Anna Sawai says Sam Mendes’ Beatles films will include Yoko Ono’s ‘side of the story’
Anna Sawai attends the world premiere of Apple TV’s “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” Season 2 at TCL Chinese Theatre on February 19, 2026 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Brianna Bryson/WireImage)
Shōgun star Anna Sawai is set to play Yoko Ono in Sam Mendes’ Beatles films, The Beatles – A Four-Film Cinematic Event. She tells Variety she hopes fans will come away with a better understanding of Ono, who married John Lennon in 1969 and has often been accused of breaking up The Beatles.
“It was my dream to tell her story and I didn’t think it would come this quick,” Sawai told the magazine. “There’s a version of her I feel people still don’t understand. And in this film, I think we’re going to be able to tell that side of the story.”
The actress notes that she’s been doing a lot of research for the role, including “so much reading.”
“So many books, so many videos, so many articles,” she explained. “She has so much artwork that also shows her personality.”
Sawai also offered up some insider info on how her co-stars Paul Mescal, Harris Dickinson, Joseph Quinn and Barry Keoghan are handling performing as The Beatles for the film.
“They’re not even looking at the sheet music anymore,” she says. “They can just play it off and sing it, and it really sounds like the Beatles to me. It feels surreal.”
The Beatles – A Four-Film Cinematic Event will consist of four films, each told from the perspective of one of the band members. It is set expected to open in theaters in April 2028.
Nick Reiner appears with Deputy Public Defender Kimberly Greene during his arraignment in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Feb. 23, 2026, in Los Angeles, California. Reiner is facing two counts of first-degree murder for the killing of his parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner, in their Los Angeles home in December 2025.(Chris Torres-Pool/Getty Images)
Nick Reiner pleaded not guilty to murder charges on Monday following his arrest late last year in the stabbing deaths of his parents, renowned director Rob Reiner and Michele Reiner.
The 32-year-old faces two counts of first-degree murder with the special circumstance of multiple murders.
His public defender, Kimberly Greene, entered not guilty pleas on his behalf during his court appearance in Los Angeles on Monday.
He will remain in jail on no bail. His next court appearance has been scheduled for April 29.
Nick Reiner was set to enter a plea in January at a hearing in Los Angeles, before his defense attorney, Alan Jackson, withdrew from the case during the court appearance. Nick Reiner agreed to delay his arraignment and was assigned a public defender.
Jackson told reporters after court that he had to withdraw as Nick Reiner’s counsel due to “circumstances beyond our control, but more importantly, circumstances beyond Nick’s control.”
“Pursuant to the law in California, Nick Reiner is not guilty of murder,” he added. “We wish him the very best moving forward.”
A Reiner family spokesperson said at the time, “They have the utmost trust in the legal process and will not comment further on matters related to the legal proceedings.”
Nick Reiner made a brief first court appearance on Dec. 17, 2025, during which he waived the right to a speedy arraignment.
Since then, sources told ABC News that law enforcement and defense attorneys had been working to piece together Nick Reiner’s psychiatric and substance abuse history.
He has a documented history of addiction and substance abuse treatment, and friends have told investigators that his mental health had been deteriorating prior to the fatal stabbings.
Rob Reiner and Michele Reiner were found stabbed to death in their Brentwood home on Dec. 14, 2025.
The night before, Nick Reiner — who had been living on his parents’ property — got into an argument with Rob Reiner at a holiday party and was seen acting strangely, sources told ABC News.
Nick Reiner was taken into custody in downtown Los Angeles hours after the bodies were discovered.
Rob Reiner and Michele Reiners’ other children, Jake Reiner and Romy Reiner, said in a statement following their parents’ deaths, “Words cannot even begin to describe the unimaginable pain we are experiencing.”
“The horrific and devastating loss of our parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, is something that no one should ever experience. They weren’t just our parents; they were our best friends,” they said.
Lily Collins as Emily and Eugenio Franceschini as Marcello in ‘Emily in Paris.’ (Caroline Dubois/Netflix)
Au revoir, Paris, and ciao, Rome!
Netflix has released the official trailer for Emily in Paris season 5. Lily Collins once again stars as the titular American marketing executive who moved overseas for work.
This season, Emily faces new professional and romantic stumbles as she adjusts to life in Italy and takes on a new role as the head of Agence Grateau Rome.
“But just as everything falls into place, a work idea backfires, and the fallout cascades into heartbreak and career setbacks. Seeking stability, Emily leans into her French lifestyle, until a big secret threatens one of her closest relationships,” according to its official synopsis. “Tackling conflict with honesty, Emily emerges with deeper connections, renewed clarity, and a readiness to embrace new possibilities.”
The trailer finds Emily getting closer to her new beau, Marcello (Eugenio Franceschini), all the while yearning for her Parisian lifestyle.
“Rome is so new and exciting, but I have built a life for myself in Paris, and everything is just going on without me,” Emily says.
We then see flashes of scenes featuring Emily’s best friend, Mindy (Ashley Park), and ex-boyfriend Alfie (Lucien Laviscount) seeming rather flirty with each other.
Darren Starr created the series, which he also executive produces and writes for.
Also starring in season 5 are Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu as Sylvie Grateau, Lucas Bravo as Gabriel, SamuelArnold as Julien, Bruno Gouery as Luc, William Abadie as Antoine Lambert, Thalia Besson as Genevieve, Paul Forman as Nico, Arnaud Binard as Laurent G, Minnie Driver as Princess Jane, Bryan Greenberg as Jake and Michèle Laroque as Yvette.
All 10 episodes of Emily in Paris season 5 premiere Dec. 18 on Netflix.
Anna Cathcart as Kitty Song Covey and Sang Heon Lee as Min Ho in ‘XO, Kitty’ season 3. (Netflix)
Still haven’t filled the Jenny Han love story hole in your heart after The Summer I Turned Pretty ended its three-season run? You’re in luck.
Netflix has shared its first look at season 3 of XO, Kitty. The streamer also announced that the third season will debut on April 2.
Additionally, the first synopsis for the third season of the show has arrived. It finds Kitty Song Covey (Anna Cathcart) returning “for her final year at KISS with her perfect senior year mapped out. She’s going to make meaningful memories with her friends, grow closer to her relatives in Korea, and make big decisions about her future.”
“And she’s going to define her relationship with Min Ho (Sang Heon Lee). For real this time,” the synopsis continues. “But when surprise revelations throw her plans, and relationships, off course, Kitty will have to learn to embrace the unexpected.”
XO, Kitty is a spinoff series inspired by the popular To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before film trilogy, which itself is based on Han’s bestselling books. Season 3 will consist of eight 30-minute episodes. Valentina Garza serves as the showrunner, executive producer and writer while Han executive produces.
Han took to Instagram on Wednesday to share all of the new photos from the upcoming season. Her carousel begins with a photo of Kitty and Min Ho in front of a cherry blossom tree staring into each other’s eyes.
“First look at @xokittynetflix Season 3,” Han captioned the post alongside a love letter emoji. “Out April 2!”
Also starring in season 3 are Minyeong Choi as Dae, Gia Kim as Yuri, Anthony Keyvan as Q and Regan Aliyah as Juliana.
