Comedian Chris Rock, in his first public comments since he was slapped in the face by actor Will Smith at the Oscars on Sunday, said he is “still processing” the incident that made headlines around the world.
“How was YOUR weekend?” Rock asked on Wednesday night of a sold-out crowd at Boston's Wilbur Theatre. He made it clear from the onset he did not plan to address the Oscars incident at length.
Rock, 57, received a standing ovation from the Boston crowd.
“I’m still processing what happened, so at some point, I'll talk about that shit," Rock told the crowd. "It'll be serious. It'll be funny, but right now I'm going to tell some jokes."
“Let me be all misty and shit," Rock said, with tears in his eyes. "I don't have a bunch of shit to say about that, so if you came here for that...' he said, and paused. "I had written a whole show before this weekend."
Perhaps Rock's biggest revelation was his plan to get a vasectomy next week. He joked that he made his decision after seeing 78-year-old actor Robert De Niro drop off his 11-year-old daughter at school.
"I've already seen Hannah Montana once and that was enough," Rock quipped.
At Sunday's Academy Awards, Rock was on stage to present the trophy for best documentary. He made a joke about Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, that referenced the 1997 film "G.I. Jane" in which actress Demi Moore shaved her head. It was unclear whether Rock was aware that Pinkett Smith has a condition that causes hair loss.
Will Smith strode onto the stage and slapped Rock before winning best actor less than an hour later. The actor apologized to Rock and the academy in a statement on Monday.
During his 80-minute set in Boston, Rock never mentioned Smith. Instead, he launched into a stream of profanity-laced barbs directed at Great Britain's royal family, Meghan Markle, former U.S. President Donald Trump, U.S. President Joe Biden, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Subaru, Lululemon, and even his oldest daughter Lola.
"He came out swinging, but not about Will Smith," said Ramsay Fretz, a 32-year-old Boston real estate agent who sat in the balcony. "It's nice to see someone equally attack everybody."
After the slap that reverberated around the world, TickPick, an online marketplace for events, said it sold more tickets overnight to Rock's "Ego Death" tour than it did in the past month combined.
Balcony seat tickets with a face value of $61 fetched nearly $1,000 after Smith slapped Rock in front of nearly 17 million television viewers tuned into the Oscars.
Some attendees in Boston were disappointed that Rock refrained from verbally retaliating against Smith.
"You know, it was the elephant in the room," said audience member Jay Dee. "Everyone was waiting for the 'aha' moment that didn't come."
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has once again touched down in France for the Cannes Film Festival, and this time, as always, her daughter Aaradhya is by her side. The duo was seen arriving at Nice Airport, where they were warmly received. A video of their arrival, now circulating widely online, captures Aishwarya chatting warmly with a greeter who hands a gift to Aaradhya before they head off.
Clad in a navy blue trench coat, Aishwarya kept it simple yet elegant. Aaradhya wore an all-black outfit and seemed at ease, exchanging smiles and laughter during the brief encounter at the airport. Despite recent speculation about whether Aishwarya would attend Cannes this year, especially after a video of her dancing with husband Abhishek Bachchan at a wedding in Mumbai, her airport appearance has laid all doubts to rest.
Fans quickly jumped into action online, sharing excitement over her return to Cannes. Comments ranged from “She is back!” to eager anticipation over her upcoming looks. However, not all responses were glowing, with some commenting on her choice of hairstyle.
Aishwarya is expected to walk the Cannes red carpet on 21 and 22 May, marking her 22nd year at the prestigious event. Her first appearance was in 2002 for the premiere of Devdas, where she made headlines arriving in a traditional gold saree, accompanied by Shah Rukh Khan and director Sanjay Leela Bhansali.
As for Aaradhya, her presence at Cannes is no surprise. Aishwarya has often said that her daughter enjoys the experience, not just for the glamour but for the atmosphere and the people she’s grown familiar with over the years. She once shared that Aaradhya understands the significance of the festival and appreciates the world of cinema.
