The HBO drama series "The Survivor" was nominated this week for the prestigious 2022 International Emmy Awards in the Outstanding Television Movie category.

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Based on true events, the series tells the story of Harry Haft (played by American actor Ben Foster), who survived the Auschwitz concentration camp after being forced to box against fellow inmates, and focuses on his life after the war with his family in Brooklyn.

Israeli actress Dar Zuzovsky portays Haft's partner, Leah Krichinsky.

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It is not a new Marvel movie, and not another installment of the Star Wars franchise either. Disney's most in-demand brand in 2022 is none other than the Kardashian family. 

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Three months ago, the streaming service launched "The Kardashians", a modern version of the popular "Keeping Up with the Kardashians." The series premiere, which first aired in the United States on Hulu, is said to have been the most-watched in US history, surpassing other popular programs offered by the service, such as "The Handmaid's Tale" dystopian series and "Only Murders in the Building" comedy show with Steve Martin, Selena Gomez, and Martin Short. Moreover, The Kardashians series premiere was also the biggest-ever on Disney+ platforms worldwide.

We ran the previous series for 20 seasons, and felt that it was a round and respectable number to wrap up that part of our lives and take a break – but after a year of no filming, we missed the screen, said Kris Jenner, the momager of the family, who has run the empire for 15 years. 

The proposal from Disney is an attractive opportunity to switch over to streaming. We discussed the idea and were all drawn to a new and exciting chapter of our lives, she said. 

Daughter Khloé added, It's time for someone else to take us in a new direction. This is an innovative step to upgrade the content we produce, and everything is filmed at a quality level. We show how much we've grown since "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" first launched in 2007. 

Because when we first started, we were worried, a lot happens to us in life and it is impossible to confine everything into a narrative of beginning, middle, and end. Many plots were hastily edited, wrapped in a colored ribbon, and left on the side. Real life is not like that. Now we are more exposed, turning directly to the camera in a natural way, not just a reality but an authentic documentary series.

Such self-praise is warranted as one significant change that occurred behind the scenes of the news series is that for the first time, Kris and her five daughters received the credit of producers. 

In other words, success has given them unprecedented control over the product and the way it is presented, and they will take this opportunity, the family said, to reveal the whole truth, as an answer to never-ending criticism against them.

The time Kim and Kendall got laughed at by the Emmy Awards audience comes to mind in particular. While presenting the Outstanding Reality TV category, Kim said that "truly compelling television comes from real people just being themselves," and neither sister seemed to understand why the attendees found that hilarious.

With regard to their involvement in production, Khloe said they take part in the behind-the-scenes process, watch footage that is being edited and give feedback, not from a place of defensiveness, but simply to express their opinion and make the series better.

This is a window into our life, and I personally feel that I've grown emotionally just from watching myself, she said. Kendall and Kylie were little girls when we started, so they set more boundaries.

Kendall explained, Both of us chose to shield our privacy in the previous series, but feel more open to sharing now, because we are producing together. People think that everything is scripted and staged, but the new program leaves no doubt – the chaos never ends.

The deal pushed the Kardashians to the highest-paid contracts of the time. Although the exact amount reality TV's number one family received from the media giant is unknown, Variety magazine has claimed that the sum stands around 9 digits. 

To put it into perspective, the deal is equivalent to those of writers Shonda Rimes ("Grey's Anatomy," "Bridgeton") and Ryan Murphy ("American Horror Story," "Glee") who signed $100 million contracts with Netflix, a direct result of the era of the war between streaming giants, with Disney+ running strong in the race. 

The Kardashians' contract is for two seasons with 20 episodes each, and needless to say, its renewal will mean that more money will line their pockets. 

At a press event to promote the series, which took place several weeks ago in Hollywood, several members of the family arrived with a makeup artist and hairdresser, and stylist to make sure that the outfits photograph perfectly, at all times. 

The team includes PR consultants as well, to make sure the Kardashians are mentioned in the media frequently. Such a flamboyant empire takes a lot of effort to run. Although the Kardashians did not invent this capitalist method, they certainly have pioneered it among contemporary celebrities. 

Disney's "The Kardashians" is full of marketing content, such as high-end fashion brands, private jets, exotic destinations, and never-ending luxuries the average person could only dream of, all covered by a heavy layer of makeup and accessories. 

But with all due respect to Disney, the Kardashian family earned their crowns on social media. Altogether, they have 1.7 billion followers on Instagram. Kim, Kylie, Chloe, and Kendell have more followers than Netflix has subscribers. 

Twenty-four year old Kylie has the third-most-popular Instagram channel with 350 million followers, preceded by the official Instagram page and football legend Christiano Ronaldo with 520 and 456 million followers respectively. Kim is currently seventh on the list with 319 million followers. And with a net worth of $1.8 billion – according to Forbes magazine – she is desperate to be taken seriously at last. 

