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Thread: Celebrities studying martial arts?

  1. #421
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    Joaquin Phoenix and Rooney Mara

    Rooney Mara and Joaquin Phoenix work up a sweat together as they attend karate class in Los Angeles
    By SOPHIE LAW FOR MAILONLINE
    PUBLISHED: 05:52 EDT, 26 May 2019 | UPDATED: 10:19 EDT, 26 May 2019

    They have been enjoying a low key relationship for more than two years.

    And notoriously private couple Rooney Mara and Joaquin Phoenix enjoyed some quality time together as they as they left a karate class in Los Angeles.

    The Carol star, 34, looked fresh face as she headed to the car, wearing a black vintage Looney Tunes T-shirt teamed with white karate trousers.


    Keeping it casual: Rooney Mara and Joaquin Phoenix enjoyed some quality time together as they as they left a karate class in Los Angeles

    Adding a 90s grunge element to her casual ensemble, the Hollywood star tied a green flannel shirt around her waist.

    She wore her hair back in a ponytail and opted for a pair of clear frame sunglasses to shield her eyes from the sun.

    Though she's usually glammed up on the red carpet, Rooney went makeup free and carried her essentials in a tote bag.

    Meanwhile, Joaquin, 44, appeared in high spirits as he strolled through the parking lot in just his black socks, carrying his sneakers in his hand.


    High spirits: Joaquin appeared in high spirits as he strolled through the parking lot in just his black socks, carrying his sneakers in his hand

    Wearing a faded black Mickey Mouse T-shirt, the actor and producer also wore white karate trousers from the class.

    He toted a pair of sweatpants on his arm, wearing sunglasses and his grey locks swept back.

    The two actors have been dating since late 2016, though they've kept their relationship out of the spotlight.


    Looking great: The Carol star, 34, looked fresh face as she headed to the car, wearing a black vintage Looney Tunes T-shirt teamed with white karate trousers

    They met while filming Mary Magdalene, and reunited onscreen in last year's He Won't Get Far On Foot.

    In the Garth Davis directed feature Mary Magdalene, she played the title character opposite her live-in beau, who played Jesus Christ.

    Mara and Phoenix starred together in 2013's Her, but did not begin dating until 2016.

    The couple also appeared on screen together in 2018's Don't Worry He Won't Get Far On Foot.


    Low-key: The two actors have been dating since late 2016, though they've kept their relationship out of the spotlight
    We knew about Joaquin here & here. Rooney is new.
    Gene Ching
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  2. #422
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    Joe Giudice

    More on Giudice here. Does he deserve his own thread? Reality stars can be such attention hogs that way. I know because I am one.

    There are a bunch of embedded instagram vids in this that I'm not going to cut&paste here.
    Joe Giudice Practices Martial Arts Shirtless After ICE Release: 'Gotta Fight Your Way Back'
    "I'm going to come back and we're going to fight," Real Housewives of New Jersey star Joe Giudice said
    By Dave Quinn October 17, 2019 08:33 AM

    Joe Giudice is ready for battle.

    As the Real Housewives of New Jersey star, 49, awaits the decision regarding his latest deportation appeal in Italy, he’s staying in shape — working hard to maintain his dramatic weight-loss in a series of martial arts training videos shared on Wednesday.

    Joe’s eldest daughter Gia Giudice, 18, shared the clips in a gallery on her Instagram account.

    “We come back stronger than before ❤️,” she captioned the footage — which showed Joe sparring with his brother Pete, who is staying with him in Italy. “The fights just starting 💪🏼.”

    “Zio Pete your a great coach,” she added, with a smile.

    On her Instagram Story, she shared another clip, this time featuring Joe himself speaking out for the first time since his release from an ICE facility last Friday.

    “I’m going to come back and we’re going to fight,” he said. “Gotta fight your way back. Never give up.”


    Joe Giudice GIA GIUDICE INSTAGRAM

    Joe has been away from the home he shares with wife Teresa Giudice and their four daughters — Gia, Gabriella, 15, Milania, 14, and Audriana, 10 — since he began a 41-month prison sentence for mail, wire and bankruptcy fraud in March 2016.

    Though Joe has lived in the United States since he was a child, he never obtained American citizenship, and immigrants can be deported if they are convicted of “a crime of moral turpitude” or an “aggravated felony,” according to U.S. law.

    That ruling came Joe’s way last October. He’s appealed twice so far, and has been denied both times. A final ruling is expected in November.

    After his release from prison in March, Joe asked to be held in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the Clinton County Correctional Center in Pennsylvania while he fought the deportation decision.

    A petition to be released back to his home wasn’t granted but a request to go to Italy was. Last Friday, he was released from ICE custody and flew to Rome, where he has been spending time with family.


