Latest news with #20thCenturyFox
Pink Villa
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Why Did Bruce Springsteen Avoid Set Visits of His Biopic Starring Jeremy Allen White? Musician Reveals
Bruce Springsteen's life is set to open in theaters, with Jeremy Allen White playing the role of the musician in Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere. Following the trailer of the upcoming film being dropped on the streaming platform by 20th Century Fox, Springsteen opened up about having the most painful days of his life being included in the film. The musician sat down for an interview with Rolling Stone, where he also praised The Bear star, calling him very tolerant of him. Springsteen's upcoming biopic will revolve around the making of his hit 1982 album Nebraska. The record went on to become one of the musician's most enduring works. Bruce Springsteen talks about his upcoming biopic In conversation with the media portal, Springsteen shared that he avoided visiting the sets when the cast members were shooting some 'deeply personal' scenes. The musician went on to reveal, 'I'm sure it's much worse for the actor than for me.' He further said, 'Jeremy Allen White was very, very tolerant of me the days that I would appear on the set.' Springsteen further revealed that he told Allen White, 'Look, anytime I'm in the way, just give me the look and I'm on my way home.' The Dancing in the Dark crooner continued to add, 'The days that I got out there, he was wonderfully tolerant with me being there. And it was just fun. It was enjoyable.' Moreover, the veteran artist shared that he had some unusualness on the sets, as the film 'involves, in some ways, some of the most painful days of my life.' Bruce also revealed that he would stay at home on the days that had some deeply personal scenes coming up. He claimed that he wanted the actors to feel free. The movie Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere is directed by Scott Cooper and will hit theaters on October 24.
Irish Times
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
The Hollywood billionaire who smuggled a stray dog from Ireland and cloned her five times
For more than half a century, Barry Diller was one of the most feared men in Hollywood. When he ran 20th Century Fox, he once got so frustrated at an employee, he hurled a video tape at a wall. (The employee put a frame around the hole.) The American billionaire media executive, who has also headed up Paramount, IAC and Expedia, has won contentious lawsuits against competitors and close friends alike. Even his friend Oprah Winfrey said she was afraid to meet Diller the first time they had dinner. But with the publication of his new memoir, Who Knew, the world has learned that the gruff, terse, domineering Diller has a softer side. In the book, the 83-year-old mogul came out as gay, but also writes vividly about his love for his wife, the famed fashion designer Diane von Fürstenberg – 'the miracle of my life' – whom he married in 2001, and her children and grandchildren. Diller calls them his family. He, who had distant parents and an abusive, heroin-addicted brother, also has several passages in the book describing how he cried at tough moments, both personal and professional. Nothing, however, makes Diller turn to mush like talking about his beloved late dog, Shannon, and her five cloned 'daughters' (though technically they're closer to replicas). READ MORE 'They're all little Irish girls,' Diller gushes. The billionaire hates talking about himself, but he is happy to talk to The Irish Times about Shannon and her clones – which are objects of fascination in Hollywood. 'How can you even describe what you love?' Diller says about Shannon, his late Jack Russell terrier, when asked to explain why he was so infatuated with her. 'She was a super dog. She was just the loveliest, most adventurous – she was a wondrous little animal.' Barry Diller's dogs Shannon and Evita when they met in 2013 Diller first saw Shannon when he was on holidays in Ireland in 1999. He cannot recall the town's name, but says it was 'south of Shannon, about 30 minutes by helicopter'. After having lunch in a small restaurant, he exited and saw his future pup on the street. She began following him around. He inquired about her owner and was told she belonged to a waitress. But when he saw the dog at another restaurant down the road the following day, he inquired again and was told the nameless puppy had no owner. 'I scooped her up,' says Diller. He was flying out that day. In an instant, the dog went from lonely and homeless in rural Ireland to a cosseted traveller on a private jet with a life most people can only dream of. En route back to the United States, they had a layover in Shannon Airport, and the puppy was nameless no more. He jokes that he told Shannon to hide in the back of the jet until they cleared customs. 'She made it to New York as an undocumented immigrant,' says Diller. They lived together at the von Dillers' Beverly Hills mansion until her death in 2014. It was a canine Cinderella story. Barry Diller with his dog. Photograph: Diane von Furstenburg Instagram The year before she died, some of Shannon's tissue was biopsied and shipped to a biotech company in South Korea. Upon arriving it was injected into an enucleated egg from a canine surrogate donor, thus becoming a cloned embryo, which was then inserted back into the surrogate. Six months later, the first clones were born, and delivered back to Diller in the United States. First came Dina (a play on DNA) and Evita, then Tess in 2016, Luna in 2021 and Bossie and Birdie in 2024. Diller says they all have the 'ethos' of Shannon, and that their personalities are only 'very slightly different'. Diller took Dina back to Ireland to 'explore her roots'. She lived a full life, living between Beverly Hills, their compound in Connecticut, the Carlyle Hotel in New York's Upper East Side, and their Art Deco yacht Eos. But she met an unfortunate end while in Costa Rica, hiking with Diller and von Fürstenberg. She was eaten by a crocodile. 