Last month, the UK’s highest court unanimously ruled that a woman is defined by biological sex under equalities law. The court sided with campaign group For Women Scotland, which brought a case against the Scottish Government, arguing that sex-based protections should only apply to people that are born female. While the judgement does not remove trans people’s protection from discrimination under the 2010 Equality Act, among the outcomes of the ruling are bans on trans women from using women’s toilets and trans men using men’s toilets. All public buildings must provide single-sex toilet facilities following the ruling.Advertisement Writing in an open letter addressed to LGBTQ+ architects, planners, engineers and others, which was shared exclusively with the AJ, the UK’s largest built environment institutions said they acknowledged concerns raised over the court’s decision. The professional membership bodies also made promises to create an inclusive built environment in the letter, which reiterated ‘protections and provisions’ that ‘remain firmly in place’ despite the ruling. The six bodies said: ‘We acknowledge the recent Supreme Court judgment, and we need time to fully consider its implicationsOur determination to foster an inclusive sector remains unchanged’. View this post on Instagram A post shared by QueerscapesThe response comes after the LGBTQ+ and trans-founded platform Queerscapes argued in a letter dated 18 April that its members were ‘deeply concerned and worried’ by the gender ruling. Queerscapes, at the same time, called for the professional bodies to show ‘clarity and courage’ on the issue. Writing in the open letter, the group said: ‘The recent UK Supreme Court ruling, redefining “sex” in the Equality Act 2010 as “biological sex,” has left many of us fearful.Advertisement ‘The ruling opens the door to exclusion’ ‘While legal protections for trans people under “gender reassignment” remain, the ruling opens the door to exclusion — from spaces, services, and workplaces — at a time when hate and hostility are already rising. ‘Our institutions must act decisively to support the trans and gender-diverse professionals in our sector.’ The letter in response to Queerscapes was signed by the RIBA, the Chartered Institute of Building, Institution of Civil Engineers, The Landscape Institute, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, and the Royal Town Planning Institute. The RIBA and joint bodies admitted in their letter that they were unable to publish data on trans and gender-diverse members until they are ‘confident that its collection and publication will not put any member at risk’. This was in response to Queerscapes calling for action following a 2022 memorandum on inclusion and diversity. Other commitments made in 2022 on EDI included improving understanding of gender transition from education into employment, and training on EDI. This was part of a 45-point action plan agreed by the six bodies. Letter in response to Queerscapes Thank you for your letter dated 18 April. In 2022, we signed a Memorandum of Understandingand its associated action plan as a demonstration of our collective commitment to creating a built environment sector that is inclusive and supportive of our entire membership. We are dedicated to ensuring that all members, regardless of their personal characteristics, thrive in this environment. We acknowledge the recent Supreme Court judgment, and we need time to fully consider its implications. Our determination to foster an inclusive sector remains unchanged. The MoU is set to expire this summer, and we expect all original signatories to re-sign, alongside welcoming new signatories, to further cement our commitment to supporting all our members. Consistent and robust data collection is the bedrock of our commitment. Since signing the MoU, we have agreed a consistent set of data collection practices, which include gathering data on trans and gender-diverse individuals. We intend to publish this data; however, we are currently working on improving our Customer Relationship Managementsystems to ensure that the data we collect can be stored safely and accurately. We will share the data once we are confident that its collection and publication will not put any member at risk. Additionally, we have provisions and protections in place for members and staff that ensure everyone is treated with dignity and respect. These policies remain firmly in place. At this time, we do not offer member services or benefits based on gender identity, and we have no plans to introduce such services. However, in terms of Continuing Professional Development, we are committed to promoting the use of the Inclusive Design Overlay across our membership and beyond. This framework is designed to ensure that spaces are inclusive and welcoming for all, including trans individuals. We recognise that some members and built environment professionals may be feeling increased levels of vulnerability and concern. Please be assured that we remain steadfast in our commitment to creating inclusive professions and, by extension, inclusive places and spaces. Discrimination of any kind has no place in society, and we will continue to do our part in eradicating it. Thank you again for reaching out. Members of the professional institutions with additional questions or concerns are encouraged to get in touch with their respective organisation. Yours sincerely, Chartered Institute of Building Institution of Civil Engineers The Landscape Institute Royal Institute of British Architects Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors Royal Town Planning Institute #riba #committed #inclusivity #after #supreme

