Tag:

Twist

Ruby and James Twist Explained by Damian Hardung, Harriet Herbig-Matten

by jummy84 November 28, 2025

written by jummy84

[Warning: The following contains MAJOR spoilers from Maxton Hall — The World Between Us Season 2.]

True to form, Maxton Hall doesn’t let Ruby Bell (Harriet Herbig-Matten) and James Beaufort’s (Damian Hardung) happiness last long. The young couple’s romance is still going strong in Season 2’s finale, despite all of Mortimer’s (Fedja van Huêt) attempts to destroy Ruby’s life. She decides that staying with James is worth it — and then the Beaufort patriarch delivers his most devastating blow yet.

Mortimer’s scheme gets Ruby suspended from Maxton Hall, putting her dream of attending Oxford University in jeopardy.

November 28, 2025 0 comments

Lifestyle

Twist and pout: Swetha Sivakumar on the history of the lipstick

by jummy84 November 15, 2025

written by jummy84

It is one of the world’s oldest cosmetics. For thousands of years, people have tinted their lips as part of a beauty regimen. In Ancient Egypt, such mixes were made with henna, crushed ants and natural dyes. Today’s “kiss-proof” variants really do stay on for hours.

Red has, through the centuries, been a favourite shade.

Before we dive into the massive global lipstick industry (worth an estimated $17.4 billion in 2024), let’s take a closer look at the features they were made for: the lips themselves.

Human lips are extraordinary in both form and function. They help us eat, speak and express emotion. They form a seal for sucking, which is vital for breastfeeding infants. Packed with thousands of nerve endings, they are among the body’s most sensitive areas, helping us detect temperature and texture; allowing us to sing, whisper and kiss. Lips also act as a barrier, keeping out dirt and pathogens and holding in saliva and good bacteria.

Their natural pinkish tone comes from their anatomy. The skin here is much thinner than on the rest of the body, only three to five cell layers thick, compared to 16 or more elsewhere. Beneath it, a dense network of capillaries carry oxygen-rich blood close to the surface. Because the skin here contains very little melanin, the red of the blood shows through. This is also why lips are particularly vulnerable to sun damage, and why many balms include a sun protection factor, or SPF.

Lips differ from the rest of our skin in another important way: There are no hair follicles here, no sweat glands and no oil glands. This gives them their smooth, soft texture but also makes them prone to dryness. Licking one’s lips may seem like a quick fix, but the water in saliva dries rapidly, leaving behind salts and enzymes that strip moisture from and irritate the skin. This can lead to a cycle of dryness and cracking.

What lips need, to stay healthier, firmer and fuller for longer, is a mix of water and lipids (oils, waxes or butters) that lock in hydration. This is particularly important as one ages.

As collagen production slows with age, lips tend to lose some of their volume and definition, and can become more susceptible to dryness and sun exposure too. This is where a good lip balm, whether homemade or store-bought, comes in.

The first commercially manufactured lipstick came from France, in 1884. The perfume company Guerlain (set up in 1828, it still makes perfumes and lipsticks) used venison tallow, castor oil, beeswax and colouring agents to make smooth tints that they sold in small pots and tubes. These were applied with a brush or with the fingertips, in a rather messy, unhygienic and wasteful process.

All that changed in the 1910s, when American inventors (there is some debate over who did it first) invented the metal lipstick tube, which allowed the stick to twist upwards for use and then retract neatly. This made the product portable and far easier to use.

Today’s lipsticks remain a complex blend of waxes, oils and pigments that can deteriorate over time. They have to be produced under just the right temperatures. Too hot, and bubbles may form or the stick melt or “sweat”; too cold, and cracks can ruin the whole.

Exposure to air and light can lead to oxidation, affecting fragrance, colour and texture. Though lipsticks contain little water, bacteria and fungi can still survive on the surface, especially when preservatives weaken or storage conditions are poor.

For all these reasons, formulae are tested stringently (and it is a good idea to adhere to expiry dates).

One of the questions I always had was: How do some tints come off the stick and onto the lips so easily, and then adhere to the lips so firmly that one can eat or kiss or stand in the rain and the shade remains largely unaffected?

A key ingredient, I have learnt, is isododecane, a lightweight, fast-evaporating hydrocarbon. Because it readily evaporates at room temperature, it helps spread the colour pigments evenly on the lips, and then, as it dries, sort of locks them in. (The same ingredient is also used in smudge-proof eyeliners and mascaras.)

For that extra-glossy look, chemists turn to R. Where natural oils such as castor and jojoba provide gloss but fade quickly and feel greasy, polybutene, a viscous synthetic polymer, forms a flexible, sticky yet non-greasy film that clings to the lips for hours.

When it comes to the tints themselves, red has, through centuries, been a clear favourite. It continues to signal beauty, glamour, defiance, allure. Red is stunning, but not my colour of choice; I prefer maroon. What shade do you like best?

