Latest news with #MorganFreeman
NZ Herald
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
Listener weekly quiz: June 18
Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman in the Shawshank Redemption (1994). Photo / Supplied Can you score 10 out of 10? Test your general knowledge with the Listener's weekly quiz. Share your score with friends, family and colleagues, and find out who has the sharpest mind.
Forbes
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Where Legends Live On: Tom Brady's And Jim Gray's Hall Of Excellence In Las Vegas
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - FEBRUARY 09: (L-R) Jim Gray and Tom Brady attend Jim and Frann Gray in ... More Partnership with Tom Brady and The Tom Brady Family Collection Bring Hall of Excellence to Fontainebleau Las Vegas at Fontainebleau Las Vegas on February 09, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo byfor Fontainebleau Las Vegas) In a city built on spectacle, well-known legends just raised the bar on what it means to honor greatness. Seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady, iconic sports journalist Jim Gray and his wife Frann have joined forces to launch a one-of-a-kind experience inside the Fontainebleau Las Vegas. It is called the Hall of Excellence and it lives to its name. This Hall is not just a museum—it's a cathedral of greatness. Inside, you'll find the fingerprints of champions: Brady's Super Bowl rings, Muhammad Ali's gloves, Tiger Woods' golf ball from his first Masters win, equipment used by tennis legends like Billie Jean King and Serena Williams. But this Hall doesn't stop at the stadium gates. It pushes beyond the arena and into every corner of human achievement—with treasures like Oprah Winfrey's Presidential Medal of Freedom, Clint Eastwood's Academy Award, and artifacts from American presidents. Visitors can see all of this and more, while being guided through the museum with Morgan Freeman offering the narration. Brady offered some valuable insights on some of the items in the Hall that continue to impact him. 'There's something powerful about standing in front of Jackie Robinson's bat and understanding what that moment in history meant—not just for baseball, but for an entire country,' Brady said. 'Or seeing Oprah's Medal of Freedom and thinking about how she used her platform to lift others. And of course on the sports side, every artifact we have represents a symbol of what's possible.' ATLANTA, USA - FEBRUARY 03: Tom Brady and his daughter Vivian Brady being interviewed by Jim Gray ... More after New England Patriots win in Super Bowl LIII at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on February 03, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. The New England Patriots defeated the Los Angeles Rams by the score of 13-03. (Photo by Simon Bruty/Anychance/Getty Images) The Hall of Excellence is a place where the extraordinary isn't just displayed, it's felt. Jim Gray, whose voice and reporting have guided fans through some of sports' most memorable moments—from Ali to the Olympics—has always had an eye for greatness. But this, he told me, is something different. 'I got to see the work ethic and what it took to be great,' Gray said in an interview with Forbes. 'You can be great, but you're not always excellent.' Gray understands that great isn't the same as excellent. You can be great in a moment, but excellence is earned over a lifetime The idea of the Hall of Excellence first took root years ago, in a conversation Gray had with legendary Raiders owner Al Davis. From there, Gray started kicking around the concept of what it might look like to honor not just the athlete, but the excellence that defines the person behind the performance. LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MAY 31: (L-R) Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady, sportscaster Jim Gray ... More and Las Vegas Raiders owner and managing general partner and Las Vegas Aces owner Mark Davis talk during halftime of a game between the Connecticut Sun and the Aces at Michelob ULTRA Arena on May 31, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Aces defeated the Sun 89-81. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by) When Brady reflects on the Hall, he does not speak as an athlete, but as a student of excellence. What stood out to him wasn't just the names, but the mindset they shared. 'Whether they were on a stage, on a field, or changing lives through their leadership, the one thing they all had in common was an unrelenting drive to pursue greatness, not for recognition, but because they felt called to it,' Brady said. For Brady, that call to excellence has always been personal. 