Neve Campbell has revealed that she was the original pick to play Lara Croft in the first Tomb Raider movie.
In a new interview with BuzzFeed UK, the Scream star was asked if there’d been any major roles she’d said no to over the course of her career, to which she confirmed: “I turned down Lara Croft.”
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The role would eventually go to Angelina Jolie, who brought the iconic video game character to life in two action movies.
Angelina Jolie as Lara Croft in Tomb Raider
Alex Bailey/Lawrence Gordon/Mutual Film/Paramount/Kobal/Shutterstock
The character was later played on the big screen by Oscar winner Alicia Vikander, with Game Of Thrones star Sophie Turner currently shooting a new TV series in which she’ll play the Tomb Raider heroine.
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“You make the choices that you make at the time,” Neve added during her BuzzFeed interview. “But certain ones I wasn’t available for, as well.
“Because I was so busy during Party Of Five, that took up 10 months of my year for six years. But listen, I’m grateful for everything that I’ve had.”
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Neve went on to share that she also bagged the lead in Pearl Harbour opposite Ben Affleck, but had to withdraw due to scheduling issues.
“I kicked ass on that audition,” she recalled with a laugh. “I learned Japanese – I had my lines translated, and I went in and spoke Japanese in the audition. And I got it! But I couldn’t do it. And I worked really hard!”
Kate Beckinsale and Ben Affleck in 2001’s Pearl Harbour
Last month, The Sun reported that the Britpop group was “at the top” of James Bond producers’ wishlist to record the theme song for the next movie in the franchise.
Noel subsequently appeared on TalkSport on Monday, where he insisted he’d not heard anything from the 007 team, but would be up for it if they were to get in touch.
“Of course, it would be an absolute honour,” he enthused, before stating his belief that “those kinds of things should be done by Brits and not Yanks”.
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Daniel Craig as James Bond in 2012’s Skyfall
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Noel previously told NME back in 2008 that he thought it was a “piss-take” that so many American audiences were invited to record Bond themes over talent from the UK, despite the character being “the greatest British agent of all time”.
“I’ve written a couple of Bond theme tunes,” he then revealed. “They haven’t got very Bond-esque titles, so I would have to tailor the title accordingly.
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“The latest one that I wrote, I listened back to it thinking, ‘Fucking hell man, that’d make a fucking great Bond theme’.”
As for Liam, he responded to the rumours on X last month…
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Over the weekend, the Daily Mail also reported that Dua Lipa, Callum’s fiancée, was being eyed to write and record the next James Bond film, following on from Billie Eilish, who won an Oscar for her contribution to No Time To Die.
Meanwhile, other acts who’ve been reported to be in the running to record the theme song for the upcoming 26th James Bond movie have included Raye and Lana Del Rey.
It’s now been almost five years since Daniel Craig’s departure from the James Bond franchise in No Time To Die – and somehow there’s still been no confirmation on who will be succeeding him as 007.
Despite this, an actor playing Bond is still to be selected – and while for some time it looked like the role was Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s for the taking, new reports suggest the part could be going to someone else entirely.
As we dive into the latest 007 rumour, here are 17 more stars who’ve all been rumoured at some point to be taking over Daniel Craig at the helm of the iconic franchise…
via Associated Press
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Who is he? Callum Turner has been putting in the work for more than a decade now, but he’s enjoyed a real breakthrough in the last few years.
Some of his most recent projects include the Fantastic Beasts movies, in which he played Theseus Scamander, the sports drama The Boys In The Boat and the star-studded Apple TV+ series Masters Of The Air.
Where did the rumour come from? In December 2025, several news outlets spotted that betting odds had been suddenly slashed on Callum being cast as James Bond.
Since then, Callum’s name was mentioned in an article published by the Mail, suggesting he’d been “blabbing all over town” that he’d landed the coveted spy role.