For years, the person most identified with the family has been struggling to get rid of the image of a frivolous and provocative star who became famous thanks to a sex tape. She followed in the footsteps of her late father, Robert Kardashian, who was O. J. Simpson's defense attorney during the 1995 murder trial, and decided to study law. 

At the same time, she also joined an initiative to help inmates who were wrongfully imprisoned and worked with the White House during the Trump administration to commute the sentence of several women. For many, seeing the reality TV star in the Oval Office was a bizarre experience. 

After the event, Kardashian said it was the moment she realized how much influence she had, and that a future in politics was not off the table. 

She told Israel Hayom, I'm used to being criticized for everything and I am no longer affected by people's reactions. I focus on empathy for those who need help, and not on public relations. 

I grew up with a father who was an attorney, and when I got a driver's license, he made sure I was responsible for my car, filling the tank and washing it consistently. When I was a young girl, they had the O.J. trial, and I would sneak into my father's home office and look at the documents and the evidence he was working with as part of the trial. It made an impact on me, and so I want to bring change and justice to people who have been wronged by the American legal system. 

Looking back on my past interviews, I always said that were it not for the reality programs and publicity, I would have become a criminal lawyer or investigator. And yet, now that I am entering this world, I also hear voices advising me not to, because it will "hurt my image," or that I should go volunteer for some charity organization instead. 

But no one dares tell me what to do, Kim continued. My volunteering has nothing to do with this. I've grown up, I am raising four black children, meaning from a persecuted community that is being discriminated against in this country. I want to change the situation, so that my children and the children of all my friends have a better future, hoping we can heal this broken system. That is my motivation.

Q: Do you feel a special responsibility as someone who has millions of followers?

Absolutely, Kim said. When I speak about these things with my children, as much as possible, given that they are still little, or with my sisters or in the White House, I see that the young generation is interested and worried about what's going on in the world.

Q: What's been a turning point in your life? 

"Age and parenting brought understanding with them. I wake up every morning at 5:40, and work out for an hour at 6:00, before I get the kids up. We have breakfast at 7:40 and leave the house at 8. 

I make sure I have time off as well, pamper myself with a massage or vacation, but it happens less due to motherhood. My friends know that I don't run to parties as much anymore, my focus has changed. At the end of the day, I am with my children, having dinner. I am no longer the Kim who for hours thought about which bikini selfie to post. Although this has not disappeared from my life completely either. A person needs to stay true to him or herself and accept everything with happiness," Kim said. 

One person who is far from thrilled about the massive Disney deal is producer Ryan Seacrest, who became famous two decades ago for hosting "American Idol", and has since climbed the show business ladder and constantly appears on TV. 

His production company, Ryan Seacrest Productions, was the one that launched the reality show about the Kardashians in 2007, after hearing Chris Jenner (now Caitlyn Jenner) pitching the idea of a family reality series. He decided to hire a team and document a Kardashian family barbeque, created a pilot, and sold it to E! entertainment channel, and the rest is history. 

Without the Kardashians, the channel has been decreasing in popularity with reruns of the previous show and desperate – and unsuccessful – attempts to produce new reality shows. 

It was in September 2020 that the family decided to wrap up "Keeping Up with the Kardashians", and although it was clear to the industry that it was not a final goodbye, the parting from Seacrest, to whom they owe their economic success, was highly unexpected. 

That level of success, by the way, the production company has been unable to replicate since. Some interpret the Kardashians leaving as the student who surpassed the master, with the balance of power having shifted. The Kardashians no longer needed Seacrest, whose influence in the industry had decreased. 

Now that they are in control, the family has decided to bring abroad one of the most in-demand producers in recent years, Britain's Ben Winston, co-executive producer of "The Late Late Show with James Corden", co-producer of the US Grammy Awards, producer of Adele's "One Night Only" as well as "Friends: The Reunion." 

Winston recalled, I was on vacation, and I asked my wife to leave my cell phone in the room for safety reasons. On the last day, we woke up with six missed calls from James Corden. I called him back, and he said, "Where did you disappear? Kim Kardashian is looking for you!" I was excited and scared at the same time. 

Winston too insists that this time, it's "the real deal." 

It was a huge challenge for me, he said, I knew I wanted to approach it as a documentary, because shooting a reality series means we begin the moment the cameras start rolling, but in documentaries you enter into an existing situation, not necessarily one that was captured on camera from the beginning. 

In one episode, for example, Kourtney complained about what happened previously and we decided to leave that part in because that is something that happened to the family at that time. It is our duty to portray the true story, because the Kardashians are, after all, the most famous family in America, the royals of the US. 

Q: What was the biggest challenge for you? 