(To reach Swetha Sivakumar with questions or feedback, email [email protected]. The views expressed are personal)

November 15, 2025 0 comments

Fashion

Anya Taylor-Joy Has a Very Cheeky Twist on Winter Whites

by jummy84 November 13, 2025

written by jummy84

Anya Taylor-Joy is already on the Christmas countdown: photographed yesterday (November 12) in New York, the actor was cozied up in her winteriest whites—before stripping off for something much more cheeky.

It all started off as a typically polished and sophisticated look straight from the Anya Taylor-Joy style playbook. The Dune actor wore an oversized white wool coat with a tie-waist and rounded lapels, her collar elegantly popped. The rest of her outfit stayed hidden, but she braved the city chill in bare legs and white mules. Jewelry, of course, was by Tiffany & Co (it was a brand event—Tiffany & Co. Celebrates the Holidays—and Taylor-Joy is a longtime ambassador), and she opted to wear a Jean Schlumberger Bird on a Rock brooch and matching earrings. Her icy blonde hair was pulled back into a slick chignon, and she wore a striking and glossy red lip. It’s always in the details with Taylor-Joy—and while she’s a lover of classic and timeless accents, her extra long, white, bejeweled manicure added to the festive feel. (Someone who also has been an ardent devotee to the naked mani trend).

Once safely inside The Landmark, Taylor-Joy dropped her coat to reveal her LWD (Little! White! Dress!) with a sculptural high neck, with bandage and lace details accenting a flippy mini-skirt. The back of the dress featured back and butt-exposing corsetry.

Photo: Getty Images

November 13, 2025 0 comments

TV & Streaming

Emmerdale airs huge twist as character ‘returns back from the dead’

by jummy84 November 6, 2025

written by jummy84

This article contains references to child sexual exploitation that some readers may find distressing.

An Emmerdale character who seemingly died last week is actually very much alive.

As viewers of the ITV soap have witnessed, April Windsor (Amelia Flanagan) and her boyfriend Dylan Penders (Fred Kettle) have been groomed into a life of drug and sex trafficking by twisted Celia Daniels (Jaye Griffiths) and Ray Walters (Joe Absolom).

They planned to flee the village and start afresh, but were soon caught on the outskirts of Leeds and ordered to return home.

Celia sent April to meet another client. ITV

With their ‘debt’ towards the pair worsening, April was told that another client had been booked for her to sleep with, and this time she had no option but to go through with it.

The youngster headed to a house in Hotten, where client Callum (Max Lohan) reminded her that although the door was open and she could leave at any time, he had booked her services for the entire evening and he’d have to alert Celia to the matter.

As he began to make his advances, a fearful Amelia whacked him around the head with a vodka bottle – apparently to his death.

With nobody she could turn to for help, she was forced to admit all to her groomers. Celia agreed to cover the tracks so that they wouldn’t be implicated, and Ray headed off to deal with the grizzly crime scene.

Celia warned April that should she cause anymore trouble for their scheme, she’d play ‘Burn, Stab, Drown’ with grandad Bob (Tony Audenshaw), dad Marlon (Mark Charnock) and Dylan.

In tonight’s episode, the teen sat alone in the village, knowing it was only a matter of time before Ray gave her another job.

Sure enough, he soon pulled up and told her that he was needing drug dealers in Newcastle, and April saw this as an opportunity to escape his clutches for a while.

Ray sits in his car with Callum - whose head is bandaged - in Emmerdale — Callum is very much alive! ITV

After telling Marlon that she was staying with a friend’s sister at Newcastle Uni, she said her goodbyes to brother Leo and prepared to go.
On the outskirts of the village, Ray was having a secret meeting with none other than Callum, the man she supposedly killed.
Will April find out the truth?

Read more:

Emmerdale airs weeknights at 7:30pm on ITV1. Stream on ITVX.

Add Emmerdale to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more.

Check out more of our Soaps coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guideto find out what’s on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.

November 6, 2025 0 comments

TV & Streaming

Louis Emerick on his Hollyoaks future after Brookside crossover twist

by jummy84 October 22, 2025

written by jummy84

There was more to the much-hyped return to Brookside Close than pure nostalgia, as the special crossover with Hollyoaks for its 30th anniversary revealed an almighty twist that uncovered an epic plot with decades of dramatic backstory.

Detective Donny Clark, who arrived in Hollyoaks village 18 months ago to reconnect with long-lost daughter Vicky Grant, has actually been Mick Johnson from Brookside all along. If this audacious development has shocked the audience, imagine how Louis Emerick felt when he was told he’d been playing his most famous role in plain sight, and didn’t have a clue?

“I was summoned by our executive producer Hannah Cheers for a meeting, but she wanted to walk and talk in the park, not in her office,” recalls Emerick, speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com about the day he was let in on one of the biggest soap secrets of the year.

