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"It was hard to watch": Sean Connery's final days revealed

<p>Sean Connery's final moments have been revealed in a new book, <em>Connery, Sean Connery</em>, which dives into his decades-long career and the obstacles he faced in life. </p> <p>The Scottish actor, who rose to fame as the original <em>James Bond</em>, passed away on October 31, 2020, at the age of 90. </p> <p>The book written by Herbie J Pilato, features never-before-published commentary from Connery's friend, Brendan Lynch about the actor's final days. </p> <p>The Oscar winner struggled with dementia before his passing, and the book claims that Lynch was requested by Connery’s wife, Micheline Roquebrune, to visit his friend “as much as possible in his last days." </p> <p>In the book, Lynch recalled: “Because he wasn’t well at all, Micheline did ask me to try and see a bit more of him in the end.” </p> <p>“He didn’t want to have people that he didn’t know hanging around, so I would stop in to visit.”</p> <p>“I was crying at times to see this mountain of a man — this monumental human achievement in such a terrible state — frail (mentally and physically) unable to carry on a conversation or finish off a sentence,” Lynch said. </p> <p>“To see his body weak and flawed at the end… it was very sad. We tried to have a conversation. I tried to tell him what was going on in the sporting world, despite knowing that he wasn’t actually taking it all in.”</p> <p>Pilato told <em>Fox News Digital </em>that he spoke to numerous other sources and co-stars to get a better understanding of the man behind the iconic character.</p> <p>“Dementia is not just a mental issue. You’re affected physically in other ways… It affects everything. So it’s not just the mind. And to see someone who was so strong battling this disease — it was difficult," Pilato said. </p> <p>“If anybody looked like a movie star, it was Sean Connery,” he shared. “But towards the end, when he was frail, it was hard to watch. It was hard to see that.”</p> <p>According to the book, the actor's health was kept private “for some time" as he spent his final days  surrounded by “sprawling golf courses, near wide-open silky sands and… clear blue Bahamian waters.” </p> <p>Connery died in his sleep, and according to his wife it was exactly "what he wanted.”</p> <p>“At least he died in his sleep, and it was just so peaceful,” she told <em>The Daily Mail </em>on Sunday. </p> <p>“I was with him all the time, and he just slipped away. It was what he wanted."</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Caring

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Karl Stefanovic discusses acting debut alongside Sean Penn

<p>They say "go big or go home," and Karl Stefanovic wasted no time in going big, boldly venturing into acting alongside Hollywood legend Sean Penn in Stan's latest original series, <em>C*A*U*G*H*T . </em></p> <p>In an interview with <em>9Entertainment </em>the on the blue carpet premiere at the Sydney Opera House, the <em>Today </em>show host shared how he landed the role, and what it was like to film with a legend. </p> <p>"I'm in it!" he boasted. </p> <p> "It's amazing, when Kick [creator, producer, director and star] asked me to come on I thought it was a joke – that's how crazy it is.</p> <p>"It was so fun to see his vision brought to life and be part of that process."</p> <p>Stefanovic also shared how his first day of acting went. </p> <p>"I was in my first scene, and Sean Penn walked out and stood right next to the camera. Sean Penn, my first acting scene ever," he gushed. </p> <p>"I actually stopped during my line, and I just said, 'Oh my God... Sean Penn!'"</p> <p>Stefanovic laughed as he recalled how the Hollywood legend looked at him, shook his head and jokingly walked away. </p> <p>The series itself is directed and produced by Australian writer Kick Gurry, who is known for his role as Griff in <em>Edge of Tomorrow</em>. </p> <p>The show is a comedy about four Australian soldiers who get mistaken for Americans in a war-town country and are captured by freedom fighters. </p> <p>The freedom fighters then made a hostage video, which goes viral, and the soldiers rise up to fame. </p> <p>The show features a star-studded cast including Matthew Fox, Susan Sarandon, Bryan Brown and more. </p> <p><em>Images: Getty/ </em><em>Mike Marsland/WireImage </em></p>

TV

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"His worst moment as a person": Sean Penn unleashes on Will Smith's Oscar's slap

<p>Sean Penn has become visibly angry as he recalled the infamous moment at the 2022 Oscars ceremony when Will Smith stormed the stage to slap Chris Rock. </p> <p>Penn recalled the award ceremony moment as he reflected on the Academy's decision to not let Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speak at the ceremony. </p> <p>The actor has been a strong advocate for the people of Ukraine in their ongoing war against Russia, and even traveling to the war-torn region to help in their fight. </p> <p>Speaking to <a href="https://variety.com/2023/film/features/sean-penn-slams-will-smith-slap-ai-oscars-1235720417/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Variety</em></a>, Penn shared how frustrated he was that Zelenskyy was silenced, while Smith's actions were the real problem. </p> <p>“The Oscars producer thought, ‘Oh, he’s [Zelenskyy] not lighthearted enough.’ Well, guess what you got instead? Will Smith.”</p> <p><em>Variety</em> noted that the actor was visibly infuriated speaking on the subject, even turning red during the interview.</p> <p>“I don’t know Will Smith. I met him once,” Penn said. “He seemed very nice when I met him. He was so f***ing good in <em>King Richard</em>.”</p> <p>“So why the f**k did you just spit on yourself and everybody else with this stupid f***ing thing? Why did I go to f***ing jail for what you just did? And you’re still sitting there? Why are you guys standing and applauding his worst moment as a person?” the 63-year-old said, referencing his 1987 arrest and jail stint for punching a film extra in the face.</p> <p>“This f***ing bulls**t wouldn’t have happened with Zelenskyy,” Penn added. “Will Smith would never have left that chair to be part of stupid violence. It never would have happened.”</p> <p>Penn was so shocked and infuriated by the moment that he chose to destroy his two Oscars. </p> <p>"I thought, ‘Well, f**k, you know? I’ll give them to Ukraine. They can be melted down to bullets they can shoot at the Russians,’” he said.</p> <p>When visiting Zelenskyy in Ukraine last fall, Penn showed his support by giving the leader one of his Oscars.</p> <p>At the 2022 Oscar's ceremony, Will Smith stormed the stage and slapped comedian Chris Rock after he made a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith. </p> <p>After returning to his seat, Smith shouted out, “Keep my wife’s name out your f***ing mouth!”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Movies

