More stories

  • in

    Usher’s incredible comeback from ‘bridesmaid affair’ and bizarre sex scandal to Kim Kardashian model and Super Bowl show

    WHEN Kim Kardashian asks you to wear her pants, you know you are back in the big time. Usher has become the face – and body – of Skims, the underwear brand founded by reality TV star Kim. 
    Usher is a new face – and body – of Kim Kardashian’s underwear brand SkimsCredit: SKIMS
    Usher, pictured during his recent Vegas residency, is making a major comebackCredit: Rex
    Stripped to his pants, the 45-year-old R&B singer can be seen suggestively squeezing a juicy peach in a series of new images for the brand. 
    It comes ahead of Usher’s highly anticipated Super Bowl half-time performance in Las Vegas this weekend. 
    Fans have been sent into overdrive at the news he’ll be bringing out Justin Bieber as a special guest, after Usher teased it would be “someone unexpected”. 
    Justin was just 13 when eight-time Grammy award-winning singer Usher signed him to his record label, helping to propel the youngster to superstardom. 
    READ MORE FEATURES
    But since revealing in 2022 he was suffering from a condition that causes facial paralysis, Justin, 29, has kept a low profile. 
    Earlier this month he made a surprise return to the stage for the first time in over a year.
    Headlining the Super Bowl halftime show – which regularly attracts more than 100 million viewers – is considered one of the biggest gigs on the planet.
    It heralds a major comeback for Usher whose career has somewhat slumped after finding himself in a string of scandal, from cheating allegations, a messy divorce – and to even a sexual abuse lawsuit.
    Most read in Celebrity
    Usher, real name Usher Raymond VI, has barely aged a day since bursting onto the music scene as a baby-faced teenager two decades ago. 
    Born in Dallas, Texas, his dad, Usher Raymond III, left when he was just a one-year-old.
    Usher strips down to his Skims Mens underwear for Kim Kardashian’s new campaign ahead of Super Bowl Halftime show
    The youngster later moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee, with his mother Jonnetta Patton and step-dad, and it was here he honed his singing skills in the local church choir.
    Aged 13, he competed in TV talent show Star Search, which led to an introduction to record executive L.A. Reid, who signed the teen to his label.
    Usher will be joined by Justin Bieber during his half time Super Bowl showCredit: Getty – Contributor
    Fans are hyped for the performance this weekendCredit: X/applemusic
    Usher pictured in 1994 aged 16, when he released his debut albumCredit: Getty
    In a candid interview last year, Usher admitted: “I failed at everything else. 
    “I never stopped trying until I figured out this is what I want to do.”
    Usher released his self-titled debut album aged just 16 in 1994.
    His first three albums sold more than six million copies, but it was his fourth, Confessions, which launched him into super stardom.
    His sexy style of R&B helped shift 20million copies – but fame came at a cost.
    I failed at everything else. I never stopped trying until I figured out this is what I want to doUsher
    He said in 2010: “I don’t have a private life – that’s the catch.
    “What R&B music is, and what it always has been, is taking an emotional experience and singing it passionately. Privacy is something that just isn’t there. 
    “Every other day something’s written about you, but you can’t get caught up in it.
    “I try to live my life, and whatever is said in the press, I think my music will allow me to address certain things with people… my music basically sets the record straight.”
    Usher as Billy Flynn in the Broadway production of ChicagoCredit: Rex
    Two years later he made his Broadway debut when he took over the lead of Billy Flynn in the musical Chicago, causing a spike in ticket sales. 
    But he was forced to bow out after two months after contracting strep throat.
    His absence reportedly cost the production more than £315,000 in refunds.
    As well as a best-selling fragrance line, he bagged a string of endorsement deals with the likes of Belvedere Vodka, Pepsi, and Remy Martin.
    First marriage
    Usher with his first wife Tameka Foster
    In 2007, Usher married his stylist, Tameka Foster, seven years his senior, and she gave birth to their son Usher “Cinco” V, now 16, later that year. 
    He set up his record label, Raymond Braun Media Group, in 2008 in partnership with talent agent Scooter Braun, with pop star Justin their first signee. 
    That same year Usher released his album Here I Stand – but lyrics hailing the virtue of monogamy and family appeared to anger his largely female fanbase. 
    Tameka bore the brunt, saying in an interview: “People say it’s my fault he made all those songs. It was saddening. 
    “For a man to find a mate and profess their love publicly, and then for fans to be mad at him just shows the immaturity in so many of them.”