“It was all quite covert, like a spy film. She pitched the whole thing: the Brookie crossover, the storyline that connected it, and Donny turning out to be Mick. I was waiting for her to say it was an April fool, only this was July!

“Before she actually told me, Hannah was going round the houses trying to explain it and seemed to be soft soaping me, to prepare me for what she was about to say. I wondered whether Donny was going to turn gay in his middle age or something unexpected – I was ready for anything! The whole idea was so far out of left field, but I was really excited.”

Explanatory dialogue tells us that 20 years ago, in the shared Brookie-Oaks universe, Mick Johnson had an ill-advised affair with gangster Froggy Black’s wife. Vengeful Froggy planned to have Mick murdered, so to protect his family, Mr Johnson faked his death and made a fresh start under the new identity Donny Clark.

With Froggy now living in the same village as ‘Donny’ – what are the chances? – the detective’s past has come back to haunt him and his identity has been compromised. This forced a return to Brookside Close to warn daughter Gemma, along with assorted old pals including Sheila Grant and Billy Corkhill, who took in orphaned Gemma, that they could be in danger from Froggy’s criminal empire. The story continues in a hard-hitting edition of Hollyoaks Later, but where does this leave Donny/Mick in the main show? And what should we call him now?

“Initially they wanted the character to be known as ‘Mick’ from this point, but I thought that was a step too far and went against it,” explains Emerick. “Hannah went with it too. There’s more drama in as few people as possible knowing the truth.

“So Mick is gone and he’s still Donny, but trying to keep his past a secret. Donny has been a police officer for years, how will he explain he used to be someone else? And will those who know use it to their advantage? There are threats against him and his loved ones. And you’ve got to ask yourself, Donny’s kept all this hidden for 20 years – what else is he hiding?”

Emerick confirms Mick’s grown-up daughter Gemma, played by ex-Coronation Street star Tisha Merry, will be sticking around in Hollyoaks wanting answers from the father she grieved for. Brookside viewers, and Emerick, remember Gemma as a sweet little kid – to say she’s changed is an understatement…

Louis Emerick as Donny. Lime Pictures

“I think my Gemma has been substituted by an alien! The sweet girl Mick left is like the lead character in The Devil Wears Prada times 10! Gemma is a scheming baddie and the brains behind some terrible things that happened in the Later episode. And she’s dating Warren Fox!

“Gemma wants to punish her dad. Tisha and I have spoken about this and I think it’s a bit harsh. Her dad went out of her life for 20 years but for the right reasons – Gemma’s life was in danger. We’ll see Gemma trying to get at Donny’s fiancée Misbah, and even have a go at Mercedes McQueen! Vicky likes the idea of having a big sister, and her and Gemma seem to have a good relationship. But Gemma’s not to be trusted so I’m sure somewhere down the line that’s all going to change…”

Hollyoaks was conceived in 1995 as a younger-skewed spin-off from Brookside, and there were occasional crossovers and Easter eggs in the early days that acknowledged it occupied the same fictional world. Over time, and once Brookside was axed in 2003, that aspect was discarded – until now.

Respectfully paying tribute to its parent show is a master stroke on Hollyoaks’ part, and has seen a wave of nostalgic appreciation for the groundbreaking Brookie, which changed the face of television drama when it was launched back in 1982. It’s also got Johnson recalling his journey to the show, and how he has an old neighbour to thank for helping him on his way.

“It was 1989, I was a jobbing actor but was out of work at that time. An old lady who lived opposite called Rita knocked on my door one day, because she knew everyone else was out at work, saying she had a leak in her house and water was coming through the ceiling. I’m to DIY what an elephant is to hang gliding so I didn’t have a clue, but I knew to turn the stopcock off! So the water stopped and she got a plumber.

“Rita was so grateful. My phone had been cut off, because I couldn’t pay the bill, so she offered to pay it as a thank you. I said there was no need, but asked if I could give her phone number to my agent – this was before mobile phones – so they could get hold of me. Two weeks later I got the Brookside audition, and Rita’s coming back and forth with my schedule and call time written on a sheet of A4. She was the go-between with my agent! It was a domino effect from there, one ep of Brookie led to a BBC film with Miranda Richardson and Zoë Wanamaker, then I went back into Brookside and the rest is history.”

Donny speaking to Sheila as Benny sits in a cab in Hollyoaks on set at Brookside Close. Lime Pictures

Emerick’s blend of roguish charm and air of authority has seen him work constantly since he quit Brookside in 2001, with recurring roles in Coronation Street, Casualty and Last of the Summer Wine, along with numerous guest appearances in everything from New Tricks to Vera and on stage.

