ACTOR Jude Law tells us he is proud to be starring in a diverse Peter Pan film. “I hope we’re moving into a chapter of a more inclusive society,” he said at the premiere of Peter Pan & Wendy last night.
The film features new ‘Lost Girl’ characters among the Lost Boys. Tinkerbell is played by black actress Yara Shahidi while Noah Matthews Matofsky, who has Down’s syndrome, plays Slightly. “Being a lost boy is a state of mind. Neverland is a place owned by everyone, so everyone deserves to go,” Law said.
Law plays Captain Hook, and said he tried to be as terrifying as possible. “He was the only pirate that Long John Silver feared, so I thought I’ve got to make this guy believably scary, believably a killer, in a kids movie,” he said.
Not that his co-star Ever Anderson noticed: “On set Jude was the scary pirate captain, but off set he was this complete gentleman”, she told us.
£1m boost for Old Vic plans
The Old Vic Theatre raised more than £1 million at a gala last night. The money will be used to transform the historic venue, with a new five-storey annexe to help promote emerging talent. Actress Ellie Bamber was one of the guests at the gala, which featured a quiz hosted by Sir Ian McKellen. Artistic director Matthew Warchus told us that the Old Vic currently “doesn’t really have a suitable space for emerging talent”, which he aims to rectify. The plans also include a space for local children to do homework.
Ritchie: I never wanted to use real guns
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels director Guy Ritchie says he “never liked” using real guns in his films and is glad the rules have changed. Charges against Alec Baldwin for the death of a crew member on the film Rust were dropped yesterday. Ritchie says he has “no idea” why the industry used actual firearms and it’s a “tremendous relief” fake ones are the standard since the tragic death in 2021.
Benton’s day out at Spurs
TORY MP Scott Benton had the whip removed after he told journalists who he thought were gambling lobbyists he could ask questions for them in Parliament. Should he wish to keep his links to the gambling industry quiet, the new register of MPs interests won’t help. They show Benton got three free hospitality tickets to see a Tottenham match... paid for by the Betting and Gaming Council.
All roads lead to the Baftas
Presenters Sue Perkins, Kirsty Young, Claudia Winkleman and Clara Amfo went to the Bafta Television Awards Nominees Party at the Tate Britain last night. In Waterloo, actors Lennie James, Sir Mark Rylance and Jason Isaacs were at the Old Vic’s Tomorrow Gala, while stars Yara Shahidi and Ever Anderson enjoyed a rainy world premiere of Peter Pan & Wendy at the Curzon Mayfair. Shahidi plays Tinker Bell, and Anderson is Wendy. Anderson told us the cast played pranks on each other with water guns.