This is today's edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what's going on in the world of technology. By putting AI into everything, Google wants to make it invisible If you want to know where AI is headed, this year’s Google I/O has you covered. The company’s annual showcase of next-gen products, which kicked off yesterday, has all of the pomp and pizzazz, the sizzle reels and celebrity walk-ons, that you’d expect from a multimillion dollar marketing event. But it also shows us just how fast this still-experimental technology is being subsumed into a line-up designed to sell phones and subscription tiers. Never before have I seen this thing we call artificial intelligence appear so normal. Read the full story.—Will Douglas Heaven AI could keep us dependent on natural gas for decades to come Last December, Meta announced plans to build a massive billion data center for training its artificial intelligence models in rural northeast Louisiana. Stretching for more than a mile, it will be Meta’s largest in the world, and it will have an enormous appetite for electricity. To power the data center, a Meta contractor called Entergy will build three large natural-gas power plants with a total capacity of 2.3 gigawatts. It’ll also upgrade the grid to accommodate the huge jump in anticipated demand.The choice of natural gas as the go-to solution to meet the growing demand for power from AI is not unique to Louisiana. The fossil fuel is already the country’s chief source of electricity generation, and large natural-gas plants are being built around the country to feed electricity to new and planned AI data centers. That’s all but wiping out any prospect that the US will wean itself off natural gas anytime soon. Read the full story.—David Rotman This story is part of Power Hungry: AI and our energy future—our new series shining a light on AI’s energy usage. Check out the rest of the package here. Take a new look at AI’s energy use Big Tech's appetite for energy is growing rapidly as adoption of AI accelerates. But just how much energy does a single AI query use? And what does it mean for the climate?  Join editor in chief Mat Honan, senior climate reporter Casey Crownhart, and AI reporter James O'Donnell at 1.30pm ET today for a subscriber-only Roundtables conversation digging into our new package of stories about AI's energy demands now and in the future. Register here.The must-reads I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 1 Democrats are on the hunt for a digital thought leader They’rerealizing how far they’re lagging behind their opponents’ online efforts these days. + AI’s impact on elections is being overblown.2 At least two newspapers printed an AI-generated summer reading list 📰 The only problem is, some of the books don’t actually exist.+ It’s a useful reminder to never take anything chatbots produce as fact.+ Even regional newspapers aren’t safe from AI slop.+ Why AI hallucinates, and why we can’t stop it.3 The Earth may already be too hot to maintain polar ice sheetsEven if it stays at current temperature levels.+ Why climate researchers are taking the temperature of mountain snow.4 How New York City’s child abuse algorithm flags families for investigation Critics believe it’s open to racial bias.5 Here’s what it’s like to interview for a job at DOGE   The hiring process is remarkably fast, for a government entity.+ The department reportedly tried to enter the US government’s publishing operation.+ DOGE’s tech takeover threatens the safety and stability of our critical data.6 Fortnite has finally returned to Apple’s App StoreAfter five years and a lengthy legal battle.+ The recent ruling has major implications for the iOS economy.7 Most chatbots can be tricked into dispensing dangerous informationFrom hacking advice, to describing how to make drugs.+ Anthropic has a new way to protect large language models against jailbreaks.8 Young Indonesians are being trafficked to scam farmsFraudulent job ads on Telegram and Facebook lure them into a life of crime.+ Inside a romance scam compound—and how people get tricked into being there.9  Inside the building in China where stolen western iPhones are stripped and sold You’ll find a buyer for every single component inside the Feiyang Times.10 Amazon has started randomly refunding customers for old purchasesSome orders were placed as far back as 2018.Quote of the day “Anybody who’s a computer scientist should not be retired right now. They should be working on AI.” —Google cofounder Sergey Brin says people with the right technical skills should copy him and quit being retired, TechCrunch reports. One more thing This fuel plant will use agricultural waste to combat climate change A startup called Mote plans to build a new type of fuel-producing plant in California’s fertile Central Valley that would, if it works as hoped, continually capture and bury carbon dioxide.It’s among a growing number of efforts to commercialize a concept first proposed two decades ago as a means of combating climate change, known as bioenergy with carbon capture and sequestration, or BECCS.It’s an ambitious plan. However, there are serious challenges to doing BECCS affordably and in ways that reliably suck down significant levels of carbon dioxide. Read the full story.—James Temple We can still have nice things A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day.+ These creepy little Labubu toys are everywhere. But why?+ Happy 25th birthday to one of London’s finest institutions, the Tate Modern gallery.+ Why the Mission Impossible film franchise just won’t die.+ Hummingbirds can fly backwards!? Wow. #download #googles #mission #americas #reliance