'A country I'll never return to,' says Diller bitterly. Diane Von Furstenberg and Barry Diller arrive on the carpet for the 2023 Met Gala. Photograph: EPA Diller was early to the animal cloning game, even among those who can afford the six-figure-per-clone price tag. Barbra Streisand cloned her Coton de Tulear in 2017, but chose a cheaper cloning service. Celebrities from Simon Cowell to Paris Hilton have publicly mused about doing the same with their own canine companions. Does Diller consider himself a trendsetter? 'We've given endless, endless details to people about our cloning experience, when they ask about it,' he says. It has been said that von Fürstenberg murmurs to friends that she is sure Diller will clone her, too. He writes in his memoir that she is the only woman he has ever loved. Does he plan on creating a carbon-copy wife to match his carbon-copy dogs? 'Of course,' he says, laughing.
Rhyl Journal
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Rhyl Journal
Family pay tribute to bubbly hospital radio volunteer Brenda
Brenda Jones (née Pink) died at Glan Clwyd Hospital, aged 91, on March 23 after a short illness. Brenda, of Rhyl, was married to the late Joseph (Joe) Jones, who died in May 2024. The couple had three children: Stephen, Leslie, and Caroline. Brenda with husband Joe (Image: Submitted by family) Brenda, a cherished granny to Jazmin, Tabitha, Sophie, and Saffron, was one of identical twins, alongside her sister Elsie. The sisters were born into a showbiz family. Their father, Stanley Wilson Pink, worked for 20th Century Fox in Manchester as a film distributor, organising film premieres for cinemas and meeting many film stars of the day - including Shirley Temple, Jimmy Clitheroe, and Frankie Howerd. Brenda and Elsie collected autographs from the celebrities they met through their father. Sadly, Stanley passed away from cancer at a young age, and the family moved to Prestatyn. Brenda and Joe married in 1954 and moved to Wrexham, where Joe worked. Joe worked for Midland Bank, and Brenda worked for Monsanto. After their first two children were born, the family moved to Rhyl where Brenda and Joe ran a newsagents on Vale Road for five years called J&B's. Singer and cruise star Jane McDonald with Brenda (Image: Submitted by family) When Caroline was born, the couple left the shop. Joe went on to work for the local council, while Brenda began working at Rhyl Sports Centre - first in the café, then the ticket office, and eventually as PA to the centre manager, before retiring. Brenda began volunteering at Glan Clwyd Radio in June 2000 and quickly became a beloved part of the radio family. Leslie said: "After joining the committee and then later on, as press officer, she had her own show every Wednesday morning playing some of her favourite music from show, stage and screen for patients and staff in the hospital. She was a big fan of stage shows such as Phantom of the Opera, The Sound of Music and Mamma Mia. She used to get press invitations to see shows at both Rhyl Pavilion and Venue Cymru Llandudno including the annual Christmas pantomimes and UK touring companies. She reviewed these and helped promote them for the theatres. "She would often invite celebrities, actors and singers who would be performing in the various shows and pantomimes onto her radio show. She was very experienced at interviewing and getting them involved in the show. "She also invited local MP's and councillors to guest on her show asking them to pick their favourite pieces of music to play." Brenda also ran regular competitions to win theatre tickets and hosted ward bingo nights and quizzes for the benefit of patients. Brenda, Jane McDonald and Brenda's daughter Caroline (Image: Submitted by family) "She would often be in attendance along with Tony Mannix and other radio presenters at outside broadcasts in the Radio Glan Clwyd van playing music and compering at many local events such as the May Day parades, local car shows and summer fayres," Leslie said. She was recognised three times for her contribution to the community through her work with Glan Clwyd Hospital Radio. RELATED NEWS "In 2011, mum was nominated to go the Queen's Garden Party at the Palace," Leslie said. "Caroline accompanied her and they both had a fabulous day. "In 2018, Caroline nominated mum for a show called 'Jane and friends'. "Jane McDonald was mum's favourite singer. She surprised mum at the studio, needless to say there were tears, but they both had a fantastic morning on the 'Brenda and Jane show' and then appearing on the Channel 5 television show afterwards." MORE NEWS In 2023, Brenda was made a Patron of Glan Clwyd Radio in recognition of her 23 years of volunteering and fundraising at a celebration party organised by her colleagues at the station. Speaking about her personality, Leslie said: "Mum was always smiling, had a great sense of fun, and a bubbly personality. She gave so much of herself to her family and community. "She was a remarkably selfless lady who leaves behind so many wonderful memories for all who knew her." Brenda loved meeting stars of stage and screen whenever she had the chance. Her musician son, Steven (Steve), who composed and performed for various shows over the years, always tried to involve Brenda and Joe in the social side of his work. Leslie said: "Through pantos in Rhyl, Carlisle and New Brighton, mum met so many stars. Steve would often leave her while he went to the bar only to return to find mum chatting to Dean Sullivan from Brookside or Su Pollard from Hi-de-Hi! "Mum would be in her element."