The charismatic actor is full of stories from his early days on Brookie, where he got his big break alongside seasoned performers who were experiencing soap fame in their later years. “Bill Dean, who played Harry Cross, was in Scum which was a huge, groundbreaking film in the 70s, and also in Dennis Potter’s TV drama Pennies from Heaven. I was already starstruck, and being a Brookside fan before I was in it, I couldn’t believe I was working with Harry Cross! I used to go down the corner shop near the Close to get Bill’s ciggies.

“Another one I remember was Gladys Ambrose, who was Billy Corkhill’s mother-in-law, Julia Brogan. She and her husband were in the circus back in the day as a comedy acrobatic act, then she went on the variety circuit. She was wonderful and so glamorous, always in ridiculously high heels. When they made her a regular after years of guest stints she burst into the green room saying: ‘I’ve waited 45 years to become an overnight success!’

Hollyoaks inherited Brookside’s mantle of tackling taboo topics no other television show will touch, highlighting incel culture two years before Adolescence, and recently exploring sibling sexual abuse with unflinching commitment. As a final reflection on the impact of Sir Phil Redmond’s creations, Emerick says he is proud to have been a part of both shows that have broken so many boundaries, and praises the genre’s ongoing efforts to shine a light on uncomfortable issues.

“For the audience, seeing characters on a soap go through what they’re going through in real life enables them to reach out and get help. They can relate to it. Soaps are very much still a vital part of our lives, and will continue to be for some time.”

Read more:

Episodes of Brookside are available to watch on STV player. Hollyoaks is available to watch on catch-up on Channel 4.

Visit our dedicated Soaps page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers.

Check out more of our Soaps coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.

October 22, 2025 0 comments

TV & Streaming

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon season 3 ending explained – every twist broken down

by jummy84 October 20, 2025

written by jummy84

Like its titular zombies, The Walking Dead continues to live on as a shadow of its former self. That is, except for the Daryl Dixon spin-off.

While other spin-offs have failed to capture what made the flagship show so popular, Norman Reedus and his fan-favourite character have endured for three seasons to much greater success.

With a season 4 already confirmed, the future’s looking good for Daryl and his bestie Carol who’s accompanied him for the past two seasons. Except, everyone’s favourite mulleted hero hasn’t exactly had it easy this time around.

Trapped in the Spanish town of Solaz del Amar, Daryl and Carol are caught up in all kinds of drama with the show’s new Big Bad, Fede. Plus, Carol’s been catching feelings for a local named Antonio. It’s a shame then that Fede has kidnapped Antonio and is currently torturing him for info on Daryl.

Will Carol find love at last? Will Daryl ever make it home? And will someone finally cut Daryl’s mullet down to size while he’s sleeping? These questions and more all come to mind watching the seventh, final episode of Daryl Dixon season 3.

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon season 3 ending explained

The finale begins with a callback to a callback. Remember when Daryl placed Laurent’s Rubik’s Cube at a memorial to honour him a few episodes prior? (Laurent was the French kid Daryl looked after in seasons 1 and 2.)

Well, we’re back there now with another familiar face from previous seasons. Yep, the mysterious eyepatch guy is actually Stéphane Codron, who started out as a villain in season 1 before he switched sides.

The last time we saw him was at the end of season 2 when hallucinogenic bat poop in the Channel Tunnel caused him to see visions of his brother, during which he stabbed Daryl with a bayonet. Yep, really. That encounter ended with Stéphane running off to who knows where and he hasn’t been seen since. Until now. More on that later.

Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon in The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon season 3. Manuel Fernandez-Valdes/AMC

While Antonio is being tortured by Fede, Carol tries to convince his ungrateful son Roberto to help save him. She tells him to wait for Daryl and Justina to return from their mission and board the boat as she goes it alone. Carol’s smitten!

Fede makes an example of Antonio, stringing him up on a torture device in the town square as Carol watches in horror from the shadows. Only when he reveals where the Americans are hiding will Antonio be freed. Plus, it doesn’t hurt to scapegoat them in front of the town to assert Fede’s dominance further.

When night falls, Carol comes to free Antonio while avoiding gun fire from Fede’s henchmen in the distance.

Meanwhile, Daryl and Paz go undercover at a royal banquet, working as masked servants right under everyone’s noses. This is where the people with power gather in luxury, the same people who demand villages offer up their women to Spanish royalty in a ritual known as “La Ofrenda” (“The Offering”).

As they wine and dine in luxurious finery, the royals watch a special show on stage where walkers are dressed up fancy and strung up like marionette puppets to dance for them. The symbolism isn’t exactly subtle, but it’s a unique, striking image still, which has become somewhat of a rarity in the Walking Dead franchise these days.

Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon - The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon season 3 — Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon – The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon season 3. Carla Oset/AMC

The King dedicates a speech to his son Guillermo, and his “beautiful future wife” Elena, who was snatched away from her girlfriend Paz earlier this season.

