Daily Recap: Entertainment — 26 October 2026

Entertainment news today mixes remembrance with the churn of new releases, celebrity disclosure and internet culture. Two screen veterans’ deaths stand out, while the rest of the day shows how audiences now engage with entertainment through games, fandom, personal revelation and...

Walter Koenig, the actor who plays Pavel Chekov on the original “Star Trek” series and in seven later films, dies at 90. His performance helps define one of television’s most durable science-fiction ensembles, and tributes center on his long association with the franchise and its global fan community.

Eric Bauza, the voice actor behind modern versions of Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, dies at 46. Bauza becomes a key figure in carrying Looney Tunes characters into a new era, taking on some of animation’s most recognizable voices and helping keep the franchise active for contemporary audiences.

“Phantom Blade Zero” launches on PS5 to strong early reviews that single out its combat, animation and wuxia-inspired style. Critics broadly praise the feel of its weapon-based action and place it among the more impressive recent entries in the action genre, even as some question how clearly the story is told.

Robert Pattinson says filming on “The Batman: Part II” resumes with Steven Soderbergh stepping in to help finish production. Pattinson praises the move as selfless and emphasizes that Soderbergh supports Matt Reeves’ existing plan, framing the change as a practical effort to keep the sequel on track rather than reshape it.

Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna respond to online backlash tied to their “Koffee With Karan” appearance, while also filing a cybercrime complaint. The dispute grows out of trolling over their relationship, marriage speculation and comments made on the show, turning a celebrity chat-show appearance into a wider digital harassment issue.

Jools Oliver says she has been diagnosed with autism and ADHD after decades without understanding the source of her struggles. She describes the absence of earlier answers as deeply draining, adding to a broader public conversation about late diagnosis and how neurodivergence can go unrecognized well into adulthood.

Dictionary.com names “maxxing” its 2026 Word of the Year, elevating a piece of youth internet slang into the mainstream. The term reflects a culture of constant optimization and circulates flexibly online as a verb, noun and adjective, showing how digital communities continue to shape everyday language.

The Good Food Guide expands its Sydney restaurant listings with neighborhood-focused selections across the city, including the North Shore, Northern Beaches, Inner West, Western Sydney, South Sydney and the eastern suburbs. The rollout underlines how food coverage increasingly maps dining culture locally, guiding audiences suburb by suburb rather than through a single citywide list.