    Usher defended his wife, saying: “Here I Stand was very specific to where I was in my life. I don’t think everyone was there.”
    In 2009, two months after giving birth to their second son, Naviyd, now 15, Tameka suffered a cardiac arrest and almost died after flying to Brazil for a liposuction procedure. 
    She was put in a medically induced coma and recovered but in June that year, Usher filed for divorce. 
    Messy split
    Usher with his second wife, Grace MiguelCredit: Getty – Contributor
    The singer won primary custody of their sons during an ugly battle, which saw him accuse his ex of spitting at his then girlfriend Grace Miguel. 
    Tameka later claimed Usher had an affair with her bridesmaid during their two-year marriage.
    Speaking in a 2012 TV interview, she said: “He admitted to sleeping with one of the two. It was a very disappointing revelation. I had suspected it for some time.
    “I hate to say it, but I somewhat empathise with her… he fell into somewhat of a trap.
    “I think that she got very close to him as a result of being my friend and I feel like he used it to his advantage.”
    He admitted to sleeping with one of the two. It was a very disappointing revelation. I had suspected it for some timeTameka Foster
    There was further controversy in 2013 when their eldest son nearly drowned while swimming under the supervision of one of Usher’s aunts, prompting Tameka to file an emergency custody motion, but a judge ruled in the singer’s favour. 
    Usher continued to release music and joined The Voice in the US as a coach in 2013.
    He said in a 2014 interview: “Part of the reason why I did The Voice was so people would get a chance to get a different perception of me.”
    And he added: “I don’t feel that I’ve got to sell out this tour, or sell crazy amounts of albums, or have the number one single. It’s great to have all those things, but that isn’t what I’m doing.”
    Usher went on to tie the knot for a second time with life coach Grace in 2015, but they divorced three years later. 
    Bizarre sex scandal
    Laura Helm claimed she caught herpes from Usher
    Quantasia Sharpton (left) alleged she had sexual contact with the singer after going to see him in concert for her 19th birthday in 2014Credit: Splash News
    The pop icon found himself at the centre of yet another scandal after he was sued by three people – two women and one man – who accused him of not informing them about an alleged herpes infection before engaging in sexual contact. 
    The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles, contained charges including sexual battery, fraud and emotional distress. 
    Singer Laura Helm claimed she had caught herpes from Usher, but she dropped her £15million lawsuit in 2019 after it was reported they had reached an “amicable resolution”.
    Another woman, Quantasia Sharpton, claimed she had “sexual contact” with the singer after going to see him in concert for her 19th birthday in 2014. 
    She claimed that while she didn’t contract herpes from Usher, he “exposed her to it”.
    Usher’s legal team filed a response to the lawsuit denying the allegations, and the star allegedly claimed he did not sleep with Quantasia because “she’s not his type”. 
    The 21-year-old and mum-of-three dropped her lawsuit in 2019, but it is not clear if any settlement was reached. 
    It came after the performer reportedly settled another lawsuit for £800,000 in 2012 with a former lover after he reportedly infected her with herpes.
    Leaked court documents, which came to light in 2017, claimed the star knew he had the incurable STI before repeatedly having unprotected sex with the celebrity stylist.
    New love
    Usher found love again with Jenn GoicoecheaCredit: Getty
    Usher went on to find love with Jenn Goicoechea, a senior vice president of A&R at Epic Records.
    They have two children, Sovereign Bo, three, and Sire Castrello, two.
    The past few years have signalled a return to the spotlight for the singer.
    He went on to land not one, but two Vegas residencies from 2021, which reportedly grossed more than £78billion. 
    Last December Usher – who has been given the keys to the city – closed out his 100th and final sold-out Vegas show as well as putting on a 12-day Paris residency, marking his triumphant return. 
    READ MORE SUN STORIES
    In 2021 he started a 14-show residency at Caesars Palace, which reportedly grossed more than £10million. 
    Speaking to Vogue magazine earlier this year, Usher – who has just released his ninth album, Coming Home – said of his much hyped Super Bowl performance: “It has to be perfect.”
    Usher as a judge on The Voice USCredit: Trae Patton/NBC
    Khloe Kardashian and Kimora Lee Simmons rub Usher’s bare chest and and get fed strawberries from him as Kim Kardashian laughs in front row of his show in Las VegasCredit: The Mega Agency
    Usher shares sons, 15-year-old Usher (AKA Cinco) V, and Naviyd Ely, aged 14, with his ex-wife Tameka Foster, as well as a daughter, Sovereign Bo (three) and a one-year-old son, Sire Castrello, with Jenn GoicoecheaCredit: Instagram More

