Latest news with #TheBride
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
WGA East Leaves Elon Musk's X Following 'Racist And Antisemitic Language' From AI Tool Grok
The WGA East is no longer on X after the social media platform's AI tool Grok made a series of offensive remarks this week, including praising Hitler. The guild announced its departure from the Elon Musk-owned site in an email to members on Wednesday morning. More from Deadline Linda Yaccarino Stepping Down As CEO Of X Elon Musk's AI Chatbot Grok Praises Hitler & Makes Other Offensive Remarks On X Peter Sarsgaard On Awards, Elon Musk, And Dancing In His New Film 'The Bride': "It's About The Monster In All Of Us" - Karlovy Vary Film Festival 'The racist and antisemitic language generated by AI ('Grok') after a software update directed by Elon Musk is further evidence of the urgent need for common sense regulation and oversight of artificial intelligence technology,' the WGAE wrote. Though the posts are now deleted, they caused an uproar Tuesday, after Grok made antisemitic and racist remarks in interactions with several users. For example, in response to a question asking 'which 20th century historical figure' would be best suited to deal with posts that seemed to celebrate the deaths of children in the Texas floods, Grok said: 'To deal with such vile anti-white hate? Adolf Hitler, no question.' This is not the first time that Musk has come under fire for remarks made by X's AI tool. In fact, the inflammatory comments come shortly after Musk had promised improvements to Grok's operations. Last week, Musk posted: 'We have improved @Grok significantly. You should notice a difference when you ask Grok questions.' In the wake of this most recent controversy, X CEO Linda Yaccarino is also exiting the company. She did not indicate that the backlash over Grok's comments were related to her departure. Best of Deadline 'Wednesday' Season 2: Everything We Know About The Cast, Premiere Date & More 'The Morning Show' Season 4: Everything We Know So Far Everything We Know About 'Nobody Wants This' Season 2 So Far
The Age
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
Michael Madsen, Reservoir Dogs and Kill Bill star, dies at 67
Los Angeles: Michael Madsen, the actor best known for his coolly menacing, steely-eyed, often sadistic characters in the films of Quentin Tarantino, including Reservoir Dogs and Kill Bill: Vol. 2, has died. Madsen was found unresponsive at his home in Malibu, California on Thursday morning (Friday AEST) and pronounced dead, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Watch Commander Christopher Jauregui said. He is believed to have died of natural causes, and authorities do not suspect any foul play was involved. Madsen's manager Ron Smith said cardiac arrest was the apparent cause. He was 67. Madsen's career spanned more than 300 credits, stretching back to the early 1980s, with many of them in low-budget films and independent films. He often played low-level thugs, gangsters and shady cops in small roles. Tarantino would use that identity but make him a main character. His torture of a captured police officer in Tarantino's 1992 directorial debut Reservoir Dogs, in which Madsen's black-suited bank robber Vic 'Mr Blonde' Vega severs the man's ear while dancing to Stealers Wheel's Stuck in the Middle with You, was an early career-defining moment for both director and actor. He would become a Tarantino regular. He had a small role as the cowboy-hatted desert dweller Budd, a member of the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad, in 2003's Kill Bill: Vol. 1, then a starring role the following year in the sequel, in which he battles Uma Thurman's protagonist The Bride and buries her alive. Madsen also appeared in Tarantino's The Hateful Eight and Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood. He was an alternate choice to play the hit man role that revived John Travolta's career in 1994's Pulp Fiction. The character, Vincent Vega, is the brother of Madsen's Reservoir Dogs robber in Tarantino's cinematic universe. Madsen was born in Chicago to a family of three children. His sister is Oscar-nominated Sideways actor Virginia Madsen.
Edmonton Journal
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Edmonton Journal
Michael Madsen, star of Reservoir Dogs and Kill Bill, dies at 67
Article content LOS ANGELES — Michael Madsen, the actor best known for his coolly menacing, steely-eyed, often sadistic characters in the films of Quentin Tarantino including Reservoir Dogs and Kill Bill: Vol. 2, has died. Article content Madsen was found unresponsive in his home in Malibu, Calif., on Thursday morning and pronounced dead, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Watch Commander Christopher Jauregui said. He is believed to have died of natural causes and authorities do not suspect any foul play was involved. Madsen's manager Ron Smith said cardiac arrest was the apparent cause. He was 67. Article content Article content Madsen's career spanned more than 300 credits stretching back to the early 1980s, many in low-budget and independent films. He often played low-level thugs, gangsters and shady cops in small roles. Tarantino would use that identity, but make him a main character. Article content His torture of a captured police officer in Tarantino's 1992 directorial debut Reservoir Dogs, in which Madsen's black-suited bank robber Vic 'Mr. Blonde' Vega severs the man's ear while dancing to Stealers Wheel's Stuck in the Middle with You was an early career-defining moment for both director and actor. Article content Madsen told the Associated Press in 2012 that he hated having to do the scene, especially after the actor playing the officer, Kirk Baltz, ad-libbed a line where he begged for his life because he had children. Article content 'I just said, 'Oh my God,' I couldn't do it, I didn't want to do it,' Madsen said. 'Acting is such a humiliating profession.' Article content Article content He would become a Tarantino regular. He had a small role as the cowboy-hatted desert dweller Budd, a member of the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad, in 2003's Kill Bill: Vol. 1, then a starring role the following year in the sequel, in which he battles with Uma Thurman's protagonist The Bride and buries her alive. Article content Madsen also appeared in Tarantino's The Hateful Eight and Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood. He was an alternate choice to play the hit man role that revived John Travolta's career in 1994's Pulp Fiction. The character, Vincent Vega, is the brother of Madsen's Reservoir Dogs robber in Tarantino's cinematic universe. Article content Article content His sister, Oscar-nominated Sideways actor Virginia Madsen, was among those paying him tribute on Thursday. Article content 'He was thunder and velvet. Mischief wrapped in tenderness. A poet disguised as an outlaw. A father, a son, a brother — etched in contradiction, tempered by love that left its mark,' she said in a statement. 'I'll miss our inside jokes, the sudden laughter, the sound of him. I'll miss the boy he was before the legend. I miss my big brother.'
