The tragic story behind The Iron Claw and the Von Erich family
*Warning: Contains potential spoilers for The Iron Claw* The Iron Claw is one of the most hyped films of 2023, but the upcoming wrestling biopic starring Zac Efron is far from your typical, glossy sports movie. In fact, the real-life story of the people it’s based on is one of the darkest in the world of sport, and fans can expect the movie to draw on a real life story full of family tragedy. The upcoming movie, directed by Sean Durkin and released on December 22, focuses on the Von Erich wrestling family and their lives in and away from the ring. The Iron Claw boasts an impressive cast, with Efron joined by the likes of Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickson and Lily James, who will all be telling the family’s story. We can’t be sure exactly what the movie will focus on, but the family is synonymous with the US wrestling scene in the second half of the 20th century. The Von Erich family achieved great success while also experiencing a great deal of tragedy, with the majority of the family members dying young. Parents Fritz and Doris had six sons together but lost one son at a very young age after he was electrocuted and drowned at six-years-old. Fritz was a successful wrestler in his time, and his five sons Kevin, David, Kerry, Mike and Chris followed into the industry and became professional wrestlers too. Fritz and his sons famously helped to popularise the iron claw wrestling hold, which the film is named after. After achieving success, the family experienced more heartbreak. In fact, only Kevin – played by Efron – survived into later life. Kerry, played by Allen White, became well known under the persona “The Texas Tornado” which he competed as in WWE, where he won the Intercontinental Championship. He suffered a motorcycle accident which saw his right foot amputated in his 20s, before he killed himself at the age of 33 in 1993. David, played by Dickson, died at the age of 25. His official cause of death was acute enteritis, but there are some who believe he suffered a drug overdose that was covered up. Mike also died young at the age of just 23 after overdosing on tranquillisers. It’s expected that the film will focus on the family’s tragic story, as well as Kevin’s marriage to Pamela May, played by James. Kevin went on to be known as the “Golden Warrior” and their sons Ross and Marshall also went on to become wrestlers. Their story is hinted at in the trailer released earlier this year. “Ever since I was a child, people said my family was cursed. Mum tried to protect us with God. Pop tried to protect us with wrestling,” Kevin delivers in a voiceover. “He said if we were the toughest, the strongest, nothing could ever hurt us. I believed him; we all did.” Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter How to join the indy100's free WhatsApp channel Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings
2023-11-15 23:56
Jacob Elordi confesses he never wanted to make 'ridiculous' Kissing Booth movies
There are plenty of actors and actresses who end up making films and TV shows that they don’t like – but few actually admit as much. One person who has is Jacob Elordi. The Australian actor revealed that he thinks his 2018 film The Kissing Booth is “ridiculous” and said that he never wanted to make the movie or its sequels. The 26-year-old is known for his roles in Euphoria, as well as the three films in the Kissing Booth series. He also stars as Elvis Presley in the new Sophia Coppola film Priscilla. However, the actor was asked about his experiences making the romcoms earlier on in his career, where he played the protagonist Noah Flynn. The film has a rating of just 15 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes - and Elordi is a little sheepish about starring in them. Speaking to GQ, Elordi said he “didn't [actually] want to make those movies before [he] made those movies” Branding the films “ridiculous”, he said: "They're not universal. They're an escape." He went on to discuss the balance actors and actresses in Hollywood often choose to take, balancing making ‘one for them’ and then one film for themselves as a performer. "It can become 15 for them, none for you. You have no original ideas and you’re dead inside. So it’s a fine dance,” he said. Elordi admitted that he “felt very corny” after making The Kissing Booth. "I felt like I had to prove to everyone that I was a serious actor. I felt terribly misunderstood." Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter How to join the indy100's free WhatsApp channel Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings
2023-11-15 00:17
Howard Donald felt pressure as 'weakest writer' in Take That
Take That star Howard Donald feels like the "weakest writer" in the group and he was determined to step up.