  • in

    I cheated on Hugh Hefner with boxing champ David Haye – it was best sex I’ve ever had, says Playboy bunny Zoe Gregory

    A PLAYBOY bunny has revealed how she cheated on Hugh Hefner with boxer David Haye.English model Zoe Gregory, who lived in the notorious ­mansion, says she could not resist the I’m A Celebrity hunk despite being in a long-term relationship with the lothario magazine founder.
    Former Page 3 girl Zoe Gregory reveals all in her new bookCredit: John Chapple – The Sun
    Zoe Gregory says she could not resist the I’m A Celebrity hunkCredit: Getty
    Opening up for the first time about the secret fling, she describes her connection with The Hayemaker as “crazy electric”, adding that he begged her not to leave.
    In an exclusive interview, the mum of one said: “I was a bit down at the time because although I was Hef’s girlfriend — and he had made so many of my dreams come true — I didn’t see it as a genuine, loving relationship. I saw it as a job.”
    At the time, she was also married to British DJ Chris Paul.
    Zoe, 49, said of Chris: “I am not sure I was ever in love with him. Also, he acted as babysitter, looking after my young son Lewis during the week when I was living at the Playboy mansion.
    Read More on Showbiz
    “David was completely different to both of them and he swept me off my feet.
    “I had only ever dated Average Joes before then. I’d never been with someone with muscles and such an incredible figure.
    “Meeting David helped me a lot at a time when I really needed someone like him.
    “Hef was never going to find out about it unless he had me followed, and he never did as far as I know.
    Most read in Celebrity
    “I didn’t tell the other girls at the mansion what happened as they might have used it to turn Hef against me. I didn’t tell my husband either. I didn’t breathe a word to anyone. What happened has always been my secret.”
    Hugh Hefner had serious addiction to opiates and staff feared he’d die from overdose, widow Crystal claims in memoir
    London-born Zoe met Haye, 43, when he fought fellow boxer Vance Winn in the grounds of the Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles in 2003.
    The Bermondsey brawler was a then relative unknown in the early stages of his professional career.
    But he dispatched the US fighter in just 54 seconds and was later photographed posing alongside the late Playboy mag founder — famous for the debauched parties he held at his £150million mansion.
    Zoe was one of a harem of bunnies who shared Hefner’s bedroom, despite the fact he was in his 70s at the time they met and relied heavily on Viagra to perform.
    Having moved into the mansion in 2001, she had risen to become Hef’s number two girlfriend by the time Haye found himself in her cross-hairs.
    ‘I put on a nice bikini’
    She said: “I was spying on David from my room — my window faced down on to his trailer in the grounds — and after watching the match and seeing him knocking out that guy in the first round, I thought, ‘OK, that’s hot’.
    “I was starving for male attention and David was so macho and tall and handsome.
    “His body was incredibly fit. I didn’t normally go for big guys like that, but he really stood out.
    “As soon as he had finished with the fight, I put on my make-up, ran down and started flirting with him.
    Hef with Haye after the boxer knocked out US fighter Vance Wynn in just 54 seconds at the Playboy mansion in 2003Credit: Getty
    Zoe with Hefner at the Grammy awards in 2002Credit: AFP
    “I said, ‘Congratulations on the win’. He said, ‘My God, you’re from England’.
    “I asked him to come around to the side of the house where there were no cameras and people were less likely to see us talking.
    “We walked around and he asked me what my story was.
    “I told him and I thought he would be grossed out by me being Hef’s girlfriend and it would put him off.
    “But I could tell from how he was looking at me that he was feeling it.
    “He said, ‘I’m leaving in a couple of days so let’s hang out’. I said, ‘OK, but I’ve got a curfew, I have to be home at night’.
    I was starving for male attention and David was so macho and tall and handsome. I don’t normally go for big guys like that, but he stood outZoe Gregory
    “He said, ‘Come during the daytime, we will be by the pool at the Mondrian hotel’.”
    Former Page 3 model Zoe added: “As soon as the next day came, I drove straight over to David’s hotel.
    “I put on a nice bikini and I thought we were going to lie by the pool and chat.
    “But he was still in his room when I got there.
    “I texted him saying, ‘I’m here!’. He replied, ‘Come up to the room first’.
    “I had butterflies and I could hear the music playing inside when I knocked on the door, which he opened wearing just a pair of Calvin Klein boxers.
    Hef with Zoe, in blue, and five other playmates in Vegas in 2003Credit: Reuters
    ‘Throuple’ fans David, Sian Osborne, right, and Una Healy
    “He was just out of the shower and I could smell his aftershave.
    “We had chemistry and that was the beautiful thing.
    “We couldn’t even look at each other when we spoke — that is how strong the tension was.
    “Ten seconds went by and then he came over and picked me up and threw me on the bed.
    “No ­one had ever done that to me before and I thought, ‘Hero’. It was a hot 15 minutes and, to be honest, it was the best I have ever had — at least at the time.
    “It was rampant and crazy and electric.
    “David absolutely loved it and afterwards he told me, ‘You can’t leave — I’ve never felt anything like that in my life’.”
    Zoe was eventually forced out of the mansion when Hefner ended their relationship in 2004 — but not because of her fling with Haye.
    ‘Rampant and crazy ’
    The mogul, who died aged 91 in 2017, had decided there was too much tension in the house because Zoe and his number one girlfriend Holly Madison had fallen out and were barely speaking.
    Zoe’s new memoir, From Britain To Bunny, tells the incredible tale of how she swapped a life of crime in the UK — selling fake ecstasy tablets at raves — to become a top glamour model in the US.
    Having separated from hubby Chris, she now lives in Miami, where she works as an attendant on private flights.
    Haye and his current partner, model Sian Osborne, have enjoyed a series of high-profile throuples with women, including The Saturdays singer Una Healy.
    Zoe said: “David and I kept in touch, but we never got to hook up again because he was always in a relationship.
    “I saw him recently in Miami and I told him, ‘I’ve written a book and you’re in it’.
    READ MORE SUN STORIES
    “He said, ‘No way’. I said, ‘Don’t worry, it’s all good things’.”

