Lifestyle
Rupert Grint of ‘Harry Potter’ Gets His Own Glasses
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Rupert Grint lined his left eye together with his hand and tried to learn the highest few traces. “E, D, F, C, E, F,” he stated slowly.
“Shut!” stated Marilyn Blumengold, a gross sales affiliate at Moscot, the eyewear store on the Decrease East Aspect.
This was on a latest snowy afternoon. Mr. Grint, at the moment taking pictures the fourth season of the Apple TV+ horror drama “Servant,” had pushed in for the weekend from his momentary residence in Philadelphia to absorb the sights and perhaps even have his eyes checked. He had observed a blur in the proper one, he stated.
However Moscot, which has been in enterprise for greater than 100 years, didn’t have an optometrist on-site on Sundays, so Mr. Grint, 33, improvised his personal check, standing about 20 toes away from an eye fixed chart in the back of the shop.
“Virtually 20/20,” Ms. Blumengold stated encouragingly.
Glad for the second, Mr. Grint turned his consideration to selecting an eyeglass body, shifting by way of the shop shyly, unassumingly, by no means asking for assist, but additionally by no means declining it.
“I’m a really non-public particular person, an introvert,” he stated. He slouched by way of the shop in a black Issey Miyake go well with {that a} stylist had picked out for the outing. “Unusual pajamas,” he referred to as them. “Surprisingly, I feel they give the impression of being good.” His pink hair flopped excessive of some frames.
Mr. Grint appeared overwhelmed. “There’s simply a lot alternative,” he stated, as he surveyed the rows of show circumstances. He stated it twice. “It’s fairly ‘Harry Potter,’” he added with none prompting. “Like selecting a wand.”
Mr. Grint ought to know. He starred as Ron Weasley in all eight “Harry Potter” movies. (Ron’s wand? Willow. With a core of unicorn hair.) Ms. Blumengold could or could not have recognized that — at one level she steered him towards a pair of spherical black glasses, a $300 mannequin referred to as the Zolman, which appeared very Harry-esque.
“No,” Mr. Grint stated politely.
When the “Harry Potter” movies ended, Mr. Grint was nervous that he could not make it as an grownup actor. He knew learn how to play Ron, Harry’s courageous, anxious sidekick. He didn’t know if he might play anybody else. “I undoubtedly did suppose, ‘Is it too late to select one thing else?’” he stated.
He purchased a pink-and-white ice cream van, which he drove again to his household residence simply north of London on his final day of taking pictures. He thought briefly that he might make a go of that.
However after taking a 12 months off, he tried appearing once more. He had been despatched a whole lot of “Potter” adjoining materials — extra sidekicks — however he held on for edgier, extra severe, extra grownup work. He took an element in a Jez Butterworth play, having fun with the self-discipline of theater, and starred within the Crackle crime dramedy “Snatch.”
His most important post-“Potter” position has been in M. Night time Shyamalan’s “Servant,” a creepy drama on Apple TV+ a few Philadelphia couple who rent a nanny to take care of a child that’s really a remedy doll. (The true child had died in an accident.) Mr. Grint performs Julian, the child’s supercilious uncle. “It’s fairly a troublesome topic, particularly for those who’ve obtained a child,” he stated.
Midway by way of the collection, within the spring of 2020, his companion, the actress Georgia Groome, gave start to their daughter, Wednesday G. Grint. “Having a baby halfway by way of undoubtedly made me perceive what a loss that will be,” he stated.
Wednesday had made him right into a little bit of a hypochondriac, he added. (Engaged on a present during which horrible issues occur to our bodies in almost each episode — self-harm, self-flagellation, being buried alive — most likely hasn’t helped.)
“That’s why I needed to have an eye fixed check,” he stated. “I’m slowly changing into extra conscious that there’s plenty of shifting elements within the physique.”
This season’s finale airs on March 25, however Mr. Grint has already begun filming the present’s fourth and last season. And, no, he has no concept what the twist can be. “It’s fairly a thrill to work that means.” (It have to be. He has signed on for Mr. Shyamalan’s subsequent movie, “Knock on the Cabin.”)
Ms. Blumengold began him off with a traditional Moscot mannequin, the Lemtosh, a brown acetate oval body with a slight Fifties vibe. Most of the frames have Yiddish names, although “Lemtosh” simply feels like one. Mr. Grint appeared confused as he squinted at himself within the mirror. “It adjustments your look,” he stated. “It adjustments your character.” Into what, he wasn’t certain. However he felt that he might already see a bit higher.
“Very good,” Ms. Blumengold stated. “Very good-looking.”
Then he tried on a dozen extra acetate frames, toggling between rounder fashions together with the Genug (Yiddish for “sufficient”) and Frankie, and rectangular ones like Kitzel (“tickle”) and Shindig, a retro unisex mannequin. Most value round $300.
“I do wrestle with making selections,” he stated. “It’s fairly a duty, selecting.”
After 40 minutes, he settled on the Yukel (“buffoon”) a clubmaster model with a thick tortoiseshell browline and a thinner gunmetal backside.