Carrie Pallardy, Contributing ReporterMay 21, 20258 Min Readrudi1976 via Alamy StockNick Lucius has spent his entire career in government service. He has put his skills as an attorney and data scientist to work in several roles with the City of Chicago. Last year, he was confirmed as the city’s CIO, heading up the newly formed Department of Technology and Innovation.  “I’m proud of what we're doing in Chicago … saving significant amounts of money by being more efficient,” Lucius tells InformationWeek. “We’ve saved million already in 2025, which is a significant part of our budget. Butso without a reduction in the delivery of services to humans.”  He talks about how he built his career and how he is aiming to increase both efficiency and access to services for Chicagoans.  Law and Computer Science Lucius plays guitar and piano. His early career ambitions focused on music but shifted to politics and government. During his undergraduate years at Ohio State University, he worked for the Ohio Statehouse.  “I was just really interested in the power of the justice system and how just how much having an advocate can really make a difference in that,” Lucius shares.  That interest led him to law school. He attended DePaul University, a choice that was driven by its location. “Chicago, I chose for the city. I absolutely love the city,” he recalls.  Related:Lucius earned joint degrees in law and computer science. His original intention was to pursue patent law with an interest in technology issues.  Nick LuciusWhile his career took a different path, his skills in computer science and law have served him well. “If I learned anything in the law, it was that having someone articulating as an advocate on behalf of a cause can do so much to move us toward progress,” he says.Armed with the ability to shape a narrative and champion a cause, Lucius has seen how technology can breathe life into those visions.  “On the technology side, I can then build and say, ‘OK, now we’re going to implement a system ... We’re going to create something. We’re going to put something out there that wasn’t out there before to move this cause forward,’” he says.  A Career in Government Lucius had those plans for patent law, but he graduated around the time of the Great Recession that began in 2007. Law firms weren’t hiring. But, as it turns out, the City of Chicago was. He got his start as assistant corporation counsel in the city’s Department of Law, focusing on foreclosures and abandoned buildings. “As soon as I started doing that, I forgot about everything I went to school for, and I spent about 10 years in litigation trying to help out the people of Chicago,” he says.  Related:After all those years of litigation, Lucius’s interest in technology began to resurface. “I also noticed that in my legal cases I had to do a lot of digging into city data systems and city technology systems in order to get my evidence,” he recalls.  He saw how modernizing city systems and connecting those systems across departments could make a big difference in the lives of residents. That spark got him back to his technology roots. He started taking on community projects and volunteer coding classes to hone his skills.  That reinvigorated interest in technology lead to roles as a data scientist with the city and then chief data officer and CTO with the office of the mayor.  Spearheading a New Department As Lucius moved through each of these roles and now in his position as CIO, he increasingly took on leadership responsibilities.  “I’m a builder by nature. And so I always love to roll up my sleeves and get into a problem,” says Lucius. “I find myself in the role now more often of … peopleto me for inspiration … leadership and vision.”  As the head of the department of technology and innovation, Lucius and his team have responsibilities for a vast array of systems that support the third-most populous city in the country.  Related:“We do so much: everything from supply the drinking water, pumping billions of gallons to not just Chicago but 125 cities in the area coming from Lake Michigan. Two major airports, international airports, 250 square miles of roads and sewers,” Lucius notes. “What we do is so massive, and one of the first orders of business when we got started was, we have a lot to just maintain and support.” Lucius leads a team of 75 people, which is slated to grow to 150 by the end of the year. In addition, he works with a large network of vendors and consultants that support the city’s IT systems.  The team is organized into different groups: planning, delivery, support, and cybersecurity. “When someone comes and says, ‘Hey, Nick, I need some help. I need a new website. I need a new app. I need you to solve this problem for me.’ We’re going to plan it. We’re going to build it. We’re going to deliver it. After that, we’ll support it, and we’ll make it’s safe and secure.” Lucius spends the majority of a typical day, up to 75% of it, in collaboration spaces. He is talking to team members, attending events, working to ideate. The remainder of his day is spent thinking about the future.  “What’s happening with AI? Where are we going with quantum computing here in Chicago? What’s our innovation play right now?” he asks.  As any CIO knows, not every day is a typical one. Systems go down. Fires have to be put out. Lucius was just a few months into the CIO role when the CrowdStrike global IT outage hit last year, impacting Windows machines across the city.  “Those kinds of days, when they come … it could be the only thing I do from the moment I wake up until the moment I go to sleep,” says Lucius.  While days like this are inevitable, Lucius and his team still have a bigger picture and goals in sight. The more time it takes to access a benefit, the harder it is for the people who need that benefit the most to get it. He is hoping to use technology to increase equity and accessibility to government services.  “I want to see a decrease in the difficulty that it takes a person with a disability to apply for everything from a disability sticker for the car so that they can park close to their home, to apply for social benefits programs, whether that’s financial assistance or assistance with something in their home or something necessary for their life,” he offers as an example.  Challenges in Government  CIOs across industries share many of the same responsibilities and challenges, but there are sector-specific nuances, too. Lucius notes how much scrutiny public sector CIOs face compared to their private sector peers.  “Even publicly traded organizations don’t quite have the amount of scrutiny and attention that that a major government institution gets,” he contends.  And there is a reason for that pressure. Transparency is important. Delivering government services to citizens is essential. That responsibility is one of the biggest worries on Lucius’s mind.  Major government technology projects often get a lot of time and money, and yet they might fail. “You don’t have to look too far to see examples,” says Lucius. “When Healthcare.gov launched, it didn’t work.” He believes that it isn’t enough to have a great idea, get it funded, and get it launched. He sees the need to constantly evaluate projects to ensure they are actually successful.  “Success is when something works better for Chicagoans and something works better for a human being on the other end, and they get that benefit,” he emphasizes.  How should young people with ambitions in technology and government be thinking about these challenges, particularly during such a turbulent time? Lucius still wants to see people chase their dreams, but he cautions that they need something to latch onto in such a high-pressure field.  “Maybehave family orhave personal experience where what we do here helped or maybe … you’ve just seen the benefit play out for human beings out there in the world,” says Lucius. “If you can latch on to that, that’s something you need in order to get through some of these experiences.”  A Reimagined Future Lucius sees people in the government technology space at a crossroads. They are faced with the major pressures of today’s societal and financial upheaval and the promises of delivering on new technology, like AI.  “All these things … have the potential to make things faster and more efficient, but then also bring the dangers of widening inequities and creating divides in society,” says Lucius. “We sit at the cusp of the reimagination of what it is to govern and what it is to oversee the provision of benefits in this society. And I want government technologists to recognize that … we can own that.” Lucius wants to bring services and benefits to the people of Chicago more efficiently without reducing those services. “We talk a lot about government efficiency these days,” he says. “I think Chicago is a great example.” About the AuthorCarrie PallardyContributing ReporterCarrie Pallardy is a freelance writer and editor living in Chicago. She writes and edits in a variety of industries including cybersecurity, healthcare, and personal finance.See more from Carrie PallardyWebinarsMore WebinarsReportsMore ReportsNever Miss a Beat: Get a snapshot of the issues affecting the IT industry straight to your inbox.SIGN-UPYou May Also Like #chicagos #cio #increasing #government #efficiency

In case you haven't heard, Fortnite — the megahit video game from Epic Games that's stuffed with characters from every media franchise imaginable, not to mention real celebrities — has become a cause célèbre after it introduced Darth Vader as an in-game boss. This was no ordinary homage to the "Star Wars" villain. It uses "conversational AI" to recreate the iconic voice of the late actor James Earl Jones, allowing gamers to chat with the Sith Lord and ask him pretty much any question they want.Though it's resulted in plenty of light-hearted fun, gamers, being gamers, immediately set to work tricking the AI into swearing and saying slurs.But that's only the beginning of the controversy, if you can believe it. On Monday, the Screen Actor's Guild blasted Epic Games for its AI Vader stunt and filed an unfair labor complaint against the developer with the National Labor Relations Board, arguing that Epic's use of AI violated their agreement by replacing human performers without notice."Fortnite's signatory company, Llama Productions, chose to replace the work of human performers with AI technology," SAG-AFTRA said in a statement. "Unfortunately, they did so without providing any notice of their intent to do this and without bargaining with