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Scarlett Johansson slams tech giant's AI update

<p>Scarlett Johansson has issued a furious public statement, claiming that tech giant OpenAI used a voice that is “eerily similar” to hers in the latest version of ChatGPT.</p> <p>In the statement published by <em>NPR</em>, the actress claimed that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman had approached her last year asking if she would be interested in voicing their new AI voice assistant. </p> <p>After further consideration and "for personal reasons" she rejected the offer. </p> <p>She claimed that Altman then reached out to her agent again just days before the AI voice assistant was released, but before she had a chance to respond, the voice "Sky" was released. </p> <p>“When I heard the released demo, I was shocked, angered and in disbelief that Mr Altman would pursue a voice that sounded so eerily similar to mine that my closest friends and news outlets could not tell the difference,” she said in the statement. </p> <p>She also said that the similarity seemed intentional, as Altman tweeted the word "her" upon Sky's release, which is the same name as a 2013 movie she was in where she voiced a chat system. </p> <p>“In a time when we are all grappling with deepfakes and the protection of our own likeness, our own work, our own identities, I believe these are questions that deserve absolute clarity,” the actress said in her statement. </p> <p>“I look forward to resolution in the form of transparency and the passage of appropriate legislation to help ensure that individual rights are protected.”</p> <p>OpenAI announced that it had paused the use of the “Sky” voice on Sunday, and insisted that it wasn't Johansson's voice, but another actress. </p> <p>“We believe that AI voices should not deliberately mimic a celebrity’s distinctive voice — Sky’s voice is not an imitation of Scarlett Johansson but belongs to a different professional actress using her own natural speaking voice,” the company wrote.</p> <p><em>Image: Alessandro Bremec/NurPhoto/ Shutterstock Editorial</em></p> <p> </p>

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"I am not a monster": Disturbing reason police have seized phone of woman claiming to be Madeleine McCann

<p>Polish woman Julia Faustyna who went viral over <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/woman-shares-evidence-that-she-is-madeleine-mccann" target="_blank" rel="noopener">claims she could be Madeleine McCann </a>has had her phone seized by US police over claims it contains explicit images of children.</p> <p>The phone was given to authorities by a former spokesperson for Faustyna and psychic private investigator Fia Johansson.</p> <p>The phone was reportedly left with Johansson when she brought Faustyna, 21, to the US for <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/julia-faustyna-takes-dna-test-to-prove-wild-identity-claims" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DNA and family ancestry test results</a> over her claiming to be the missing toddler.</p> <p>The results confirmed that Faustyna was “absolutely, 100 per cent from Poland".</p> <p>Johansson handed the phone over to police during a search and seizure as part of an investigation, but the reason behind what prompted the pursuit remains unknown, according to the <em>New York Post</em>.</p> <p>Wroclaw police in Poland were contacted by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and were informed that they were in possession of a phone thought to belong to Faustyna, according to a <em>RadarOnline.com</em> report.</p> <p>“Our investigation is taking a deep look into it and we’re going to let them do their investigative duties and then from that point let the judicial system take over – if it needs to,” department spokesman Sergeant Mike Woodroof said.</p> <p>Johansson reportedly added, “I’m told an investigator from the Sheriff’s Department is personally taking the device to Poland to make sure it doesn’t get lost or misplaced.”</p> <p>She also shared an image of a denied release of case information form from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department on social media, including a statement regarding the investigation.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CrJh_DVvl3i/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CrJh_DVvl3i/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Dr. Fia Johansson (@persianmedium)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>“There will be no comment or discussion at this time or moving forward concerning the active ongoing investigation with Orange County Sheriff’s Department and special public affairs division due to protocol and the sensitivity and nature of the intelligence that has been gathered and rendered,” she said.</p> <p>“It’s an active investigation and DA will not comment out of concern for the safety of the victims.”</p> <p>After Faustyna received her DNA test results and appeared on Dr Phil, Johannson revealed she travelled back to Poland to live with her father.</p> <p>The DNA results prompted <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/madeleine-mccann-s-parents-speak-out-after-dna-test-results" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Madeleine McCann’s parents to break their silence</a> after months of emotional turmoil.</p> <p>Faustyna now denies all the allegations against her to reporters.</p> <p>“I didn’t have child pornography on my phone. I am not a paedo and I never tried to encourage any teenagers to do anything illegal and bad and disgusting,” she told <em>The Sun</em>.</p> <p>“Just think carefully, if someone is a paedo, I believe this person would never go by himself to a police station or this person would never talk about what I was talking in public to the whole world because it would be very dangerous for this person.</p> <p>“It is not logical ... I am saying the truth and I will make my name clean because I am not a monster.”</p> <p>She told <em>The Sun</em> she had purchased the phone from an unknown person, saying that if there were explicit images on her phone they were put there by someone else.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Instagram</em></p>

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Robert Irwin "dating" Heath Ledger's niece

