Category Entertainment News

Tom Cruise praised the late Val Kilmer after he joined him for the 2022 reboot of Top Gun for his ability to seamlessly reprise his role as Iceman weeks before death

Actor Tom Cruise has paid tribute to the late Val Kilmer, who passed away last month following a series of health complications. The 62 year old star appeared in the reboot of Top Gun, titled Top Gun: Maverick, as Captain Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell, alongside Val Kilmer as Iceman, in 2022.

Both actors starred in the original film in 1986 and nearly two decades later they reunited. But sadly, Val passed away at the age of 65 from complication related to pneumonia. Tom recalled the moment as a “joyous” one.

Speaking to Sight and Sound magazine, the father of three said: “To come back all those years later, and it was amazing being on set for Top Gun: Maverick because it was like time had not passed. We were laughing and it was joyous.”

He added: “And then we started acting and it’s just, you see it… he became Iceman. The power that this guy has, even not saying anything, to become that character. You see how even the sniff that he gave. He was Iceman.”

Tom continued: “And you saw the dynamic between these friends. It was very special, to say the least, for me personally. I just tell people… “

He then said: “You take Iceman from the first film and you look at it here, that whole journey, he became Iceman. And he didn’t even have to speak.”

The Hollywood star, who has a string of blockbuster films under his belt, said: “That’s what he’s able to do. Beautiful, really beautiful. A gift that he had and that he shared with all of us.”

And while Val made his mark in film with a number of roles over the years, Tom claimed things could have been different as Val had originally turned down the role of Iceman.

He told the publication: “I felt so grateful that he decided to make the film. We did a lot to get him in the movie. Originally, he just didn’t want to make the movie, ‘I don’t want to be a supporting, I want to star in films’.”

And it was at this point Tom remembered that he had been calling Val’s agent and a gentleman named Tony Scott tracked him down and cornered him in an elevator.

Begging the actor to star in the film, Tom said he knew it had to be Val to take on the role because “you just see what a great actor, charismatic guy he was.”

He went on to say: “And in that scene, what I love about what he did and how he played it, he just knew that tone to hit.”

Tom continued: “He had to play it so you wanted these guys to be friends in the end. Do you know what I’m saying? And I remember those scenes like they were yesterday, acting with him, where he did the bite thing. “

“You know when you’re acting with somebody and you just see they’re just on fire. It’s exhilarating. I love when the scene just goes to a different place,” he said.

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Music mogul Simon Fuller is believed to be the force behind the Spice Girls reunion tour as he could be set to pay out more than £200million in his upcoming divorce

The man behind the Spice Girls is said to be encouraging a 30th anniversary reunion tour in order to help deal with the blow of his impending multi-million pound divorce. Simon Fuller, 64, who was the group’s manager during their hey day, is facing a £200milion divorce settlement, which according to reports, is the reason why he is keen for the tour to go ahead.

Simon’s estranged wife Natalie, 46, who was married to the music mogul for 17 years, filed for divorce last week citing “irreconcilable differences.”

His net worth is believed to be an estimated £445million and by law, Natalie is entitled to half of his fortune.

A source told The Sun: “This explains a lot about Simon’s desire to get the Spice Girls back together and on the road for a lucrative money-spinning tour.”

Simon has been credited as the man who launched the global career of the girl group, who stood for female empowerment during the nineties.

Last month, it was reported that he had been in touch with Geri Horner amid speculation that a reunion deal was finally being discussed.

According to reports, a reunion tour could earn the group, Geri Horner, Melanie Brown, Emma Bunton and Melanie Chisholm, a whopping £30million – but it’s been claimed Victoria Beckham hasn’t even been contacted about the tour.

This is perhaps based on the fact they earned £18million in profit in 2019 on the back of 13 stadium shows.

Victoria reportedly told those close she is “90 per cent out of the running” for 2026 but the rest of the ladies are believed to be considering the deal.