The time gaps. From the moment information is known until the episode that deals with that news is broadcast. At today's pace, to think that it will take several months from the time something becomes known to be broadcast is stressful. The previous series had such gaps for up to a year, but we managed to bring them down to four months. 

The editing, translation, and distribution of the raw episode alone take eight weeks, which is actually considered fast. With time, I understood that fans revisit stories they read in the gossip columns, but this time to hear the real version. 

In such cases, when news is published several months before an episode airs, it is reported in a very different manner than how it is talked about in the series, executive producer of "The Kardashians" Danielle King, who had previously worked on the HBO docu-reality series "Small Town News", explained. 

Viewers want to hear about everything that happened firsthand. We constantly brainstorm about how to make the series different from the previous one, because our mantra was "more." To be more open. 

Q: Does this require around-the-clock effort? 

No, we film five days a week, King continued. Sometimes, during special occasions, we will also film on the weekend, without knowing for sure what the result will be, and I will hire the staff for extra work. It is not exhausting at all, because they are experts at what they do. Producers like to plan ahead so that we know what we're going to do and to make sure we do not exceed the budget. But with the Kardashians, it's important to be dynamic. There is tremendous satisfaction in working with the most famous family in the genre, she said. 

"The Kardashians" popularity proves that the success at E! was due to the family being together under one roof. No spinoff of the original show ever became as popular, not Kylie's not Rob and then-girlfriend Blac Chyna's, not Kris', and not even Caitlyn Jenner's. 

And what has truly changed? Kylie said, The viewers will get the girls more individually, each with errands and busy days, and times that we meet depending on our schedules. And of course, life interferes and things change wildly. It is impossible to invent what happens to us.

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 If you thought matchmaking was an extinct dinosaur, an ancient profession that continues to survive only in religious communities, you should recalculate your destination – and in the process please turn off your apps. It seems that in the last two years the field of matchmaking has been in full bloom, in offices that are out there to help you find your other half, just like in the past.

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So, we find that the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly contributed to this thriving field. "The past two years have been the busiest the matchmaking industry has ever experienced, and since the outbreak of the pandemic, the demand has not eased," explains Alessandra Conti, owner of matchmaking company Matchmakers In The City, located in Beverly Hills. "Until the outbreak of COVID-19, matchmaking was considered a profession of seasonal peaks: in early summer, when everyone is looking for a romantic partner, or around the October-November holidays, when one wants to spend family events with a partner at one's side.

"Our calendars are full of endless meetings, and after years during which the client base had a female majority – since the onset of the pandemic, there have been more calls from young men, starting from age 32 on average. Another change is an increase in the number of calls from career women, compared to the past. COVID-19 has balanced the field of matchmaking in all respects."

Last year, when the world suffered ongoing lockdowns, the dating app Tinder reached a peak of 6.6 million paid users. Seemingly, it is easiest to keep swiping right or left, but many discovered that finding a long-term partner is a much more serious business, which the frenzy of the smartphone age cannot always fulfill.

"My clients tell the same story: they first opened apps simply to find a partner, who is supposedly just waiting there, but they found that the app market is excessively flooded and that, despite the large number of users, the quality has dropped – and there are no real treasures," Conti explains. After a while people understand that it is difficult to find someone who we really like in an app and they develop a sense of frustration and despair, realizing that they will not find happiness there."

Q: Aren't you coming from a specific position, that the matchmaking apps are your competition?

"No. The apps actually help matchmakers like me. Logging into an app only gives one a taste of the dating world, and in many cases it leads prospective clients to realize that it is better for them to consult with a professional matchmaker. In a meeting between a client and a matchmaker, critical questions are brought up that many are curious to ask on a first date, but avoid asking, such as moral values that are important to us as a partner, religious affiliation, political opinion, and even how many children we want. A matchmaker filters these questions in advance and saves a lot of headaches.

Apps are also increasingly perceived as a waste of time, with too few results. And time is a valuable commodity. This is where matchmakers come into the picture, engaging in a sort of organizational outsourcing process. We meet the potential candidates, observe what they look like in reality, beyond the picture and a few lines on their profile, and get to know the person and their lifestyle. This is a stage that can exhaust many seekers, so it is more effective when we do this for them."

'Personality comes before all'

Conti, 32, founded her own company together with her older sister Christina ("I introduced her to her husband. They got married five years ago, and my nephew was born last year"). The two sisters grew up in an Italian-American family in New Jersey, in a mixed community with Jews.

"As teenagers we went to dozens of bar mitzvah and bat mitzvah parties for friends from our class, and even then we matched many boys and girls. Our most important tip has always been to flirt. Be yourself and take everything lightheartedly. In the early stages it is important to be relaxed; don't come to a date like it is a job interview. Come with a clear and calm mind, as if you are actually meeting each other during a vacation. It always increases the attraction."