What has he said? Despite the Mail’s reports about Callum’s loose-lipped approach to his Bond casting, he hasn’t said anything publicly yet, but HuffPost UK has contacted his team for comment.
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via Associated Press
Who is he? Until recently, Aaron has been widely considered as the frontrunner for the role of James for more than a year now. His past credits include the superhero comedy Kick-Ass, the John Lennon biopic Nowhere Boy and Christopher Nolan’s Tenet.
Since then, he’s appeared in projects as varied as Marvel’s Kraven The Hunter, the arthouse horror flick Nosferatu and Danny Boyle’s 28 Years Later.
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Where did the rumour come from? In November 2022, Aaron supposedly met with Bond producer Barbara Broccoli (who has since left the franchise), with follow-up reports claiming the meeting “went well”.
Who is he? The James Bond rumour that’s being going around the longest time involved Idris Elba, whose acting credits include the Thor films, Beasts of No Nation, the Fast & Furious series and the BBC detective drama Luther.
Where did the rumour come from? Idris has been rumoured to be in the running to play 007 for more than a decade (since the speculation began in 2014, there’ve been three new films in the series released), with leaked emails from Sony executives suggesting he was a favourite for the part. Following this, then-Bond boss Barbara Broccoli said Idris has been “part of the conversation” about who the role goes to next.
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However, in August 2022 it was reported that Idris had made the decision to take himself out of the running – and in the last few years his casting has seemed less and less likely… although we’d kind of love it if he got the opportunity to play Bond at least once, given just how long he was associated with the franchise.
What has he said?“James Bond is a hugely coveted, iconic, beloved character that takes audiences on this massive escapism journey. Of course, if someone said to me, ‘Do you want to play James Bond?,’ I’d be like, ‘Yeah!’. That’s fascinating to me.”
TOLGA AKMENTOLGA AKMEN/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
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Who is he? A more recent addition to the list of rumoured potential 007s is another Aaron, this time fellow Brit Aaron Pierre.
As well as voicing the title character in Disney’s Mufasa, Aaron appeared in The Underground Railroad, played Malcolm X in the anthology series Genius and starred opposite Saoirse Ronan and Paul Mescal in the sci-fi dystopian drama Foe.
Where did the rumour come from? The news appears to come from movie “insider” Daniel Richtman, who claimed in June 2025 that Aaron is “being considered” for the part.
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What has he said? Nothing just yet, but we’ll be keeping our eyes peeled in case he has anything to add on the rumours.
Mike Marsland via Getty Images
Who is he? He’s Tom Hardy! You may have seen him in films including Max Max: Fury Road, Dunkirk, Legend, The Dark Knight Rises, Inception or Venom.
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Where did the rumour come from? Like Idris Elba, speculation about Tom Hardy playing 007 goes way back.
Things hotted up in 2020, though, when the film blog The Vulcan Reporter claimed he’d done several auditions for the part and was “basically locked into the role”.
What has he said?“You know, there’s a saying amongst us in the fraternity of acting, and in the fellowship of my peer group, that if you talk about it you’re automatically out of the race. So I can’t possibly comment on that one! If I mention it, it’s gone.”
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Jeff Spicer via Getty Images
Who is he? Probably best known for his role as Loki in the Marvel universe, Tom also won a Golden Globe for his performance in the drama The Night Manager.
Where did the rumour come from? Around the time The Night Manager was airing, many viewers pointed out that the British actor might be a good James Bond, and he was soon spotted having a meeting with the franchise’s chief Barbara Broccoli.
What has he said?“What can I say that you don’t already know? It’s interesting in itself that I’ve suddenly become very aware of what I’m saying, is it not?
“Because there’s something about what I’m saying that becomes the story. Not for you, but the world outside. Whatever I say, I’ve found, generated more questions.”
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Samir Hussein via Getty Images
Who is he? After rising to fame in Game Of Thrones, the Scottish actor later won a Golden Globe for his leading role in Bodyguard.
