The latest on Ringo Starr, Marvel’s ‘Falcon,’ Johnny Depp and Armie Hammer
Ringo calling! If he wants you to sing, who could say no?
LOS ANGELES: Ringo Starr asked for help on the chorus of “Here’s to the Nights,” his most recent song written by Diane Warren, and he recruited quite a choir.
Paul McCartney. Sheryl Crow. Dave Grohl. Lenny Kravitz. Joe Walsh. Ben Harper. Finneas. Chris Stapleton. Yola. Jenny Lewis. Corinne Bailey Rae. Eric Burton (of the Black Pumas). Steve Lukather.
Starr’s EP of five new songs comes out Friday (Saturday in Manila). The project gave him something to do during Covid-19 lockdown in his Los Angeles home. He said he divided much of his time between making music, painting and working out.
* * *
Marvel’s ‘Falcon’ promises action and explores race, patriotism
NEW YORK: Reluctance and skepticism is front-and-center as Sam Wilson’s or Falcon’s story continues in “The Falcon and the Winter Solder,” a new Disney+ series that promises an exploration of patriotism and race.
Series creator Malcolm Spellman said the new series will explore “the conflict for a Black man confronting those stars and stripes.”
He said the Wilson/Falcon character is set to “emerge from this story as a hero of the times and [of the people]. And that journey of whether it’s even appropriate to deal with the symbol, the Stars and Stripes, to me, felt super, super relevant and timely.”
* * *
Lawyers for Johnny Depp seek to appeal ‘wife beater’ ruling
LONDON: Johnny Depp’s lawyer Andrew Caldecott said in written submissions that Amber Heard’s claims she donated her $7-million divorce settlement to two charities were a “calculated and manipulative lie.”
The claims gave Heard a “considerable boost to her credibility as a person,” and had “tipped the scales against Mr. Depp from the very beginning,” Caldecott argued.
Depp is seeking permission to appeal a High Court ruling, when he lost his libel lawsuit against The Sun newspaper for labeling him a “wife beater” in an article.
Depp’s lawyers argued that he did not receive a fair trial.
* * *
Armie Hammer under sexual assault investigation
LOS ANGELES: Armie Hammer is under investigation for sexual assault, Los Angeles police said.
A woman named Effie and Hammer met on Facebook and began a relationship in 2016. They had their final contact last year, the woman’s attorney, Gloria Allred said.
At a news conference, Effie said that in 2017, Hammer raped her for hours and committed violent acts.
Hammer’s attorney said that all interactions with Effie and other sexual partners “have been completely consensual,” and called her allegations “attention seeking and ill-advised.”
After allegations were made public, Hammer departed two upcoming projects. He was also dropped by his agency, WME.