LOS ANGELES: Actor Ray Liotta, who starred in Martin Scorsese’s gangster classic “Goodfellas,” has died in the Dominican Republic, the country’s cinema authority said Thursday. He was 67.
Liotta, whose blistering turn as real-life mobster Henry Hill in Scorsese’s crime masterpiece won universal admiration, was shooting a new film in the country when he died, a spokeswoman for the Dominican Republic’s General Direction of Cinema said.
“We understand that he was accompanied by his (fiancee) and that the (fiancee) asks that you please respect her grief,” the spokeswoman told AFP.
Liotta’s publicist in Los Angeles confirmed his death, saying the actor died in his sleep and that there were no suspicious circumstances.
He was working on a movie called “Dangerous Waters” at the time of his death.
Liotta’s breakout came in 1990 when he was cast alongside Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci in what is widely considered one of the greatest films of the 20th century.
“Goodfellas” won one Oscar, and was nominated for five others, and scenes from the movie continue to resonate as cultural touchstones more than three decades later.
A year before “Goodfellas,” Liotta had played baseball star “Shoeless Joe” Jackson in beloved sports movie “Field of Dreams,” opposite Kevin Costner.
The film was nominated for three Oscars, including best picture.
Tributes began to be paid soon after news of Liotta’s death broke, with “Goodfellas” co-star Lorraine Bracco, who played his on-screen wife, Karen, saying she was “utterly shattered to hear this terrible news.”
“I can be anywhere in the world & people will come up & tell me their favorite movie is Goodfellas,” she tweeted.
“Then they always ask what was the best part of making that movie. My response has always been the same... Ray Liotta.”
Despite branching out to show his breadth as an actor, Liotta had recently returned to the world of mob films, with roles in Steven Soderbergh’s “No Sudden Move” and “The Sopranos” prequel “The Many Saints of Newark.”
Liotta was born in Newark, on the US East Coast, in December 1954.
Variety reported he was left at an orphanage at birth and adopted when he was six months old.
At the University of Miami he performed in musicals, and after graduating landed a role in a soap opera that would provide him with three years’ work to 1981.
His first movie came in 1983, but it wasn’t until 1986’s “Something Wild” opposite Melanie Griffith and Jeff Daniels that he came to wider attention.
The comedy-action-romance was screened at Cannes and scored Liotta a Golden Globe nomination for supporting actor.
‘Goodfellas’ actor Ray Liotta dead
https://arab.news/r3ugv
‘Goodfellas’ actor Ray Liotta dead

- Ray Liotta’s publicist in Los Angeles confirmed his death, saying the actor died in his sleep and that there were no suspicious circumstances
- Liotta, whose turn as mobster Henry Hill in Scorsese’s crime masterpiece, ‘Goodfellas,’ won universal admiration, was shooting a film in the Dominican Republic when he died
Fontaines DC display words ‘Israel is committing genocide’ on screen at London gig

DUBAI: Irish post-punk band Fontaines DC played a sold-out concert in London’s Finsbury Park on Saturday night during which the words “Free Palestine” and “Israel is committing genocide” were projected onto screens.
Lead singer Grian Chatten performed in front of the 45,000-strong crowd dressed in a kilt and a Sinead O’Connor t-shirt, the Independent reported.
A piece of music equipment on the north London stage was wrapped in a Palestinian flag and “Israel is committing genocide. Use your voice” came up on the screens after the last song.
The show comes after multiple artists voiced support for the people of Palestine at the Glastonbury music festival in June.
Last week, the US revoked entry visas for members of British punk-rap duo Bob Vylan following their Glastonbury Festival set, during which frontman Bobby Vylan led the crowd in a controversial chant against Israel’s military.
Performing on the festival’s West Holts Stage on Saturday, the artist shouted “Free, free Palestine” before encouraging the audience to chant, “Death, death to the IDF (Israel Defense Forces).” Video of the moment quickly spread online, sparking backlash.
Meanwhile, Irish rap group Kneecap drew one of the festival’s largest crowds at the West Holts Stage. Dozens of Palestinian flags flew in the crowd as the show opened with an audio montage of news clips referring to the band’s critics and legal woes.
Between high-energy numbers that had fans forming a large mosh pit, the band members — sporting keffiyehs — led the audience in chants of “Free Palestine” and “Free Mo Chara.” They also aimed an expletive-laden chant at UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who has said he didn’t think it was “appropriate” for Kneecap to play Glastonbury.
One member wore a T-shirt emblazoned with “We Are All Palestine Action,” referencing the direct-action network that targets arms factories supplying Israel.
‘Lion King’ roars into life with Ithra live orchestra in Dhahran

- Family favorite is part of Ithra’s Disney in Concert series along with ‘Frozen’
DHAHRAN: Nearly three decades after it first captivated global audiences, Disney’s “The Lion King” dazzled new and older generations at the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture, or Ithra, in Dhahran this week by offering a chance to watch the film anew with a live orchestra.
“We hope that it will bring goosebumps and tears,” conductor Erik Ochsner told the crowd before the show. “This is a live performance, and so we would beg of you to please just enjoy it live.”

