"Comes with the territory," he told The Telegraph. The outlet described him as "grinning serenely" before "lifting his cup and saucer and taking a theatrical sip."

Nolan added, "But look, these conversations that happen before people see the film — they’re always irrelevant, because no one having them knows what the film actually is yet."

CHRISTOPHER NOLAN FACES GROWING BACKLASH OVER ‘ODYSSEY’ CASTING, HISTORICAL ACCURACY AS SCREENINGS CANCELED

Many people don't view their issues with the film as "irrelevant," nor do they seem to believe one needs to see it before criticizing it.

One of the most common problems with the upcoming movie is in its casting choices — Lupita Nyong'o plays Helen of Troy, although critics argue her darker complexion contradicts the character's description in Homer's original epic, and Elliot Page, known for his short, slight build, plays Sinon, a Greek soldier.

The trailer has also gotten a negative response, with viewers calling out the modern language in the ancient Greek setting, as well as the lack of Greek actors.

Nolan told The Telegraph that the reception so far for "The Odyssey" is similar to the concerns he faced while working on his "Batman" trilogy, explaining that when he started with "Batman Begins," a variety of artists had been creating and depicting the character for decades, "and a lot of freighted thoughts were out there about what he represents."

"And what I learned over my time on that trilogy," he continued, "is you can’t worry about any of that at all. What you have to do is honor the original text by interpreting it in the strongest way you personally can."

The director said, "In the end, fans of the property — even when we were doing something that was not what they would have done — enjoyed the sincerity of the attempt to put as good a version of it on screen as we could," adding that he hopes audiences can reach a similar conclusion with "The Odyssey."

"All I can do is make the best film I possibly can in the most sincere way. It’s very different from how anyone else would do it, but that’s what adaptation is," Nolan said.

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While the Oscar-winning filmmaker believes that the movie's current criticism isn't worth considering, his new interview has garnered plenty of attention on its own.

"We don’t need to see the film," one person wrote on X. "We know you bowed to the forces that say you must hire based on skin color or protected class to win awards. Hire based on merit, not DEI bulls---."

"It is insane to think that some people think you'd have to experience a disaster to know it's a disaster or a disaster in the making," another person said.

Another X user joked, "Since conservatives are irrelevant, I guess Nolan is counting on every single leftist paying to see this movie 3 times so they can break even."

"We know it’s historically inaccurate, mistranslated, & had alternative motives to the original script… Why?" one person asked. "Bc you already confessed that much. So no, not irrelevant. Honest reaction to someone butchering a classic."

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Others have argued that Nolan had a point in his interview, with one user writing, "While I don't agree with some of the casting decisions, it's a 3 hour piece of art that none of us have watched yet. watch the film and then form an opinion."

Another referenced Nolan's "The Dark Knight," arguing, "People forgot how furious fans were when he cast Heath Ledger as the Joker. The internet literally rioted, saying a romance actor would ruin the franchise. Nolan trusts his vision over noise because he's proven them wrong before. Who remembers the 2006 forums?"

The movie, also starring Zendaya as Athena, Matt Damon as Odysseus, Anne Hathaway as Penelope, Charlize Theron as Calypso and many other big stars, is set to premiere in theaters on Friday, July 17.

Instead, the "Bachelor in Paradise" star revealed it uncovered what appears to be an early-stage brain tumor, sending him on a whirlwind journey that will require brain surgery.

The shocking discovery began with what Joe Amabile expected would be a routine full-body scan.

FORMER REALITY STAR OPENS UP ABOUT NEW DIAGNOSIS AFTER YEARS-LONG HEALTH ORDEAL

"So, a little medical update. I didn’t share my Prenuvo results because they ended up finding a lesion in my brain," he said in a video shared to Instagram. "So, then I had to go get a brain MRI, and there was a blueberry-sized lesion in my brain that looks to be a glioma, which is a tumor."

The additional testing quickly led to a treatment plan. Amabile revealed he would undergo a craniotomy in two weeks to remove the tumor so doctors could test it.

"So, I now need to get brain surgery [in two weeks] to get it removed and get it tested, and then we’re gonna go from there," he explained. "So, it’s been a wild couple weeks. Definitely wasn’t expecting this."

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Reflecting on the whirlwind diagnosis, Amabile said he never expected to find himself in this position.

"I think it’s one of those things where you’re like, ‘Oh, something like this'll never happen to me,’ and here I am," he said. "They say it’s really early stages. I hope they are able to get it all, and I’m fine. But I will keep you updated."