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This year’s Cannes also sees other Indian names on the guest list, including Payal Kapadia on the competition jury, and stars like Janhvi Kapoor, Ishaan Khatter, and Vishal Jethwa promoting their film Homebound. Meanwhile, the restored version of Satyajit Ray’s Aranyer Din Ratri brings legends like Sharmila Tagore and Simi Garewal back to the spotlight.
With Aishwarya back on the red carpet, the countdown to her Cannes look has officially begun.
Taylor Swift’s long-awaited Reputation (Taylor’s Version) finally made its presence known, but not through a press release or streaming platform. Instead, it emerged through the eerie silence of Gilead. The re-recorded version of “Look What You Made Me Do” debuted unexpectedly in the opening scene of the latest episode of The Handmaid’s Tale, catching fans and viewers completely off guard.
The episode begins with Elisabeth Moss’s character, June Osborne, orchestrating a quiet but fierce act of resistance against the regime. As handmaids march through a war-torn street, Swift’s voice cuts through the chaos. The updated track underscores the rebellion, syncing perfectly with the tension and defiance unfolding on screen.
The original 2017 version of the song was a turning point in Swift’s career, born out of public backlash and a media storm. Its reappearance now, in a show about fighting back against oppression, feels deeply personal. Swift’s battle to reclaim her music mirrors the episode’s themes: reclaiming agency, rewriting narratives, and refusing to be silenced.
Moss, also an executive producer of the show, shared how this moment had been years in the making. She revealed she had always wanted to feature a Taylor Swift track but waited for the right moment. “This was it,” she said. “The song, the scene, the story, it all just clicked.” Moss also attended Swift’s Eras Tour last year with castmate Bradley Whitford, making her admiration for the singer no secret.
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For Swifties, this is the clearest sign that Reputation (Taylor’s Version) is on the horizon. While fans have spotted hints in everything from merch updates to symbolic fashion choices, this full-length debut feels like the real beginning of the next chapter.
It also marks the latest move in Swift’s ongoing mission to re-record her early albums and reclaim ownership after the rights to her original masters were sold without her consent. So far, she’s re-released Fearless, Red, Speak Now, and *1989*, with Reputation and her debut album left.
Swift’s music has popped up in recent shows and documentaries, but this moment in The Handmaid’s Tale is her strongest re-entry into the Reputation era. It's less of a promo, more of a declaration. The gloves are off.
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Peppa Pig welcomes baby Evie in a royal-style announcement
After 20 years of being the star of the family, Peppa Pig is no longer the youngest girl in the house. A new face has joined the Pig family: a baby girl named Evie. Born early Tuesday morning at 5:34 AM at the Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital in London (yes, the same one where the royal children were born), Evie marks the first major addition to the family since the show began in 2004.
The news was revealed in true British fashion with a town crier in a video posted on Peppa Pig’s official Instagram. The announcement, styled like a royal birth, sent fans and brands into a frenzy. Mummy Pig is said to have named the baby after her great-aunt, and while the birth was not easy, she shared that she is relieved and happy to have Evie here, safe and healthy.
Peppa’s younger brother George, who has somehow been two years old forever, now has a new sibling to share toys and tantrums with. And while Peppa seems thrilled in the official photos, it is hard not to wonder how she will really feel once the attention shifts away from her.
To mark the occasion and the show’s 20th anniversary, the creators are rolling out a cinema special called Peppa Meets The Baby. Hitting screens on 30 May, the one-hour film will follow Peppa and George as they prepare for Evie’s arrival, featuring 10 new episodes and six new songs. Evie will also become a regular on the main show, adding a new layer to the Pig family’s dynamic.
The show, which started on Channel 5 and Nick Jr. in 2004, has grown into a global phenomenon, airing in over 180 countries and more than 40 languages. In 2019, toy giant Hasbro took over the franchise, promising even more Peppa-centric content.
The buzz around baby Evie has been building for months. Mummy Pig’s pregnancy reveal in February was followed by a gender reveal in April, complete with a media rollout that rivalled any celebrity birth. Parenting tips, maternity photos, and interviews about balancing work and family were part of the package.