Daryl ain’t having it, so he cuts the walkers free and opens the curtain, unleashing them on the crowd. He also starts a few fires for good measure as Paz heads off to rescue Elena.

The pair reunite with a hug in Elena’s place, where Paz finds out her love has a son named Pablo. They plan to run off together, but then a guard knocks Paz out, who wakes up to Guillermo threatening her.

“You want my wife?” he shouts. “Now you’ll be together every night because I’ll mount your head on her bedpost.”

As murderous threats go, that’s a pretty good one, but Elena then quite literally stabs him in the back to save Paz. They get the boy and run.

At the same time, Daryl saves Justina from the man who chose her at “The Matching” ritual before all hell broke loose. In doing so, Daryl saves some other women, because that’s just the nice guy that Daryl is.

Melissa McBride as Carol and Norman Reedus as Daryl in The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon season 3. AMC

Carol also received a welcome dose of human kindness from Antonio who’s prepared some tea for her in a brief safe spot. And not just any tea either, but with milk and honey. That’s how you know he’s one of the good ones.

Of course, it’s not long before Fede’s men show up pounding at the door. Luckily, the local women who hid them away show them to a convenient escape route concealed down in their basement.

One brief walker attack later and all our faves are reunited safely above ground. Paz thanks Daryl for all his help and then bounces while he and Justina take the scenic route back to the lighthouse on his motorbike.

They stop off briefly to share some thoughts which are supposed to sound deep, but come across a bit basic as they point out how the apocalypse turned some people bad and others good.

Eventually, they arrive back at the lighthouse but are welcomed by two intruders who attack and take Justina hostage. Valentina saves them quite quickly though, revealing that Roberto had her hide after she was injured in the initial attack.

Daryl runs off back to the village again in order to rescue Carol who went back for Antonio again. Fede has captured them both, but decides to immediately let them go…

Of course, there’s a catch. The catch being that Antonio’s son Roberto has been chained to two of his dead friends who are about to transform just as more walkers are led into the courtyard.

Carol and Antonio try to remove the chains but it’s too late. A local named Alba throws a knife to Carol, but Fede’s men shoot it away with startling accuracy. Unfortunately for them, said accuracy escapes them just moments later when Daryl arrives and starts shooting at them from a balcony nearby.

Daryl quickly picks off his aggressors as Carol picks up the knife and gets stabby stabby with the walkers. Justina arrives then, casually strolling through the mini-horde as both Daryl and Fede shoot at the zombies trying to eat her.

Remember, Fede is Justina’s uncle, so he does care about her safety still, despite how poorly he’s treated her up until now. This works against Fede though when the villagers emerge to hear Justina’s claims that Fede has been lying to them all.

She also announces that El Alcazar “is in ashes” thanks to Daryl, which means The Ofrenda is over for good.

Instead of torturing Fede like he did Antonio, Justina suggests taking him to the dungeon. To hurt him would mean they’re not better than him.

The evil cartoonish mayor then screams “This is your fault!” at Daryl as he’s led away. “You’ll pay!”

Do Daryl and Carol make it home?

Back at the lighthouse, Daryl and Carol finally get around to sharing those hot dogs they’ve been hankering for all season. Instead of sailing off immediately, using the boat to find their way home, the pair recuperate and open up to each other on the beach.

“This whole time I’ve been trying to get home,” says Daryl. “Why the f**k did I leave in the first place? Why did I have to get in a fight with the guy in Maine? Why didn’t I leave France when I could have? This makes no sense. My whole life I’ve been running, just running and fighting. That’s all.”

Carol says he did it to survive, but Daryl worries this has become a habit now, that he might arrive home and feel the urge to leave again still.

The pair hug it out, reminding us that this show is always at its best when Daryl and Carol are actually together instead of getting separated on endless side missions.

Melissa McBride as Carol in Daryl Dixon season 3 AMC

Meanwhile, Fede’s mama brings him food in jail. He asks to be freed, telling her that the town will obviously kill him as soon as Daryl and co sail away. “You already lost one son. You don’t want to lose another…”

The Spanish matriarch doesn’t say anything, but it’s not long before we find out what she did next, because Fede suddenly shows up on the beach, holding a gun to Daryl in a bid for revenge. But he doesn’t just run up and shoot him. No, that would have been the smart thing to do.

“I let you into my town,” he cries. “I gave you food and shelter and you took everything from me. Do you really think you can just sail home now?”

Just before Fede pulls the trigger, Carol appears and knocks him to the ground. A bullet’s fired off in the struggle, which somehow starts a fire in the ship. Others join in to help Carol, including Antonio who knocks Fede out with a rock.

The fire quickly devours the ship in a series of explosions, which means the gang aren’t going anywhere. A Spanish version of Johnny Cash’s Hurt plays as Daryl and Carol watch their ride home go up in flames.

