Royal Rift
The Firm had been relatively quiet in the months following the release of Prince Harry and Megan Markle's Netflix's documentary Harry & Megan, but ahead of King Charles III's coronation, the royal family has asked the couple to vacate their UK home. A chunk of the documentary explored The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's relationship with the royals, and viewers even got Prince Harry's account of nearly coming to blows with Prince William. The Associated Press reported that the couple had paid $3.2 million in 2020 to have the home renovated in 2020.
Jussie Smollett's Appeal
Actor Jussie Smollet is looking to avoid serving prison time after he was found guilty of lying to police about a hate crime. In December 2021, he was sentenced to serve 150 days but was released after six days pending an appeal. Smollett's attorneys had until August to file the appellate brief but were granted five extensions since then. In the new filing, his lawyers say the five-month sentence is excessive. They also argue the judge presiding over the case made reversible errors, according to Variety.
'Lord of the Rings' on Stage
The Lord of the Rings is receiving the stage treatment. A semi-immersive musical production of the show is coming to The Watermill Theater in Berkshire, England — next door to author J.R.R. Tolkien's home county. Casting for the show is getting underway Thursday. "This production is location-based and we're concentrating on that," Paul Hart, the artistic director at the Watermill Theater told Deadline, as they look to transform the theater and its immersive outside extension into the Shire of Middle Earth.
