🎭 Culture & Entertainment
April 26th, 2026
Today's top 5 stories, curated by Daily Direct.
Variety
‘Wicked’ Star Marissa Bode Says She Was ‘Denied Boarding a Flight Because I’m Disabled’: ‘This Is Blatant Segregation’
Marissa Bode, who plays Nessa Rose in the hit film *Wicked*, says she was refused boarding on a Southern Airways flight solely because she uses a wheelchair — an experience she called "blatant segregation." The actress shared the account in a TikTok video, pushing back against what she described as a clear violation of her rights as a disabled traveler. The incident puts renewed scrutiny on airline accessibility practices at a moment when Bode's public profile is at an all-time high.
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Variety
Wim Wenders Presents Yakusho Koji With Far East Film Festival’s Golden Mulberry, Describes Shooting ‘Perfect Days’ With the Discipline of a Documentary
Wim Wenders made a rare personal appearance at the 28th Far East Film Festival in Udine to present Japanese actor Yakusho Koji with the Golden Mulberry Award for Lifetime Achievement. The German director used the occasion to reveal that their acclaimed collaboration "Perfect Days" was shot with the stripped-back discipline of a documentary, eschewing the conventions of traditional fiction filmmaking. The film, which earned Yakusho a Cannes Best Actor prize, centered on his portrayal of a quietly philosophical Tokyo toilet cleaner.
Read article →Hollywood Reporter
‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ Reveals Season 4 Premiere Date and First Trailer
Season 4 of *Star Trek: Strange New Worlds* officially has a premiere date, announced alongside a first trailer at CCXP Mexico. Cast members Rebecca Romijn, Ethan Peck, Celia Rose Gooding, and Paul Wesley appeared at the convention to give fans a preview of what's ahead. The reveal signals Paramount+ is leaning into fan enthusiasm for one of its flagship sci-fi properties.
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Variety
‘Michael’ Rocks Box Office With Record-Setting $97 Million Debut
Michael Jackson's long-awaited biopic dominated its opening weekend with $97 million domestically and $217 million globally, claiming the title of the highest-grossing biopic debut in box office history. The film shatters the previous record and signals massive audience appetite for the King of Pop's story. Hollywood is once again reminded that legacy icons can still move tickets at a historic scale.
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Variety
Cyndi Lauper Claps Back at Heckler During Vegas Residency Debut: ‘If You’re Trying to Shade Me Bitch, I’m Gonna Come for You’
Cyndi Lauper made her Las Vegas residency debut at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on Friday — and wasted no time establishing the ground rules. When a heckler interrupted the show, the pop icon fired back with an expletive-laced warning that earned immediate cheers from the crowd. It was a pointed reminder that, decades into her career, Lauper has zero patience for disruptions.
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