<p>Robert Irwin is reportedly dating Heath Ledger's niece after the pair were spotted on a romantic outing. </p> <p>The 18-year-old wildlife warrior was seen with Scarlett Buckley, also 18, as the pair were pictured enjoying a sunset stroll in Queensland earlier this month.</p> <p>In photos published by <em><a href="https://www.newidea.com.au/robert-irwins-girlfriend">New Idea</a><a href="https://www.newidea.com.au/robert-irwins-girlfriend"> magazine</a></em>, the two are seen smiling at each other after picking up takeaway for a picnic on the beach.</p> <p>At one point, according to the publication, Robert pulled Scarlett in for a hug as the sun went down.</p> <p>While neither have spoken publicly about their blossoming new romance, Robert has been conspicuously following Scarlett's private Instagram account for some time. </p> <p>Scarlett – who has an identical twin sister, Rorie – is the daughter of Heath Ledger’s sister Kate, who runs a design and media productions company.</p> <p>Robert and Scarlett have plenty in common, as they both grew up in the public eye after suffering the devastating loss of a family member. </p> <p>Heath Ledger was at the top of his Hollywood career when he was found dead in January 2008 following an accidental prescription drug overdose.  </p> <p>Kate has been vocal about keeping her late brother’s legacy alive, creating the Heath Ledger Scholarship for promising young Australian actors. </p> <p>Speaking to <em>Who magazine</em> in 2018, she said the Dark Knight actor is “hugely important” in the lives of her children.</p> <p>“There’s not a day that goes by that we don’t share stories or talk about him. He is very much alive in our house.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images / Instagram </em></p>

Relationships

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Scarlett Johansson finally offloads NYC penthouse

<p dir="ltr">Nearly two years after first listing it, Scarlett Johansson has finally sold her Manhattan penthouse - with nowhere near the profit she was first hoping for.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 38-year-old actress bought the two-bedroom, two-bathroom penthouse in 2008 for $2.8 million ($USD 2.1 million), as reported by <em><a href="https://nypost.com/2022/03/23/scarlett-johansson-sells-nyc-penthouse-at-a-loss/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Post</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">After listing it in July of 2020 for $3.33 million ($USD 2.5 million), Johansson was forced to slash the price in December by around $830,000, before finally <a href="https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/411-E-53rd-St-Ph-D_New-York_NY_10022_M99802-13713" target="_blank" rel="noopener">selling</a> it for $2.5 million ($USD 1.87 million).</p> <p dir="ltr">Despite the $300,000 loss, the Black Widow is unlikely to feel the pinch considering she has a net worth of $219.9 ($USD 165 million).</p> <p dir="ltr">The home, which overlooks the East River and boasts skyline views and room for al fresco dining, was also listed for rent while Johansson was looking for a buyer for a hefty $8650 ($US 6,500) a month.</p> <p dir="ltr">Its other features include hardwood floors, floor-to-ceiling windows, an open kitchen with marble countertops and an expansive walk-in-wardrobe in the master suite.</p> <p dir="ltr">The new owners will also get to enjoy the amenities that come from being in an apartment building, including a full-time doorman, an additional laundry room, and a parking garage.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-87c6713b-7fff-d99a-a00d-68ab7dd6678c"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Realtor.com</em></p>

Real Estate

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What is Scarlett Johansson’s best movie performance?

<p>As one of the biggest names in Hollywood today, Scarlett Johansson isn’t one to be missed. She is the world’s top-paid actress with <span><a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/02/22/the-worlds-highest-paid-actors-and-actresses.html">US$40.5 million in earnings</a></span>, and – despite the controversy surrounding <span><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/mar/24/scarlett-johansson-ghost-in-the-shell-director-whitewashing">her casting in <em>Ghost in the Shell</em></a></span> and her support for <span><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/sep/04/scarlett-johansson-defends-woody-allen">accused sexual abuser Woody Allen</a></span> – she is set to get her first Oscar nomination next year for her work in <em>Marriage Story </em>and <em>Jojo Rabbit</em>.</p> <p>In recognition of Johansson’s successful year, <em>Vulture </em>has listed some of the 35-year-old’s best performances.</p> <p>The number one spot went to the 2013 science fiction flick <em>Under the Skin</em>, where Johansson played an extraterrestrial disguised as a human woman. While the movie did not perform well in the box office, it received critical acclaim and was named as one of the BBC’s 100 Greatest Films of the 21st Century.</p> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7S1yhSp5jaI"></iframe></div> <p>“Earlier in her career, she was magnetic or sarcastic or the simple object of a man’s affection,” wrote Tim Grierson and Will Leitch. “In <em>Under the Skin</em>, she sheds all need to connect to an audience, giving us a menacing figure who’s brutally efficient but emotionally vacant.”</p> <p>Other movies making the top five include Sofia Coppola’s <em>Lost in Translation </em>(2003), Spike Jonze’s <em>Her </em>(2013) and Terry Zwigoff’s <em>Ghost World </em>(2001).</p> <p>“What’s abundantly clear is that, at the age of 35, Johansson already boasts a sizable treasure trove of standout performances,” wrote Grierson and Leitch.</p> <p>See the full list <a href="https://www.vulture.com/article/best-scarlett-johansson-movies-ranked.html">here</a>.</p>

Movies

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