Author: USA Facts News

Many are often shocked to find out that not only have actors actually been involved in unsimulated sexual scenes in films, but some are actually quite well-known.

Here is a list of every Oscar nominated actor to have been involved in an unsimulated sex scene.

Mark Rylance

Rylance appeared in a 2001 film called Intimacy in which he took part in an unsimulated sex scene. He played one half of a pair of strangers who meet once a week in order to have emotionless sex.

Thankfully, it didn’t hold back Rylance’s career – as he went on to develop a legendary resume of films.

The actor is not just Oscar-nominated either; he actually won an Academy Award back in 2016 for his part in Bridge of Spies.

He won Best Supporting Actor in the Spielberg espionage thriller, saying on stage: “I’ve always, I’ve always just adored stories. Hearing them. Seeing them. Being in them.

“So for me to have the chance to work with, I think, one of the greatest storytellers of our time, Steven Spielberg, has just been such an honour.”

Chloë Sevigny

The Oscar-Nominated American actress appeared in a deeply controversial film called Brown Bunny in which she performed oral sex on her co-star Vincent Gallo, who was also the director and writer of the film.

In 2004 when it came out, the fact she had done this was so controversial that there were even unfounded rumours her agency had dropped her as a client. It did not, as many predicted, ruin her career – as she just last year starred in the highly successful Monsters season based on the Menendez Brothers.

In 1999 however, five years prior to her unsimulated sex scene, she actually was nominated for an Oscar for her performance in Boys Don’t Cry. The film was a dramatization of the real-life transphobic murder of Brandon Teena, with Brandon’s girlfriend Lana Tisdel portrayed by Sevigny.

She said in a later interview of the film: “I feel like it was important to the world. Not even one community in general.

“As far as building tolerance and acceptance and educating people and portraying a person and seeing the violence acted out against them and how heart-wrenching it is and humanizing a story, it was a really important thing to be a part of.”

Willem Dafoe

Yes, the great Willem Dafoe was involved in an unsimulated sex scene (kind of).

Dafoe appeared in Antichrist, a bizarre Lars Von Trier film that sees a couple horrified after their infant son falls out a window in a nearby room while they both have sex.

While Von Trier wanted the pair to have actual sex, he stated that he wasn’t able to use Dafoe in the scene due to his sizable penis, believing it would have been distracting.

Dafoe meanwhile simply said it was a bit more to do with himself and his scene partner Charlotte Gainsbourg both being married.

The solution came however, when body doubles were used for the unsimulated parts of the sex scene, cut together with a simulated sex scene Dafoe and Gainsbourg filmed.

Dafoe has been nominated for four Oscars but never won, with nominations for Best Supporting Actor for Platoon, Shadow of the Vampire, and The Florida Project, and Best Actor for At Eternity’s Gate.

From what Von Trier said about Dafoe though, I can’t imagine he’d be too sad.

You only have to look as far as this year’s Grammys debacle involving Kanye West and Bianca Censori to see why you’d think celebs basically have free reign.

The truth is actually far from this, as everyone from Timothee Chalamet to Cynthia Erivo will have to follow certain rules or risk being thrown out.

Of those film stars attending the Oscars today, here are some of the rules they will actually have to follow, as found by researchers at Northerner.

In reality many of the bigger names would probably be fine to get around this, but if they want to follow the letter of the law or you don’t have the sway of a big name, you’d better remember your wristband.

Oscar winning speeches

Now this goes beyond the Will Smith debacle, as the rules saying you can’t walk up and slap someone mid-speech is more so just common sense.

The rules around speeches are actually that they have to be kept under 45 seconds.

If you go over that amount of time, there is a real and clear chance those running the event will simply start playing music over you until you bugger off.

The longest ever speech? Four minutes, all the way back in 1943 by Greer Garson.

Though not explicit rule, the content of your speeches can also get you in hot water, as Richard Gere was banned for 20 years after ignoring his script to speak about China’s occupation of Tibet.

