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The Phoenician Scheme: Wes Anderson's latest film takes Oscar winner Benicio del Toro out of his comfort zone

The Phoenician Scheme: Wes Anderson's latest film takes Oscar winner Benicio del Toro out of his comfort zone

West Australian24-05-2025
The Phoenician Scheme: Wes Anderson's latest film takes Oscar winner Benicio del Toro out of his comfort zone
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The ‘hated' Telstra ad went viral. Blame Mick Jagger, North Korea and footballers
The ‘hated' Telstra ad went viral. Blame Mick Jagger, North Korea and footballers

Sydney Morning Herald

time15 hours ago

  • Sydney Morning Herald

The ‘hated' Telstra ad went viral. Blame Mick Jagger, North Korea and footballers

When Alan Smith and Adam Foulkes sat down with Telstra 's creative team +61 and advertising agency Bear Meets Eagle On Fire, the Oscar-nominated directors were handed a commercial project with a 'very open brief'. Among other controversies – some yet to emerge – Australia's largest telco had just started paying $24 million in penalties and refunds after it was found to have wrongly charged customers for the third time in three years. Smith & Foulkes' job was to deliver, with London-based production house Riff Raff Films, a distinctive advertisement that would alert Australia to Telstra's refreshed brand ethos. 'The whole idea was that wherever our main character went, he went with ease, knowing he was in step with his duet partner (Telstra),' says Bear Meets Eagle On Fire founder Micah Walker. Seven months later, Smith & Foulkes presented their client with what would, less than a year on from its premiere, be publicly voted in July as Australia's most unforgettable advert. And most hated. As put by one punter on YouTube: 'My stepbrother was lying dead next to a footy stadium at half-time. This ad came on, and he woke from the dead just to run for the lives of his ears!' 'People engage in their own way, and we welcome that,' says Telstra's chief marketing officer Brent Smart. 'We've seen fans have different reactions based on whether their team is up or down. At the end of the day if people are having a bit of fun with it, we're OK with that.' Adverts drawing the ire of the masses is not unusual; just look at Sydney Sweeney's recent 'Great Jeans' campaign for American Eagle, which has devolved to accusations of the label 'leaning into eugenics'. Telstra's Duet, however, is a whimsical, visually spectacular journey through mystical forests, caves, the outback and beyond, set to the Bee Gees/Kenny Rogers/Dolly Parton's mollifying Islands in the Stream. What could possibly be controversial about that?

Actor Gary Busey pleads guilty to groping woman
Actor Gary Busey pleads guilty to groping woman

