Latest news with #miniseries
News.com.au
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Nicole Kidman ‘Nine Perfect Strangers' retreat sold
The luxury home that was the setting of a Nicole Kidman hit mini-series has sold for a mega-million-dollar record-breaking price. The sold sticker went up on the 13-bedroom residence at 221 Kennedys Lane, Ewingsdale, in the Byron Bay hinterland yesterday and although Sotheby's agent Will Phillips wouldn't discuss the result, sources say fetched between $10m-$12m. It broke the suburb record. The stunning 13-bedroom residence with fire pit, outdoor cinema, heated pool, infrared sauna, icebath, massage room and geodesic yoga dome was completed in 2019. And a year later, production of Nine Perfect Strangers moved from California to Byron Bay due to Covid. The mini-series, based on Liane Moriarty's best-selling book, centres on nine 'strangers' who attend a a boutique health and wellness resort called Tranquillum House, seeking transformation and healing. The plan is that they shed their baggage and find a better way of living and Kidman is 'Masha, a Russian-born woman who runs the wellness retreat. Luke Evans is another one of the stars. In real life, the nine-hectare property is known as Soma, and it's owned by media and tech entrepreneur Peter Ostick and meditation guru Gary Gorrow. Gorrow was apparently giving guidance to the producers on the show's ceremonial and spiritual scenes. Ostick and Gorrow had bought the property for $1.8m in 2016, records show, and within two years they'd built the main residence with Gorrow assisting with the design along with his brother, the designer and Ksubi co-founder George Gorrow and the Indonesian architect Ricky Sunur. Described as 'one of Byron Shire's most iconic and photographed lifestyle properties' and having a 'Zen-like simplicity', Soma is just 10 minutes from the beach. The main house, surrounded by lychee rainforests, ancient fig trees and lush bamboo, has a range of living and entertainment zones. There are 10 'indulgent' bedroom suites with hardwood decks and views to take in incredible sunsets. It has a current potential earning capacity of more than $1.8m per annum. Apart from being a remarkable holiday rental or site of another blockbuster movie or mini-series, it would be an ideal private home, family compound or retreat. Phillips wouldn't reveal the identity of the purchaser.
The Independent
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
'Washington Black' is the show that could, just like its main character
'Washington Black' just seemed destined for a screen adaptation. The 2018 novel by Canadian writer Esi Edugyan caught actor Sterling K. Brown's eye. As he put the wheels in motion, things just started to line up in a most un-Hollywood fashion — so much so that Brown started to believe strongly the project was meant to be. 'Sometimes you keep hitting barricades and obstacles and you're like 'Well maybe I should step away.' No, things kept falling into line in such a lovely way that let me know that we were moving in the direction we were supposed to go,' he recalls. It felt appropriate that the universe wanted a coming-of-age story about a Black boy with big dreams, who goes from the Barbados plantation where he was born to finding freedom, love and friendship across the seas. The eight-episode miniseries premieres Wednesday on Hulu. Brown noted that, as a producer, he wants to put out tales that can benefit society. 'I think for me it's been the sort of fare that has been reserved for people that don't look like us so much,' he says — so the opportunity to make it happen was 'very exciting.' The idea of doing a show where a young person overcomes tumultuous circumstances through hope and joy enchanted him: 'They were telling him, 'Maybe you should dream smaller.' He just kept going up. It's beautiful.' Adapting the book The first stop was finding a writer and Selwyn Seyfu Hinds fit the bill perfectly. His lyrical style and family background inspired Brown — who also acts in the show — to get him on board as one of the two showrunners. Born and raised in Guyana, Hinds moved to the United States as a teen with his family, and felt the story spoke to him personally. 'It's always been part of my desire as a writer to tell stories that connect the Caribbean to the overall diaspora,' Hinds says. The show follows 11-year-old George Washington 'Wash' Black, born into slavery in Barbados on a plantation owned by the Wilde family in the 1830s. His quick mind, inquisitiveness and knack for science get the attention of Christopher 'Titch' Wilde (Tom Ellis), an inventor, who enlists him as his assistant. A tragic turn of events forces them to run away together and takes them on adventures on the high seas, North America and ultimately the Arctic; the story stretches across almost a decade. Adapting it into eight episodes required changes to the book, but they kept to the emotional core of the journey. 