Men's Journal's Blog, page 143
April 12, 2025
Did the Latest 'Harry Potter' TV Show Update Point to a Favorite to Play Voldemort?
Among the many noteworthy television shows set to debut in the coming year or two, Harry Potter has remained a popular talking point. As the cast for the future HBO show comes together, a few names have already been linked to high-profile characters.
As Deadline first reported, the likes of John Lithgow, Janet McTeer, Paapa Essiedu and Nick Frost are set or in negotiations to play Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape and Hagrid.
Recently, Deadline spoke with Warner Bros. Chairman and CEO, Channing Dungey about the upcoming Harry Potter series. While Dungey stated they were "not yet ready to announce" Harry, Hermione and Ron, the topic of another popular character came up shortly after.
A Poster of the " Harry Potter And the Order Of The Phoenix" film.Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images
When posed with a question about who will play Voldemort in the TV series, Dungey said they were "still weighing a couple of different options, so we're not quite ready there yet." But the follow-up question regarding Cillian Murphy possibly playing Voldemort brought a major side-step response from Dungey.
DEADLINE: Cillian Murphy has been the one fans really want in the role, and he has been rumored for another Harry Potter character, too. Is that a possibility?
DUNGEY: I have no comment, no comment, no comment.
Murphy has been a popular name linked to the upcoming series and specifically tied to the potential role of Voldemort. While Dungey's triple "no comment" on Murphy in the role may be nothing, it's also interesting to see him pivot off that topic so quickly.
Time will tell, but there's no doubt Murphy will remain a fan favorite for the role until the official casting news is released.
Related: The Final Season of 'Ted Lasso' Might Not Be When You Think
Maker's Mark Releases First Wheat Whisky in 70 Years. Here's What You Need to Know
Maker’s Mark is moving towards a new path in product innovation and sustainability. The distillery is debuting its first new mash bill and first wheat whisky since its founding in 1953: Star Hill Farm Whisky. Named after the 1,100-acre farm that's home to the distillery, it'll be released annually, each edition made from a different mash bill.
The 2025 release comprises two mash bills. One uses 70 percent soft red winter wheat—which is also the base of Maker’s Mark's flagship bourbon—and 30 percent malted barley, while the other is made with 100-percent malted soft red winter wheat.
“This release is a complex yet balanced blend of seven- and eight-year whiskies, bottled uncut at cask strength,” said Blake Layfield, Ph.D., master distiller. “The nose captivates with notes of buttery caramel, golden raisins and gingerbread. On the palate, you'll find a soft, bright mix of honeyed toffee, chocolate covered cherries, and a hint of apple pie spice. The finish is smooth and inviting, with toasted pecans and soft cinnamon bringing it all together.”
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The 2025 release also marks a new commitment to environmental sustainability with the establishment of the Maker’s Mark Regenerative Alliance, which has committed to changing one million acres of conventional farmland to regenerative. Regenerative farming is defined by the Natural Resources Defense Council as a "dynamic system of regenerative agriculture...meant to restore soil and ecosystem health, address inequity, and leave our land, waters, and climate in better shape for future generations." The distillery has formed an alliance with Regenifed and Understanding Ag, which provide education and technical support to establish healthy farm ecosystems.
“The launch of Star Hill Farm Whisky will expand our platform to advance regenerative agriculture beyond our business, fostering a more sustainable future for our industry, people and planet,” said Maker’s Mark managing director Rob Samuels.
Star Hill Farm American Wheat Whisky is made from locally grown grains.Courtesy Image
The release of Star Hill Farm furthers the environmental efforts of Maker’s Mark, which is the first distillery in Kentucky to achieve B Corp Certification and the first world-wide to receive Regenified certification. Both certifications signify the brand's commitment to environmental transparency and accountability. Additionally, Star Hill Farm Whisky is the first whisky to receive an Estate Whiskey certification, which means it's produced entirely on the distillery estate using grains local to that site.
Bottled at a cask strength of 57.35 percent ABV, 114.7 proof, Star Hill Farms will be available in the United States and the United Kingdom in mid-May. An Australian release will follow later in 2025. Visitors to the Maker’s Mark distillery can purchase it when booking a Star Hill Farm Whisky experience.