Walkers on the set of Daryl Dixon season 3 AMC

It’s all very dramatic, and then Stéphane shows up again, watching the explosions from a distance using his one remaining eye.

With a fourth season already confirmed, it was inevitable that Daryl and Carol wouldn’t make it home just yet. But it seems that after bouncing around America, France, and the UK (briefly), the showrunners aren’t done with this Spanish setting just yet.

Let’s just hope the siesta they take between seasons is enough to inject some new life into this spin-off before it shuffles on into the horizon for good. Since Daryl and Carol left France, the show has lost some of its “je ne sais quoi”.

In the UK, Daryl Dixon season 3 will be available to stream on Sky and NOW from 24th October.

Check out more of our Sci-fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.

October 20, 2025 0 comments

Fashion

Angelina Jolie Just Put a Tattoo-Baring Twist on One of Fall’s Biggest Trends

by jummy84 October 20, 2025

written by jummy84

When Jolie turned around, she revealed an unexpected open back cutout that perfectly frames a variety of large tattoos she’s accumulated over the years. In fact, if you look closely, the top panel holding up the dress appears to come just above her “know your rights” tattoo, which is reportedly the title of her favorite song by The Clash.

Angelina Jolie attends the “Couture” red carpet during the 20th Rome Film Festival on October 18, 2025.

Stefania D’Alessandro/Getty Images

The dress itself is a cross between the runway version and a ready-to-wear dress that currently retails for $1,773. While Alberta Ferretti creative director Lorenzo Serafini’s runway design featured glistening embellishments and more dramatic draping, the shoppable cape dress does not include an open back at all.

Clearly, this middle ground was the perfect fit for Jolie, who recently emphasized the importance of her tattoos in an interview with Backstage. “There’s something about being an actor where often, you’re expected to become a blank slate in between characters,” she said, revealing she was warned against getting tattoos early on in her career for that very reason.

Obviously, she ignored that advice. “It was one of many things I did in my life that was separate from film and being on camera—that was me and not a character,” she said. “So I wasn’t just staying a blank slate, even literally.”

October 20, 2025 0 comments

Lifestyle

Restaurants give Diwali a matcha needed twist

by jummy84 October 16, 2025

written by jummy84

The matcha mania isn’t dying down anytime soon. Cafes and restaurants across cities are giving matcha an ethnic twist by introducing Diwali specials that include festive flavours.

Friends indulge in motichoor matcha

Adding sweetness to the festivities

Matcha teamed with kulfi is a blend of the nostalgia of malai kulfi – a caramelised sweetened milk flavour that’s balanced with the sharp flavour of matcha. Annie Bafna, founder of Noa by the Nutcracker says, “We wanted to add something with an Indian twist which would appeal to a larger audience and with the festive season coming up, what’s more nostalgic than a kulfi flavour! Matcha and kulfi come together to bring changing flavour sensations to the palette with each sip ranging from nostalgia to contemporary. Matcha’s popularity has been driven by social media and global lifestyle trends, with Gen Z leading charge. And as a result, we’re now seeing growing curiosity even among the 30–50-year-old audience who want to understand what the hype is all about.”

Diwali isn’t complete without the popular motichoor ladoos. Keeping that in mind, motichoor matcha pairs the mithai with matcha’s earthy bitterness to create something familiar yet unique! Meher Kohli, co founder of Tokyo Matcha Bar says, “Diwali is all about joy and indulgence and we wanted to capture that spirit with Indian sweets being integral to the celebration, we wanted to bring the festive sparkle to the cafe and our community by creating a matcha drink inspired by Indian mithai. We took the iconic motichoor ladoo and crafted a motichoor matcha to create a collaboration between Indian heritage and Japanese culture.The motichoor matcha is layered with a base of desi ghee motichoor ladoo, milk of choice, ice, topped with our delicious vegan cold foam & a motichoor ladoo on top. The mithai pairs beautifully with matcha’s earthy bitterness to create something familiar yet unique.”

The gulab jamun matcha turns the festive sweet into a drink you can’t stop sipping. “The drink’s got this harmonious balance of sweet, milky, floral notes of gulab jamun, which perfectly compliment the earthy notes of matcha. The gulab jamun hits you first and then the matcha cuts through with its earthy freshness,” says Ryan Soarwatefounder, Spill the Tea.

Fruits add festive flavours

For those looking for a feel-good indulgence, that celebrates wellness without missing out on flavour or festivity, Café Delhi Heights has come up with fruit matchas on their festive menu. Chef Ashish Singh, culinary director, says, “From a drink that pairs matcha with the richness of fresh mango puree, to blending it with coconut water the flavours evoke tropical, familiar notes of Indian celebrations. A blend of matcha and strawberry purée perfectly captures the spirit of Diwali. Much like the festival itself, it’s bright, joyful, and full of contrast where the earthy depth of matcha meets the sweetness and vibrance of strawberry. The drink’s lush pink-green hues mirror the colours of celebration, while its flavour profile balances calm and indulgence, a reflection of how we celebrate togetherness and lightness during the festive season. It’s our playful take on Diwali in a cup refreshing, cheerful, and delightfully unmatched.”