'My parents and sisters showed me what commitment looked like,' he said. 'I wasn't the most gifted athlete as a kid, far from it, but I was lucky to grow up surrounded by examples of what hard work and perseverance really meant. I saw my sisters wake up at dawn to chase their dreams. I saw my dad treat people with respect and integrity, no matter the situation.' Brady's family built the foundation that allowed him to pursue greatness, and, now, he's building one for others. 'This place isn't about fame or glory,' he said. 'It's about the journey behind the moment. It's a tribute to those who dared to dream big, who pushed through pain, doubt, and failure to create something extraordinary. If someone walks out thinking, 'I'm ready to chase my own version of excellence,' then we've done our job.' Now, that seed has grown into a legacy. Gray and Brady have worked with organizations and individuals across the sports world to curate the new museum, including several Halls of Fame, and he remains awestruck by the trust that icons have placed in the Hall of Excellence. 'They're trusting us with their most personal prized possessions,' he said. 'It's truly an honor that they have allowed us to do that.' With more than 40 million visitors passing through Las Vegas each year, the Hall of Excellence is poised to become more than just a destination. It just might spark a movement, a renewed commitment to excellence. 'I want this to be the greatest experience of its kind,' Gray told me. 'I want everybody to leave the Hall of Excellence feeling inspired by it. They get to relive their fondest memories, or teach their kids something and inspire them.' HOUSTON, TX - JANUARY 31: After he finished his media duties and headed out of the room, New England ... More Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, left, shares a moment with sportscaster Jim Gray, right, with whom he did a radio interview weekly on Westwood One during Monday Night Football games this season. The New England Patriots had a media availability session at their team hotel, the JW Marriott Galleria in Houston, TX on Jan. 31, 2017. The Patriots face the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI in Houston on Sunday. (Photo by Jim Davis/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) Brady agrees. For him, this is about legacy—not as a quarterback, but as a builder of belief. 'Every story in the Hall speaks to discipline, resilience, and a deep commitment to purpose,' he explained. 'These people didn't just have talent, they cultivated it with consistency and courage, especially when things got hard.' That's the kind of excellence that doesn't fade with time. That's the kind of excellence this Hall was built to honor. And if you're lucky enough to walk through its halls, you'll leave with more than memories. You'll leave with a treasure just as valuable as those displayed in the museum: the challenge to be excellent.
Broadcast Pro
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Broadcast Pro
StarzPlay secures exclusive MENA rights to CIA thriller ‘Special Ops: Lioness'
The series is a spy thriller that follows the leader of undercover CIA operations on the war on terror by enlisting female operatives that are known as Lionesses. SVOD platform StarzPlay has secured exclusive MENA rights to Special Ops: Lioness, the acclaimed CIA thriller starring Zoe Saldaña, Nicole Kidman and Morgan Freeman. The series will be available exclusively on the platform starting June 5, 2025, with all 16 episodes from both seasons released as a complete box set. Created by Taylor Sheridan, Special Ops: Lioness explores the intense world of undercover espionage through the lens of a covert CIA programme. At the heart of the story is operative Joe, played by Saldaña, who leads the recruitment of female operatives trained to embed themselves within dangerous enemy networks. The narrative pulls no punches in depicting the psychological and emotional toll of such clandestine missions, highlighting the sacrifices made by women whose identities and lives are often erased in service of national security. The series features Nicole Kidman portraying Kaitlyn Meade, a high-ranking CIA official, and Morgan Freeman as US Secretary of State Edwin Mullins. Laysla De Oliveira stars as Marine Raider Cruz Manuelos, a new recruit whose journey into the Lioness program reveals the harrowing cost of service. Michael Kelly also stars as CIA officer Byron Westfield. With its storyline,performances, and Sheridan's gritty realism, Special Ops: Lioness is set to be a major draw for viewers across the Middle East and North Africa.
