Rocker Paul Weller lands his first movie role alongside Stephen Graham and Kathy Burke
PAUL WELLER has been a mainstay in music for six decades but never ventured into movies - until now.
I can reveal The Jam legend has landed his first ever film role, starring alongside some of the biggest names in the business.
Oscar-winning director Steve McQueen directs and fellow British stars Stephen Graham and Kathy Burke lead the cast in Second World War flick Blitz.
A source said: “This is a huge role for Paul, he really can’t believe his debut film is going to be of this magnitude.
“The stature of those involved means the movie is going to be heavily in the spotlight, so there will be lots of pressure.
“But he’s been waiting for this moment for some time and can’t wait to get started.”
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Filming is scheduled to get underway this month and will tell the story of Londoners during the bombing of the capital’s civilians by Germany from 1940.
The movie is an Apple Originals Film picture, meaning it will be released on the streamer as well as cinemas.
The Modfather has dabbled with acting, but the work has mainly been cameos.
Indeed, in the final episode of BBC series Sherlock in 2017, he dressed as a Viking in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it scene in the end montage.
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In Blitz, Paul will certainly have some lines to learn, which is challenging for any new actor - no matter the age.
And despite being a veteran performer, Paul also suffers with nerves.
he explained last year: “It’s almost a weird thing, because just prior to going on stage, especially in the hour before, I’m in bits.
“I’m so nervous and so don’t want to be there and want to go home.
And then within minutes of actually being on stage, as soon as that first tune strikes up, I automatically feel as though this is completely where I’m supposed to be.
“It feels like the most natural, most comfortable, Zen-like place you could possibly be, it’s so weird.”
Hopefully, he’ll soon feel the same about movie sets.
Ellie's heavy petal
ELLIE GOULDING looked like she was having a blooming good time on stage.
The singer wore this skin-tight Lycra jumpsuit covered in a flower motif at the Art For All concert in Sydney, Australia.
She is gearing up for the release of her fifth album, Higher Than Heaven, her first since 2020’s chart-topper Brightest Blue.
The record, which is due out in February 3, will feature recent singles Easy Lover and All By Myself.
Ellie is chuffed that fans still love her music. She said at the BMI Awards in October: “It means the world to me that I continue to have a career that I truly, truly love.
“It’s been 12 years since my debut album, so to have continued success, and to get to release new music with a team of people who believe in me as an artist, will always be an inexplicable honour.”
I can’t wait to hear the rest of the album.
Abba joy of hologram show
FOLLOWING the success of his group’s Abba Voyage hologram show, Bjorn Ulvaeus has revealed that megastar singer Cher may follow in their footsteps.
And he says it’s been a big hit with other stars, too
Bjorn explained: “I know Barry Gibb has been to see it. I hear rumours about Metallica.
“I don’t think Mick Jagger has been yet, but he has said something about it.
“Cher was going. So many of my contemporaries are now thinking, ‘Is there a way we can do it?’.”
In the Christmas edition of the Radio Times, out today, Bjorn revealed there were plans for more versions of the show across the globe.
He has also explained that he has got used to seeing a younger version of himself as the hologram on stage.
He said: “People say, ‘Whoa! How do you feel?’. But it’s not weird for me any more. I’ve been exposed to my younger self almost daily for 40 years.”
The Sun revealed earlier this year how Bjorn had split from his second wife, Lena Kallersjo, after 41 years and moved on with his new girlfriend Christina Sas.
But the singer is keeping his exes close – revealing he will spend Christmas with his first wife, bandmate Agnetha Faltskog.
He explained: “Agnetha will be there, my new partner and the whole family; four children, nine grandchildren – all in my eldest daughter’s house.
“We will have a huge dinner with lots of food and laughter.”
ADELE'S STROLLIN' IN THE DEEP
ADELE is keeping the pounds off with hiking.
The singer lost seven stone after overhauling her lifestyle ahead of her Las Vegas residency.
And at the venue, The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, she told the crowd this weekend: “Guess what I’ve started doing? I’ve started hiking. I really like it.