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Rod Stewart’s son blows through inheritance

<p>Rod Stewart’s son, Sean Stewart, has allegedly spent all of his inheritance in an attempt to rebrand his clothing line.</p> <p>A source told <em>Page Six Style</em> exclusively that Sean had “cashed out” the funds he would have received upon his father’s death in order to salvage the failing Dirty Weekend brand.</p> <p>“It’s insane because this is the third time I think he’s relaunching Dirty Weekend,” the source revealed. “Maybe third time’s the charm.”</p> <p>Reps for Sean and Dirty Weekend did not return <em>Page Six Style’s</em> requests for comment.</p> <p>In March, the son of the British rockstar posted about his company’s rebrand and credited artist Hector De Marquez for helping him with the relaunch.</p> <p>“Really proud of the work me and @hectordemarquez have put into rebranding dirty weekend,” the 42-year-old captioned the Instagram post.</p> <p>“Someone who finally sees my vision. What makes a successful business and entrepreneur is the team you have behind you.”</p> <p>The brand was originally launched in 2022.</p> <p>He also recently married his partner Jody Weintraub in Las Vegas on Valentine’s Day.</p> <p>He had known his now-wife, also 42, since high school. She is the daughter of late producer Jerry Weintraub.</p> <p>The pair eloped and made their way back to Los Angeles to celebrate the special day with the infamous musician and his ex-wife Alana Stewart, who is Sean’s mother.</p> <p>The British icon married Alana in 1979 but they divorced after five years.</p> <p>Stewart, 78, has been married to his current wife, Penny Lancaster, for 14 years.</p> <p>During Stewart’s 2023 Australian tour, the lovebirds <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/relationships/rod-stewart-s-secret-ceremony" target="_blank" rel="noopener">renewed their vows</a> in a secret ceremony.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Instagram</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Aussie academic released from Myanmar prison after 650 days

<p dir="ltr">After spending 650 days in a Myanmar prison, Australian academic Sean Turnell will be returning to his family in Australia.</p> <p dir="ltr">The country’s military-controlled government announced that Turnell would be released and deported, along with a Japanese filmmaker, ex-British diplomat, and an American, on Thursday as part of a wider prisoner amnesty to mark National Victory Day.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-2bc8307a-7fff-a126-287f-9bcdcffac00b"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong shared the news on social media on Friday morning, writing that she had spoken to Turnell, who had confirmed he was now free and going home.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/ClEBre8Phqr/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/ClEBre8Phqr/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Penny Wong (@senatorpennywong)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“Wonderful news - Professor Sean Turnell is free and on his way home to his family. I’ve just had the chance to speak with him,” she wrote, shared alongside a photo of Turnell.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I thank everyone who worked tirelessly for his release, including @DFAT staff like our Head of Mission in Myanmar, Angela Corcoran, pictured here.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he had spoken to Turnell on the phone after he landed in Bangkok on his way home.</p> <p dir="ltr">“People have been wonderful,” Turnell told him.</p> <p dir="ltr">Albanese described him as a “remarkable man”, sharing how Turnell would be given his food in buckets in prison, except when he received care packages from Australia in tote bags bearing the Australian crest.</p> <p dir="ltr">"He would eat it and he would put the tote bags at where the bars were on the cell in which he was being detained so that both he could see and the guards who were detaining him could see the Australian crest, so that he could keep that optimism," Albanese said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"And the Australian crest, of course, with the kangaroo and emu that don't go backwards.</p> <p dir="ltr">"They don't go backwards. It was very important for him."</p> <p dir="ltr">The PM said Turnell was “clearly counting” down the 650 days until his release and that he was in “remarkably good spirits” despite losing a lot of weight.</p> <p dir="ltr">"He was in really, really good spirits," Albanese said.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-45400717-7fff-f078-ef7f-2699f9ed58f2"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">"He was making jokes. He is from my electorate and apologised for not voting at the election. I assured him he wouldn't be fined and that it was understandable."</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">I just spoke with Professor Sean Turnell, who recently landed in Bangkok after being released from prison in Myanmar. He will soon be on his way to Australia to be with his family.</p> <p>— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlboMP/status/1593222741536428033?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 17, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Turnell was among 5774 prisoners released from Myanmar, as reported by state-run MRTV.</p> <p dir="ltr">The imprisonment of foreign nationals, which the rights monitoring organisation Assistance Association for Political Prisoners said totalled 16,232 people, had become a source of friction for Myanmar’s leaders and home governments since the democratically elected government was ousted in February last year.</p> <p dir="ltr">According to AAP, 13,015 of those arrested were still in detention as of Wednesday, while at least 2465 people have been killed by security forces.</p> <p dir="ltr">Tim O’Conner of Amnesty International welcomed the release of Turnell, saying that he and many others should never have been arrested or imprisoned.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Amnesty continues to call for the release of all those arbitrarily detained for peacefully exercising their human rights," he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Thousands of people jailed since the coup in Myanmar have done nothing wrong."</p> <p dir="ltr">Turnell, an associate professor in economics at Sydney’s Macquarie University, was serving as an advisor to Suu Kyi, Myanmar’s former leader, when he was arrested at a hotel just days before the military takeover.</p> <p dir="ltr">In September last year, Turnell was sentenced to three years prison for violating Myanmar’s official secrets law and immigration law.</p> <p dir="ltr">"He's a remarkable man. And he was there doing his job as an economic policy adviser," Albanese said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"He was doing his job, nothing more, nothing less. And he's very good at his job.</p> <p dir="ltr">"And he is a proud Australian. And today, I think we should all be proud of him."</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-f5ce0eb1-7fff-0bc2-3b30-a3e69921d573"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

Legal

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“When you win, bring it back to Malibu”: Sean Penn loans Oscar to Ukraine