Rules for seat-fillers

Believe it or not, not everyone at the Oscars is a celebrity, as the awards pick 300 people to be ‘seat-fillers’.

Their role is simple – when Christopher Nolan goes for a pint at the bar or to the little director’s room for a wee, someone is plopped in his seat to give the audience the appearance of being full on the broadcast.

These select people have to arrive at 10.00am for the ceremony, have to have their outfits approved, and even have to wear badges saying they are a seat-filler.

In addition to this, they are asked not to speak to those around them unless spoken to.

While I’m sure they don’t have snipers on the ready in case a member of the public tries to say hi to Greta Gerwig, I wouldn’t be surprised.

The Ancient Greeks used to think you’d go to the Elysium Fields if you were a hero, or the depths of Tartarus if your soul was regarded as ‘unjust’ or ‘perjured’ by the God of the Underworld, Hades.

These days, those who practice various religions have their own thoughts on the afterlife—some claim we’re reborn into the body of an animal, while others believe there’s nothing on the other side.

What we do know though is what physically happens to our bodies when we die: they decompose. According to Live Science, a body buried in the ground within a coffin takes around a year to start decomposing.

Meanwhile, if you choose to be cremated – the process of burning a deceased person’s body to ashes – it’s a lot quicker. It’s thought the cremation process takes between one and three hours to complete. Then, a further one or two hours will be spent cooling the ashes down, say experts at Funeral Partners.

Cremation can be a pretty puzzling, which means there’s a whole lot of myths attached to the process.

One of which is that the deceased’s body is lit on fire.

According to funeral director Simon Savage, this is not what happens at all when a coffin arrives at a crematorium.

Savage, who has over a decade of experience, serves as both owner and manager of Otter Valley Funerals, an independent, family-run funeral director providing the communities of Budleigh, Exmouth, and the surrounding areas with ‘exceptional care at their time of need’.

In a video uploaded to TikTok earlier this week, the expert explained that they would be showing how a coffin is charged into a cremator, in the hopes it would ‘myth bust’.

“This is something I said I would do so people could see a single creation chamber.”

Savage explained that the coffin featured in the video did have the remains of a deceased person in it and that he had gained permission to film the event.

Following his introduction, the video panned to a wood coffin with gold detailing, sitting on a slab of metal.

In the background, the retort door – also known as the cremation chamber door – opened up to show a single, cremation chamber with no flames in sight.

The coffin was then charged (pushed) into the space via an automatic paddle-like device, which exited the chamber before the retort door clamped shut.

According to DFW Europe, the average temperature of a cremation furnace is between 1000 and 1300 degrees Celsius.

“It’s as simple as that,” Savage continued. “I hope that answers a lot of questions.”

The no-nonsense clip has already racked up more than 719,000 views and over 1,400 comments from curious TikTok users.

“What does it look like ‘finished’? When the door reopens?” commented one viewer.

In response, the Otter Valley Funerals account wrote: “Without being crass it’s just a pile of bones.”

“You definitely do one last check to check the person inside is definitely deceased? (An irrational fear I have),” remarked someone else.

“The funeral director will do one last check before the coffin is closed to ensure the ID bracelet matches the nameplate on the coffin,” they replied. “The crematorium then trust the nameplate.”

A third user queried whether or not a body could enter the cremation chamber without lying in a coffin.

They said: “hi can a body go in without the coffin I only want my husband back not the ashes if the coffin and plastic thank you.”

Otter Valley Funerals said: “The absolute minimum requirement would be a shroud on a charging board.

“The ashes are 98% calcium(bone) as the rest burns away to nothing at such a high temperature and the metal is removed after.”

Well, at least now you know, right?

According to Opal, the UK is one of the worst screen time offenders in Europe, with an average smartphone user spending around 5 hours and six minutes scrolling every single day.