Simon and Natalie married in 2008 and had signed a pre-nuptial agreement at the time. Guests included all of the Spice Girls and Leona Lewis, along with Annie Lennox, who he managed.

The couple have three children together, nine year old twins and another child who is 14 years old. Last month, the tour appeared to be almost close to being confirmed.

A source told The Sun at the time: “There have been rumours swirling for months, but Geri has always been too busy and had other things on, preventing her from saying Yes.”

They added: “Nothing is yet confirmed but Geri and Simon are back in touch with a myriad of exciting ideas.”

“Unfortunately Victoria has pretty much ruled herself out, but there is still a world in which she could do some sort of avatar appearance or a special one-off thing,” they said.

The source continued: “She would always want to honour the girls’ history.If Simon were to get involved, this would absolutely take any tour to the next level.”

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It’s been reported that Nicola Peltz and mother-in-law Victoria Beckham haven’t seen eye to eye since back in 2022 when Nicola married Brooklyn as the alleged feud takes a new turn

Nicola Peltz has reportedly been branded a “narcissist” by a source as it’s also claimed she had a “huge influence” over Brooklyn Beckhams’ family fallout. This comes as it has been reported that Brooklyn and his wife Nicola haven’t been getting on with his family and have barely seen them over the last few months.

Victoria Beckham allegedly has a particular problem with her, with sources claiming that Nicola is a “narcissist”. The pair were said to have had issues three years ago when Brooklyn and Nicola were tying the knot in 2022, but it was thought that she and Victoria had managed to put that behind them.

It is believed to have arisen when Victoria was allegedly disappointed Nicola chose to wear a Valentino dress rather than a dress designed by her own label. Nicola denied the rumours, calling them “hurtful”.

“I was going to [wear Victoria Beckham] and I really wanted to, and then a few months down the line, she realised that her atelier couldn’t do it, so then I had to pick another dress,” she told Variety at the time. The pair quashed rumours of a feud between them back then. However, it’s said they’re no longer on good terms anymore.

The Mail On Sunday reported that a source claimed: “The view is that Nicola is a narcissist. Nicola has love-bombed Brooklyn since the day they met and has tried to convince him that she is all he needs, and then she has cut him off from his family.

“Nicola has used Brooklyn for all she can get to elevate herself and that has really worked for her – she’s a Beckham now. Victoria absolutely loves her son – she always will. But with Nicola it’s an entirely different story. She despises her, she tried her best to make up after the wedding row but this time it all seems extremely unlikely. Victoria has had enough.”

They added that the Beckham family think “Nicola is a nightmare”. The Beckhams’ relationship with Nicola is reported to have become particularly strained recently when one of the billionaire-heiress’ friends claimed that there is “emotional abuse and toxic behavior within his family”.

The pal said: “We are at this point because Nicola, an outsider coming into the Beckham family, has been able to help Brooklyn see the emotional abuse and toxic behavior within his family, that it’s not healthy and it’s not normal and it’s not ok.”

David and Victoria are outraged by the claims, but those close to them reject the allegations. A source close to the family told the Mirror they had been left “open-mouthed” that Nicola’s friends were “pumping out untruths”. The source added: “You wouldn’t expect this of your worst enemy, let alone close family members. The whole thing beggars belief.”

The alleged feud re-emerged during David’s 50th celebrations, where Nicola and Brooklyn were no where to be seen. The family celebrated the footballer’s birthday on three different occasions – an intimate family event at their Cotswolds home, a trip to France and the final event – a boozy dinner party held in Notting Hill, London.

It’s been said that the couple didn’t go to the events due to Romeo Beckham’s girlfriend Kim Turnbull attended, when she is rumoured to have had history with Brooklyn in the past as well.

The Mirror have contacted the Beckhams’ and Nicola’s reps for comment.

Brooklyn Beckham has made a rare comment about his bond with his dad David Beckham, despite their ongoing feud.