Business Insider
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
The stars of 'Stranger Things,' ranked by success
14. Priah Ferguson Ferguson, who plays Lucas' sassy (and almost always correct) little sister Erica Sinclair, is the youngest member of the main cast at 18. She was 11 when she joined "Stranger Things" in season two. Impressively, while she was shooting the show, she was also balancing her studies — she graduated from high school this year. She wrote to her 3.6 million Instagram followers that "balancing an adult career — on and off screen" while maintaining an above-average GPA at her public high school was a "unique journey." Besides playing Erica, Ferguson had roles in the films "The Oath" and "The Curse of Bridge Hollow" (another Netflix joint). She's also had voice roles in animated series "Hamster & Gretel" and "My Dad the Bounty Hunter." Now she's done with school and has more time to focus on her career, we expect Ferguson will appear in more scene-stealing roles. 13. Charlie Heaton Heaton, 31, plays Jonathan Byers, Will's devoted older brother who will do anything to help Will and his mom. He was 22 when the show began, playing a high school sophomore. The British actor hasn't done much outside the show. He was in the calamitous final 20th Century Fox "X-Men" movie, " The New Mutants," in 2020, which essentially doesn't exist. He also stared in the indie movie "No Future," which never had a wide release, and "The Souvenir Part II," which was critically beloved but not a big box-office hit. On the TV front, he only appeared in an episode of the 2020 anthology series "Soulmate." And while he has 5.3 million followers on Instagram, that number doesn't compare to some of the follower counts of his fellow cast members. We'd argue that Heaton's biggest claim to fame is his real-life relationship with Natalia Dyer, his on-screen love interest. 12. Natalia Dyer Speaking of Dyer, 30, she's next up on the list. She plays Nancy Wheeler, Mike's older sister with an investigative streak. Nancy was also involved in a love triangle with her first love, Steve, and Jonathan. She eventually picked Jonathan, but some moments in season four made it seem like a possible "Stancy" reunion is in the cards. Dyer, who was 21 when the show began, has the edge on her boyfriend, Heaton. She's appeared in multiple short films during her "Stranger Things" tenure, and had supporting roles in films like "Velvet Buzzsaw" and "Things Heard & Seen" (both Netflix films). She also had a lead role in the coming-of-age indie "Yes, God, Yes," released in 2020. But it's been five years, and she hasn't been able to parlay that into more leading roles. In 2023, she starred in the first season of the Peacock series "Based on a True Story" alongside Chris Messina and Kaley Cuoco. 11. Eduardo Franco Franco joined the cast in the fourth season of "Stranger Things" as Argyle, Jonathan's stoner best friend in California. Before even joining the show, 30-year-old Franco was well on his way to becoming a zillennial "that guy" — he's had recognizable roles in projects like " Booksmart," "Superintelligence," "Self Reliance," "American Vandal," and "Y2K" just last year. Franco also has had successful voice roles. He starred in "Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken," and has been playing DJ Catnip on the hit children's show "Gabby's Dollhouse" since 2021. A feature-length "Gabby's Dollhouse" film is set to premiere this year, with Franco reprising his role. His social media is what takes him down a bit, with 533,000 followers on Instagram. 10. Dacre Montgomery Montgomery was 23 years old when he joined "Stranger Things" in season two as Max's older stepbrother, Billy Hargrove, who made it his personal mission to bully Max, her friends, and even Steve. Now 30, Montgomery has been steadily working, but hasn't gotten his true big break. The same year he joined "Stranger Things," he starred in the ill-conceived "Power Rangers" movie as the Red Ranger. Since then, he had a small role in "Elvis" and starred in the underrated 2020 rom-com "The Broken Hearts Gallery." However, Montgomery has big things coming soon. He has three movies on the docket: "Faces of Death," which costars Barbie Ferreira, Josie Totah, Charli XCX, and Jermaine Fowler; "Dead Man's Wire," which will be directed by Gus Van Sant and costars Bill Skarsgård, Colman Domingo, Myha'la, and Cary Elwes; and "The Engagement Party" which will also be Montgomery's directorial debut. But since those projects haven't come out yet, he can't be too high on this list. 9. Noah Schnapp Schnapp, 