Where did the rumour come from? The action-packed Bodyguard led to Richard being tipped to succeed Daniel Craig as Bond, with the Daily Mail reporting at the time that the drama had caught the eye of former 007 boss Barbara Broccoli.
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Bodyguard’s producers even teased that a potential second series of the drama would depend on “what happens with James Bond”.
What has he said?“I’m more than flattered to be mentioned, for people to consider putting me in that role. I’m very flattered and thankful. It’s a really brilliant thing to be in.
“I don’t want to curse anything by saying anything. I think that’s the curse of that. If you talk about it, you’ll curse it.”
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NEIL HALL/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Who is he? James is perhaps best known for his TV roles, which have included Happy Valley, Grantchester, McMafia and The Trial Of Christine Keeler, though you may have also seen him in action in the recent big-screen adaptation of Little Women.
Where did the rumour come from? While many of the actors named as potential replacements for Daniel Craig are based on anonymous “insiders” and source quotes, the rumours about James seem to stem primarily from bookies’ odds.
What has he said? “It’s so weird and bemusing. But yet again, it’s based on pure speculation and it makes for a good little clickbait moment in the media. Other than that, it’s just fun and bemusing.”
via Associated Press
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Who is he? Jack Lowden has had a massive few years, scoring Bafta, Golden Globe and Emmy nominations for his work in Slow Horses and appearing with Nicole Kidman in the breezy Netflix mystery The Perfect Couple.
Where did the rumour come from? This is another story that’s based on bookies’ odds, with Jack’s name soaring towards the top of the list when Amazon acquired creative control of the spy franchise.
Who is he? The British star of films like Crazy, Rich Asians; A Simple Favour and the Guy Ritchie action film The Gentlemen.
Where did the rumour come from? After Daniel Craig’s exit from the James Bond franchise was confirmed, fans began campaigning for Henry to take over the iconic spy role.
What has he said?“[The speculation] definitely [came] from Crazy Rich Asians, maybe the white suit coming out of the park. [And] because I’m Asian and everybody’s fighting for a diverse Bond – sorry, white guys.
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“I don’t know. It’s an honour to even be in the conversation. It’s one of the greatest film roles ever, you’d be stupid to be like, ‘I don’t want to do that.’
“Isn’t it great that people are like, ’OK, now’s the time, why the hell can’t we have a black Bond, an Asian Bond, a mixed-race Bond, a non-distinct Bond?”
Jeff Spicer via Getty Images
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Who is he? After appearing in Sunshine On Leith and Pride, George landed his biggest role to date when he took the lead in the Bafta-winning 1917, and he’s since appeared in Femme and The End.
Where did the rumour come from? According to a 2021 report in Page Six, Bond producers were hoping to reboot the franchise after No Time To Die, making the Bond character younger, which is where the idea to have George play a rather different 007 was reportedly born.
What has he said? “You’ve got to consider it for sure. I mean, it’s an amazing thing, but it would also be a massive thing. I don’t know if that’s a reality, but if it ever became one, of course, it would be a consideration. But be a careful one.”
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David M. Benett via Getty Images
Who is he? Regé-Jean became an overnight sensation in 2020 thanks to his role as the main love interest in the Netflix period drama Bridgerton.
Where did the rumour come from? Fans immediately began suggesting Regé-Jean as a potential Bond, and when he announced he wasn’t returning for the second season of Bridgerton, the rumour mill hotted up even further.
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What has he said?“Ah, the B word. I think if you are British and do anything of note, that other people take notice of, then people will start talking about that.
“That’s fairly normal and I’m flattered to be in the category of Brits that people have noticed.”
via Associated Press
Who is he? Charlie’s biggest acting credits include Green Street, Queer As Folk, Sons Of Anarchy and Guy Ritchie’s The Gentlemen. In 2025, he caused a stir when he was cast as Ed Gein in the third season of Ryan Murphy’s Monster.