us over appropriate terms." SAG-AFTRA is still on strike against the video game industry, though actors are still allowed work on Fortnite and some other exempted projects, . Voice actors, in general, have struggled to win the same protections against AI as other performers in other fields. It's easier and far cheaper to fake someone's voice and pass it off as real than it is to mimic a visual performance.For this stunt, Epic used Google's Gemini 2.0 model to generate the wording of Vader's responses, and ElevenLabs' Flash v2.5 model for the audio.Whatever your thoughts on the ethics of resurrecting a dead actor's voice with AI, no theft is involved with Epic's AI Vader  — just, if SAG is to be believed, dubious labor practices. It was created in collaboration with Jones' estate, according to an Epic press release featuring a statement from the family. Jones, shortly before he passed away, signed a contract with Disney allowing the AI startup Respeecher to clone his voice. That's all fine with SAG-AFTRA. It doesn't necessarily have a problem with actors — or their estates — licensing AI replicas of themselves. "However, we must protect our right to bargain terms and conditions around uses of voice that replace the work of our members," the union wrote, "including those who previously did the work of matching Darth Vader's iconic rhythm and tone in video games."We'll have to see what the labor board and Epic make of SAG-AFTRA's claims. In the meantime, it's pretty jarring to see an AI version of Jones' legendary Vader performance out in the wild and answering silly questions in a video game.More on AI: Even Audiobooks Aren't Safe From AI SlopShare This Article #fortnite039s #foulmouthed #darth #vader #sparks

When Apple TV+ launched back in 2019, one of the most common complaints was its lack of a back catalog. And to some extent, the criticism made sense, especially given that some expected Apple tobundle in its vast iTunes movie library. Now, more than five years later, Apple has quietly built up a surprisingly solid library of original films and series. If you’re a relatively new subscriber, there’s a good chance you missed out on a few of these great early releases: Defending Jacob Based on William Landay’s 2012 best-selling novel of the same name, this limited crime drama series stars Michelle Dockeryand Chris Evans, as well as Jaeden Martellin the titular role of Jacob. Evans’ character is tasked with the defense of his own son in a murder trial, and the story explores the tectonic shifts caused by such an event in the life of a family. If you’ve watched Netflix’s recent Adolescence limited series, you know to expect this won’t be a light, dinner time, binge-worthy show, but it is definitely worth a watch. Watch Defending Jacob on Apple TV+ The Velvet Underground Being a Velvet Underground fan, I am partial to this one. But this excellently produced documentary explores how one of the most influential bands in history came together, and turned the rock scene upside down. As one IMDB reviewer put it, the documentary is “pieced together almost as strangely as the band itself”, which is possibly the highest praise director and writer Todd Hainescould possibly expect. Even if you are not a Velvet Underground fan, this documentary might surprise you. Watch The Velvet Underground on Apple TV+ CODA For the standards of a three-time Academy Award winner, this remake of 2014’s La Famille Bélier flies surprisingly under the radar. CODA stars Marlee Matlin, Troy Kotsur, and Emilia Jonesas members of a deaf family whose hearing daughter, played by Jones, serves as their connection to the hearing world. Until her musical ambitions begin to pull her in a different direction. CODA became the first movie produced by a streaming service to win Best Picture, and it also scored Apple the Academy Awards for Best Adapted, and Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role thanks to Kotsur’s portrayal of character Frank Rossi. Watch CODA on Apple TV+ WeCrashed Alongside the Theranos case, the WeWork saga is possibly one of the craziest, most interesting and unbelievable stories that only reality could provide. The show features Jared Letoas Adam Neumann, and Anne Hathawayas Rebekah Neumann. It explores the couple’s trajectory as they, well, manifested WeWork’s billion valuation. Based on a homonymous podcast, this eight-part series is a must-watch for any tech enthusiast. Just by writing about it, I feel like watching it again. Watch WeCrashed on Apple TV+ Black Bird This is yet another inspired-by-true-events limited series that made a bit of a splash when it came out, but was soon unfairly forgotten. Taron Egertonplays a playboy turned convict who accepts a plea deal involving a fellow convict, played by the fantastic Paul Walter Hauser. Black Bird also marks Ray Lotta’s final performance, and earned Apple quite a few awards due to Hauser’s terrifyingly good portrayal of… well, you’ll see. Watch Black Bird on Apple TV+ Billie Eilish: The World’s A Little Blurry I had never been a big Billie Eilish fan. I did know one or two of her songs, but that was it. Still, I gave Billie Eilish: The World’s A Little Blurry a try, and I’m glad I did. The documentary takes you alongon the ride all the way up to the top, and the loneliness that might come with it. The documentary highlights Eilish’s creative partnership with her brother Finneas O’Connell and her fiercely protective mother, who is set on not letting her daughter become another cautionary tale for early stardom. Watch Billie Eilish: The World’s A Little Blurry on Apple TV+ Do you have a favorite forgotten Apple TV+ gem? Any recent favorites you can’t recommend enough? Let us know in the comments. Apple TV+ is available for per month and features hit TV shows and movies like Ted Lasso, Severance, The Studio, The Morning Show, Shrinking and Silo. Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed.  FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel #new #apple #these #older #titles