20, has played Will Byers, who was originally taken to the Upside Down (a dark parallel universe) in the show's first episode, since he was 12. Pre-"Stranger Things," Schnapp had a small role in "Bridge of Spies" and played Charlie Brown in "The Peanuts Movie." Since playing Will, Schnapp had a small role in "Hubie Halloween" (a Netflix movie) and starred in the indie film "Waiting for Anya," both in 2020. In the five years since, he's had just one other role, appearing in the 2023 thriller "The Tutor," which was a flop critically and financially. There's a reason for his slowdown in work, though — since 2022, he's attended the University of Pennsylvania. He's also leveraged his fame to become a business owner (he started the company TBH, which is a healthier alternative to spreads like Nutella) and YouTuber. He has 4.56 million subscribers on the site, even though he hasn't posted in years. He also has a huge Instagram presence, with 21.4 million followers. Schnapp has mainly been in headlines for his views on the Israel-Hamas conflict. Per Entertainment Weekly, after he made posts supporting Zionism in 2023, some fans called for a boycott of season five (which was then in production) or for Schnapp to be fired. In a January 2024 TikTok post, he said, "I feel like my thoughts and beliefs have been so far misconstrued from anything even close to what I believe." He continued, "I think anyone with any ounce of humanity would hope for an end to the hostility on both sides." 8. Caleb McLaughlin McLaughlin has played Lucas Sinclair, the more levelheaded and skeptical member of the core group, since season one, when he was 15. Now 23, McLaughlin has arguably undergone the biggest transformation — he even has a beard! Like many of his costars, McLaughlin has continued to work with Netflix. He appeared in "High Flying Bird" (directed by Steven Soderbergh), "Concrete Cowboy," and "The Deliverance," all Netflix originals. He had a role in the 2023 biblical comedy "The Book of Clarence," which was a box-office flop but critically well-liked. He also played former NBA player and current college coach Dru Joyce III in "Shooting Stars," a Peacock film about a young LeBron James. "Stranger Things" isn't the only TV show he's done, either. He played Ricky Bell in the BET miniseries "The New Edition Story," and has had voice roles in "Summer Camp Island," "Ultra City Smiths," and "The Boys Presents: Diabolical." 7. Gaten Matarazzo Matarazzo, 22, plays the lovably geeky Dustin Henderson, who formed a bond with older kids Steve and Eddie. He was 14 when the show began airing. Matarazzo has since built himself a very well-rounded career. In addition to his movie roles ("Honor Society," "My Father's Dragon," "Please Don't Destroy: The Treasure of Foggy Mountain" and the upcoming "Animal Farm" remake) and theater roles ("Into the Woods," "Parade," and the original cast of the "Sweeney Todd" revival), Matarazzo has also made himself a TV personality; he executive-produced and hosted the Netflix hidden-camera series "Prank Encounters." 6. Maya Hawke Hawke, 26, joined the show in season three in 2019, when she was 21. She plays Robin Buckley, originally Steve's coworker at Scoops Ahoy, but soon she becomes his best friend. She's also one of the show's two canonically queer characters, alongside Will. Technically, Hawke has been famous since birth, as her parents are Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman. But 2019 was her breakout year, as she joined "Stranger Things" and appeared in "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood." Like the rest of her costars, Hawke has a good relationship with Netflix. She starred in "Fear Street Part One: 1994," "Do Revenge," and "Maestro," all on the streamer. Besides that, Hawke appeared in the Wes Anderson film "Asteroid City" and the highest-grossing film of 2024, " Inside Out 2." She voiced a new emotion, Anxiety. Next year will be a big one, though. Hawke was announced to be joining the cast of " The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping" as Wiress, originally played by Amanda Plummer in "Catching Fire." Hawke has a music career, as well. She's released three albums: "Blush" (2020), "Moss" (2022), and "Chaos Angel" (2024). She's set to resume her world tour for "Chaos Angel" this summer. 