The Advertiser

timea day ago

  • The Advertiser

Actor Gary Busey pleads guilty to groping woman

Gary Busey has pleaded guilty to groping a woman at a New Jersey horror film convention. The 81-year-old actor admitted that he deliberately touched a woman inappropriately whilst posing with fans as he pleaded guilty to criminal sexual misconduct at a virtual court appearance on Thursday. The incident occurred at the Monster-Mania Con in August 2022 as Busey was accused of groping several women who filed reports with the police. The star was charged with two counts of criminal sexual contact in the fourth degree, one count of attempting criminal sexual contact in the fourth degree and one disorderly count of harassment. Under the plea agreement, prosecutors will drop the remaining charges against Busey who faces between one to five years of probation and fines. He has also agreed not to contact the victim. Busey, who appeared distracted during the hearing and was scolded by judge Gwendolyn Blue for drinking from a soft drink can, will be sentenced on September 18. The actor's guilty plea comes after he initially claimed the woman had made up her accusation. Busey told TMZ in 2022: "None of that happened. "There were a partner, a camera lady, and me and two girls. It took less than 10 seconds, and then they left. Then, they made up this story that I assaulted them sexually - but I did not." It is not the first time that the Oscar-nominated actor has fallen foul of the law as he faced drug charges in 1995 following a near-fatal cocaine overdose. The star - who suffered permanent brain damage in a 1988 motorcycle accident - has previously been arrested on charges of spousal abuse and was also accused of sexual assault by a female employee when he took part in Celebrity Apprentice in 2011. Busey's son Luke previously recalled how the motorcycle accident completely changed his father's personality after he underwent brain surgery to recover from his serious injuries. He told The Hollywood Reporter: "At 17, I had to teach him with my mom to talk, to eat, to feed himself. To walk again. To write. That was very difficult for me at that age. The post-accident version of him turned his personality up to 11. I feel like I lost my dad on December 4, 1988." Gary Busey has pleaded guilty to groping a woman at a New Jersey horror film convention. The 81-year-old actor admitted that he deliberately touched a woman inappropriately whilst posing with fans as he pleaded guilty to criminal sexual misconduct at a virtual court appearance on Thursday. The incident occurred at the Monster-Mania Con in August 2022 as Busey was accused of groping several women who filed reports with the police. The star was charged with two counts of criminal sexual contact in the fourth degree, one count of attempting criminal sexual contact in the fourth degree and one disorderly count of harassment. Under the plea agreement, prosecutors will drop the remaining charges against Busey who faces between one to five years of probation and fines. He has also agreed not to contact the victim. Busey, who appeared distracted during the hearing and was scolded by judge Gwendolyn Blue for drinking from a soft drink can, will be sentenced on September 18. The actor's guilty plea comes after he initially claimed the woman had made up her accusation. Busey told TMZ in 2022: "None of that happened. "There were a partner, a camera lady, and me and two girls. It took less than 10 seconds, and then they left. Then, they made up this story that I assaulted them sexually - but I did not." It is not the first time that the Oscar-nominated actor has fallen foul of the law as he faced drug charges in 1995 following a near-fatal cocaine overdose. The star - who suffered permanent brain damage in a 1988 motorcycle accident - has previously been arrested on charges of spousal abuse and was also accused of sexual assault by a female employee when he took part in Celebrity Apprentice in 2011. Busey's son Luke previously recalled how the motorcycle accident completely changed his father's personality after he underwent brain surgery to recover from his serious injuries. He told The Hollywood Reporter: "At 17, I had to teach him with my mom to talk, to eat, to feed himself. To walk again. To write. That was very difficult for me at that age. The post-accident version of him turned his personality up to 11. I feel like I lost my dad on December 4, 1988." Gary Busey has pleaded guilty to groping a woman at a New Jersey horror film convention. The 81-year-old actor admitted that he deliberately touched a woman inappropriately whilst posing with fans as he pleaded guilty to criminal sexual misconduct at a virtual court appearance on Thursday. The incident occurred at the Monster-Mania Con in August 2022 as Busey was accused of groping several women who filed reports with the police. The star was charged with two counts of criminal sexual contact in the fourth degree, one count of attempting criminal sexual contact in the fourth degree and one disorderly count of harassment. Under the plea agreement, prosecutors will drop the remaining charges against Busey who faces between one to five years of probation and fines. He has also agreed not to contact the victim. Busey, who appeared distracted during the hearing and was scolded by judge Gwendolyn Blue for drinking from a soft drink can, will be sentenced on September 18. The actor's guilty plea comes after he initially claimed the woman had made up her accusation. Busey told TMZ in 2022: "None of that happened. "There were a partner, a camera lady, and me and two girls. It took less than 10 seconds, and then they left. Then, they made up this story that I assaulted them sexually - but I did not." It is not the first time that the Oscar-nominated actor has fallen foul of the law as he faced drug charges in 1995 following a near-fatal cocaine overdose. The star - who suffered permanent brain damage in a 1988 motorcycle accident - has previously been arrested on charges of spousal abuse and was also accused of sexual assault by a female employee when he took part in Celebrity Apprentice in 2011. Busey's son Luke previously recalled how the motorcycle accident completely changed his father's personality after he underwent brain surgery to recover from his serious injuries. He told The Hollywood Reporter: "At 17, I had to teach him with my mom to talk, to eat, to feed himself. To walk again. To write. That was very difficult for me at that age. The post-accident version of him turned his personality up to 11. I feel like I lost my dad on December 4, 1988." Gary Busey has pleaded guilty to groping a woman at a New Jersey horror film convention. The 81-year-old actor admitted that he deliberately touched a woman inappropriately whilst posing with fans as he pleaded guilty to criminal sexual misconduct at a virtual court appearance on Thursday. The incident occurred at the Monster-Mania Con in August 2022 as Busey was accused of groping several women who filed reports with the police. The star was charged with two counts of criminal sexual contact in the fourth degree, one count of attempting criminal sexual contact in the fourth degree and one disorderly count of harassment. Under the plea agreement, prosecutors will drop the remaining charges against Busey who faces between one to five years of probation and fines. He has also agreed not to contact the victim. Busey, who appeared distracted during the hearing and was scolded by judge Gwendolyn Blue for drinking from a soft drink can, will be sentenced on September 18. The actor's guilty plea comes after he initially claimed the woman had made up her accusation. Busey told TMZ in 2022: "None of that happened. "There were a partner, a camera lady, and me and two girls. It took less than 10 seconds, and then they left. Then, they made up this story that I assaulted them sexually - but I did not." It is not the first time that the Oscar-nominated actor has fallen foul of the law as he faced drug charges in 1995 following a near-fatal cocaine overdose. The star - who suffered permanent brain damage in a 1988 motorcycle accident - has previously been arrested on charges of spousal abuse and was also accused of sexual assault by a female employee when he took part in Celebrity Apprentice in 2011. Busey's son Luke previously recalled how the motorcycle accident completely changed his father's personality after he underwent brain surgery to recover from his serious injuries. He told The Hollywood Reporter: "At 17, I had to teach him with my mom to talk, to eat, to feed himself. To walk again. To write. That was very difficult for me at that age. The post-accident version of him turned his personality up to 11. I feel like I lost my dad on December 4, 1988."