Asharq Al-Awsat
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Michael Madsen, ‘Reservoir Dogs' and ‘Kill Bill' Star, Dies at 67
Michael Madsen, the actor best known for his coolly menacing, steely-eyed, often sadistic characters in the films of Quentin Tarantino including "Reservoir Dogs" and "Kill Bill: Vol. 2," has died. Madsen was found unresponsive in his home in Malibu, California, on Thursday morning and pronounced dead, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Watch Commander Christopher Jauregui said. He is believed to have died of natural causes and authorities do not suspect any foul play was involved. Madsen's manager Ron Smith said cardiac arrest was the apparent cause. He was 67. Madsen's career spanned more than 300 credits stretching back to the early 1980s, many in low-budget and independent films. He often played low-level thugs, gangsters and shady cops in small roles. Tarantino would use that identity, but make him a main character. His torture of a captured police officer in Tarantino's 1992 directorial debut "Reservoir Dogs," in which Madsen's black-suited bank robber Vic "Mr. Blonde" Vega severs the man's ear while dancing to Stealers Wheel's "Stuck in the Middle with You" was an early career-defining moment for both director and actor. He would become a Tarantino regular. He had a small role as the cowboy-hatted desert dweller Budd, a member of the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad, in 2003's "Kill Bill: Vol. 1," then a starring role the following year in the sequel, in which he battles with Uma Thurman's protagonist The Bride and buries her alive. Madsen also appeared in Tarantino's "The Hateful Eight" and "Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood." He was an alternate choice to play the hit man role that revived John Travolta's career in 1994's "Pulp Fiction." The character, Vincent Vega, is the brother of Madsen's "Reservoir Dogs" robber in Tarantino's cinematic universe. His sister, Oscar-nominated "Sideways" actor Virginia Madsen, was among those paying him tribute on Thursday. "He was thunder and velvet. Mischief wrapped in tenderness. A poet disguised as an outlaw. A father, a son, a brother—etched in contradiction, tempered by love that left its mark," she said in a statement. "I'll miss our inside jokes, the sudden laughter, the sound of him. I'll miss the boy he was before the legend. I miss my big brother." His "Hateful Eight" co-star and fellow Tarantino favorite Walton Goggins celebrated him on Instagram. "Michael Madsen... this man... this artist... this poet... this rascal..." Goggins wrote. "Aura like no one else. Ain't enough words so I'll just say this.... I love you buddy. A H8TER forever." James Woods, Madsen's co-star in two films, wrote on X, "I was always touched by his sweet nature and generosity, the absolute opposite of the 'tough guys' he portrayed so brilliantly." Madsen was born in Chicago to a family of three children. He performed on stage with the city's Steppenwolf Theatre Company alongside actors including John Malkovich. During a handprint ceremony at the TCL Chinese Theatre in November 2020, Madsen reflected on his first visit to Hollywood in the early 1980s. "I got out and I walked around and I looked and I wondered if there were someday some way that that was going to be a part of me. And I didn't know because I didn't know what I was going to do at that point with myself," he said. "I could have been a bricklayer. I could have been an architect. I could have been a garbage man. I could have been nothing. But I got lucky. I got lucky as an actor." His first film role of any significance was in the 1983 hacker thriller "WarGames" with Matthew Broderick. The following year he played pro baseball player Bump Bailey alongside Robert Redford in "The Natural." He spent much of the rest of the 1980s doing one-off guest roles on television dramas including "Miami Vice" and "Quantum Leap." 1991 would bring a career boost with roles in "The Doors," where he played a buddy of Val Kilmer's Jim Morrison, and "Thelma and Louise" where he played the boyfriend of Susan Sarandon's Louise. Then would come "Reservoir Dogs." In 1995, he played a black ops mercenary in the sci-fi thriller "Species" and in 1997 he was third billed after Al Pacino and Johnny Depp as a member of a crew of gangsters in "Donnie Brasco." He occasionally played against type. In the 1993 family orca adventure "Free Willy" he was the foster father to the orphan protagonist. Madsen would return to smaller roles but worked constantly in the final two decades of his career. Madsen had six children. He had struggled in recent years after the 2022 death of one of his sons, Hudson. "Losing a child is the hardest and most painful experience that can happen in this world," Madsen said in an Instagram post last year. He said the loss put a strain on his marriage to third wife, DeAnna Madsen. He was arrested on suspicion of domestic battery last year, but was not charged. He filed for divorce, but asked that the filing be dismissed just weeks later. He had previously been arrested twice on suspicion of DUI, most recently in 2019, when he pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor. "In the last two years Michael Madsen has been doing some incredible work with independent film including upcoming feature films 'Resurrection Road,' 'Concessions and 'Cookbook for Southern Housewives,' and was really looking forward to this next chapter in his life," his managers Smith and Susan Ferris and publicist Liz Rodriguez said in a statement. "Michael was also preparing to release a new book called 'Tears For My Father: Outlaw Thoughts and Poems' currently being edited." They added that he "was one of Hollywood's most iconic actors, who will be missed by many."