<p dir="ltr">Actor Sean Penn has shown his support for Ukraine in its war with Russia by loaning one of his two Oscars to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, telling him it could stay on one condition: “When you win, bring it back to Malibu”.</p> <p dir="ltr">A video of the encounter between Zelenskyy and Penn, who is making a documentary about the Russian invasion, was shared by Zelenskyy’s office online and described the gift as “a symbol of faith in the victory of our country”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It will be in Ukraine until the end of the war.”</p> <p dir="ltr">During his most recent visit to Ukraine, Penn told Zelenskyy that every time he leaves he feels “like a traitor”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“But if I know this is here with you then I will feel better and stronger for the fights,” he said before presenting the leader with his award.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-8089cf48-7fff-1c78-0b94-e0072bc02a66"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“When you win, bring it back to Malibu. Because I feel much better knowing there is a piece of me here.”</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CktdU1RLvIQ/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CktdU1RLvIQ/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Володимир Зеленський (@zelenskiy_official)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">After initially hesitating, Zelenskyy accepted the statue and quipped: “We have to win, quick.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Wednesday’s meeting, which marked Penn’s third visit to Ukraine since the invasion began, also saw the actor accept an award from Zelenskyy.</p> <p dir="ltr">The <em>Mystic River</em> star was presented with the Ukrainian Order of Merit of the third degree, which is given to citizens for outstanding achievements in economics, science, culture or military or political activity.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It was with great pleasure that I presented Sean Penn with the Order of Merit of the III degree,” the caption of the clip shared on Zelenskyy’s official Instagram read.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Thank you for such sincere support and significant contribution to the popularization (sic) of Ukraine in the world!”</p> <p dir="ltr">The video also showed the pair walking around Kyiv and arriving at Constitution Square where there is a “Walk of the Brave” - a walkway lined with plaques for world leaders who have supported Ukraine.</p> <p dir="ltr">Penn also has a plaque laid on the ground along the walkway, engraved with his name and the date February 24, 2022, which was the start of the invasion, as Penn was one of the first people to visit Ukraine after Russian troops moved in.</p> <p dir="ltr">Pointing to the plaque, Penn said there were three sources of pride for him in the world.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The place where my daughter was born, the place where my son was born and this. Thank you,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-e58f0d92-7fff-56d3-d8c3-2674483699ac"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

News

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Sean Connery's personal James Bond Aston Martin on sale for first time ever

<p>A piece of Hollywood history has gone up for sale, with car enthusiasts everywhere dying to get their hands on it. </p> <p>Sean Connery's personal 1964 Aston Martin DB5 is being offered for sale through <a href="https://www.broadarrowauctions.com/vehicles/009/1964-aston-martin-db5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Broad Arrow Auctions</a>, with the iconic vehicle expected to fetch between $US1.4 million and $1.8 million ($AU1.9-2.5m).</p> <p>The car boasts a Snow Shadow Grey colour, as per it's appearance in the Bond movie <em>Goldfinger</em>, over a show-stopping red leather interior.</p> <p>The vehicle was delivered brand new to its original owner in the UK in 1964, where it remained until Connery bought it in 2018 and relocated it to his property in Switzerland. </p> <p>It is worth noting that the car was originally black, and Connery had it painted to match his famous on-screen co-star.</p> <p>The Snow Shadow Grey colour was limited to the prototype DB5 used in the James Bond films, and was replaced by Silver Birch as the 'factory' DB5 colour.</p> <p>The car is on sale for the first time, with the lucky owner also receiving driving training from Formula One World Champion Jackie Stewart.</p> <p>Many of the proceeds from the sale benefitting the Sean Connery Philanthropy Fund, a charity supporting young people of Scotland.</p> <p>The auction for the car will take place on August 17th 2022. </p> <p><em>Image credits: drive.com</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Sean Penn travels to Ukraine to film war documentary

<p>Actor Sean Penn has travelled to Ukraine to film a documentary about the ongoing conflict with Russia. </p> <p>The 61-year-old met with the Ukrainian president after attending a government press briefing for part of a VICE documentary he is filming.  </p> <p>President Volodymyr Zelensky posted a video of his meeting with the actor on his Instagram, with the caption, "The more people know about the war in the Ukraine, the higher the likelihood of stopping Russia!"</p> <p>Sean Penn has been filming the documentary about escalating tensions in the area for several months, and recently returned to Kyiv, just days before Russian forces invaded the country. </p> <p>In a translated <a id="mol-f6a771f0-9594-11ec-bc71-19f2c1b2d56a" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/facebook/index.html">Facebook</a> post, the Ukrainian government said it was grateful for Penn being there, and was praised as being more courageous than Western leaders. </p> <p>"An American actor and filmmaker, Oscar winner Sean Penn arrived to Ukraine. The director specially came to Kyiv to record all the events that are currently happening in Ukraine and to tell the world the truth about Russia's invasion of our country."</p> <p>"Sean Penn is among those who support Ukraine in Ukraine today. Our country is grateful to him for such a show of courage and honesty."</p> <p>"He spoke to journalists, to our military, saw how we defend our country. Sean Penn demonstrates the courage that many others, especially western politicians lack."</p> <p>"The more such people, true friends of Ukraine, who support the fight for freedom, the sooner it will be possible to stop the massive attack on Russia," a statement on the Ukrainian government's Facebook page read. </p> <p>Sean Penn has recently been spotted in Kyiv having dinner with journalists, while thousands of people are fleeing the Ukrainian capital. </p> <p>Penn has been involved in several journalistic endeavours before, after taking part in a documentary of the aftermath of the earthquake that devastated Haiti in 2010.</p> <p>In 2016, the actor and director found himself caught up in the US investigation into fugitive drug lord El Chapo, after he made contact with him while working on a <em>Rolling Stone </em>article. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram</em></p>

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"I was not aware": Audrey Hepburn's son responds to casting choice

