Welcome to "Entertainment News You Might Have Missed," where we recap the past week's trending pop culture and entertainment news that you might have missed. This curated selection aims to keep you informed about the most significant happenings in the entertainment world.
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The Cats of Gokogu Shrine focuses on the feline residents of a coastal village, and how humans and animals can co-exist
04-01, 2025
Meet the Ugandan-Australian comedian who swapped her 9-5 for the stand up stage
04-01, 2025
Filmmaker George Miller shares his love of dreams in new season of Creative Types with Virginia Trioli
04-01, 2025
Holland, the eerie new film starring Nicole Kidman, takes place in a real-life, fake-Dutch town in Michigan, US
04-01, 2025Australian "Survivor" star wins record-breaking reality TV prize. David Genat, better known to "Survivor" fans as the "Golden God," has just won the highest cash prize ever awarded by a television network. This victory solidifies his status as a top competitor in the reality TV landscape.
Genat won a staggering $5.8 million on NBC's "Deal or No Deal Island" finale, equivalent to AU$9.2 million. Genat is known for his bold gameplay across multiple seasons of Australian "Survivor," winning the title of "Sole Survivor" in the 2020 series. His "Survivor" win in Australia earned him AU$500,000, while the highest prize available to Australian "Deal or No Deal" contestants is AU$200,000.
As the name suggests, "Deal or No Deal Island" blends the concepts of "Survivor" and "Deal or No Deal." It involves 13 contestants competing in physical challenges and mastering social gameplay to locate hidden briefcases worth millions of dollars, overseen by a mysterious banker. This season, also airing on 10Play, attracted American "Survivor" legends, including Parvati Shallow and "Boston Rob" Mariano, adding to the show's star power.
In the streaming realm, Amazon Prime's "Beast Games" also broke records, with its winner taking home a $10 million prize last month, while the winner of Netflix's "Squid Game: The Challenge" won $4.56 million last year. These high-stakes competitions highlight the growing popularity and lucrative nature of reality TV on streaming platforms.
"No Other Land" filmmakers slam the Academy Awards over a public letter issued after co-director's arrest. Yuval Abraham, one of the filmmakers behind "No Other Land," has pushed back against a letter the Academy Awards sent to its members following the arrest of the film's co-director, Hamdan Ballal. The controversy has sparked debate about the Academy's response to political issues.
Earlier this week, Ballal stated that he was attacked by Israeli settlers after filming an attack by the settlers on his neighbor's home, and returning to ensure his own house had not been attacked. He and two other men were arrested by Israeli security forces shortly after, with Ballal released the next day. "No Other Land" is an Israeli/Palestinian co-production documentary about the expulsion of Palestinians from their communities by Israelis. Ballal and Abraham, along with co-directors Basel Adra and Rachel Szor, won the Academy Award for Best Documentary three weeks ago at the 97th Academy Awards in Los Angeles.
Israeli director Abraham had previously condemned the Academy for not supporting Ballal sooner after his arrest, and he slammed a letter seemingly about Ballal, co-signed by Academy CEO Bill Kramer and president Janet Yang, and sent to members on Wednesday. While the letter condemned "harming or silencing artists because of their work or views," it also acknowledged that the Academy represents "nearly 11,000 global members with many unique perspectives." Abraham wrote on social media: "After our criticism, the Academy's leaders sent this email to members explaining why they kept silent about the attack on Hamdan: they need to respect 'unique perspectives.'" The director also highlighted that the Academy's letter failed to mention Ballal's name, contrasting it with a previous statement supporting persecuted Iranian director Jafar Panahi.
Judge grants Sean 'Diddy' Combs a small win, but civil cases continue. As the start date for Sean "Diddy" Combs's U.S. federal sex trafficking trial looms, his numerous civil trials continue to play out in court. The legal battles surrounding Combs continue to attract significant media attention.
This week, Combs scored a small win in the civil trial brought by his former collaborator, Rodney "Lil Rod" Jones, with a judge dismissing five claims from the lawsuit but upholding others. Jones filed the lawsuit against Combs in January 2024, claiming he was drugged, abused, and exploited during his year working for Combs, eventually culminating in "The Love Album: Off The Grid." Jones is seeking $30 million in damages.
Earlier this week, Judge J. Paul Oetken dismissed claims from Jones's lawsuit that fell under New York's Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, including allegations of racketeering, breach of contract claims, and causes of action related to emotional distress. He also dismissed claims related to the Trafficking Victims Protection Act from the lawsuit. Despite these changes, Jones's civil lawsuit against Combs will proceed, alleging sexual assault and sex trafficking. Combs is currently being held in New York awaiting trial to determine if he is guilty of two decades of sex trafficking crimes.
In mid-March, Combs pleaded not guilty to his most recent indictment, which alleges that Combs used his "power and prestige" as a music mogul to intimidate, threaten, and lure women into his orbit, often under the guise of romantic relationships. The indictment claims that he then used force, threats, and coercion, leading victims (including 3 women specified in court documents) to engage in commercial sex acts. Jury selection for the case is set to begin on May 5, with opening statements expected to take place on May 12.
triple J's One Night Stand sells out in record time. Triple J's 2025 edition of One Night Stand has sold out in record time, demonstrating the event's immense popularity. The rapid ticket sales highlight the strong demand for live music experiences in regional areas.
This year's regional concert series will take place on Saturday, May 24, in Busselton, Western Australia, marking the first time One Night Stand has been held in Western Australia since 2016. Its all-Australian lineup includes headliners Spacey Jane, along with party-starters LUUDE, Indigenous rap supergroup 3%, singer-songwriter Ruby Fields, psychedelic rock band Velvet Trip, and pop trio Blusher. They will also be joined by the winner of the triple j Unearthed competition.
All $15 ticket proceeds will be donated to music industry charities Support Act and The Push, as well as local charities Undalup Association and Karri Karrak Organisation. If you missed out on tickets or don't live near Busselton, you can always tune into One Night Stand 2025 live on triple j radio and social media on Saturday, May 24.
Trailer of the Week: "Final Destination: Bloodlines." It may have been 14 years since Death last came calling, but the "Final Destination" franchise remains popular. The enduring appeal of the series lies in its suspenseful and creative death sequences.
The first full trailer for the sixth installment in the macabre fate series, "Final Destination," ominously titled "Bloodlines," garnered 178.7 million views in its first 24 hours, making it the second-most-viewed horror trailer in that time period, behind only 2017's "It." The impressive trailer viewership indicates a strong anticipation for the return of the franchise.