2023-11-14 16:28
This SNL sketch featuring fake excerpt from Britney Spears' memoir has caused outrage
An SNL sketch that featured a fake excerpt from Britney Spears' memoir is causing a stir, after many claimed it was 'mocking' the trauma the star had been through. In the clip, comedian Chloe Fineman takes on the role of Britney, while her co-stars 'audition' to be the audiobook reader. Ice Spice (played by Punkie Johnson), The B-52s‘ Fred Schneider (Bowen Yang), and Martin Scorsese (Timothee Chalamet), all took turns to mockingly read chapters - including one fake account of 'Spears' sleeping with someone when she was young. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter
2023-11-14 00:23
SNL and Timothée Chalamet under fire for joking about Hamas in sketch
If you are experiencing feelings of distress and isolation, or are struggling to cope, The Samaritans offer support; you can speak to someone for free over the phone, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch. SNL and Timothee Chalamet are under fire after broadcasting a sketch that involves both suicide and Hamas, despite everything going on in the world right now. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter
2023-11-13 18:49
The Elon Musk biopic is already being called 'the worst film ever made'
It might seem harsh to judge a film before it has even come out but news that an Elon Musk biopic is in the works has not been greeted with a warm reception. News emerged on Friday that Black Swan and Requiem for a Dream director Darren Aronofsky will helm the project which is based on the recently published Walter Isaacson on the tech billionaire. For those who saw Danny Boyle's 2015 film about Steve Jobs, creatively called Steve Jobs, might remember that biopic, starring Michael Fassbender, was also based on an Isaacson biography of a powerful tech individual. The film will be distributed by indie darlings A24, with Variety reporting the several studios and filmmakers were involved in an intense bidding war to option the project. As the film has just been announced there is no release date or cast as of yet but fans have cast their vote, believing that Kevin Durand should play the South African. That being said, the overall response to the film's announcement has not been a positive one with some already calling it 'the worst film ever made.' Musk doesn't need much of an introduction but it will be interesting to see what direction the movie takes and whether it is critical of the tech mogul's more recent activity notably his much-maligned takeover of Twitter. Aronofsky's last film, The Whale was also distributed by A24 and saw Brendan Fraser win the Oscar for Best Actor. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings
2023-11-11 03:26
Ryan Reynolds confirms release date for Deadpool 3
After much delay, thanks to the SAG-AFTRA strike, one of the biggest movies impacted by the action, Deadpool 3, has finally confirmed its release date The hotly anticipated return of the 'Merc with a Mouth' will be the character's first appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and will see Reynolds reprise the role, with Hugh Jackman, also returning to the role that made him famous, Wolverine. Reynolds cryptically confirmed the news that the movie will be released on July 26th 2024 with a post on X/Twitter containing a GIF from the first film, released back in 2016. The post didn't feature much information beyond that. In fact, it barely featured any letters at all and mostly consisted of a skull, poo and several crossed sword emojis which if you squint spell out Deadpool. We'll leave it to your imagination what the crossed swords emojis are supposed to represent... Deadpool 3 will actually be the new MCU film to be released with the latest The Marvels hitting cinemas this week to mixed reviews. It will be the penultimate film in Marvels phase five which will be rounded out by Captain America: Brave New World which is set for a February 2025 release. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings
2023-11-11 01:58
Here’s How Long to Brine Your Thanksgiving Turkey
Here’s what you need to know about the art of brining a turkey—including how long you should brine it.
2023-11-10 01:46
John Lewis Christmas advert singer Andrea Bocelli has unusual link to the Kardashians
Andrea Bocelli has been revealed as the singer behind the John Lewis 2023 Christmas advert, however, the classical singer actually caused a huge row between the Kardashian singers previously. As show in The Kardashians, Kourtney and Kim had a falling out over who was 'copying' who when it came to their weddings, when the Skims owner pointed out that Bocelli was her favourite singer - and both of them had him perform at their big days. The singer responded to the pair saying he loves singing 'for both of them'. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter
2023-11-10 00:56
The trailer for Mean Girls: The Musical is here and fans can't wait for its release
19 years after the release of the original Mean Girls movie, the trailer for the musical counterpart has arrived, and fans are excited to relive the chick flick. Tina Fey will be reprising her role, but there are new Plastics in town, with Reneé Rapp, Angourie Rice, Bebe Wood, and Avantika Vandanapu taking on the roles. The film is set for release in January 2024, and it looks remarkably like the original, just with more music, and a fresh, Gen-Z twist. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter
2023-11-09 00:48
Taylor Swift fans believe 'Reputation (Taylor's Version)' will be announced this week