To put that into perspective, that’s the equivalent of spending a whopping 28 per cent of your day doomscrolling on Instagram!

Imagine how productive you could be if you just stayed off your phone for seven weeks. One can dream, huh?

The podcaster, who claims his purpose is to ‘bring hope to humans all over the world’, went without technology for two months a couple of years ago—and he’s recently revealed the results of the experiment on The Dr John Delony Show.

Instead of looking at screens, Whittaker chose to hunker down for seven-and-a-half weeks with his family.

Any time not with his nearest and dearest, he split between a monastery and an Amish farm.

And two months later, he claims his memory dramatically improved.

“My memory went from the 50th percentile of adult men in America to 99th percentile,” he told Dr Delony on his titular podcast.

“There was only 1 percent of men with better memory than me when I finished this experiment.”

Interestingly, Whittaker’s poor memory claims are backed by Stanford Center on Longevity.

According to scientific study results, it’s alleged that increased use of screens among adults may harm learning, memory and mental health.

Meanwhile, the Neurology Center For Epilepsy & Seizures states that a constant bombardment of information can overwhelm the brain, resulting in difficulties in processing and retaining information.

Like Whittaker, the experts advise implementing digital detoxes into our lives, incorporating brain-stimulation activities, and for people to do at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day.

But it isn’t just your brain that could benefit from cutting back time spent aimlessly flicking through your phone.

Putting your mobile down can actually help boost your self-image and esteem, writes WebMD. It can also help you be more productive and boost your sleep hygiene.

If you believe you’re a self-confessed phone addict, then there are some ways you can beat your obsession.

You could set Screen Time boundaries, try charging your phone in a different room at night, or even enrol on a course of Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), writes PsychCentral.

So, if you want to improve your memory, it may be worth locking your phone in a box and throwing away the key. Give it a try and let us know!

The Crown Princess was in New Zealand as passengers were enjoying a 14-day round trip from Sydney, Australia. But as the big boat changed course near Milford Sound, it became the victim of strong winds.

So strong, it caused the cruise ship to tilt. And shocking footage shows the scary reality of being on board at the time.

Even if you don’t get seasick while you’re on a boat, just watching this is enough to imagine the absolute stomach turn as everything leaned to the side and caused chaos.

Videos from onboard the Princess Cruises ship show staff running in the kitchen as pots and pans were sent flying. Food ended up spilling out across the floor, with dishes smashing as they fell to the ground.

Up on the outside deck, the pool ended up spilling over in its own wave while passengers gripped onto anything they could as they were tilted at an unprecedented angle.

As reported by 9News, one passenger who was in the dining room at the time said: “The tables and chairs went sliding across the room, and a girl went sliding on her chair over towards the pool.”

Another passenger said they were ‘walking along doing my lap and all of a sudden the boat was on an angle’.

“I had to hang on!” they added.

Martin Wise was in the sixth floor dining room when the ship was hit by the strong winds as he told Stuff: “I felt the boat starting to slant and tip. Then it lent over quite a bit and really started moving along at a high speed and we could see the sea looking very high out of the restaurant windows.”

He said crockery ‘went flying’ around the room as ‘crashing could be heard’ around them and a ‘huge crash from the kitchen’.

Wise reckons the ordeal lasted about 40 seconds and said the captain told them the boat had been hit by 75 knot wind, briefly increasing their speed and causing a 14-degree tilt.

“On a frightening scale, I’d put it at 8.5 to 10,” the seasoned cruiser said, explaining ‘nothing’s ever happened like this before’.

Thirteen passengers and three crew members suffered minor injuries as the 3090 guest-capacity ship didn’t suffer any structural damage and continued on as scheduled.

Princess Cruises told LADbible: “On February 25, while in Fiordland, New Zealand, Crown Princess encountered strong winds during a course change, causing the ship to briefly tilt beyond its usual movement before stabilizing. Our crew responded quickly to correct the situation, and at no point was the safety of the ship compromised.