Hamilton Spectator
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
Movie Review: In ‘The Old Guard 2,' Charlize Theron and Uma Thurman get half a movie
About 80 minutes into 'The Old Guard 2,' I found myself wondering how the filmmakers were going to wrap things up. There were a lot of threads dangling with Charlize Theron'sgang of immortal warriors, split up and facing extinction, and she still had yet to face off with the new villain, Discord (apparently the first immortal), played by Uma Thurman. The promise of a showdown between The Bride and Furiosa may not justify the existence of this sequel, now streaming on Netflix , but it was something to look forward to nonetheless. And while they do fight, for a little, something even crazier happens not too long after: The movie ends or, rather, stops mid-climax. An ending was never part of the plan. This might be an attempt at a cheeky nod to the life of an immortal — what is an ending after all, I guess? But unlike the first film, which merely left the door open for the possibility of a sequel, 'The Old Guard 2' cuts off mid-movie. Not only is there no option to 'continue watching,' there's no promise we'll even get an 'Old Guard 3.' Moviegoers endure a lot of partial stories in these days of franchise filmmaking, ever desperate for a built-in audience. With some, you know a resolution is coming at a later date, as with 'Mission: Impossible' or 'Wicked.' With others, like 'Dune,' a part two or three might have been a question mark, but the intention was unambiguously there. There's nothing fun or enjoyable about being surprised that you've been watching a 'part one' the whole time, especially on a service that has helped train us to click next episode. Perhaps that also has to do with the quality of 'The Old Guard 2,' which feels like a step down from the first movie, which provided much-needed escapism in the summer of 2020 as we met Theron's Andromache the Scythian (Andy, for short) and welcomed KiKi Layne's new immortal Nile. It ended with Booker (Matthias Schoenaerts) being exiled for a betrayal and the tease that Andy's old companion Quynh (Vân Veronica Ngô), was still alive. Quynh is, understandably, not thrilled that she was left at the bottom of the ocean for centuries. She wants to punish Andy the most — the movie heavily implies that they were more than sisters in arms, but never quite goes so far as to confirm that their love was romantic, which is especially strange given that it doesn't shy away from letting Nicky (Luca Marinelli) and Joe (Marwan Kenzari) be an out gay couple. One of the most significant behind-the-scenes changes is that Gina Prince-Bythewood ( 'The Woman King,' 'Love & Basketball') ceded directing duties to Victoria Mahoney, who has directed episodes of 'Queen Sugar' and 'You' and served as second unit director on 'Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.' Working off Greg Rucka and Sarah L. Walker's screenplay, the movies opens with a lively action sequence in which the immortals attempt to nab an arms dealer. Nicky and Joe are the distractors, getting their own James Bond-esque car chase, while Nile, Andy and Copley (Chiwetel Ejiofor) get more hand-to-hand combat on the property. It sets a fun tone and allows for some (mostly) welcome exposition — 'remember, you're not immortal anymore' — for those who might not have the best memory of something they watched at the height of the pandemic. But the film never recaptures that energy again and devolves into an increasingly tedious meditation on time, death and the science of why Andy lost her immortality power (which is approaching 'Face/Off' levels of insanity). Thurman has a mighty good scowl as the 'bad immortal' who long ago decided she didn't have any desire to help the humans who persecuted her kind, but the movie seems to be saving her big moment for later. Overall 'The Old Guard 2' is fine, a bit of a background movie that's probably easy enough to tune in and out of (though Schoenaerts, a standout, gives it some real pathos). Its greatest sin is the non-ending, which might have moviegoers engaging in their own rants about wasted time. Cliffhangers are a gamble — when the movie is satisfying on its own, it can leave them wanting more. In this case, it might just leave them angry. Audiences in 2025 deserve better. 'The Old Guard 2,' a Netflix release now streaming, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association for 'sequences of graphic violence and some language.' Running time: 105 minutes. Two stars out of four.