    From Britain To Bunny is available to buy now on britaintobunny.com. More

  • in

    Most controversial sex scenes after THAT Jenna Ortega & Martin Freeman romp… including stars who ‘had real sex on film’

    MOVIE sex scenes have been the subject of furious debate since cinema began and can leave viewers hot under the collar for all the wrong reasons. Martin Freeman and Jenna Ortega are the latest to find themselves in the eye of the storm over their racy scenes in Miller’s Girl, slammed as  “gross” because of their 31-year age gap.
    The age gap affair is at the centre of Miller’s GirlCredit: AP
    Racy scenes between the actors have been slammed as ‘gross’Credit: Lionsgate
    The 52-year-old Sherlock star plays teacher Jonathan Miller, who has a complicated fling with an 18-year-old student, played by Jenna, who is 21.
    Viewers took to X, formerly Twitter, to vent their anger, with one saying they felt “uncomfortable” about intimate scenes between the pair. 
    But the film’s intimacy coordinator, Kristina Arjona, has insisted Jenna was very comfortable with the scenes and “very determined and very sure of what she wanted to do”.
    And the scenes have nothing on these raunchy romps which caused controversy in the past…
    Read more in Features
    Nymphomaniac (2013)
    The name is a bit of a giveaway, so it’s not surprising that Lars von Trier’s 2013 film, which starred Charlotte Gainsbourg, Uma Thurman and Shia LaBeouf, has a lot of sexual content.
    In one shocking scene Gainsbourg’s sex addict character Joe sympathises with a self-confessed paedophile and gives him oral sex.
    The sex scenes were so graphic in the movie that many believed the actors had actually performed the acts on camera.
    Shia LaBeouf seemed to confirm this when he told a US chat show: “There’s a disclaimer at the top of the script that basically says we’re doing it for real.
    Most read in Showbiz
    Shia LaBeouf, seen with Charlotte Gainsbourg, suggested the sex was realCredit: Rex Features
    “Everything that is illegal, we’ll shoot in blurred images. Other than that, everything is happening.” 
    In fact, von Trier used porn stars as body doubles, digitally adding images of their genitals to the bodies of the cast.
    Benefits of watching sex scenes in TV – Fab Exc
    Crash (1996)
    James Spade and Holly Hunter come together after a crashCredit: Alamy
    Rosanna Arquette, Holly Hunter and James Spader star in the movieCredit: Alamy
    James Spader stars as a car crash survivor who develops macabre fantasies and meets a group of fetishists who are aroused by violent car accidents and horrific injuries.
    In one graphic scene his character, James Ballard, has sex with an open wound on the leg of a disabled woman, played by Rosanna Arquette.
    The movie, directed by David Cronenberg, was banned in parts of the UK but released in the US, with a rating of NC-17 – meaning no one under 17 could see it.
    Critics condemned the sex scenes, and Cronenberg claimed Francis Ford Coppola, who was jury president at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival, tried to prevent Crash from receiving the coveted Palme d’Or.
    However, it was awarded a Special Jury Prize by the committee and the director was booed by the audience as he stood up to collect it. 
    Pink Flamingos (1972)
    Divine and Danny Miller starred as mother and sonCredit: Entertainment Film Distributors
    John Waters’ cult movie sees trailer park mum Babs, played by Harris Glenn Milstead – better known as Divine – fighting to keep her title as “the filthiest person in the world”.
    One scene, which was banned by the British Board of Film Classification, shows a chicken being killed during sex between Danny Miller’s character, Cracker, and a girlfriend. 
    And in another disturbing scene, Divine performs a sex act on Cracker – who is her on-screen son – as he declares his devotion to her. 
    The film was banned in Australia, Norway and parts of the US and was not submitted to the BBFC until 1989.
    It was then released with these two scenes – and another, in which a man artificially inseminates a woman after masturbating – cut.
    Intimacy (2001)
    Mark Rylance now regrets the movieCredit: Rex
    Brit actor Mark Rylance starred in the erotic drama Intimacy opposite Kerry Fox, which featured full frontal nudity and very raunchy sex scenes.
    In one, Kerry gave Mark un-simulated oral sex. Many believed other sex scenes were also real, with one critic claiming that after an encounter between the couple that opens the film, “the spectator is left in little doubt that penetration has occurred”.
    Rylance later said talk of the film’s unsimulated sex scenes in tabloids added stress on his marriage and “soured his life” for months.
    He added: “It’s my mistake, but I felt [director] Patrice [Chéreau] put undue pressure on me on set to do that. And at that point I didn’t have the confidence as a film actor to say no.”
    He now says he regrets the movie, recently telling the Guardian: “I found the making of the film and the subsequent publicity and personal attacks very, very painful. I wish I hadn’t made it.”
    The Brown Bunny (2003)
    Chloe Sevingny and Vincent Gallo in the movieCredit: Alamy
    Chloe Sevigny was dropped by her agent after appearing in this art house road movie with Vincent Gallo.
    Gallo plays a motorbike racer who travels across the US in search of his long lost love, and ends with Sevigny’s character performing unsimulated oral sex on the actor.
    After the film got a hostile reception at Cannes, Sevingny likened it to an Andy Warhol movie, but she parted company with talent agency William Morris shortly after and her career hit a slump.
    In 2011 she told Playboy she might one day seek therapy over the role, adding: “The film is tragic and beautiful, and I’m proud of it and my performance. 
    “I’m sad that people think one way of the movie, but what can you do? I’ve done many explicit sex scenes, but I’m not that interested in doing anymore.
    “I’m more self-aware now and wouldn’t be able to be as free, so why even do it?”
    Blue is the Warmest Colour (2013)
    The film centres on a love affair between two women
    In this flick Lea Seydoux stars as an art student who has a love affair with a teenager, played by Adele Exarchopoulos.
    The film contains long and graphic sex scenes between the two women.
    Critics accused director Abdellatif Kechiche of including gratuitous romps, with the New York Times’ critic Manohla Dargis pointing out the steamy scenes felt “far more about Mr. Kechiche’s desires than anything else”.
    There were also claims that the sex was real, but Seydoux later revealed that the women used prosthetic moulds of their vaginas to make it look realistic.
    The Cannes jury awarded the Palme d’Or to Kechiche and both the actresses, which had never been done before.
    But Seydoux later claimed the director’s methods were “humiliating” and left her “feeling like a prostitute”. 
    Blue Velvet (2008)
    Dennis Hopper’s sex scene with Isabella Rossillini was described as misogynisticCredit: Alamy
    The uproar centred on a scene in which Dennis Hopper inhales oxygen and then has abusive sex with Isabella Rossellini while being watched by Kyle MaclachlanCredit: Warner Bros
    David Lynch’s Blue Velvet split opinion, receiving both Oscar nods and a wave of protest. 
    The uproar centred on a scene in which Dennis Hopper inhales oxygen and then has abusive sex with Isabella Rossellini while being watched by Kyle Maclachlan. 
    The scene was slammed as misogynistic, with critic Roger Ebert saying Rossellini was “degraded, slapped around, humiliated and undressed in front of the camera”.
    The Devils (1971)
    The Devils featured nuns in orgiesCredit: Sportsphoto Ltd./Allstar
    The Ken Russell film was considered so blasphemous that the full version is still not available 50 years on.
    The most controversial scene, known as the “Rape of Christ”, was a two-and-a-half-minute sequence which saw naked nuns sexually defiling a statue of Christ as a priest looks on and masturbates. 
    Warner Bros cut the scene before submitting the film to the BBFC.
    Another, which sees a nun pleasuring herself with the charred bone of a martyred saint, was also cut.

