Martha Stewart Reacts to 'Great' Cate Blanchett Being Cast to Play Her in Upcoming Movie (Exclusive)

Martha Stewart tells PEOPLE that Cate Blanchett, who is set to star as the lifestyle mogul in an upcoming film, is "great"

NEED TO KNOW

• Stewart also teases what she knows about the movie

• Blanchett has not yet addressed the casting news

Martha Stewart's feeling pretty good about a casting decision.

It was announced on April 15 thatCate Blanchett was set to star as Stewartin an upcoming biopic. Stewart tells PEOPLE exclusively that Blanchett is "great." Beyond the casting, Stewart admits that she's just as in the dark as the rest of us.

"All I know is thatCate Blanchettwas contracted to play Martha in a movie calledGood Thing,"Stewart, 84, says while discussing her ongoing partnership with Kohler.

She adds, though, that she's heard "a lot of actresses" have shown interest in playing her in some project or another.

This new film — whose name is based on one of Stewart's go-to phrases, "It's a good thing" — will be helmed byZoladirector Janicza Bravo, according toVariety.

Blanchett's most recent movie was the comedy-drama anthologyFather Mother Sister Brother, in which she played the daughter of an elderly writer. But among her most noted roles are portrayals of real-life characters.

Her turn as Queen Elizabeth I in 1998'sElizabethhelped propel the Australian actress to international fame, while she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress after playingKatharine Hepburnin 2004'sThe Aviator.

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She also played Jude Quinn, one iteration ofBob Dylan, in the 2007 musical dramaI'm Not There.

Blanchett, 56, has not yet addressed her casting.

The news comes amid a busy season for Stewart, who recently opened her second restaurant, The Bedford by Martha Stewart, at Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut. She celebrated with a blowout bash attended by friends, including 50 Cent, Christie Brinkley, Johnny Weir and more.

Earlier this month, she also dropped her own line of kitchen electrics, adding to her wealth of products already on the market. Created alongside The Cookware Company, the collection includes everything from toasters to food processors and beyond.

In May, Stewart will bepublishing her book,The Martha Way, which includes decades of home and lifestyle experience, creating a “definitive master class in elevating the everyday,” per a statement she previously shared with PEOPLE.

The book is organized into five sections: Cooking, Entertaining, Home Organizing, Collecting and Gardening. Each section is further broken into “foundational lessons and step-by-step principles designed to produce reliable, aspirational results," according to an official synopsis.

Read the original article onPeople

byJastin

in

4/19/2026 08:18:00 AM

Martha Stewart Reacts to 'Great' Cate Blanchett Being Cast to Play Her in Upcoming Movie (Exclusive)

Martha Stewart tells PEOPLE that Cate Blanchett, who is set to star as the lifestyle mogul in an upcoming film, is "great" ...

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Catholic bishops rally behind Pope Leo on Iran war, counter Vance's remarks

The group representing the nation’s Catholic bishops has issued a statement in support ofPope Leo XIV’s remarks on the Iran war, an apparent rebuff of Vice PresidentJD Vance’sadmonitionsuggesting the pope “be careful when he talks about matters of theology.”

“For over a thousand years, the Catholic Church has taught just war theory and it is that long tradition the Holy Father carefully references in his comments on war,” readthe statementissued by Bishop James Massa, who chairs the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ doctrine committee.

Pope Leohas expressed opposition to the war in favor of peace negotiations and said in an April 10 social media post that those who are disciples of Christ are “never on the side of those who once wielded the sword and today drop bombs.”

Look back as Pope Leo marks his first year as pontiff

On April 14, Vance, a Catholic convert who describes himself as deeply religious, addressed a Turning Point USA rally audience in Georgia. While saying he welcomed the pope commenting on immigration and abortion, he suggested the pope’s opposition to political leaders wielding the sword would have meant opposing U.S. liberation of France and concentration camps during World War II.

“I like that the pope is an advocate for peace. I think that’s certainly one of his roles," Vance told the gathering. "On the other hand, how do you say that God is never on the side of those who wield the sword?”

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The April 15 statement from the bishops’ conference committee directly addressed those remarks, noting that a tenet of the church’s "just war" tradition teaches that nations “can only legitimately take up the sword” in self-defense after peace efforts have failed.

“To be a just war, it must be a defense against another who actively wages war, which is what the Holy Father actually said,” the statement said, quoting the pope’sMarch 29 homilyat St. Peter’s Square in Rome: “He does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war.”

On April 7, after Trump’s Easter Sunday threats to annihilate Iranian infrastructure, Pope Leo called such rhetoric “truly unacceptable.”

