Paul McCartney says he and Beyoncé FaceTimed about her version of "Blackbird"
Anyone who thinks Paul McCartney isn't happy that Beyoncé has covered The Beatles classic "Blackbird" on her album Cowboy Carter would be very wrong.
“I am so happy with @beyonce’s version of my song ‘Blackbird,’” McCartney shares on Instagram. “I think she does a magnificent version of it and it reinforces the civil rights message that inspired me to write the song in the first place.”
He adds, “I think Beyoncé has done a fab version and would urge anyone who has not heard it yet to check it out. You are going to love it!”
Bey's version of the song, retitled “Blackbiird,” includes acoustic guitar and foot tapping by McCartney, taken from the original backing track he recorded back in 1968 for the Beatles' self-titled album aka The White Album.
McCartney also reveals in his post that he had a FaceTime conversation with Bey about the song, noting, “[S]he thanked me for writing it and letting her do it." He says, “I told her the pleasure was all mine and I thought she had done a killer version of the song.”
McCartney also shared his feelings about the song still being so relevant today.
“When I saw the footage on the television in the early 60s of the black girls being turned away from school, I found it shocking and I can’t believe that still in these days there are places where this kind of thing is happening right now,” he continues. “Anything my song and Beyoncé’s fabulous version can do to ease racial tension would be a great thing and makes me very proud.”
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Maggie Gyllenhaal reveals Christian Bale as Frankenstein's monster, Jessie Buckley as 'The Bride'
On her Instagram Thursday, actress, writer and director Maggie Gyllenhaal teased images of two of the stars of her upcoming Frankenstein-based film The Bride, Christian Bale and Jessie Buckley.
"Meet The Bride & Frank," captioned the Academy Award-nominated screenwriter of The Lost Daughter. Buckley, one of the Oscar-nominated stars of that film, plays the titular bride in the star-studded Warner Bros. project.
In the makeup test, Buckley is depicted with curly bleach-blond hair and an inky splotch spreading from the corner of her mouth up the side of her face.
Oscar winner Bale, playing Frankenstein's monster, is shown holding his hair up with his right hand, revealing his character's characteristic stapled-up scar across his forehead; his left hand is parting his shirt open to reveal a tattoo reading "Hope" on his chest, as well as an autopsy scar that has also been crudely stapled shut.
The 1930s-set film also stars Oscar winner Penélope Cruz, Nyad Oscar nominee Annette Bening and Emmy nominee Peter Sarsgaard, Maggie's husband.
According to Variety, in this version of the Frankenstein mythology, Buckley plays a murdered socialite who is reanimated, and comes into her own both romantically and politically. The movie is set for an October 2, 2025, release.
Incidentally, Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro is now shooting his own take on Mary Shelly's famed horror classic for Netflix, with Saltburn star Jacob Elordi as the brain-swapped creation. Two-time Oscar winner Christoph Waltz also stars, along with Oscar Isaac, Mia Goth and Lars Mikkelsen.
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Conan O'Brien returning to 'The Tonight Show' — as a guest — next week
In his first appearance on the show since his messy — and litigious — 2010 ouster as host, Conan O'Brien will be returning to The Tonight Show on Tuesday, April 9.
O'Brien was tapped to replace Jay Leno when the latter stepped down in 2009, only to be replaced by Leno after less than a year as host.
O'Brien reportedly settled with the network for $45 million, which included $13 million in severance for the show's staff of 200 people, according to NBC's Today.
He went on to host Conan on TBS for 11 seasons until 2021, and built a podcasting empire that birthed a TV spinoff in the form of his new Max series, Conan O'Brien Must Go, which he will be promoting on The Tonight Show.
The visit to 30 Rock will mark another full-circle moment for the former Saturday Night Live and Simpsons writer and producer: His first gig hosting a talk show came in 1993 with NBC's Late Night with Conan O'Brien, which led to his tumultuous and brief stint as the host of The Tonight Show.