As it has done in previous experiences, such as the 2019 and 2022 live orchestra showcases of several “Harry Potter” films in concert series, Ithra brought a full orchestra to perform Hans Zimmer’s Oscar-winning score while the animated film played in the background on a large screen.
For the experience, the film was stripped of the music while all the original audio, including dialogue and songs, remained untouched. The orchestra played those musical parts, breathing new life into the scenes without burying the essence of the nostalgic original.
HIGHLIGHTS
• Joining conductor Erik Ochsner was the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra, under the artistic direction of Sergey Smbatyan.
• For the experience, the Disney film was stripped of the music while all the original audio, including dialogue, remained untouched.
• ‘We hope that it will bring goosebumps and tears,’ Ochsner told the crowd before the show.
People clapped and sang along when the popular “Hakuna Matata” tune came on.
Originally released in 1994, “The Lion King” quickly became one of Disney’s most iconic films, celebrated for its powerful storytelling, memorable characters, and stirring soundtrack.

The animated film follows Simba, a young lion prince navigating the trials of loss, betrayal, and self-discovery on his journey to reclaim his rightful place in the animal kingdom.
At Ithra, this emotional arc was heightened by the rich, resonant sound of the live symphony orchestra, turning each moment— whether turbulent or triumphant— into an unforgettable experience.

Joining Ochsner was the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra, under the artistic direction of Sergey Smbatyan.
Known for their emotionally charged style and refined sound, the orchestra has built a reputation as a cultural ambassador of Armenia, regularly performing in major concert halls worldwide, including Ithra.
“The kids have seen the movie multiple times; we’ve all seen the movie multiple times. And we thought it would be nice to see it through a live orchestra,” audience member Ahmad Hassan told Arab News during the 20-minute intermission.
Hassan brought his extended family along, including his two children.
“It’s one of my favorite films,” Hassan’s nine-year old daughter Tia told Arab News. She gave the show a thumbs-up.
Her 12-year-old brother, Bakr, said he had watched the film “at least five times” — the first when he was about two or three — but was excited at this new way of appreciating the story.
“I like the show so far. It’s really good. Why? Because you get to see how the music is made instead of it just coming out of the speaker,” he said.
“After watching the show, I’d like to play the piano,” Tia added.
The concert is part of Ithra’s cinematic symphony series, which also includes an upcoming presentation of Disney’s “Frozen,” giving families the chance to relive favorite films in a whole new way.
Tickets are priced at SR200 ($53), and each of the Disney-Ithra performances will run for two days only.
REVIEW: ‘Ironheart’ — compelling hero let down by shoddy storytelling

- New Marvel series doesn’t play to its greatest strengths
LONDON: For a studio so adept at world-changing bombast, Marvel has enjoyed a surprising amount of success with shows working on a smaller scale, with lower stakes, about characters and the places they actually live: “Ms Marvel” and “Daredevil: Born Again,” for example, have fared better than, say, the globe-trotting mess that was “Secret Invasion.”
So while genius inventor Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) was introduced during the ocean-spanning events of “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” we really get to know her and her Iron Man-esque suit in “Ironheart,” which sees her return home to Chicago. Without the backing of the Wakandans, or the money of someone like Tony Stark, Riri falls in with a slightly more nefarious crowd in order to make money and keep her suit running. Soon enough she’s pulling off jobs for the shady Hood (Anthony Ramos) and his gang, all while dealing with her overprotective mother, trying to find a way to use her inventions for good, and processing the grief of losing her best friend Natalie in a drive-by shooting.
It's quite a bleak story arc for a Marvel hero — Riri makes some questionable choices and some surprisingly selfish ones too. This could have been mined a little more, perhaps, were “Ironheart” not more concerned with racing through the story at breakneck speed. The six-episode run means there’s not much time for character development — a crying shame when there are hints of some fascinating backstories. It also means, sadly, that not much time or money was given to effects. Some of the CGI is shonky in the extreme, while the armor suit Riri has so lovingly crafted is often relegated to little more than a means by which to arrive. Thorne makes for a charismatic lead, and the supporting cast is great (Alden Ehrenreich’s black market tech dealer Joe especially). The plot, however, feels heavy and cumbersome: shoehorned exposition and one-note villains.
The great stuff here is the little stuff. Riri and Natalie’s relationship, a few snatched glimpses of their life in Chicago, Joe’s backstory — all of these deserve more airtime. Without that attention to detail, “Ironheart” feels flimsy. Fun, but ultimately unsatisfying.
Ghiya Rushidat’s album ‘Chasing Dopamine’ seeks to help listeners with ADHD

RIYADH: As the awareness around neurodiversity spreads, composer and pianist Ghiya Rushidat and cognitive scientist and author Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman have co-created a genre-defying musical experience tailored specifically for people with ADHD, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Symptoms of ADHD include inattention (not being able to keep focus), hyperactivity (excess movement that is not fitting to the setting) and impulsivity (hasty acts that occur in the moment without thought).
The upcoming collaborative album, “Chasing Dopamine,” blends neuroscience, ambient soundscapes and special composition into a powerful auditory journey designed to enhance focus, emotional regulation and mental clarity.