    Joe and Gia Giudice GIA GIUDICE/INSTAGRAM


    Joe Giudice and his daughters MILANIA GUIDICE/INSTAGRAM

    While Teresa has publicly stood by her husband thus far, she has also been realistic about the fate of their marriage should he be deported, admitting on the RHONJ season 9 reunion that she’s “not doing a long-distance relationship.”

    And on Tuesday, Bravo released the first few minutes of the RHONJ season 10 premiere to their Bravo Insiders fan club, and in it, Teresa is at a crossroads in her relationship.

    Asked by costar Jennifer Aydin if she’s still in love with Joe, Teresa said frankly, “I don’t know.”

    “I haven’t been happy in so long,” she then told sister-in-law Melissa Gorga. “And I just want to be happy again.”

    “I feel like I’m living the worst nightmare ever,” she admitted, later telling Friend of the Housewives Danielle Staub that she feels like “drinking a bottle of tequila every night.”


    Teresa Giudice and Joe Giudice PAUL ZIMMERMAN/GETTY

    Meanwhile, a source told PEOPLE earlier this week that Joe’s new physique is due to the lifestyle change he underwent while behind bars.

    “He lost the weight from changing his diet, working out and no drinking,” the source said.

    Before going to prison in March 2016, Joe told PEOPLE he was looking forward to quitting drinking while serving his time after he found himself developing bad habits while Teresa was completing her own prison sentence for the same crimes.

    “I am not going to be able to drink for a while, which is good because I don’t even know when it’s been since I haven’t had a drink,” he told PEOPLE in February 2016. “It’s been a long time.”

    “Definitely the whole year I drank every day a couple of bottles at night just to go to bed,” he said.

    And in September 2016, Teresa told PEOPLE that Joe kept busy in prison by working out, revealing that he lost about 35 lbs. in the first six months of his 41-month sentence.

    “He’s running, he’s doing 1,000 sit-ups a day,” she told PEOPLE. “So he lifts weights and that’s what he’s doing. Just running, working out and then a lot of push-ups and sit-ups. He’s doing over 1,000 sit-ups.”

    Joe used his workouts as an escape during his time behind bars, his wife said.

    “I said just get your mind and body in check. It’ll be good for you,” Teresa explained. “He’s been through a lot with losing his dad and then me gone, it’s a lot.”


    By Dave Quinn
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  3. #423
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    Congrats Ashton

    When Ashton earned his blue.

    Ashton Kutcher Promoted To Brown Belt
    By Kevin Bradley -October 29, 2019



    ****, Kelso’s certainly been keeping himself busy.

    Ashton Kutcher, star of “That 70’s Show” and more recently “The Ranch” on Netflix, was promoted to brown belt earlier today by his professor Rigan Machado. Sweaty and tired after what looked like practice, the video posted to Instagram shows the actor accepting the belt from Machado after brief protest.

    “Wait, give me two-three weeks to get in shape first!” Kutcher argued. Making waves by earning his purple belt from Machado back in 2014, drawing both praise and skepticism from the BJJ community. According to his professor however, Kutcher has the skills to pay the bills.

    “His background in wrestling is very high level, I was shocked,” The red-black belt told TMZ in a 2014 interview. Training Kutcher in private lessons for the past few years, quick growth is certainly believable considering who’s doing the teaching.

    Here’s hoping we get to see Kutcher employ his grappling prowess in the next John Wick movie. Just 2 1/2 hours of straight omoplatas and Ezekiel chokes. Hollywood, you know what to do.
    Gene Ching
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  4. #424
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    Robert Pattinson

    So is Keysi passe for crime figthin?

    Actor Robert Pattinson Is Training Jiu-Jitsu For His Role As Batman
    By Averi Clements -November 4, 2019



    Robert Pattinson is perhaps best known for his role as Edward Cullen in the Twilight franchise, but in 2021, we’ll be seeing him put on the Batsuit. Pattinson will be starring as the titular character in The Batman, which is currently in pre-production. And in order to prepare for the role, he’s been working on his ground game by training BJJ with Rigan Machado.

    Machado first revealed that he was training the Remember Me actor for his superhero role with an Instagram post that simply said, “Batman is coming.”

    Yesterday, Machado shared even more photos of Pattinson training jiu-jitsu, and it seems like the actor is working hard to ensure that his ground game is worthy of a hero of Batman’s status.

    Pattinson may not be able to give black belts a run for their money on the mats (yet), but this isn’t the first time he’s trained jiu-jitsu. Back in 2017, he took some photos that showed that he was training with Machado in the gi. It’s unclear if he’s been a consistent student all this time or only drops in every now and then, but it’s great to see him returning to continue his BJJ journey.

    Machado is known as the guy to go to if you’re a celebrity who wants to learn to grapple. Just last week, he promoted another one of his famous students, Ashton Kutcher, to the rank of brown belt in BJJ.
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  5. #425
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    Lori Loughlin...NOT

    This came up on my newsfeed. Just posting it to debunk, and because I find it amusing.