The former "Bachelorette" contestant shared additional details in the caption of his video. Amabile also reflected on the emotional toll of the diagnosis.

"I’m doing my best to stay positive during this time and am lucky to have a lot of support from family and friends," he added.

"I’ve gone back and forth about what I wanted to share on social media but ultimately, this is now part of my life now, so might as well. Onto a new journey."

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Amabile first won fans over as "Grocery Store Joe" after a brief but memorable appearance on Becca Kufrin's season of "The Bachelorette" in 2018.

His popularity skyrocketed on "Bachelor in Paradise," where he found lasting love. Amabile and Serena Pitt are one of Bachelor Nation’s biggest success stories.

The couple met on Season 7 of "Bachelor in Paradise" and got engaged during the 2021 finale. Amabile and Pitt surprised fans by marrying in a New York City courthouse on Oct. 27, 2022. They later hosted a larger wedding ceremony with loved ones in September 2023.

For many Midwestern farmers, the “back 40” is a passive asset. It is the acreage left to grow wild while focus remains squarely on corn, soybeans, or livestock. However, ignoring your farm’s timber could mean leaving significant money on the table—and leaving your land vulnerable to long-term damage.

In Indiana, forestry isn’t a minor sideline; it is an economic powerhouse.

“The hardwood industry in Indiana is the largest ag sector in the state, $10 billion annually, larger than row crops and livestock combined,” according to Perry Seitzinger, a consulting forester based out of Putnam County, Indiana.

Despite the massive scale of this sector, many landowners treat their woods with a “hands-off” approach, often waiting until a timber buyer knocks on their door before thinking about management. Seitzinger says that passive approach is where the trouble begins.

The Common Pitfalls of Self-Management

Managing a forest requires the same strategic planning as managing a crop field, yet woodland owners frequently skip the basics.

• The Unknown Asset: Many farmers do not actually know what species, age, or volume of wood they own.

• Lack of Clear Objectives: Without a roadmap, landowners cannot make informed decisions about harvesting, thinning, or wildlife preservation.

Seitzinger points out that these two missing pieces are the most common errors he encounters among woodland owners.

“First is not knowing their goals and objectives clearly,” Seitzinger explains. “Second would be not knowing what they actually have—the tree species, the age of the trees, the size of the trees, the value of the trees.”

Recognizing the Warning Signs in Your Woods

Just like scouting a cornfield for late-season diseases or pest pressure, farmers need to monitor their woodlands for signs of stress. Waiting too long to address these issues can turn minor ecological setbacks into expensive problems.

Seitzinger advises landowners to keep an eye out for specific indicators that it is time to bring in a professional:

“Pest outbreaks like the emerald ash borer, or drought-stressed trees, or trees damaged by wind, trees that are just overstocked and growing slowly and need to be thinned in order to maximize their growth,” according to Seitzinger.

By identifying these warning signs early, a consulting forester can design a timber stand improvement (TSI) plan to harvest vulnerable trees before they rot, remove invasive species like bush honeysuckle, and give healthy crop trees the space they need to thrive.

A Crop That Spans Generations

The primary difference between a traditional cash crop and timber is the timeline. If you make a herbicide or seed selection error in the spring, you can pivot and correct it next season. In forestry, you don’t get a do-over next year.

“Timber is a long-term crop. Unlike row crops, there’s not income that comes from timber annually. Very often we’re growing these trees to 100 years old plus. And so, a mistake made now may take decades to correct,” says Seitzinger.

Whether it is an improperly executed harvest that damages the soil and remaining “crop” trees, or failing to regenerate native oaks and hickories, the consequences of poor forest management will be inherited by your children and grandchildren.

Holistic Management and the Farm’s Bottom Line

When row-crop margins tighten, a well-managed woodlot can act as a crucial financial safety net. By implementing a professional management plan, farmers are finding that treating their timber as a crop provides a powerful tool for business diversification.

Seitzinger says he often sees a shift in perspective once row-crop producers witness the financial yield of a professionally managed, competitively bid timber sale.

“They see the income that it brings in, and you can see the light bulbs go off in their head… they buy into this holistic land management concept, which helps diversify their businesses.”

Working with a consulting forester—who acts strictly as the landowner’s representative and does not buy timber themselves—ensures that the landowner’s financial and ecological interests are fully protected. From lowering timber tax liabilities to securing multiple bids from reputable buyers, professional guidance turns a chaotic process into a structured, profitable harvest.