    Don’t Look Now  (1973)
    Julie Christie and Donald Sutherland starred in Don’t Look NowCredit: Rex
    Don’t Look Now was rumoured to contain real sexCredit: Paramount
    The classic thriller, set in Venice, centres on a couple played by Julie Christie and Donald Sutherland, who are grieving the death of their daughter in a tragic drowning accident.
    But a scene in which the pair have sex proved a talking point for decades afterwards, with many believing it was so realistic the actors were doing it for real.
    Speculation was rife for years and was reignited in 2011 when producer Peter Bart wrote in his memoirs: “My gaze shifted to the actors, and I was riveted.
    “By their shifting positions, it was clear to me they were no longer simply acting: they were f*****g on camera.”
    Furious Donald Sutherland denied the claims, stating that Bart wasn’t even in the room when the scene was shot.
    Cinematographer Anthony B. Richmond confirmed the only people present were himself, the actors and director Nicolas Roeg.
    9 Songs (2004)
    9 Songs is the most sexually explicit mainstream movie
    The movie charts a 12-month love affair between a British climatologist and an American student, to the soundtrack of nine rock songs.
    Widely seen as the most sexually explicit mainstream film to date, it includes several scenes of real sex between the two lead actors, Margo Stilley and Kieran O’Brien.
    READ MORE SUN STORIES
    The sexual exchanges between the two, shown clearly on film, include mutual masturbation, extreme close-ups of genitalia and oral sex, an on-screen ejaculation and a lingering shot of penetration.
    Despite causing outrage, the film was released with an 18 certificate, prompting MP Ann Widdecombe to complain in the UK House of Commons and call on the Home Secretary to reverse the decision to release it uncut.  More

  • in

    Jenna Ortega, 21, was ‘comfortable’ doing sex scenes with Martin Freeman, 52, insists intimacy coordinator