    Lori Loughlin Learning Martial Arts To Prepare For Prison?
    Truth rating: 0


    (Getty Images)

    By Andrew Shuster | 9:00 am, December 26, 2019

    Is Lori Loughlin really learning marital arts to prepare for prison? That’s the ridiculous claim in one of the tabloids. Gossip Cop can set the record straight.

    “Desperate Lori Seeks Prison Survival Tips!” reads a headline in the latest issue of the National Enquirer. An alleged insider tells the magazine, “Lori’s resigning herself to the reality that she may be doing some serious time,” and is seeking “real survivor skills” should she go to prison.

    The Full House star and her husband, Mossimo Giannulli, face up to 50 years behind bars for their alleged role in the college admission cheating scandal. The spouses are being accused of paying $500,000 to help get their daughters admitted into the University of Southern California. They’ve been charged with bribery, fraud and money laundering.

    “Lori’s learning martial arts to make sure nobody messes with her,” adds the supposed source. “She knows her celebrity will make her a target behind bars, and she wants to be ready to rumble.” The suspicious tipster goes on to say that Loughlin has been consulting with “former jailbirds” about how to act behind bars. “Lori is realizing that her time may be running out. She doesn’t want to be unprepared.”

    There’s a whole lot here that doesn’t make sense. For starters, Loughlin has pleaded not guilty to every charge against her, and the actress’s case hasn’t even gone to trial yet. At this point in time, Loughlin is likely working with her defense team to avoid prison altogether. It’s illogical to believe she’s “preparing” for prison when she hasn’t been convicted and is maintaining her innocence.

    Additionally, if Loughlin does get prison time, she’s not going to be behind bars alongside violent offenders. The actress’s fellow prisoners will be individuals who were also involved in white collar crimes and non-violent offenses. Felicity Huffman served her time in such a prison earlier this year. Loughlin isn’t going to need martial arts training to “survive.”

    Gossip Cop also checked in with a source close to the actress, who tells us the tabloid’s report is made up. That’s not surprising considering the vast amount of fiction the Enquirer has printed about this case. Earlier this month, for example, the magazine wrongly reported that Loughlin was hiding all of her money in anticipation of going to prison.

    Shortly before that, Gossip Cop busted the magazine for falsely claiming Loughlin was faking a deadly illness to avoid prison time. Prior to that, the outlet made up a story about Loughlin turning her prison experience into a book and a movie to earn millions. The publication knows nothing about the actress’s personal life, legal troubles or how she’s handling her case.
    Gene Ching
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  6. #426
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    hold the phone...is she training or not?

    I thought this story was debunked. Who knows with the news nowadays? I'm copying this to the Cant train , going to jail thread on the Tai Chi subforum and if it persists, myabe I'll split it off into its own indie thread.

    Prison coach: Lori Loughlin’s martial arts training ‘horrible’


    BOSTON MA. – AUGUST 27: Actress Lori Loughlin and her husband Mossimo Giannulli leave Moakley Federal Courthouse after a brief hearing on August 27, 2019 in Boston, MA. (Staff Photo By Stuart Cahill/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald)

    By JOE DWINELL | joed@bostonherald.com | Boston Herald
    PUBLISHED: January 4, 2020 at 5:01 pm | UPDATED: January 5, 2020 at 8:29 pm
    Lori Loughlin’s pre-lockup regimen reportedly includes martial arts training — a “horrible” idea that could land her in a harsher jail environment, a prison coach told the Herald.

    Loughlin, 55, facing decades in jail if found guilty in the “Varsity Blues” college cheating scandal, is said to be anticipating a prison stint, according to reports. To brace for potential jail time, the “Full House” actress is being schooled in the dark arts of surviving behind bars.

    That includes jail etiquette — from not looking other inmates in the eyes and learning the proper slang to not owing anyone a favor, the New York Post reports. Also, she’s taking martial arts training to fend off bullies, the website RadarOnline reports.

    That martial arts tutoring, said Michael Frantz, director of Jail Time Consulting, better only include the solo exercise tai chi.

    “She does have a prison coach and she’s getting horrible advice,” Frantz said Saturday. “If found guilty, she’s going to a federal prison camp and there won’t be anyone there beating her up.

    “You actually don’t want to fight at all,” said Frantz, who said he has two Varsity Blues clients in his prison prep program. “If you fight, you will be sent to the next prison a level up. She’ll first go to the hole and then to a low-security prison.”

    Frantz said “bulking up” for a fight is the wrong approach. Learning not to sit in someone else’s chair in the TV room, not taking any favors, knowing what to buy at the commissary and working the federal prison system to get out early should be Loughlin’s focus, he said.

    Fellow actress Felicity Huffman, who did less than two weeks in a federal prison dubbed “Club Fed” just outside San Francisco last year, played it right, Frantz added. Huffman took a plea deal, apologized and quietly did her time. Her husband William H. Macy stopped by often to visit.