The Conti sisters' company has branches in Los Angeles, New York, Washington and San Francisco. An introductory meeting with one of the matchmakers, costs an initial $100, which will put you in the database for one year. At a premium cost of $5,300 a year, you will receive personal guidance from the matchmaker and will be sent on dates with potential matches selected especially for you.

Full membership costs $10,000 a year, and includes special dating sessions, feedback calls and follow-up after dates, to help the relationship progress. In addition, the company offers personalized guidance on how to behave on dates, a $4,900 couple-coaching session, and a one-time counseling session, costing $200, for those who settle for minimal service.

Conti has a great reputation in the US, thanks to her many appearances on television hosting and entertainment programs, as a matchmaking consultant to celebrity couples. Sometimes I am asked to come and talk about celeb couples, even when the producers do not know that I set them up. Working with celebrities entails lawyers and strict confidentiality agreements, and I do not share details with anyone, not even with my boyfriend.

"We all fantasize what the love life of the stars looks like and develop ideals inspired by them. Male clients used to ask us for 'someone who looks like Natalie Portman,' and in recent years many want someone who looks like Gal Gadot. For women it is more diverse, some want the 'cute guy around the corner', like Ryan Gosling or Zac Efron, and others are looking for a more sexy kind of guy, like Chris Evans or Jason Momoa. And of course, George Clooney is still popular – but women will always be more reluctant and say that character comes before all."

Q: What is your success rate?

"Statistically, eight out of ten of our matchmaking suggestions lead to a serious relationship within a year of membership. This is a success rate that we have proudly been upholding for eight years. Anyone who claims to have 100% success – this is bullshit. Some present themselves as matchmakers, and will sometimes give you a name they found on Google, as if they made the match. We are a serious business with proven experience.

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There is an organization in New York called the Matchmaking Institution, which is the only one authorizing businesses in our field. They also hold meetings between matchmakers from all over the United States. Through these connections we have built relationships with other matchmakers, and I met a leading Jewish matchmaker there, who offers us suggestions from her database, when one of our clients wants a Jewish partner. In the end, everyone wants love, whether you are Brad Pitt or a factory worker, and after a decade in the matchmaking business, I can say with confidence that matchmaking works big time, and is here to stay!"

The matchmaker Conti was talking about is Jessica Fass, an American Jew who, after a career as a production assistant in studios in Los Angeles on successful TV series, such as "Two and a Half Men" and "The Big Bang Theory," moved to Tel Aviv in 2011, where she has been living for five years. Fass fell in love with Israel while on the Birthright program, and later returned to the country on a Masa trip, intended for young Jews from the Diaspora. She soon found that matchmaking came naturally to her.

Like Conti, Fass holds official credentials from the Matchmaking Institution in New York, and in 2013 founded her own business, Fass Pass to Love, a pun on the fast card track at theme parks in the US. She specializes in matchmaking for single Jews from all over the world, and several of her successful matches have ended in the weddings of couples from Israel and Denmark, Sweden and France, the USA and Brazil, as well as an Israeli woman with a man from Uruguay.

"Matchmaking came into my life through a happy mistake. I introduced a guy I worked with to my childhood friend, because I thought they were suitable. That is how I developed a method to make friends and get to know people very well – and then to understand who to match them with," explains Fass.

"When I moved to Israel, I started working in hi-tech and matched some of the couples I met at social events. One of the guys was actually someone I had dated myself, but he was not for me. So I found him a girl I had met at a rooftop costume party in Tel Aviv. That's when I thought: Why not turn my method into a business?

"I sat at a café on Dizengoff Street, posted on Facebook groups that I do matchmaking, and offered an introductory meeting – initially at a price of 50 shekels, which following demand, rose to 600. From there the business flourished and began providing full service. I have experience in stand-up comedy, and I also started performing in Tel Aviv. So I invited many people I met to come to my shows, and this way we became friends. People started getting to know me, I formed an initial database, and this is basically the story of every matchmaker. Matchmaking requires high-level social skills, knowing how to make the connections. I came from the entertainment and production industry, and it taught me everything I know about interpersonal networking."

Q: There is a stereotype of the kind of person who comes on a Birthright trip to find a good Jewish partner.

"This is absolutely true. When I first came on Birthright, I started dating an Israeli soldier ... and in general, my clients are willing to pay thousands of Dollars to set up a Jewish home, just as they want."

Q: Are there differences between Israelis and Americans who are looking for a partner?

"Most of my clients are men, and a significant number are traditional Republicans. Political identity is a complicated issue in our current social climate. As a rule, American clients are more neurotic and tense than their relaxed Israeli counterparts, and women here have much more self-confidence, and are proud of their military service.