5. Finn Wolfhard Wolfhard, 22, is the show's lead character, Mike Wheeler. He's the one who decides to go looking for Will after he goes missing and forms a special bond with the mysterious girl they meet in the woods. We know the most about his home life, as his sister Nancy is a main character, and we've met his parents and younger sister, as well. He began playing Mike when he was 13 years old. Wolfhard has two successful franchises to his name. He played young Richie in 2017's " It" (which made $704 million) and 2019's " It Chapter Two" (which made $473 million). He also appeared in " Ghostbusters: Afterlife" and "Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire," which each made around $200 million worldwide. In 2024, he had a small role in "Saturday Night," and this year, he appeared in the A24 film "The Legend of Ochi." His directorial debut, "Hell of a Summer," premiered this April and made back its budget, per The Numbers. Wolfhard has also become a successful voice actor. He voiced Pugsley in the animated "Addams Family" movie, which also made around $200 million (though he was recast for the 2021 sequel), and voiced Candlewick in 2021's " Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio," which went on to win best animated feature at the Academy Awards. It's a wonder that Wolfhard also has time for a career as a musician. From 2017 to 2019, he was the lead singer of the band Calpurnia. He then joined the band The Aubreys, which released its debut album in 2021. On June 6, Wolfhard will release his debut solo album called "Happy Birthday." He's going on a mini-tour to support it during the month. 4. Joe Keery At last, we've come to Keery, aka Steve " The Hair" Harrington. Steve began the show as one of the mean popular kids, but has gone through a heartwarming transformation to become a fan favorite. Also, remember that baseball bat with the nails in it? Swoon. Keery was 24 when the show started airing, and now he's 33, the oldest of the main "kids" cast. His career has taken off since then. He was the lead of the 2020 black comedy/horror film "Spree," starred in "Free Guy" and "Pavements," and has an upcoming film co-starring Liam Neeson, Lesley Manville, and Vanessa Redgrave called "Cold Storage." He also had a main role in the fifth season of the anthology series " Fargo." But where Keery's edge lies is his music. While his costars have semi-successful musical careers, Keery (as his alter ego Djo) has had real success. His song "End of Beginning" was a bona fide hit in 2024, peaking at No. 11 on the Hot 100 chart, and received Billboard Music Award and Brit Award nominations. His 2025 album, "The Crux," peaked at No. 10 on the US Rock chart and No. 50 on the Billboard 200. The song "Charlie's Garden " is dedicated to his "Stranger Things" costar and friend Charlie Heaton. While Keery doesn't have a personal Instagram, he does have one as Djo, which has 1.4 million followers. He'll be touring through October 2025. 3. Sadie Sink Sink, 23, joined "Stranger Things" in season two as Max Mayfield, the new kid in Hawkins and a tomboy able to keep up with Mike and his friends, when she was 14. She eventually develops a close friendship with Eleven and begins dating Lucas in season three. Max was one of the biggest parts of season four. A pivotal scene in which she escapes the Upside Down helped bring the 1985 Kate Bush song " Running Up That Hill" back to the top of the charts, peaking at No. 3 on the Hot 100. Since joining "Stranger Things," Sink starred in the two Netflix horror films: "Fear Street 1978" and "Fear Street 1666." She also starred in the 2022 Oscar-winning film "The Whale," which earned her a Critics' Choice Award nomination. She began starring in the Broadway play "John Proctor Is the Villain" in 2025, which earned her a Tony Award nomination for best actress in a play. Sink is rumored to have an undisclosed role in the 2026 film "Spider-Man: Brand New Day," per Deadline. Now, we can't talk about Sink without mentioning her role as, essentially, the Taylor Swift self-insert role in " All Too Well: The Short Film," the music video for the 10-minute version of "All Too Well." If Swift picks you to play a fictional version of herself, you know you've made it. 2. Joseph Quinn If you were on TikTok in the summer of 2022, it was impossible to miss the sound of Quinn's voice screaming for Chrissy to wake up. Quinn, 31, joined the cast in season four as a high school (super) senior named Eddie Munson, a heavy-metal-loving, Dungeons-and-Dragons-playing sweetie who bonds with Dustin. Quinn's this high on the list because, in the three years since he was on the show, his career has soared. Since last year, he's been in "A Quiet Place: Day One" (a hit), " Gladiator II" (another hit), " Warfare," and will play none other than the Human Torch in " The Fantastic Four: First Steps" in July. And that's not all. In addition to reprising his role in "Avengers: Doomsday," he was announced to be playing George Harrison in Sam Mendes' four-part Beatles movie extravaganza. Quinn has 5.6 million followers on Instagram — not bad for someone who only joined the app in 2022 to promote "Stranger Things." 