“A total of 13 guests and three crew members sustained minor injuries and all are doing well. Additionally, a small amount of water from the Lido Deck pool briefly entered the Horizons food court, but the area was quickly cleaned and reopened. There was no structural damage to the ship.

“We regret any inconvenience this may have caused and appreciate our guests’ understanding. Crown Princess remains fully operational and safe, and the voyage continued as planned.”

Diana Auria, 36, is ditching the UK in favour of a much warmer part of the world, and she’s got a list as long as her arm of reasons why.

The mum packed her bags and headed off on the adventure of a lifetime at the end of January with her husband Jack and their four-year-old son.

The family-of-three started off by heading to the Philippines, before moving onto Singapore for their ‘world school journey’.

Two weeks before the brood climbed on their one-way flight, the mum – who shares lifestyle and travel content online – posted a TikTok video explaining why they are leaving the UK.

The fashion designer, who lived in Kent for 10 years, listed a host of cons about our country which included everything from complaints about the ‘negative atmosphere’ to criticism of the government.

In the clip, Diana began by dubbing prices in the UK a ‘rip off’, saying that the ‘cost of living has increased so much in the last few years’ and that her living expenses have skyrocketed.

“Inflation at its highest,” she said. “Rent and house prices have gone crazy. Interest rates are high. Not much disposable income. Quality of life is very low.”

And that was just her first reason.

Diana also believes the UK isn’t ‘a great place to bring up children’ in comparison to other countries, as the gloomy weather means a lot of youngsters ‘staying indoors watching screens’.

The cold climate was her third reason, as she pointed out that ‘summers don’t even feel like summer anymore’ and that the chilly temperatures ‘really affect her skin’ and causes her eczema to ‘flare up’.

Diana then expressed her angst about the UK being ‘so dark during peak winter’, while making reference to seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

The mother-of-one also found fault with the lack of ‘work-life balance’ in the UK, saying: “People are only living for the weekend or living for the summer. Most people are stuck in the rat race.”

As well as this, Diana reckons the UK property market is in tatters.

“Housing is so expensive and small,” she said. “Houses are either really old, need major renovation (building costs are so much now) or the new builds are made of cardboard and have tiny box rooms.”

The Brit then took aim at the UK government in a TikTok video, saying that it ‘feels like everything is falling apart, including the NHS, which has been run down to its knees due to lack of funding’.

On top of all this, Diana explained the rise in ‘mobile phone thefts, knife crime and gang wars’ also gave her and her husband the push to take the plunge, as they find it ‘so scary’.

She went on to say that the UK’s atmosphere wasn’t up to scratch either, adding: “There is so much negativity. Feels like there is no hope, no innovation, no job prospects, no wage increases – people are deflated.”

And finally, the topic of taxes was the tenth reason which encouraged the family’s big move, as they believe people in the UK are ‘taxed so much’.

“There is a tax for everything,” Diana fumed. “Income tax, value added tax, council tax, road tax, TV tax, stamp duty, capital gains tax. The government try squeeze your pockets at every turn.”

She told social media users that although she also has a ‘long list of things she loves about England’, currently, the ‘negatives outweigh the positives’.

Her clip managed to cause some controversy on TikTok though after racking up over 340,000 views and thousands of comments, as people debated her reasons for relocating from the UK.

One person said: “Sorry to be honest but I’ve lived in so many countries and I keep moving back to the UK as although on face value other places seem better, reality starts sinking in after time.”

Another wrote: “So true…As a Polish person who’s been in the UK since 2007, it’s so bad now.”

A third added: “Left the UK to live abroad six months ago. It’s still early days but my family are much happier and it’s definitely the best decision we ever made! The UK was becoming impossible to live comfortably tbh.”

A fourth commented: “You don’t realise how good the UK is until you go and live somewhere else.”

A fifth added: “You are not the only one I’ve heard this from.”

