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Shane Anthony Sinclair/Getty; Shawn Levy/Instagram

Tom Cruisehas officially made his mark on theStar Warsuniverse. And yes, it did involve a lightsaber.

Shawn Levy, the director behind next year'sStar Wars: Starfighter, recently revealed toThe New York Timesthat Cruise was one of many A-listers to visit the set of the mysterious new Star Wars film. And in typical Cruise fashion, just watching an exciting day of production unfold wasn't enough —  he also had to get in on the action.

Cruise's visit just so happened to align with Levy shooting one of the movie's big lightsaber duels, prompting the director to jokingly suggest that theTop Gun: Maverickstar pick up a camera and help out with filming. To his shock, Cruise obliged.

"Last weekSteven Spielbergwas here. And now Tom Cruise is wielding a camera, ruining his very nice shoes," Levy exclaimed.

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty

As described by the outlet, Cruise arrived to set in a helicopter that November morning, as the crew blared theMission: Impossibletheme over the loudspeakers. Before long, he was behind the camera and "up to his ankles in mud and pond water" as the duel unfolded.

Per the Times, "He wore a look of great concentration as he stooped over a digital camera, trying to frame the perfect shot."

Levy, who was in disbelief, quipped, "Now when you see the movie, you'll know that part of it was shot by Tom. I mean, how cool is that?"

Thus far, Cruise's behind-the-scenes contribution to a lightsaber battle is one of few details that Levy has shared about the upcomingStar Warstentpole.Ryan Goslingheadlines the film, which Levy has described as a "standalone" project set in "a period of time that we haven't seen explored yet." The film also stars Flynn Gray, Matt Smith, Mia Goth, Aaron Pierre, and Amy Adams, among others.

Elsewhere in his conversation with theTimes, Levy got emotional when asked about his tendency to tell stories about fathers and sons (thinkReal Steel, Night at the Museum, andThe Adam Project). While reflecting on that common theme in his work, the filmmaker hinted thatStarfighterwill keep the trend going.

"I have never, ever connected it before," admitted Levy, who was estranged from his father until the age of 13. "I'm a little embarrassed because you're going to have to mention that I got emotional. But I could never figure out why I kept coming back to these stories of a 13-year-old boy being saved by a man. There was something defining about that moment for me. And withStar Wars, I'm doing so again."

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Starfighter,which is due in theaters next year, boasts a script fromBansheeandWarriorcreator Jonathan Tropper. Production on the film concluded in December.

Speaking toEntertainment Weeklylast year, Levy said thatmaking the film has been "hard as hell"but worth every second.

"It is surreal and awesome every day walking onto this set, to have made up a new and originalStar Warsstory that is neither a sequel nor a prequel to anything," he said. "I have deep respect and love for this historic legacy, but a chance to do something fresh and original and to do it with Jonathan Tropper, the writer ofThe Adam Project, and with Gosling... It's dream-come-true territory every day."

Star Wars: Starfighteropens in theaters May 28, 2027.

Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly

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NEED TO KNOW

• Jennifer Lawrence gave her dog to her parents after she welcomed her children

• The star says "dogs become so scary" once she entered motherhood and saw them as threats

• Lawrence now owns a cat named Fred

Jennifer Lawrenceis not risking having another dog as a pet after an unfortunate incident with her son, Cy.

On Wednesday, Jan 7, following a screening of her new film,Die My Love, at 92nd Street Y in New York City, theHunger Gamesstar, 35, revealed that she was inclined to give Princess Pippi Longstocking, the dog she adopted in 2017, to her parents once she had children.

The Image Direct

Lawrence, who shared her two sons, Cy, 3, and a second baby born in 2024, with husband Cooke Maroney, stated during the talk that "dogs became so scary" to her.

"It's almost like I don't recognize dogs right now, like I just see them as a threat," she said.

"One of them bit my son, and that made me just wanna obliterate every dog," she revealed. "I'm just like, 'I'm gonna take out you and your f---ing family. You and your friends. I'm gonna go to China and take care of your friends over there. Anyone who looks like you is dead,'" she added.

The star went on to say that she's now firmly a cat owner and praised her feline, named Fred, for having a funny personality.

TheImageDirect.com

"They're so misunderstood," she explained, "They are a------- and people who don't like that about cats aren't getting that that is what is so funny." Lawrence explained that the cat would come into a room where she and her husband are watching television and "always makes it look like a coincidence" that they're also in the house.

