FEARS FOR MATT
THE STAR IS FORCED TO QUIT OVER DOMESTIC ABUSE CLAIMS
Just when it seemed he was finally leaving his troubled past behind him, Matthew Newton’s world has again come crashing down around him. The embattled writer, actor and director was pictured looking very drawn and thin while immersed in a tense phone conversation in NYC. Nearby, his rumoured wife, Catherine Schneiderman, 25, stood nervously scrolling through her phone while puffing on a vape. Last week news emerged that 41-year-old Matt’s big Hollywood break had been quashed after he was forced to pull out of directing the upcoming US blockbuster Eve, starring Jessica Chastain, amid an online backlash over his history of alleged domestic abuse. And now, friends of the fallen star are worried that this latest setback could tip an already fragile Matt over the edge.
‘Just when he felt like he was finally moving on with his life and making real progress with his career – starting over in the US – it all just got taken out from underneath him,’ a source reveals.
‘Matt isn’t eating and has been really down – he isn’t sleeping much, doesn’t want to talk to anyone and it’s a struggle for Kat to get him out of the house. No-one wants to see his mood and state of mind suffer like it has in the past, so everyone is working overtime to try and keep him positive.’
Matt’s latest blow is also said to have put a strain on his relationship with Kat. The US socialite was left reeling after her father Eric Schneiderman, the former New York Attorney General, was forced to resign after four women accused him of assault.
‘Matt had been doing so well since he moved to New York, and especially since he started seeing Kat,’ continues the insider. ‘But all the drama with her father and now with Matt being pulled off his film is really taking its toll.’
Following the announcement earlier this month that Jessica was set to star in and produce action-thriller Eve, the actress – who is one of Hollywood’s most vocal activists for women’s rights and the Time’s Up movement – was widely criticised for hiring Matt. Just days later, Matt, the son of Aussie entertainers Bert and Patti Newton, released a
statement expressing his desire to take responsibility for his past actions.
‘Since the announcement of this film, the responses, which are powerful and important, have not fallen on deaf ears. I am profoundly aware that I have a responsibility to lead where I have failed in the past,’ said the actor, who has been open about his struggles with bipolar disorder and substance abuse.
‘I can never undo the harm that I’ve caused the people I’ve cared about and I carry that shame and responsibility with me every day.’
Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, Bert and Patti are also said to be incredibly concerned. ‘They’re calling Matt a few times a day, trying to keep his moods off,’ the insider says. ‘They’ve seen him suffer in the past and are panicking that this latest blow could have a devastating effect on him.’
Dating shows are the guilty pleasure that Australia can’t seem to get enough of, and Joel Creasey is happy to admit he loves dipping in and out of them. But now, the comedian is diving head first into the dating game show world as the host of the highly anticipated Take Me Out.
Sharing what’s in store, Joel explains why Take Me Out is unique. ‘The girls are in control,’ he tells New Idea. ‘They are the stars of the show, they are so funny, they really got it. I became like their gay uncle on the show and I really loved working with them. I had to put them in their place sometimes, but they kept making me laugh.’
Based on the hit UK program of the same name, it’s all about first impressions.
‘Just like Tinder, a date can happen within seconds,’ Joel quips.
Equipped with a buzzer and a light, 30 lucky ladies are introduced to multiple single guys. If keen, she’ll keep her light on, but if not it’s lights out for that suitor and she’ll have to wait for the next round to meet Mr Right. If everyone’s lights go out after three rounds, the suitor is sent packing. But, if he is lucky enough to score a date, the pair are then whisked away to the Gold Coast.
From hilarious one-liners to jaw-dropping secret reveals, expect plenty of laughs and a few crazy antics from the ladies as they await the man of their dreams.
‘We’re hooking up three people a show,’ shares Joel.
While Joel is making dreams come true for singles around the country, when it comes
to his own love life the hilarious host doesn’t need any help. A man in love, Joel has been happily dating actor and model Jack Stratton-smith, and reveals how they make it work. ‘We’ve been together for a year and half. He’s a model and an actor, so it’s nice because he gets it, but we’re not in competition.’ While he may be loved-up, Joel admits if things go south he’d be open to testing out dating shows. ‘If I end up single, I’ll be going on it,’ he jokes. ‘The danger of it being single-sex though, is that everyone would be up for grabs, whether it be the host or the single guys.’