Say the name Isamu Noguchi and the designer-artist’s iconic lanterns spring to mind. Their flattering glow and unfussy shapes in washi paper and bamboo don’t define the cultural zeitgeist so much as thoughtfully accentuate it.Courtesy Noguchi Museum ArchivesAn exhibition of Akari lanterns in 2018–19 at the Isamu Noguchi Museum in Astoria, Queens. The lamps are just one small part of the illustrious legacy of this Japanese-American creative who found acclaim in everything he did—from sculpture to furniture, and even landscape design. The Isamu Noguchi Foundation and Garden Museum in Astoria, Queens, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this month, is a testament to his vision. Its heart is a 27,000-square-foot red brick building that dates from 1929, when it was home to a photo-engraving supply company.Courtesy Noguchi Museum ArchivesAn interior of the building in 1974, just after it was purchased by NoguchiWhere there was once a gas station next door, there is now a concrete viewing pavilion. Inside, the former industrial workspaces, with exposed steel and wood beams, are now galleries that host revolving exhibitions, as well as displays of Noguchi’s organic sculpture in carved stone. The yearlong celebration will showcase works from Noguchi’s original installation, along with performances by the Martha Graham Dance Company.Courtesy Noguchi Museum ArchivesAn interior of the Isamu Noguchi Museum in Astoria, Queens.“The museum’s legacy is a testament to Noguchi’s visionary approach,” says its director, Amy Hau, “where art becomes an immersive experience that connects with both the mind and the spirit.”Courtesy Noguchi Museum ArchivesAnd exterior view of the building in 1931, when it was Demgen & Balletto Photo Engraver’s Supply Co.; the building’s façade today.This story originally appeared in the May 2025 issue of Elle Decor. SUBSCRIBESean SantiagoDeputy EditorSean Santiago is ELLE Decor's Deputy Editor, covering news, trends and talents in interior design, hospitality and travel, culture, and luxury shopping. Since starting his career at an interior design firm in 2011, he has gone on to cover the industry for Vogue, Architectural Digest, Sight Unseen, PIN-UP and Domino. He is the author of The Lonny Home, has produced scripted social content for brands including West Elm and Streeteasy, and is sometimes recognized on the street for his Instagram Reels series, #DanceToDecor #surprising #history #noguchi #museum

The Hulu anthology series Nine Perfect Strangers is back for another season, leaving sunny California behind for the snowy Austrian Alps. So far, Nicole Kidman’s wellness guru Masha Dmitrichenko is the only character from season 1 set to return. The rest of the cast is made up of new characters that Masha has invited to this new iteration of her Tranquillum retreat. While there’s still a lot yet to be revealed about who these people are, we at least know which actors we can expect to see potentially tripping out on Masha’s psilocybin protocol this season. The trailer alludes to some unexpected connections between these characters, which isn’t a surprise given how Masha likes to hand-pick her groups. There’s bound to be some twists and turns in store, but for now, here’s what we know about the cast this season. Nicole Kidman as Masha Dmitrichenko Nicole Kidman returns as the mysterious Russian wellness guru Masha Dmitrichenko, who we last saw leaving her Tranquillum House spa in Cabrillo, California after finding a way to reunite with her deceased daughter via the hallucinogenic psilocybin she and everyone else were taking. Now that she has seemingly “perfected” her formula, it’s time to try and heal a new group of people, even though Masha still seems to be struggling herself. Nicole Kidman has had a long career thus far appearing in projects like Moulin Rouge!, Eyes Wide Shut, Practical Magic, and more recently Babygirl, Big Little Lies, The Undoing, and The Perfect Couple. Murray Bartlett as Brian Murray Bartlett joins the cast this season as Brian, one of Masha’s nine new guests. Based on clips from the trailer, it seems like Brian was once a Mr. Rogers-like figure and the host of a children’s TV show, but some kind of on-set outburst may have seen him ousted from his role. That kind of tarnished legacy seems like the kind of thing that would appeal to Masha, as we saw with Tonylast season. It seems like he might also have a connection to Tina, but we’ll have to wait and see how that plays out. You’ll likely recognize Bartlett from his roles in The White Lotus and The Last of Us. Christine Baranski as Victoria Christine Baranski joins the cast as Victoria, yet another of Masha’s guests. Victoria appears to be wealthy and seems like she’s sought Masha out. She greets one of the attendants, Martin, with a familiarity that indicates they’ve likely spoken before, and she seems to know more than the other guests about Masha’s unorthodox practices. Victoria