Nutty and aromatic notes

The festive Iced pistachio matcha lets nutty and aromatic notes shine through. “The aim is to blend innovation with nostalgia crafting experiences that feel celebratory, comforting, and truly reflective of Diwali’s spirit. – a celebration of flavour, nostalgia and togetherness. The drink blends timeless Indian traditions with modern cafe craftsmanship adding a touch of indulgence to every celebration,” says Rajat Luthra, CEO of Third Wave Coffee.

Fun festive options to try

Kesar Pista Matcha

Chikki Matcha Crunch

Dry Fruit & Honey Matcha

Mango Lassi Matcha

October 16, 2025 0 comments

Lifestyle

Dostana 2 Update: Sreeleela In Talks To Replace Janhvi Kapoor, But There’s A Twist | Glamsham.com

by jummy84 October 2, 2025

written by jummy84

After years of delay, casting controversies, and production holdups, Dostana 2 is finally in the works. The follow-up to the 2008 blockbuster was initially announced by Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions but has since run into several hurdles—from the COVID-19 pandemic to big recasting decisions. Fans were unsure until recently whether the film would ever be made.

But actor Vikrant Massey has recently confirmed that Dostana 2 is actually in the works. In an interaction with media, the 12th Fail actor disclosed that the movie would be his first project with Dharma Productions. Popular for his subtle performances in acclaimed films, Massey’s joining has sparked renewed interest in the much-awaited film.

Returning to the cast as well is Lakshya, who was initially supposed to make his debut in Bollywood with the movie. Despite the holdups, he still has a commitment to the film. Earlier, Dostana 2 was supposed to feature Kartik Aaryan and Janhvi Kapoor alongside Lakshya, but the two have since left the movie.
Also Read: Kartik Aaryan posts first picture after ‘Dostana 2’ controversy
Though Vikrant Massey kept mum about who has filled the female lead role, prevalent industry gossip indicates that Telugu star Sreeleela is in the running. Fresh from her recent dance number in Pushpa 2: The Rule, Sreeleela has become one of South cinema’s most in-demand stars. If signed, Dostana 2 would be her debut in Bollywood, providing the film with a new pan-India appeal.
Dharma Productions has not yet announced the new cast or new director, but it’s certain the movie is still moving forward. Whether it keeps the forward-thinking ideas of the original, time will tell. But for now, fans can exhale – Dostana 2 is alive and in the making with a fearless new cast.

October 2, 2025 0 comments

TV & Streaming

Raúl Castillo Breaks Down His ‘Task’ Twist in Episode 4

by jummy84 September 29, 2025

written by jummy84

[This story contains major spoilers from episode four of Task].

Soon after Raúl Castillo read the first script of Task, he got on a Zoom call with show creator Brad Ingelsby to walk through the narrative beats of the show. It was a standard meeting for an actor deciding whether or not to sign on for a new project — save for the reveal that Castillo’s character, Cliff, would be tortured to death by a biker gang in the fourth episode. “I knew that the show was going to take us to some pretty intense places, but it was then that I had to figure out if that was something I could commit to,” says the actor. “But it felt inevitable. Like, oh shit, I have to do this thing.”

Castillo stars in Task (Ingelsby’s follow-up to Mare of Easttown), which follows two longtime friends who launch a drug-house-robbing scheme in order to get back at a local biker gang responsible for the death of a loved one, and the FBI crew assigned to break the string of robberies. In the fourth episode, which aired Sunday evening, Castillo’s Cliff and Tom Pelphrey’s Robbie are outsmarted by the biker gang while attempting to sell off their stolen haul. Cliff, in a long and harrowing scene, pays the deadly price. Here, Castillo chats with The Hollywood Reporter about creating the character and how they made Cliff’s final moments so realistic.

How did you first hear about this show?

Jeremiah Zagar, one of our producing directors, and I have collaborated a few times. We did We the Animals years back, and I made a small cameo in his feature, and we’ve been friends for a bunch of years. When he told me he was signing onto the new Brad Ingelsby show, I was sold from the get. I was a big fan of Mare of Easttown. Jeremiah talked to me about a couple of different characters, but he sent me the script — this was quite early, before the strike and before Mark was attached, or at least before he was attached in any way that Jeremiah could tell me about. I read it and Cliff just felt right for me. There was something about his loyalty to Robbie and his tenacity that felt familiar. The first scene that grabbed my attention was when Robbie and Cliff are taking a break from work and are discussing dating life, and I was enamored with Cliff’s acerbic quality. Even though he’s distrusting of a lot of people, he gravitates to Robbie. It felt really truthful.