    JENNA Ortega was “comfortable” doing sex scenes with Martin Freeman in their new film Miller’s Girl – despite the 31-year age gap, insisted an intimacy coordinator. In the movie, Wednesday star Jenna, who is 21 in real life, plays 18-year-old student Cairo, while The Office star Martin, who is 52, plays her teacher, Jonathan Miller.
    Jenna Ortega was ‘comfortable’ with sex scenes despite her 31-year age gap with Martin Freeman
    An intimacy coordinator for the film said the pair had ample discussions about the ‘levels of nudity’Credit: Lionsgate
    The explicit sex scene has sparked outrage due to their 31-year age gap.
    Intimacy coordinator Kristina Arjona revealed that Jenna was involved in decisions about the curation of the racy moments and insisted that at no point were any “boundaries surpassed”.
    “There was many, many people throughout this process, engaging with [Jenna] to make sure that it was consistent with what she was comfortable with, and she was very determined and very sure of what she wanted to do,’ Kristina told The Mail.
    ‘Part of my job too is supporting her decisions. I adapt to whatever is the comfort level of my actors, especially on a production like this where there is a large age gap between the actors.
    READ MORE IN FILM
    “I’m hyper aware of both of my talent and making sure that we’re consistently checking in and that at no point are any of their boundaries being surpassed.
    “And again, making sure – especially with someone who’s significantly younger – that they are giving continuous consent.”
    The pair become embroiled in a complicated and inappropriate relationship after Jenna’s character decides to write a sex story during his class.
    Kristina said there was extensive discussion with Jenna and Martin about the “level of nudity”, and a test audience was used to help them decide what was “too much”.
    Most read in Celebrity
    They were also provided the information in a written format 48 hours before filming the scenes – but insisted that they could change their mind or object to any of the “elements discussed” on the day.
    The scenes have since divided fans, which many viewers have an issue with – due to the difference in ages.
    Game of Thrones star looks worlds away from Westeros after glam transformation for Netflix’s Addams Family spin-off
    One user posted: “MARTIN FREEMAN WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO JENNA ORTEGA”
    Another fumed: “I think I am finally done watching these age gap movies. They are all gross, and I am tired of it. No amount of Jenna Ortega or Martin Freeman could save this one for me,” fumed another.
    A third viewer noted: “I’m uncomfortable.” 
    Another stated: “When Martin Freeman was in his 40’s Jenna Ortega was 10 years old.”
    Speaking about starring in the film, Jenna previously admitted she was “taken aback” by the “risky” portrayal of a teenager.
    She explained: “I remember receiving the script being on set in Montreal and it was just this side email and then I open up to find this horrific and beautiful, this romantic horror. This horrific story romanticized.
    “I remember being so taken aback by Cairo because what I have experienced in my career and I think a lot of young girls can say the same.
    READ MORE SUN STORIES
    “I feel like teenage girls are often written in the same bratty, no nonsense manner but Cairo is so intelligent and wise beyond her years that I was excited to be able to explore.
    “The topic of the film is a little bit riskier. It is a scary thing to approach but obviously as an artist you want to take risks and explore what it could be.”
    They could change their mind or object to any of the ‘elements discussed’ on the dayCredit: Lionsgate
    They also had a test audience was used to help them decide what was ‘too much’Credit: Lionsgate More

  • in

    I rushed into David Haye ‘throuple’ after feeling pressure to find love after my divorce, Una Healy admits

    THE Saturdays singer Una Healy has confessed that she “rushed” into a new relationship too quickly following her divorce.Una, 42, made the revelation as she looked back over her past heartbreak and following the collapse of her ‘throuple’ with David Haye.
    Una has spoken out after the ending of her ‘throuple’Credit: Not known, clear with picture desk
    She appeared on Boots’ podcast where she spoke about ‘rushing’ into romanceCredit: Boots UK
    The singing sensation was initially left heartbroken when her marriage to rugby star Ben Foden came to a dramatic end in 2018 when he cheated on her with PR girl Becky Milne.
    Una and Ben had been married since 2012 and welcomed two children together before Ben’s shocking infidelity was finally exposed.
    Now, the mum-of-two has admitted she regrets rushing into dating again so soon after her divorce.
    Una was appearing on Boots UK presents Taboo Talk, alongside Faye Winter and hosted by Vogue Williams where she spoke openly about her love life.
    More on Una Healy
    The Walk Away singer said: “You do feel a pressure, maybe that’s why I dated so quickly and went into a relationship with someone after my divorce so fast.
    “I felt, ‘I need someone, I have to fine someone,’ and I didn’t at all!
    “That just never worked out anyway, for the best, but I did think there was a lot of pressure on me to find someone.”
    Una continued: “Rather than enjoy being on my own and re-discovering myself and then maybe meeting someone organically out and about but I prevented that happening by getting into a relationship so soon.”
    Most read in Celebrity
    Although Una did not name who she was referring to, she said: “We were so uncompatible.
    “It was like chalk and cheese!”
    Fans call Una Healy ‘absolutely sensational’ as she shares breathtaking singing video
    Una enjoyed a romance with pro boxer David Haye last year and was linked to a ‘throuple’ with David and his model girlfriend, Sian Osborne.
    Una confirmed she shared her ex with another woman, but said she was “hoodwinked” into being in a throuple, and left the relationship as soon as she realised.
    Una addressed her experience on Vogue Williams and Joanne McNally’ podcast, My Therapist Ghosted Me, and she explained she met David through a dating app.
    She shared: “Dating HIM is the right term because that’s how it was, it wasn’t a throuple. We had a lovely relationship.
    “It was casual, it wasn’t serious. I was happy enough with it. It was in a romantic capacity.
    “He was very honest that I wasn’t the only woman he was seeing, I was very aware he was seeing other people. I knew he was being honest and it’s not like I was being cheated on.
    “I knew he wasn’t husband material, just a bit of fun and I was enjoying it.”
    David, 43, and Sian, 30, got together in 2020 and welcomed Una into their relationship at the end of 2022.
    Una said she decided to cut ties when she realised David “didn’t believe the traditional relationship exists anymore”.
    Despite their tricky relationship she has remained on good terms with David.
    “I really enjoyed my relationship with him,” Una said.
    “He was very kind to me and very honest but it ran its course and I’ve been single ever since.”
    READ MORE SUN STORIES
    Una was previously married to rugby player Ben, 38.
    Keep up to date with the latest news, gossip and scandals on our celebrity live blog
    Una was previously married to Ben FodenCredit: Instagram More

