This April 26, 2014 file photo shows actress Keira Knightley (l) and director John Carney at the premiere of "Begin Again" at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)
NEW YORK (AP) --
"Begin Again" director John Carney has apologized for slamming actress Keira Knightley in a recent interview in which he negatively compared her to "a supermodel."
Carney is the Irish filmmaker of the Oscar-winning "Once." He posted a statement Wednesday on Twitter from "a director who feels like a complete idiot." He calls his comments on Knightley "mean and hurtful."
He says in trying to pick holes in his work he "ended up blaming someone else." He says that's "shoddy behavior."
Carney said in an interview about his recent "Sing Street" posted Saturday by the Independent he was relieved to make a movie without "Keira Knightleys" and said she wasn't believable as a singer-songwriter in their 2013 film.
A representative for Knightley hasn't commented on Carney's apology.
This image released by Hallmark Media shows Hunter King, left, and Tyler Hynes in a scene from "Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story. (Joshua Haines/Hallmark Media via AP)
Two new Christmas TV movies have a Taylor Swift connection that her fans would have no problem decoding.
"Christmas in the Spotlight" debuts Saturday on Lifetime. It stars Jessica Lord as the world's biggest pop star and Laith Wallschleger as a pro football player, who meet and fall in love — not unlike Swift and her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.
"It's clearly inspired by Taylor and Travis, but I don't know them and I don't know what is going on behind the scenes. I only know what's been put out there," said Eirene Tran Donohue, a longtime, devoted fan who jumped at the opportunity to write a script even loosely based on her favorite musician.
She was inspired by the couple's support of each other's accomplishments, particularly Kelce's ease with dating the star despite the glare of the spotlight, adding, "I love the way that he celebrates her."
Tran Donohue wants fellow Swift fans to know she wrote the script with them in mind.
"There are so many Easter eggs," she said of little details added that a Swift fan would pick up on. "I put in as many as I could."
Then, on Nov. 30, Hallmark will air "Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story." Instead of a nod to Swift, it's an ode to family traditions and bonding, like rooting for a sports team. Hallmark's headquarters is also in Kansas City, so it makes sense why the company chose the Chiefs to be highlighted.
In this story, written by Julie Sherman Wolfe, sparks fly when a new employee for the Chiefs organization (Tyler Hynes) meets a woman — played by Hunter King — whose family's dedication to the team goes back generations.
Sherman Wolfe, a San Francisco 49ers fan, said she got the call a week after Super Bowl LVIII, when the Chiefs... Read More