Related: I Test Hundreds of Whiskeys per Year. This Cheap Bourbon Is a Modern Classic
Green Day Frontman Makes Surprise Appearance With Legendary Band
The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is always full of surprises, and this year's event is no exception. Coachella is an annual music and arts festival that takes place in the Coachella Valley in California, and it's one of the largest and most popular music festivals in the world.
Legendary rockers The Go-Go's marked their return to the stage at the event on April 11 with a rousing performance, and their set featured a surprise appearance from Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong.
Armstrong appeared on the stage for the band's performance of "Head Over Heels," off their third album, Talk Show. The Go-Go's played the song about halfway through their set. Of course, The Go-Go's are known for timeless hits such as "Our Lips Are Sealed," "Vacation" and "We Got the Beat," and they played all of those songs, as well, and then some.
Ahead of the show, The Go-Go's performed April 9 at the Roxy in West Hollywood. That show, along with the Coachella performances, marked the band's first concerts since 2022. Drummer Gina Schock also joined the group at the shows for the first time in years, since she wasn't part of the 2022 concerts due to having thumb surgery.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by BrooklynVegan (@brooklynvegan)
When Schock was out, Blondie drummer Clem Burke, who passed away this week, filled in.
Band members honored Burke at the Roxy, with lead singer Belinda Carlisle telling the audience (via Variety), "I really missed Gina, [but] I loved Clem. He was so much fun to sing to, I can't tell you. I hope you're listening, Clem. But I did miss Gina."
Green Day will headline Coachella on April 12, along with performances from Charlie xcx, Tink, T-Pain, Jimmy Eat World, Japanese Breakfast and Amelie Lens and more. Green Day's latest studio album is 2024's Saviors.
Masters Star Achieves Historic Feat Not Seen Since 1936
Sometimes it's just not your day, and that was the case with Nick Dunlap, 21, one of the most promising new names in golf, during his Masters appearance on April 10. Pretty much nothing went his way, and he recorded one of the worst first-round scores ever at the event.
During the first round, he shot a dismal 18-over par at Augusta National Golf Club, putting him in last place on the leaderboard and even 11 strokes away from the next placed competitor.
With that performance, Dunlap, the 2024 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year, became the 11th golfer who couldn't hit 90 in the first round of the tournament and the first player who hasn't been able to break 90 in a decade.
However, Dunlap didn't let the blunder mess with his head, and he recorded a historic showing on April 11, improving his score by 19 shots. With that performance, he finished one-under-par in the second round.
He still didn't advance, but his stellar performance on April 11 marked the biggest round-to-round turnaround at the Masters since 1936, according to ESPN.
Even though Dunlap's overall performance probably wasn't what he was hoping to deliver, he has plenty of success to affirm his place in today's golf world. He's a two-time winner on the PGA Tour and considered one of the best, rising players in professional golf.
Dunlap, a former University of Alabama golfer, went pro in 2024 after a thrilling PGA Tour win at The American Express. That victory in 2024 made Dunlap the first amateur in 33 years and third since 1956 to win on the PGA Tour. He also became the youngest amateur to win a PGA Tour event since way back in 1910. Dunlap won his second career PGA Tour in July 2024 at the Barracuda Championship.
Corey Conners Gushes About Wife Malory on Instagram
Professional golfer Corey Conners is married to wife Malory Conners.
He has gushed about her on Instagram, calling her "perfect."
"You’re as perfect today as you were on our wedding day. Happy Anniversary! ❤️ @maloryolivia #5years," he wrote in 2023, sharing a wedding photo.
In 2023, Conners gushed about his wife again, this time for Mother's Day, sharing a photo of her acting as his caddie with their young child. "Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there and especially my beautiful wife! You are loved and appreciated ❤️," he wrote.
In 2019, Conners wished his wife a first anniversary, writing, "Happy 1st Anniversary to my beautiful wife @maloryolivia ❤️❤️ It has been a highlight filled year and I am so lucky to have you cheering me on every day. Looking forward to making many more memories with you!"
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Corey Conners (@coreyconners)
Other photos on his page show the couple dressed up for the Kentucky Derby and on the Fourth of July.
In 2019, Malory's emotional reaction at the Valero Texas Open, which he won, went viral.
When your wife's watching you try to get your first PGA TOUR win ...#LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/recy5nSRal
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 7, 2019
His wife's page is set to private, but it says she is from Canada and that the family lives in Jupiter, FL, with their two kids.
According to Golf Monthly, Malory Conners has been a "regular fixture" at her husband's side at golf tournaments.
