Roisin O'Connor
The Independent
United Kingdom
Contact Roisin
Discover and connect with journalists and influencers around the world, save time on email research, monitor the news, and more.
| Recent: |
|
| Past: |
|
Recent articles by Roisin:
George Floyd: Music industry to take part in ‘Blackout Tuesday’ in solidarity with Black Lives Matter protests
Some of the leading names in the music industry are participating in “Blackout Tuesday” amid calls for change in the wake of George Floyd’s death. Protests erupted around the US after a video emerged showing a white Minnesota police officer kneeling on Floyd’s neck for nine minutes during an arrest in Minneapolis. In solidarity with the black community, members of the global → Read More
Harry Styles donates to arrested Black Lives Matter activists: 'Being not racist is not enough, we must be anti-racist'
Harry Styles is among the celebrities to express solidarity with Black Lives Matter protestors in the US, as he shared a statement about racism and pledged to donate to a bail fund for arrested activists. “I do things every day without fear, because I am privileged, and I am privileged every day because I am white,” the solo artist wrote on his Twitter account. → Read More
Coronation Street to resume filming without older cast, ITV announces
Coronation Street will resume filming on Tuesday 9 June following its 10-week enforced shutdown amid the coronavirus pandemic. The popular ITV soap’s return to the cobbles means it will remain on-air through summer without a transmission break. Showrunners plan to film three episodes each week at the studios in Trafford, Manchester. → Read More
Jay-Z calls Minnesota governor as pressure mounts for justice over George Floyd death
Jay-Z made a call to Minnesota governor Tim Walz as part of his fight for justice in the case of George Floyd’s death. At a press conference, Walz mentioned the call with Jay-Z and said the rapper and producer knows that “how Minnesota handles this is going to have an impact across the country”. “It’s a positive sign that someone of a stature, that has a presence like that, → Read More
Lorde expresses solidarity with Black Lives Matter movement amid mass protests: ‘This ongoing systemic brutality by police is racist’
Lorde has sent a new email to her fans in which she expresses solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. “You probably weren’t expecting to hear from me for another few months, but I can’t ask for your attention one week and go silent on something like this the next,” the New Zealand musician explained. → Read More
George Floyd: Nick Cannon shares powerful ‘I Can’t Breathe... Again!’ video after joining protests in Minneapolis
Nick Cannon has shared a spoken word video on his social media accounts that speaks out against police brutality. The rapper, producer and TV host’s video comes after the death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old man who was filmed being arrested in Minneapolis as a white police officer knelt on his neck for nine minutes. Floyd is repeatedly heard saying saying he cannot breathe → Read More
Woody Allen calls Dylan Farrow assault accusation ‘a great tabloid drama’
Woody Allen has claimed Dylan Farrow’s allegation that he sexually abused her when she was seven years old was “false a great tabloid drama”. After the MeToo movement emerged, renewed focus was brought to allegations that the filmmaker sexually assaulted Farrow, his adoptive daughter. Allen has always vehemently denied the accusation. → Read More
Prue Leith defends Dominic Cummings over lockdown row: ‘How about a bit of kindness and tolerance?’
Prue Leith has urged her followers to express “kindness and tolerance” towards Dominic Cummings after he made a 250-mile trip from London to Durham during lockdown. Reports of the decision by Boris Johnson’s special adviser sparked calls for him to step down or be sacked. → Read More
Hana Kimura death: Terrace House star died ‘after facing online bullying’
Hana Kimura died after becoming a victim of cyber-bullying, it has been reported. The professional wrestler, who was part of the cast of popular Japanese reality series Terrace House, died aged 22 last week. She was reportedly found dead at her home. The cause of her death has not yet been confirmed. → Read More
Back to the Future writer asks Universal to destroy censored version of sequel after Netflix controversy
Back to the Future screenwriter Bob Gale has asked Universal Pictures to destroy a censored version of the sequel after it was streamed on Netflix in the US. → Read More
Anna Kendrick found ‘new appreciation for people who own sex dolls’ while filming Dummy
Anna Kendrick has joked that she found a “new appreciation for people who own sex dolls” while filming the Quibi series Dummy. On the show, the Pitch Perfect star plays a woman who befriends her boyfriend's talking sex doll. The series was directed by Tricia Brock, who also helmed an episode of Kenrick’s new series, Love Life. → Read More
Rick and Morty star responds to 'entirely possible' fan theory about multiple dimensions
Rick and Morty star Chris Parnell has responded to a popular fan theory about the show’s use of multiple dimensions. The theory is based around season two episode “Mortynight Run”, in which Parnell’s character Jerry Smith is dropped at the Jerry Daycare Centre. Rick gets a collection ticket for later, which has the number 5126. → Read More
Charlie Brooker mocks government over Dominic Cummings row: ‘He only did what any inherently superior parent would do’
Charlie Brooker has been tweeting a number of scathing takes on the ongoing scandal surrounding the prime minister's special adviser Dominic Cummings. → Read More
JK Rowling condemns Dominic Cummings’ lockdown-breaking trip to Durham: ‘Indefensible hypocrisy and selfishness’
JK Rowling has waded into the scandal over Dominic Cummings, following reports that he made multiple trips between London and Durham during the coronavirus lockdown. Number 10 faces increasing pressure to sack prime minister Boris Johnson’s special adviser, who insists his actions were “reasonable and legal”. → Read More
Sam Neill and Helena Bonham Carter star in short film Das Fone Hell from ‘Cinema Quarantino Productions’
Sam Neill and Helena Bonham Carter have collaborated to produce Das Fone Hell, a “Cinema Quarantino Production” that fans are going wild for. Neill shared the short film from his Twitter account, explaining its “vast expense” and production across two continents. “HELENA BONHAM CARTER stars in this groundbreaking Cinema Quarantino Production DAS FONE HELL,” he tweeted. → Read More
Hilary Duff hits out at ‘disgusting’ child trafficking conspiracy theory on social media
Hilary Duff has responded to a “disgusting” conspiracy trend on social media that claimed she was involved in child trafficking. The accusation against the film and TV star originated from a string of now-deleted tweets, which were shared or discussed by other people on Twitter despite their seemingly baseless nature. → Read More
How lockdown has led to the creation of brilliant art, from wry comedy to poignant poetry
Out of adversity can come great creativity. Frida Kahlo painted masterpieces while suffering from a broken heart. George Orwell wrote earth-shifting novels amid the despair of the Great Depression. Hollywood’s last golden age came against the backdrop of the Seventies oil crisis. → Read More
Pixar reveals first gay main character in moving short film, Out
Pixar has unveiled its first gay main character in new short film Out, which was released this week. The studio, owned by Disney, premiered the film on the Disney+ streaming service through its SparkShorts series. The film follows the story of a man named Greg, who is happy to be moving in with his boyfriend, Manuel, but is worried about his parents coming to help, as they → Read More
Dakota Johnson says her grandmother Tippi Hedren still keeps lions and tigers
Dakota Johnson has revealed that her grandmother, Tippi Hedren, still keeps a number of big cats. The actor appeared in a virtual interview for The Graham Norton Show where she spoke about the release of her new film, The High Note, as well as her famous family. Johnson’s parents are Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson, while Hedren is her maternal grandmother. → Read More
Simon Pegg teases how Benji will change in future Mission: Impossible films
Simon Pegg has given a hint of what Mission: Impossible fans can expect for his character, Benji, in future films. → Read More