'It's big and expansive, not for its own sake, but because I think that thematically reflects the character's heart and the character's own ambitions,' says Hinds. The series, which filmed across locations in Nova Scotia, Canada; Virginia, Mexico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Iceland took nine months to complete. Co-showrunner Kim Harrison is still incredulous at pulling off such a massive endeavor of juggling multiple locations, temperamental weather and stars' schedules. 'When you look back at the finished product, you're like, 'Wow, we did that,'' she says of the feat. Two stars are born, with a mentor to boot Among the many elements that had to work, the most crucial one, perhaps, was finding its young leads — one actor to play young Wash and another to play him as a young adult. After months and months of auditions and thousands of tapes, they both revealed themselves in an 'undeniable' way to the producers. 'They both carry the truth of the character in their eyes … like they've got the same emotional expression and intelligence and empathy in their in their eyes,' Hinds says. He's speaking of Ernest Kingsley Jr. and Eddie Karanja, who was just 14 at the time. Kingsley got the older part three months out of acting school in London; he was bowled over when he had to do a chemistry read with Brown, who stars as Medwin Harris, a Black community leader and father figure in the Nova Scotia years. Brown found himself impressed by the newcomer immediately. 'This kid embodies the hopefulness, the sort of Black boy joy that is the engine that drives the show,' he recalls thinking during auditions. Brown inadvertently became a mentor to the inexperienced actors on set because he wanted all of them to feel comfortable. He remembers how young actors feel unable to voice doubts or practical questions because everyone else seems to know what they're supposed to do. 'You just want to give them the space to share all of that so we can move through it together,' he says. He extended the same helping hand to Iola Evans, who plays older Wash's love interest, and Edward Bluemel, her suitor. Brown always made time in his busy schedule to visit the set to watch, listen and generally be a hype man. Don't call him a baddie Charles Dance, the inscrutable paterfamilias James Wilde, surprised everyone who'd seen him in 'Game of Thrones.' Hinds recollects even Ellis, who plays Dance's character's son, gave a speech at the wrap party in Iceland saying how shockingly nice Dance was — he had been terrified before meeting him. 'So the fact that Charles is scary and intimidating just worked beautifully for us,' laughs Hinds as Ellis channeled it into his performance. Karanja says he even got a boost from Dance: 'Charles was the warmest guy and he continued to give me confidence in myself as an actor.'
Associated Press
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
'Washington Black' is the show that could, just like its main character
LONDON (AP) — 'Washington Black' just seemed destined for a screen adaptation. The 2018 novel by Canadian writer Esi Edugyan caught actor Sterling K. Brown's eye. As he put the wheels in motion, things just started to line up in a most un-Hollywood fashion — so much so that Brown started to believe strongly the project was meant to be. 'Sometimes you keep hitting barricades and obstacles and you're like 'Well maybe I should step away.' No, things kept falling into line in such a lovely way that let me know that we were moving in the direction we were supposed to go,' he recalls. It felt appropriate that the universe wanted a coming-of-age story about a Black boy with big dreams, who goes from the Barbados plantation where he was born to finding freedom, love and friendship across the seas. The eight-episode miniseries premieres Wednesday on Hulu. Brown noted that, as a producer, he wants to put out tales that can benefit society. 'I think for me it's been the sort of fare that has been reserved for people that don't look like us so much,' he says — so the opportunity to make it happen was 'very exciting.' The idea of doing a show where a young person overcomes tumultuous circumstances through hope and joy enchanted him: 'They were telling him, 'Maybe you should dream smaller.' He just kept going up. It's beautiful.' Adapting the book The first stop was finding a writer and Selwyn Seyfu Hinds fit the bill perfectly. His lyrical style and family background inspired Brown — who also acts in the show — to get him on board as one of the two showrunners. Born and raised in Guyana, Hinds moved to the United States as a teen with his family, and felt the story spoke to him personally. 