“When Pope Leo XIV speaks as supreme pastor of the universal Church, he is not merely offering opinions on theology,” the committee statement said. “He is preaching the Gospel and exercising his ministry as the Vicar of Christ. The consistent teaching of the Church is insistent that all people of goodwill must pray and work toward lasting peace while avoiding the evils and injustices that accompany all wars.”

Reporter Bart Jansen contributed to this story.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Catholic bishops back Pope Leo on Iran war

byJastin

in

4/19/2026 08:17:00 AM

Catholic bishops rally behind Pope Leo on Iran war, counter Vance's remarks

The group representing the nation’s Catholic bishops has issued a statement in support ofPope Leo XIV’s remarks on the Iran war, an app...

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What is next for Stephen Colbert after his 'Late Show' is done?

Stephen Colbert'stime in late night TVis coming to an end.

In May, Colbert will film his final episode after more than a decade on air.

Here's all you need to know on the final weeks of "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," and what's next for the host.

Why was The Late Show with Stephen Colbert cancelled?

Colbert announced the end of the program, which David Letterman hosted for two decades prior to Colbert's reign, in July.

"It's not just the end of our show, it's the end of the 'Late Show' on CBS," Colbert said last year.

"I'm not being replaced. This is all just going away."

The show, which is filmed in the Ed Sullivan Theater in NYC, was cut for financial reasons, Paramount Global, CBS's parent company, said at the time.

"We consider Stephen Colbert irreplaceable and will retire 'The Late Show' franchise at that time," the statement said. "We are proud that Stephen called CBS home."

The cancellation followeda $16 million settlement with President Donald Trumpfrom a defamation suit the president filed over a "60 Minutes" interview with 2024 presidential hopefulKamala Harris.

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"I absolutely love that Colbert' got fired. His talent was even less than his ratings," Trump said on Truth Social following the announcement.

What is Stephen Colbert doing next?

The late-night host is moving on to something completely different after the show ends in May.

Last month, Colbert announced that he'd be working on a Lord of the Rings movie with his son, Peter McGee, who is a screenwriter.

"I knew I couldn't do that and do this show at the same time, but it turns out, I'm going to be free starting this summer," Colbert said.

"So if you'll excuse me, I've got to finish a television show, and I've got to write a movie script, but I will see you all in The Shire."

What's replacing the Late Show time slot?

"Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen"will be taking the Late Show's time slot when it's up in May, CBS announced.

The program, which first debuted two decades ago, is filmed in California, according toIMDb.

It isn't immediately clear what's next for NYC's Ed Sullivan Theater.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:What is next for Stephen Colbert after 'Late Show' goes off air?

byJastin

in

4/19/2026 08:15:00 AM

What is next for Stephen Colbert after his 'Late Show' is done?

Stephen Colbert'stime in late night TVis coming to an end. In May, Colbert will film his final episode after more than a deca...

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UN nuclear chief urges strict Iran checks in any deal to end war

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The head of the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog said Wednesday that “very detailed” measures to verifyIran’s nuclear activitiesmust be included in a potential U.S.-Iran agreement to end their war in the Middle East.

South Korea IAEA

International Atomic Energy Agency Director GeneralRafael Grossistressed the need for the thorough verification regime for Iran’s nuclear program, as U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday thata second round of talkswith Iran could happen over the next two days.

The Trump administration has said that preventing Iran from gaining a nuclear weapon is a key war aim. Iran has previously said it isn't developing such weapons but rejected limits on its nuclear program.

Last weekend in Pakistan,an initial round of talksbetween the two countries failed to produce an agreement. The White House said Iran’s nuclear ambitions were a central sticking point. But an Iranian diplomatic official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the closed-door talks, denied that negotiations had failed over Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

“Iran has a very ambitious, wide nuclear program so all of that will require the presence of IAEA inspectors,” Grossi told reporters in Seoul. “Otherwise, you will not have an agreement. You will have an illusion of an agreement.”

He said that any agreement on nuclear technology “requires very detailed verification mechanisms.”

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Iran has not allowed the IAEA access to its nuclear facilities bombed by Israel and the United States during a 12-day war in June, according to aconfidential IAEA reportcirculated to member states and seen by The Associated Press in February.

The report stressed that it “cannot verify whether Iran has suspended all enrichment-related activities,” or the “size of Iran’s uranium stockpile at the affected nuclear facilities.”

Iran has long insisted its program is peaceful, but the IAEA and Western nations say Tehran had an organized nuclear weapons program up until 2003.

The IAEA has maintained Iran has a stockpile of 440.9 kilograms (972 pounds) of uranium enriched up to 60% purity, a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%.

That stockpile could allow Iran to build as many as 10 nuclear bombs, should it decide to weaponize its program, Grossi said earlier.

