Did you know Ben Stokes' cousin was a Hollywood director?
ESPNcricinfo staff
20-Jun-2025 • 23 hrs ago
Ben Stokes is Hollywood adjacent • AFP/Getty Images
Ahead of the Test series against India, England captain Ben Stokes decided to relax with a night at the movie theatre with some of his team-mates, watching Final Destination Bloodlines, the latest installment in the horror franchise.
"Final Destination is one of those childhood - sounds a bit rogue - films you watch," Stokes said. "Threw it out there if anyone wanted to go and there were seven of us who went down. Interesting watch."
Stokes revealed that fast bowler Brydon Carse had a few uncomfortable moments while watching the film. The franchise is known for the gruesome ways in which it kills off its characters.
"Carsey's a very jumpy character, Stokes said. "So there was a few moments in there where he flinched a little bit."
But more than the movie itself, what caught Stokes' attention was the trailer for a new film.
"There was a trailer for a new film coming out, called Together. And then at the end of it, it says, 'Written and directed by Michael Shanks'. And I was like, no, it can't be. So I googled the film and it's my cousin who has written and directed the film and I did not know this until the film came out.
"He was studying film and doing all this kind of stuff," Stokes said of Shanks. "And now he's made a Hollywood film. That's what I got out of Final Destination: I realised that my cousin has directed and written a film that's meant to be very, very good. Pretty proud moment there. I might be the 'cousin of' if he takes off and makes some big movies."
The first Test between India and England starts on Friday, June 20, at Headingley.