Julia Roberts Opens Up! What She Just Revealed Stunned Hollywood!

Good afternoon, Insiders, and welcome back! Hope you all had a fantastic holiday break. The entertainment industry never sleeps, and neither do we, apparently. So, grab your coffee (or something stronger, no judgment here) and let's dive into the biggest headlines making waves this week.

Julia Roberts Opens Up! What She Just Revealed Stu...

First up, a little bit of *Mare of Easttown* magic! Our own Breaking Baz, who’s been burning the candle at both ends, managed to snag a juicy tidbit from none other than Kate Winslet herself. Word on the street (or, rather, from Winslet's lips) is that Season 2 could potentially begin filming next year. Now that's something to look forward to, right? The first season was such a gripping watch, I'm already hooked on the prospect of more small-town drama and Winslet's incredible performance.

Speaking of awards season, the BAFTA Film longlists have dropped, and *One Battle After Another* is leading the charge. As expected, there were a few eyebrow-raising snubs and surprise inclusions. The awards circuit is always a rollercoaster, isn't it? You can't please everyone, and there's always going to be debate. Beyond that, the race is on to find out who will be the next BBC Director General, and we've taken a closer look at the frontrunners for the coveted position.

Moving across the pond, Europe’s first rebate for unscripted shows has launched in Ireland. This is fantastic news for the industry, potentially bringing a surge of new content to the Emerald Isle. However, questions are swirling about whether Fox shows filming there will actually be eligible. Definitely something to keep an eye on, as the devil is always in the details when it comes to these types of incentives.

On the financial front, Media Partners Asia projects the Asia Pacific screen business will balloon to a staggering $196 billion by 2030. That's a whole lot of screens and a whole lot of potential for growth! In other business news, Noel Hedges is exiting Lionsgate after eight years of handling international acquisitions. End of an era, really. Meanwhile, Universal has snapped up a 30% stake in India’s Excel Entertainment, a move that signals a major push into the booming Indian entertainment market.

Festival season is already gearing up! Petra Volpe, the talented director behind *Late Shift*, is set to receive the prestigious Golden Eye award at the Zurich Film Festival. And in the UK, Jake has been crunching the TV numbers for 2025, revealing that *The Celebrity Traitors*, *Adolescence*, and *KPop Demon Hunters* are dominating the ratings. Who knew KPop and demon hunting was such a winning combo?

Finally, and with a heavy heart, we report the unexpected passing of Danielle Scott-Haughton, a BBC drama executive who was instrumental in bringing us shows like the upcoming *Peaky Blinders* series. She was in her 30s. This is incredibly sad news, and our deepest condolences go out to Danielle’s family and friends. Her passion and talent will be sorely missed.

That's your International Insider for the week, folks! As always, thanks for reading. Don't forget to sign up for our breaking news alerts to stay ahead of the curve. Written by Max Goldbart and edited by Jesse Whittock. And remember, keep your comments classy on Deadline Hollywood – we’re watching!