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He might be best remembered as the semi-religious idol ‘The Dude’ from the Coen brothers’ The Big Lebowski, but there’s more to Jeff Bridges than just bowling balls and severed toes. He’s a seven-time Oscar nominee, eventually winning ‘Best Actor’ for his role as a troubled singer in Crazy Heart. Then there are big franchises like ‘Tron’ and the ‘Kingsmen’ series, as well as Iron Man. As the very first villain of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Bridges holds a special place in blockbuster history. 

Cinemagoers in 2014 might remember Bridges from the sci-fi drama The Giver. Based on the 1993 novel of the same name by Lois Lowry, the story is set in a world utterly devoid of emotion. Bridges plays the title role, a mentor figure to the film’s young hero, played by Brenton Thwaites. This was the culmination of a decades-long journey for the actor, who had been trying to get The Giver off the ground for some time.

“I was looking for a movie to direct my father, Lloyd Bridges, in,” the star told AZCentral. “I got a catalogue of children’s books and saw that cover, that grizzled old guy on the cover, and I thought, ‘Oh, my dad could play this guy.’ I wanted to make a movie with my dad that my kids could see. And I saw this children’s book that had the Newbery (Medal) stamp on it, and I found out later it was taught in schools, curriculums based on the book, and I thought, ‘Oh, this is going to an easy thing to get made.’”

Bridges’ father had made a name for himself in the 1940s and ’50s. Lloyd had roles in the likes of High Noon, Sahara, and Little Big Horn, rubbing shoulders with Boris Karloff, Gary Cooper, Humphrey Bogart, and many more. After a few decades in the shadows, Bridges had a resurgence through various spoof movies like Hot Shots! and Airplane! The father and son duo had appeared together in the 1994 thriller Blown Away but sadly passed away before Jeff could get the chance to direct him in The Giver. 

“I later found out that it was on the list of banned books,” Bridges said of the novel, explaining why it took so long to get the project off the ground. “It was quite controversial. That didn’t bother me. Those are the kind of movies I like to see and to make. But it turned out that controversy was a little too strong to get it made. It took 18 years.”

Finally, after almost two decades of toiling away in development hell, The Giver saw the light of day. When it came to the title role, Bridges stepped into his father’s shoes, which the actor felt was the right decision. “I got more and more like that grizzled guy as I got older,” said the star, who was 64 years old when the film was released. “I feel like sort of an extension of my father. He was my giver, or one of my givers, both my dad and my mom. I’m kind of carrying on with his work, so I really feel him with me all the time.”

A sweet moment for the Bridges family. It’s just a shame that The Giver turned out to be one of a number of post-Harry Potter young adult landfill offerings from the mid-2010s. Poor Jeff.

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Nicole Kidman is celebrating her late mother on what would have been her 85th birthday. 

Paying tribute to Janelle Ann Kidman, who died at age 84 in September, the Oscar winner posted a throwback photo on Wednesday, March 12, to her Instagram of her mother sitting and smiling with her father, Antony (who died in 2014). 

“Missing Mumma and Papa so much on what would have been her birthday today,” Kidman, 57, captioned the photo. She concluded the simple post with a red heart emoji. 

Among the followers expressing their love and support for Kidman was her Lioness costar Zoe Saldaña. “Our hearts are with you today. Happy birthday Momma,” she wrote. 

Rita Wilson also chimed in with a heartfelt comment: “The conversation continues. May her memory be eternal.”

Halina Reijn, writer-director of Kidman’s latest movie Babygirl, broke the news that the star’s mother had died at the Venice Film Festival in September. Kidman, who received the fest’s best actress prize, skipped the event and left an acceptance speech for Reijn to read: “I’m in shock and I have to go to my family, but this award is for her. She shaped me, she guided me and she made me. I am beyond grateful that I get to say her name to all of you through Halina… The collision of life and art is heartbreaking, and my heart is broken.”

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Kidman and her sister, Antonia, thanked supporters “for the outpouring of love and kindness we have felt” in a statement shared to Instagram in September. 