    The former “Desperate Housewives” star served 11 days of a 14-day stint at the Federal Correctional Institution in Dublin, Calif. She was let out early before the weekend hit.

    Loughlin and her designer husband Mossimo Giannulli are accused of paying a combined $500,000 to cheating scandal mastermind Rick Singer for their two daughters’ admissions to the University of Southern California as fake crew recruits. The charges include fraud and money laundering.

    Singer has pleaded guilty in the “Varsity Blues” case and is cooperating with the government.

    Loughlin and Giannulli’s blockbuster trial is expected to occur this year, with the next round of high-stakes hearings in federal court in Boston next month. Both have pleaded not guilty.

    Frantz, who once did 36 months in prison for tax evasion, said Loughlin should brace for boredom — not a fight.

    “Don’t go into the shower barefoot, but give back any sandals a fellow inmate loans you,” Frantz said. “You don’t want to owe anyone a favor. Don’t talk about yourself. No drama. No screaming. And watch out for guards, too.”

    He stressed the federal prison system has programs focused on helping inmates get out early. That should be Loughlin’s focus, he added. “Second Chance, First Step programs are in place. She should study that. Once inside, take classes. Work on a book and know your prison manners. Time moves slowly inside,” he said. “Time is a killer. Time is the enemy.”

    He added nobody will attack her, sexually or not, unless she invites it. The same goes for her husband. “Get into a project,” Frantz added.

    “She should have taken the plea deal for two weeks in jail,” he added. “It’s going to be much more now.”
    Hope Lori has watched Survivor's Guide to Prison with mi jefe Danny Trejo (you should all watch it):
    Gene Ching
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  7. #427
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    Kate Upton

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  8. #428
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    Alexei Sayle


    Why at 67 I’m hooked on Kung Fu: Struck down by a debilitating illness, Alexei Sayle reveals how martial arts helped to turn his life (and comedy career) around

    By MICHAEL HODGES
    PUBLISHED: 17:02 EST, 18 January 2020 | UPDATED: 17:02 EST, 18 January 2020

    'I passed out. I couldn’t walk, I went blind.’ The godfather of alternative comedy is describing the disease that almost ended his career. Five years ago Alexei Sayle collapsed and was rushed to a neurological unit in London. Doctors were initially unsure what was happening, then Sayle’s wife Linda recalled he had been diagnosed with sarcoidosis, an auto-immune condition, 30 years previously while on tour in Australia. Linda was right. Within a week Sayle was responding to the steroids that can keep the symptoms in check.

    ‘Linda remembers everything,’ Sayle says, ‘We’ve been married since 1974. She’s seen every show I’ve ever done and she doesn’t even like me going on tour. Hates it!’


    Alexei Sayle’s Imaginary Sandwich Bar on Radio 4, in which he blends comedy, philosophy and politics, proves his powers are undimmed

    Sayle, 67, became the compere of the famous Soho club The Comedy Store in 1979, the year that Margaret Thatcher came to power. Fame followed with anarchic sitcom The Young Ones, in 1982, the same year’s single, Ullo John! Gotta New Motor?, and the Emmy-winning Alexei Sayle’s Stuff in 1988. His left-leaning comedy did well under Tory governments.

    ‘If you wanted to see intelligent comedy you had to go and see me,’ Sayle says of his high-velocity act, peppered with references to Trotsky and Lenin. Yet with the arrival of Tony Blair in 1997, Sayle found himself out of fashion. ‘Suddenly, there were people offering a lighter experience,’ he says. ‘Skinner and Baddiel, all that laddy s***. I was resentful and p***** off, but it’s how you react that matters.’

    Sayle stopped performing and took to writing acclaimed novels and autobiographies instead and, for a time, was a newspaper motoring correspondent. But his recent series on Radio 4, Alexei Sayle’s Imaginary Sandwich Bar, in which he blends comedy, philosophy and politics, proved his powers are undimmed.

    ‘At one point it was trending at No 1 on Twitter,’ he says of Sandwich Bar. ‘That’s phenomenal for a show on Radio 4.’

    Sipping sweetened black tea in a Bloomsbury cafe, Sayle looks well, if – with a pointed silver beard and dark clothes – slightly Mephistophelean. Sarcoidosis left him with a swollen trachea and lymph glands and affected his balance.

    ‘I’d done martial arts with a trainer over the years but since the sarcoidosis, I started going to a class,’ he says. ‘It’s White Crane style Kung Fu to help with my balance. I do three hour-long classes a week when I’m in London and then try to practise every day. It’s been transformative, partly just being in a group of people and being the worst and the oldest by a long way, that has been marvellous. I do a lot of standing on one leg. I love it.’

    In 2018 there was another health scare. Doctors told Sayle he had cancer of the bladder and a camera was pushed up his urethra. ‘There’s only one way it can go,’ he says. ‘And it involved a rubber sheet and lots of water.’