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He was also famously cast in the role of Christian Grey in the Fifty Shades Of Grey franchise, but dropped out due to scheduling conflicts, and was replaced by Jamie Dornan.
Where did the rumour come from? Charlie’s name being linked with playing James Bond largely stems from his devoted fanbase, as well as bookies’ odds.
What has he said?“I would be so flattered and honoured to be considered to play James Bond as an Englishman. But my intuition tells me that I shouldn’t be waiting for that phone call to come. I think there are many people ahead of me on that list.
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“It’s very flattering sort of fan dialogue. Nobody’s ever, on a professional level from within the industry, brought that up to me.
“As much as people want to talk about me playing James Bond – please continue. Maybe that’s the genesis of these things. Maybe fan chatter leads to industry people actually talking about it in a more serious way.”
CHRIS DELMAS via Getty Images
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Who is he? Sam is best known for playing one of the lead roles in the historical drama Outlander.
Where did the rumour come from? Sam has actually been on Bond producers’ radars for a while, having previously auditioned to succeed Pierce Brosnan in Casino Royale, which would eventually become Daniel Craig’s first outing in the role.
What has he said?“I don’t know if there is a conversation being had apart from in the media, but I think it’s an incredible franchise and a great character, so of course I would jump at it.”
Matthias Nareyek via Getty Images
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Who is he? Henry is famous for playing Superman in the superhero’s most recent big-screen offerings, and also has the lead role in the Netflix adaptation of The Witcher.
Like Sam Heughan, Henry also auditioned for Casino Royale, back when he was just 21 years old.
What has he said?“I would absolutely jump at the opportunity. At this stage, it’s all up in the air. We’ll see what happens. But yes, I would love to play Bond, it would be very, very exciting.”
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AFP Contributor via Getty Images
Who is he? The chart-topping singer made a name for himself as a member of One Direction, before making a name for himself as a Grammy-winning solo artist.
In addition to his music career, Harry also had a short-lived career as an actor, first appearing in Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk before getting mixed-at-best reviews for his work in Eternals, Don’t Worry Darling and My Policeman.
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Where did the rumour come from? This might sound like the work of over-excited Directioners, but in 2021, The Sun reported that Bond producers were hoping to take the character in a “new age” direction, and tipped Harry for the role.
What has he said?Harry’s reps said the rumours were “not even remotely true”. Too bad, tbh.
via Associated Press
Who is he? Ted Lasso fans will recognise Phil from his Emmy-nominated performance as Jamie Tartt.
Where did the rumour come from? Interestingly, unlike most of the names on this list, this rumour comes straight from the horse’s mouth, with Phil confirming that a “conversation” was had about him playing Bond – albeit a short one.
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What’s he said? “There was a conversation one of my agents had but they quite firmly shut the door in their face.”
David M. Benett via Getty Images
Who is he? Another addition to the list of rumoured James Bond stars, Lucien Laviscount’s past credits include Coronation Street, Waterloo Road, Ryan Murphy’s Scream Queens and Emily In Paris.
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Where did the rumour come from?The Daily Mail first reported in December 2022 that Lucien had caught the eye of James Bond producers, with an unnamed source claiming he “ticks all of the boxes” as a “super talented” and “extremely handsome” young actor.
However, it appears there’s one drawback.
According to the Mail, Lucien’s reality TV past (after leaving Waterloo Road, he appeared on Celebrity Big Brother, and was involved in a brief showmance with a certain Ms Katona) has put off some execs behind the scenes.
What has he said? Again, he’s yet to address the rumours directly, so make of that what you will.
This article was originally published in December 2020.
Red London buses, the bumbling Brit and the over-zealous American, and endless messages of goodwill and cheer: Christmas movies are often guilty of presenting a very one-note image of the festive period.
Perhaps audiences have Hollywood to blame for establishing a genre that feels like it relies so heavily on stereotypes.