In January, the Babygirl star dedicated her win at the Palm Springs International Film Festival gala to Janelle in a tearful speech. “Thank you for giving me the chance to say, ‘This is for my mom,’ ” Kidman said. “My whole career has been for my mom and my dad, who are not here now. I’m still going to keep working and giving to the world because I love what I do and I love you all, and I’m so grateful for the privilege to be a part of the film community.”

Among Kidman’s upcoming screen projects are Holland (which premiered at the 2025 SXSW Film Festival on March 9 and streams on Prime Video March 27), TV adaptation Scarpetta and a sequel to 1998’s Practical Magic with Sandra Bullock.

Nicole Kidman paid tribute to her late parents in honor of her mother’s birthday.

“Missing Mumma and Papa so much on what would have been her birthday today ❤️,” the actress, 57, wrote via Instagram on Wednesday, March 12, alongside a throwback pic of her mom, Janelle Ann, and dad, Antony.

The photograph showed Kidman’s parents as they smiled sweetly for a close-up shot. The pair were seemingly standing in a kitchen area as they huddled next to each other.

Kidman lost her father in 2014 after reportedly suffering a fall at a hotel in Singapore. He was 75 years old. It was later revealed that Antony’s cause of death was due to a heart attack.

A decade after her father’s passing, Kidman’s mother died. While attending the Venice International Film Festival in September 2024, Kidman left the event early after learning her mother passed away at age 84. As Kidman rushed home, she ended up winning the Best Actress award for her role in Babygirl.

The film’s director, Halina Reijn, accepted the award on behalf of Kidman and read a statement from the actress.

“Today I arrived in Venice to find out shortly after, that my beautiful, brave mother Janelle Ann Kidman has just passed,” Reijn, 49, read at the time. “I am in shock and I have to go to my family, but this award is for her, she shaped me, she guided me and she made me. I am beyond grateful that I get to say her name to all of you through Halina, the collision of life and art is heart-breaking, and my heart is broken.”

After sharing the news of her mother’s passing, the Oscar winner took to social media to thank fans for the support shown to both her and her sister Antonia Kidman during their difficult time.

“My sister and I along with our family want to thank you for the outpouring of love and kindness we have felt this week,” Nicole wrote in a joint post with her sister, Antonia, 54. “Every message we have received from those who loved and admired our Mother has meant more to us than we will ever be able to express. Thank you from our whole family for respecting our privacy as we take care of each other ❤️”

Nicole has continued to honor her mother in the wake of her death. During a December 2024 interview with CBS Sunday Morning, Nicole revealed the last piece of wisdom she received from her mom.

“The final words my mama said, which I didn’t know were gonna be the final words … I was going to get on a plane and go back to see her. And she was like, ‘Maybe wait a minute because I think you just need to take care of yourself right now, Nicky,’” she recalled. “So, I’m doing that more. And I say that to other people in the world, and particularly women. I think we tend not to take care of ourselves.”

A Victorian mum who lost her baby at just five days old has urged all expecting mothers to take some simple tests early in pregnancy to avoid the same tragic outcome. 

Kirsten Radford’s first child, Alexander, died after less than a week in 2023 following a battle with severe preeclampsia.

The serious medical condition is a relatively common complication associated with pregnancy that can result in high blood pressure. 

After she fell pregnant again, Ms Radford and husband Daniel were determined not to let it happen again.

‘It was really well monitored this time,’ the 35-year-old told Daily Mail Australia.

‘Last time it wasn’t monitored at all and we had a lot of issues and it was missed completely. That’s why my first son died.

‘[With this pregnancy], from 12 weeks, I was on blood pressure medication and was heavily monitored. It’s definitely the reason he’s (got through to this point).’

Despite all the precautions, Ms Radford was still hospitalised at 24 weeks with her second baby, Harrison, due to placenta abnormalities and another bout of severe preeclampsia.

He was eventually born a month later via emergency C-section and has been receiving care in a Melbourne neonatal unit since December 30.

Harrison also developed a lung condition and will need surgery for a hernia but is slowly getting stronger.

‘He’s had quite a few bumps in the road and is still on oxygen but he’s starting to do really well and is gaining weight,’ Ms Radford said.

‘He’ll have issues with his lungs for the first two years of his life and will be susceptible to chest infections and even the common cold which could hospitalise him.