Web Release
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Web Release
Special Ops: Lioness, Starring Zoe Saldaña and Nicole Kidman, Coming to MENA Screens
In a major content acquisition that solidifies STARZPLAY's position as the MENA's premium streaming destination, the platform has secured exclusive MENA rights to 'Special Ops: Lioness' – the critically acclaimed CIA thriller starring Avatar's Zoe Saldaña, Oscar winner Nicole Kidman, and legendary Morgan Freeman. The high-octane series, which has captivated global audiences with its unflinching portrayal of modern warfare and espionage, will launch exclusively on STARZPLAY on June 5, with all 16 episodes from both seasons available immediately. A Powerhouse Cast in an Uncompromising Story Created by Taylor Sheridan, the mastermind behind global phenomenon 'Yellowstone' and 'Sicario,' Special Ops: Lioness delivers the raw intensity that has become Sheridan's signature. The series follows CIA operative Joe (Saldaña) as she navigates the brutal realities of the agency's most classified program – recruiting female operatives to infiltrate hostile networks from the inside. 'This isn't your typical spy thriller,' explains the show's premise. 'It's about the invisible women who sacrifice everything – their identities, families, and safety – to protect national security. These are the stories that have never been told.' Nicole Kidman commands the screen as senior CIA official Kaitlyn Meade, while Morgan Freeman brings gravitas to his role as Secretary of State Edwin Mullins. The cast is rounded out by breakout star Laysla De Oliveira as Marine Raider Cruz Manuelos, the latest recruit into the deadly Lioness program, and Michael Kelly as CIA operative Byron Westfield. Streaming Details: Platform: STARZPLAY (exclusive in MENA) Launch Date: June 5, 2025 Format: Complete box-set (16 episodes across 2 seasons) Availability: All episodes streaming from day one For more information, please visit:
Observer
02-06-2025
- Health
- Observer
Living to die well: Find freedom the body offers
My patient, stoic and pensive, told me that he'd made it through his last year of work by dreaming of the European cruise he and his wife planned to take the week after he retired. 'I thought I'd paid my dues,' he whispered. 'I was just waiting for the best part of life to finally start.' He rarely took time off and had pushed through nausea and occasional abdominal pain that had worsened during his final months of work. Freedom, he'd thought, lay just beyond the newly visible finish line. But a diagnosis of stomach cancer, which had spread to his liver and lungs, had left him too breathless to walk, too nauseous to endure a boat ride, too weak to dress himself. Instead of living out his dreams, he was living out his death. We live alongside death. It speeds down highways recklessly and blooms clandestinely within our bodies. We have no idea when we will meet death, or how. Living with an awareness of this specific uncertainty can be terrifying, yet I've found that death also shimmers with a singular magnificence: the possibility of living freely. Popular culture would have us believe in cliché bucket lists, which call to mind outlandish activities that defy the physical limitations imposed by illness or the emotional limitations of common sense. Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson skydive in 'The Bucket List", despite terminal lung cancer. Queen Latifah withdraws her life savings and jets to Europe after learning she has weeks to live in 'Last Holiday". Greeting death with the fantasia of daredevil activities or adopting a newly carefree persona is a tempting salve for our fear of that last great unknown. But in my experience, considered reflection on mortality nudges people towards a more complicated version of the ordinary, not novel permutations of extremes. I often hear variations on similar wishes: A daughter wants a small wedding ceremony in the hospital so her dying parent can attend. A brother calls an estranged sister, asking her to visit so that he can say goodbye. I have heard uncommon goals too: wanting to take a long-postponed trip to the Alamo, to write a romance novel, to breed one last litter of puppies and inhale, one final time, the milky sweet of their young fur. These wishes are at their core the same desire, reconciling the differences between the life we have and the one we longed for. While contemplating our deaths can guide us to a place of deep honesty with ourselves, sometimes helping us to live more fully, it also can teach us to inhabit and understand our bodies more fully, too. Death will unravel our bodies in ways we cannot predict. Will we die in a sudden car crash, avoiding the indignities of a physical decline? Or will dementia claim our bodies and minds in an uncertain sequence? Our bodies absorb our lives; terror and joy alike live in our skin. My patient began to cry regularly about the traumas of his youth and losing his loving relationship with his wife. Dying offers the opportunity to face what we have simply accepted as part of our lives — formative events and experiences that we don't challenge or question, but simply accept and accommodate like a messy roommate. But we don't have to wait until we are dying to consider what it means to live freely. For all of us, reconceptualising death as a guide can help us to begin an ongoing conversation with ourselves about who we are and what we'd like our lives to mean. Think about how you spent the last six months. What and who brought you fulfilment and joy? What would you do differently if you could? If those were the last six months of your life, what would your regrets be? These questions, deceptively simple, are as commonplace and ordinary as death itself. Our answers to these questions evolve as our lives unfold. What and who seems to matter the most to you right now may change. If we begin this inquiry before death arrives, we may die as fully as we have lived. Rearranging our waning lives around previously buried desires isn't always practical or possible, emotionally or financially. But even if we cannot upend our existence in the name of slumbering passions, we can find freedom in the life the body offers, paying attention to the burn of grief and the pulse of joy, the intensity of an embrace or the taste of butter on toast. Even as we die, our bodies are capable of more than devolution from illness. Several months after I first met my patient who dreamed of European travel, his wife rushed him to the emergency room, her voice trembling as she described the way his skin glowed yellow seemingly overnight, the ferocity in his voice when he refused to go to the hospital, their daughter's decision to leave school to help care for him. He smiled when I pulled up a chair next to his bed. 'It would have been so nice to see Belgium,' he murmured. 'I could have brought you some really good chocolate.' — The New York Times