    Happily, further investigations showed he was cancer-free, and Sayle was left with material for his new show rather than a shortened lifespan. ‘At my age stuff happens,’ he laughs. ‘Life is difficult!’

    Sayle was born in 1952 in Anfield, Liverpool, near the famous football ground, to working-class parents: his father Joe was a guard on the railways, his mother Molly descended from Lithuanian Jews. ‘My mother was brought up very Orthodox,’ he says. ‘She’d rebelled against it and that brought great tension to the family. She was the major influence on my life.’

    Sayle regards himself as part of a tradition of Jewish stand-up comics with broad popular appeal. ‘I never saw myself as a performance artist,’ he says. ‘I was a mass-market entertainer in as much as I could be. I felt very Jewish.’

    In the recent furore about antisemitism in the Labour Party, Sayle, a Labour supporter, was among those refuting attacks from other prominent Jewish stars who claimed the party was being destroyed by institutional racism. What does he say when a Jewish comedian like David Baddiel claims there is a problem?

    ‘I’m right and he is wrong,’ is all he will say on the issue.

    Whether you agree or disagree with Sayle’s politics, he does stick to what he believes, often to his own disadvantage.

    ‘I wouldn’t go on Comic Relief, which I profoundly disagree with,’ he says. In his stand-up routine he used to say that it had been ‘invented by the poor of the Third World to help struggling comedians’.

    Today he stands by the decision, perhaps a little ruefully. ‘I wouldn’t do absolutely anything to make me stay famous, but on the other hand, I was annoyed I wasn’t famous. Worst of both worlds, really!’

    Others of his generation settled into conventional careers. His Young Ones co-star Ade Edmondson has now appeared in Star Wars and Young Ones writer Ben Elton, once professionally angry, created a musical with Queen. ‘They were young performers looking to make their way in the world and they would do anything to get on,’ Sayle says of his former colleagues. ‘None of them shared my background, so why would they follow my particular path?’


    Sayle performing at London’s Palladium in 1982. ‘If you wanted to see intelligent comedy you had to go and see me,’ Sayle says of his high-velocity act

    Ask Sayle which comedians he likes today and he names Kevin Bridges and Micky Flanagan, and expresses sympathy for fellow Liverpudlian stand-up John Bishop.

    ‘The first shows he did were about his life as a travelling salesman, then the next one’s about Sport Relief. It’s problematic. Your early material is obviously based on your life before you’re a performer, but then what do you talk about?’

    He can boil down the appeal of his own act to one sentence. ‘If you want to see a 67-year-old man going bonkers, then come.’

    Alexei Sayle tours the UK from January 31 to April 7, ticketmaster.co.uk
    Great story. I don't know who this is though...
    Gene Ching
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  9. #429
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    Kate Middleton

    You have to follow the links for embedded vids.

    Kate Middleton Shows Off Her Martial Arts Moves
    By Tarrah Gibbons
    19 hours ago

    Kate Middleton is always open to trying something new.

    The Duchess of Cambridge attended a SportsAid Stars event at London Stadium on Friday, reported E! News.

    Middleton participated in many physical activities, which included showing off some karate moves. She watched a taekwondo demonstration by Olympian Lutalo Muhammad and fighter Mia Pachansky.

    SportsAid
    @TeamSportsAid

    Taekwondo, judo and laser shooting - which features in modern pentathlon - are all on display here at the @LondonStadium. The Duchess is watching the sports in action and has just been given a short tutorial by Lutalo Muhammad on how to complete a reverse punch!

    Embedded video
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    She even took a few pointers from the pros, learning how to throw a reverse punch. SportsAid posted the video on their official Twitter page.

    She also brushed up her track and field skills while learning about ParalympicsGB's plans for the 2020 Games in Tokyo.

    Middleton discussed the importance about the impact of the organization and how it supports young athletes.

    "The crucial role that parents and caregivers play in our children's lives cannot be underestimated," she said at one point. "For all of you here, you go, and have gone, above and beyond the call of duty; you've committed your time and devotion to nurturing your children's exceptional talents. And, as a parent, I have a huge admiration for you, and I know just how complex and time consuming your role is."

    SportsAid
    @TeamSportsAid

    The Duchess is being given an in-depth introduction to track and field as she learns more about the starting blocks, including the differences for para athletes, with coach Coral Nourrice, Jessica Ennis-Hill, Danny Sidbury and Emmanuel Oyinbo-Coker!

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    The royal mother has been a patron of the organization since 2013.
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  10. #430
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    Meghan Markle

    Meghan Markle is trained in martial arts and kickboxing
    July 27, 2020
    Tina Sanders



    Do NOT mess with Meghan Markle!

    The Mirror obtained maintain of the Duchess of Sussex’s previous Hollywood one-sheet — an actress’ resume — and it is spectacular.