‘His lungs could collapse and he’ll probably have childhood asthma so we need to be careful.’

Dr Prayatna Shetty is an obstetrician and maternal and fetal medicine specialist and she said many soon-to-be mothers were not aware of the dangers of preeclampsia.

The condition, which in unique to pregnancy, is an unprecedented and dangerous increase in blood pressure in the mother, which is passed onto the baby, and is potentially fatal for both. 

‘Some of the stories have been quite brutal,’ Dr Shetty said.

‘We know what starts it and how to predict it with biomarkers. The issue we are facing is lack of awareness.’

Dr Shetty said the factors that increase the likelihood of preeclampsia include family history, smoking, obesity, high blood pressure and kidney disease.

She said treating it with simple aspirin in the first weeks of pregnancy to thin the blood prevented preeclampsia by about 70 to 80 per cent, but many women leave it too late to find out.

‘The aspirin medication needs to be started at 12 weeks and by that point most women are still with their GPs and haven’t even seen a specialist,’ Dr Shetty said.

‘By the time they reach a hospital or a private practice it’s too late and preeclampsia has set in.

‘There’s an 11 to 13 week scan where we can look at preeclampsia-related risk factors.’

Dr Shetty said any prospective mothers can get the scan along with a blood test to determine their risk.

Harrison still has a long road ahead of him and his parents have been travelling hours from their tiny town of Natimuk – 320km northeast of Melbourne – to get treatment for him.

That’s why they’ve set up a GoFundMe page to raise funds to go towards Harrison’s medical expenses.

Ms Radford said she won’t be able to go back to her job as a theatre nurse until next year as she cares for her at-risk son.

‘The costs are adding up. We knew after Alexander passed that we would be having a neonatal unit stay so we were saving up for that before we tried to get pregnant again,’ she said.

‘We put money away but we’ve chewed into those funds and our savings are gone and we’ve still got a lot to do in the future.’

The couple said they were hoping to raise $10,000 to see them through the difficult days ahead.

‘We have tried not to ask for financial assistance as long as possible, but we are at a crossroads, where we will completely deplete our savings just trying to get Harrison home,’ Ms Radford said.

Hollywood sons ready to shine

New film. “Novocaine.” Stars Meg Ryan’s son Jack Quaid and Jack Nicholson’s son Ray. Off-camera Ray says: “Jack’s niceness is intimidating because I’m not that nice a guy.” The thing shoots into theaters tomorrow. Bring your dentist.

Here’s another springtime beauty. Steven Soderbergh’s Brit wit spy thriller “Black Bag.” Says Cate Blanchett: “I play damaged goods. But in the espionage game people are all damaged. They have nothing to lose.”

Pierce Brosnan, playing a shifty type, likes the wardrobe. “His morality is questionable but he wore a beautiful suit and his ego’s a mile long.” Also comes for another fitting tomorrow.

1972 the late Gene Hackman worked with Lee Marvin and Sissy Spacek. Lee Marvin once said: “Seeing me on screen the audience knows two things. I’m not getting the girl, and two, I’ll be getting a cheap funeral.”

Nothing happy in film. Also wriggling out is Laurence Fishburne and Rachel Brosnahan. “The Amateur.” Rami Malek is a mousy CIA decoder. In a basement. His wife’s killed. He wants revenge. So he blows up bad guys.

If hungry for more mayhem, massacre and murder Portugal now announces the Tribeca Film Festival in Lisbon. In October. So yippee! — you can soon see blood and killing and stabbing in the fall as well. Mucho mazel tov to us all.

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Being hounded by the press

Unrequested Sun newspaper emails arrive hourly. My hair should grow so fast. Their political newspaper writers now jam my inbox. I say, “Forget it.” They forget that. Here’s yesterday’s sample:

Alan Dershowitz: “In today’s media landscape too many publications get things wrong. They’re more concerned with the political implications of a story than the basic facts.”

Next comes his “The New York Sun — a paper that places principle over politics and people over party — is different. And the future of our nation begins with the restoration of real American journalism . . . devoted to that mission truly ‘shines for all.’ ” Following this in red letters is “Join for 1 cent.”