Taylor Swift delighted fans when she released 1989 (Taylor's Version) last month, but alas there is no rest when you're a Swiftie and no Easter egg unfound... Now, many believe that reputation (Taylor's Version) is set to be released this Thursday (November 9) - 13 days after the recent re-recording. A fan (@notalyssasue) has gone TikTok viral with her presentation on why she believes this to be the case, with supporting evidence to back her theory up. She starts by noting how everyone thinks the announcement will be on November 10 because that's the album's original release date back in 2017. @notalyssasue I love living on clownelia street #taylorswift #reputationtaylorsversion #reputationstadiumtour #swiftie #swifties #Inverted "So I know that you're looking at my crazy, but please hear me out," the TikToker says. On the Midnights album, there is the song on the 3 a.m. deluxe edition called 'Glitch' and has the lyrics: "But it's been two thousand one hundred and 90 days of our love blackout." To which @notalyssasue pointed out that Swift had a famous social media blackout ahead of her reputation era, "until randomly coming back one day." She has then calculated that the number of days between the original release date of reputation on November 10 2017 and November 9 2023 is 2,190 - like in the song 'Glitch.' "Gasp," she commented. Then the number of days between the release of 1989 (Taylor's Version) and November 9 is 13 days - Swift's favourite number. A coincidence? Meanwhile, recent snaps of Swift out and about with friends appear on the presentation as @notalyssasue highlighted how the singer's outfits have been "glitching" between blue and black - maybe signifying the shift from 1989 to reputation. Back in September, Taylor Nation posted a tweet celebrating the two years since the 'Wildest Dreams (Taylor's Version) release, "but they made sure to put emphasis whenever they referred to 'the glitch.'" She also noticed when going to pre-save 1989 (Taylor's Version) the screen "glitched" to black before returning to the blue colour. Swift has a history of announcing a re-recording release during one of her Eras tour shows, and on November 9 she does have a show at Estadio River Plate, Buenos Aires, Argentina. And most importantly of all, the TikTok made her final case: "I really, really want her to." A valid point. Since then, the video has received 1.1m views, 221,000 likes and thousands of comments from Swifties sharing their own theories about reputation. One person wrote: "I don't think she's going to announce it I think she's just going to drop it. No presales or anything. It's the hill I've chosen to die on." "AT THIS POINT I'M GONNA SUPER DISAPPOINTED IF SHE DOESN'T DO ANYTHING THE 9TH OR 10TH, i don't wanna clown again," another person said. Someone else added: "CALENDAR HAS BEEN MARKED." "What if she announces rep tv on Nov 10 then releases on New Year’s Day," a fourth person commented. Meanwhile, other hints that Swift appears to be teasing reputation as the next re-record release include the "S" in 1989 (Taylor's Version) resembling a snake. Additionally, fans who have been buying merch have noticed the star confetti that comes in the parcel is mostly blue, except for one black star. Could Swift really be announcing or potentially dropping reputation (Taylor's Version) so soon? Guess we'll have to wait until November 9 and 10 to find out... How to join the indy100's free WhatsApp channel Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-11-07 23:28
Matthew Perry cut a key Friends storyline over fear fans would 'never forgive' Chandler
Matthew Perry was ready to fight for his most iconic character’s reputation, a fellow ‘Friends’ actor has revealed. Lisa Cash, 54, who was an extra in the series, opened up about how her role in the show was changed and trimmed down thanks to Perry’s intervention – but she thinks it was the right decision. Speaking to TMZ, Cash explained that Chandler Bing (played by Perry) was supposed to cheat on his wife Monica Geller (Courteney Cox) during a Season 5 episode titled ‘The One in Vegas: Part 1’. Cash was hired to play a hotel worker who brings room service to Chandler’s room after he has a major fight with Monica, and the two were supposed to have a secret tryst. “Basically, the scene was Chandler and Monica were arguing In Vegas about Monica having lunch with Richard (Monica’s ex) and initially in our script, Chandler goes up to the hotel room, orders room service and I bring it up as a hotel worker,” the 54-year-old recounted. “And we end up talking and laughing and connecting and… Chandler ends up cheating on Monica with my character.” However, Perry knew his audience too well, and insisted that ‘Friends’ fanatics would be up in arms if the storyline were to go ahead. “We had rehearsed it and everything and then the day before we were shooting it in front of a live audience, I was told that Chandler went to the writers and said the fans will never forgive him for cheating on Monica.” She then conceded: “He was probably right. That would have changed possibly the course of the show and of his character.” Matthew Perry Removed 'Friends' Script Plans To Have Chandler Cheat On Monica | TMZ www.youtube.com Cash admitted that the axed role could have been a “game-changer” for her career, but said she was grateful for not being completely cut from the episode. Instead, she was given the part of a flight attendant who interacts with Ross and Rachel (David Schwimmer and Jennifer Aniston). Indeed, the 54-year-old was full of praise for ‘Friends’s staff and crew, particularly the late great Perry. “It was just so neat to work with him because I was coming in and I was new to the industry and it could have been really intimidating for me,” she explained. “But I just felt so comfortable and he was really likeable and welcoming and just made me feel at ease.” Cash’s revelation came as Perry’s fans and family continue to grieve the comic icon following his shock death, aged 54, on 28 October. The 17 Again star was reportedly laid to rest on Friday (3 November), at a LA cemetery in a service attended by his loved-ones, including his five most famous co-stars: Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer. Mourners gathered at the Forest Lawn cemetery in the Hollywood Hills neighbourhood, less than a mile from the Warner Brothers studio where ‘Friends’ was filmed. The cause and manner of Perry's death are to be determined by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office, upon completion of an autopsy with toxicology tests. His tragic passing came just one year after the publication of his memoir, ‘Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing,’ which chronicled his decades-long struggle with addiction to prescription painkillers and alcohol. At the time, Perry said he had been sober for about 18 months. Also on Friday, a foundation in Perry's name was launched to support people struggling with addiction. The Matthew Perry Foundation "will honour his legacy and be guided by his own words and experiences and driven by his passion for making a difference in as many lives as possible," according its website. The site leads with a quote from Perry, saying: "When I die, I don't want 'Friends' to be the first thing that's mentioned - I want helping others to be the first thing that's mentioned." Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings
2023-11-07 18:23