“What I’m really hoping is that when people listen to this, whether they have ADHD or not, that they not only feel compassion for themselves, but they also are able to achieve their goals, or at least feel better about their day-to-day life,” Saudi Arabia-born, Jordan-raised composer Rushidat told Arab News.
Set to release this summer, the album is anticipated to be the first in a series tackling different neurotypes, including OCD and autism.
The tracks will feature guided spoken word by Dr. Kaufman, layered with original music composed by Rushidat. Each track is tailored for different ADHD states: Hyperfocus, feeling emotional overwhelmed, low dopamine, task initiation, creativity, and grounding.
“It’s more of a storytelling kind of track for each topic, rather than just one basic music track that doesn’t change or do anything. That’s more stimulating to the ADHD brain, and that just doesn’t allow you to get distracted during the meditation, but rather just be focused, because you don’t really know what to expect afterwards,” Rushidat said.
“The album, the seven tracks, take you through that process (of) overcoming brain fog, and then overcoming procrastination, and then how to ground yourself and how to feel good about yourself and not beat yourself up because you’re not getting enough things done.”
After her late ADHD diagnosis, Rushidat found that none of the existing meditation albums were compatible with her brain’s wiring. “I couldn’t sit still for five minutes or focus on my breathing at all,” she said. She decided to create her own affirmations that worked for her, prompting her interest in creating a collaborative album with Dr. Kaufman.
“ADHD comes with challenges as well as gifts. If we can help quiet the ADHD mind just enough to get into a creative flow state; there is no limit to what people with ADHD can achieve,” Kaufman said.
Considering his cutting-edge research in creativity, neurodivergence and positive psychology, and Rushidat’s award-winning background in music composition, the work aims to be a science-informed, musically immersive tool for the ADHD community.
“Of course, you don’t expect people to just heal from this. As cliche as it sounds, but ADHD is a superpower because there are so many advantages to it. Once you figure out and realize that this is what you have, then you just navigate through life with that diagnosis,” Rushidat said.
Kaufman is a professor of psychology at Columbia University and director of the Center for Human Potential. He has written for The Atlantic, Scientific American, Psychology Today, and Harvard Business Review, and he is the author and editor of 11 books. Rushidat is a Grammy, BAFTA and Emmy voting member and has scored films, games and performed at Carnegie Hall. She works between Los Angeles, Dubai and Riyadh.
US revokes Bob Vylan’s visas over Glastonbury chant

DUBAI: The US has revoked entry visas for members of British punk-rap duo Bob Vylan following their Glastonbury Festival set, during which frontman Bobby Vylan led the crowd in a controversial chant against Israel’s military.
Performing on the festival’s West Holts Stage on Saturday, the artist shouted “Free, free Palestine” before encouraging the audience to chant, “Death, death to the IDF (Israel Defense Forces).” Video of the moment quickly spread online, sparking backlash.
On Monday, US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau announced the visa revocation on social media platform X, stating, “Foreigners who glorify violence and hatred are not welcome visitors to our country.” He confirmed that the State Department had rescinded the band’s US visas due to their “hateful tirade.”
The group was scheduled to begin a US tour in late October, as previously announced on their official Instagram account.
The visa decision comes amid growing scrutiny from US authorities under what they describe as a tougher stance on individuals accused of promoting anti-Semitism or inciting violence. The State Department has recently implemented stricter policies on visa restrictions in such cases.
Bobby Vylan released a video statement on social media on Monday.
"First it was Kneecap, now it's us two," he said.
"Regardless of how it was said, calling for an end to the slaughter of innocents is never wrong. To civilians of Israel, understand this anger is not directed at you, and don't let your government persuade you that a call against an army is a call against the people.
On Tuesday, the band took to Instagram to share an official statement.
“We are not for the death of Jews, Arabs or any other race or group of people. We are for the dismantling of a violent military machine. A machine whose own soldiers were told to use ‘unnecessary lethal force’ against innocent civilians waiting for aid. A machine that has destroyed much of Gaza,” read a part of the statement.
“We are being targeted for speaking up. We are not the first. We will not be the last. And if you care for the sanctity of human life and freedom of speech, we urge you to speak up, too,” they ended the post.
Meanwhile, UK police are reportedly investigating the incident.
Their Glastonbury set is the latest in a wave of pro-Palestinian expressions from artists amid Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza.