Latest news with #Heald
New York Post
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
‘Cobra Kai' creators reveal Hilary Swank declined to join show: ‘Disappointing'
Hilary Swank said thanks, but no thanks. The creators of the hit Netflix show 'Cobra Kai' have revealed that they tried to get Swank, 50, to appear in the popular 'Karate Kid' sequel series. But the Oscar-winning actress, who played Julie Pierce in 1994's 'The Next Karate Kid,' politely declined. 10 The creators of 'Cobra Kai' have revealed that they tried to get Hilary Swank to appear in the popular 'Karate Kid' sequel series. ©Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection 10 Swank portrayed Julie Pierce in 'The Next Karate Kid' in 1994. ©Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection 'Cobra Kai' creators Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, and Hayden Schlossberg opened up about the situation during a sit-down with Entertainment Weekly on Wednesday. 'We did reach out in the very early days before the season to see if there was a path,' Heald said, revealing that they approached the actress shortly before the show's sixth and final season began production in 2024. 'We had an inkling of an idea about how she could come into this story and not have to commit to 10 episodes or something,' he continued. 10 Pat Morita as Mr. Miyagi and Swank as Julie Pierce in 'The Next Karate Kid.' ©Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection 10 The Oscar-winning actress politely declined the 'Cobra Kai' creators' offer for her to appear in the Netflix show. Getty Images 'It was going to feel like it could be a one or two-episode arc, similar to what we did with Elisabeth Shue,' Heald added, 'where you can bring Ali back in at a pivotal moment and affect an important relationship.' Shue, who starred as Ali Mills alongside Ralph Macchio's Daniel LaRusso in the original 1984 'Karate Kid,' reprised her character for the last two episodes of the Netflix show's third season. Although Heald, Hurwitz and Schlossberg did reach out to Swank's reps to find out if they could have a discussion with her and introduce themselves, the trio never even got that far. 10 'We had an inkling of an idea about how she could come into this story and not have to commit to 10 episodes or something,' creator Josh Heald explained. ©Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection 10 'She was just in a place where she wasn't looking to do that,' Heald said. ©Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection 'On her end, it was very respectful, but we never got that opportunity to sit down and pour our heart out the way that we typically do when we bring back characters from the legacy,' Heald explained. 'She was just in a place where she wasn't looking to do that.' 'She had had babies. I think she was in production on something at the time, and it was a respectful pass on even the idea of a meeting,' he added. 'She didn't want us to go through the trouble of flying out to her and putting our heart on the sleeve because it just wasn't something she was ready to do at that moment.' Swank welcomed twins with her husband, Philip Schneider, in April 2023. She joined the cast of Showtime's 'Yellowjackets' for Season 3, which premiered this year. 10 'Cobra Kai' followed Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) and Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) 34 years after the events of the original 'Karate Kid' movie. ©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection 10 Many other characters from the six-movie 'Karate Kid' franchise joined Macchio and Zabka on the small screen for 'Cobra Kai.' ©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection Despite Swank's refusal, the three creators still hope to see her return as Julie Pierce in a potential 'Cobra Kai' spinoff. 'It's a big piece of the Miyagi-verse that's still out there,' Heald said. 'For us, it was a little disappointing because we like getting everybody, but at the same time, we didn't sacrifice any huge story that we had fully developed.' 'It's more fruit on the vine for if we can revisit this universe going forward,' he concluded. The Post has reached out to Swank's reps for comment. 10 'Cobra Kai' premiered on Netflix in 2018 and wrapped up its sixth and final season in February. ©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection 'Cobra Kai,' which premiered on Netflix in 2018 and wrapped up its sixth and final season in February, followed Daniel LaRusso (Macchio) and Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) 34 years after the events of the original 'Karate Kid' movie. While Heald, Hurwitz and Schlossberg were unable to convince Swank to return, they did bring back other characters from the six-movie franchise to join Macchio, 63, and Zabka, 59, on the small screen. Yuji Okumoto reprised his character Chozen Toguchi from 1986's 'Karate Kid Part II,' and Sean Kanan (Mike Barnes), Thomas Ian Griffith (Terry Silver) and Robyn Lively (Jessica Andrew) all returned to their roles from 1989's 'Karate Kid Part III.' 10 Ralph Macchio with some of his 'Cobra Kai' cast members during a screening of the show in Los Angeles in March 2025. Getty Images Plus, Macchio recently reprised his role as Daniel LaRusso for the 10th time for the franchise's newest film, 'Karate Kid Legends,' which premiered on May 30. The movie also saw Jackie Chan return as Mr. Han from the 2010 'Karate Kid' remake. 'Reprising this role means paying that legacy forward,' Macchio said upon the release of 'Karate Kid Legends' last month. 'It's about spreading that wisdom and knowledge in a good way, in a positive way.' Pat Morita, who played the beloved character Mr. Miyagi in the original 'Karate Kid' trilogy and 'The Next Karate Kid,' died in 2005. He was 73.
Miami Herald
2 days ago
- Miami Herald
Carnival Cruise Line takes on a new passenger problem
Loyal Carnival passengers who join the cruise line's VIFP (Very Important Fun Person) Club loyalty program can earn a variety of rewards just for cruising on board Carnival ships. Passengers get one VIFP point for each day they cruise, and once they rack up 24 points, they reach the Red level, which means they're entitled to begin redeeming onboard rewards. Related: Carnival Cruise Line warns against another bad cruise behavior The first onboard benefit offered to Red-level Carnival cruisers and above is a complimentary 1.5 liter-bottle of water, redeemable during their sailings. Many passengers appreciate and make a point to enjoy this bottle of water while on board, but lately there's been some confusion and controversy around this particular perk. Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador John Heald, who regularly addresses passenger concerns on his popular Facebook page, found himself in the middle of a new cruise controversy after sharing a complaint related to the complimentary bottle of water in a post on his page. "I had a scathing message sent to me from a very angry, shouty Platinum guest that they were charged for drinking the bottle of water from their cabin," Heald shared. It turned out that this wasn't the only passenger who was confused and upset that the bottles of water placed in staterooms are not provided as the VIFP Club benefit. Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter to save money on your next (or your first) cruise. After receiving the Platinum-level cruiser's complaint, Heald wanted to clarify for all passengers that the cruise line currently requires VIFPs to pick up their complimentary bottle of water at an onboard bar. Bottles of water placed in the staterooms are not meant to be the VIFP benefit. "The water that is in the cabin comes from the housekeeping inventory whereas the complimentary bottle of water comes from the bar inventory," Heald explained as the reasoning for this. "I understand that having to collect the free bottle of water is not the best scenario for some, but this is how we are currently doing it and I wanted to make sure I mention this again in case there is any confusion," Heald added. Related: Carnival Cruise Line testing new dining option passengers want It turns out there was a lot of confusion about this because according to the Carnival Cruise Line website, the VIFP bottle of water benefit is "redeemable at any bar, restaurant, or stateroom." A number of passengers pointed this out to the brand ambassador in the comments on his post. Some also noted that the cruise line used to make a point to place the complimentary bottles of water in staterooms for their VIFPs. "I think it lies in the fact that it used to be placed in the room with a nice welcome back greeting. When I cruised in March, I thought they forgot my bottles and was disappointed. I let it slide and realized after my cruise that I had to go to the bar to request it," Michelle Gray commented. "Perhaps going back to those little extra touches like leaving it in the room is the way to go." Be the first to see the best deals on cruises, special sailings, and more. Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter. Heald takes passenger feedback very seriously and immediately began investigating the disconnect between what's listed on the website and how the VIFP bottled water benefit is being handled on board. "I wasn't aware that it said that on the website and to be very honest a couple of the beards [Carnival executives] that I've been speaking to weren't certain of that either," Heald said in a video update about the situation. "It seems that some ships were doing one thing and some were doing another and there was not the consistency that we needed in telling you where to collect this bottle of water." More Carnival cruise news: Carnival Cruise Line ship pivots to avoid Hurricane BarbaraCarnival Cruise Line bans more passengers after another brawlCarnival Cruise Line shares new warning for parents Heald assured passengers that he and his team are working to come up with a solution and will promptly communicate it to loyalty program members. In the meantime, the brand ambassador asked VIFPs to please continue going to an onboard bar to collect their complimentary bottle of water. "I'll be back with more direction on that in the coming days," Heald promised. "Thank you for your patience and enjoy from the bar your complimentary bottle of water or complimentary bottles of water." (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) Make a free appointment with Come Cruise With Me's Travel Agent Partner, Postcard Travel, or email Amy Post at amypost@ or call or text her at 386-383-2472. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Miami Herald
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
Carnival Cruise Line warns against a hot cabin hack
Many cruisers turn to online forums like Reddit, Facebook groups, and cruise website message boards for tips and advice about cruises. These forums can be a wealth of cruise information, but it's important to keep in mind that not all of the tips and "cruise hacks" you find on them - even popular ones - are wise. Related: Google scam targets Carnival, Royal Caribbean cruisers Some cruise hacks violate cruise line conduct policies and could get you banned from sailing. Some can also jeopardize your safety and the safety of others. Although some cruise hacks are smart and helpful, you probably shouldn't try any that sound questionable. If you're unsure, consult your cruise line's guest conduct policies or contact its guest services team. Cruise lines want to make it easy for passengers to understand what onboard behaviors are discouraged. Guest conduct policies are quite detailed to help prevent any doubt, and to help ensure a safe and enjoyable onboard experience for all. For Carnival Cruise Line passengers, there's even an easy way to reach out directly on social media to a helpful cruise line representative. Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador John Heald manages a popular Facebook page where he answers hundreds of questions from passengers every day. Heald also posts helpful information that cruisers need to know, including warnings about rumors and cruise hacks that passengers should ignore. Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter to save money on your next (or your first) cruise. In a video message posted on June 14, Heald shared a serious warning for Carnival cruise passengers after a concerning cruise hack was brought to his attention by both cruisers and a staff member who monitors social media sites for the cruise line. This Carnival cruise cabin hack was posted on a cruise message board and suggested a questionable way to make the cabin air conditioning get cooler. "Basically, what they're saying is you can go into the thermostat, take the thing off, switch some wires around and bypass and sort of try and make it cooler yourself, I guess," Heald explained. Related: Carnival Cruise Line adds powerful solution to solve cabin problem Heald said he didn't really know what this air conditioning hack was telling people to do exactly, but what he did know was that passengers should not attempt it because it's extremely unsafe. "I spoke with one of the engineers about this on one of the ships, and not only is that something that is very likely to give you an electric shock and really injure you, but also it's very dangerous as well from a fire safety point of view," Heald explained. Be the first to see the best deals on cruises, special sailings, and more. Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter. As he warned passengers against this cruise air conditioning hack, the brand ambassador also encouraged Carnival cruisers not to hesitate to reach out to guest services if they have a problem with their cabin air conditioning. "Please don't write to me at the end of cruise when you're back home in Cleveland and say it wasn't cold enough in my cabin," Heald stressed. "Talk to somebody on board there - call 7777, go to guest services, tell your cabin attendant, do whatever is necessary." Heald also explained why it may feel like cruise ship air conditioning systems aren't cooling as well as they should, especially during the hot summer season. "The ship uses a cooling system - a cool water system - which takes the cold water from the engines and the engine room and pushes that through into the air conditioning. Now, remember this time of year the water temperatures in the be very warm and so just bear that in mind - it is the very warm and humid time of year," Heald said. More Carnival cruise news: Carnival Cruise Line passengers love this free drink dealEvery Carnival Cruise Line cruiser needs these tipsCarnival Cruise Line answers key tipping question "But if you have any concerns in your cabin, please speak to somebody. Do not, do not tamper with the air conditioning system, please," he reiterated. The brand ambassador also warned that tampering with your cabin air conditioning system could get you banned from sailing on Carnival cruise ships. "Not only is that very dangerous but it's a very good chance that you would stop yourself [from] ever being able to cruise with us ever again," he added. (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) Make a free appointment with Come Cruise With Me's Travel Agent Partner, Postcard Travel, or email Amy Post at amypost@ or call or text her at 386-383-2472. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Miami Herald
3 days ago
- Miami Herald
Carnival Cruise Line adds powerful solution to solve cabin problem
It's amazing how a seemingly small improvement to the design of a basic item can sometimes dramatically increase its value for users. In a cruise ship cabin where space is very limited, thoughtful design that equips a room with multipurpose features and devices makes the small room so much more manageable for passengers. Related: Carnival and Royal Caribbean are making major cruise ship upgrades As cruise lines introduce new innovations to ship design, tiny staterooms get more comfortable with each new ship class. But it's not just new ships that get these enhancements. Older ships can often be updated with innovative new features that elevate the passenger experience. Carnival Cruise Line's latest upgrades to some of its 20-year-old ships prove that. The cruise line's brand ambassador, John Heald, recently showed off one new cabin enhancement on his popular Facebook page that stirred excitement among thousands of the cruise line's loyal guests. Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter to save money on your next (or your first) cruise. The brand ambassador posted a photo of a new bedside lamp that the cruise line recently added to staterooms on Carnival Valor, as well as other cruise ships in its fleet that were recently updated during routine dry dock maintenance. "We added these new lamps on the Carnival Valor during dry dock and will be doing this to other ships in future dry docks. They have USB and the smaller one [USB-C] and a power plug for things like CPAP perhaps," Heald said. As he often does with ship features and enhancements, Heald asked his followers for feedback on the new lamps and their charging ports to determine if the majority of passengers would find them useful. Related: Carnival Cruise Line testing new dining option passengers want More than 12,500 Carnival cruisers weighed in through comments on the post, and the results were overwhelming in favor of putting the lamps on as many ships as possible. "I've been waiting for this moment my whole life," Julie Jebaily commented. "And I'll only use it for my cell phone charger because the USB outlets never charge my devices." "Best change made to cabins in 20 years," Keith Bruce agreed. Many Carnival passengers insist that there are never enough power outlets in cabins, especially on older ships. Be the first to see the best deals on cruises, special sailings, and more. Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter. Heald's post about the new lamps was especially popular with cruisers who use CPAP machines when they sleep. These passengers typically have to pack extension cords for their cruises to meet their CPAP power needs. "As a CPAP user it will make things much easier because I won't have to have an extension cord stretched across my cabin floor at night. That makes midnight potty runs really dangerous," Mick Kyte explained. "I love the functionality. I can charge my phone and plug in my CPAP all in one lamp - and I don't have to bring an extension cord with me," Jeremy Rynca added. "That will help give me (my wife) more room to overpack clothes." More Carnival cruise news: Carnival Cruise Line rep addresses a troubling tipping rumorCarnival Cruise Line ship pivots to avoid Hurricane BarbaraCarnival cruise passengers reject central Royal Caribbean element Some passengers noted though that it would be more helpful if the lamp was not bolted down in the middle of the table as they're currently positioned on the ships that recently received them. "They should be towards the front or the back so you actually have room for the CPAP or whatever you are plugging into the outlet," Avril Lawshé suggested. Hopefully, after reviewing the helpful passenger feedback gathered by its brand ambassador, Carnival will make an adjustment to improve the lamp placement as they're added on more ships. (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) Make a free appointment with Come Cruise With Me's Travel Agent Partner, Postcard Travel, or email Amy Post at amypost@ or call or text her at 386-383-2472. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Miami Herald
7 days ago
- Business
- Miami Herald
Carnival Cruise Line rep addresses a troubling tipping rumor
Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador John Heald is used to putting out fires on his popular Facebook page that's followed by more than 600,000 cruisers. Often this means extinguishing rampant cruise rumors spread by other popular Facebook pages dedicated to cruising. Related: Carnival Cruise Line warns against another bad cruise behavior Recent rumors Heald has snuffed out include false claims that the cruise line is retiring a beloved cruise ship and removing fan-favorite dining venue Guy's Burger Joint fleetwide, along with a number of other untrue assertions. Now, the brand ambassador is tackling a blaze that heated up around onboard tipping. Cruisers basically have two choices for how to handle tipping on a cruise. Carnival and other cruise lines will automatically add the suggested daily gratuity amounts to your onboard account, so you can accept that or choose to remove the automatic gratuities in favor of tipping in cash. Some passengers choose to prepay gratuities at the suggested daily rate and provide additional tips in cash, too. Although tipping the wonderful crew members who work hard to make your vacation special is something the majority of cruise passengers are happy to do, the proper way to tip and how much to tip is a matter that's often debated. And while tipping is already a complicated cruise topic, false rumors occasionally add fuel to the fire. Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter to save money on your next (or your first) cruise. The latest tipping controversy Heald battled involved an alleged negative consequence of removing automatic cruise gratuities to instead pay the same amount or more in cash during your cruise. According to a widely circulated social media post, if you do remove automatic gratuities, crew members will find out that you did this by the middle of your cruise and will reduce the level of service they provide to you as a result. In a recent video update for his followers, Heald stressed that this rumor is completely false, and backed it up by providing details on when crew members receive their crew payment guidelines for each sailing. Related: Carnival Cruise Line rep sounds alarm on growing YouTube problem "This happens after the cruise," Heald explained. "So, you finish your cruise, whether it's a three- or an eight- or a 10-day cruise, and the gratuities from that cruise are always paid to the crew the following cruise." As Heald emphasized, the claim "that you're going to get diminished service is absolutely nonsense." He hoped that providing clarification on this would help passengers avoid worrying. Be the first to see the best deals on cruises, special sailings, and more. Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter. Although how you choose to tip on a cruise is a matter of personal preference and either way is acceptable, removing automatic gratuities and not tipping at all is discouraged. Heald made a point to address cruisers who choose not to tip in his video, too, even though the cruise line reports that a very small percentage of cruisers actually do this. "For those who remove their gratuities and give nothing, well, that's your personal choice, but I think most people that do that…have never been in a service-oriented [position]," Heald added. "They've never been a waiter or a cabin attendant or in housekeeping or a waitress or anything like that." More Carnival cruise news: Carnival Cruise Line ship pivots to avoid Hurricane BarbaraCarnival Cruise Line bans more passengers after another brawlCarnival Cruise Line shares new warning for parents Heald also stressed that the tips that passengers give to Carnival crew members are sincerely appreciated, but regardless of the way you choose to tip, the crew will provide the same high level of service. "Thank you for all your gratuities that you give the crew," he said. "We appreciate it, they appreciate it, their families at home appreciate it, and they will, regardless [of how you tip], give you the best service because they are, as Tina Turner once said, 'simply the best ooh better than all the rest ooh better than anyone, better than I've ever met.'" (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) Make a free appointment with Come Cruise With Me's Travel Agent Partner, Postcard Travel, or email Amy Post at amypost@ or call or text her at 386-383-2472. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