Let’s talk about that loyalty. Obviously, Cliff ends up being the victim in Robbie’s scheme — is he a victim of Robbie’s grand ideas? How much autonomy does he have here?

I definitely never saw him as a victim. I see him as very free-willed, and I think there’s some backstory that we as an audience don’t learn in words or plot points, but there’s a sense that these guys have been there for each other in the past and that they’ll continue to be moving forward. There’s a shared history by the time we meet them. Brad is a very economical writer; he gives you these little nuggets of information, but there’s a lot to mine from that information. So I always felt that Cliff was not strung along or forced into any situation.

How did you find this very specific northeastern PA accent?

I was a little afraid of accents, to be truthful. I didn’t study to be an actor; I studied to be a playwright, so I’d never worked with a dialect coach before. But Suzanne Selby was amazing, and I found that rather than it being a hurdle, it was actually a great way to find my way into Cliff. It took me out of my own rhythm and cadence. She actually took me to a couple of DelCo bars before we started filming. It was before I’d made the physical transformation into Cliff, so I still looked like myself, and was dressed like myself, so I stood out like a sore thumb. I was getting glances. I wasn’t treated rudely, but it was enlightening to be in that environment.

Can you talk about that transformation into Cliff?

Well, Tom came to Pennsylvania with that post-strike look. (Laughs) It was perfect for Robbie — that long ass beard, and the long hair. And then Jeremiah and I talked and agreed that Cliff should look and feel different from that. He should have his own distinct silhouette, and that’s where the facial hair came in.

I had a moment when it was time to create the prosthetics for Clint in episode four, where I was like, “What have I gotten myself into?” I flew down from Philly to Atlanta, where Bill Johnson, the makeup effects artist, has his studio, so that they could do a cast of my face. You have two little holes to breathe out of, you can’t speak and you can barely hear. It felt like being underwater. And I’m extremely claustrophobic. It was vulnerable, but they were as comforting as you could be in those circumstances and I think it paid off. The effects look incredible — I’m nervous for my mom to see the episode because it’s so realistic and quite intense.

When you watched the final version of the episode, what did you think about most?

I remembered the four hours that it took for them to apply all those pieces. Usually, you sit in chairs with the rest of the cast, but before that scene, they thankfully had a little tent for me to be by myself. I needed to be in a meditative state. Once you have makeup like that, you almost don’t have to do any acting, because people are reacting so strongly to what they’re seeing on your face. The set got extremely quiet, and people were walking on eggshells around me. It was really intense, and it was also my first time in front of the camera with Sam Keeley, who played Jason, and the rest of the bikers in that scene.

How many times did you have to film that torture scene?

It took a couple of times to get it right. There were all these technical components in place, specifically for when Cliff spits in Jason’s face and when the plastic wrap goes around Cliff’s head. They weren’t working, and it was frustrating because Sam and I would work up to that big moment and then the spit machine wouldn’t work the way it was supposed to. And there was a little plastic tube to help me breathe when the plastic wrap went around my head, and the camera would catch it and it was too obvious. There was one point where Sam took Sally [Richardson], our director, over to the corner to talk. I could only see out of one eye because of the prosthetics, and I was watching them whisper to each other and I was like, “I hope he just wants me to do the spit gag myself.” And that is what they wanted. So they put some fake blood in my mouth and we worked up to that moment, and I spit in Sam’s face and his real reaction to me hawking a loogie is what you see in the show.

The same thing with the plastic wrap. I asked them, guys, I’m an excellent swimmer and I can hold my breath for a long time, can we just wrap my face and if I feel at any point like my safety is jeopardized I can just rip it open. My hands were free. Thankfully, they trusted me, and I trusted them too, and that’s the take we used.

So, how do you come down from a day like this?

Taking off the prosthetics took a couple of hours, so they put on my music and brought me tea and I just calmed down that way. It wasn’t my last day of work, but it was one of my last days and it was certainly one of the darkest things I’ve had to do as an actor. It was emotional saying goodbye to this character.

Do you have the itch to do any of this again?

I’m dying to work with Tom Pelphrey again. He was so incredible, and it felt criminal that we could only do one season of these characters. I fell in love with Cliff and Robbie’s dynamic and I wish we could explore more about who these guys are. I’d love to work in Philly again, too. I love that part of the world, and the way we were embraced by Pennsylvania is not lost on me.

Did everyone in town know you guys were filming?

They didn’t know at first, since these aren’t the same characters as with Mare of Easttown. Tom and I are not people who are getting recognized left and right, but blending in made our storyline even better. But, people did start to catch on to the fact that we were making a new show from the writer of Mare, and we got a lot of love for sure. And we had a lot of Rita’s Water Ice. It’s like paying homage, right?

September 29, 2025 0 comments

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