    Not solely can Markle converse a number of languages, however she is trained in martial arts and kickboxing.

    “I trained Meghan when she was in Toronto in the course of the taking pictures of the collection ‘Fits,’” Jorge Blanco, who trained Meghan in kickboxing and martial arts in the course of the filming of the present, informed Spanish Vainness Truthful.

    “We did a bit of little bit of martial arts, a bit of boxing, and typically kickboxing. I by no means actually thought she might find yourself being a princess! I had a good time coaching together with her as a result of she’s tremendous good and speaks Spanish, with an Argentine accent.”

    Different attributes of Markle’s on the one sheet embrace ballet, jazz and faucet dancing in addition to expertise in musical theater. Markle additionally claimed to be fluent in Spanish, and proficient in French.



    Tina Sanders
    Tina is the mind behind Gruntstuff.com, and she ideated it when she was working for an online magazine company where she used to cover US-based headlines news. She holds a degree in journalism and has more than 4.5 years of experience in an online magazine company. She had the idea while working there but when she was quite sure about starting something on her own, she took the risk and left the job to start Gruntstuff. Since then she added a few team members, and along with them, she creates General US news content on the site.
    There's a movie plot in this story...
    Gene Ching
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  11. #431
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    Anne-Marie

    Real-Life Martial Arts Champ Anne-Marie Isn’t Playing in Video for KSI & Digital Farm Animals Collab
    Katie Bain 5 days ago


    KSI et al. sitting posing for the camera: KSI, Anne-Marie and Digital Farm AnimalsKSI, Anne-Marie and Digital Farm Animals

    Anne-Marie is indeed a powerhouse pop star. And as the holder of three Shotokan karate championship titles, she’s also a powerhouse fighter.

    The pink-haired singer — famous for her solo work along with collabs with Marshmello, Clean Bandit, Doja Cat and Rudimental — flexes both her vocal and physical prowess in a new video for “Don’t Play,” the new collab with KSI and Digital Farm Animals.

    In the clip, Anne-Marie goes from a defeated bullying victim to a take-no-prisoners fighter. She performs from inside the boxing ring with fellow British vocalist (and fellow boxer!) KSI, along with the song’s producer Digital Farm Animals, who tosses tennis balls to the duo to get fit to fight.

    Anne-Marie’s slinky vocals are layered over a UK garage production containing shades of Jamie xx’s 2014 masterpiece In Colour.

    Does Anne-Marie beat those bullies in the end? Naturally. Watch the clip below.

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    Nasim Pedrad

    Gene Ching
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  13. #433
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    The King of Karate

    Pop-Up “King of Karate” Exhibit to Open at Graceland

    Graceland Mansion (photo by Shara Clark)

    Flyer Staff
    11:43 a.m. Jun. 4, 2021
    Elvis Presley is not most famous for his love of karate, but his interest in the martial art is indeed part of his legend. It informed his fashion, his stage moves, and more. Now, to celebrate the 39th opening of Graceland to tours on June 7, 1982, Elvis Presley’s Graceland will open a new pop-up exhibit, dedicated to the King’s experience with karate, inside the Graceland Archives Experience in Elvis Presley’s Memphis. The new exhibit will open on Monday, June 7th.

    Presley began his study of karate while he was in the Army, stationed in Germany. The King developed a passion for karate, and he continued to study the form when he returned to Memphis, earning his first-degree black belt under Hank Slemansky.

    Perhaps most famously, Presley studied in a Memphis dojo under Master Kang Rhee, who eventually bestowed seventh- and eighth-degree black belts on Presley.

    Included in the pop-up exhibit’s collection will be Presley’s personal karate gis, his seventh- and eighth-degree black belt certificates, and the original handwritten script for his 1974 karate documentary, New Gladiators.

    The exhibit will open at Elvis Presley’s Graceland on Monday, June 7th.


    Photo courtesy Elvis Presley’s Graceland

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  14. #434
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    Samantha Win

    Interview: Samantha Win On Acting In “Army of the Dead”, Being Inspired By Jet Li To Take Up Wushu & More
    BY YASONIL PIYATISSA MAY 18, 2021

    ARMY OF THE DEAD (Pictured) SAMANTHA WIN as CHAMBERS in ARMY OF THE DEAD. Cr. CLAY ENOS/NETFLIX © 2021

    Samantha Win is a former stuntwoman and Canadian actress who is currently making her mark in the Hollywood film industry. She is now acting in Zack Snyder’s latest zombie movie, “Army of the Dead”, where she plays the role of a trendy yet strong woman named Chambers.

    Our exclusive interview with Samantha shows us that she is not just ready to take on the zombie world with a red bandana tied across her forehead, but she’s also ready to take on the real world with a heart filled with positivity in her day to day life too. Samantha is a fun, loving, and determined personality that has a lot of insight to share and a lot of love to give!