Lawrence's new filmDie My Love, in which she co-stars alongsideRobert Pattinson, is a dark psychological drama of a woman experiencing an extreme case of what could be postpartum depression and psychosis amid her husband's potential cheating. Not everything is what it seems in the Lynn Ramsay-directed project, which received a nine-minute standing ovation during its premiere at the78th Cannes Film Festivalback in May.

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Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban finalized their divorce, but custody was a huge source of contention.

• Sources say Nicole wanted more time with their daughters, and she eventually "won out."

• Nicole will have custody of their daughters 306 days of the year.

Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban have finalized their divorce, and the process wasn't without drama.

"The one thing that became a sticking point was custody," a source tells theDaily Mail. "Keith was initially asking for equal time with their daughters. It was an especially stressful time for Nic. After almost 20 years of marriage, she certainly knows how stubborn Keith can be. She was anxious and distressed that he wasn't going to budge."

"It took a lot of wearing down but Keith finally agreed to her terms," they add. "Their daughters, are both in their teens and need their mother more than their father at these ages. Keith knew he'd never win the battle in court and finally backed down. That's when the divorce was settled."

Another insider noted that "Nicole also wanted the kids more because she wasn't given that benefit when she divorced Tom Cruise. Keith has a bunch of tour dates coming up, and his schedule is a little less flexible than Nicole's. She enjoys being a homebody when she isn't on set. And if need be, her kids can be on set with her on a more consistent basis – that is a much better atmosphere than backstage at a concert. Nic won out."

So, what's the custody agreement? Apparently Keith will see his daughters 59 days of the year, including every other weekend, while Nicole will have them 306 days. Nicole will also retain the family's primary Nashville home, while Keith has moved into a place nearby.

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Russia on Thursday strongly condemned the U.S.seizure of an oil tanker, heralding a new chill in relations between Moscow and Washington that could spread to other areas and affect President Donald Trump's efforts to persuade Russia to end its nearly four-yearwar in Ukraine.

The seizure Wednesday of the Russian-flagged tanker in the North Atlantic "can only lead to a further escalation of military and political tensions in the Euro-Atlantic region, as well as a visible lowering of the 'threshold for the use of force' against peaceful shipping," the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin hasn't yet commented on the seizure of the tanker and has remained silent about the U.S.captureof Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, which his diplomats have denounced as a blatant act of aggression.

But while the Russian president has avoided any criticism of Trump, the seizure of the tanker by the U.S. military represents a new challenge for the Kremlin.

Hawkish commentators in Moscow criticized the government for failing to mount a quick response and argued that Russia should deploy its naval assets to protect ships of the shadow fleet.

Ukraine's Western allies long have promised to tighten sanctions on the shadow fleet of tankers that Russia has used to carry its oil to global customers, and many observers in Moscow warned that the U.S. action could set a precedent for other nations.

Besides its tough rhetoric, Russia has few options when considering how to respond to the seizure, according to Daniel Fried, an assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs during the administrations of Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama.

"The Russians tend to scream and yell when they've been embarrassed, and they've been embarrassed in this case because Russian power is not what Vladimir Putin makes it out to be," Fried said. "They couldn't do anything about this ship."

The U.S. European Command said the merchant vessel Bella 1 was seized Wednesday for "violations of U.S. sanctions." When the U.S. started pursuing the tanker last month after it tried to evade a blockade onsanctioned oil vesselsaround Venezuela, it was renamed Marinera and flagged to Russia.

Trump's administration has enforced an oil embargo on Venezuela, and the Energy Department says the only oil transported in and out of Venezuela will be through approved channels consistent with U.S. law and national security interests.

How Russia sees the US military action

The Foreign Ministry said the U.S. attempt to frame the seizure of the tanker as part of a broad effort to establish control over Venezuela's oil riches was an "utterly cynical" reflection of "neo-colonial ambitions."

The ministry described it as a "gross violation" of international maritime law and insisted the ship had a permit to sail under the Russian flag issued in December. It said U.S. threats to prosecute the crew "under absurd pretexts" were "categorically unacceptable."

It said sanctions imposed unilaterally by the U.S. and other Western countries were "illegitimate" and could not serve as justification to seize vessels on the high seas.

"Washington's willingness to generate acute international crisis situations, including in relation to already extremely strained Russian-American relations, which are burdened by disagreements from past years, is a cause for regret and concern," the ministry said.