“It’s funny rewatching a couple of Christmas films and reminding myself about them,” says Isibeal Ballance, the TV producer who worked with writer-director Mark Gatiss on subversive Christmas drama The Dead Room.
“The characters are always stereotypical. More so than any other time of year, these films lack nuance and get straight down to the point – the story of a character’s redemption.”
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Hugh Grant played a fictitious prime minister in Love Actually
Moviestore/Shutterstock
Whether Love Actually, Miracle On 34th Street, The Holiday or even Scrooge, characters in the most famous Christmas films appear to play into Isibeal’s argument
Over here in the UK, we’re often awkward, miserable or earnest, and over in the States, hugely vivacious, positive and romantic.
He recalls one memorable instance: “I had a shoot that started on Buckingham Palace and an American exec asked what ‘that old building’ was. So I’m not surprised that the stereotypes come out very quickly!”
Sherlock’s 2015 Christmas special The Abominable Bride
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Paddington, for one, is guilty of “ruthless use of red buses”, says Douglas, who believes the British accent often attempted by Americans in Christmas films is “inevitably a posh accent, often based on not-too intensive research by listening to old interviews with Diana or Charles, or by watching The Crown.”
What do English actors do? They’ll likely copy Sean Connery’s accent if they’re playing a Scottish character, and other actors will turn to Dick Van Dyke if they need to play British, he suspects.
Of course, there’s a comforting familiarity about certain stereotypes. “Great writing doesn’t head for cliché, but the complication is that often a story can start in a familiar place to let the audience in,” explains Douglas. “The problems start if you also finish in a familiar place.”
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Not all Christmas shows follow this cookie-cutter approach. The Dead Room is a clever example of how we can rethink Christmas drama while avoiding cliché: set in an old radio building, haunting shots show a crumbling studio, as an older man relives trauma from his past. It is perhaps inspired by Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, but the feel is grittier, more modern and more realistic, as an older man recounts trauma from his past.
The Dark Room starred Simon Callow in the lead role
Die Hard is perhaps the most famous example of a Hollywood Christmas blockbuster subverting expectations of the genre. Bob Clark’s thriller Black Christmas about a killer who is never caught – hardly the fairytale ending – is unusual too, much like Shane Black’s Kiss Kiss Bang Bang: another example of a properly dark, unusually witty Christmas film.
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In the psychological horror Better Watch Out, stereotypes about Christmas are manipulated to trick the viewer into thinking they are in familiar territory. “Our goal was to get audiences comfortable, yawning, ‘I’ve seen this before…,’” Chris Peckover, director, tells HuffPost UK.
“So when the turn came it would be utterly upheaving. And then to drive the knife in, we continued with the holiday stereotypes ― characters wearing ugly Christmas sweaters, serving hot cocoa to the carollers ― to create a disturbing juxtaposition with the unfolding events. It’s the very nature of stereotypes as lazy and familiar that we harnessed.”
Sure, it plays on some Christmas cliches: there’s a toymaker at the heart of the plot and it’s set on the snow-laden cobbled streets of Victorian England, but the way director David E. Talbert has fused African prints, hairstyles, music and dance with the classic Dickensian Christmas movie aesthetic stretches the genre excitingly toward pastures new.
The film came out over 20 years ago (2003, would you believe it) and still, Elf is a family favourite in many households. In fact, in an ongoing survey by Newsround, Elf is currently the third most popular Christmas film in the UK, just behind Nativity and Home Alone, which has taken the top spot.
Along with Anchorman which came out in 2004, Elf is one of the films that comedian and actor Will Ferrell is known for. He plays Buddy with such whimiscal charm that it was one of his career-defining roles.
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However, the actor wasn’t the first choice for the flick and was actually given it a decade after the original script was written.
The actor originally chosen to play Buddy the Elf
So, the script for Elf was written way back in 2003 by David Berenbaum and according to film website Screen Rant, the role was written with actor Jim Carrey in mind.