Such highly enriched nuclear material should normally be verified every month, according to the IAEA’s guidelines.

byJastin

in

4/18/2026 08:18:00 AM

UN nuclear chief urges strict Iran checks in any deal to end war

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The head of the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog said Wednesday that “very detailed” measures to verifyIran’s nuclear ...

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A new, forceful Pope Leo steps onto the world stage

By Joshua McElwee

Pope Leo XIV holds a holy Mass near Japoma Stadium in Douala

YAOUNDE, April 17 (Reuters) - Pope Leo has debuted a new, forceful speaking style on his four-nation Africa tour this week, issuing sharp denunciations of war and inequality that have sparked repeated attacks on the pontiff from U.S. President Donald Trump.

The change in rhetoric reflects Leo's growing ‌concern with the direction of global leadership, experts said, after he maintained a relatively low profile for a pope during the first 10 months of ‌his papacy.

Trump first attacked Leo as "terrible" on Sunday, in an apparent response to the pope's criticisms of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran. He lobbed more criticism again on Thursday, suggesting the pope didn't understand foreign ​policy issues.

The first U.S. pope, speaking earlier that day in Cameroon, had said the world was "being ravaged by a handful of tyrants", without naming individuals.

"Normally popes and the Vatican are cautious when it comes to international politics, preferring diplomacy to public censure," said John Thavis, a retired Vatican correspondent who covered three papacies.

"(Leo) seems convinced that the world needs to hear explicit condemnation of injustice and aggression, and he seems aware that he is one of very few people who have a global pulpit."

POPE SEEN AS MORAL LEADER ON GLOBAL ‌STAGE

The pope, known for choosing his words carefully, mostly avoided ⁠comment about the U.S. until March, when he emerged as an outspoken critic of the Iran war.

He first mentioned Trump by name publicly only at the beginning of April, suggesting that the president find an "off-ramp" to end the war.

In Africa, the pope has been speaking ⁠much more firmly. In speeches this week in Algeria and Cameroon, he warned that the whims of the world's richest threaten peace and decried violations of international law by "neocolonial" global powers.

"Pope Leo is establishing himself as a moral leader for the global scale," Bishop John Stowe of Lexington, Kentucky, told Reuters.

Stowe, president of a U.S. Catholic peace organization, said Leo's recent messages carried ​more ​weight by being given during a visit to Africa, "delivered face-to-face with the people who have lived ​with war, violence, famine and chronic poverty".

POPE DOESN'T WANT TO BE 'SOFT ‌ON TRUMPISM'

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Popes have long been a moral voice on the global stage, loudly decrying situations of injustice. But they have also generally striven for the Church to remain neutral in world conflicts, allowing the Vatican to act as a mediator if asked to do so.

It is a balance of roles that is difficult to maintain.

Massimo Faggioli, an expert on the papacy, pointed to the example of Pope Pius XII, who directed a clandestine network to shelter Jews during the Holocaust but is accused by some modern critics of not speaking loudly enough about the ongoing genocide.

"There's always the ghost of Pius XII hanging there," said Faggioli, a professor at Trinity College Dublin, referring to why Leo ‌may be deciding to speak more forcefully now.

"I don't think he wants the Vatican to be ​accused of being soft on Trumpism because he's an American."

LEO SPEAKING MORE DIRECTLY THAN PREDECESSOR FRANCIS

Leo, the ​former Cardinal Robert Prevost, spent decades as a missionary and bishop in ​Peru before becoming pope.

He lived there during an intense period of internal conflict between Peru's government and the Maoist guerrilla group Shining Path, ‌when tens of thousands were killed in bloody warfare.

"In rural Peru, ​Prevost... was immersed in what poverty, corruption, ​globalization of indifference, climate catastrophe, (and) governmental violence does to people," said Natalia Imperatori-Lee, an academic at Fordham University.

"He's uniquely qualified to speak about the dangers of... political corruption and violence," she said.

Pope Francis, Leo's predecessor, was from Argentina and was also known for forceful denunciations of conflict. He too clashed with Trump, who ​once called Francis "disgraceful".

With his comments this week, Thavis said, Leo ‌may have spoken more forcefully than Francis or any previous pope.

"Other popes, including John Paul II and Francis, have spoken about the dangers of ​ideological tyrannies and neocolonialism," said Thavis.

"But when Leo says the world is 'ravaged by a handful of tyrants,' that strikes me as a much more ​direct challenge to the leaders of powerful nations."

(Reporting by Joshua McElweeEditing by Gareth Jones)

byJastin

in

4/18/2026 08:15:00 AM

A new, forceful Pope Leo steps onto the world stage

By Joshua McElwee Pope Leo XIV holds a holy Mass near Japoma Stadium in Douala YAOUNDE, April 17 (Reuters) - Pope Leo has debu...

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