and Matteo seem to have come to this retreat together, though the exact nature of their relationship is unclear. You’ll likely recognize Baranski from one of her many projects such as Mamma Mia!, The Good Wife, The Gilded Age, and Chicago. Annie Murphy as Imogen Annie Murphy plays Imogen this season, another guest of Masha’s and Victoria’s estranged daughter. We don’t know much else about her, other than she seems a little awkward, but Annie Murphy has proven time and time again that she can play layered characters, so it’s only a matter of time before we see what’s under Imogen’s surface. Murphy has previously starred in Black Mirror, Russian Doll, Kevin Can F**ck Himself, and what most people will likely recognize her from, Schitt’s Creek. Aras Aydın as Matteo Aras Aydın plays Matteo, Victoria’s younger lover. Aydın is a Turkish actor who has previously appeared in projects such as Cherry Season, Runaway, and Siyah Kalp. Dolly de Leon as Agnes Dolly de Leon plays Agnes, a guest at the retreat who appears to have once been a nun, though seems to have gone through a crisis of faith. She also seems to have crossed paths with Tina at some point in her journey. De Leon has previously appeared in Triangle of Sadness, Jackpot!, and Ghostlight. Maisie Richardson-Sellers as Wolfie Maisie Richardson-Sellers plays Wolfie, Tina’s partner and a guest of Masha’s. It seems like Wolfie knows a little more about what this experience is about than Tina does, and really wants them to keep an open mind. Richardson-Sellers has previously appeared in projects such as The Originals, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, and The Kissing Booth 2 and 3. King Princess as Tina Musician King Princess makes her on-screen acting debut as Tina, a depressed piano virtuoso in desperate need of a relaxing spa vacation. What she doesn’t realize is that her partner Wolfie seems to have other plans for their time off together. Tina also seems to have a connection to Agnes and appears to have been under her care at some point in their lives. Lucas Englander as Martin Lucas Englander plays Martin, Masha’s assistant this time around. He’s there to make sure things don’t get too out of hand as the guests take their various trips throughout their experience. Englander is an Austrian actor who has previously appeared in Catherine the Great, The Witcher, and Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore. Join our mailing list Get the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox! Henry Golding as Peter Henry Golding plays Peter, the son of David and a guest of Masha’s. Peter wants to reconnect with his aloof father, and this retreat is certainly a way to do that. You’ll likely recognize Golding from movies like Crazy Rich Asians, Snake Eyes, The Gentlemen, and Last Christmas. Mark Strong as David Mark Strong plays David, a billionaire who is skeptical of Masha’s methods, but still attends the retreat with the others. Mark Strong has appeared in a number of other projects, such as Shazam!, Dune Prophecy, The Penguin, and Kingsman: The Secret Service. Lena Olin as Helena Lena Olin plays Helena, an assistant of sorts to Masha this season, though she appears to have a much different role than Martin does. She seems to have helped Masha herself overcome something, and appears to be there to help her stay sane as well. Helena is also very adamant against bringing David into the fold, though her reasons for that are still unclear. Olin has previously appeared in Alias, Hunters, and The Darkness. The first two episodes of Nine Perfect Strangers season 2 are available to stream on Hulu now. New episodes premiere on Wednesdays, culminating with the finale on July 2. #nine #perfect #strangers #season #cast

TechTarget and Informa Tech’s Digital Business Combine.TechTarget and InformaTechTarget and Informa Tech’s Digital Business Combine.Together, we power an unparalleled network of 220+ online properties covering 10,000+ granular topics, serving an audience of 50+ million professionals with original, objective content from trusted sources. We help you gain critical insights and make more informed decisions across your business priorities.Avowed game director joins Netflix Games developer Night School StudioAvowed game director joins Netflix Games developer Night School StudioCarrie Patel has departed Obsidian Entertainment after over a decade to join the streaming giant.Chris Kerr, Senior Editor, NewsMay 21, 20252 Min ReadImage via XboxAvowed game director Carrie Patel has departed Microsoft-owned Obsidian Entertainment to join Netflix Games. In a post on Linkedin, Patel confirmed she has joined Netflix Games subsidiary Night School Studio as a game director.Patel spent almost 12 years at Obsidian, initially joining the studio in 2013 as a narrative designer on the Pillars of Eternity series. She subsequently served as narrative co-lead on Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire before stepping up as senior narrative designer on The Outer Worlds.Prior to her departure, she spent five years working as a game director on The Outer Worlds: Peril on Gorgon expansion and Avowed.The news comes just months after Netflix laid off an unknown number of employees at Night School, which is best known for working on the Oxenfree franchise.Night School was acquired by the streamer in 2021 as part of a concerted expansion into game development. That push has since yielded mixed results, with Netflix shuttering its only triple-A