Actor Gary Busey pleads guilty to groping woman
Actor Gary Busey pleads guilty to groping woman

Perth Now

timea day ago

  • Perth Now

Actor Gary Busey pleads guilty to groping woman

Gary Busey has pleaded guilty to groping a woman at a New Jersey horror film convention. The 81-year-old actor admitted that he deliberately touched a woman inappropriately whilst posing with fans as he pleaded guilty to criminal sexual misconduct at a virtual court appearance on Thursday. The incident occurred at the Monster-Mania Con in August 2022 as Busey was accused of groping several women who filed reports with the police. The star was charged with two counts of criminal sexual contact in the fourth degree, one count of attempting criminal sexual contact in the fourth degree and one disorderly count of harassment. Under the plea agreement, prosecutors will drop the remaining charges against Busey who faces between one to five years of probation and fines. He has also agreed not to contact the victim. Busey, who appeared distracted during the hearing and was scolded by judge Gwendolyn Blue for drinking from a soft drink can, will be sentenced on September 18. The actor's guilty plea comes after he initially claimed the woman had made up her accusation. Busey told TMZ in 2022: "None of that happened. "There were a partner, a camera lady, and me and two girls. It took less than 10 seconds, and then they left. Then, they made up this story that I assaulted them sexually - but I did not." It is not the first time that the Oscar-nominated actor has fallen foul of the law as he faced drug charges in 1995 following a near-fatal cocaine overdose. The star - who suffered permanent brain damage in a 1988 motorcycle accident - has previously been arrested on charges of spousal abuse and was also accused of sexual assault by a female employee when he took part in Celebrity Apprentice in 2011. Busey's son Luke previously recalled how the motorcycle accident completely changed his father's personality after he underwent brain surgery to recover from his serious injuries. He told The Hollywood Reporter: "At 17, I had to teach him with my mom to talk, to eat, to feed himself. To walk again. To write. That was very difficult for me at that age. The post-accident version of him turned his personality up to 11. I feel like I lost my dad on December 4, 1988."

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