Here comes The Crown chaos

The Independent’s entertainment newsletter [The Independent]( November 05, 2022 [View in browser](   A real plot twist for me this week: I’m actually planning to watch I’m a Celeb for the first time since the Jordan and Peter years. How could I not? The prospect of the British public voting for [Matt Hancock]( to eat kangaroo balls night after night is simply too enjoyable. The news of his arrival in Australia has gone down well ([he will be used like "a toy", said one former winner](). Sean O'Grady has a handy guide to [this year's line-up](. A new series of The Crown is coming, which means we’re in for weeks of pearl-clutching controversy about the Netflix drama. In this week’s State of the Arts column, I argue that [everyone needs to calm down](; it actually explores the “annus horriblis” Nineties era with quite a lot of sympathy, even if it does rake up the cringey memory of Tampongate in the process. But maybe the royals don’t need to worry so much anyway, since Nick Hilton says[the latest instalment is a stinker](-review-netflix-b2217910.html). Olivia Williams as Camilla and Dominic West as Charles in series five of 'The Crown' (Netflix) Among my favourite reads this week: Annabel Nugent’s joyful chat with Bill Nighy [about his swish suits and love of ice cream,]( Amanda Whiting’s verdict on [Matthew Perry’s painful memoir](, and Louis Chilton’s case for [putting Alan Partridge out to pasture](.   [The Saturday Interview – Jeff Bridges]( [Oscars image]( Jeff Bridges currently stars in 'The Old Man' on Disney+ (Getty) This week the gaffer Patrick Smith [spoke to the legend that is Jeff Bridges](. The Big Lebowski star got deep about life, death and movies. He also gave a tour of his California garage, where he recently spent time recovering from cancer. It's a moving and playful conversation, and, to borrow a phrase from Bridges, you'll dig it. [Oscars image]( Bridges as The Dude in 'The Big Lebowski' (Universal) Read an extract from our Saturday Interview below… In some respects, his brush with death was a “gift”. “I learnt things during those times that I wouldn’t have learnt in any other way,” he explains. Like what? “Oh, well, to dig, man. Dig it all as it’s coming at me. That was the specific thing: dig every little thing. And by dig, I mean, get into it, you know, get into what’s happening in a very rich way, you know. As deeply as you can.” To dig it: no wonder the Coens wrote the character of “The Dude” in The Big Lebowski with him in mind. Called “the Zen-ist of all actors” by his friend the musician T Bone Burnett – the actor is deeply into Buddhism and very fond of meditation – Bridges will be indelibly tied with this shambling, white Russian-guzzling hippie who shuffles around the Coens’ cult 1998 crime caper in a bathrobe, joint on the go. (Bridges tells me the film’s most-quoted line back to him is, “Yeah, well, you know, that’s just, like, your opinion, man”, but his own favourite is, “Sometimes you eat the bar and sometimes the bar, well, he eats you”. Whole internet threads have been devoted to the meaning of it as delivered by Sam Elliott, with what is surely an unusual pronunciation of “bear”; it’s not hard to imagine The Dude puzzling over it into the early hours.) There have been so many roles, though, as he gradually transformed from a puppyish, crinkly eyed boy next door to a hard-bitten old-timer, his face a grizzled canvas of weathered wisdom and brusque intensity. [Read the full interview here](   What to binge this week The White Lotus If you’re not watching The White Lotus, change that this weekend. It’s the [best show on TV right now](. Mike White’s drama about [murder on a luxury resort](is basically a set of incredibly sharp character studies, and the second series looks to be as delicious an indulgence as the first. The new cast are also very, very good, including Michael Imperioli, [Will Sharpe](, Aubrey Plaza ([winning as the show’s new ice queen](), and - thank god - more Jennifer Coolidge. 'The White Lotus' is on Sky Atlantic The cast of series two of 'The White Lotus' (Sky)   Out and about [Living]( Written by Kazuo Ishiguro? Starring [Bill Nighy](? Just take my money now. This beautiful new period drama is the film I can't wait to see this weekend. Read [Clarisse Loughrey's review here](.   INDYBEST / [BEST BUYS]( Stranger Things and Quiksilver launch an Eighties-inspired collection that’s worn by the cast in season 4 As the second half of series four unfolds, inject some retro style into your wardrobe [Read more](     Essential reading [The 17 absolute worst sex scenes in movie history]( [The 17 absolute worst sex scenes in movie history]( [Furious mother condemns local cinema after it bans children from new ‘Minions’ film]( [Furious mother condemns local cinema after it bans children from new ‘Minions’ film](   OTHER NEWSLETTERS YOU MIGHT LIKE [Race Report] The Race Report Fortnightly, 7am (UK time) Written by Nadine White [Join now]( [Health Check] Health Check Every Thursday, 7am (UK time) Written by Rebecca Thomas [Join now]( If you can spare a minute we’d love your [feedback]( on our newsletters. 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