  • in

    Peter Andre opens up on finances with pregnant wife Emily as they make controversial decision

    PETER Andre has opened up on his finances with his pregnant wife Emily, after they revealed they made a controversial decision.The Mysterious Girl popstar, 50, has candidly opened up on the expansion of his brood.
    Peter Andre and wife Emily are getting ready to welcome another childCredit: Peter Andre/Instagram
    The singer has opened up about the financial agreement between the pairCredit: Instagram/@dr_emily_official
    Peter has now spoken about the financial arrangement he has with wife Emily MacDonagh, and confirmed they don’t have a prenup.
    The revelation came during a chat on GB News about whether couples should share a joint bank account.
    Host Ellie Costello quizzed the singer on the subject, to which he replied: “I think it depends on upbringing, some cultures think you should keep your own money, some think it should all be kept together.
    “As you grow older, you start to figure it out yourself. I know with Emily (MacDonagh) at the start, I had very different views to what I have now.
    read more peter andre
    “We don’t have a prenup. We have children together. We had a discussion before we got married.
    “I knew I was going to stay with her forever, so it (money) all stays in the same place anyway.”
    Meanwhile, Pete recently appeared on Good Morning Britain to reveal the baby’s due date.
    Host Susanna Reid, 53, herself a mum of three, asked Peter: “How is Emily?”
    Most read in Celebrity
    Peter replied: “She is good.
    “I really have a lot of respect when you see what they go through.”
    He then confirmed how NHS doctor Emily – mother to his children Theo, six, and Millie, nine – has “eight or nine weeks to go.”
    Presenter Richard Madeley then asked about the sex of the child, to which the Aussie hitmaker replied: “It’s a baby.”
    He added: “We are going to have a surprise this time.”
    Recently, we reported how Emily was rushed to hospital during what is her third pregnancy.
    He told how it had been an “emotional rollercoaster” for his wife – but “she just gets on with it.”
    Peter also has two older children – son Junior, 18, and 16-year-old Princess – with his ex-wife Katie Price.
    He previously said he didn’t want to be changing nappies past 50, but revealed in October that they were adding to their brood.
    While his teens lead a relatively high-profile life, Millie and Theo’s personal lives are deliberately kept private.
    Peter also addressed parenting techniques on GMB as he discussed The Sun’s exclusive story about his starring role in a harrowing new music video.
    READ MORE SUN STORIES
    He is seen in an acting – rather than singing – capacity as he plays dad Jack to accompany Fabio D’Andrea’s latest release, Another Way.
    The heart-wrenching scenes depict the impact of cyber bullying and Peter talked of the importance of “being a friend” to his kids as well as their parent to help guide them through life.
    Keep up to date with the latest news, gossip and scandals on our celebrity live blog
    Peter will soon be a dad of fiveCredit: Instagram More

  • in

    Peter Andre reveals wife Emily’s exact due date – and why they haven’t discovered sex of his fifth child

