Mads Mikkelsen Joins Voice Cast of ‘Snow Queen' Inspired Animated Adventure ‘North' (EXCLUSIVE)
The film centers on Gerda, who sets off into the great unknown in search of her friend Kai, who has mysteriously vanished. On her journey, Gerda makes friends with people, birds, beasts, and a kind witch, unaware that a hostile, unseen enemy – the Snow Queen and her devil apprentice, Louie – is watching her. The evil queen keeps Kai prisoner in her ice palace way up north in Finnmark, Norway.
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Mikkelsen will lend his voice to the character of Severin, the father of Kai. Severin is a figure who 'embodies wisdom, sorrow and the timeless magic of storytelling,' according to a statement. As a carpenter, he builds his son a beautiful sled for Christmas and grieves when the sled and the boy vanish.
Norwegian composer Rolf Løvland ('Secret Garden,' 'You Raise Me Up') contributed the original song 'Finding You,' performed by Norwegian pop singer Maria Arredondo. 'This lyrical ballad reflects the themes of longing and connection that lie at the heart of the film's journey,' the statement added.
Raymond Enoksen, one of Scandinavia's leading film and television composers, with over 200 productions to his name, has created the full orchestral score as well as the original track 'True North,' which 'anchors the film's sonic identity and amplifies its dramatic narrative.'
'North' is directed by fantasy author Bente Lohne, and is produced by Håkon Gundersen ('Flight of the Navigator,' 'Free Jimmy') and his company PictoryLand, in collaboration with Anima Vitae. Ralph Guggenheim ('Toy Story'), co-founder of Pixar Animation Studios, serves as consulting producer.
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USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Ozzy Osbourne's sobriety struggles and how he overcame them
From the iconic "All Aboard!" to Black Sabbath's heavy metal legacy, Ozzy Osbourne had one of the most recognizable voices in modern history. The Grammy-winning "Prince of Darkness" and legendary rocker died July 22, just weeks after reuniting with Black Sabbath for a final show in England. He was 76. Osbourne was one of the most iconic figures in rock, molding the sound and perception of heavy metal with his one-of-a-kind voice and shocking antics. He followed his rock zenith with a reality TV career, making him as well known for biting the head off a bat on stage and eating a live dove in a meeting with record executives as he was for his bemusing bickering at home with his wife and kids. Fans also watched his well-documented journey overcoming addiction, and Osbourne ultimately achieved sobriety and released his penultimate 2020 album: 'Ordinary Man.' After the first year of sobriety, he could 'start breathing again' Osbourne, whose issues with alcoholism and drug addiction began in the 1970s and got him booted from Black Sabbath in 1979, grew serious about his sobriety around 2014 after numerous attempts at rehab and recovery dating back to 1984. In a recent interview, he told The Sun that he once drank 28 gallons of alcohol to get through the Christmas season. 'I thought I'd be drinking to the day I die,' Osbourne said in a 2021 interview with Variety. His wife and longtime manager, 'The Talk' co-host Sharon Osbourne, and son Jack, who at the time had been sober for 17 years, also joined him for the sit-down. 'I've always been self-medicating because I've never liked the way I felt. I've had great success in my life, but I've never felt great about myself,' he said in the interview. "Most of the people that I drank with are dead. And the ones that aren't, that still continue to drink, are going to be dead soon," Osbourne added. "It's not a happy ending.' Osbourne's son was also asked about his sobriety. 'The first year is the worst, isn't it Jack? After the first year it's like you can start breathing again,' Osbourne told his son. Life on a 'Crazy Train': A timeline of Ozzy Osbourne's odyssey 'Ordinary Man' was the first album Osbourne recorded 'completely sober' 'Ordinary Man' tapped into the darker side of sobriety with "Straight to Hell," an anti-drug song featuring rapper Post Malone that recalls a wild, 1972 moment of Osbourne's drug life with Black Sabbath. While recording near Bel Air, California, police swarmed the band's rented house filled with cocaine and marijuana after Osbourne accidentally set off an alarm, thinking it was air conditioning. In a 2020 interview with Apple Music, Osbourne said the album was the first project he's completed sober. "I thought it was the drugs and the alcohol that made it all work," he said. "But it's not true. All I was doing for years was self-medicating because I didn't like the way I felt. But then this is the first album I've co-wrote and recorded (expletive) completely sober. The last album, I wrote some of it stoned." Osbourne admitted, "I quite like being sober now. 