While someone else chimed in saying: “We have just come back from Dubai as a family of five…no comment as not all that glitters is gold.”

Others pointed out that most people could ‘find ten reasons to leave any country’ if you really sat down and thought about it.

So, who’s side are you on?

The comedian, 36, was at the helm of the biggest night in British music for the fifth time last night (1 March) as the awards got underway at London’s O2 Arena.

It was quite the eventful evening – Sabrina Carpenter opened the Brits with a controversial performance, Danny Dyer was spotted next to a ‘horse’ and Charli XCX called out ITV for ‘complaining about her nipples’.

Social media users had plenty to discuss, especially when it came to some of Whitehall’s eyebrow-raising material.

During his opening monologue, he joked: “ITV has had so many of its presenters cancelled this year they’ve had to come crawling back to an ex. And what an honour it is to be hosting again the biggest night in British music.”

Whitehall went on to absolutely roast KSI, slip in a Hawk Tuah joke, and chew the fat with Danny Dyer about world leaders, before cracking a very controversial joke about Diddy.

The music mogul, 55, is currently in custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York as he awaits trial over a slew of shocking charges.

He has been accused of racketeering, sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion and transportation to engage in prostitution, in relation to incidents which allegedly occurred at his infamous ‘freak off’ parties.

Diddy – real name Sean John Combs – has strongly denied all charges against him and has pleaded not guilty.

At the Brits, Whitehall made a quip about the rapper following Jade Thirlwall’s incredible performance on stage, where she belted out her hit ‘Angel Of My Dreams’.

The 32-year-old singer, who scooped her first solo Brit Award for Best Pop Act, initially sported a bridal gown, before she then reemerged in a white fluffy coat and a blonde wig.

She was flanked by a host of dancers who were also dressed in white…and this style choice really set Thirlwall up for Whitehall’s joke.

After the former Little Mix star wrapped up her performance, the host told the camera: “They’re on their feet! Look at them! That was amazing! Jade everyone, wow. I’ve got goosebumps right now.

“Also, I love that she went for that aesthetic. I really thought Diddy might have done it for the White Party theme. Jade has brought it back.”

Diddy hosted a ‘White Party’ each year, which a string of celebrities attended, after beginning the tradition all the way back in 1998.

In a 2006 interview with Oprah, he said of his guest list: “I had the craziest mix: some of my boys from Harlem; Leonardo DiCaprio, after he’d just finished Titanic.

“I had socialites there and relatives from down south. There were 200 people sitting out here, just having a down-home cookout.”

Whitehall has come under fire for the joke, with fans of Thirlwall taking to social media to accuse him of ‘ruining’ her performance.

In a post on X, one person said: “That performance by Jade was incredible and quickly ruined by Jack Whitehall joking about P Diddy.”

Another wrote: “Jack Whitehall making a Diddy joke was so tasteless and tone deaf.”

A third added: “A Diddy joke… it’s not f**king funny and it never has been, someone get Jack Whitehall off stage.”

A fourth viewer commented: “Diddy joke? Stop booking Jack Whitehall for things PLEASE it’s not 2013 anymore.”

And a fifth fumed: “Jack Whitehall how dare you mention Diddy in the same sentence as Jade.”

Whitehall discussed his creative process when it comes to crafting his jokes for a gig such as the Brits ahead of the award show.

“We have this process where we spend four months writing this script and crafting it all and [in the rehearsal] there’s this moment where we’re finalising it, picking the right jokes and slotting it all into place,” he revealed.

“Then for the dress rehearsals, I do a dummy script so no one can complain about what I’m saying about their acts.

“Then on the night, I make sure there are a few surprises for the acts, the record labels and ITV. I like to keep everyone on their toes.”

You can say that again.

For almost two decades, the Zammits have inhabited their breathtaking 20,000 sqm property in Quakers Hill, Sydney.