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">An upcoming biopic focusing on the life of Audrey Hepburn </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/rooney-mara-to-play-audrey-hepburn-in-new-biopic/" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">has revealed</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> who will bring the classic film star to life - and Hepburn's son has since weighed in on the decision.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The news broke that American actress Rooney Mara (</span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">) has made a deal to portray Hepburn in the future film from </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Call Me By Your Name </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">director Luca Guadagnino in early January, as Mara prepares for a role in Guilermo del Toro's </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Nightmare Alley</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sean Ferrer, Hepburn's son, told </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fox News</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> he had no idea about the upcoming project.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"I was not aware of the project," he told the outlet.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Rooney is a delight. Sounds like there is a lot of love there.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ferrer has spent much of his life keeping his mother’s legacy and memory alive since her passing in 1993 from cancer.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In 2020, Ferrer and his wife, Karin, wrote </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>Little Audrey’s Daydream</em>, </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">a children’s book that followed Hepburn’s rocky childhood in Holland during the war and her dreams of becoming a Hollywood star.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Speaking to </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fox News</span> <a rel="noopener" href="https://nypost.com/2022/01/10/audrey-hepburns-son-responds-to-rooney-maras-biopic-casting/" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">at the time</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, Ferrer said his favourite moment with his mother was “anytime I made her laugh”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It’s one of the greatest things you can take from any relationship if you can make someone laugh and give them that moment of sunshine,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“But there are many moments I think about.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I think about when she drove me to the airport and I left to do my first job. I was walking through security and when I turned around, there were tears coming down her face. As a parent and having been through it, I now understand.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“But I take great comfort in those moments when I simply made her laugh.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hepburn was known for her roles in </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Breakfast at Tiffany's</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">My Fair Lady</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Charade</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>,</em> and </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sabrina</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>,</em> and she received a Grammy award posthumously in 1994, making her the fifth person to receive an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony award.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though the plot of the new film is still </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://variety.com/2022/film/news/rooney-mara-audrey-hepburn-apple-luca-guadagnino-1235148712/" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">under wraps</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, Apple has backed the project, with </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>The Giver</em></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>’s</em> Michael Mitnick writing the script and Mara producing.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Images: Getty Images</span></em></p>

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Sean Penn's Aussie wife files for divorce after just one year

<p dir="ltr">Actor Sean Penn’s Australian wife has filed for divorce after just one year of marriage. Leila George, whose father is American actor Vincent D’Onofrio, married Penn in a Zoom wedding in July 2020. The actress filed for divorce in Los Angeles Superior Court on Friday.</p> <p dir="ltr">Penn told late night talk show host Seth Meyers that he and George, 29, tied the knot in an intimate ceremony attended only by Penn’s two children and George’s brother, with a county commissioner officiating over Zoom. Though the couple made their red carpet debut in 2016, a close friend told<span> </span><em>People<span> </span></em>that they had reunited early in 2020 after an on and off romance.</p> <p dir="ltr">"They got together and then they broke up, and Sean won her back," the source told<em><span> </span>People.<span> </span></em>"He realised he had made a mistake and when he felt he might lose her, he worked hard to get her back."</p> <p dir="ltr">This is the third time Penn, 61, has been divorced. He was previously married to Robin Wright from 1996 to 2010, and he shares two children with her: daughter Dylan, 29, and son Hopper Jack, 26. Prior to that, he was married to Madonna from 1985 to 1989.</p> <p dir="ltr">George, whose full name is Leila George D’Onofrio, is the American-Australian daughter of<span> </span><em>Law and Order: Criminal Intent<span> </span></em>actor Vincent D’Onofrio and Italian-Australian actress Greta Scacchi. She studied at the Sydney Film School and started out in Hollywood as a camera operator before trying her hand at acting. Since then, she’s appeared in several films, including Mortal Engines, The Long Home, and Mother, May I Sleep with Danger?</p> <p dir="ltr">In an interview with<span> </span><em>W Magazine,<span> </span></em>George said of her decision to pursue acting, "Growing up, I'd sit on my mum's sets or my dad's sets for hours and hours and not get bored.</p> <p dir="ltr">"That's always where I wanted to be."</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Kevin Winter/Getty Images</em></p>

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British comedian dies after long battle with cancer

<p>Legendary comedian Sean Lock has died at the age of 58 as many people around the world mourn his loss, stating he was an “influential” comedian for this generation.</p> <p>The celebrity was best known for his deadpan humour when he appeared on the British panel shows <em>8 Out Of 10 Cats</em> and <em>8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown</em>.</p> <p>Lock’s agent confirmed the father-of-three passed away after a long battle with cancer, surrounded by his family.</p> <p>A statement from Off The Kerb Productions said: “It is with great sadness that we have to announce the death of Sean Lock.</p> <p>“He died at home from cancer, surrounded by his family.</p> <p>“Sean was one of Britain’s finest comedians, his boundless creativity, lightning wit and the absurdist brilliance of his work, marked him out as a unique voice in British comedy.</p> <p>“Sean was also a cherished husband and father to three children. Sean will be sorely missed by all that knew him.</p> <p>“We kindly request that the privacy of his family and children is respected at this difficult time.”</p> <p><strong>Previous battle with cancer</strong></p> <p>In 1990, Lock was diagnosed with skin cancer while he worked as a labourer on a building site but it’s not clear if this was the type of cancer which returned.</p> <p>He went on to make a full recovery and has since worked with others to help raise awareness of the disease.</p> <p>Lock’s final public appearance was in December when he appeared in a video for the charity - Edible London.</p> <p><strong>Many tributes have flooded in</strong></p> <p>Tributes to Lock as a person - and to his prodigious talent - have started flooding in from the comedy world.</p> <p><em>8 Out Of 10 Cat</em>s host Jimmy Carr said: “Brutal news about Sean Lock today. I loved him. I’m watching clips of him right now – laughing &amp; crying. I’ll miss him so much.”</p> <p>Comedian Lee Mack, who was a close friend, paid tribute saying: “I’ve known this day was coming for some time, but it’s no less heartbreaking. A true original both in comedy and life. I will miss him so much.”</p> <p>More British personalities took to social media to pay tribute to him, including Ricky Gervais who posted on Twitter: ‘Such sad news. RIP the great Sean Lock. One of the funniest, most influential comedians of a generation. A lovely man.’</p> <p>Lock’s TV career began in 1993 when he starred alongside Rob Newman and David Baddiel on their signature show <em>Newman And Baddiel In Pieces.</em></p> <p>Lock was also praised for his live comedy and won the gong for best live stand-up at the British Comedy Awards in 2000.</p> <p>In 2005, the comic became a team captain on panel show<em> 8 Out Of 10 Cats</em> and went on to appear for 18 series.</p> <p><em>Photo: Getty Images</em></p>