'Cause at least I can remember the (expletive) thing I did yesterday.'' Osbourne dies at 76, weeks after final Black Sabbath show A family statement shared with USA TODAY said Osbourne died in Birmingham, England, "surrounded by love." "It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy has passed away this morning," the statement read. "He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time." Ozzy Osbourne was diagnosed with a form of Parkinson's disease in 2019 after he suffered a bad fall that "screwed up all the vertebrae" in his neck, leading to the cancellation of a European tour. Osbourne kept his struggles private but eventually wanted to share with his fans. He leaves behind Sharon Osbourne, his wife of more than 40 years, as well as daughters Jessica, Aimee and Kelly and sons Elliot, Louis and Jack. Less than two weeks before his death, a new memoir from Osbourne called "Last Rites" was announced (releasing Oct. 7 from Grand Central Publishing Group). The publisher describes it as "the shocking, bitterly hilarious, never-before-told story of Osbourne's descent into hell." In the book, Osbourne says, "Look, if it ends tomorrow, I can't complain. I've been all around the world. Seen a lot of things. I've done good… and I've done bad. But right now, I'm not ready to go anywhere." Contributing: Melissa Ruggieri, Jim Sergent, Carlie Procell and Sara M. Moniuszko
Forbes
3 hours ago
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La Bastide: A Taste Of Provence, One Hour From New York City
View of the dining room from the patio at La Bastide, North Salem, New York La Bastide/ In less than a year, La Bastide by Andrea Calstier, a fine dining experience in North Salem, New York, earned a Michelin star. Such early recognition, like this, is uncommon but not surprising to those who have dined at this bespoke, six-table restaurant in northern Westchester. Chef Andrea Calstier and General Manager Elena Oliver, a husband-wife team, own the restaurant and its sister property, Cenadou Bistrot. Two perfectionists, the couple has brought their abundant talents, creativity, love of Provencal cooking, and moxie to America. North Salem (Westchester County), incorporated as a town in 1788, is only about one hour from Manhattan. But its tree-lined two-lane roads and rolling hills, punctuated by lakes, rivers and reservoirs, offer the vibe of a place much farther away from the bustling city. 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La Bastide: Impeccable Cuisine and Service Hors d'oeuvres at La Bastide, North Salem, NY La Bastide/ After a year and a half of renovation, La Bastide opened its doors in February 2024. Although it was difficult to fill the dining room at first, perseverance, consistency and staying true to their vision helped them achieve the Michelin star that 'put the restaurant on the map.' The chef's training in classical French cooking enabled him to set aside his ego. But it allows him to innovate and create dishes that showcase the foods rather than the technique. 'We think about the customer experience at every stage of the meal,' he says. While the cuisine at La Bastide pays homage to the couple's roots in Provence, the menu is seasonal, sometimes even microseasonal, capitalizing on the rich bounty the Hudson Valley offers. The chef adapts classic Provencal recipes, including those his grandmother used to prepare, and is inspired by meeting with local farmers in the area to see what they are cultivating. 'The menu is 80% seafood, even if it is only to complement a vegetable dish, because there is so much amazing seafood on the East Coast from Maine to Long Island to New Jersey,' he says. 'In terms of high-quality products, we've never felt limited by the supply.' Currently, the restaurant offers tasting menus at two seatings, 5:00 PM and 8:00 PM, Wednesday through Sunday. Diners have the option of an additional cheese course and/or wine pairing. Sommelier David Berube, who also worked for Chef Boulud, has curated a Wine Spectator award-winning list of 600 French regional wines for the restaurant. Service is seamless, thanks to a well-trained, attentive, and knowledgeable team. 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Extremely popular with locals, it has even received glowing accolades from Martha Stewart, who held a holiday party there for her staff. This dining room can stand on its own excellence and only pales when compared to the elegance of La Bastide. La Bastide: A Bastion Of True Hospitality La Bastide is a truly unique restaurant, perfect for a special occasion or for making any occasion special. Many guests choose to enjoy a special dinner at the restaurant and return the following day for a more casual lunch at Cenadou. Elena is always pleased to provide recommendations for nearby boutique hotels and small inns. She aptly describes the destination as 'a perfect getaway that offers the feel of being somewhere in France.' After a visit, the most lasting impression of La Bastide, beyond the exceptional food and ambiance, is the genuine warmth, hospitality, and dedication of the owners. 'If you believe in what you want to do, you don't have to compromise,' says Chef Calstier. IF YOU GO La Bastide By Andrea Calstier 721 Titicus Road, North Salem, New York, (914) 485-1519