Stretching five acres, the plot features a Windsor Castle-style 200m-long driveway, rich lawns, and an inhabited building that’s thought to have more than five bedrooms.

A makeshift basketball court, and a large car garage also feature on the lot, as per the Daily Mail.

And to put it plainly: it’s a spectacle.

But what makes the property even more unique is the fact that the land slices through a modern development, boasting detached homes situated in cul-de-sacs.

These buildings can be seen bunched up against and around the Zammits’ perimeter.

However, according to satellite footage, it appears the Zammits didn’t always live slap-bang in the middle of a housing estate.

In fact, at one point, the sprawling property was surrounded by fields, the odd red brick home, and little cottages.

“Every home was unique, and there was so much space – but not any more. It’s just not the same,” Diane Zammit told the Daily Mail.

The aerial footage documenting the land’s development are simply breathtaking, check it out below:

Understandably, a local business that was developing The Ponds area wanted to build on the luscious land.

And while the Zammits’ neighbours were happy to take a cheque and move out, the notoriously private family stayed put.

According to a report, the family rejected an offer of AUD $50 million (£25 million) for their plot of land.

It’s understood so much was offered because up to 50 homes could be placed on the plot and sold for $1 million each, as per 7 News.

Last year, a property expert revealed how much they think the Zammit family’s sprawling land is worth now.

He told the Daily Mail: “The land is probably worth around $60 million if it was developed now.

“Even if someone paid them $40 million for it, the developer stands to make at least $20 million.

“And given the way Sydney home prices continue to soar, even a price tag of $60 million would return the developer a substantial profit by the time the homes were finally approved, constructed and sold.

“They must really love that home to ignore that kind of money.”

Daily Mail Australia reports that a spokesperson for the local council said there were no designs or intentions on the family home.

The spokesperson for Blacktown City Council said the body ‘has no plans to acquire the property and has not had any negotiations to acquire the property’.

“The property rate applied to this property is the same as all surrounding residential properties,” they said.

Previously, neighbours have praised the Zammits for rejecting the sale.

“I’m very happy they’ve refused to sell – it means we have a cul-de-sac which is much safer for our kids – and their big lawn next to us makes it feel like we’ve got so much space,” said one resident.

A second said: “The fact that most people sold out years and years ago, these guys have held on. All credit to them.”

Interestingly, the Zammits actually thought about selling up and moving on before the developers came knocking.

The sprawling mansion was previously up for sale in 2015, when it was valued at around AUD $858,000 (£423,587) to AUD $945,000 (£466,538), house records on RP Data show.

Daily Mail Australia also report that the home only stayed on the market for seven days.

It also went up for sale again the following year for the same price.

But after developers showed an interest in wanting to buy their house and its land to rebuild on the plot, the Zammit home hasn’t been on the market again.

And the pro-President Trump reporter who slammed his style choices has now doubled down on his criticism of the Ukrainian leader’s rig-out in a scathing new statement.

The Ukrainian President, 47, often sports more casual attire than his international counterparts who tend to wear expensive suits.

Take earlier this week for example, when Zelenskyy opted to don a military-style outfit as he headed to the White House to sit down with Donald Trump.

For the meeting – which ended up with the US President warning the European leader he was ‘gambling with WWIII’ – he wore black trousers, boots and a black jumper which was embroidered with the Ukrainian trident.

Trump couldn’t resist slipping a sarcastic comment in regarding Zelenskyy’s wardrobe as he greeted him at the entrance to the West Wing on Friday (28 February).

As the pair shook hands, Trump joked: “He is all dressed up today.”

While he was at the White House, journalist Brian Glenn also took the opportunity to get a jab in at the Ukrainian leader, as he asked why he wasn’t wearing a suit for the sit down in the Oval Office.

The Chief White House Correspondent for conservative outlet Real America’s Voice and avid Trump supporter – who also apparently moonlights as the fashion police – said to Zelenskyy: “You’re the highest level in this country’s office and you refuse to wear a suit.

