difficulties.“We tried to make February work but it’s proving to be logistically impossible,” reads a statement from The Kid Laroi, real name Charlton Howard.

Miley Cyrus has shared a video of her covering Journey‘s 80s hit ‘Faithfully’ at an intimate show held at the Chateau Marmont.The pop singer’s rendition of the rock classic – which appeared on Journey’s 1983 LP ‘Frontiers’ and was written by Jonathan Cain – was performed as part of an intimate friends and family performance at the West Hollywood legendary hotel for the holidays.In a black-and-white video posted by Cyrus herself on her official X/Twitter page, the singer is seen performing in front of a lit-up Christmas tree. She also joked around while singing and said: “Dave Grohl is coming out of the Christmas tree for the drums” after the first verse and “You know the words to this one – there are none.

Coco Gauff made sure that she enjoyed herself before getting back on the court in New Zealand and Australia. On Christmas Eve, she attended a Dolphins game at Hard Rock Stadium with her supportive family. The tennis professional shared a gallery of photos and videos of the experience, which looked epic.A post shared by Coco Gauff (@cocogauff)“Christmas Eve + dolphins W = a good ole jolly time” she captioned the gallery.

“Each year, First Feature Competition is something truly special. We can’t wait to introduce these emerging talents to the world.”, she adds.

It’s been an eventful 2023 for international TV and film. As the strikes shut down Hollywood and streamers retrenched from the mega-spends of the Covid era, shows and movies from far and wide came were already in demand like never before, as viewers look to new countries for inspiration. Call it the Squid Game effect, or whatever you want, but neither subtitles nor geographical boundaries are an impediment to content getting seen any more. Here, we run down each Deadline International journalist’s top pick from the year, for the most part avoiding spoilers (there are some though, so this is a fair warning). You’ll find big-ticket U.S. fare, Japanese anime, restaurant TV dramas and Australian newsroom stories among our eclectic selections.

Welcome to the Scene to Seen Podcast. I am Valerie Complex Associate editor and film writer at Deadline.

Princess Mary has posted a cryptic message about loneliness and the importance of positive human connection before Christmas.The post comes after rumors of an affair between her husband, Crown Prince Frederik, and Mexican socialite Genoveva Casanova, which surfaced a month ago.The pair hit deadlines after Spanish publication Lecturas published photos of them spending a day exploring Madrid last month.They were spotted wandering around the city’s El Retiro park, enjoying a Picasso exhibit, and going out for dinner.Despite the rumors, the Danish royal family has presented a “business as normal” attitude as they enter the festive season.Princess Mary’s letter, shared on the Mary Foundation website, reflects on the past year, describing it as shorter than previous years and filled with significant events.An excerpt from the letter emphasizes the need for human connection, in which she states: “We need each other if we are to succeed.”“And at the same time, so much has happened that it is impossible to put it all into words,” she wrote.“We have put a spotlight on the many faces of loneliness with a large conference.

Spy x Family arrives in cinemas in Japan this year.Based on the manga by Tatsuya Endo, Spy x Family is an anime action-comedy series which follows master spy Twilight, who has to disguise himself and build a mock family in order to investigate political leader Donovan Desmond.The show’s first season debuted in April 2022, with the second season set to conclude on December 23, 2023.At the time of season two’s announcement in December 2022, a feature film titled Spy x Family Code: White was also revealed.At the time of writing (December 19), there is no announced UK release date for Spy x Family Code: White.The film hits cinemas in Japan on December 22, 2023. As announced in November, Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures Entertainment is set to bring Spy x Family Code: White to theatres worldwide at some point in 2024, with confirmed territories being North America, Latin America, Australia and New Zealand.

Slipknot‘s former singer Anders Colsefni will play his first show with his band Painface in almost a decade next year – and Corey Taylor is going.The band will be performing at the Patio Nightclub in Las Vegas on January 27 and Taylor is set to watch it. He replaced Colsefni as Slipknot’s frontman in 1997.Painface have played sporadic shows since they reformed in 2010 but haven’t played a gig, they estimate, since 2015.Taylor took to X/Twitter to share his excitement for the show, writing: “Hope to see everyone at this show on Jan.

Rita Ora had some time away at a luxurious retreat with her husband Taika Waititi earlier this month.The Hot Right Now singer, 33, stayed at the exclusive Piwakawaka Point Estate on Lake Wanaka in New Zealand with Taika, 48. Taking to Instagram, Rita shared some sweet snaps of their quality time at the accommodation.