In the US, they are open to accepting matchmaking suggestions from Israel, and that has become my specialty. The men who come to me are willing to pay all expenses, because they regard the matchmaking service as a business investment for all intents and purposes.

International matchmaking generally starts with video calls. This is especially true for Jewish clients from small towns where there is a small Jewish community. I have a new client from Ohio, and I introduced him to a European client. By the way, I have 2.5 times more women than men in the database, so the moment a man comes to me - I already have many options for him to work with."

Fass, who defines herself as "a single woman in a relationship," has a price list, which begins with a $3,000 basic guidance session, upon entering the singles database, or a $4,500 VIP service, which includes an hour-and-a-half introductory meeting (now usually by Zoom) to build a matchmaking strategy, and a follow-up call a week later.

Fass questions the candidates about their previous relationships, advises on social media presence and asks them to fill out a personal questionnaire: Flexibility in the desired age range? Availability to move to another country? Importance of religion and political opinions? Significant external appearance? And would you agree to a relationship with a divorcee, widow/er or parent of children? Or the bottom line – how much is the client is willing to compromise.

"In my experience, the beginning is always difficult for both parties, and they need guidance, advice and tips for future dates, including encouragement, so that they understand that they must give the person in front of them a proper chance," says Fass. "Many times clients rush to make a decision after one date, they expect immediate chemistry and fireworks – and when that does not happen they quickly give up. I explain to them that they must give it some time, and I have proven this many times. Matchmaking is really not about 'here, take the girl's phone number, talk to her and have a good time.' This attitude does not lead couples to walk down the aisle.

"I take clients to a styling consultant, organize professional photo shoots for them and actually become their agent, including being involved in the back and forth of setting a date. I also emphasize the fact that they must not cancel a date at short notice, unless it is an emergency, because it always damages the process, and is not so obvious for everyone. People have become accustomed to focus on apps and other distractions, in a non-serious virtual game, but it is different when there is a person accompanying you through the process, and guiding you with friendly conversations before dates."

Q: What significant changes have occurred since COVID-19?

"Clients are less willing relocate for a potential partner. Mobility has become complicated, and people are no longer in a hurry to leave their home country. During the first lockdown, I held speed-dating parties on Zoom. Everyone joined online, and the process was slowed down and became more thought-out. Meetings between the clients were held, first and foremost, on Zoom, and then they would connect and move on to personal dating on video. There was a man who went on a date a year before COVID-19, but he did not like the girl. During the pandemic they reconnected on Zoom, and suddenly there was a renewed mutual interest – they are now engaged. If it weren't for COVID-19, they would never have seen each other again."

Q: Are there new rules for dating in current times?

"I tell anyone who finds an initial match, whether on Zoom or through an app, not to continue the relationship for more than a month without actually meeting and really getting to know each other. In most cases two weeks are sufficient. We develop fantasies in our head very quickly, investing time and emotions, and this can easily amount to immense disappointment. I recommend texting no more than twice, and on the third time to already meet on a video call, after which they can make a decision whether to meet or not. Everyone has the basic conditions to be their own matchmaker, but whoever needs help beyond that – that is where I come into the picture.

"If the date is unsuccessful, I encourage both sides to end it respectfully and not just to disappear, or make excuses. One should just admit that it is not suitable, and if the other party asks – you can also give feedback. You should also think of people you know who actually might be suitable for the other person, because ultimately, it is our responsibility – to ensure that the Jewish population continues to exist."

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Thirty Israeli-made films and television series will be screened at the annual Israel Film Festival in Los Angeles. 

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These include Kan 11 spy drama "Tehran," the second season of which is streamed on Apple TV, Yes drama "The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem," which is also streamed on Netflix. 

Israeli television creator, writer, director, and producer Hagai Levi received a special award at the ceremony for his contribution to Israeli cinema. Levi is known, among other things, for co-producing and directing "Scenes from a Marriage," an American drama television for HBO starring Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain. 

Founded in 1982 by actor and producer Meir Fenigstein, the Israel Film Festival is the largest showcase of Israeli cinema and television in North America. Over the years, it has become a bridge connecting leaders in the television industry with Israeli companies. 

The festival will run in theaters and virtually from May 5th-26th. The opening night kicked off with Israeli producer and director Avi Nesher's critically acclaimed "Image of Victory." 

Also included in the festival are Eran Kolirin's "Let it be morning," Ben Bachar 's "Saving Shuli," Nir Bergmann 's "Here We Are," Kobi Farag's "Queen Shoshana," and Shlomi Eldar's "Running with a spy."

In a ceremony that preceded the festival Jewish American actor Henry Winkler was awarded a lifetime achievement award. Winkler rose to fame by portraying Arthur "Fonzie" Fonzarelli on the American television series "Happy Days." He currently portrays acting coach Gene Cousineau on the HBO series "Barry."