This may be surprising but this same year, the actor was filming Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and starring in In Living Color. He really was just about to become a comedy giant in Hollywood. Screen Rant also explain: “Given his wild and zany characters on In Living Color, Carrey was seen as a natural for the goofiness and playfulness needed to play Buddy the Elf.”
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While I personally prefer Jim Carrey, it really is hard to imagine anybody but Will Ferrell playing the role and it turns out, the actor thought the exact same.
He and screenwriter Adam McKay took on the script after several years of stagnation and decide to make it themselves with director Jon Favreau. The film originally had a darker tone but this trio made it into the modern fairytale that we see on our screens every year now.
If ever you need proof of just how quickly time is slipping by… awards season for 2026 is officially underway.
Yes, while some of us are still only a quarter of the way through our Christmas shopping and putting together our New Year’s Eve “sorry I can’t come” excuses, Hollywood is already insisting that we look further into the future with the news that next year’s Golden Globes nominees have been announced.
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Unsurprisingly, One Battle After Another is leading the way when it comes to the most-nominated films with nine nominations, ahead of Sentimental Value’s eight and Sinners’ seven.
In the TV categories, meanwhile, The White Lotus is the most-recognised TV show, with six nominations to Adolescence’s five.
While none of that comes as a huge shock, that’s not to say that the Golden Globe nominees for 2026 are without their surprises, whether that’s an unexpected addition to the shortlist, an outsider leapfrogging their more obvious competition or a frontrunner failing to make the cut for one reason or another.
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Here are nine of the stand-out surprises and snubs…
SURPRISE
Amy Madigan
Amy Madigan as Gladys in Weapons
Warner Bros
We’re starting off with one that really put a big smile on our face. Weapons is undoubtedly one of our favourite movies of 2025, and when you think Weapons, you can’t help but think of Amy Madigan as Aunt Gladys, can you?
Her performance was so striking and transformative that Gladys was completely kept out of the film’s promotional materials, while Amy didn’t start doing any interviews to talk about the movie until enough people had seen it that it wouldn’t constitute a spoiler.
Amy’s Golden Globe nomination is further proof that horror films are worth considering alongside their mainstream peers – and we’re thrilled that she’s now one step further to that Oscar nomination (not to mention how excited we are at the prospect of what brooch she might sport on the red carpet).
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Wunmi Mosaku
Wunmi Mosaku in Sinners
Warner Bros
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Moving on to something we’re a lot less pleased about…
Our concern was always that because of its ensemble cast, the filmmakers and those behind-the-scenes would be the ones who got the recognition over the actors on screen.
Don’t get us wrong, we’re thrilled to see Michael B Jordan among the Best Actor In A Musical/Comedy nominees, particularly as he had the challenge of playing two distinct characters in the movie.
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However, it’s a shame that Sinners’ supporting cast members aren’t up for any Golden Globes, and hopefully the immediate outcry over Wunmi Mosaku’s omission will be enough for future awards shows to realise how much people want her to get the flowers she so deserves for her performance as Annie.
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Delroy Lindo
Delroy Lindo in Sinners
Warner Bros
Similarly, aside from Michael B Jordan, it was Delroy Lindo that many movie fans considered the most likely candidate from Sinners’ ensemble cast for awards buzz after the movie came out.
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For his performance as harmonica devotee Delta Slim, Delroy gave the movie some comic relief, adding even more strings to the bow of a film that was already so ambitious in its scope.
Like co-star Wunmi, Delroy’s work in Sinners hasn’t been acknowledged by the Golden Globes, but we’re very, very early into awards season, and there’s still plenty of time for other ceremonies to show him some love.
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Gwyneth Paltrow
Gwyneth Paltrow in Marty Supreme
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Marty Supreme marks Gwyneth Paltrow’s return to the big screen after six years away (and her first time appearing on screen in a movie that wasn’t under the Marvel umbrella in over a decade), during which time she’s mostly been focussed on her work with Goop and the occasional TV role.