'It's always been part of my desire as a writer to tell stories that connect the Caribbean to the overall diaspora,' Hinds says. The show follows 11-year-old George Washington 'Wash' Black, born into slavery in Barbados on a plantation owned by the Wilde family in the 1830s. His quick mind, inquisitiveness and knack for science get the attention of Christopher 'Titch' Wilde (Tom Ellis), an inventor, who enlists him as his assistant. A tragic turn of events forces them to run away together and takes them on adventures on the high seas, North America and ultimately the Arctic; the story stretches across almost a decade. Adapting it into eight episodes required changes to the book, but they kept to the emotional core of the journey. 'It's big and expansive, not for its own sake, but because I think that thematically reflects the character's heart and the character's own ambitions,' says Hinds. The series, which filmed across locations in Nova Scotia, Canada; Virginia, Mexico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Iceland took nine months to complete. Co-showrunner Kim Harrison is still incredulous at pulling off such a massive endeavor of juggling multiple locations, temperamental weather and stars' schedules. 'When you look back at the finished product, you're like, 'Wow, we did that,'' she says of the feat. Two stars are born, with a mentor to boot Among the many elements that had to work, the most crucial one, perhaps, was finding its young leads — one actor to play young Wash and another to play him as a young adult. After months and months of auditions and thousands of tapes, they both revealed themselves in an 'undeniable' way to the producers. 'They both carry the truth of the character in their eyes … like they've got the same emotional expression and intelligence and empathy in their in their eyes,' Hinds says. He's speaking of Ernest Kingsley Jr. and Eddie Karanja, who was just 14 at the time. Kingsley got the older part three months out of acting school in London; he was bowled over when he had to do a chemistry read with Brown, who stars as Medwin Harris, a Black community leader and father figure in the Nova Scotia years. Brown found himself impressed by the newcomer immediately. 'This kid embodies the hopefulness, the sort of Black boy joy that is the engine that drives the show,' he recalls thinking during auditions. Brown inadvertently became a mentor to the inexperienced actors on set because he wanted all of them to feel comfortable. He remembers how young actors feel unable to voice doubts or practical questions because everyone else seems to know what they're supposed to do. 'You just want to give them the space to share all of that so we can move through it together,' he says. He extended the same helping hand to Iola Evans, who plays older Wash's love interest, and Edward Bluemel, her suitor. Brown always made time in his busy schedule to visit the set to watch, listen and generally be a hype man. Don't call him a baddie Charles Dance, the inscrutable paterfamilias James Wilde, surprised everyone who'd seen him in 'Game of Thrones.' Hinds recollects even Ellis, who plays Dance's character's son, gave a speech at the wrap party in Iceland saying how shockingly nice Dance was — he had been terrified before meeting him. 'So the fact that Charles is scary and intimidating just worked beautifully for us,' laughs Hinds as Ellis channeled it into his performance. Karanja says he even got a boost from Dance: 'Charles was the warmest guy and he continued to give me confidence in myself as an actor.'
The Independent
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Will Sharpe reveals intense scene in Netflix hit Too Much left him bruised
Will Sharpe revealed he sustained a facial bruise and burst blood vessels while filming an intense, improvised scene for the new Netflix romcom miniseries Too Much. The 38-year-old British actor, known for The White Lotus, injured himself by repeatedly slapping his face during a breakdown scene with co-star Megan Stalter. Lena Dunham, who co-wrote and directed Too Much with her husband Luis Felber, instructed the actors to improvise the scene. Dunham cast Sharpe for his perceived 'curiosity and depth', believing he embodied the qualities desired for his character, Felix. The series, loosely inspired by Dunham and Felber's relationship, explores themes of adulthood and the challenges of a tumultuous relationship.
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Boys in the Back Thursday 20250717
Culture Agenda: The best things to do, hear, see or watch in Europe this week A murder mystery miniseries starring Eric Bana and Sam Neill, Ari Aster's 'Eddington', and rare behind the scenes images of one of pop arts greatest figures - here's what to look out for this on euronews