Winkler thanked the audience for the award saying, "Film takes us to places we could never go. It creates a life that you dream about. It shows us how the world is living. To be an artist is to hold a mirror up to the world in order to give them a view of who we are as a community. And may there be peace."

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Considered one of the greatest actresses of our time, Dame Helen Mirren stars alongside fellow Brit and Academy Award winner Jim Broadbent in the new film The Duke out in theatres this weekend.

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The plot is based on an actual headline-making event that took place in England in 1961, when working-class taxi driver Kempton Bunton stole Spanish artist Francisco Goya's 1814 painting "Portrait of the Duke of Wellington" from the National Gallery in London. Bunton then issued a ransom demand to the authorities that the painting be returned, on the condition that the government ceases to abandon the elderly population in England. Bunton's wife, Dorothy, is played by Helen Mirren.

Mirren, 76, is one of only 21 actors who have won the title of "Triple Crown" with wins in all three leading acting awards: the Oscars, the Emmys, and the Tonys. She won her Academy Award for her role as Queen Elizabeth II of England in the 2007 film The Queen and has picked up four Emmy Awards over the years, including for her role on British drama series Prime Suspect. Earlier this week, Mirren was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the annual Screen Actors Guild Awards.

While promoting The Duke Mirren said that "The whole story took me by surprise, you would want to take it with a pinch of salt if it wasn't all true. I loved the charm of the script; it was sweet and very endearing. I love the 1960s, it was a more naïve, innocent time. And Dorothy is the practical one, which the woman so often is in the family; she is keeping the family going. Kempton is the dreamer, but he is very committed and courageous in many ways. We should not only take a leaf out of Kempton's book, but also Dorothy's - dreaming is all very well, but you still need to pay the bills! So, let's hear it for the practical people in life too"

On working with Broadbent, who starred inn such films as Bridget Jones's Diary, Another Year and 2001's Iris in a role that earned him the Academy Award, Mirren said, "It was crucial that we had the right chemistry, I slipped into the role of his wife very easily, there was no effort on my part, and the death of their young daughter has caused a change in the couple's previously happy marriage that neither one is able to talk about. There is a crack because of how they dealt with their grief differently. Dorothy suppressed it and tried to move on, whereas Kempton constantly revisited it in his writing".

Mirren's credits include such films as Gosford Park, Hitchcock and Woman in Gold and in recent years she has even joined the Fast and Furious film franchise. Last month, she made headlines when her casting for as Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir in Academy Award winner Guy Nattiv's upcoming feature film drew criticism, claiming the role should have gone to a Jewish actress.

"It was certainly a question that I had, before I accepted the role", revealed Mirren to The Daily Mail recently, in response to the criticism, "It is a very important person in Israeli history, I said, 'Look Guy, I'm not Jewish, and if you want to think about that, and decide to go in a different direction, no hard feelings. I will absolutely understand'. But he very much wanted me to play the role, and off we went".

In the past, Mirren talked about her trips to Israel over the years and while accepting the Career Achievement Award at the 2015 Israel Film Festival in Los Angeles, she even revealed that back in the 1960's she volunteered at Ha'On Kibbutz and hitchhiked her way to the shore city of Eilat.

"Since then I've been back a couple of times, I've been very grateful", said Mirren, "I was in the remake of the great Israeli film "The Debt" and I'm so impressed by the incredible Israeli film industry and very excited to see the films that are showing here. I love Israel; I think it's a great country. I think that through all the difficulties and all the pain that Israel has suffered in the past and will in the future, the great thing that Israel has is Israelis and they will guide it through".

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Twelve years after its initial run ended, the iconic US crime procedural "Law&Order" is getting a reboot – this time, with an Israeli actress.

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Odelya Halevi will be featured in the role of Assistant District Attorney Samathan Maroun.

Halevi, the daughter of a religious family from Rosh Haayin, has lived in Los Angeles since she arrived in the city at age 20 to study acting. She has played guest roles on "Mike and Molly," "NCIS," "Why Women Kill," "MacGyver," and "New Girl," as well as a recurring role on Freeform's "Good Trouble."

In an online panel NBC held ahead of the reboot, Halevi said, "It still feels like a dream, like, you know, someone pinch me. Because ever since I was a kid growing up, you know, in a foreign country, I've been watching the show in the '90s with my mom. And I said, 'Oh, Mom. I want to be like her. I want to be a lawyer. And my mom's like, 'No, you just want to be one on TV.'

"And so years later I find myself ... the ADA on this show that I used to watch every day, so I don't know. It's a dream. That's all I can say. I'm learning so much from my co-stars and I'm enjoying every minute and I just can't wait for a lot more of this dream."

Alum of the original series Sam Waterston is returning as his former character, DA Jack McCoy, and another series veteran, Anthony Anderson, is returning as Detective Kevin Bernard along with Jeffrey Donovan.