How to Find Help for Your Woods

If you want to evaluate your farm’s woodland assets, resources are readily available:

• Find a Consulting Forester: Visit the Indiana DNR Division of Forestry’s Forestry Exchange tool online to search for accredited professionals in your specific county.

• Learn More About Stewardship: Connect with the Indiana Forestry and Woodland Owners Association (IFWOA) at ifwoa.org for educational resources, networking, and expert guidance on sustainable forest management.

CLICK BELOW for Hoosier Ag Today’s radio news report:

The grant will be used to enhance three new exhibits featuring large-scale scenic dioramas depicting historic World War II and Korean War battlefront street scenes.

Judge Jim Osborne, founder and president of the Indiana Military Museum, says the grant allows the museum to complete an on-going effort, started in 2018, to complete the virtual diorama scenes from WWII and Korea.

The 55-year-old Academy Award-winning actor — who portrays Odysseus, the legendary king of Ithaca, in Christopher Nolan's highly anticipated movie, "The Odyssey" — opened up about the physical transformation he underwent for the role and explained why he refuses to put his body through any additional strain.

"If I would've put weight on, that would've been dangerous, and it's not something I'll do anymore," he told People magazine. "I was happy to do it earlier in my life."

‘THE ODYSSEY’ STAR MATT DAMON REVEALS STRICT DIET CHOICE THAT 'CHANGED MY LIFE' AFTER HIDDEN HEALTH ISSUES

This time, Damon said, it was "more about getting physically fit, which involves changing your diet."

"You just have to be very intentional about what you put in your body," he said.

During an appearance on Travis and Jason Kelce's "New Heights" podcast earlier this year, Damon revealed he lost a significant amount of weight after former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce remarked that the "Good Will Hunting" star looked "pretty yoked up" in viral photos from the set.

MATT DAMON WAS 'PUSHED TO THE LIMIT' WHILE FILMING 'THE ODYSSEY,' DETAILS GRUELING PHYSICAL DISCOMFORTS

"Yeah, I was in really good shape," Damon said. "I lost a lot of weight."

According to Damon, Nolan had a very specific vision for Odysseus.

"He said he wanted me lean but strong," Damon explained. "It's a weird thing."

The Oscar winner said one major dietary change played a key role in helping him reach that goal.

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"I literally, just because of this other thing I did with my doctor, stopped eating gluten," Damon said. "I used to walk around between 185 and 200 pounds. And I did that whole movie at 167 pounds."

"I haven't been that light since high school," he added. "So it was a lot of training and a really strict diet."

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During an appearance on "Sunday Sitdown with Willi Geist," the Academy Award winner opened up about the grueling physical demands of portraying Odysseus, admitting the ambitious production pushed both the cast and crew to their limits.

"He was like, 'This movie's gonna be hard.' And I looked at him like, 'I've made, I don't know, 80 movies,'" Damon recalled of one of his early conversations with Nolan. "And he goes, 'No. This movie's gonna be really hard.' He, to his credit, was not lying."

"It was definitely the hardest movie I've ever done just because it was so ambitious, just because what he was trying to do," Damon continued. "The prep and all that I had to do as a guy in his 50s, that was its own challenge. That was my own cross to bear, away from everybody."

Damon said filming took the cast across demanding locations, from beaches in Morocco to mountaintops and boats in unpredictable conditions.

"There was a lot of physical discomfort. It felt more like an expedition than a movie," he said. "Everybody was pushed to kind of the limit of what they could do. But the beauty of it is you look around and everyone is going through it with you."

On Tuesday, Damon detailed Nolan's "practical" requests when it came to filming — including avoiding stunt doubles. 

"Odysseus is an archer, and he wanted me to be able to speed load a bow, which, it's hard to get the arrow knocked on the string," Damon said during an appearance on "Today." "I sat in my apartment with a bow and arrow for months. Whenever I was sitting around, if we were watching something with the kids, I would practice speed loading, thousands and thousands and thousands and thousands of times."

"It's like a little detail, but it's funny … being an actor, you get tasked with doing kind of weird stuff sometimes," he added. 

The victim was identified as 67-year-old Joseph Lucia Junior, reported missing July 7th.

A phone app showed his last known location near the pond.

A Warrick County Sheriff’s Department drone detected what appeared to be a vehicle in shallow water.

Fire department divers confirmed the submerged vehicle, which was later removed by tow truck.

