Documentary 'Melania' Opens Strong, Actor Defends 'Harry Potter' Role Amid Controversy, and More
A documentary titled "Melania" achieved a strong box office debut, while actor John Lithgow defended his participation in the upcoming "Harry Potter" series despite controversy surrounding author J.K. Rowling's views on transgender issues. Separately, a legal dispute arose regarding a family released from ICE detention, and Livvy Dunne faced her boyfriend, Paul Skenes, in a unique "test of trust" during a bullpen session.
Amazon's "Melania" documentary generated $7 million in ticket sales in the United States and Canada during its opening weekend, according to box office analysts (NY Times). This marked the best start for a documentary, excluding concert films, in 14 years (NY Times). However, the film's success may not fully recoup Amazon's substantial investment. The company spent $75 million to acquire distribution rights and market the film, which played in 1,778 domestic theaters (NY Times). With theaters retaining roughly 50 percent of ticket sales, Amazon will receive approximately $3.5 million from the opening weekend (NY Times).
Actor John Lithgow addressed the controversy surrounding his role as Albus Dumbledore in the upcoming HBO "Harry Potter" series (Fox News). He acknowledged the criticism stemming from J.K. Rowling's outspoken opposition to transgender ideology and her defense of women-only spaces (Fox News). Lithgow stated that he took the criticism "extremely seriously" and described Rowling's views as "ironic" given the themes of her fantasy series (Fox News).
In immigration news, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche disputed claims regarding the asylum status of a 5-year-old boy, Liam Conejo Ramos, and his father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, who were recently released from ICE detention (Fox News). Blanche stated that the pair, detained in Minneapolis last month, did not apply for asylum (Fox News). The legal status of the Conejo Ramos and Conejo Arias, who entered the U.S. in 2024, remains contested, with conflicting claims from officials and the family's lawyers (Fox News).
Meanwhile, Livvy Dunne, the former LSU gymnast, participated in a bullpen session with her boyfriend, Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes (Fox News). Dunne faced pitches from Skenes, who can throw at speeds exceeding 100 mph, in what she described as the "ultimate test of trust" (Fox News). A video posted on her Instagram Stories showed Dunne in the batter's box, facing Skenes' pitches (Fox News).
In other immigration-related news, Tom Homan, former acting director of ICE under President Trump, may have an opportunity to address ICE tensions in Minnesota (NY Times). Homan, known for his tough stance on immigration enforcement, previously criticized California's sanctuary state law (NY Times). In 2018, he told Fox News that "There's no sanctuary from federal law enforcement" and pledged to significantly increase ICE's enforcement presence in California (NY Times).
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