The White House declined to comment Thursday when asked about the Foreign Ministry's statement.

The tanker's seizure drew angry comments from Russian military bloggers, some of whom accused the Kremlin of failing to mount a stronger response to the U.S. action. Many criticized the military for failing to quickly dispatch a warship to escort the tanker.

Some proposed deploying teams of military contractors on shadow fleet ships to prevent such seizures in the future.

Alexander Kots, a military correspondent for the Komsomolskaya Pravda tabloid, argued that the Kremlin's failure to forcefully respond to the tanker's seizure could embolden the U.S. and other Western nations to impound more ships.

"Facing a bully who feels all-powerful, we must slap him across the face," Kots wrote.

A countering view

Fried said Russia has little credibility when it comes to complaints about international law, given its invasion of Ukraine. Russia's claim to the ship is also tenuous, he noted, given that it was only given a temporary permit to fly the Russian flag late last month.

"If you talk about this legally, it's a complicated issue. If you talk about this strategically, the Russians are badly overextended and vulnerable," said Fried, now with the Atlantic Council, a Washington think tank. "They are hanging on to a war in Ukraine that they are not winning … their economy is hurting."

He said while it was possible Moscow would react to the tanker's seizure by plotting an attack on U.S. interests, Putin may not want to risk antagonizing Trump.

"Putin has gotten further with Trump when he flatters him," Fried said.

As the tensions over the ship's seizure flared, Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, said Wednesday thatTrump has "greenlit"a Russia sanctions bill intended to economically cripple Moscow that has been in the works for months.

Associated Press writer David Klepper in Washington contributed to this story.

A GoFundMe campaign for the family ofRenee Nicole Good, who was killed Jan. 7 in Minneapolis, has raised more than $700,000.

Thecampaign, started on Wednesday, Jan. 7, aims to "support the wife and son of Renee Good as they grapple with the devastating loss of their wife and mother," according to its description.

Good was shot while in her Honda SUV by an unidentified Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent on Wednesday in a residential neighborhood south of downtown Minneapolis.President Donald Trumpand Homeland Security SecretaryKristi Noemhave saidthe agent was acting in self-defense.

However, videos taken by eyewitnesses have led many to decry the shooting as unwarranted. TheMinneapolis City Council put out a statementsaying Good was "out caring for her neighbors this morning and her life was taken today at the hands of the federal government."

Vigil held for woman killed in ICE related shooting in Minneapolis

Minneapolis ICE shooting updates:State denied access to evidence

Who was Renee Good, the woman shot by ICE in Minneapolis?

Good, 37, lived with her partner in Minneapolis, just a few blocks from where she was fatally shot, theMinnesota Star Tribune reported. She was a mother of three: a 15-year-old daughter and two sons, ages 12 and 6, according toThe Washington Post.

Good, who was a poet, also hosted a podcast with her husband at the time, comedian Tim Macklin, when she lived in Colorado Springs, the Star Tribune reported. Good shared one son, the 6-year-old, with Macklin, who died in 2023, the outlet reported.

Good's mother told the Star Tribune that her daughter was "extremely compassionate," and not the type of person to confront ICE agents.

"Renee was one of the kindest people I've ever known," she said. "She was extremely compassionate. She's taken care of people all her life. She was loving, forgiving and affectionate. She was an amazing human being."

As of Jan. 8, the GoFundMe campaign for Good's family has raised over $718,000 with more than 17,000 donations. Donations have come from beyond the United States, with commenters saying they reside in Canada, the U.K. and Germany.

Minneapolis City Council memberJason Chavez posted on social mediathat he had vetted the GoFundMe campaign. "Please support the wife and son of Renee Good as they grapple with the devastating loss of their wife and mother. May she rest in peace."

USA TODAY contacted the GoFundMe organizer, Mattie Weiss, and Chavez on Jan. 8, but has not yet received a response.

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ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Federal and state officials withheld evidence that the Department of Homeland Security had agreed to reimburse Florida for some of the costs of constructing animmigration detention centerin the Florida Everglades known as "Alligator Alcatraz," according to environmental groups suing to shut down the facility.

The Everglades facility remains open, still holding detainees, because an appellate court in early September relied on arguments by Florida and the Trump administration that the state hadn't yet applied for federal reimbursement, and therefore wasn't required to follow federal environmental law.