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Now, with baby Evie here, it feels like growing up just got real.
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The Harry Potter reboot becomes the most expensive TV show ever
The next time you think of a big-budget show, forget Game of Thrones or The Rings of Power. The new Harry Potter reboot is set to leave them all behind and not just in storytelling, but in cost. With a jaw-dropping budget of over $4.2 billion (₹33,600 crore), this upcoming series is on track to be the most expensive television production ever attempted.
Each of the 42 planned episodes, spread across seven seasons, will reportedly cost more than $100 million (₹837 crore). That’s more than many Marvel movies and nearly double the per-episode spend of Amazon’s The Rings of Power. But where is all that money going?
A massive part of the budget is being poured into something rarely attempted on this scale: a custom-built town. Nicknamed “Potterville,” this mini city is under construction at Warner Bros. Studios in Leavesden and will house life-size recreations of iconic locations like Hogwarts, King’s Cross Station, and Privet Drive. The price tag for this alone? Around £1 billion (₹10,700 crore). The idea is not just about visual realism but a long-term investment in the franchise’s future, with the possibility of spin-offs or other productions set in the same magical universe.
Unlike the original film series, which had to condense the books into blockbuster-length scripts, this version aims to give each book its own season, allowing for a deeper dive into the world J.K. Rowling created. The show is expected to go into the details that never made it to the big screen.
A fresh cast will step into some of the most recognisable roles in pop culture. John Lithgow will take on the role of Albus Dumbledore, joined by Janet McTeer as Professor McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu as Snape, and Nick Frost as Hagrid, among others. The trio of young leads Harry, Hermione, and Ron are yet to be announced.
Set to film on a sprawling 200-acre site, this reboot marks a major moment for HBO and Warner Bros. Whether it lives up to expectations or not, it’s already rewritten the rules of television production. And in the process, it’s raised a question: how much is too much to bring magic back to life?
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Liu Yifei, Lisa and Priyanka pose at the star-studded luxury gathering
At a recent Bvlgari event in Sicily, Priyanka Chopra turned heads in an elegant beige outfit, joining BLACKPINK’s Lisa and Chinese star Liu Yifei for an evening filled with fashion, glitz, and glamour. The trio, all associated with the luxury brand, were seen posing together, sparking a wave of reactions online as fans shared photos and videos from the event.
While Liu dazzled in a silver-toned off-shoulder gown, Lisa chose a white dress with soft yellow accents. Priyanka, keeping things minimal and classic, wore a sheer beige dress with subtle gold detailing, matched with Bvlgari jewellery, and tied her hair back into a sleek bun.
During the red carpet moments, Priyanka stood out not just for her look, but also for her gesture of gratitude. After posing for the photographers, she folded her hands in a traditional namaste, a simple thank-you that felt personal amidst all the glamour.
Stars at the Bvlgari event Getty Images
Inside the event, she was seen chatting with Bvlgari CEO Jean-Christophe Babin and later sharing a light-hearted moment with Lisa. A short clip from the evening shows Priyanka asking Lisa to switch spots while posing, leading to a burst of laughter between them.
Priyanka’s elegant beige look paired with Bvlgari jewellery turns heads on the red carpetGetty Images
This isn’t the first time Priyanka has represented the brand at their global events. She attended a similar gathering in Rome last year, wearing an off-shoulder cream and black dress and flaunting Bvlgari’s Serpenti Aeterna necklace alongside Anne Hathaway and Shu Qi.
Beyond red carpets, Priyanka is staying busy with a packed slate of projects. She’ll be seen in Heads of State, co-starring Idris Elba and John Cena, and in The Bluff, where she plays a pirate in the Caribbean. Back in Indian cinema, she’s confirmed to be part of SSMB29, a much-anticipated film by SS Rajamouli with Mahesh Babu. The project is expected to unfold in two parts, with releases slated for 2027 and 2029.