In other words, there was a lot riding on the Oscar winner’s Hollywood comeback – and the reviews for her performance have already suggested that more awards love could be in her future.
With stiff competition this year, Gwyneth is not up for a Best Supporting award at the Golden Globes, but we definitely wouldn’t count her out for future awards shows later in the season just yet…
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While we’re on the subject of Marty Supreme, many fans have been voicing their upset that filmmaker Josh Safdie has not been recognised in the Best Director category for his work on the movie.
Marty Supreme – released in the UK later this month – is up for three prizes in total, including an acting nod for leading man Timothée Chalamet, who has made no secret of his hopes to secure some new hardware this awards season.
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Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas
Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas in Sentimental Value
Given all of the fuss around established international name Elle Fanning in Sentimental Value, we were somewhat resigned to the fact she could be overshadowing co-star Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas in this year’s Best Supporting categories.
So, we’re thrilled to see that the Golden Globes has managed to make room for both of them, and we’re hoping that the likes of the SAG Awards, Baftas and, of course, Oscars follow suit, as Inga’s performance as Agnes adds so much to Sentimental Value, not least some of the tear-jerking moments that most stick in our head when we think about the film.
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Knives Out and Glass Onion each enjoyed varying levels of success during their respective awards seasons, with Rian Johnson landing Oscar nominations for his work on both screenplays, and Daniel Craig being recognised by the Golden Globes for his first two outings as Benoit Blanc.
Film number three seems to have slipped through the cracks, though, with neither Josh O’Connor nor Glenn Close scooping any recognition from the Golden Globes for their supporting performances, despite their huge critical acclaim and the buzzy reception they’ve received.
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Wicked: For Good
Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo in Wicked: For Good
We should stress that it’s not all bad news for the sequel, though, with Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande both getting acting nods, and the film also receiving three additional nominations in the Best Original Song and Best Cinematic Or Box Office Achievement categories.
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Regina Hall
Regina Hall in One Battle After Another
Warner Bros
As we’ve already mentioned, One Battle After Another is, unsurprisingly, one of the big-hitters when it comes to movies at the 2026 Golden Globes, with nine nominations in total, including for cast members Chase Infiniti, Benicio Del Toro, Teyana Taylor, Sean Penn and, of course, Leonardo DiCaprio.
But many of those who loved the film felt that space should have been made for Regina Hall, whose performance as Deandra was hailed as a stand-out and has already received plenty of awards buzz of its own.
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The 2026 Golden Globes will take place on Sunday 11 January.
The director of the much-hyped romance Pillion has shed some light on why one particularly X-rated scene was cut from the new movie.
Earlier this year, the BDSM-themed biker movie was a stand-out when it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and quickly became one of the most talked-about films of the year, which its leading man Alexander Skarsgård has capitalised on with some excellent red carpet looks channeling his character Ray.
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Pillion also stars Harry Melling – best known for playing Dudley Dursley in the Harry Potter movies – who plays introverted Colin, a “wallflower” who quickly gets swept up in Ray’s exciting and mysterious world when he becomes his sub.
Audiences gave the film an eight-minute standing ovation when it premiered, with critics honing in on its balance of humour, emotional vulnerability and bold sexual scenes.
Its director, Harry Lighton, previously spoke about one such sex scene that didn’t make the final cut, explaining that he axed it so the audience didn’t end up “feeling they were being deliberately shocked by an image”.
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The image in question was “one close up of a dick, a hard dick … like down the barrel of the lens” which he considered a bit much when he saw it on the giant cinematic screen.
Now, the filmmaker has added more context to the cut scene in a new interview with the Guardian, getting straight to the point.
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“Originally, there was a closeup of Ray’s bell-end,” he said. “But it would have punctured the tension and raised a laugh.”
He also thinks his mum will be a fan, insisting in the new interview: “We never wanted to pander to straight audiences but I also think my mum’s gonna like the film. We didn’t make it for her but she can enjoy it.”