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Sean Connery’s widow shares dying wish

<p>The widow of Sean Connery has revealed the actor's dying wish.</p> <p>Micheline Roquebrune informed the<em> <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/mailonsunday/index.html" target="_blank">Scottish Mail</a> </em>that before her beloved husband passed away, he had asked for his ashes to be scattered across his native Scotland and in the Bahamas, which is where he had lived after retiring. </p> <p>"He wanted his ashes to be scattered in the Bahamas and also in his homeland," she told the outlet.</p> <p>"Whenever it is possible and safe to travel again, then it is the family's intention to return to Scotland with him."</p> <p>Roquebrune, who was Connery's wife of 45 years, also shared that a memorial service for the legendary actor will take place in his birth country.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7838716/sean-connery.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/83c2e3779745449fad920b25140a76de" /></p> <p>Roquebrune is a French artist and also revealed that her late husband would be cremated at a private service in the Caribbean island at a later date.</p> <p>"We would like to organise a memorial service for him in Scotland -- that is our hope. But we cannot say when this will happen exactly," she said.</p> <p>On October 31 that Connery died peacefully in his sleep surrounded by family at his home in the Bahamas.</p> <p>He was 90 and it is believed that in his last years, he struggled with dementia.</p> <p>"It was no life for him," she told the <em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8901151/Sean-Connerys-widow-Micheline-reveals-final-moments-Bond-star-died-aged-90.html" target="_blank">Mail on Sunday</a> </em>following his death.</p> <p>"It took its toll on him. He was not able to express himself latterly. At least he died in his sleep and it was just so peaceful.</p> <p>“I was with him all the time and he just slipped away. It was what he wanted."</p> <p>Connery is survived by Roquebrune, whom he married in 1975; his son by ex-wife Diane Cilento, actor Jason Connery.</p> <p>He also has a grandson from Jason's marriage to actress Mia Sara.</p> <p>The Bond star was married to Australian actress Cilento from 1962. The couple divorced in 1973 and Cilento died in 2011.</p>

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Sean Connery: his five best Bond movies rated