Investigators are still determining how Lucia’s vehicle entered the pond, but foul play is not suspected.

The fair runs from 7 to 10 a.m. and 4 to 6 p.m., offering free screenings and wellness resources.

Registration is required by July 31st.

Appointments are available at gshvin.org/wellnessfair or 812-885-3336.

Free screenings include blood pressure, pulse oximetry, bone density, colorectal take-home kits, and lab tests for blood sugar, cholesterol, and kidney function.

Fasting for 10 to 12 hours before lab screenings is encouraged but not required.

"There are people who are saying that our flag is a divisive symbol," the "Dukes of Hazzard" star told Fox News Digital. "People who are saying that they go into neighborhoods where there's a lot of American flags and somehow they feel unsafe. These are the same people who a couple of months ago took down the neighborhood watch signs because they thought that that indicated that the neighborhood was unsafe. These people are out of their minds."

He noted that the neighborhood watch is "neighborhood policing, and I love the police. They're policing their own neighborhood and saying, ‘Look, don't bring that stuff to our neighborhood. And if you do, we'll meet you. We'll meet at the border.’"

'THE VIEW' CO-HOST SUNNY HOSTIN LAMENTS 'I SUDDENLY FEEL UNSAFE' IN NEIGHBORHOODS WITH AMERICAN FLAGS

Schneider continued, "So, we live in very interesting times, my friend. Very, very interesting times. But we're going to get through it. We're going get through it as long as we have patriots, as long as we have folks who are not afraid to tell – I believe it's the truth, but I'll give some of them the benefit of the doubt. People who are willing to tell their truth, openly, unabashedly, unapologetically, like you, right, I hope like me, and we'll get through it."

The beloved TV and country music star, who starred on "The Dukes of Hazzard," "Smallville," "Tyler Perry’s The Have and Have Not’s" and co-founder of The Children’s Miracle Network, did a 45-minute concert to help celebrate America’s 250th Anniversary on the Freedom Stage in Washington, D.C. as part of the Great American State Fair.

WATCH HERE: JOHN SCHNEIDER DEFENDS AMERICAN FLAG AGAINST DETRACTORS

"It's an honor because we're here in D.C., and we were asked by the present administration, so that's really terrific, so I'm jazzed about it," the 66-year-old said about being asked to perform for the nation’s 250th anniversary.

LEE GREENWOOD SAYS HE'S 'VERY PROUD' TO STAND NEXT TO TRUMP DURING AMERICA'S 250TH CELEBRATION

The "Smallville" star revealed that he also celebrated the country’s bicentennial 50 years ago in style when he joined high school bands from all over the U.S. and played the sousaphone in a parade at Disney World.

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"It was great," Schneider said. "For me at that point, it was really spectacular because we got to go behind the flowers and trees at Disney World and saw, you know, kind of the inner workings of it and that was kind of like getting to go behind the curtain where the Wizard of Oz is, so I loved it. So, now to be part of something else 50 years later — I can't believe that but it's true. Fifty years later, I'm part of the sestercentennial… And I'm proud of our country. I'm proud of everything that's going on right now."

One thing he loves about America is the freedom to debate ideas.

'FORREST GUMP' STAR GARY SINISE TELLS TOMI LAHREN WHY AMERICANS SHOULD CHERISH EVERYDAY FREEDOMS

"I believe that you should be able to express your opinion," he said, "and have it maybe challenged, but in a friendly manner. Somewhere in the last, I don't know, maybe six years, it seems like a lot of people, if you disagree with somebody, they just like throw you out. And maybe that's social media. Maybe it's the ability to be able to block people."

One thing he said he hopes never changes about this country is the "desire to celebrate our flag, to celebrate red, white, and blue, to celebrate our freedom, to celebrate those folks who have sacrificed so much in order to give that to us. And there are forces trying to combat that too."

When asked what freedom means to him, Schneider called it the "opportunity to be able to do with your life or your skill set that which makes you happy. You know, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

He continued, "Pursuit of happiness is not necessarily having a bunch of money. The pursuit of happiness is getting up in the morning and saying, ‘I can't wait to get to work. I can't wait to try this. I can't wait to write this song. I can't wait to do this woodwork. I can't wait to fix that car. I want to be the best mechanic there ever was. I wanna be the best lawyer there ever was, I wanna be the best whatever there ever was.’ You can't do that in other countries. They don't take it for granted."