Ms. Blumengold created a buyer profile and added it to his file, in case he does find yourself needing eyeglasses. He might at all times name in his eye check outcomes and have the glasses made.
However Mr. Grint didn’t wish to go away empty-handed, so he set his sights on the sun shades. After flirting with the Boychik (a time period of endearment for just a little boy), he turned again to the Lemtosh, this one in brown acetate frames and darkish brown lens. In spite of everything, Mr. Grint is now a person.
As he waited for Ms. Blumengold to field the glasses up, he popped outdoors for a fast vape hit. When he returned, she handed him a chamois material to wash them with. “That is your final Yiddish phrase for the day,” she stated. “‘Shmatte,’ a rag.”
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Lifestyle
Yes, chef: 'The Bear' has a lot going on in its third season : Pop Culture Happy Hour
![Yes, chef: 'The Bear' has a lot going on in its third season : Pop Culture Happy Hour](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2024/07/01/bear-e302_06_24_06.still003_wide-3843f32636f8864faa933351f42e2d317549a544.jpg?s=1400&c=100&f=jpeg)
Jeremy Allen White in The Bear.
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FX/Hulu
Jeremy Allen White in The Bear.
FX/Hulu
The Bear just returned for its third season and it’s still one of the most stressful and most interesting shows on TV. Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) and Sydney (Ayo Edebiri) are launching their new fine dining restaurant, but he’s estranged from some of the people who are closest to him just as he sneaks up on a new level of success. The series is streaming now on Hulu.
Lifestyle
Pat Tillman Award Recipients Say Prince Harry Deserves the Honor
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Prince Harry has key figures in his corner amid the outrage over ESPN’s decision to honor him with the Pat Tillman Award for Service — at least 2 former winners say Harry is definitely deserving.
Jake Wood, a U.S. Marine and former college football player who won the award in 2018, tells TMZ … the Duke of Sussex is a natural fit for the Tillman honor because of Harry’s military service and his dedication to veterans.
Jake feels Prince Harry is a good choice because he’s dedicated his life to serving and supporting the military and veterans — Harry served 2 tours in Afghanistan — and that should be commended because there are hundreds of different ways a British royal could live his life.
Remember, Pat’s mom, Mary Tillman, set off the controversy when she slammed ESPN for its plan to give the award named after her son to “a controversial and divisive individual” at this month’s ESPY Awards ceremony.
Even ESPN personality Pat McAfee is publicly supporting Mary’s viewpoint, claiming his network is purposely trying to create a controversy … allegedly for better TV ratings.
Another previous winner, U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Israel Del Toro Jr., received the Tillman award in 2017, and totally disagrees with McAfee and Mary Tillman.
He says Harry’s work with wounded and injured veterans makes him a worthy recipient, and for what it’s worth … he’s looking forward to watching Harry follow in his footsteps.
That’s ESPN’s take too, as it insists Harry was chosen specifically because of his work as the founder of The Invictus Games for wounded and injured vets. Harry’s foundation is celebrating 10 years of service.
The notion ESPN selected Harry purely for publicity doesn’t make sense to Jake, who points out … the ESPYs and ESPN aren’t hurting for celebs and the ceremony is always chock-full of famous athletes.
Of course, Harry’s the first celeb to win the Pat Tillman Award for Service — in the past, it’s been reserved for unsung heroes, but Jake says Harry’s military background makes him unlike most celebs.
While Jake’s defending Harry here, don’t get it twisted … he says Pat’s mother has every right to defend her son’s legacy however she sees fit, and, obviously, he does not speak for the Tillman family.
Likewise, Israel has sympathy for Mary, but says the award boils down to service … and, for him at least, Prince Harry more than checks that box.
Lifestyle
Why 'A Family Affair' works so well as a Netflix romcom
![Why 'A Family Affair' works so well as a Netflix romcom](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/4836x2719+511+219/resize/1400/quality/100/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fa2%2F5e%2F6ab9582944b2b985a4877bfb6f4c%2Fafa-20240301-10861r.jpg)
Nicole Kidman as Brooke Harwood and Zac Efron as Chris Cole in A Family Affair.
Aaron Epstein/Netflix
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About seven minutes into the new Netflix romantic comedy A Family Affair, Zac Efron, playing a conceited, not-too-bright movie star who’s just broken up with his girlfriend, is whining to his assistant (played by Joey King) that she needs to pick up his stuff from the ex-girlfriend’s place. He left treasured items there, he explains. He left his autographed Jordans! He left his Himalayan t-shirt! And then he says, gravely, as if it shows the urgency of the mission, “I left my copy of The Courage to be Disliked.” And I said, in my living room, “Ha!”
The Courage to be Disliked is a real book. It doesn’t actually endorse the practice of being a jerk; it’s more nuanced than that. But this character, without a pinch of self-awareness, bemoaning the disappearance of a book called The Courage to be Disliked? That’s a very solid joke, very solidly delivered by Efron. He follows it up with, “I have several underwears there. And people sell those.”