<p>Obituaries for <a href="https://theconversation.com/sean-connery-bond-james-bond-but-so-much-more-149238">Sean Connery</a> all over the world remind us of what a versatile actor he was, starring in films as diverse as Alfred Hitchcock’s 1964 <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058329/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">Marnie</a> and Brian de Palma’s 1987 <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094226/">The Untouchables</a>. But it is the character of James Bond, <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/sean-connery-death-cause-james-bond-007-michael-caine-hated-b1478316.html">which he allegedly came to hate</a>, that film fans will inevitably associate with the rugged features of the Scottish actor who first played the role in Dr. No in 1962.</p> <p>Connery’s Bond embodied the postwar ideal of masculinity, a complex mix of old-fashioned charm and tough virility, loyalty to “Queen and Country”, and relaxed sexual mores. <a href="http://jamesbondmemes.blogspot.com/2012/04/women-want-to-be-with-him-men-want-to.html">Raymond Mortimer</a> wrote at the time, in his review of Fleming’s On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1963): “James Bond is what every man would like to be, and what every woman would like between her sheets.”</p> <p>Like his literary incarnation, the cinematic Bond launched by Connery caused disdain and thrilled audiences of both sexes in equal measures. Reviewing Goldfinger, film critic <a href="https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=oXxZAAAAMAAJ&amp;q=%E2%80%98The+constantly+lurking+viciousness,+and+the+glamorisation+of+violence+%E2%80%A6+the+carefully+timed+peaks+of+titillation+and+the+skilfully+contrived+sensationalism%E2%80%99&amp;dq=%E2%80%98The+constantly+lurking+viciousness,+and+the+glamorisation+of+violence+%E2%80%A6+the+carefully+timed+peaks+of+titillation+and+the+skilfully+contrived+sensationalism%E2%80%99&amp;hl=en&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=2ahUKEwieiu6wjOHsAhUlQUEAHey1C34Q6AEwAHoECAAQAg">Nina Hibbin</a> remained unimpressed by the Bond formula of “constantly lurking viciousness, and the glamorisation of violence … the carefully timed peaks of titillation and the skilfully contrived sensationalism”. Meantime, the late <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/apr/06/honor-blackman-obituary">Honor Blackman</a>, who played alongside him in <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058150/">Goldfinger</a>, described working with Connery as “<a href="https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=dbijDwAAQBAJ&amp;pg=PT13&amp;dq=romping+about+on+international+locations+with+the+sexiest+man+ever+seen+on+screen&amp;hl=en&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiBn_zsiuHsAhVVilwKHe6NAYQQ6AEwAHoECAYQAg#v=onepage&amp;q=romping%20about%20on%20international%20locations%20with%20the%20sexiest%20man%20ever%20seen%20on%20screen&amp;f=false">romping about on international locations with the sexiest man ever seen on screen</a>”.</p> <p>Connery’s Bond may get his Savile Row suit dirty, but he never loses his cool. Ruthless with his enemies, he’s not afraid of hurting many a female villain who threatens the success of his missions. He’s also, of course, an irresistible lover, able to seduce even those, like Pussy Galore, who claim “immunity” to his charms.</p> <p>But is there more to Connery’s Bond than backward machismo and dubious race politics? Here are my top five Connery Bond films, and why you may want to watch them again:</p> <p><strong>1. Goldfinger (Guy Hamilton, 1964)</strong></p> <p>A beautiful woman whose spectacular death, and gold-painted lifeless body – remains, for better or worse, one of the most iconic images in the history of the franchise. A squad of female pilots is led by the talented Pussy Galore, whose name is an ironic reference to her sexuality. <em>Goldfinger</em> is a criminal genius, whose plan to make the US gold reserves radioactive in order to increase the value of his own is nothing short of brilliant, and whose laser beam poses a literal threat to <a href="https://books.google.co.uk/books/about/The_James_Bond_Phenomenon.html?id=x9-1QY5boUsC&amp;printsec=frontcover&amp;source=kp_read_button&amp;redir_esc=y#v=onepage&amp;q=laser&amp;f=false">Bond’s virility</a>.</p> <p>A Korean henchman in a lethal bowler hat is a parody of the quintessential Englishness, which trilby-wearing Connery – a proud Scotsman – also “performs”. These manifestations of ambivalent gender and race politics, more recently picked up in Anthony Horowitz’s sequel Bond novel, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/may/28/new-james-bond-novel-trigger-mortis-pussy-galore-anthony-horowitz">Trigger Mortis</a>, make it, if anything, even more relevant to watch today.</p> <p><strong>2. Dr No (Terence Young, 1962)</strong></p> <p>Set in Ian Fleming’s beloved Jamaica, hints of Sinophobia lurk in the figure of Dr. No, whose Chinese ethnicity is conveyed through the Asian style of the clothes he wears. The first cinematic “Bond Girl” makes a memorable entrance wearing an equally memorable <a href="https://www.tatler.com/article/ursula-andress-dr-no-honey-ryder-bikini-auction-los-angeles">white bikini</a>. But the fact that Honey Ryder also wears a knife around her waist suggests that she’s more than eye-candy.</p> <p>We’re also told she has used a black widow spider to kill an abusive landlord in the past. Just like Dr. No threatens the authority of white British Bond, so Honey represents a challenge to the patriarchal order he represents. She is a new kind of woman, as <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2hC8Frhicg&amp;list=PLGiXHXUUO-jMHt4O8nAslNZ5UBHd_cZZ7&amp;index=10">Andress claims</a>, physically strong and ready to take part in the action.</p> <p><strong>3. From Russia with Love (Terence Young, 1963)</strong></p> <p>The romantic settings – Istanbul, the Orient Express train journey – and the beautiful co-star, Daniela Bianchi, who plays defecting Soviet spy Tania Romanova, may fool us into thinking that this may be a Cold War “Romeo and Juliet” love story. Tania is, however, less interested in Bond and more attracted to the other tempting luxuries of the West that he may help her achieve.</p> <p>The poisoned blade concealed in the toe of villain Rosa Klebb’s shoe, provides another unforgettable moment in the film franchise, and one that insinuates further doubts about Bond’s invulnerable masculinity. And while at the end of Fleming’s novel, Bond is left for dead, in the film, it is Tania’s quick thinking and good aim that saves his life.</p> <p><strong>4. Thunderball (Terence Young, 1965)</strong></p> <p>Still, according to <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/travisbean/2020/04/18/all-26-james-bond-films-ranked-at-the-box-office/">Forbes</a>, the highest grossing film of the franchise, <em>Thunderball</em> sees Bond in action in the Bahamas, a place which would remain close to Connery’s heart until his death in Nassau on October 31 2020.</p> <p>As the action unfolds around the beautiful island setting, and its treacherous coastline, Bond’s life is threatened by SPECTRE operative Emilio Largo (Adolfo Celi), and especially Fiona Volpe (Luciana Paluzzi), one of the many phenomenal female drivers in the film franchise – and a woman who is confident enough to ridicule his alleged sexual prowess. But it is the leading Bond Girl, Domino Derval (Claudine Auger), who, again, saves Bond’s life by shooting a harpoon at Largo.</p> <p><strong>5. You Only Live Twice (Lewis Gilbert, 1967)</strong></p> <p>We may raise an eyebrow at Bond’s dubious transformation into a Japanese man, the patriarchal attitudes towards women presented as traditional of Japan, not helped by the lukewarm performance by Mie Hama, who plays what has been described as “<a href="https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=auaECgAAQBAJ&amp;printsec=frontcover&amp;dq=lisa+funnel+lotus+blossom&amp;hl=en&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjHgOmKkOHsAhUJZcAKHf8ZAowQ6AEwAXoECAYQAg#v=onepage&amp;q=lotus&amp;f=false">servile Lotus Blossom</a>” Kissy Suzuki, but there is enough charisma between the other female roles in the film, Aki (Akiko Wakabayashi) and Helga Brandt (Karin Dor), to make up for Kissy’s submissiveness.</p> <p>Both die, the latter in a spectacularly sadistic execution in a piranha pool. But Helga also very nearly mutilates Bond with a surgical scalpel and chucks a lipstick bomb at him before parachuting herself out of the plane she has been flying. A “bombshell” she may be, but not on the terms set by the men who try to control her.</p> <p>Most of us will cringe, today, at the bottom-slapping, the “man-talk” and the colonial attitudes that we see in the early Bond movies. But Connery’s Bond is more nuanced than we think and his white British masculinity is rarely left unchallenged. He was a Bond for his time.</p> <p><em>Written by <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/monica-germana-415866">Monica Germanà</a>, University of Westminster. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/sean-connery-his-five-best-bond-movies-rated-149240">The Conversation.</a></em></p>

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"It was what he wanted": Sean Connery widow reflects on final moments