    SOURCE: NETFLIX
    1. Your latest film, Zack Snyder’s “Army of the Dead” will debut this May. What can audiences around the world expect from this exciting post-apocalyptic action-movie?’

    I think what audiences can expect is something that hasn’t been done in the zombie genre before. I think a lot of times people walk into a film, and they know that their zombies, and they’re expecting either a horror or they’re expecting something like “World War Z” – something in one of those two ballparks. But I think what makes “Army of the Dead” special is that it hits so many different genres. There is an action-heist movie, there is a zombie-thriller, there is comedy, there is a heartfelt family story in it, it has so much for all different types of viewers to enjoy. So I think it’ll stand out for people. And then you throw that in the backdrop of Las Vegas, and it just makes for a super fun movie.

    2. “Army of the Dead” takes a bank heist storyline, which typically falls only under thriller and action genres, and transforms it into a horror film with zombies. What was it like to be a part of such a thrillingly unconventional narrative?

    On a personal level, just from my own point of view, it was so exciting because it was truly an ensemble film. And I think that comes with the nature of any heist film. It really takes the time to show each character as their own, and how they play their own part in accomplishing the goal. Zombie culture, I feel like, also has the tendency to do that. Each character has like its own and they have their own story, so I think being a part of a cast in a movie that hit both of those genres was super fun because not only was it an ensemble film where each character was well developed and had their own personalities, but then the casting was so global that each actor was also from a different country and brought their own perspective and their own cultures to the role as well. So that was the most gratifying part of being a part of that cast.

    But when it comes to it being a heist thriller on its own, it’s not a genre I’ve gotten to work in before. I’ve worked in a lot of superhero kind of fantasy projects before, so to be able to be a part of a bank heist film was a new experience for me. And, you know, you have Dave Bautista leading it and it gave me so much trust in the project. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience.


    SOURCE: INSTAGRAM
    3. You play the role of ‘Chambers’ wearing a distinct red bandana that’s hard to miss. What is this character about and how did it feel for you to play her?

    I do feel like Chambers went through an evolution before she really landed on who we will all see once the film comes out. It’s interesting, her backstory is one that is closely connected to Guzman’s character. And so, it is a very street vibe and Guzman is a YouTube influencer. But then, when you look at the personal skill sets that I brought in, it was with such a heavy action and martial arts background. It was a fun way to make those two sides of the same coin. Because the route that was initially thought of was he’s an influencer style, perhaps Chambers is also an influencer stye. But then to be able to have the cool action and the martial arts that I perhaps could bring, it was a fun way to make that still work.

    A perfect example would be the bandana that you brought up. Originally it was going to be tied up top, kinda cute, like an influencer might wear a bandana in the modern world. And so, the adjustment was that maybe it would be across the forehead, kinda badass to have the merriment of ‘this is still a cool woman who has skills and she’s confident in herself’. She’ll wear the bandana, but she’ll wear it in the tough way instead.

    4. The form of Martial Arts that you practiced is known as Wushu. What exactly does practicing Wushu encompass?

    Wushu is a performance martial art. So, it is one where people might assume that I’m so tough and I can fight anyone, but really it’s all for show and I hope no one really attacks me because I don’t know what I’d do. But it is a very beautiful martial art with so much culture and history to it. The reason I became obsessed with it was because I saw Jet Li performing and I thought his movements was so beautiful and his work was so beautiful, and so I thought I want to be just like I him. I took it up and fell in love with the sport, people, and the community that it attracts. It was just the time of my life. But the training part of it was very challenging, it made me who I am today.

    There were many times where I’d have to excuse myself to go throw up because I was so exhausted and I had run too much or, I don’t know, emotionally wrecked. Because when you exhaust yourself to a point it feels like you become emotionally raw. But I experienced all of that with a very close group of team mates and we were all going through it together. And I feel like, the bonds you make when you physically suffer together forms a very true bond. Everyone that I trained with and worked with in that time of my life will always hold a very special part in me and it taught me a lot about work, people, and work ethic. I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I think that is a very big reason as to why I am who I am today.


    SOURCE: MARTIAL ARTS ENTERTAINMENT
    5. You’re a double Gold-medalist in the 2006 and 2008 Pan-American Wushu Championships, Bronze medalist in the 2007 World Wushu Championships and also competed at the 2008 Olympic Exhibition Wushu Event in Beijing representing Canada. These are all mind blowing accomplishments that came from all the hard work you just spoke about! What was it like to excel in this combat sport?