“I put my headphones on and get on with it. I’m out of breath. This is a stadium-sized theatre, it’s quite a walk.”
I need to take a leaf out of Adele’s book.
It was an emotional weekend for the singer, who said she was gutted to discover England had been knocked out of the World Cup while live on stage.
She said: “I see so many groups of friends that come in here . . . loving an artist or a song. That’s how I became so close to some of my friends.
“When relationships fall apart whether you’re married or not it’s really difficult and traumatic so keep your friends close to you because they’re better than any man, they’re better than any woman. Friends are for life.
“Thank you for the little whine. My son’s struggling to go to bed so it could be that, and England lost.”
J-Lo and Ben frappy in love
JENNIFER LOPEZ and Ben Affleck are still very much in the honeymoon stage.
The pair rekindled their romance after two decades this year and married in secret in July.
And they still can’t keep their hands off each other.
J-Lo and Ben were hugged as they as they picked up a Frappuccino in Santa Monica.
Aside from public displays of affection, Jen is professing her love for Ben on her upcoming album, This Is Me, Now.
She announced the record last month on the 20th anniversary of the release of This Is Me…Then .
For the new album Jen recreated the original album cover.
She also confirmed the 13 song track list for the new record too, which includes Dear Ben pt. II and Midnight Trip To Vegas where she will sing about their wedding.
FRI-SKI KYLIE
KYLIE JENNER made a splash in the ski resort of Aspen.
The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star wore this black bikini as she prepared to get in a hot tub.
Kylie was joined by her pal Yris Palmer during the snowy break away.
Mum-of-two Kylie, who is dating rapper Travis Scott, returned to Calabasas yesterday and was spotted spending time with her supermodel sister Kendall Jenner.
Their girly day out came after it was revealed Kendall had split from her boyfriend, American basketball star Devin Booker.
I imagine there are plenty of admirers queuing up to take her on a date.
Robbie: Liam will not fight
ROBBIE WILLIAMS is looking forward to his boxing day – with Liam Gallagher.
It has been more than 20 years since Rob asked the OASIS frontman for a scrap, and he says he is still refusing to get into the ring with him.
Robbie offered Liam a charity boxing match during the 2000 Brit Awards – with a £100,000 wager on the table.
He asked Liam again two years ago, this time to raise cash for the NHS.
Robbie has now revealed Liam turned him down again.
He told the On The Edge podcast: “I have offered to fight Liam a couple of times. I spoke to Eddie Hearn, the boxing promoter. I’d seen these YouTubers boxing and I thought I’d like to test myself and do that.
“There was only one person I wanted to fight, and that was Liam. But he wouldn’t fight me.”
Liam said earlier this year he needed a double hip replacement and that he was struggling to walk.
Once he’s patched up, he’ll have no excuse not to go toe-to-toe with Robbie.
JACK MA CONDOM PRANK
THERE’S always one mum who goes all out to embarrass their son on his first lads’ holiday.
And it turns out Jack Whitehall’s was one of them.
Mum Hilary bundled a load of condoms into his bag when he was going to Ibiza with his mates as a 19-year-old.
Jack told Alan Carr’s Life’s A Beach podcast: “The first lads’ holiday I went on I was still living at home at the time.
“I got out there and my mum had somehow managed to get into my suitcase.
“I opened it up on day one of this holiday and there were 30 condoms that she had smuggled into the bag. I was there for three days.
“I was like, ‘How much use do you think these would get?’. I was a very awkward 19-year-old boy.
“And the funny thing is, I counted them when I came back and there were 31.
“I’d gained a condom rather than used any of them on that trip.”
WHEN I saw Daniel Craig’s questionable moves in his new Christmas ad I had a few choice words to say about it.
But now it’s got a whole lot weirder.
The James Bond actor, who grinds in a tight vest top and chain to plug Belvedere Vodka, said: “When I did it, I thought of my nana.
She was the voice in my head, saying, ‘Mutton dressed as lamb’.
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“When I read the script, I thought, ‘Hmm, really?’ Then, ‘Let’s go with it. I hope people get the gag.”
Maybe this is one idea that should never have made it past the script.