Justin Trudeau, Friends, Actors and Fans Mourn Matthew Perry

 Mourners stand outside the home of actor Matthew Perry, Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023, in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles. Perry, who starred as Chandler Bing in the hit series "Friends," has died. He was 54. (AP)
Mourners stand outside the home of actor Matthew Perry, Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023, in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles. Perry, who starred as Chandler Bing in the hit series "Friends," has died. He was 54. (AP)
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Justin Trudeau, Friends, Actors and Fans Mourn Matthew Perry

 Mourners stand outside the home of actor Matthew Perry, Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023, in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles. Perry, who starred as Chandler Bing in the hit series "Friends," has died. He was 54. (AP)
Mourners stand outside the home of actor Matthew Perry, Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023, in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles. Perry, who starred as Chandler Bing in the hit series "Friends," has died. He was 54. (AP)

Matthew Perry was mourned on social media by friends, co-stars and some very famous fans, including his childhood classmate, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, his “Friends” mom Morgan Fairchild and even Adele.

Perry, who played Chandler Bing on NBC’s “Friends” for 10 seasons, was found dead at his Los Angeles home on Saturday. He was 54.

Trudeau, who attended elementary school with Perry while their parents worked together, wrote a tribute on X, formerly Twitter.

“I’ll never forget the schoolyard games we used to play, and I know people around the world are never going to forget the joy he brought them,” Trudeau wrote. “Thanks for all the laughs, Matthew. You were loved — and you will be missed.”

Perry’s mother served as press secretary to Trudeau's father, Pierre Trudeau, during his time as prime minister.

Adele took a moment to talk about him during her show in Las Vegas on Saturday night. She recalled how his work made her laugh and said that even though she’d never met him, there is a strange thing that happens sometimes when an entertainer dies that makes you feel personally sad.

“I just want to say how much I love what he did for us,” she said to the cheering crowd.

Saturday Night Live also showed a tribute card for Perry during the weekend’s episode. Perry once hosted the show, in 1997, which featured one sketch where he played Matt LeBlanc’s character Joey and Colin Quinn played Chandler.

Fairchild, who played Chandler’s mother on “Friends” wrote on X, that she was “heartbroken about the untimely death of my ‘son’.”

“The loss of such a brilliant young actor is a shock. I’m sending love & condolences to his friends & family, especially his dad," Fairchild wrote.

She had also worked with Perry’s father, actor John Bennett Perry, on several television series.

Another frequent “Friends” co-star, Maggie Wheeler, who played his girlfriend Janice, wrote: "The joy you brought to so many in your too short lifetime will live on. I feel very blessed by every creative moment we shared.”

Selma Blair, who also appeared on an episode of “Friends,” posted on Instagram that she was “broken hearted.”

“My oldest boy friend,” Blair wrote. “All of us loved Matthew Perry, and I did especially. Every day. I loved him unconditionally. And he me. And I’m broken. Broken hearted. Sweet dreams Matty. Sweet dreams.”

Many Hollywood actors crossed paths with Perry, who had worked steadily on screen since he was a child.

Wendell Pierce, who worked with Perry on “The Odd Couple,” wrote on X that for two years, “Matthew Perry was my boss, my colleague, and a giving, kind, funny man. I pray and hope he is at peace.”

Shannen Doherty shared a photo on Instagram and reflected on their friendship, which extended back to an appearance on “Beverly Hills 90210,” and included a Valentine's Day date in Malibu once.

“We were a gang way back. We all grew up together going to the Formosa ... We played dare and Matt had to say ridiculous things to girls at the bar. We just always had fun and supported each other. You would always find us all together in a booth speaking in our own made-up language. And yes, Matt always had THAT sense of humor,” Doherty wrote.

"Our friendship spanned a long time. A lifetime really. I know many are hurting, especially our little gang. He will be missed by many and definitely by us. Yes. I could be more poetic or say things better but right now, shock and sadness prevail.”



‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ Expands with New Prequel Series ‘Avatar Kuruk: Wave of Chaos’

Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko. (Getty Images)
Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko. (Getty Images)
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‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ Expands with New Prequel Series ‘Avatar Kuruk: Wave of Chaos’

Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko. (Getty Images)
Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko. (Getty Images)

The world of successful TV franchise "Avatar: The Last Airbender" is expanding once again, with a new prequel series that will follow the story of a rebellious teenager Avatar — a being who controls the elements.

Franchise co-creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko announced the animated TV series, titled "Avatar Kuruk: Wave of Chaos," on ‌Friday at ‌New York Comic Con, ‌with attendees ⁠getting a first ⁠look at Kuruk and his pet, Nikik.

Kuruk aims to stay "one step ahead of his angry teacher, rowdy pirates, and chaotic spirits, all while helping the world in his own unique ways," ⁠said a statement from Skydance.

The ‌series is set ‌to stream on Paramount+. No release date has ‌been announced.

The Asian-inspired "Avatar: The Last Airbender" ‌franchise follows a world divided into four elemental nations, where the Avatar alone can control water, fire, earth and air to maintain balance.

The ‌original TV series has spawned two sequels, "The Legend of Korra," and "Avatar: ⁠Seven ⁠Havens."

"Seven Havens" has been renewed for two additional seasons, the statement from Skydance said.

DiMartino and Konietzko were involved in developing a live-action adaptation of the original "Avatar" series for Netflix before parting ways with the streamer in 2020, citing "creative differences."

In 2021, they teamed with Nickelodeon to launch Avatar Studios, focused on expanding the universe of the original series through new films and television projects.