The new evidence — emails and documents obtained through a public records request — shows that officials had discussed federal reimbursement in June, and that the Federal Emergency Management Agency confirmed in early August that it had received from state officials a grant application. Florida was notified in late September that FEMA had approved $608 million in federal funding to support the center's construction and operation.

"We now know that the federal and state government had records confirming that they closely partnered on this facility from the beginning but failed to disclose them to the district court," said Tania Galloni, one of the attorneys for the environmental groups.

An appellate panel in Atlanta put a temporary hold on a lower court judge's ruling that would have closed the state-built facility. The new evidence should now be considered as the judges decide the facility's permanent fate, Friends of the Everglades and the Center for Biological Diversity, said in court papers on Wednesday.

A federal judge in Miami in mid-Augustordered the facilityto wind down operations over two months because officials had failed to do a review of the detention center's environmental impact according to federal law. That judge concluded that a reimbursement decision already had been made.

The Florida Department of Emergency Management, which led the efforts to build the Everglades facility, didn't respond to an emailed inquiry on Thursday.

Florida has led other states in constructing facilities to support President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown. Besides the Everglades facility, whichreceived its first detainees in July, Florida has opened an immigration detention center in northeast Florida and is looking at opening a third facility in the Florida Panhandle.

The environmental lawsuit is one of three federal court challenges to the Everglades facility. In the others, detainees said Florida agencies and private contractors hired by the state have no authority to operate the center under federal law. They're also seeking a ruling ensuring access toconfidential communicationswith their attorneys.

Follow Mike Schneider on the social platform Bluesky:@mikeysid.bsky.social

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NEED TO KNOW

• Bunnie Xo opened up about the ways her husband Jelly Roll's confidence has grown after he shaved his beard for the first time in 20 years amid his weight loss journey

• The podcaster teased the country singer's dramatic facial hair transformation in November before he unveiled his look on YouTube days later

• Jelly Roll joked about his changed appearance making him look like a "Ninja Turtle"

Jelly Rollis feeling himself, and his wifeBunny Xoloves being along for the ride.

In an interview withExtra TV, Bunnie Xo (real name Alyssa Deford) said the "coolest" part about her husband's transformation, including him shaving his beard for the first time in 20 years, is "getting to see him look in the mirror and...fall in love with himself" again.

The 45-year-old podcaster — who first revealed that the country music star wasditching his facial hairin November, giving fans a full view of hisface tattoos— added "because, you know, battling weight and being called memes every day and just living with that burden of the weight on him every day, that takes a toll on somebody's self-esteem."

Kevin Mazur/Getty; Jelly Roll/Instagram8

But now, with the results of his dramatic weight loss, Bunnie Xo said the "Wild Ones" singer, 41, is "getting comments like, 'You look so hot,' 'You look so healthy,' or 'I'm so proud of you.' That just lifts his spirits so much." It's exactly how she feels when she gets to watch her significant other's self-esteem grow.

Jelly Roll (whose real name is Jason DeFord) has been on his weight loss journey in recent years, and he reached hisgoal of dropping 275 lbs. "I'm loving my body," he toldMen's Healthin a Jan. 2 interview. "This is a whole new thing for me, y'all, I've been imprisoned to a fat suit for 30-something years."

At his heaviest, the musician weighed 540 lbs, and that obesity and his food addiction left him with a lot of shame.

"It was never-ending sadness," he shared with the outlet. "And anger. I was a prisoner to my own body. Dude, wiping my ass was a problem. Washing myself properly was a problem. Getting in cars. Every decision I made in life had to be based on my weight. If it could hold me, facilitate me, or fit me — people don't think about every facet of 'I still want to be able to do that and I can't.' I was so inspired by that kind of stuff."

Jelly Roll/Instagram

Jelly Roll has also been very candid about how his new weight has changed hissex life with Bunnie Xofor the better.

"I feel like I'm a teenager, dog," he confessed. "I have the sex drive of a 17-year-old again. I'm f------ pouncing on my wife. We're having daytime sex again. It's f------ awesome."

"My testosterone level — and I'm cool to talk about this openly — was of a preteen boy," he explained. "When I went in there for the test, it was bad.Bad. The world opened up when I seen it on paper. I was like, 'That'smy testosterone level? I mean, dude, we're talking a 57. You can't get it up without T. I was married to a smoke show, and I was still struggling…. The first couple of blood panels were like, 'How are you alive?' Now it's a totally different thing."

Read the original article onPeople