The exercise, attended by Fox News Digital, was the eighth training session conducted by Magen48 in partnership with the Israel Defense Forces — a full-scale drill involving the local civilian defense squad designed to prepare southern Israeli communities for scenarios similar to Oct. 7.

One of the scenarios simulated terrorists infiltrating the kibbutz kindergarten. With IDF forces en route, the civil defense squad had to respond while accounting for the presence of children, limited visibility and the need to neutralize the attackers while ensuring a safe evacuation. During the exercise, a simulated grenade detonated, injuring one member of the civil defense squad in the leg, while the others succeeded in neutralizing the terrorists.

HAMAS SAYS IT WILL DISSOLVE GAZA GOVERNMENT, BUT ISRAEL WARNS GROUP STILL SEEKS HEZBOLLAH-STYLE CONTROL

In earlier sessions, participants learned to operate weapons from behind cover while sitting, lying down, standing and moving. They are also trained to work in pairs and larger groups while developing communication skills. The exercises grew increasingly complex, with teams conducting drills inside buildings and responding to continuous emergency alerts.

Because the exercise took place inside a civilian community, no live ammunition was used. All weapons and equipment were secured to prevent accidental discharge. Residents were notified in advance of the drill.

Among the 47 participants were IDF soldiers and medical personnel from the Gaza Division’s Northern Brigade.

Magen48 instructor T., who could not reveal his full name for security reasons, said the Bror Hayil program initially presented significant challenges.

"The civil defense squad was made up of soldiers who had served in special forces alongside others who had never held combat roles in the military. Some were issued weapons they had never used during their service. Training begins with weapons familiarization, covering the basics of firearm operation and how to manipulate the weapon’s safety mechanisms," he said.

One lesson drawn from Oct. 7 was that many members of civilian security squads responded alone. "Whoever ran alone was not able to fend off terrorists," T. said, explaining that the training emphasizes locating another squad member before engaging whenever possible.

"The idea behind this project is to establish a unified operational language, so that if an incident occurs, nearby communities can join the response and coordinate effectively," he said.

ISRAEL FORTIFIES BORDER WITH JORDAN AS IRAN SEEKS NEW TERROR PATH

"The idea is that they are able to manage the event until forces arrive, then hand over control in an orderly manner while continuing to work together. They know the kibbutz, they work well as teams and they have undergone high-quality training that sharpened their skills."

Magen48, established in July 2024 and named for the 48 first responders killed on Oct. 7, has trained 1,500 civilians to respond to life-threatening emergencies, equipping them with the knowledge, skills and resources to contend with scenarios such as terrorist attacks, medical emergencies and fires.

Counterterrorism expert Ehud Dribben, who has 30 years of experience in the field, co-founded the organization with Ari Briggs and Mike Aron. As the three began planning to create a training facility, the IDF approached them to develop a program providing each of the 67 Gaza Envelope communities with 12 full training days annually. To date, Magen48 has conducted more than 550 training sessions.

The training exercise began with the community command center issuing an alert about eight terrorists infiltrating the kibbutz, prompting members of the civil defense squad to mobilize to their assigned defensive positions.

Briggs and Dribben designed the exercise around five key locations where the defense squad would ultimately need to concentrate its forces. Response times are measured, and every step — from alerting residents to engaging the terrorists and evacuating casualties — is closely monitored.

"The reports that emerged after Oct. 7 showed that civilian first responders were incredibly brave. They were prepared to do anything to protect their families, friends and communities, but they were not trained adequately and lacked the equipment they needed," Briggs said.

"Strong, well-trained civilian response teams don’t just improve security — they help bring communities back together, strengthen resilience and ensure these towns grow and have an amazing future," he added.

Retired British Col. Richard Kemp, who observed the training exercises, said the primary objective is to prevent another Oct. 7.

"I was in the British army for 30 years, so I understand the importance of defense and security for a country like Israel," he told Fox News Digital. "If you know that your enemy has a capability of any sort to endanger you, you have to be ready to deal with that capability through the kind of work that Magen48 is doing."

Kemp called the drill one of the most complex exercises he had witnessed.

"It’s really important that these drills take place to give the local community confidence that its security is a top priority and that forces are doing everything they can to prepare for another terrorist attack like the one we saw on Oct. 7," he said.

Ozone levels are expected to be in the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups range.

Areas of Western and West Central Indiana impacted by the Air Quality Action Day include Spencer, Sullivan, and Terre Haute.