The 26-year-old made the confession in an interview about his Formula E career, in which he gave a candid, rare insight into their relationship – which is rumoured to be fractious at the moment. Brooklyn is said to not be answering calls from his concerned parents in an apparent feud which sparked after his brother Romeo Beckham began dating Kim Turnbull.

Despite rumours the eldest Beckham son isn’t on talking terms with David and Victoria as well as his siblings, he revealed his love of motorsport was sparked by his football star father.

“It’s something that me and my dad bonded over. My dad’s had some pretty cool cars,” he told The Times in an interview. Brooklyn also admitted to driving his father’s favourite car as he added that his top pick is his “1954 Jaguar, which I very rarely drive, only when the weather’s perfect.”

The admission comes after it was revealed that David and wife Victoria Beckham have been attempting to build bridges with Brooklyn who is reportedly ignoring their calls. Insiders have claimed that David is “desperate to make amends with his son Brooklyn as he fears history is repeating itself.”

David had a bitter feud with his own father, Ted, in 2005 which led to the pair not speaking for two years. It was only when Ted suffered a near-death health scare in 2007 that they began to work to fix their broken relationship.

David, 50, and Ted, 77, have remained close ever since, but the former footballer – who recently completed a takeover of Salford City FC with former teammate and close friend Gary Neville – does not want to go down the same route with Brooklyn.

A close friend of David told The Sun: “David and the family genuinely fear Brooklyn could be lost to them forever. The word ‘lost’, here, is especially poignant as it was the exact sentiment used when David fell out with his dad.

“Ted believed his son would never speak to him again, and he was heartbroken. It was an extremely tense few years, and devastated the whole family.”

Brooklyn and his wife Nicola Peltz have been notably absent from family gatherings in recent months, having snubbed both of David’s 50th birthday parties. They also failed to acknowledge either David or Victoria’s birthday’s on social media.

Brooklyn is also said to no longer be on speaking terms with his brother Romeo after they fell out over his sibling’s girlfriend Kim Turnbull. Brooklyn – who has some romantic history with Kim – reportedly doesn’t trust her motives in dating his younger brother and has refused to attend any event where she is invited.

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Fans have been stunned to learn that Fast & Furious legend Vin Diesel isn’t actually called Vin Diesel, with the story of his stage name dating back to his pre-fame years as a New York bouncer

Known for his tough guy persona, the very name Vin Diesel conjures up images of an action hero ready for any scenario, whether that be racing cars at top speeds or fighting in intergalactic battles.

Many have therefore been stunned to learn that Vin Diesel isn’t actually called Vin Diesel at all, having deliberately picked a stage name that would better reflect his super buff public image.

Away from the bright lights of the movie studio, however, the 57-year-old Fast & Furious legend goes by a very different moniker.

In a 2005 appearance of The Ellen Show, a clip of which has since gone viral, host Ellen DeGeneres pressed Vin on the moniker ‘Vin Diesel’, which she asserted couldn’t “possibly” be the name on his birth certificate.

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To the amazement of viewers, California-born Vin confessed: “You know what, it’s not.” He then went on to reveal: “My real name is Mark Vincent.”

Going on to detail the origins of his famous stage name, Vin explained that it dates back to his time working as a New York City nightclub bouncer.

He shared: “I was a bouncer for nine years, and the name stuck. We all had fictitious names just in case we got in trouble or anything.”

While Vin is of course a shortened version of Vincent, ‘Diesel’ is a reference to the star’s love of working out. Vin continued: “Vin from Vincent. […]When you’re probably built up a little, you say, ‘that guy is diesel’.”

Fans have naturally been baffled by this revelation, with one aghast person tweeting: “Vin Diesel has a real name?” In a humorous nod to Vin’s most famous character, another commented: “I think we all know that his REAL name is Dominic Torreto.”

