NEWS OF THE WEEK: Ariana Grande mourns death of grandma at 99
The Wicked star reshared a heartbreaking statement posted by her mother, Joan Grande, about Marjorie's death. "We are devastated to share that the beloved matriarch of our family has passed away," the statement signed by Grande and her family reads. "Marjorie (Nonna) Grande passed away peacefully in her home and was surrounded by family and loved ones for every moment of her last few weeks. We thank you for your love, support, and for respecting our privacy as we grieve and celebrate her beautiful, extraordinary life." Grande and her grandmother shared a close bond.
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News.com.au
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- News.com.au
‘Sardine girl summer': Bizarre Gen Z trend takes over the internet
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News.com.au
4 hours ago
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Christie Brinkley on Billy Joel, romantic rivals, and the ‘only time I miss having a man in my life'
Sitting cross-legged on the floor of her home in the Hamptons, Christie Brinkley looks youthful and chic in an oversized blue shirt and jeans. Little wonder: the model, actor, entrepreneur and mum-of-three has been commanding the camera for over half a century. Emerging at the dawn of the supermodel era, the 71-year-old has graced more than 500 magazine covers as well as starring in ex- husband Billy Joel's video for her own theme song, 'Uptown Girl'. But if she exemplifies all-American wholesomeness, Brinkley also embodies survivor's resolve. As she chronicles in her recently released memoir Uptown Girl, she suffered beatings by her biological father, the shock race car-related death of a boyfriend, humiliation by more than one husband, and terrifying helicopter crash in which she was certain she would die. 'I knew some memories were going to be fun to revisit and others would be really hard,' she tells Stellar via Zoom. 'But I'm not that introspective. Mum raised me to look on the bright side.' From the day she was discovered, at age 19, by a photographer outside a Paris post office, Brinkley regarded modelling as a gateway to new adventures. So much so that when celebrated agent Eileen Ford told her to lose weight by eating only fish, she ignored the advice. 'I am so about the experience, and I figured if I get a trip to Mexico, I'm eating tortillas, guacamole, I'm having margaritas,' she says. 'I want the full experience. I don't want to cut myself off from any of that.' That includes the ups and downs of her relationships with four ex-husbands. Brinkley's lawyer calls her a 'bad picker', and a psychiatrist she saw during her six-year divorce battle with fourth husband Peter Cook recommended she seek therapy for trust issues. 'But I prefer to keep on believing and seeing the good in people,' she says. The marriages, to artist Jean-François Allaux, musician Joel, real estate entrepreneur Ricky Taubman and architect Cook, may not have lasted, but she shares 39-year-old singer Alexa Ray with Joel; aspiring actor Jack, 30, with Taubman; and model Sailor, who is 27 this week, with Cook. The proud mum, who painted Joel's River Of Dreams album cover, has her own artworks of the children adorning her house. Fondness for Joel endures. The couple met on a Caribbean island in 1983, where he initially dated Australian model Elle Macpherson. 'We were at his apartment and he said, 'I'm going to call Elle because I've been out with her a couple of times and I want to let her know that now I want to be exclusive with you',' Brinkley recalls. 'I don't know whether he was trying to impress me, or to be nice to Elle in case she saw a picture of us.' Today she and Joel maintain a friendship. He is godfather to Jack and Sailor and, until his recent diagnosis with a rare brain disorder put his live shows on hold, they attended his concerts together. 'Alexa just had a long conversation with him and she said he sounded good, but he's got a lot of physical therapy to contend with,' Brinkley reveals. 'We're all just cheering him on.' While she continues to evolve in business with her own wine and clothing labels, and as an environmental activist, the memoir allowed time for reflection, such as reminiscing about the days when images were shot on film. 'Now there are so many cooks in the kitchen you don't have that same kind of magic,' she laments. Ageing is another bugbear. 'You have choices … If you don't like something, there's a million ways to fix it,' she says, adding that energy and curiosity are 'more useful than any cream you can buy in a jar'. As she chats, one daughter, then another, flies out the door. Does she ever feel lonely? 'I'm very content,' Brinkley says, glancing out of her window at the night rolling in. 'The only time I miss having a man in my life is when there's a magnificent sunset or a storm sweeping across, and I want to share that moment with somebody I love.' Uptown Girl: A Memoir by Christie Brinkley with Sarah Toland ($36.99, HarperCollins) is out now.
News.com.au
6 hours ago
- News.com.au
Holly Valance splits from husband after 13 years
Former Neighbours star Holly Valance and UK billionaire Nick Candy are divorcing after 13 years of marriage. Friends told The Sun that the Australian actress and singer had split from her property tycoon husband in recent weeks. Right-wing glamour couple Holly, 42, and Nick, 52, were last photographed together in March, heading out for lunch in London. A family friend said: 'This has been a very difficult period for both Nick and Holly, and they are keeping things private out of respect for their family. 'The joint parenting of their two amazing daughters remains their top priority. They've had to juggle a demanding lifestyle. Between family, public life, and Nick's intense work commitments, it's been a tough balance. 'This is a family matter and they're doing their best to handle things thoughtfully. Privacy is obviously very important to them both, so they can focus on what's best for the family.' Nick, who is the treasurer of Nigel Farage's Reform, met Holly in 2009 and proposed two years later. They married in 2012 in a £3million California ceremony in front of 300 guests, including Simon Cowell. Holly found fame on Neighbours as Felicity 'Flick' Scully before launching a career as a pop star. Her 2002 debut album Footprints spawned three hits, including Kiss Kiss, which went to No 1. Nick started his property business with brother Christian in the early 1990s while working in advertising. The pair now have a vast portfolio, including One Hyde Park — made up of 86 luxury apartments in central London — worth just over £1billion. Last year, Nick announced he had shunned his Conservative Party membership in favour of Reform. He was appointed as the party's treasurer in December and pledged to raise tens of millions for Mr Farage, including giving a seven-figure sum himself. Holly has become a high-profile figure in right-wing politics. She visited US President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago home in 2022 with her husband and Mr Farage. She also attended former Tory PM Boris Johnson's wedding in 2021. And she is credited with encouraging Mr Farage to run for Parliament. On her political views, she said last year: 'Everyone starts off as a leftie and then wakes up at some point after making money, working, trying to run a business, trying to buy a home, then realises what crap ideas they all are.' A spokesman for the couple said: 'This is a private matter and we will not be making any further comment.'