Next Newt Gingrich, who calls the Sun “a patriotic paper that lives and breathes American values and now carries his exclusive weekly column.”

After that, Conrad Black who lists “helping build the third largest newspaper company in the Western World” and “Many journalists abuse public trusts instead of policing the powerful on behalf of the powers they favor.” Next: “Start reading for 1 cent per day.”

Following this comes a dozen Larry Kudlow messages like how “Trump captures new American zeitgeist” and how I should sign up with the Sun.

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Scene & heard

Meanwhile, thanks to Quest’s spring issue for my photo wearing a beige cashmere shawl from Cinema Society’s movie premiere producer Andrew Saffir.

And thanks to Denis Morovic of West 36th Street’s DK restaurant, which in old nearby MSG Billy Joel days, the chicken wings, meatball apps and porterhouse business drew $275K yearly.

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Downtown. Customer: “I can’t pay for this suit for another six months.” Tailor: “No problem.” Customer: “So when will it be ready?” Tailor: “In six months.”

Only in New York, kids, only in New York.

By MARY MRAD FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA

Published: 23:25 GMT, 12 March 2025 | Updated: 23:31 GMT, 12 March 2025

The meeting, at 7.30pm in Kilmore Recreation Centre, is being hosted by Equality in Education Dublin Bay North and Dublin North West, and follows a 24-hour sleep-out by parents outside the Department of Education two weeks ago

Independent councillor John Lyons, People Before Profit councillor Conor Reddy, and Social Democrats councillor Jesslyn Henry are scheduled to speak on a panel alongside Rachel Martin from Families Unite for Services and Support Ireland, an SNA, and a parent.

One local parent, Amy, will be attending the meeting. Her daughter Kyla Mae is autistic and has a diagnosis of Global Developmental Delay.

They waited two and a half years for her Assessment of Needs, only receiving it after legal action was taken.

She is now fighting for an appropriate school place for Kyla Mae, who hasn’t received any speech and language or occupational therapy.

“We’ve applied to 17 schools, including early intervention classes,” she said.

“We’re trying to get her a third year in pre-school as all the schools are replying to say they are full and she hasn’t been accepted.

“Kyla Mae needs the appropriate services, therapies, and school placement because if she doesn’t, there’s a good chance she will regress.

“I want the Government to act on their words and not fill already stressed and overloaded parents with false hope,” she added.

Samantha O’Flanagan, Forsa Equality Officer from the NDNL SNA branch, will also be in attendance and said she has had the privilege of seeing children “thrive with the right supports and environments”.

“Unfortunately, I’ve also seen the detrimental effects on children who are denied an appropriate school place,” she said.

“These parents are doing what any parent would by fighting for their child’s rights, but they shouldn’t have to.

“The system should work for them, not be fighting against them; every child deserves the right to an education,” she added.

Cllr Henry, an SNA, sees first-hand the importance of appropriate school places.

“Parents shouldn’t have to fight for supports for their children, but at the very least, they should not have to fight for school places,” she said.

“As an SNA, I see the difference an appropriate school place can have on the child’s life, but on the wider family’s life too.

“Schools are a place of education, but they also give respite for parents, a sense of normality and inclusion.

“That’s what tonight’s meeting is about – providing space for parents to come together so they are not alone, where they will actually be listened to,” she added.

By JIMMY BRIGGS FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA

Published: 23:06 GMT, 12 March 2025 | Updated: 23:19 GMT, 12 March 2025

WOODS CROSS, Utah — From Bountiful to American Fork, and anywhere outside or in between, a tight-knit group of skateboarders can be found in each community. One of those communities is now coming together after a father was struck while riding.

“The community is very inclusive,” said Kamron Atwood. “Everybody is welcome.”

“There’s so many locals who want to get together and help each other out in times of need,” added Travis Hoki.

In the blink of an eye, things took an 180-degree turn for Woods Cross skateboarder last week when Austin Johnson, who was in a crosswalk, was hit by a juvenile driver, according to police.

“Austin’s a young guy, he’s got a life in him, a lot of drive, a lot of passion,” shared Hoki. “To see him be taken out like that with a truck is just devastating, and I really hope he can get back up on his feet.”