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Not quite Downton with a cup of tea and a digestive, but we respect it…
Pillion is due to hit UK cinemas on Friday 28 November.
On Wednesday, Deadline reported that Adele would be appearing in the cast of Tom Ford’s next film, which would be an adaptation of Anne Rice’s 1982 novel Cry To Heaven.
But the Someone Like You singer is far from the only famous face linked with the movie.
Also linked with the project are Ciarán Hinds, George MacKay, Thandiwe Newton, Euphoria’s Hunter Schafer and Owen Cooper, the British teen actor who recently won an Emmy for his stand-out performance in Netflix’s Adolescence.
When The Hollywood Reporter asked in 2023 if she’d “ever considered acting”, she responded: “No. There is one movie I want to do, but the guy whose movie it would be, he’s not mentally ready to write the script for it.”
“I’m not giving you no clues, though,” she insisted. “But I bug him every now and then about it, but he’s just not there yet. But that’s the only role I ever want. Because I think I’d nail it. I think I’d do really, really, really good at it.”
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Last year, the Daily Mail also quoted a “source” who claimed that Adele had been taking acting lessons with the hopes of taking her career in a different direction.
Oscar Isaac has said that he’d want to see some changes behind the scenes at Disney before he agreed to appear in another Star Wars movie.
The Frankenstein star played the Resistance pilot Poe Dameron in the rebooted Star Wars trilogy between 2015 and 2019, and in the six years since, has repeatedly been grilled about whether he’d ever be keen to return to that galaxy far, far away.
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During a recent interview with GQ, it was mentioned that he’d once said he’d only return to the sci-fi saga if he needed “another house or something”, commenting: “Yeah. That was a real likeable quote. Jesus Christ.
“Y’know, people ask you things, you say stuff, you don’t really think about it that much. I said a slightly dickish thing.”
The magazine’s reporter then pointed out that Oscar had seemingly softened on the idea in more recent years, to which he admitted that he is “open to” a new Star Wars movie – albeit not at this exact moment in history.
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“Right now I’m not so open to working with Disney,” he admitted. “But if they can kinda figure it out and, you know, not succumb to fascism, that would be great.”
The incident stemmed from a comedy monologue, during which the comedian observed: “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterise this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them, and doing everything they can to score political points from it.”
After the news broke that Jimmy was being suspended because of this comment, many called for a boycott of the streaming services Disney+ and Hulu (both of which are owned and operated by Disney), with the company reported to have taken a hit of around $3 billion overnight.
Oscar isn’t the only member of the Star Wars reboot’s cast to have some choice words for Disney, though, after John Boyega claimed the studio failed to flesh out the characters played in the series by actors of colour compared to those portrayed by their white counterparts.
During the interview, Jen hailed Piggy as a “feminist icon”, and explained that the germ of the idea for the new movie came during lockdown, at a time when so-called “cancel culture” was being debated extensively, and a friend suggested: “It would be so funny if Miss Piggy got cancelled.”
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“Now, that is not the plot [of the film], necessarily,” the former Hunger Games actor was quick to clarify. “But it got the wheels turning. [We realised], ’wait, there hasn’t actually been, like, a feminist Miss Piggy starring [role]. So I started producing it.”
She revealed she then turned to Emma Stone for help with co-producing as she considers herself more of an “ideas guy”, while the Poor Things star is both a “Muppets-head” and a “shark”.
“I went to her to be like, ‘what do we do?’,” Jennifer added. “So now, Cole is writing it, and they are perfect. And yeah!”
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Asked if she’ll also star in the project, she replied: “I think so. I mean, I have to be. I mean, I want to be.”
Miss Piggy first shot to fame in the 1970s, when she was introduced as the resident diva on The Muppet Show.
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In the decades since, she’s become one of the franchise’s most cherished stand-out characters, most recently appearing in 2021’s Muppets Haunted Mansion.