"She's been my biggest fan for years and my biggest supporter. I’m really lucky to have her by my side. It’s pretty cool to see her in the spotlight a little bit. Her reactions were awesome," Conners said about his wife, according to Golf Monthly.
Rory McIlroy & Wife Erica Stoll Share PDA Moment at Masters
Rory McIlory and his wife Erica Stoll shared some subtle PDA at the Masters Par 3 Contest on April 10.
The couple, who tied the knot in 2017, were photographed together at the event, during which Stoll served as her husband's caddie.
McIlroy and Stoll have rekindled their love after the pro golfer filed for divorce in May 2024.
There have been rumors about my personal life recently, which is unfortunate," he told The Guardian at the time. "Responding to each rumor is a fool’s game. Over the past weeks, Erica and I have realized that our best future was as a family together. Thankfully, we have resolved our differences and look forward to a new beginning."
About a month later, the couple called off the split.
"It’s been quite the year, but I’m super happy with where I am in my career and in my life, and I feel like everything’s worked out the way it was supposed to," McIlroy told reporters in November 2024 (via CNN).
Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland kisses his wife Erica Stoll during the Par Three Contest prior to the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 9, 2025 in Augusta, Georgia. Things seem to be going well for the duo now. Page Six shared some photos of McIlroy kissing Still on the head and a couple of other pictures of the couple on the course. Fans took to the comments section to react.
"God bless them," one person wrote.
"Good to see a couple stick it out," someone else said.
"Good for them! Do the WORK," a third Instagram user added.
"I could not love this more," a fourth comment read.
Rory McIlroy, who has never won the Masters, moved up to first place during Round 3 on April 12.
Related: Rory McIlroy’s Daughter, 4, Sinks Lengthy Putt During Par 3 Contest: WATCH
Social Media Users Are Losing It Over This Secret Item Inside Their Minecraft Happy Meal Toys
Viral videos on social media show fans going to extreme lengths in search of the elusive iron ingot hidden inside McDonald's Grimace Eggs, part of Happy Meal toys worldwide.
What’s an ingot? It’s a metal bar used for crafting or building in the world of Minecraft. Social media users are reporting that the Grimace Egg is the rarest Minecraft Happy Meal toy—and breaking it open reveals a hidden ingot inside.
Some videos show people cutting open their Grimace eggs with knives, while others show content creators using their cars to bust open the toy.
A McDonald's press release for the campaign kept the surprise inside the Grimace a complete secret. "This campaign creates moments of joy for fans of all ages, bringing their McDonald’s Minecraft dreams to life with their favorite food, gameplay, McDonaldland characters, and now, the magic of the film," the release read.
@foodwithasbGrimace Egg Has An Iron Ingot Inside 🤔 #mcdonaldsuk #mcdonaldsccsing #mcdonaldshacks #mcdonaldssecrets #minecraft #minecraftmovie #grimace #grimaceegg
♬ original sound - FoodWithASB 🍕🍫
As noted by Times of India, some of the toys appear more like "plastic trinkets" while others are "legit collector's items." The six options for the toys are the Zombie Hamburglar, The Lone Creeper, Phantom, the Fry Helmet, and the Grimace Egg.
Minecraft has been an absolute hit at the box office since it first opened-- though the theatrical experience has also been chaotic. Some fans are even bringing live chickens to the screenings.
At this point, the movie has raked in over $430 million globally. And the film's director, for one, is elated with the fanfare. "It's way too funny. It's been a total blast. I'm just laughing my brains out every time someone sends me a new video," director Jared Hess told The New York Times.
Related: TikTok Trend Turns Minecraft Movie Screenings Into Total Chaos
‘Harry Potter’ Star Undergoes Emergency Spinal Surgery
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows actor Nick Moran recently underwent emergency spinal surgery. The actor, who portrayed Scabious in the last two films of the Harry Potter franchise, required surgery after suffering an injury.
"Nick was been rushed into hospital this week for a life saving operation which may mean he may never talk or walk again," Moran's friend, Terry Stone, captioned an Instagram post on April 9.
After Moran's operation, Stone spoke with the Daily Mail to provide an update.
“Nick’s girlfriend was saying ‘You’ve got to get [your neck pain] checked out,’ but as a bloke, he said, ‘No, I’ll put some deep heat on it’ then he went to the doctors and got sent to A&E and [was] told ‘We need to take you in for an emergency operation because this is life-threatening,’” Stone told the outlet in an article published on April 11.