Of course, Vin is far from the only Hollywood star who has opted to go for a completely different name. Whoopi Goldberg of Sister Act fame was, in fact, born Caryn Elaine Johnson, but wanted something that would stand out a little bit more in the world of showbiz.

As Whoopi explained in her 2024 memoir, Bits and Pieces: My Mother, My Brother, and Me, the name she is best known for was partially inspired by her tendency for flatulence. She admitted: “Some people at the Rep called me Whoopi because I would sometimes let loose with a fart.”

Meanwhile, acclaimed Golden Globe winner Jamie Foxx is actually called Eric Marlon Bishop. During a 2024 appearance on Angie Martinez’s radio show, the Django Unchained actor divulged how his pick dates back to his early days as a stand-up starting out in LA.

He recalled: “I went on as Eric Bishop [and] killed. Standing ovation. I come back the next weekend. You sign your name. I don’t get on. Next week, I don’t get on again. Come to find out, the comics are running the list. So I could never get on.”

After trying out another venue, Jamie found he had more success using “unisex names” due to male comics vastly outweighing the number of female comics. The name Jamie Foxx git him booked, and he’s stuck with it ever since.

Legally Blonde icon Reese Witherspoon is another A-lister who has opted for a different name. Born Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon, Reese ultimately decided on a name that felt more “Hollywood”, as previously reported by Women’s Health.

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McFly singer Danny Jones has reportedly decided to miss the BAFTA TV awards tonight while Maura Higgins is poised to make her big red carpet comeback after their kiss

Singer Danny Jones has reportedly decided to give tonight’s BAFTA TV awards ceremony a miss – following his BRIT Awards afterparty kiss with Maura Higgins.

Danny, 39, who won the latest series of I’m A Celebrity and is a mentor on The Voice, is expected to skip the showbiz ceremony. Meanwhile, Love Island star Maura, 34, is reportedly expected to use the event as her big red carpet comeback.

The McFly star, who is married to wife Georgia and shares son Cooper with her, found himself caught up in a scandal earlier this year as he was filmed sharing a drunken kiss with single Maura at an afterparty for the BRIT Awards in March.

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He later shared a public apology while Maura stayed silent on the drama. Now, it’s been reported Danny has decided to swerve today’s BAFTA TV awards while Maura is preparing to make the event her big red carpet comeback.

A source has claimed to The Sun that while Maura is expected to attend with her ‘head held high’, Danny “won’t be attending though as he is focusing on his family life and work.

“He wouldn’t do anything to make wife Georgia doubt him and doesn’t want to set a foot a wrong.”

Mirror Online has reached out to Danny’s representatives for comment.

Meanwhile, it’s been claimed Maura won’t answer any questions about the kiss.

Following the scandal at the beginning of March, which saw Danny and Maura lock lips at a BRIT Awards after party before heading to another after party where it was claimed they stayed up partying until 6am, Danny’s wife Georgia, 38, went to stay with a friend. Following the release of the shock video of Danny and Maura’s drunken kiss, it has been claimed Georgia had ‘moved out’ of the family home but those close to the star told us she wanted to “decompress” after a highly stressful few days, and was always coming home.

“This wasn’t some grand gesture where she suddenly packed her bags and left,” a source told us. “It was just a girlie few nights at a close pal’s flat. Yes, she wanted some space, but she is home now, and while things are still fragile, they are trying to work things through.”

Later in March, she returned to her family home. Meanwhile, Danny issued a public statement to apologise for his actions. In a statement, the McFly singer said: “Hello everyone, sorry it’s taken me a while to post this but I’ve taken some time out to be with those closest to me. I want to deeply apologise to my wife and family for putting them in this situation. I love them so much and we’ll continue to deal with this privately.

“I love you guys, thank you for your patience, understanding, and support. See you all soon, Danny.”

Meanwhile, Maura has continued to remain silent on the matter – after jetting to the US in the wake of the kiss scandal.