After breaking his femur, along with several other injuries, Johnson is looking at a long road before he can skate again.

“It’s a tragedy because he has small children, he’s raising a family and they’re all going to have to deal with this,” said Atwood. “Austin organizes and holds and supports a lot of local events, so it’s going to be hard on the skateboard community as well.”

Following the accident, the hope of Johnson’s community of friends is to bring awareness to skateboarder safety.

“It’s just important for drivers to be looking out for skaters, pedestrians, people on bikes, blades or whatever it is,” explained Hoki.

“For pedestrians that are on the road, it’s important to not trust anybody,” added Atwood. “Make sure you look both ways before you cross, and realize that you’re vulnerable and the vehicle is going to win.”

As Austin takes a break from shredding for a while, local skateboarders like Hoki will keep riding the concrete waves to support their friend.

“Skaters are just passing along the message and helping each other out.”

Vice President JD Vance mocked CBS News on Wednesday, suggesting his mother-in-law was being “harassed” by its reporters in an attempt to attack President Donald Trump over diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies.

CBS News published a story headlined, “She advanced DEI at her university. Her son-in-law, Vice President JD Vance, wants to end it nationwide,” that put a spotlight on Lakshmi Chilukuri, the provost of the University of California San Diego’s Sixth College, who is also Vance’s mother-in-law and the mother of second lady Usha Vance. 

“Chilukuri helped create a pilot course on race, ethnicity and gender in biology and medicine, served on the university’s biological sciences diversity committee, and has written proudly of her school’s commitment to diversity,” CBS News reporters Graham Kates and Daniel Klaidman wrote. 

WHAT JD VANCE THINKS ABOUT COUSIN CALLING HIM AND TRUMP ‘VLADIMIR PUTIN’S USEFUL IDIOTS’

“A crackdown on what President Trump and Vance call ‘wokeness’ has been a hallmark of their administration’s first weeks,” Kates and Klaidman continued. “Widespread scalebacks of DEI programs in academia, government and across corporations have marked some of the administration’s earliest marquee victories.”

Vance blasted CBS News when he was asked for comment by the outlet.  

“I don’t like DEI, and I’m proud of what our administration has done on that front,” Vance told CBS News.  

“But I love my mother-in-law. If she doesn’t share my views on DEI I suppose I’ll have to do what 99 percent of Americans do when confronted with a family member who doesn’t always agree with them: get over it,” Vance added. “This story exists because CBS has decided that harassing my mother in law is a reasonable price in order to attack President Trump.” 

CBS News did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. 

NEW STUDY REVEALS ‘STAGGERING’ SCOPE OF HOW MUCH DEI WAS INFUSED INTO GOVERNMENT UNDER BIDEN

Vance also told CBS that he chooses to focus on Chilukuri’s “kindness and the fact that she’s an incredible mother and loving grandmother to the most important people in my life.” 

The CBS News piece went on to say that the “Trump administration has attacked DEI on college campuses with particular zeal, threatening investigations, lawsuits and canceled federal funding,” and noted that Vance “has been vocal about combatting DEI.”

Indeed, the Trump administration has made it a top priority to rid DEI from the federal bureaucracy and the president has signed multiple executive orders aimed at addressing what it argues is a practice that does more harm than good by ignoring meritocracy. 

CBS also admitted its own parent company has ditched DEI initiatives since Trump took office. 

TRUMP TO SHIFT AWAY FROM DEI VISA POLICY THAT ‘SURGED’ UNDER BIDEN, EXPERT SAYS

“Many corporations have followed suit, including CBS News’ parent company Paramount, which in late February ceased using hiring goals related to race, ethnicity, sex or gender, among other policy changes related to DEI,” Kates and Klaidman wrote. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP 

Usha and JD Vance have been married since 2014, and they have three children together.

Trump filed a $20 billion lawsuit against CBS alleging election interference over its handling of a “60 Minutes” interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris, accusing the network of aiding his Democratic rival through deceptive editing just days before the election. 

Fox News Digital’s Andrew Mark Miller and Sarah Rumpf-Whitten contributed to this report.