"I spoke to one of his family members and he damaged his neck somehow and it’s affecting his spinal cord and some of the things that operate your speech and your legs," Stone explained.
Prior to the surgery, Moran, 55, was told that "he might never walk or talk again," but it's a risk he was willing to take.
"I think he’d decided he’d rather not walk or talk than die," Stone told the Daily Mail, adding that Moran is currently "recovering."
Moran, who hails from the UK, has been in a number television shows and movies, . He has finished working on four upcoming films, including Alphas co-starring Martin Henderson.
Related: Popular Rapper Blasts Masters Over Bryson Dechambeau Coverage
‘Dazed and Confused’ and ‘Boiler Room’ Star Dead at 54
Nicky Katt—one of the rare actors who managed to seamlessly transition from child performer to reliable character actor—has died. He was 54 years old.
TheWrap reported the news, though no official cause of death has been shared.
Related: Val Kilmer's Official Cause of Death Confirmed
Katt was born in South Dakota on May 11, 1970 and developed an early interest in performing. He began his acting career at the age of seven, and appeared in episodes of several hit shows in the 1980s, including Fantasy Island, CHiPs, and The Facts of Life. His earliest film roles included parts in Gremlins, The ‘Burbs, and Sister Act.
In 1993, Katt appeared as bully Clint Bruno in Richard Linklater’s Dazed and Confused alongside a who’s who of soon-to-be major stars, including Matthew McConaughey, Ben Affleck, Parker Posey, and Renée Zellweger. He went on to appear in several other classic Gen X titles, including Gregg Araki’s The Doom Generation, Kathryn Bigelow’s Strange Days, and Linklater’s SubUrbia. He appeared alongside Affleck again in one of his best-known roles, playing Greg Weinstein in 2000’s Boiler Room. From 2000 to 2002, Katt had a starring role on Boston Public.
Katt perfected the role of the tough guy, and went on to work with several more A-list directors. He worked with Linklater many more times, including in Waking Life (2001) and School of Rock (2003). He was also a regular collaborator of Steven Soderbergh, having worked together on The Limey (1999), Full Frontal (2001), and Behind the Candelabra (2013). Katt worked with Christopher Nolan several times as well, including roles in Insomnia (2002) and The Dark Knight (2008).
Katt’s attorney, John Sloss of Sloss Law, confirmed his death to TheWrap.
April 11, 2025
Menendez Brothers Win Moves Them One Step Closer To New Sentence
A recent ruling from a Los Angeles judge in the Menendez brothers' decades-long case to allow the consideration of resentencing hearings may lead to a new chapter for Erik and Lyle Menendez. The brothers, serving life without parole sentences since the 1990s for the 1989 murders of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, claim they acted in self-defense after years of abuse.
E! Online reported that on April 11, Judge Michael Jesic denied District Attorney Nathan Hochman’s bid to withdraw the petition for resentencing, which allows the case to go forward on April 17 and 18. Then, the court will further address whether resentencing is in order.
DA Hochman, who is opposed to the move for resentencing, said that his office is ready to follow wherever the court leads it. He felt that the evidence strongly supports the original convictions and charged the brothers with continuing to perjure themselves over the issue of self-defense. He believes the Menendez brothers never embraced full disclosure and went as far as to convince others to lie to protect them.
During their trial in 1993, Erik and Lyle claimed they had acted in "imperfect self-defense," having testified that their father had sexually abused them. By the time of the 1995 retrial, though, prosecutors had alleged that Lyle had encouraged a friend and an ex-girlfriend to put together their allegations of abuse to assist in cementing the conviction and life sentences.
Despite Hochman’s view, he did hint at a possibility of clemency. An admission of guilt by the brothers on their lies about the abuse could go a long way in helping any future applications for resentencing.
People are divided about this case and the potential new sentence. For some, the original conviction stands for deserved punishment for a brutal crime; for others, the allegations of abuse—which now prompt possible resentencing—extend the dialogue into matters of truth, rehabilitation, and fairness.
Now all eyes are once again on Erik and Lyle Menendez in anticipation of the forthcoming hearings on April 17 and 18, and whether or not the court will review one of the most sensational and controversial modern murder cases in American history.
Related: New DA Makes Bombshell Change in Menendez Brothers Case
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