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Dua Lipa gets optimistic about being ghosted, wardrobe malfunctions and more
Dua Lipa's new album is called Radical Optimism, so ELLE has created a video in which she describes how you can remain optimistic in various upsetting situations, including being ghosted, having a wardrobe malfunction, getting a flat tire, and even discovering your best friend and your boyfriend are having an affair.
For that last scenario, Dua jokes that both of them can "f*** off," before advising, "I think you just have to keep it moving. Go out with your other friends, the good ones ... and [have them] introduce you to someone cute."
Being ghosted? Dua says, "If it's not meant to be, it's not meant to be, and what's meant for you will be." Flat tire? Dua says call AAA and while you're waiting, catch up on your emails or, "If you've got a cute outfit on, good time to take selfies. There's a lot that can be done just waiting around!"
As for wardrobe malfunctions, Dua says, "Sometimes a friend might have a pin that could help so you don't have to ruin your night. Or sometimes an earring works ... and sometimes it doesn't really matter, it doesn't really ruin your vibe."
Dua reveals that she's had many wardrobe malfunctions over the years. Once, at a Lollapalooza preshow, she was opening for The 1975 and was wearing nothing but an oversized sweater, with a bra and panties underneath. She clipped her microphone pack to her panties, and then spent the whole show trying to hike them up so they wouldn't slide down to her ankles. "Rookie mistake!" she jokes.
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Glass Animals announce US tour
After announcing the details of their new album, I Love You So F****** Much, Glass Animals have now scheduled a U.S. tour.
The headlining outing launches August 7 in Charlotte and will wrap up September 22 in Austin, Texas. Tickets go on sale Thursday, April 11, at 10 a.m. local time, with presales beginning Tuesday, April 9, at 10 a.m. local time.
For the full list of dates and all ticket info, visit GlassAnimals.com.
I Love You So F****** Much is due out July 19, and lead single "Creatures in Heaven" is out now. It's the follow-up to 2020's Dreamland, which spawned the megahit "Heat Waves."
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Anna Paquin talks "difficult" 2 years as she walks red carpet with a cane
Anna Paquin walked a New York City red carpet with the help of a cane on Wednesday night.
The Piano actress was promoting her new film -- her husband and former True Blood co-star Stephen Moyer's directorial effort, A Bit of Light -- when the 41-year-old revealed to People that she's had a rough go of it healthwise over the past two years. "It hasn't been easy," the New Zealand-born movie star said.
Paquin is reportedly dealing with an undisclosed health issue that has left her with speech and mobility problems, from which a source tells the magazine she'll "hopefully" fully recover.
That said, she soldiered on to talk up the film, which was based on a play and has Paquin playing Ella, an alcoholic mother who loses custody of her children.
She called Moyer, her husband since 2010, "my favorite person to play with."
She also added she wouldn't have worked for the 54-year-old if she didn't think he had the chops behind the camera just because they're married. "I'm not sentimental when it comes to work," Anna reportedly laughed.
The couple share 11-year-old twins — daughter Poppy and son Charlie — and being a mom gave her some perspective on the role.
"Not everyone ends up having the journey with motherhood that they have hoped or had planned," Paquin tells People. "We're all flawed and imperfect, and Ella is kind of on some level repeating some sort of familial patterns as far as stuffing feelings down."
A Bit of Light opens in theaters Friday, April 5.
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Hailey Bieber posts photo of Justin; source says the couple is "very happy"
Despite rumors of trouble in their marriage, Justin Bieber and his wife, Hailey, seem to be doing just fine.
The model and beauty mogul posted a photo on her Instagram Story of a shirtless Justin snuggling under the covers with one of the couple's dogs. Meanwhile, a source tells People that the two are "doing very well," adding, "There’s no divorce and no truth to that whatsoever. They are very, very happy.”
The divorce rumors evidently began after Hailey's father, Stephen Baldwin, shared a post in March from a minister who asked for prayers for the couple, but didn't explain why.
Hailey responded a week later by writing on her Instagram Story, "Just FYI the stories and constant ‘blind items’ I see on TikTok are 100% of the time wrong Made out of thin air… Come from the land of delusion… sorry to spoil it.”
Justin, meanwhile, has stayed out of the spotlight for the past few weeks.
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