Stephen Hawking’s ashes buried in Westminster Abbey

Stephen Hawking’s ashes buried in Westminster Abbey

LONDON

The ashes of Stephen Hawking were buried Friday in a corner of Westminster Abbey that honors some of Britain’s greatest scientists, between the graves of Charles Darwin and Isaac Newton.

More than 1,000 people attended a service of thanksgiving in the ancient abbey for the physicist, who died in March at age 76 after decades of living with motor neuron disease. When he was diagnosed, aged 22, he was given only a few years to live.

Hawking conducted groundbreaking research into black holes and the origins of the universe, and gained global fame as a popularizer and communicator of science. His book “A Brief History of Time” sold 9 million copies – even if many readers didn’t finish it – and he appeared on “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” “The Big Bang Theory” and “The Simpsons.”

The Gottis made sure the Travoltas were well fed for ‘Gotti’

NEW YORK

John Travolta and Kelly Preston didn’t just receive the Gotti family’s blessing to make a biopic about the late, infamous crime boss, they also were fed well, in true Italian style.

Travolta and Preston play John Gotti and his wife, Victoria, in the biopic “Gotti,” out in the U.S. on Friday. At the film’s Thursday-night premiere in New York City, Travolta raved about the food Victoria Gotti made for them. And Preston said the entire family saw the film and loved it.

John Gotti died in prison in 2002. He was head of the Gambino crime family and was convicted of murder and racketeering in 1992. The film has been in the works for years, but Travolta says the end result is worth it.

Portman calls Jared Kushner ‘supervillain’

NEW YORK

Natalie Portman says her Harvard classmate Jared Kushner has become a “supervillain.”

The Oscar-winning actress said on CBS’ “Late Show with Stephen Colbert” on Thursday that there’s not much that’s funny to say about “someone you were friends with becoming a supervillain.”

Portman and Kushner both graduated from Harvard in 2003.

Portman noted that Kushner has compared friends he’s lost because of politics to “exfoliating.”

Host Stephen Colbert asked, “So you’re a dead skin cell?” Portman answered, “Proudly.”

Colbert said Kushner was rumored to be not “that great of a student.” Portman said, “That is true, yes.”

Kushner is a senior adviser and son-in-law to Republican President Donald Trump. Portman campaigned for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in 2016.

Associated Press