EXCLUSIVE: Shudder has acquired rights to Dario Argento Panico, Simone Scadfi’s documentary retrospective and personal portrait of the Italian giallo master, for the U.S., Canada, the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. Pic debuts on the service on February 2, 2024, after making its world premiere at the 2023 Venice Film Festival.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Production is underway on “Kangaroo Island,” the feature film debut from Australian director Tim Piper and screenwriter Sally Gifford. The family relationship drama-comedy centers around a struggling Hollywood actress forced to reunite with her sister as part of her father’s last wishes. It stars Rebecca Breeds (“Clarice,” “CAUGH*T”), Erik Thomson (“Aftertaste,” “Black Snow”), Adelaide Clemens (“Justified: City Primeval,” “Under The Banner of Heaven”) and Joel Jackson (“Mystery Road,” “Safe Harbour”).

Lorde appeared to tease a new era of music with a cryptic Instagram post this weekend, but has already told fans that they might be waiting a while.The New Zealand singer-songwriter posted a photo of herself wearing headphones to Instagram late Sunday (December 17) with the caption: “Listening to myself.”Fans quickly began to speculate if new music was on the horizon for the ‘Solar Power’ singer.However, the artist elaborated in comment on a fan page that had predicted Lorde’s fourth album could be on the way, which also noted that she’d archived the ‘Solar Power‘ cover art on her feed and changed her profile picture.“We’re not CLOSE close you guys .. i’m just getting so hype n needed to let u know,” Lorde, real name Ella Yelich-O’Connor, wrote.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Guy Pearce (“LA Confidential,” “Memento”) has recently wrapped production on “Inside,” an Australian crime thriller and coming of age drama film. The picture is the debut feature of Charles Williams, whose short film “All These Creatures” won the Palme d’Or at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival. The story sees after a young man transferred from juvenile to adult prison, where he is taken under the wing of both Australia’s most despised criminal, and a soon-to-be-a-paroled inmate.

"I remember thinking, don't fall asleep. You won't wake up." That was the terrifying moment England cricketer Jack Leach realised he could die from a fatal illness while on a tour of New Zealand.

Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour will be available to watch at home from December.Directed by Sam Wrench, the concert film documents Swift’s latest tour which runs through her biggest hits and rarities across all ten of her studio albums.After it was released in cinemas in October, the film has become the highest-grossing concert movie ever, earning $249million at the worldwide box office. It also landed a nomination at the 2024 Golden Globes for Cinematic and Box Office Achievement.In the US, Canada, UK and Ireland, the film will be available to rent digitally from December 13 (to coincide with Swift’s birthday).Other confirmed territories include Australia and New Zealand from December 14, and Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Mexico and Brazil from December 21.As listed on Swift’s website, the film will be available from Apple TV+, Vudu, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, Xfinity, YouTube and Sky.The extended version on streaming services will include songs which were cut from the cinematic release, including ‘Wildest Dreams’, ‘The Archer’ and ‘Long Live’.In a four-star review of the film, NME wrote: “It’s a staggering feat.

Caroline Brew editor ChaiFlicks, a streaming platform dedicated to Jewish content, has acquired the rights to all three seasons of Yes Studios‘ “Shtisel,” in addition to the studio’s drama series “Fire Dance.” Season One of “Shtisel” will begin streaming on ChaiFlicks in the U.S., Australia and New Zealand on Dec. 14.

Neighbours, the returning soap that has been playing elsewhere (Channel 5 and previously the BBC in the UK, has been released by its new home – streamer Freevee.The series will return to screens on 18 September, with new episodes releasing daily, Monday-Thursday, at 7 a.m. BST, on Amazon Freevee in the UK and the U.S.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Australian streamer Stan has acquired rights to both seasons, totaling 20 episodes, of the Malaysian adaptation of Scandinavian crime series “The Bridge.” The agreement, brokered by Lyle Bettson-Barker, SVP Australia and New Zealand from Banijay Rights, represents the first time that Stan has acquired a Malaysian drama series. The Asian version of “The Bridge” was initially commissioned by Viu and HBO Asia in 2018, after Double Vision, part of the Vision New Media group, introduced Viu to the format. It broadcast to across 23 territories in the combined footprints of Viu and HBO Asia and was also shown on Viu in South Africa.The title has garnered more than 20 regional awards and nominations across its two seasons, making it the most awarded drama in Malaysian history. Season one faithfully follows the original show, and sees a dead body found on the border between Malaysia and Singapore, necessitating an investigator from each country to work together to solve the crime.

Outlander star Sam Heughan will delight fans next weekend as he visits a Waterstones store in Glasgow city centre for signing of his new book 'Clanlands in New Zealand' which he wrote with co-star Graham McTavish.