Paul Whitington

1 month ago | independent.ie | Paul Whitington

Paul Whitington: Gene Hackman gave the kind of performances you couldn’t ignore, and will be missed by movie buffs everywhereGene Hackman in a scene from Wes Anderson's 'The Royal Tenenbaums'. Photo: DisneyWhen Gene Hackman was cast as ‘Popeye’ Doyle in 1971’s The French Connection, the role that made him a star, he was over 40 and had been knocking around the industry for 15 years. He’d wanted to act since he was 10, but had “always been convinced that actors had to be handsome”.

Jan 24, 2025 | irishexaminer.com | Paul Whitington

The Lamb  Lucy Rose  Weidenfeld & Nicolson, £16.99 Trouble comes early in Lucy Rose’s debut novel , a dark neo-gothic fairy tale that uses cannibalism as a metaphor for familial dysfunction, female oppression, and much else besides. In the opening sentence Margot, our glum narrator, recalls how at the age of four, she found human fingers in the shower drain.

Jan 21, 2025 | independent.ie | Paul Whitington |Gemma Fullam

Trump inauguration 2.0: Taut faces, Oscar de la Renta frocks and oodles of fake tan – an ‘imperial’ return to the White House, and how the internet respondedPresident’s return was a bizarre mix of egotism and vengeanceThe U.S. President Donald Trump and the U.S. first lady Melania Trump attend the luncheon in the Statuary Hall of the U.S. Capitol on the inauguration day of Trump's second Presidential term in Washington, U.S., January 20, 2025.

Jan 11, 2025 | independent.ie | Paul Whitington

Recalling how family ties first sparked a love of ‘His Bobness’ and how the singer still enduresWhen I was younger people used to play the “what was your first album?” game. Lying was a constant temptation, and instead of admitting the ugly truth (Kajagoogoo, Bananarama or Haircut 100 muttered shamefully), unscrupulous contestants would invent cooler alternatives. That’s what I was always accused of, but I was telling the truth: the first album I ever owned was Blood on the Tracks.

Dec 9, 2024 | belfasttelegraph.co.uk | Paul Whitington

The Golden Globe nominations traditionally kick-off the annual frenzy of big frocks and bad speeches otherwise known as awards season. And after the huge successes of recent years, it’s a sobering result from an Irish perspective. Saoirse Ronan, Paul Mescal and the makers of Kneecap and Small Things Like These can feel somewhat aggrieved at having been overlooked by the judges, and while there were nods for Colin Farrell and Andrew Scott, the bad news is that they’re up in the same category.