    It was waking up everyday and feeling so grateful for my life. Really, because I know there are certain things that you can’t pick. Like you can’t pick your parents and some things people might naturally gravitate towards, some things will be more difficult for certain people right out of the gate. And so I felt really grateful that I was able to keep up because I love the sport so much. I’m glad that I could experience competing at a high level. So I was just overwhelmed with the gratitude everyday. And then of course, being able to stay in an Olympic village and stand on the floor of the birds nest and admire all of the other athletes was literally a once in a lifetime experience because Wushu was never a part of Olympics at all since then. It was a one year, once in a lifetime thing and I’m really glad I was the age I was at, that I was competing at that time – there were so many factors that all lined up perfectly and I feel grateful for it. I guess the main thing now is that it’s been helping me a lot in my resume, so that’s the other part of it!

    6. You kickstarted your career in the entertainment industry as a stuntwoman and then went on to be a full-time actress. In your own words, how significant were your skills in Martial Arts towards accomplishing this?

    I think for me in my journey, it was everything. When I look at the kind of roles that I was able to book starting out, they were all action roles and I’ve had to use my martial arts on almost everything that I’ve worked on since I started. So, I think when it comes to my path, martial arts was the main factor and the thing I’m most grateful that I trained in ahead of time that really helped me now. But again, for any other aspiring actors reading this, that is just my journey and the parts that I got. That doesn’t mean you need to be a professional martial artist in order to land action roles. Because I know plenty of action actors that hadn’t needed it at all. But it seems like that was what my best shot was, and I know this can be a tough industry so I tried to lead with my strong foot forward. And I’m happy with the projects that I worked and who I’ve gotten to work with, so I think it was a good decision.
    continued next post
    Gene Ching
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    Continued from previous post


    SOURCE: INSTAGRAM
    7. You dedicated yourself to this sport knowing that it would come in handy in your performing arts career. When and how did you think of this tactical idea?

    I think it’s a combination of I’ve always had kind of a type A personality, but in addition to that I had the most supportive mother and father that I could have ever asked for. I just knew at a really young age, for whatever reason, I knew I wanted to be an actress. And maybe that was just the ideal dream that every childhood has, but my mom really took me seriously and she helped me figure out concrete steps that I could take to help me achieve that if I wanted to. And so, once I set my mind on something it’s pretty hard to shake me away from that path until I finish doing it. So, I think that’s what happened. I just decided when I was four that I wanted to be an actress and I still won’t stop until I feel like I’ve fulfilled my purpose on that path. But I have to thank my mom for that. She’s the one who found classes for me and who said you should probably do some dance, and some signing, and some acting lessons…

    8. What was it like to transition from being a stunt woman in Zack Snyder’s movies to having a role in his movies?

    I felt like I had a bad case of Imposter Syndrome because I still knew many of the crew as a stuntwoman, so I was probably very insecure for the first couple of weeks. In my own mind I would make up a story that everyone still sees me as a stuntwoman so they’re going to be scrutinising my acting because I’m not an actress, I’m a stuntwoman. When in reality no one was thinking that at all, and they were just happy for me and supporting me. So, I think it does go to show how much of our fears and insecurities we really do create on our own. And that if we trust that we put ourselves around the right people, we shouldn’t have to worry about things like that. So the transition and experience on set, after sabotaging myself and my happiness for the first week, I adored it. I felt so loved and supported.


    SOURCE: PRIME MATE FILMS
    9. You also transitioned from living in Canada to moving to LA to pursue your career. How has the change in environment been so far?

    I do miss Canada. I love the reputation that Canada has globally, so I do feel very proud when people ask me where I’m from. But the transition was hard because I don’t have any family here and I’m very close with my family. So that was a hard thing to adjust to. But when it comes to our industry, I’m so grateful that I live here now. Because it is true, I think this is the land of opportunities. And if I weren’t here, I think I would have missed so many opportunities that I’ve gotten to take advantage of now. So when it comes to at least my industry, I’m really happy with the decision to move here. I’ve been here for about 10 years now, and so I’ve found my group of genuine friends. I think when it comes to anywhere in the world, as long as you can find your group of people that are likeminded and care about you as a human being, you can make anywhere feel like home.

    10. You co-wrote and starred in the short film ‘Unwelcome’. What is the short film about and what was your experience co-writing it?

    Well, the short film would be best described as a feminist thriller with a twist, where hikers are lured toward an unwelcome threat and are forced to face the consequences of their choices. The experience writing it was one of the most fun experiences of my life. Because it was my partner and one of my best girlfriends, and all three of us were sitting in a room going ‘What if this happens’ and ‘What if this happens’. And we came up with this super fun concept that, A, I think shed a light on a few important things socially and I think it had an important message to it. But B, would also be fun for people. And the reasoning behind that was that maybe if it was fun and part of a certain genre or culture, then maybe we would be reaching a new audience with this kind of message. I know I’m beating around the bush because I don’t want to spoil it. Our twist is very important to the success of it. But I think it was about reaching a new kind of audience and when the genre twist happens, I think eyes that might not have clicked on something to do with that subject matter otherwise, are suddenly face-to-face with the message. And I think it’s presented in a way where they might be able to accept it and really hear and understand it.
    continued next post
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
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