After 32 Marvel films, even the actors who are in them can’t keep up with the plots. Emma Corrin, who found fame in The Crown, has said that joining the franchise was “an absolute mind-f***”.
“I’m not a Marvel person,” Corrin, said in a new Empire interview for series A Murder At The End Of The World, conducted before strike action began. Having watched only Spider-Man and Black Panther, the actor asked producers for a “debrief” before starting work on Deadpool 3, which is due out next year. “All the language and the Easter eggs, and this person is related to that person who did this, and this person came back and this person’s dead,” Corrin said, confused.
Plenty of actors are baffled by the Marvel universe, which is now likely to have this summer’s hit Barbie and parent company Mattel snapping at its heels. Gwyneth Paltrow doesn’t know which of the films she’s in (explaining, “I’m a 47-year-old mother”), while Michael Douglas sounded unsure about the plot of his Ant-Man movie during a press tour this year. Imagine how the audience feels...
Chancellor and Rishi’s pint off
Jeremy Hunt tempted the gods yesterday with a stop-off at the Two Chairmen in Westminster, doing an awkward photoshoot featuring some pint-pulling to celebrate changes to alcohol duty. The pub is rather cursed for chancellors. Kwasi Kwarteng stood outside it quaffing lager on the day of his mini-budget — his victorious mood didn’t last long.
In fact, Hunt had a pint-off with his boss. Before jetting off to his other home in California for a week’s holiday today, Rishi Sunak was across town at the Great British Beer festival in Kensington Olympia, where he decanted a stout for an onlooker (he’s teetotal).
The PM’s comms team also turned the moment into an odd Instagram story. It showed Sunak celebrating a win at shuffleboard, with caption: “We can all do this thanks to Brexit.” We can all cut beer duty? Or we can all triumph at tiddlywinks? That wasn’t on the side of a bus.
Camilla’s a shoe superfan
The Queen seems to have a side hustle as a sales rep for her favourite shoe brand. Lisa Kay, who founded comfy footwear firm Sole Bliss, has revealed that Camilla, a valued customer who has bought 11 pairs, has also been recommending them to her famous friends.
Kay tells Saga magazine she received a phone call from Dame Judi Dench expressing thanks for a pair which solved a podiatric issue. Kay asked where Dame Judi had heard her brand could help. “The Queen is a very good friend of mine,” she replied, “and she told me I have to try these shoes.” Dame Judi planned to wear them at the Coronation. Dame Mary Berry has also bought some on royal advice. But there are no freebies for Camilla. “She pays for all her shoes, the royals don’t accept gifts,” says Kay. Most of the time, anyway.
Lily and Joan enjoy their silly season
Two British thesps showed their fun side by larking around yesterday. Lily Allen, who has been posing for a series of pictures in different outfits backstage at her hit West End show The Pillowman, took fans even closer to the action, posting a spooky picture while she had her hair done.
On the French Riviera, Dame Joan Collins pretended to be outraged by a very risqué fan while waiting in a restaurant queue. Dame Joan was standing outside Le Club 55 in St Tropez and jokily boasted about how she could always get a reservation. She then said she was very hot, and borrowed an admirer’s fan. When she spotted the rude message on it, the Dynasty star squealed, “How dare you!” in mock horror, and dropped it. The summer heat can get to you.