US Actor Keegan Allen Says He Was Victim of Armed Robbery

Keegan Allen attends the Los Angeles premiere of Netflix’s “The Umbrella Academy” held at ArcLight Hollywood on February 12, 2019 in Hollywood. (Getty Images)
Keegan Allen attends the Los Angeles premiere of Netflix’s “The Umbrella Academy” held at ArcLight Hollywood on February 12, 2019 in Hollywood. (Getty Images)
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US Actor Keegan Allen Says He Was Victim of Armed Robbery

Keegan Allen attends the Los Angeles premiere of Netflix’s “The Umbrella Academy” held at ArcLight Hollywood on February 12, 2019 in Hollywood. (Getty Images)
Keegan Allen attends the Los Angeles premiere of Netflix’s “The Umbrella Academy” held at ArcLight Hollywood on February 12, 2019 in Hollywood. (Getty Images)

American actor Keegan Allen said he was violently robbed outside a Los Angeles grocery store, an attack he recounted in a graphic video on social media posted overnight Thursday.

"Robbed at gunpoint and knifepoint by two young men that threatened to KILL me over my watch and would have! God said no tonight. My life for a watch," posted the actor who appeared in the hit television series "Pretty Little Liars."

His post included a video of himself, visibly shaken, describing the episode, blood streaming down his face.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said in a statement that they responded to an alleged armed robbery, without naming Allen.

"According to the victim, one suspect pointed a silver handgun at him while the second suspect brandished a knife. The suspects demanded the victim's watch and bracelet," read the statement.

Officers said the victim was struck in the face with a handgun, leaving a laceration on his forehead, before fleeing in a vehicle with the watch.

Allen's video post included grainy video from an apparent security camera, footage that showed two people wearing black who appeared to threaten the 37-year-old actor, who removes his watch before one of the hooded people pistol whips him.


'Mad Dream': New Showcase for African Film Opens in London

Nigerian film director and media mogul Mo Abudu poses ahead of the opening the UK's first cinema dedicated exclusively to African and black films. Justin TALLIS / AFP
Nigerian film director and media mogul Mo Abudu poses ahead of the opening the UK's first cinema dedicated exclusively to African and black films. Justin TALLIS / AFP
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'Mad Dream': New Showcase for African Film Opens in London

Nigerian film director and media mogul Mo Abudu poses ahead of the opening the UK's first cinema dedicated exclusively to African and black films. Justin TALLIS / AFP
Nigerian film director and media mogul Mo Abudu poses ahead of the opening the UK's first cinema dedicated exclusively to African and black films. Justin TALLIS / AFP

Nigerian producer and media mogul Mo Abudu has realized a "mad dream" by opening a unique cultural center in London complete with a cinema dedicated to African film and black culture.

Close to the Houses of Parliament and its Big Ben clock, a massive concrete facade conceals the venue, which opens to the public this weekend - the first of its kind in Britain and Europe.

A small sign reads "EbonyLife Place London".

While the name may mean little to many passers-by, film lovers will recognize the reference to EbonyLife, a leading African production company and a major player in Nollywood, Nigeria's film industry.

Mosunmola "Mo" Abudu, 62, heads a media empire that stretches far beyond Nigeria's borders.

In 2025, Forbes ranked her among the world's 100 most influential women.

"It's time to tell our own stories," she told AFP. "I want to showcase the best of who we are, celebrate who we are. Let them see us at our very best."

Abudu, who was born in London, is pursuing that ambition in the British capital through the cultural center, which she describes as both "literally a blank canvas" and "a bit of a mad dream".

"We have to make the journey because the thing is that we have consumed so much of the world. How much of the world has consumed us?" she asked.

She recalled that growing up in England: "I could never go anywhere during my youth and watch a black movie."

So she decided to act.

"I'm not waiting anymore for anyone to take a six-hour trip from London to understand what it is to watch a Nigerian film or to see Nigerian fashion and so on and so forth. It's right here in London."

- 'Open to everyone' -

The two-storey venue includes a bar, a lounge called "Fehinti" -- a Yoruba word meaning to lean back and rest -- a restaurant and a boutique showcasing designers from Africa and its diaspora. Paintings by artists from across the continent line the walls.

Its centerpiece, however, is the new cinema, fitted with red seats, wood paneling and soft lighting. It has been named "Amani", meaning peace and harmony in Swahili.

The project, financed almost entirely by Abudu's media group, mirrors the upscale lifestyle complex she launched in Lagos in 2019.

Abudu, who is widely credited with helping usher in the era of Nollywood blockbusters, said African creatives should stop asking others to make room for them and instead "take responsibility for creating our own spaces".

Describing the center as a "safe space", she said it would be a place where "you can shop our fashion, you can view our art, you can listen to our music, and we can tell our stories".

Access will be through a membership scheme, details of which have yet to be announced. Such systems are common in Britain, particularly among cultural institutions.

There will be no ethnic or nationality restrictions. "Membership is open to everyone," she insisted.

The cinema's program is still being finalized. But here too, the objective is clear.

"We will have films from all parts of Africa. Everything should be on the table. We would show movies that celebrate black actors, black storytelling; that is why we are here," Abudu said.

Will audiences be able to see films by Senegalese director Ousmane Sembene or by Algerian filmmaker Mohammed Lakhdar-Hamina, the only African director ever to win the Cannes Palme d'Or? Her answer was an emphatic "yes".

The center will also showcase its own productions and films with black actors, including the next in the "Black Panther" series. Opening week will feature Nigerian filmmakers including Nwani Orire and Ifeyinwa Arinze.

And after London?

"I would love to do the same thing in Paris, perhaps through a partnership. I'm always open to collaborating with others," Abudu said.