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> <p>Micheline Roquebrune, the grieving widow of movie legend Sir Sean Connery revealed that the star wanted to "slip away quietly" after a long battle with dementia.</p> <p>The pair were married for 45 years and Micheline took the time to reflect on her "wonderful life" with her husband who died in his sleep overnight.</p> <p>“It was no life for him. He was not able to express himself latterly,” Micheline told the <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8901151/Sean-Connerys-widow-Micheline-reveals-final-moments-Bond-star-died-aged-90.html" target="_blank" class="editor-rtflink"><em>Daily Mail</em></a>.</p> <p>She added: “At least he died in his sleep and it was just so peaceful. I was with him all the time and he just slipped away. It was what he wanted.”</p> <p>Micheline, 91, said that his condition had quickly deteriorated.</p> <p>“He had dementia and it took its toll on him. He got his final wish to slip away without any fuss.”</p> <p>She also reflected on life without the star, saying it was "going to be very hard without him".</p> <p>“He was gorgeous and we had a wonderful life together. He was a model of a man. It is going to be very hard without him, I know that. But it could not last for ever and he went peacefully.”</p> <p>The pair first met in 1970 at a golf tournament, with Micheline not knowing who he was initially.</p> <p>“I saw this man from the back, and of course, he had a fine physique” she told <em>The Sun</em> of the 6ft 2 actor.</p> <p>“But that first day I didn’t know who he was or anything about him.</p> <p>“Then I dreamed I saw this man. I was in his arms. And I thought ‘At last, peace’.</p> <p>“The next day I went back to the tournament and that was that!”.</p> <p>Their connection was so strong that the couple didn't even need to speak the same language.</p> <p>“Oh we had no problem communicating — body language!”</p> </div> </div> </div>

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Tributes pour in for the late Sir Sean Connery

<p><span>Legendary Scottish actor Sean Connery passed away in his sleep on the weekend, surrounded by loved ones, at age 90.</span><br /><br /><span>To honour his incredible life, countless celebrities have come forward and paid tribute to the late <em>James Bond</em> actor.</span><br /><br /><span>Daniel Craig has hailed the British star as “one of the true greats of cinema”, adding he hopes that “wherever he is there’s a golf course.”</span><br /><br /><span>Craig is due to appear as Bond for the final time in the delayed No Time To Die, shared a tribute via the official Bond Twitter account.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7838550/sean-connery-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/5b8769ff6af044a5804ae601ef3d58bd" /><br /><span>“It is with such sadness that I heard of the passing of one of the true greats of cinema,” the 52-year-old said.</span><br /><br /><span>“Sir Sean Connery will be remembered as Bond and so much more. He defined an era and a style.</span><br /><br /><span>“The wit and charm he portrayed on screen could be measured in mega watts; he helped create the modern blockbuster. He will continue to influence actors and filmmakers alike for years to come.</span><br /><br /><span>“My thoughts are with his family and loved ones. Wherever he is, I hope there is a golf course.”</span><br /><br /><span>Producers of James Bond said they are “devastated” by his death.</span><br /><br /><span>Others declared they wanted to honour “the world’s greatest Scot, the last of the real Hollywood stars, the definitive Bond.”</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7838549/sean-connery-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/4f4a0e2ab5b94e258c51cd6cbbab79d0" /><br /><br /><span>Barbara Broccoli - the daughter of original Bond producer Albert R “Cubby” Broccoli - and Michael G Wilson released a statement: “We are devastated.</span><br /><br /><span>“He was and shall always be remembered as the original James Bond whose indelible entrance into cinema history began when he announced those unforgettable words - ‘The name’s Bond... James Bond’ - he revolutionised the world with his gritty and witty portrayal of the sexy and charismatic secret agent.</span><br /><br /><span>“He is undoubtedly largely responsible for the success of the film series and we shall be forever grateful to him.”</span><br /><br /><span>Alex Salmond, the very first minister of Scotland, took to Twitter to write: “The world’s greatest Scot, the last of the real Hollywood stars, the definitive Bond.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7838548/sean-connery-3.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/9489179abb7d47049525da67c0b0b1c7" /><br /><br /><span>“Sean Connery was all of these things but much more. He was also a staunch patriot, a deep thinker and outstanding human being.”</span><br /><br /><span>Nicola Sturgeon, current first minister of Scotland, wrote: “Our nation today mourns one of her best loved sons”.</span><br /><br /><span>“It was a privilege to have known Sean. When I last spoke to him it was clear even then that his health was failing - but the voice, the spirit and the passion that we all loved so well were still there. I will miss him. Scotland will miss him. The world will miss him.”</span><br /><br /><span>Hollywood actor Hugh Jackman wrote on Twitter: “I grew up idolising #SeanConnery. A legend on screen, and off. Rest In Peace.”</span><br /><br /><span>British rock star Sir Elton John labelled Connery “a true screen legend”.</span><br /><br /><span>Hollywood’s Arnold Schwarzenegger said the Scot “was a legend, one of the greatest actors of all time.”</span><br /><br /><span>“He provided endless entertainment for all of us &amp; inspiration for me. I’m not just saying that because he was a bodybuilder who placed in the Mr. Universe contest! He was an icon.”</span></p>

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James Bond's glorious French chateau up for sale

<p>Sir Sean Connery is selling his glorious French chateau for a whopping $33.87 million.</p> <p>One of the big screen’s most iconic 007 British naval intelligence officers in the <em>James Bond</em> movie franchise, Connery bought the home in 1975, and with glorious views overlooking the city of Nice and Mediterranean sea, it’s not hard to see why he has held on to it for so long.</p> <p>The gorgeous home sits atop a  hill on the Cap de Nice and was used in several scenes of the Bond-movie Never Say Never Again that was filmed in Nice and nearby Monaco.</p> <p>By the time Connery actually into the French chateau, the actor had already achieved wealth in the hundreds of millions and was turning away movie contracts that would have paid him as much as US$450 million for one film.</p> <p>The property spans over one acre and features incredible landscaped terraces that have winding paths to the sea, bright green strips of lawn and a luxurious saltwater pool.</p> <p>The house is built on five levels with an elevator and rooftop terrace, with five bedrooms and baths are distributed between all the floors.</p> <p>The entrance itself is a wonder with floor-to-ceiling windows capturing more views of Nice, mountain and sea.</p> <p>Wrap-around and garden terraces invite lounging, sunset cocktails and dining under the stars.</p> <p>The actor’s home also has insanely beautiful details such as wide-planked parquet floors run throughout the building.</p> <p>Images:<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="http://www.knightfrank.com/" target="_blank">www.knightfrank.com</a></p>