“Just want to see if you, do you own a suit? A lot of Americans have problems with you not respecting the dignity of his office.”

Zelenskyy then calmly responded: “I will wear costume after this war will finish. Maybe something like yours, maybe something better. We will see, maybe something cheaper.”

Rumours have since circulated that Trump was seen ‘slyly winking’ at Glenn, seemingly in a bid to encourage the journalist to rile up Zelenskyy.

According to Sky News, the Ukrainian president was advised by Trump’s team to wear something more formal, but he seems to have decided to stick to his guns instead.

In wake of the ongoing discourse surrounding Zelenskyy’s wardrobe, Glenn has issued an ‘official response’ to the controversy in a post on X.

Although he has ‘extreme empathy’ for Ukrainians and ‘all of those involved in this destructive war’, Glenn insisted his comments about Zelenskyy’s clothing were still valid.

Glenn wrote: “The United States has given Ukraine over $120b (some say it’s close to 300b) in assistance. That’s hard earned tax dollars from Americans. (Which most Americas are against funding).

“President Zelenskyy has worn the green jumpsuit (or something similar) on every occasion when meeting other world leaders, dressed respectfully for the occasion.

“For him, once again, to enter the highest office in the most powerful nation in the world, dressed as he did, reflects his inner disrespect for not only our country, the President and the US citizens that have made it possible for Ukraine to survive as long as they have to this point. (Financially speaking).

“Moments after my exchange with President Zelenskyy, we began to hear a slightly different tone/mood from him when engaging with President Trump and VP JD Vance as his attire in-fact did begin to reflect his overall attitude towards the negotiations. So yes, you can judge a book by its cover.

“With that said, I pray for an ending to this war and peace in that region. Thank you.”

Yes, it’s that time again where we look to heading abroad for a short break in the sun. Or failing that, if it’s not your thing, a city break somewhere with a rich history.

And given how cheap flights can be from the likes of Ryanair, it’s never been easier to go on a holiday regardless of your taste.

So if you’re heading overseas, better dust off that suitcase you might not have used for a year or so. But if it’s black, it might be time to invest in another, brighter one.

That’s because no matter how many times we might have flown, that anxiety as you wait at the bag carousel for yours to appear exists no matter what.

Obviously, not all bags are always delivered. Some go missing.

And maybe more than you think. Every year, millions are lost across the UK.

BBC data from 2022 revealed that 26 million pieces of luggage were either delayed, lost, or damaged after flights. And one of the major reasons for cases going missing is mistaken identity.

Enter the world of the black bag; an item that is pretty indistinguishable from the one next to it, even if you’ve owned yours for years.

Ryanair, Europe’s largest operator, has highlighted cases you should be avoiding altogether.

But if you can’t avoid that, there’s also a few hacks you should undertake to make sure you know what your bag looks like and others avoid taking it.

“Make it easier to spot your checked-in luggage on the carousel, especially if your luggage is black, navy or grey,” the Dublin-based airline said.

“Add a colourful luggage tag or ribbon to the handle so that there’s no confusion on arrival.”

Frankfurt Airport boss, Stefan Schulte, echoed the general sentiment, saying it is ‘hard to distinguish them from each other’ when it came to dark suitcases.

But is the ribbon advice from Ryanair the right answer?

One baggage handler at Dublin Airport has previously revealed that tying a ribbon around your bags could do more harm than good.

Named John, he spoke about why people need to stop tying ribbons around their luggage handles.

John said: “Ribbons people tie onto their suitcases to help identify them can cause issues with the bag being scanned in the baggage hall.

“If the bag can’t be scanned automatically it can end up in manual processing, which could mean your bag doesn’t make it to the flight. Take old stickers off the bag, it can cause confusion with the scanning process.”

Yeah, maybe just get those bright blue and pink suitcases and end the issue for good.