Camryn Manheim also stars as NYPD Lt. Kate Dixon.

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One of the most popular video game characters is finally coming to the big screen, and celebrated comedic actor Jim Carrey is along for the ride.

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"Sonic the Hedgehog", a new action-adventure comedy based on the Japanese multinational entertainment company Sega video game of the same name, features the protagonist Sonic, a CGI anthropomorphic blue hedgehog who can run at supersonic speeds and curl into a ball as a way to attack enemies and defend himself.

The plot has Sonic hiding out on the outskirts of the small town of Green Hills, Montana, where he befriends local sheriff Tom Wachowski (James Marsden) who aids him in his quest to stop evil mad scientist Dr. Robotnik, who covets Sonic's abilities and is played by Carrey.

A film adaptation of Sonic has been in development since as early as 1993, yet after similar ventures of adapting video game such as "Super Mario Bros." and "Street Fighter" did not manage to perform well commercially, the idea was shelved. in 2017 Paramount Pictures were the latest Hollywood studio to acquire film rights and the project was finally set in motion.

Already released in the Us and select territories last weekend, "Sonic the Hedgehog" has so far proved its power with $70 million over the four-day holiday weekend in North America, the biggest domestic opening weekend by a video game-based film. Additionally, outside of the US the film earned $43 million dollars for a total of $113 million, which marks for Carrey's second-biggest box office opening of all time, after "Bruce Almighty" in 2003.

"It's just absolutely no-holds-barred fun", said Carrey in an interview promoting the film about his villainous character, "These are the things I put out in the universe, I'm always looking for different experiences and also to reconnect with an audience that just wants something absurd. And to have this crazy character, to be playing this crazy character is a joy.

"But at the same time, I get to ground him in something real and I think that's what works about the movie is that Sonic is a manifestation of absolute innocence and playful electric joyful childlike fun. And I always say that Robotnik has a Sonic-shaped hole in his heart, like a lot of really important so-called intelligent people walking around. And so, he wants to own that, Robotnik needs to own that, but he can never do it, he can never actually own it. So, it's a very simple story, like "High Noon" or something, it's very simple. But it means something, and it actually touches you at certain times in the movie when it hits on themes of friendship and loneliness. And yet I get to play a megalomaniac, which is a wonderful reason to get out of bed".

Q: How do you relate to such an evil animated character?

"You have to find yourself in every character, no matter what you are playing, if you are a murderer, you have to find the murderer in you. You have to find every character in you and part of him that wants to be noticed, wants to be seen, wants to be admired. I can understand self-loathing because I have been through moments of it where you reach outside yourself to try to create things or whatever, as avatars of yourself in order to impress people. But now it's just more about creating.

"Things have just bubbled up over the edges in every direction and I found myself this year not only doing the part in 'Sonic,' which I loved. And I have been lucky enough to become a contributor to New York Magazine and Playboy Magazine with the cartoons and I have a huge following for that alone. And then there's the book I'm publishing, which took eight years of painstaking work, and its prose, it's really poetry and it's something beautiful to me. So, there's very little limitation right now as to what I can do. But I understand megalomania, I understand wanting to be thought of as the smartest person in the room, that I understand. And also, they are all parts of myself, I think I see Sonic as myself too".

Q: You mention different art forms. What about music?

"I don't think there's anything but music in what I do. A great book is music, its prose is music. There are lyrics and words and sounds that are put together that are not only incredibly meaningful, but they are beautiful to the ear. Shakespeare is music, poetry is gorgeous. It's the universe, that's where the verse is, and verse is music. So, there's nothing that isn't music and there's nothing that wasn't formed by music. I think the whole damned thing was created by vibration. And so, I have, I am a big fan of cymatics and solfeggio spiritual tones and all those wonderful tones that created the sacred geologies".

Q: Does having all these interests ever become exhausting?

"Yeah, but I think about the presence, sometimes it gets very difficult depending on the work, but I enjoy being in the moment and being in the present and being with other creatives".

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America is getting geared up to celebrate Super Bowl LVI, capping off the 2021 National Football League (NFL) season and in what is traditionally the most-watched television broadcast of the year.

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The big game is taking place in Los Angeles' new SoFi Stadium, where home team the LA Rams will face the Cincinnati Bengals in what will hopefully be a big celebration for the city of angels, topped by a much-anticipated halftime performance led by hometown hero and music mogul Dr. Dre.

Born in the city of Compton where he co-founded ground-breaking gangsta rap group N.W.A. back in the mid 1980's, the rapper/producer turned billionaire, thanks to his Beats Electronics company, Dr. Dre will headline the performance and welcome several artists who will join him, including protégés Eminem and Snoop Dogg who have become trailblazing recording artists in their own right.