Real Estate

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The major role Russell Crowe turned down that would have made him $100 million

<p>Russell Crowe has revealed why he turned down a role in <em>The Lord of the Rings</em><span> </span>film series.</p> <p>The actor was offered 10 per cent of the film’s profits instead of an upfront fee to play Aragorn in the blockbuster trilogy.</p> <p>However, Crowe said he passed on the role because he believed Peter Jackson, the director of the film series, did not want him in the cast.</p> <p>“I think he was forced into talking to me [by the studio] because there was a moment in time where everybody wanted me in every [movie],” Crowe told Howard Stern in a <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.howardstern.com/show/2019/6/18/russell-crowe-making-gladiator-turning-down-lord-rings-and-buying-dinosaur-head-leonardo-dicaprio/" target="_blank">new interview</a>.</p> <p>The Oscar winning <em>Gladiator</em> star said when speaking to Jackson in a phone call, he could tell that the director was not familiar with his work. </p> <p>“And he's a fellow New Zealander, so I can hear his voice … My instinct was that he had somebody else in mind.</p> <p>“He should be allowed to hire the actor that he wants.”</p> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KzYGjni_x-w"></iframe></div> <p>The role ended up going to Viggo Mortensen. Other actors who reportedly passed on playing Aragorn include Nicolas Cage and Daniel Day-Lewis.</p> <p>According to Stern, Crowe would have raked in about US$100 million if he had agreed to appear in the first movie.</p> <p>Crowe is not the only actor who missed out on a huge payday from the fantasy series. Sean Connery, who passed on the role of Gandalf, was <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/sean-connery-would-have-earned-how-much-if-hed-played-gandalf" target="_blank">reportedly</a> offered US$10 million per film in addition to 15 per cent of the profits, which could have earned him around US$450 million.</p> <p>The <em>Lord of the Rings</em> trilogy earned a total of US$2.91 billion in global ticket sales.</p>

Movies

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Exciting news for Erin Molan

<p>Erin Molan is best known as a presenter and sports journalist for the Nine Network, but the 35-year-old is about to take on an exciting new role – motherhood. The TV star announced she is expecting her first baby with fiancé Sean Ogilvy on 9 News on Friday evening.</p> <p>“Sean and I are very blessed and very excited to announce, I guess, that we are having a child, which is slightly terrifying but beautiful news,” she told newsreader (and <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/tv/2017/11/karl-stefanovic-new-co-shot-at-today-finally-announced/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">new <em>Today </em>co-host</span></strong></a>) Georgie Gardner, who shared a snap of the pair on Instagram to celebrate the happy news.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media"> <div style="padding: 8px;"> <div style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 0; margin-top: 40px; padding: 50.0% 0; text-align: center; width: 100%;"> <div style="background: url(data:image/png; base64,ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaacwaaaascamaaaapwqozaaaabgdbtueaalgpc/xhbqaaaafzukdcak7ohokaaaamuexurczmzpf399fx1+bm5mzy9amaaadisurbvdjlvzxbesmgces5/p8/t9furvcrmu73jwlzosgsiizurcjo/ad+eqjjb4hv8bft+idpqocx1wjosbfhh2xssxeiyn3uli/6mnree07uiwjev8ueowds88ly97kqytlijkktuybbruayvh5wohixmpi5we58ek028czwyuqdlkpg1bkb4nnm+veanfhqn1k4+gpt6ugqcvu2h2ovuif/gwufyy8owepdyzsa3avcqpvovvzzz2vtnn2wu8qzvjddeto90gsy9mvlqtgysy231mxry6i2ggqjrty0l8fxcxfcbbhwrsyyaaaaaelftksuqmcc); display: block; height: 44px; margin: 0 auto -44px; position: relative; top: -22px; width: 44px;"></div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BcJu-bph2zt/" target="_blank">A post shared by Georgie Gardner (@georgiegardner9)</a> on Nov 30, 2017 at 11:58pm PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>“Hugest of congratulations to the fabulous Erin Molan who’s having a baby!” she captioned the photo. “Woohoo!”</p> <p>The announcement comes seven months after Molan confirmed during an episode of <span>The Footy Show </span>that she and her policeman partner were to be married.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media"> <div style="padding: 8px;"> <div style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 0; margin-top: 40px; padding: 50.0% 0; text-align: center; width: 100%;"> <div style="background: url(data:image/png; base64,ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaacwaaaascamaaaapwqozaaaabgdbtueaalgpc/xhbqaaaafzukdcak7ohokaaaamuexurczmzpf399fx1+bm5mzy9amaaadisurbvdjlvzxbesmgces5/p8/t9furvcrmu73jwlzosgsiizurcjo/ad+eqjjb4hv8bft+idpqocx1wjosbfhh2xssxeiyn3uli/6mnree07uiwjev8ueowds88ly97kqytlijkktuybbruayvh5wohixmpi5we58ek028czwyuqdlkpg1bkb4nnm+veanfhqn1k4+gpt6ugqcvu2h2ovuif/gwufyy8owepdyzsa3avcqpvovvzzz2vtnn2wu8qzvjddeto90gsy9mvlqtgysy231mxry6i2ggqjrty0l8fxcxfcbbhwrsyyaaaaaelftksuqmcc); display: block; height: 44px; margin: 0 auto -44px; position: relative; top: -22px; width: 44px;"></div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BSivz4tFf_N/" target="_blank">A post shared by Erin Molan (@erin_molan)</a> on Apr 6, 2017 at 4:53am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>“It was really, really lovely, I’m the luckiest girl on the world,” she said, joking that she’s “just really excited that now I can just let myself go. I don't have to try anymore, I’m not shaving my legs.”</p> <p>Congratulations to the happy couple!</p> <p><em>Image credit: Erin Molan/Instagram.</em></p>

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