1. Millie Bobby Brown We haven't really mentioned Eleven (as played by Brown) in this ranking, because it's hard to explain her character without sounding a bit out there. But here we go: Eleven is a young girl who escaped from a secret government lab after discovering she has immense psychic powers. Brown, 21, was easily the breakout star of the show. During Halloween 2016, that pink dress, blonde wig, fake nosebleed, and Eggo box were unavoidable. Brown was just 12 when "Stranger Things" premiered, and received back-to-back Emmy nominations before she was 16. Since then, she's appeared in "Godzilla: King of the Monsters" ($387 million worldwide) and "Godzilla vs. Kong" ($470 million worldwide). She's also starred and produced in four Netflix movies (" Enola Holmes," "Enola Holmes 2," "Damsel" and " The Electric State" — three of which were huge hits) and has another "Enola" film on the way. She's proven herself to be a savvy businesswoman. She was reportedly paid $10 million for " Enola Holmes 2," and Brown has founded three successful companies: Florence by Mills Beauty, Florence by Mills Coffee, and Florence by Mills Fashion. Her beauty brand is available at Ulta, while her coffee is on shelves at Walmart. Brown also proved just how famous she was when she married Jake Bongiovi (son of Jon Bon Jovi) in 2024 and their wedding made dozens of headlines. And in case all that hasn't convinced you, Brown is far and away the most followed person from the cast, with a staggering 63.8 million followers on Instagram.
Euronews
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Euronews
Lessons from Hollywood: Robert Kun's mission to grow Kazakh cinema
In this episode of Voices from Central Asia, we meet Robert Kun, an actor and stunt coordinator from Kazakhstan whose journey from sports to Hollywood blockbusters is as remarkable as it is inspiring. He shares how he began as a teenage stuntman on Timur Bekmambetov's Day Watch and honed his skills alongside Igor Tsay at Kun Do studio. With over 20 years of experience, his career took him to global sets with 20th Century Fox, Universal, and Disney, working on high-profile projects like Wanted, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, Ben-Hur, and Major Grom: The Game. Yet for Kun, true success lies not in the credits but in the family values and multicultural roots that shape every project he brings to life. After years abroad, he has returned home to Kazakhstan to bring this experience back to local cinema and help make the country's first action movie for global audiences. Well, that didn't take long... Banksy's newest work, a traffic bollard casting a shadow of a lighthouse with the words "I want to be what you saw in me" written over it, was temporarily defaced once its location was confirmed last weekend. Geoguessers on social media turned out to be right when they speculated that the street art was located in Marseille, in the south of France. And the city, known for its rambunctious spirit, lived up to its cheeky reputation. Une publication partagée par Banksy (@banksy) The artwork was vandalized, with the lighthouse and its poignant message turned into a penis with an added pair of testicles. Hardly very original, but also not entirely surprising. The elusive UK artist has often stated that their works are meant to be reinterpreted - even hijacked – but we're not sure if this is what he / she / they had in mind. The crudely altered lighthouse was promptly restored and shining again within 24 hours of the purple gonad additions. 'I tried to clean up some of the tags that had been made last night, because in fact it takes a while for the anti-graffiti varnish to really work,' explained Agnès Perrone, a heritage decor painter, to AFP. 'They waited until I went to bed, even very late, to come and add a nice pair of bollocks around the lighthouse,' she said, adding: 'I find it very stupid. But at the same time, I'm used to it, I'm from Marseilles: it's a national sport to fight tags here.' The artwork has been gaining traction online and many fans have been flocking to the tunnel near the Catalans beach to admire a more intimate statement from Banksy, whose work is usually characterised by satire or socio-political meaning, often addressing war and the pitfalls of consumerism.