![Clockwise from top left: Industry, My Lady Jane, The Bear, The Umbrella Academy, Clipped and House of the Dragon](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/1351x1350+101+0/resize/100/quality/100/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fc5%2Fbe%2Fdd41899f4cdc8741c6f8af081988%2F6-images-1.jpg)
Eventually, the movie star, whose name is Chris, has one too many fights with the assistant, whose name is Zara, and he has to go find her to make amends. But when he goes to her house, he finds her mother, Brooke (Nicole Kidman), a beautiful widowed author who lives in the kind of gorgeous and classy house that starred in most of the best Nancy Meyers movies. (It’s sharply different from Chris’ house, which is equally fancy but also ugly and impractical, as seen in an effective little bit about his absurd front door.) Brooke and Chris start drinking tequila, they hit it off, and Zara, who lives at home and observes few boundaries with her mom, eventually walks in on them upstairs in Brooke’s bedroom.
Zara’s dismay over her mother’s relationship with Chris is not about the age difference (which goes mostly undiscussed), but about the fact that she’s seen Chris go through his girlfriend-dumping routine enough times to fear that her mother might get hurt. What follows in the script from Carrie Solomon is one part romance between Chris and Brooke, one part ongoing clash between Chris and Zara, and one part mother-daughter story about Zara and Brooke. And honestly, in this film from director Richard LaGravenese, it all works pretty well!
![Joey King as Zara Ford and Zac Efron as Chris Cole in A Family Affair.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/3936x2624+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fc4%2F7b%2F09f7e2054fdab01d873b57ae0db0%2Fafa-20220907-02637r.jpg)
Joey King as Zara Ford and Zac Efron as Chris Cole in A Family Affair.
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Tina Rowden/Netflix
Some of this — particularly an older woman getting involved with a younger male celebrity — may call to mind the recent movie The Idea of You, in which Anne Hathaway fell for a boy band member played by Nicholas Galitzine. I didn’t care for that movie at all, in part because it wasn’t funny enough, in part because the romance was unconvincing, and in part because the ending lacked emotional resonance. (It was based on a book with a completely different ending, and it turns out you can’t just take a carefully built story and flip the ending on its head and have the result make sense.) That book wasn’t written to be a romcom, but was adapted and wedged into the romcom box. This, on the other hand, is meant to be one — and it shows.
Efron is a much more successful, charismatic, and (especially) funny lead than Galitzine (whom I’d liked in Red, White & Royal Blue) opposite Hathaway in The Idea of You. And it’s refreshing to see Kidman happily making out with somebody, at least temporarily making her way out of the haunted-sad-person rut she’s been in for the past few years. Chris’ relationship with Brooke feels real and brings out nice things in them both, beginning when she explains the Icarus myth so he can understand its connections to his movie franchise, Icarus Rush, which she’s never seen. He certainly seems like a dope at first (“I’m Australian.” “Oh, do you know Margot Robbie?” “…No.” “I do.”), but as he gets comfortable, he grows on Brooke, in addition to being, you know, very hot.
All the way back in 2012, I wrote that Efron was making an interesting play to follow in the footsteps of somebody like Ryan Gosling. (At that time, in his mid-twenties, Efron was appearing in a Nicholas Sparks film.) Gosling was also once a Disney kid, and he managed to grow into a very good dramatic actor, a very good comic actor, and a very swoony romantic lead. Efron doesn’t have the Oscar nominations just yet, but he was excellent in a pure dramatic role in The Iron Claw in 2023, and he’s funny enough here as the willfully goofy hunk that he might have been a pretty terrific Ken if Gosling hadn’t been available — or a good Fall Guy.
![Romantic Comedy Guide: Irish Wish, Anyone But You, Upgraded](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2024/03/18/iw_20221004_unit_11149_r.jpg-iw_20221004_unit_11149_r_sq-ef2129b39827ac9e68403bc6b214a470984302b2.jpg?s=100&c=100&f=jpeg)
King is an established Netflix romcom lead herself, but she does a very nice job here, too. Besides the romance, particularly welcome is the strand of the story about Zara figuring out that the world is not all about her, even in her relationship with her mother. In a scene with her grandmother, played (skillfully as ever) by Kathy Bates, Zara starts to figure out what we all eventually must: Your parents are not only your parents, they are also human beings with lives and thoughts and wants that have nothing to do with you. She has a truth-telling moment with her best friend (Liza Koshy), too, about her problems not lying at the center of the universe, which gives the whole last act a very nice “What if somebody had forcefully told Rory Gilmore to get over herself?” quality.
Nicole Kidman as Brooke Harwood in A Family Affair.
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Tina Rowden/Netflix
It’s too early to declare some golden age of streaming romcoms, because the ones we get are still wildly uneven, and because on cable, it’s not as if they ever went away. But there’s some star power here, and some budget, and some writing and directing, that suggests interest in the genre is picking up steam and getting good results.
![Clockwise from top left: Inside Out 2, Thelma, Twisters, Hit Man, Fancy Dance and Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/663x662+1681+688/resize/100/quality/100/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Feb%2Fd5%2F9c7769a34e72a85a70e98fa6bb96%2F6-images-2.jpg)
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