Buzz Feed
4 hours ago
- Buzz Feed
Why Benedict Cumberbatch Ate So Much To Play Doctor Strange
Benedict Cumberbatch's recent comments about having to eat 'five meals a day' when playing Marvel superhero Doctor Strange left some people seriously confused, but don't worry, it's not as random as it might sound. On Tuesday, Variety tweeted: 'Benedict Cumberbatch Ate Five Meals a Day to Play Doctor Strange, Says Hollywood Is 'Grossly Wasteful': 'It's Horrific Eating Beyond Your Appetite… I Could Feed a Family With the Amount' I Ate,' and Marvel fans were quick to respond in the quote-tweets. 'he's playing a wizard, why does he need to eat that much lol,' one viral reply asked, somebody else echoed: 'He plays a surgeon with magical powers that is extremely clothed all the time. Why did he need to be buff lol?' 'Why did he need to eat five meals a day to play a guy that stands around waving his hands?' one more questioned, while another tweeted: 'he did not need to be doing all that to be playing fucking doctor strange 😭😭😭''he wore baggy robes and a cape the entire time 😭😭😭😭' one more wrote, as somebody else basically summed up the discourse by writing: 'We didn't notice.' However, in Benedict's full interview, he actually explains that he didn't eat that much food for aesthetic reasons — it was purely for practicality. During an appearance on the Ruthie's Table 4 podcast, the actor was asked if he ever has a special diet during filming, to which he replied: 'It depends what job. If I am doing a high volume of exercise, I'm pumped for something like the Marvel films as Doctor Strange, which, you know, you have all that garb on — you need that strength to hold your posture, to have core strength, to be strong in the harnesses, all the fight scenes and the flying.' 'It's great fun, I love it. I love body transformations in my job,' Benedict went on. 'If you don't have the budget, you have to do it very carefully, but on Marvel, it's a big sand pit, so they've got resources.' The star then explained how easy bulking up was made for him, sharing: 'You have someone who can prescribe you what you're eating, and they can cook for you. We had a fantastic chef on the last Doctor Strange film.' 'It's this amazing facility to go: 'Right, he needs to be on this many calories a day. He needs to have five meals. He needs to have a couple of boiled eggs between those five meals or some kind of high protein snack, cheese and crackers, or almond butter and crackers. Crackers, lots of crackers,'' Benedict explained. 'And for me, the exercise is great, and the end result is that you feel strong, and you feel confident. You hold yourself better. You have a stamina through the exercise and the food that makes you last through the gig.' But while Benedict's reason for beefing up to play Doctor Strange might suddenly make total sense, that doesn't mean he found the experience pleasant. 'It's horrific,' he continued. 'Personally, I think it's horrific eating beyond your appetite. Going back to responsibility, and resourcefulness, and sustainability, it's just like: 'What are we? What am I doing? I could feed a family with the amount I'm eating!'' 'It's a grossly wasteful industry,' Benedict added. 'Think about set builds that aren't recycled, think about transport, think about food, think about housing, but also light and energy. The amount of wattage you need to sort of create daylight and consistent light in a studio environment. It's a lot of energy.'The star went on to acknowledge that some may find it hypocritical for him to speak about protecting the environment considering his job, but went on to reveal that when he is involved on a producer level, he is 'really hot' on finding ways for a production to be more sustainable and green. Meanwhile, it's perhaps unsurprising that Benedict struggled with his Marvel diet, considering he revealed later in the podcast that the 'comfort food' he reaches for the most is… Kale. 'Kale sort of shocked in a pan with a bit of olive oil,' he said. 'And then lemon juice and some chili flakes, and then a tiny bit of water just to steam it so the flavor is locked in by the quick heat. Then cook through a little bit more, thoroughly but not soggily. I crave that vegetable. I really do.' Each to their own, Benedict! What do you make of the star's podcast comments? Let me know down below!