studio in October 2024 and reshuffling its executive team.Netflix Games makes key hire after pledging to cause "disruption"Netflix Games is now attempting to chart a path forward under new president Alain Tascan, who was formerly EVP of game development at Epic Games.Related:Tascan shared his vision for the business during a recent press event at GDC 2025 and said Netflix Games must strive to cause "disruption" while admitting it had not yet become the "Netflix of Games.""While nothing is guaranteed. If we continue doing the same stuff, there is a big chance we'll get the same result," he said. "With Netflix and gameshave an opportunity to drive real disruption and real innovation with regards to how games are distributed, on what platforms, how we interact with them, and how we engage with the community."For Tascan, that means convincing players to jump into the Netflix Games ecosystem by offering new ways to play and leaning into its stable of IP to deliver "Only on Netflix" moments."I say sometimes to the team we have a golden ticket, so what are we going to do with it?" he added. "I feel like this is a place where we can experiment and do things that hopefully will make history."Click here to hear more from the Netflix Games boss. about:XboxNetflixAbout the AuthorChris KerrSenior Editor, News, GameDeveloper.comGame Developer news editor Chris Kerr is an award-winning journalist and reporter with over a decade of experience in the game industry. His byline has appeared in notable print and digital publications including Edge, Stuff, Wireframe, International Business Times, and PocketGamer.biz. Throughout his career, Chris has covered major industry events including GDC, PAX Australia, Gamescom, Paris Games Week, and Develop Brighton. He has featured on the judging panel at The Develop Star Awards on multiple occasions and appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live to discuss breaking news.See more from Chris KerrDaily news, dev blogs, and stories from Game Developer straight to your inboxStay UpdatedYou May Also Like #avowed #game #director #joins #netflix

Banijay Asia and Nodwin Gaming, a division of Nazara Technologies, announced a strategic partnership to revolutionize esports, gaming and youth entertainment in India. This collaboration marks a significant step in blending cutting-edge content with the booming gaming and youth culture ecosystem. As part of this alliance, Banijay Asia will take the helm in producing Playground, Nodwin Gaming’s flagship gaming reality show that has redefined the intersection of gaming, entertainment, and influencer culture in the region. The partnership will also bring new scripted and captive reality shows to daylight, with both companies co-developing new intellectual propertiesand pioneering fresh content concepts across gaming, esports and youth culture. Deepak Dhar, group CEO of Banijay Asia & Endemol Shine India, said in a statement, “This collaboration with Nodwin Gaming is an exciting extension of our vision to create content that resonates with evolving youth audiences. Gaming is not just a sport; it’s a culture, a lifestyle, and a massive content opportunity. With Playground and our upcoming IPs, we aim to redefine engagement and storytelling in this space.” He further added, “I look forward to the creative collaboration with Akshat Rathee, and Joost Roset who we previously worked with, in bringing iconic global IPs to India. This is an invaluable opportunity to create clutter-breaking formats in the youth and gaming space.” With a diverse portfolio of high-impact IPs including the televised esports tournament – BGMI Masters Series, Comic Con India, NH7 Weekender, and more, Nodwin Gaming is a key player in the gaming, esports and youth entertainment ecosystem. Talking about the partnership, Akshat Rathee, managing director of Nodwin Gaming, said in a statement, “Youth entertainment is evolving rapidly, and our partnership with Banijay Asia positions us perfectly to lead that change. With Playground, we’ve just begun to explore what’s possible. Backed by Banijay’s global expertise, we’re now set to scale the IP across multiple languages and markets, with the ambition of building an international format.” Rathee added, “At the heart of our approach is our philosophy of ‘timeshare of mindshare’. We’re not just creating content, we’re creating cultural moments. The Rusk creative team will stay actively involved as we expand the universe of Playground, aiming to grow from one show to between five and ten each year. This is just the beginning of a bold new chapter in gaming and youth content.” With gaming emerging as one of the most influential youth-driven industries, this partnership is poised to set new benchmarks in how gaming and entertainment are consumed in India. By leveraging Banijay Asia’s expertise in content creation and Nodwin Gaming’s deep-rooted understanding of gaming communities, the collaboration promises to push creative boundaries and capture the imagination of young audiences nationwide. Banijay Entertainment has strong expertise in the gaming space, via its global distribution arm Banijay Rights, with successful gaming activations leveraging key brands including Peaky Blinders, Black Mirror, Simon’s Cat and MasterChef. GB Daily Stay in the know! Get the latest news in your inbox daily Read our Privacy Policy Thanks for subscribing. Check out more VB newsletters here. An error occured. #banijay #asia #nodwin #gaming #form