"This should've happened a long time ago," said Dre at a press conference in Los Angeles ahead of the performance, "Hip-hop is the biggest genre of music on the planet right now, so it's crazy that it took all of this time for us to be recognized. I think we're going to go on and do a fantastic show and we're going to do it so big that they can't deny us anymore in the future."

Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and Mary J. Blige say the NFL was late in embracing hip-hop, vowing that their #SuperBowl halftime performance would open doors for other artists. pic.twitter.com/rqAHM8Gbzr

— AP Entertainment (@APEntertainment) February 13, 2022

By the end of the press event, Dre reiterated: "We want to make sure that everybody knows this is the best halftime show ever - I know we're going to kill this!".

The performance will also feature Compton's Kendrick Lamar, who has emerged as one of the most influential and acclaimed rappers over this past decade, and lastly, none other than "Queen of Hip-Hop Soul", Mary J. Blige.

In a career spanning three decades, Blige has won nine Grammy Awards and in recent years expanded her acting credits which culminated in two Academy Award nominations for 2017's "Mudbound", making her the first person nominated for acting and songwriting Oscars in the same year.

And to clarify, none of the artists are getting compensated for their participation, has as always been the case with Super Bowl halftime shows.

"Listen, you're going to be paid for the rest of your life off of this,", said Blige at the event, "People are going to be knocking at your doors. They don't have to pay me, but if they were paying it would be a lot of money."

Blige further explained her excitement and added that she is ready to "do what I do, leave it all on the stage. I can't please the world and I can't save the world. I just have to live. That's the example that I set. Live fearlessly and don't let anything get in your way. Not one thing".

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Hot off the global success he's been having in his Spidey suit, British film star Tom Holland now stars in the action thriller Uncharted out in theaters.

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Since its release last December, Spider-Man: No Way Home, defied odds with a remarkable pandemic era total of $1.8 billion in the box office worldwide to date, and it currently ranks as the sixth most earning film in history. Naturally, Sony Studios are hoping to bank even more now with the release of Uncharted, a film adaptation of the popular PlayStation video game.

Holland plays Nathan Drake, ostensibly a descendant of the 16th-century explorer, Sir Francis Drake, a young man with street smarts who teams up with fortune hunter Victor "Sally" Sullivan (Mark Wahlberg). The two embark on a journey to find the loot left behind by the Portuguese explorer, Ferdinand Magellan, some 500 years ago, while trying to overtake Spanish tycoon Santiago Moncada (Antonio Banderas), who believes his family is the legitimate heir to the lost capital.

The idea for a cinematic version of the video game has been in development since as early as 2008 by Israeli-American producer Avi Arad, who founded Marvel Studios and produced dozens of superhero films. The film was about to start shotting in March 2020, but as COVID-19 hit the production was delayed four months and eventually took place in Germany and off the coast of Spain.

While promoting Uncharted, Holland said that he has been "a huge fan of the games" which he has discovered while working on "Spider-Man: Homecoming" a few years ago. He explained that "one of the luxuries of making these Spider-Man movies is they're made by Sony, and one of the luxuries of working for Sony is PlayStation. So, all the actors' trailers were outfitted with the best TVs and the newest PlayStation, and one of the games they'd given me was 'Uncharted'"

Uncharted presumed box office success would continue to officially position 25-year-old Holland as one of the biggest stars in the world. In addition to starring in Spider-Man and Avengers, in recent years he has also starred in the crime thriller Cherry and led voice casts in animated films such as Spies in Disguise and Pixar's Onward.

Holland's next project is the upcoming anthology series The Crowded Room for Apple TV+ where he is set to portray Billy Milligan, the first person ever acquitted of a crime because of multiple personality disorder, now known as dissociative identity disorder.

According to Holland, "We created a film that has a lot of heart, that pays respect to the games, but also gives fans and people that love the games something new and something refreshing. It's interesting in these big action movies, I often find that the heart and soul of the movie can be lost in the action. But what's so nice about our movie is you have this very tangible relationship between Nate and Sully, which is really the heart of the movie. It's about a young orphan looking for his family and in turn finding a family in the most sort of unorthodox way".

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The Walt Disney Company announced Wednesday that as part of commencing operations in 42 countries in Europe, the Middle East and Africa over the summer, its services will become available in Israel.

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Disney Plus streams original and exclusive content including movies, drama series, documentaries, comedies, and cartoons from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic. As such, the platform easily measures up to its competitors such as Google TV, Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu.

According to reports in Israeli media, in recent months Israel's TV providers Yes and Hot have been holding talks with Disney in London about local collaborations.

It is believed that Disney Plus can expect a commitment for at least 100,000 subscribers in any Israel cooperation deal, although the company has yet to disclose its projected subscription fees.

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