    PETER Andre has revealed wife Emily’s exact due date as he prepares to welcome his fifth child.The Mysterious Girl popstar, 50, opened up on the expansion of his brood on Wednesday’s Good Morning Britain.
    Peter Andre revealed his wife Emily’s exact due date on Wednesday’s Good Morning BritainCredit: ITV
    Emily announced her third pregnancy on Instagram last yearCredit: Peter Andre/Instagram
    Peter, 50, told the ITV daytime show Emily has ‘eight or nine weeks to go’Credit: Instagram/@dr_emily_official
    Host Susanna Reid, 53, herself a mum of three, asked Peter: “How is Emily?”
    Peter replied: “She is good.
    “I really have a lot of respect when you see what they go through.”
    He then confirmed how NHS doctor Emily – mother to his children Theo, six, and Millie, nine – has “eight or nine weeks to go.”
    read more peter andre
    Presenter Richard Madeley, 67, then asked about the sex of the child, to which the Aussie hitmaker replied: “It’s a baby.”
    He added: “We are going to have a surprise this time.”
    Recently, we reported how Emily was rushed to hospital during what is her third pregnancy.
    He told how it had been an “emotional rollercoaster” for his wife – but “she just gets on with it.”
    Most read in Celebrity
    Peter also has two older children – son Junior, 18, and 16-year-old Princess – with his ex-wife Katie Price.
    He previously said he didn’t want to be changing nappies past 50, but revealed in October that they were adding to their brood.
    While his teens lead a relatively high-profile life, Millie and Theo’s personal lives are deliberately kept private.
    Peter also addressed parenting techniques on GMB as he discussed The Sun’s exclusive story about his starring role in a harrowing new music video.
    He is seen in an acting – rather than singing – capacity as he plays dad Jack to accompany Fabio D’Andrea’s latest release, Another Way.
    The heart-wrenching scenes depict the impact of cyber bullying and Peter talked of the importance of “being a friend” to his kids as well as their parent to help guide them through life.
    Meanwhile, earlier on Wednesday’s GMB, host Richard was slammed for being “unsympathetic” while talking to a grieving mum in a separate chat.
    Keep up to date with the latest news, gossip and scandals on our celebrity live blog
    Peter will soon be a dad of fiveCredit: Instagram
    The Mysterious Girl hitmaker told how he is a ‘friend’ to his eldest kids Princess and Junior as well as a parentCredit: Instagram More

  • in

    Sarah Jessica Parker shakes off Sex in the City’s Carrie in A-list new play Plaza Suite

    I CAN’T say I knew what to expect when Sarah Jessica Parker stepped out onto the stage of the Savoy Theatre – that is, other than the eruption of applause she got with each move. But with a quarter-of-a-century passing since we first saw her in Sex and the City, she still hasn’t shaken off Carrie Bradshaw, and it’s increasingly hard to see her as anyone else. 
    Sarah shakes off Carrie Bradshaw for her three new roles in Plaza SuiteCredit: Getty
    The actress is best known for her role in Sex and the CityCredit: Getty
    So appearing on stage dressed as a 60s housewife, it is – at least from my spot in the dress circle – hard to tell who you’re initially looking at. It certainly isn’t the character she’s best known for. 
    Plaza Suite, written by Neil Simon, follows three couples staying in the deluxe suite – with the actress and her husband Matthew Broderick, 61, playing each across three separate acts. 
    With brunette hair and an oversized skirt suit, Sarah, 58, is first bubbling ball of energy Karen, who checks into room 719 at the New York Hotel to celebrate her wedding anniversary. 
    She and her deadbeat spouse Sam spends much of their skit arguing over whether they are in the same room as their honeymoon, and the real date of their anniversary, before he reveals he’s having an affair with his secretary.
    more on sarah jessica parker
    After the curtain closes for the interval, she re-appears as Muriel – a starry-eyed country girl visiting her former hometown flame Jesse Kiplinger, a three-times divorced Hollywood producer.
    Despite being ‘happily married’ she’s wooed into the bedroom with vodka stingers and sweet talk before a second, shorter curtain down.
    This time, Sarah appears finally as a flamboyantly dressed Mrs Hubley – whose daughter locks herself in the bathroom ahead of her glamorous, and expensive, Plaza wedding. 
    While Mr Hubley scales the side of the building and tries to kick down the door, she dramatically swoons and clings to his coat-tails as they find out daughter Mimsie is avoiding her big moment all in order to avoid one day ending up just like her parents. 
    Most read in Showbiz
    There’s no real conclusion to any of the stories, we just simply have a look – as if you’re peering through the keyhole of a hotel room – at three marriages in their rawest, and most complicated, form. 
    The two-and-a-half hour experience could set you back anything from £25 to £395 – if you’re looking for a bottle of champagne and an interval ice cream as part of a deluxe package. 
    Eye-watering prices for the stalls – but if like me, you’re not fussy about breathing in the air that the Sex and the City star breathes out (which some mega-fans might), there’s nothing wrong with a cheap seat. 
    And ultimately, if you’re looking for a spot of fun theatre, Sarah’s delightfully silly, giddy, witty and teetering on the verge of camp delivery – and no stuttering of this quick script – makes it worth it. 
    Clearly some of the silver screen’s finest agree with me, with the actress already pulling in an A-list audience including Martin Freeman, David Tennant, Olivia Williams and Hannah Waddingham, just to name a few.
    Written in the 60s, the play is, of course, challenging viewing – there’s an outdated depiction of the sexes and marriage.
    But, those put off are missing the point clear as day to me: you’re supposed to be laughing at it, and it’s supposed to be a little uncomfortable to watch. 
    And most importantly, in some ways, the play itself is beside the point… the likelihood is that most of the audience is coming to see SJP on stage, and not necessarily the 1968 production. 
    READ MORE SUN STORIES
    I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. 
    ★★★★
    She’s joined on stage by husband Matthew BroderickCredit: Getty
    Plaza Suite is a ‘giddy delight’ for its A-list viewersCredit: Getty More