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Josh O'Connor reveals the 'amazing' advice he got from Steven Spielberg — that was actually a mixed-up text

Josh O'Connor is recalling a hilarious mix-up that led to an acting breakthrough on the set of Disclosure Day.

Josh O'Connor in 'Disclosure Day'Credit: Niko Tavernise/Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment

Key Points

The English actor was "thrilled" to receive a late-night text from Spielberg with helpful advice about a tricky scene.
But when he arrived the following day on set, he learned what Spielberg really meant by the message, leading to a "very big joke" amongst the cast and crew.

Steven Spielbergis cooking with gas even when he doesn't mean to be.

Josh O'Connor, one of the stars of the great American maestro's mysterious new UFO filmDisclosure Day,eagerly shared "the greatest Steven Spielberg story" in an interview with theAssociated Presson Wednesday.

"When it happened, I was sort of like punching the air for this very reason, knowing that when it comes to doing press for this film, I can tell the story," O'Connor began, setting the stage.

The rising English star of films likeChallengersandLa Chimeraexplained that "halfway through the shoot," he was preparing for "quite an emotional scene and I was struggling with it. I was in my hotel room trying to prep it" when Spielberg "brilliantly" offered his perspective on "the emotion of the scene and how to access that and what we’re ultimately aiming to show in the story. And I felt quite satisfied, but not completely."

Then came a most unexpected late-night text.

Emily Blunt, Steven Spielberg, and Wyatt Russell on the set of 'Disclosure Day'Credit: Niko Tavernise/Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment

"I got a text from him quite late at night, just saying, 'The door is on the latch, just push.' And it made so much sense. I was like, 'of course.' The character's kind of got all this emotion, it's built up and it's like a door on the latch and you just push and it all comes out and it's an emotional release," O'Connor shared.

He waltzed back onto the set of Spielberg's highly anticipated return to extraterrestrial cinema "so thrilled with that note," and went straight to Spielberg to thank him.

"'Steven, you totally unlocked it for me. That was amazing,'" O'Connor recalled. "And he was like, 'What are you talking about?'"

"I said, 'The text about 'the door on the latch just push' it's incredible.' And he laughed and said that that text was supposed to be for his wife. It became a very big joke for all of us. But it did unlock the scene for me, so, fair play," O'Connor explained.

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Disclosure Dayis Spielberg's 37th feature film as a director and another in his career exploration of life beyond life on Earth, adding to a lineage that includesE.T.,Close Encounters of the Third Kind,War of the Worlds, and, yes,Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

The film co-stars O'Connor, Emily Blunt, Colin Firth, and Colman Domingo and premieres in just over a month, but little is known about its plot and themes.

Spielberg ventured out to Las Vegas earlier this month totease new footage from the filmduring the Universal presentation at CinemaCon.

Though there was significant overlap between footage used in the film's official trailer and what was shown at CinemaCon, that latter presentation included a first look atDisclosure Day's aliens.

One intriguing shot toward the end of the new footage showed several human figures holding umbrellas over the heads of smaller humanoid creatures that bear a striking resemblance to the small aliens at the end ofClose Encounters.

Fans will have to wait untilDisclosure Daypremieres on June 12 to see what Spielberg's been cooking up.

Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly

byCUSTOS CAELORUM

in

May 01, 2026

Josh O'Connor reveals the 'amazing' advice he got from Steven Spielberg — that was actually a mixed-up text

Josh O'Connor is recalling a hilarious mix-up that led to an acting breakthrough on the set of Disclosure Day . Key Points ...

How Ana Navarro is working around getting bleeped on 'The View'

NEW YORK –Ana Navarrois ready to tape her new podcast anytime, anywhere.

TheCNNcontributor andABC "The View"cohost, 54, launched"Bleep! with Ana Navarro"earlier this year. While on Easter break in Costa Rica on April 9,First Lady Melania Trumpissued a statement at the White House in which she deniedhaving any involvementwith convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Navarro, armed with mobile recording equipment, hopped into action. And while the timing of the Trump's press conference befuddled some, Navarro believes that there was clearly a plan in place.

"She obviously didn't write that stuff herself, right?" she tells USA TODAY. "It was full of legalese. So yes, I think she got advice. I think she got help. But because of that, I've now done a couple of breaking news episodes of the podcast from a portable thing I have."

When Ana Navarro stopped by USA TODAY's New York studio, she brought along a very special guest: her pet dog Cha-Cha.

Navarro, anoutspoken criticof the Trump administration, teamed up with iHeartMedia and Hyphenate Media Group for her new podcast. Hyphenate was launched by actressEva Longoriaand media executive Cris Abrego. Longoria also serves as an executive producer of Navarro's podcast.

"There are not that many Latino voices breaking down news," Navarro says about why she continues to lean in to these news cycles. "One of the things that most touches me is anytime I'm in the supermarket or I'm at the airport and some young Latina comes up to me and tells me how much it means for them to have somebody like me speaking up on behalf of our community.

"It's like a privilege and a duty."

'The View' inspired Ana Navarro's new podcast

The title of Navarro's podcast is a playful jab at her other her day job.

"The problem is that I get bleeped at'The View,'"she explains. "Sometimes I try to say things in Spanish. So now (ABC is) to the point where if I say 'queso,' they will bleep me out because they don't know what I'm saying and they're nervous."

She will not be censored on her own show.

Navarro's goal with the podcast is to both interview interesting subjects and break down news items without the typical restrictions of cable or broadcast TV, where a cohost or panelist may only get a fraction of a 7 minute segment to speak.

But she still enjoys her work on TV, despite the occasionally "bleep" and her commute between New York and Miami. Navarro believes authenticity is the key to any successful show and is one of the reason why "The View" has lasted on ABC for almost 29 years.

"It's women from different backgrounds, different generations, different races, ethnicities, different takes on life, giving their opinions," she explains. Cohosts on the view range from age 36 (former White House strategic communications directorAlyssa Farah Griffin) to 83 (actress-comedianJoy Behar).

Navarro also credits the team behind the cameras, whom she calls "an entire family." She says some have worked there since the show's launch with Barbara Walters in 1997. "They run like a fine tuned Swiss watch and they keep the shows going."

Bad Bunny and Lady Gaga perform a salsa-inspired "Die with a Smile" during his Super Bowl halftime show Feb. 8 in Santa Clara, California.