'Scooby-Doo!' character Velma confirmed to be LGBTQ in upcoming HBO Max film

Washington [US], October 5: 'Trick or Treat Scooby-Doo! ', the upcoming Hollywood movie appears to put a stamp on fan speculation that the character of Velma Dinkley is attracted to women.

Swati Bhat

According to The Hollywood Reporter, footage from the new HBO Max film has been making rounds on social media, with several viral posts focusing on fans' elated responses to scenes showing Velma, expressing interest in the female character Coco Diablo, voiced by Myrna Velasco.

After Velma seems to be smitten by Coco, a fashion designer with a criminal past, Velma's long-time friend and fellow detective Daphne quips, "I didn't know convicted felons were your type."

A flustered Velma replied by saying, "What? Type -- me? Please. Who has time for a type? We have our work cut out for us, and I am focused like a laser on ... OK, who am I kidding? I'm crushing big-time, Daphne! What do I do? What do I say?" In another clip, Daphne is shown trying to help Velma strike up a casual conversation with Coco by saying, "Now's your chance to talk to her." Daphne later pulls Velma aside when it's clear that Velma's small-talk skills could use some polish, reported The Hollywood Reporter.

Velma first debuted as a pivotal character on 'Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!', the animated series from Hanna-Barbera Productions that premiered in 1969.

The character, a long-time favourite of the LGBTQ community, has long been speculated by fans to be attracted to women. HBO Max is also developing an animated spin-off series 'Velma', in which the character will be voiced by executive producer Mindy Kaling, as per The Hollywood Reporter.

Meanwhile, 'Trick or Treat Scooby-Doo!', is now available for on-demand purchase and will start streaming from October 15 on HBO Max.

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Nicholas Galitzine to work with Anne Hathway in 'The Idea of you'

Washington [US], September 21: Actor Nicholas Galitzine is all set to work opposite academy award winner Anne Hathway in the upcoming romantic film 'The Idea of you'.

Swati Bhat

According to Deadline, the film is based on Robinne Lee's bestselling contemporary love story of the same name and will premiere on Amazon Prime Video.

Helmed by the Emmy-nominated director Michael Showalter, the film showcases Sophie (played by Hathaway), a 40-year-old divorced mother. Sophie's husband Dan left her for a younger woman, and now he has cancelled his Coachella trip with their 15-year-old daughter. Sophie then picks up the pieces, braving the crowds and desert heat in Dan's place. While at the music festival, she meets 24-year-old Hayes Campbell (Galitzine), the lead singer of the hottest boy band on the planet, August Moon. The shooting of the film will begin in October 2022.

Meanwhile, Galitzine will next be seen in Prime Video's upcoming romantic comedy 'Red, White & Royal Blue', based on Casey McQuiston's New York Times and the USA Today bestselling novel of the same name, as well as the comedy Bottoms from MGM's Orion Pictures. He also recently starred alongside Sofia Carson as the male lead in Netflix's romance 'Purple Hearts' and as Prince Robert in Prime Video's 'Cinderella', opposite actor Camila Cabello, as per Deadline.

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Russia permanently bans actors Sean Penn, Ben Stiller from entering the country

Washington [US], September 6: Hollywood actors Ben Stiller and Sean Penn have been permanently banned from entering Russia, the Kremlin has announced.

According to Variety, both the actors are listed among 23 other United States citizens newly barred from the country, including Senators Kirsten Sinema, Richard Scott, Patrick Toomey Jr. and Mark Kelly, among several others.

"In response to the ever-expanding personal sanctions by the Biden Administration against Russian citizens, against another group of persons from among members of the US Congress, high-ranking officials, representatives of the business and expert communities, as well as cultural figures (25 people), a ban on entry into the Russian Federation on a permanent basis. The following is a list of names of American citizens who are included in the Russian 'stop list,' based on the principle of reciprocity," read an official statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, the outlet reported. This ban on the Hollywood stars comes after they had earlier batted for Ukraine amid the country's ongoing situation with Russia.

In June, Stiller met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, serving as the goodwill ambassador of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. He also met with Ukrainian people who were forced to flee their homes due to the Russian military operation and visited occupied settlements in Kyiv. In a video posted to Instagram, Stiller said, "I'm meeting people who have been impacted by the war, and hearing how it's changed their lives. War and violence are devastating people all over the world." He added, "Nobody chooses to flee their homes. Seeking safety is a right and it needs to be upheld for every person." According to Variety, Penn had been on the ground in Ukraine filming a documentary about Russia's military operation.

While in the country, he attended press briefings and met with Ukrainian government officials. In April, Penn said he was considering "taking up arms against Russia." Previous rounds of Russian sanctions against Americans have included President Joe Biden and members of his family, as well as lawmakers and business leaders.

The US has sanctioned numerous Russians, including government officials and business people, as per The Hollywood Reporter.

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